H.B

Gogol's work “Dead Souls” was written in the second half of the 19th century. The first volume was published in 1842, the second volume was almost completely destroyed by the author. And the third volume was never written. The plot of the work was suggested to Gogol. The poem tells about a middle-aged gentleman, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, traveling around Russia with the aim of buying so-called dead souls - peasants who are no longer alive, but who are still listed as alive according to documents. Gogol wanted to show all of Russia, the entire Russian soul in its breadth and immensity.

Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls” can be read in a chapter-by-chapter summary below. In the above version, the main characters are described, the most significant fragments are highlighted, with the help of which you can form a complete picture of the content of this poem. Reading Gogol’s “Dead Souls” online will be useful and relevant for 9th graders.

Main characters

Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov- the main character of the poem, a middle-aged college adviser. He travels around Russia with the aim of buying up dead souls, knows how to find an approach to every person, which he constantly uses.

Other characters

Manilov- landowner, no longer young. In the first minute you think only pleasant things about him, and after that you no longer know what to think. He is not concerned about everyday difficulties; lives with his wife and two sons, Themistoclus and Alcides.

Box- an elderly woