The theme of the poem is Gogol's dead souls. Analysis of Gogol's poem “Dead Souls. "Pale Beginning" of a Grand Design

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol’s work “Dead Souls” is one of the author’s most striking works. This poem, the plot of which is related to the description of Russian reality of the 19th century, is of great value for Russian literature. It was also significant for Gogol himself. No wonder he called it a “national poem” and explained that in this way he tried to expose the shortcomings of the Russian Empire, and then change the appearance of his homeland for the better.

The birth of the genre

The idea for Gogol to write “Dead Souls” was suggested to the author by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. At first, the work was conceived as a light humorous novel. However, after work began on the work “Dead Souls,” the genre in which the text was originally intended to be presented was changed.

The fact is that Gogol considered the plot to be very original and gave the presentation a different, deeper meaning. As a result, a year after the start of work on the work “Dead Souls,” its genre became more extensive. The author decided that his brainchild should become nothing more than a poem.

Main idea

The writer divided his work into 3 parts. In the first of them, he decided to point out all the shortcomings that took place in his contemporary society. In the second part, he planned to show how the process of correcting people takes place, and in the third - the lives of heroes who have already changed for the better.

In 1841, Gogol completed writing the first volume of Dead Souls. The plot of the book shocked the entire reading country, causing a lot of controversy. After the release of the first part, the author began work on a continuation of his poem. However, he was never able to finish what he started. The second volume of the poem seemed imperfect to him, and nine days before his death he burned the only copy of the manuscript. Only drafts of the first five chapters have been preserved for us, which today are considered a separate work.

Unfortunately, the trilogy remained unfinished. But the poem “Dead Souls” should have had significant meaning. Its main purpose was to describe the movement of the soul, which went through a fall, purification, and then rebirth. The main character of the poem, Chichikov, had to go through this path to the ideal.

Plot

The story told in the first volume of the poem “Dead Souls” takes us to the nineteenth century. It tells the story of a journey across Russia undertaken by the main character, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, to acquire so-called dead souls from landowners. The plot of the work provides the reader with a complete picture of the morals and life of the people of that time.

Let's look at the chapters of "Dead Souls" with their plot in a little more detail. This will give a general idea of ​​a vibrant literary work.

Chapter first. Start

Where does the work “Dead Souls” begin? The topic raised in it describes the events that took place at a time when the French were finally expelled from Russian territory.

At the beginning of the story, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, who held the position of collegiate adviser, arrived in one of the provincial cities. When analyzing “Dead Souls,” the image of the main character becomes clear. The author shows him as a middle-aged man with an average build and good appearance. Pavel Ivanovich is extremely inquisitive. Situations arise when one can even talk about his intrusiveness and annoyingness. So, from the tavern servant he is interested in the owner’s income, and also tries to find out about all the city officials and the most noble landowners. He is also interested in the state of the region to which he came.

A collegiate advisor does not sit alone. He visits all officials, finding the right approach to them and choosing words that are pleasant for people. That is why they treat him just as well, which even surprises Chichikov a little, who has experienced many negative reactions towards himself and even survived an assassination attempt.

The main purpose of Pavel Ivanovich’s arrival is to find a place for a quiet life. To do this, while attending a party in the governor’s house, he meets two landowners - Manilov and Sobakevich. At a dinner with the police chief, Chichikov became friends with the landowner Nozdryov.

Chapter two. Manilov

The continuation of the plot is connected with Chichikov’s trip to Manilov. The landowner met the official on the threshold of his estate and led him into the house. The road to Manilov's home lay among gazebos on which signs were posted indicating that these were places for reflection and solitude.

When analyzing “Dead Souls,” one can easily characterize Manilov based on this decoration. This is a landowner who has no problems, but at the same time is too cloying. Manilov says that the arrival of such a guest is comparable to a sunny day and the happiest holiday. He invites Chichikov to dinner. Present at the table are the mistress of the estate and the two sons of the landowner - Themistoclus and Alcides.

After a hearty lunch, Pavel Ivanovich decides to talk about the reason that brought him to these parts. Chichikov wants to buy peasants who have already died, but their death has not yet been reflected in the audit certificate. His goal is to draw up all the documents, supposedly these peasants are still alive.

How does Manilov react to this? He has dead souls. However, the landowner is initially surprised by this proposal. But then he agrees to the deal. Chichikov leaves the estate and goes to Sobakevich. Meanwhile, Manilov begins to dream about how Pavel Ivanovich will live next door to him and what good friends they will become after he moves.

Chapter three. Getting to know the Box

On the way to Sobakevich, Selifan (Chichikov’s coachman) accidentally missed the right turn. And then it began to rain heavily, and Chichikov fell into the mud. All this forces the official to look for accommodation for the night, which he found with the landowner Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka. Analysis of “Dead Souls” indicates that this lady is afraid of everything and everyone. However, Chichikov did not waste time and offered to purchase the deceased peasants from her. At first the old woman was intractable, but after the visiting official promised to buy all the lard and hemp from her (but next time), she agrees.

The deal was completed. The box treated Chichikov to pancakes and pies. Pavel Ivanovich, having eaten a hearty meal, moved on. And the landowner began to worry very much that she did not take enough money for the dead souls.

Chapter Four. Nozdryov

After visiting Korobochka, Chichikov drove onto the main road. He decided to visit a tavern he came across along the way to have a little snack. And here the author wanted to give this action some mystery. He makes lyrical digressions. In “Dead Souls” he reflects on the properties of appetite inherent in people like the main character of his work.

While in the tavern, Chichikov meets Nozdryov. The landowner complained that he lost money at the fair. Then they follow to Nozdryov’s estate, where Pavel Ivanovich intends to make good money.

By analyzing “Dead Souls,” you can understand what Nozdryov is like. This is a person who really loves all kinds of stories. He tells them everywhere he goes. After a hearty lunch, Chichikov decides to bargain. However, Pavel Ivanovich can neither beg for dead souls nor buy them. Nozdryov sets his own conditions, which consist of an exchange or purchase in addition to something. The landowner even suggests using dead souls as bets in the game.

Serious disagreements arise between Chichikov and Nozdrev, and they postpone the conversation until the morning. The next day the men agreed to play checkers. However, Nozdryov tried to deceive his opponent, which was noticed by Chichikov. In addition, it turned out that the landowner was on trial. And Chichikov had no choice but to run when he saw the police captain.

Chapter five. Sobakevich

Sobakevich continues the images of landowners in Dead Souls. It is to him that Chichikov comes to him after Nozdryov. The estate he visited was a match for its owner. Just as strong. The owner treats the guest to dinner, talking during the meal about city officials, calling them all swindlers.

Chichikov talks about his plans. They did not frighten Sobakevich at all, and the men quickly moved on to concluding the deal. However, here troubles began for Chichikov. Sobakevich began to bargain, talking about the best qualities of the already deceased peasants. However, Chichikov does not need such characteristics, and he insists on his own. And here Sobakevich begins to hint at the illegality of such a deal, threatening to tell anyone about it. Chichikov had to agree to the price offered by the landowner. They sign the document, still fearing a trick from each other.

There are lyrical digressions in “Dead Souls” in the fifth chapter. The author ends the story about Chichikov’s visit to Sobakevich with discussions about the Russian language. Gogol emphasizes the diversity, strength and richness of the Russian language. Here he points out the peculiarity of our people to give everyone nicknames associated with various offenses or the course of circumstances. They do not leave their owner until his death.

Chapter six. Plyushkin

A very interesting hero is Plyushkin. "Dead Souls" shows him as a very greedy person. The landowner does not even throw away his old sole that has fallen off his boot and carries it into the already quite decent pile of similar rubbish.

However, Plyushkin sells dead souls very quickly and without bargaining. Pavel Ivanovich is very happy about this and refuses the tea with crackers offered by the owner.

Chapter seven. Deal

Having achieved his initial goal, Chichikov is sent to the civil chamber to finally resolve the issue. Manilov and Sobakevich had already arrived in the city. The chairman agrees to become the attorney for Plyushkin and all other sellers. The deal took place, and champagne was opened for the health of the new landowner.

Chapter eight. Gossip. Ball

The city began to discuss Chichikov. Many decided that he was a millionaire. Girls began to go crazy for him and send love messages. Once at the governor's ball, he literally finds himself in the arms of the ladies. However, his attention is attracted by a sixteen-year-old blonde. At this time, Nozdryov comes to the ball, loudly inquiring about the purchase of dead souls. Chichikov had to leave in complete confusion and sadness.

Chapter Nine. Profit or love?

At this time, the landowner Korobochka arrived in the city. She decided to clarify whether she had made a mistake with the cost of dead souls. The news about the amazing purchase and sale becomes the property of the city residents. People believe that dead souls are a cover for Chichikov, but in fact he dreams of taking away the blonde he likes, who is the daughter of the governor.

Chapter ten. Versions

The city literally came to life. News appears one after another. They talk about the appointment of a new governor, the presence of supporting papers about false banknotes, about an insidious robber who escaped from the police, etc. Many versions arise, and they all relate to Chichikov’s personality. The excitement of people negatively affects the prosecutor. He dies from the blow.

Chapter Eleven. Purpose of the event

Chichikov does not know what the city is talking about about him. He goes to the governor, but he is not received there. In addition, the people he meets on the way shy away from the official in different directions. Everything becomes clear after Nozdryov arrives at the hotel. The landowner tries to convince Chichikov that he tried to help him kidnap the governor’s daughter.

And here Gogol decides to talk about his hero and why Chichikov buys dead souls. The author tells the reader about his childhood and schooling, where Pavel Ivanovich already showed the ingenuity given to him by nature. Gogol also talks about Chichikov’s relationships with his comrades and teachers, about his service and work in the commission located in a government building, as well as about his transfer to serve in customs.

The analysis of “Dead Souls” clearly indicates the inclinations of the protagonist, which he used to complete his deal described in the work. After all, in all his places of work, Pavel Ivanovich managed to make a lot of money by concluding fake contracts and conspiracies. In addition, he did not disdain working with smuggling. In order to avoid criminal punishment, Chichikov resigned. Having switched to work as an attorney, he immediately formed an insidious plan in his head. Chichikov wanted to purchase dead souls in order to pawn them, as if they were alive, in the treasury in order to receive money. Next in his plans was the purchase of a village in order to provide for future offspring.

In part, Gogol justifies his hero. He considers him the owner, who with his mind has built such an interesting chain of transactions.

Images of landowners

These heroes of Dead Souls are especially vividly presented in five chapters. Moreover, each of them is dedicated to only one landowner. There is a certain pattern in the placement of chapters. The images of the landowners of “Dead Souls” are arranged in them according to the degree of their degradation. Let's remember who was the first of them? Manilov. “Dead Souls” describes this landowner as a lazy and dreamy, sentimental and practically unadapted person to life. This is confirmed by many details, for example, a farm that has fallen into disrepair and a house standing in the south, open to all winds. The author, using the amazing artistic power of the word, shows his reader the deadness of Manilov and the worthlessness of his life path. After all, behind external attractiveness there is a spiritual emptiness.

What other vivid images were created in the work “Dead Souls”? The heroic landowners in the image of Korobochka are people who are focused only on their farm. It is not without reason that at the end of the third chapter the author draws an analogy between this landowner and all aristocratic ladies. The box is distrustful and stingy, superstitious and stubborn. In addition, she is narrow-minded, petty and narrow-minded.

Next in terms of degree of degradation comes Nozdryov. Like many other landowners, he does not change with age, not even trying to develop internally. The image of Nozdryov represents a portrait of a reveler and a braggart, a drunkard and a cheater. This landowner is passionate and energetic, but all his positive qualities are wasted. The image of Nozdryov is as typical as that of previous landowners. And this is emphasized by the author in his statements.

Describing Sobakevich, Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol resorts to comparing him with a bear. In addition to clumsiness, the author describes his parodically inverted heroic power, earthiness and rudeness.

But the extreme degree of degradation is described by Gogol in the image of the richest landowner in the province - Plyushkin. During his biography, this man went from a thrifty owner to a half-crazy miser. And it was not social conditions that led him to this state. Plyushkin's moral decline provoked loneliness.

Thus, all landowners in the poem “Dead Souls” are united by such traits as idleness and inhumanity, as well as spiritual emptiness. And he contrasts this world of truly “dead souls” with faith in the inexhaustible potential of the “mysterious” Russian people. It is not for nothing that at the end of the work the image of an endless road along which a trio of birds rushes appears. And in this movement the writer’s confidence in the possibility of the spiritual transformation of humanity and in the great destiny of Russia is manifested.

Lesson objectives: 1. remind students about the most important events in

the period of creation of “Dead Souls”.

2. introduce the creative history of the poem

"Dead Souls"; arouse interest in this

work;

3. get to know the main character - Chichikov

while working on the first chapter.

4. help students see the provincial town of NN

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Open lesson on literature

10th grade (2 hours)

Topic: Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol.

Creative history of "Dead Souls". Composition. Genre. The role of chapter 1 in revealing the writer’s ideological intent.

“Chichikov... found that the city was nothing

was not inferior to other provincial cities.

(All cities were then approximately

same).

N.V.Gogol.

Teacher of Russian language and literature

Sushkova Nelya Alexandrovna.

Lesson objectives: 1. remind students about the most important events in

The period of creation of “Dead Souls”.

2. introduce the creative history of the poem

"Dead Souls"; arouse interest in this

work;

3. get acquainted with the main character - Chichikov in

In the process of working on the first chapter.

4. help students see the provincial town NN/

Preliminary preparation for the lesson (questions for independent work):

1. What events in the social life of Russia in the 30s of the 19th century influenced the life of N.V. Gogol and his contemporaries?
2. Tell about the relationship between N.V. Gogol and A.S. Pushkin.
3. What works did N. Gogol create on the advice of A. Pushkin?

Search and creative work with text:Throughout the lesson, work is carried out with figurative and expressive means of language.

Working with punched cards: a control section of knowledge on the topic of the lesson.

During the classes:

1. Conversation on homework issues:

Guys, today we are starting to study N.V. Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls”.

We will get acquainted with the history of the creation of the poem, as well as with the main character Chichikov. Let us determine the role of Chapter 1 in revealing the writer’s ideological plan.

So, let's turn to homework questions.

1. What events in the public life of Russia in the 30s of the 19th century influenced the life of N. Gogol?

The 30s of the 19th century were a time of reaction and social stagnation after the defeat of the Decembrist uprising, the tsarist reprisal against the rebels, and the collapse of all hopes for freedom.

M. Lermontov, in his poem “Duma,” addressing his contemporaries, gave a socio-political characterization of the era of the 30s: spiritual stagnation, indifference to the evil reigning in life.

N. Gogol’s contemporary A. Herzen wrote: “The first years that followed 1825 were terrible. It took at least ten years for man to come to his senses in his sad position as an enslaved and persecuted being. People were seized by deep despair and general despondency...” A. Herzen asked6 “Will future people understand, will they appreciate all the horror, all the tragic side of our existence...?”

V. Belinsky, in his article about M. Lermontov’s poem “Duma,” conveys all the horror of his era. He wrote: “This is a cry, this is a groan of a person for whom the absence of inner life is an evil, a thousand times more terrible than physical death!...And who among the people of the new generation will not find in it the solution to their own despondency, mental apathy, inner emptiness will not respond to him with a cry or a groan?”

In such a situation, N. Gogol decided to write “Dead Souls,” which “shocked all of Russia."

2. What was the relationship between Pushkin and Gogol. What works were written by Gogol on the advice of A. Pushkin?

In 1831, Gogol met Pushkin’s friends - A. Delvig, V. Zhukovsky, P. Pletnev, and then A. Pushkin himself.

Gogol read all the works of his idol; Pushkin’s friendly attention and approval meant a lot to him. Pushkin helped Gogol find the idea for both The Inspector General and Dead Souls.

In 1837, Gogol was abroad in Paris, where he was caught by the news of Pushkin’s murder, which was a severe shock for him.

2. A word from the teacher about the history of the creation of “Dead Souls”.

Yes, guys, indeed, Pushkin highly appreciated Gogol’s talent, and he advised him to take up literature.

Write down the topic of the lesson and the epigraph.

Gogol began writing Dead Souls in 1835. “In this novel I want to show at least one side of all of Rus',” he wrote. And in order to show all of Rus', you need to know it well.

He observes life, collects various materials, studies Russian reality, sees in it many scoundrels, embezzlers, and bribe-takers.

There are a huge number of characters in Dead Souls. All social strata of serf Russia: officials, landowners, serfs. And the author himself acts as a character.

“Dead Souls” was conceived as a three-part work on taxes from Dante’s “Divine Comedy”: hell, purgatory, paradise..

- In your cultural studies lessons you studied Dante’s “Divine Comedy”, do you remember what its plot is?

If we are talking about an analogy, can you imagine which of the heroes of the poem Gogol intended to lead through purgatory to moral and spiritual rebirth?

Of course you are right. The author wanted to lead only Chichikov and Plyushkin through purgatory to spiritual and moral rebirth. After all, only these heroes have a biography. If there is a past, then there is a future. The rest of the characters are static, there is no movement in them, and if there is no movement, there is no life. Gogol, as it were, embodies the Christian covenant: “...and the last will be first.”

Gogol worked on 1 volume for 6 years. In volumes 2 and 3, Gogol wanted to show positive heroes, as well as the moral revival of Chichikov. The writer failed to do this. Gogol burned volume 2, but never started volume 3. From the drafts that have reached us, it is clear that he was not successful with the positive heroes.

Gogol loved Russia very much and firmly believed in its worthy future, but he did not see the path of transformation.

“Rus, where are you rushing to? Give an answer. “He doesn’t give an answer.”

Initially, Dead Souls was conceived as a novel, but later Gogol defines the genre of his work asepic poem.

Why a poem? What are the features of this genre?

The poem contains many lyrical digressions and inserted structures in which the author conveys his feelings and experiences, which is typical for this genre.

What is the composition of this work?

The idea of ​​traveling all over Rus' with Chichikov also determined the nature of the composition. It is structured as the story of the adventures of the acquirer Chichikov, who buys “dead” souls.

Chapter 1 - provincial town

2-6 ch. – dedicated to landowners, “masters of life”:

Chapter 2 -Manilov

Chapter 3 - Box

Chapter 4 – Nozdryov

5 ch. – Sobakevich

Chapter 6 Plyushkin

7-10 ch. - provincial society

Chapter 11 - biography of Chichikov.

Speaking about Gogol, we cannot help but dwell on the artistic features of his work. Gogol is a brilliant Russian satirist. Gogol's strength lies in his humor. This is "laughter through tears." And from the first pages of the poem we hear this bitter irony, turning into satire.

3.Analytical work with the text of the work.

So, we start working on chapter 1. It can be considered

exposition poems and at the same time tie , since here we meet the main character, who arrived in the provincial town of N.

For what purpose did the hero come to the city? Confirm with text.

(He has some kind of plan. This is the beginning of the action.)

Now we will need tables, put them in front of you and we will work with the dough and the table at the same time.

Analysis of chapter 1. "Getting to know the city of N."

Who came to city N?(some gentleman).

Why is he so wonderful? What can you say about him?(...nothing definite can be said about him, he is nothing: “neither fat nor thin, neither old nor young, not bad-looking, but not handsome either”).

Has anyone noticed the new person in town?(no one, they only paid attention to his chaise),

Why on a chaise?(because men judge a person by their crew).

Next we follow our hero and find ourselves in a hotel. What impression does the hotel description leave?There was a feeling of neglect, abandonment, devastation... But it was like hotels in any provincial town: neither better nor worse.)

- Here our hero is looking around his room, maybe now we’ll get to know him better, find out what kind of person he is?(no, instead of the hero we again see only his things: a suitcase, a small chest, pads, fried chicken, which say a lot about their owner).

- Every hotel has a common room where our hero goes. What impression did this description make on you?(Again, neglect, dirt all around, and most importantly, such a hall can be found in any provincial town. The text contains many words that emphasize the typicality of the phenomenon: the same, the same, everything is the same as everywhere else.)

What can you say about this episode?(Gogol again emphasizes the typicality of the phenomenon, but the most important thing that is striking is that there are no people anywhere, but only the names of dishes are listed).

We continue to follow Chichikov. Where does he go after lunch?

(to see the city).

Was Chichikov satisfied with his tour of the city?(yes, the city was in no way inferior to other provincial cities).

Next Chichikov looked into the city garden. What can you say about this episode? (The presence of the author is especially felt here. Only here it is no longer good humor, but caustic irony. After all, the garden looks very pitiful, but as described in the newspapers. Gogol exposes both the hypocrisy and veneration of citizens.)

And then the next day came! Where did Chichikov go?(pay visits to city dignitaries).

Who did he visit first?(governor).

What can we say about the governor?(he was neither fat nor thin, he was a big good-natured man, he embroidered on tulle himself)

Is this enough to characterize the head of the city?(No, the governor must take care of the welfare of his citizens, but the city is in a state of disrepair and we don’t see any residents at all.)

Who else did he visit?(prosecutor, vice-governor...)

How do these visits characterize Chichikov?(Chichikov knows people well, he knows how to flatter someone, how to create a favorable impression of himself. As a result, everyone invited him to visit. This is how they received an invitation to a ball at the governor’s house).

Chichikov, like a clay vessel, takes on the appearance that they want to see in him. He, like a mirror, reflects everything he sees.

Let's watch the hero as he prepares for the party. What is the reason for such attentiveness to your appearance?(To properly handle his affairs, he had to make a good impression on everyone. And he knew how to do it.)

Following Chichikov, we find ourselves at the governor's house. And what do we see?(Just now Chichikov was driving through dark, deserted streets, and the governor’s house was lit as if for a ball, in a word, everything was as it should be. Again, a typical phenomenon: the governor’s house in any city should stand out for its wealth.)

And here we are with Chichikov at the ball. How does Gogol characterize the guests at the party? What are these people who look like flies? What are they doing?(Nothing. They run around stupidly, separately and in groups. They want to be noticed. Maybe they will be able to occupy some position, at least a little, but higher than the one they have. An extended metaphor characterizes their life goals. And it doesn’t matter who is in these tailcoats. They are all impersonal, the main thing is the clothing, the uniform, the tailcoat is an indicator of social affiliation).

What kind of men are here? What is the essence of the comparison between “Thick” and “Thin”?

(Again, men here, as elsewhere, are impersonal, they are divided only by size. Some are fat, others are thin. Fat ones are honorary officials of the city, they care about their well-being. And thin ones, on the contrary, happily squander the fortune left behind their inheritance. These are those who govern the city and who have not for a minute thought about the well-being of the city and its inhabitants.

Who else does Chichikov meet at the party?(With landowners Manilov and Sobakevich).

Guys, we have finished the analysis of chapter 1. Let's summarize.

What was the purpose of our lesson? Have we achieved it?(Student comments.)

So, we got acquainted with the history of the creation of “Dead Souls”, determined the genre of the work, got acquainted with the composition, with the main character Chichikov and the provincial town.

It remains for us to determine the role of chapter 1 in revealing the writer’s ideological plan. You will do this yourself.

But before you startcreative work, we will hold a small test to identify knowledge about the history of the creation of the poem.

1. Consolidation. Control section based on the studied material.

(Working with punched cards).

1. Name the era reflected in the poem “Dead Souls”.

A) late 20s - early 30s. 19th century;

B) 30s – 40s. 19th century,

B) Patriotic War of 1812

1. The plot of “Dead Souls” was suggested by:

A) V.A. Zhukovsky;

B) A.S. Pushkin;

B) V.G. Belinsky.

1. The plot of “Dead Souls” is based on:

A) conflict between landowners and city officials;

B) the dramatic fate of Captain Kopeikin;

C) Chichikov’s adventure with the purchase of “Dead Souls”.

4. It is known that Gogol’s plan - “to travel all over Rus' with the hero and bring out many different characters” - predetermined the composition of the poem. It was built:

A) like the love affairs of Chichikov, busy looking for a rich bride;

B) as the story of the adventures of the “entrepreneur” Chmchmkov, who buys “dead souls”;

C) as the main character’s attempts to find his own path of activity and the meaning of life.

5. What impression did Chichikov initially make on the residents of the provincial town:

A) a person with whom “there is no way to speak as with a close person... no straightforwardness, no sincerity! Perfect Sobakevich, such a scoundrel!”;

B) an experienced socialite who knows how to maintain a conversation on any topic, speaking “neither loudly nor quietly, but absolutely as it should”;

C) mannequin man, “neither this nor that.”

6. Indicate the essence of Chichikov’s scam:

A) Chichikov needs “dead souls” to gain weight in society;

B) Chichikov needs “dead souls” for a successful marriage;

C) Chichikov wanted to pledge the dead peasants to the Council of Guardians under the guise of living ones, and then, having received a loan as collateral, escape.

7.What is the fate of the second and third volumes of “Dead Souls”:

b) were not written by Gogol;

C) the second volume was written, the white manuscript of which Gogol burned nine days before his death; The writer did not begin the third.

8. Which of the writers can be compared with N.V. Gogol (in style, the nature of accusatory laughter, the way of reflecting reality);

A) A.P. Chekhov;

B) M.E. Saltykova-Shchedrin;

B) F.M. Dostoevsky.

9. N.V. Gogol died on February 21, 1852. The tsarist government forbade writing about his death. And yet a small obituary appeared: “Gogol has died! What Russian soul would not be shocked by these two words?!..”

A) V.G. Belinsky;

B) N.G. Chernyshevsky;

B) I.S. Turgenev.

Check the tests during the creative task and announce at the end of the lesson.)

5. Creative work. Observing the writer's style.

The time has come for creative work. You need to turn again to the text of Chapter 1 and write down words, phrases, syntactic figures and tropes that indicate the typicality of the phenomena described in Chapter 1 and draw conclusions.

6. Lesson summary:

Announce grades for the control section;

Listen to 1-2 creative works;

Conclusion: Gogol's world is an objective, material world. Things loudly declare themselves, they are independent, self-sufficient. And Gogol’s material world is empty. What is it filled with? How do officials live? Nothing. Gossip, gossip, deception, desire for self-enrichment.

Comment on and announce the grades received during the lesson.

7. Homework:Re-read chapters 2-3, make a comparative description of 2 landowners: Manilov and Korobochka, guided by the plan for the comparative characteristics of the heroes.

An essay on the topic “The theme of “dead souls” in N.V. Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls.”

Essay plan:
1.Introduction. a) History of the creation of the work
b) What are dead souls? In whom did the writer see the living force of the Russian nation?
2. Main part.
a) Who is Chichikov? “Who is he? So, a scoundrel?
b) Image, portrait, speech characteristics, description of home and household, attitude towards people and towards Chichikov’s proposal of landowners: Manilov, whose facial features were not “devoid of pleasantness”, Korobochka, “strong-minded woman”, “historical person” Nozdryov, strong fist Sobakevich and Plyushkin, who is called “a hole in humanity.”
c) Why are landowners “dead souls”?
d) The image of peasants and people in the poem
e) “And how wonderful this road itself is!” - image of the road. Image of the city.
E) The image of officials, “thick and thin”
H) N.V. Gogol’s depiction of Russia
3.Why did Gogol name his work that way? How did Dead Souls shock all of Russia?

Gogol dreamed of a great epic work dedicated to Russia, which led him to the idea of ​​Dead Souls. Work on the work began in 1835. Pushkin predicted the plot of the work, believing that the poem would show Rus' “from one side,” that is, from its negative side. In the end, Gogol showed all the good that was hidden in Russian life.
Gogol made the human soul in the poem the main subject of depiction in its individual and national manifestation. Gogol convinces the reader that the souls of landowners, officials and businessmen are “dead” or are in the stage of “death.” And the author saw the people's people in the Russian people. At the center of the plot are 5 heroes, whose descriptions in the poem Gogol gives in order. So Chichikov comes to the landowners with only one purpose, to buy “dead souls.” The gallery of images opens with the dreamer and mismanaged Manilov, who is replaced by the “club-headed” Korobochka, the reckless sharpie Nozdryov, the tight-fisted Sobakevich, and this gallery is completed by Plyushkin – “a hole in humanity”, who has fallen into a deathly sleep.
And who is Chichikov in the novel? In childhood, this hero developed such character qualities as achieving goals, a manner of pleasing, finding benefits for himself, and spiritual meanness. Since childhood, he remembers that he must “save a penny” and make capital. He is a bad friend, pleases teachers, does everything for profit. His official career began in the state chamber, where he entered after graduating from college: “He got an insignificant place, a salary of thirty or forty rubles.” He tries in every possible way to please the police officer, calls him daddy, kisses his hand, takes care of his daughter. “The stern police officer began to fuss over him,” Chichikov was promoted, he stopped calling the police officer daddy, and forgot about the wedding with his daughter. Chichikov understood from this that success in life is easier and faster the faster a person frees himself from the principles of morality, honor, etc. When Chichikov participated in the commission for the construction of a government building, he received substantial acquisitions and income. But when a new boss came and declared war on bribes, Chichikov had to look for a new job. Chichikov gains the trust of his superiors and receives a new rank. Through fraud, he obtains a fortune of half a million. Chichikov did not make peace with his accomplice, and he wrote a denunciation against him, depriving Chichikov of everything he had earned. After failure, he started everything from scratch, and the idea of ​​a deal with “dead souls” comes to him.
“Who is he? So, a scoundrel? Gogol calls Chichikov not a scoundrel, but an acquirer. Chichikov is an acquirer betting on capital, Chichikov is a hero of new times.
To each of the landowners depicted in the poem, Gogol presents one specific trait that characterizes a purposeless existence, and constitutes a general portrait of the class of landowners in feudal Russia.
Manilov is the first landowner to whom Chichikov came. Chichikov spent a long time looking for the estate: “the master’s house stood alone on the Jura...”, “two or three flower beds with lilac and yellow acacia bushes...” “The day was either clear or gloomy, but of some light gray color.” Manilov greets Chichikov very friendly and joyfully. Manilov’s character can be expressed through the lines: “everyone has their own enthusiasm, but Manilov did not have it,” “his facial features are not devoid of pleasantness.” He is not involved in farming, “the farming went on by itself.” He thinks a lot of ideas and plans, but does not implement them; he reads a book for two years with a bookmark on the same page. In his living room he has “wonderful furniture, upholstered in smart silk fabric, which was probably quite expensive.” Manilov has a wife with a good upbringing, two sons: Themistoclus and Alcides. At Chichikov’s offer to buy from him the peasants who died after the last census (revision tales), Manilov “opened his mouth and remained with his mouth open for several minutes.” Manilov gives away the dead souls for free and remains convinced that he has provided Chichikov with an invaluable service. After Chichikov’s departure, Manilov imagines a future friendship with Chichikov, reaching the point in his thoughts that the Tsar rewards them with the rank of general for their strong friendship.
Chichikov then goes to Sobakevich's estate, but due to heavy rain the coachman goes off the road. Chichikov ends up at the nearby estate of Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka. Chichikov enters a room that is “hung with old striped wallpaper; paintings with some birds; between the windows there were old small mirrors with dark frames in the form of curled leaves; behind each mirror there was either a letter or an old deck of cards, or a stocking.” Korobochka is a hospitable, hospitable landowner. She collects money in colorful bags, which she keeps sewn up in the chest of drawers, which also stores linen, dresses and threads. Chichikov stays with her overnight, and in the morning he offers her to sell him dead souls. In response, she offers to buy hemp or honey from her. Chichikov manages to buy dead souls from her. She cannot understand why he needs such a purchase, she is afraid to sell it too cheap. “Well, the woman seems to be strong-headed,” “club-headed.” Korobochka's men have interesting and strange surnames: Neuvazhay-Koryto, Koleso Ivan and others.
Chichikov, who has a good appetite, drives into a tavern, where Nozdryov soon arrives. Nozdryov was “of average height, a very well-built fellow with full rosy cheeks, teeth white as snow and jet-black sideburns. It was fresh, like blood and milk; his health seemed to be dripping from his face.” “Everyone has met a lot of such people. They are called broken little ones.” Nozdryov, one might say, is a historical person, because wherever he was, there was history. Nozdryov tells Chichikov about the fair where he lost money, lies, says that he drank 17 bottles of champagne. Then Nozdryov invites Chichikov to visit him. Nozdryov loved to exchange things and lose money. In his name, Nozdryov shows Chichikov a stallion, a kennel, a pond in which there are large fish, “real” Turkish daggers, with the mark of the master Sibiryakov. Chichikov, starting a business conversation, states his request, explaining that he needs dead souls for a successful marriage. Nozdryov wants to give him non-existent peasants, but Chichikov refuses. Then Nozdryov invites him to play cards, cheats, Chichikov stops the game, Nozdryov starts a fight, the police officer arrests him, Chichikov “got into the chaise and ordered Selifan to drive the horses at full speed.”
The fourth landowner is Sobakevich, who in many ways resembles Korobochka. He is a hoarder, but he is very calculating and cunning. His house is wooden, built with the taste of the owner. The yard is surrounded by a lattice; full-weight and thick logs were used in the stables and barns. The village huts were well made, even the well was made of oak. It was immediately obvious that Sobakevich was a good owner who loved order: “Everything was stubborn,” “in some kind of strong and clumsy order.” In the room “everything was solid, awkward in the highest degree and bore some strange resemblance to its owner.” Sobakevich himself “is very similar to a medium-sized bear.” During lunch, Sobakevich eats a lot and talks about his neighbor Plyushkin, who has many peasants and is a very stingy man. Hearing Chichikov's proposal, Sobakevich immediately begins bargaining. He promises to sell souls for 100 rubles apiece, explaining this by the fact that his peasants were real craftsmen, for example, the carpenter Stepan Cork, the carriage maker Mikheev, the shoemaker Maxim Telyatnikov. To himself, Chichikov calls Sobakevich a “kulak”, and says out loud that the qualities of the peasants are not important, because they are dead. As a result, they agree on three rubles.
The last image of the gallery of landowners is Plyushkin, whose house can be called a “decrepit invalid,” whose walls suffered all the weather, the garden was overgrown and “was quite picturesque in its picturesque desolation.” Seeing Plyushkin, Chichikov at first does not understand “is this a man or a woman.” Plyushkin is dressed “in an indefinite dress, on his head is a cap and a robe. Plyushkin used to have children, he was widowed, his son left for the city, the eldest got married and left, and the youngest died. Loneliness gave rise to stinginess in Plyushkin. “The hay and bread rotted, the luggage and haystacks turned into pure manure, the flour in the basements turned into stone...” Upon learning that Chichikov wants to buy dead souls from him, he immediately sells him the runaway peasants. Plyushkin receives the money, hides it where it will lie until his death, he will never use it. Plyushkin is glad that Chichikov is leaving without even drinking tea, hiding the treats, making sure that not a crumb is lost.
Landowners can be considered “dead souls” because they are depicted in the poem as a force devoid of patriotic feelings and aspirations. Representatives of the ruling strata are the “dead souls”. From the Dreamer Manilov to the “hole in the body of humanity” Plyushkin, the fall of representatives of the landowner classes is shown.
At that time, peasants made up the majority of the population, so Gogol pays special attention to this, since in his work he showed Russia in the context of its shortcomings. The text does not describe the peasants themselves, but judging by the description of their homes, we can judge their lives. Manilov’s “gray log huts darkened length and breadth.” At Korobochka there were “peasant huts, which, although they were built scattered and not enclosed in regular streets, but, according to a remark made by Chichikov, showed the contentment of the inhabitants,” “the gates were not askew anywhere,” “in the peasants’ covered sheds he noticed a spare almost new cart, and where there are two.” Sobakevich’s “wooden huts of the peasants were also cut down marvelously: there were no brick walls, carved patterns or other tricks, but everything was fitted tightly, as it should.” At Plyushkin’s “the logs on the huts were dark and old; many roofs were leaky like a sieve; on others there was only a ridge at the top and poles on the sides in the form of ribs,” “the windows in the huts were without glass, others were covered with a rag or a zipun.”
In the poem, the description of the peasants who are alive and who are remembered deserves special attention. For example, Sobakevich remembers each of his peasants by name, remembers who did what; two peasants who showed Chichikov the way to Manilovka; a peasant who drags “a very thick log, like a tireless ant, to his hut”; two women who, having picked up their dresses, wandered knee-deep in the pond, dragging their tattered nonsense by two wooden nags.” There are many such examples; they show the sweeping nature of the Russian person.
In the poem, the image of the city is shown through the images of officials, because the life of the city depends on in whose hands the power is. The image of a provincial town is a characteristic of the owners of the estates.
Speaking about the image of the road in the poem, we can quote the following lines from the text: “How strange and alluring and carrying and wonderful is the word: road! and how wonderful this road itself is! other peoples and states step aside and give it way.”
The road in the poem is a journey through time, Chichikov’s everyday experience, the author’s creative experience, the spiritual rebirth of the heroes, salvation, hope and the future of Russia.
The image of officials occupies a central place in the poem. Gogol focuses on characterizing the general portrait of “thick and thin” officials. They continue to be idle and mind their own business. Bribery is still considered completely normal. The author emphasizes the main thing: the anti-national and anti-state activities of officials. Both landowners and officials embody social evil, the highest degree of which is manifested in “The Tale of Captain Kopeikin” (Kopeikin is a hero of the war of 1812, a disabled person without an arm and a leg).
In his depiction of Russia, Gogol showed himself to be a realist writer. He is far from idealizing the enslaved peasantry, but in his lyrical digressions, in the episodes of the poem, Gogol conveys the idea of ​​​​the mental and moral superiority of the Russian people over those who control their destiny. Throughout the entire narrative, images of men appearing in the poem, arguing about the “wheel” and “Zamanilovka”, Selifan, Petrushka, “who reads a lot and indiscriminately” and others.
The first volume of Dead Souls ends with the question about the future of Russia: “Rus, where are you going?” This question is addressed to the “three bird,” which in Gogol is a symbol of Russian life. Gogol believes in the future of Russia: “The bell rings with a wonderful ringing; The air, torn into pieces, thunders and becomes the wind; “everything that is on earth flies past, and, looking askance, other peoples and states step aside and give way to it.”
Gogol gives the name “Dead Souls” not by chance. The author creates a new type of narrative, merging two opposing elements of his work into one: laughter and tears, satire and lyricism. Everyone knows Herzen’s words that “Dead Souls” shocked “the whole of Russia.” Belinsky revealed the meaning of the shock. He explained this by the fact that the disputes about the book were of a literary and social nature. In 1845, the writer burned the manuscript of the second volume of his poem. Influenced by Belinsky’s letter in 1848, Gogol began working on “Dead Souls,” but he also burned this manuscript. Not knowing how to save Russia, the writer, nevertheless, fulfilled the duty of an artist and a citizen of his country. Chernyshevsky said: “For a long time there has not been a writer in the world who was as necessary for his people as Gogol was for Russia.”

Determining the main idea of ​​the poem “Dead Souls” is not entirely easy. This is explained, first of all, by the fact that we now have only a small part of this work - only the first part, and separate scattered pieces of the second - something that was not destroyed by Gogol himself. Thus, we do not have the opportunity to judge the entire ideological content of the work. And then the critic’s position is complicated by the fact that he has at his disposal the interpretations that the author himself gave to “Dead Souls”, and the promises that he wanted to fulfill at the end of the poem, but did not have time. By Gogol’s own admission, he himself first wrote without any serious goals. Pushkin gave him a plot, grateful for his talent; Gogol became carried away by the comedy of those situations that were easily woven into this plot - and began to write a “caricature”, “without defining a detailed plan for himself, without realizing to himself that such a hero himself should be. “I simply thought,” says Gogol, “that the funny project that Chichikov was busy implementing would lead me to a variety of faces and characters.” This free, purely artistic creativity helped Gogol create the best pages of the first part of “Dead Souls” - those pages that caused Pushkin to exclaim: “Lord! how sad Rus' is.” This exclamation amazed Gogol - he saw that from the “prank” of his pen, from his playful, frivolous work, something large and ideologically meaningful could come out. And so, encouraged by Pushkin, he decided to show in “Dead Souls” “Russia from one side,” that is, to depict more fully than in “The Inspector General” the negative aspects of Russian life.

The more Gogol delved into his work, the weaker Pushkin’s influence became; The more independent Gogol’s attitude towards his work became, the more complex, artificial, and tendentious his plans became. First of all, he was imbued with the idea of ​​​​expanding the boundaries of what was depicted - he wanted to show Russia not “from one side”, but all of it - the evil and the good contained in its life; then he began to think about the “plan” for his already begun work - he asked himself “anxious questions about the “purpose” and “meaning” of his work. And then the poem “Dead Souls” in his imagination grew into three parts. Probably, later he saw an allegorical meaning in it. According to his idea, the three parts of “Dead Souls” should have, in their finished form, corresponded to the three parts of Dante’s “Divine Comedy”: the first part, dedicated to depicting only evil, should have corresponded to “Hell”; the second part, where evil was not so disgusting, where the light in the hero’s soul begins, where some positive types are already deduced - would answer to “Purgatory” - and, finally, in the final third part, Gogol wanted to present in apotheosis all the good that was in the soul of the “Russian man” - this part had to correspond to “Paradise”. Thus, that artificial, cumbersome construction of “Dead Souls” appeared, that cunning systematization of the material that Gogol could not cope with.

But, in addition to this premeditation of the composition, Gogol was also prevented from creating freely by a moral tendency. All the growing concerns about his “spiritual matter”, about the purification of his heart, had a detrimental effect on his work. And so, the “Dead Souls” little by little turned into some kind of “sewage pipe” into which he poured their imaginary and real “vices”. “My heroes are close to the soul,” he says, “because they are from the soul; all my latest works are the history of my own soul.” He himself admitted that when the desire to get rid of various mental vices intensified in him, he “began to endow his heroes, in addition to their own “nasty”, with his own. And, according to him, it helped him become a better person...

So, Gogol himself gives us three interpretations of the idea of ​​“Dead Souls” - 1) its beginning (the first part) is an ingenuous depiction of peculiar faces and characters taken from Russian life. A characteristic feature that unites almost all the heroes of the first part is joyless vulgarity, complete unconsciousness of life, lack of understanding of its goals and meaning: from “this side” he presented “Russian society”, 2) the work “Dead Souls” was supposed to cover all of Russia - everything evil and good contained in it. In such a broad interpretation of Russian reality, Gogol saw “service” to his homeland - and 3) this work was supposed to serve him personally, in the matter of his spiritual self-improvement. He looked at himself as a “moralist” who would not only point out to his fellow citizens the evil that individual vicious figures bring into life, but would also draw those ideals that would save his homeland.

The idea of ​​“Dead Souls” from the point of view of criticism and the reader

It is not difficult to understand that now for the reader of “Dead Souls” this author’s idea is not entirely clear: he has before his eyes only the first part of the poem, in which only random promises flash that in the future the story will take on a different character - to a personal “mental matter” The reader doesn't care about the writer. Therefore, it was necessary to judge the work, leaving the author’s intentions, without delving into his soul. And so, modern and subsequent criticism, contrary to Gogol, itself determined the idea of ​​the work. As earlier in “The Inspector General”, so in “Dead Souls” the author’s desire was seen to point out the ugliness of Russian life, which, on the one hand, depended on serfdom, on the other hand, on the system of government of Russia. Thus, the idea of ​​“Dead Souls” was considered accusatory by the majority, and the author was ranked among the noble satirists who boldly castigated the evil of modern reality. In a word, the same thing happened that happened before with “The Inspector General”: 1) the author’s idea was the same, and the results of his creativity led to conclusions that he did not want at all, did not expect... 2) both regarding “The Inspector General” and Regarding “Dead Souls,” we have to establish the idea of ​​the work not only without the help of the author, but even against his wishes: we must see in this work a picture of the negative sides of Russian life, and in this picture, in its illumination, we must discern the great social meaning of the work.

The poem “Dead Souls” was conceived by Gogol as a grandiose panorama of Russian society with all its features and paradoxes. The central problem of the work is the spiritual death and rebirth of representatives of the main Russian classes of that time. The author exposes and ridicules the vices of the landowners, the corruption and destructive passions of the bureaucrats.

The title of the work itself has a double meaning. “Dead souls” are not only dead peasants, but also other actually living characters in the work. By calling them dead, Gogol emphasizes their devastated, pitiful, “dead” souls.

History of creation

“Dead Souls” is a poem to which Gogol devoted a significant part of his life. The author repeatedly changed the concept, rewrote and reworked the work. Initially, Gogol conceived Dead Souls as a humorous novel. However, in the end I decided to create a work that exposes the problems of Russian society and will serve its spiritual revival. This is how the POEM “Dead Souls” appeared.

Gogol wanted to create three volumes of the work. In the first, the author planned to describe the vices and decay of the serf society of that time. In the second, give its heroes hope for redemption and rebirth. And in the third he intended to describe the future path of Russia and its society.

However, Gogol only managed to finish the first volume, which appeared in print in 1842. Until his death, Nikolai Vasilyevich worked on the second volume. However, just before his death, the author burned the manuscript of the second volume.

The third volume of Dead Souls was never written. Gogol could not find the answer to the question of what will happen next to Russia. Or maybe I just didn’t have time to write about it.

Description of the work

One day, a very interesting character appeared in the city of NN, who stood out very much from other old-timers of the city - Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. After his arrival, he began to actively get acquainted with important persons of the city, attending feasts and dinners. A week later, the newcomer was already on friendly terms with all the representatives of the city nobility. Everyone was delighted with the new man who suddenly appeared in the city.

Pavel Ivanovich goes out of town to pay visits to noble landowners: Manilov, Korobochka, Sobakevich, Nozdryov and Plyushkin. He is polite to every landowner and tries to find an approach to everyone. Natural resourcefulness and resourcefulness help Chichikov to gain the favor of every landowner. In addition to empty talk, Chichikov talks with the gentlemen about the peasants who died after the audit (“dead souls”) and expresses a desire to buy them. The landowners cannot understand why Chichikov needs such a deal. However, they agree to it.

As a result of his visits, Chichikov acquired more than 400 “dead souls” and was in a hurry to finish his business and leave the city. The useful contacts Chichikov made upon his arrival in the city helped him resolve all issues with documents.

After some time, the landowner Korobochka let slip in the city that Chichikov was buying up “dead souls.” The whole city learned about Chichikov's affairs and was perplexed. Why would such a respected gentleman buy dead peasants? Endless rumors and speculation have a detrimental effect even on the prosecutor, and he dies of fear.

The poem ends with Chichikov hastily leaving the city. Leaving the city, Chichikov sadly recalls his plans to buy dead souls and pledge them to the treasury as living ones.

Main characters

A qualitatively new hero in Russian literature of that time. Chichikov can be called a representative of the newest class, just emerging in serf Russia - entrepreneurs, “acquirers”. The activity and activity of the hero distinguishes him favorably from other characters in the poem.

The image of Chichikov is distinguished by its incredible versatility and diversity. Even by the appearance of the hero it is difficult to immediately understand what kind of person he is and what he is like. “In the chaise sat a gentleman, not handsome, but not of bad appearance, neither too fat nor too thin, one cannot say that he is old, but not that he is too young.”

It is difficult to understand and embrace the nature of the main character. He is changeable, has many faces, is able to adapt to any interlocutor, and give his face the desired expression. Thanks to these qualities, Chichikov easily finds a common language with landowners and officials and wins the desired position in society. Chichikov uses his ability to charm and win over the right people to achieve his goal, namely receiving and accumulating money. His father also taught Pavel Ivanovich to deal with those who are richer and to treat money with care, since only money can pave the way in life.

Chichikov did not earn money honestly: he deceived people, took bribes. Over time, Chichikov's machinations become increasingly widespread. Pavel Ivanovich strives to increase his fortune by any means, without paying attention to any moral norms and principles.

Gogol defines Chichikov as a person with a vile nature and also considers his soul dead.

In his poem, Gogol describes typical images of landowners of that time: “business executives” (Sobakevich, Korobochka), as well as not serious and wasteful gentlemen (Manilov, Nozdrev).

Nikolai Vasilyevich masterfully created the image of the landowner Manilov in the work. By this one image, Gogol meant a whole class of landowners with similar features. The main qualities of these people are sentimentality, constant fantasies and lack of active activity. Landowners of this type let the economy take its course and do nothing useful. They are stupid and empty inside. This is exactly what Manilov was - not bad at heart, but a mediocre and stupid poser.

Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka

The landowner, however, differs significantly in character from Manilov. Korobochka is a good and tidy housewife; everything goes well on her estate. However, the landowner's life revolves exclusively around her farm. The box does not develop spiritually and is not interested in anything. She understands absolutely nothing that does not concern her household. Korobochka is also one of the images by which Gogol meant a whole class of similar narrow-minded landowners who do not see anything beyond their farm.

The author clearly classifies the landowner Nozdryov as an unserious and wasteful gentleman. Unlike the sentimental Manilov, Nozdrev is full of energy. However, the landowner uses this energy not for the benefit of the farm, but for the sake of his momentary pleasures. Nozdryov is playing and wasting his money. Distinguished by its frivolity and idle attitude towards life.

Mikhail Semenovich Sobakevich

The image of Sobakevich, created by Gogol, echoes the image of a bear. There is something of a large wild animal in the appearance of the landowner: clumsiness, sedateness, strength. Sobakevich is not concerned about the aesthetic beauty of the things around him, but about their reliability and durability. Behind his rough appearance and stern character lies a cunning, intelligent and resourceful person. According to the author of the poem, it will not be difficult for landowners like Sobakevich to adapt to the changes and reforms coming in Rus'.

The most unusual representative of the landowner class in Gogol's poem. The old man is distinguished by his extreme stinginess. Moreover, Plyushkin is greedy not only in relation to his peasants, but also in relation to himself. However, such savings make Plyushkin a truly poor man. After all, it is his stinginess that does not allow him to find a family.

Bureaucracy

Gogol's work contains a description of several city officials. However, the author in his work does not significantly differentiate them from each other. All officials in “Dead Souls” are a gang of thieves, crooks and embezzlers. These people really only care about their enrichment. Gogol literally describes in a few outlines the image of a typical official of that time, rewarding him with the most unflattering qualities.

Analysis of the work

The plot of “Dead Souls” is based on an adventure conceived by Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. At first glance, Chichikov's plan seems incredible. However, if you look at it, the Russian reality of those times, with its rules and laws, provided opportunities for all sorts of fraud associated with serfs.

The fact is that after 1718, a capitation census of peasants was introduced in the Russian Empire. For every male serf, the master had to pay a tax. However, the census was carried out quite rarely - once every 12-15 years. And if one of the peasants ran away or died, the landowner was still forced to pay a tax for him. Dead or escaped peasants became a burden for the master. This created fertile ground for various types of fraud. Chichikov himself hoped to carry out this kind of scam.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol knew perfectly well how Russian society with its serfdom system was structured. And the whole tragedy of his poem lies in the fact that Chichikov’s scam absolutely did not contradict the current Russian legislation. Gogol exposes the distorted relationships of man with man, as well as man with the state, and talks about the absurd laws in force at that time. Because of such distortions, events become possible that contradict common sense.

“Dead Souls” is a classic work, which, like no other, was written in the style of Gogol. Quite often, Nikolai Vasilyevich based his work on some anecdote or comical situation. And the more ridiculous and unusual the situation, the more tragic the real state of affairs seems.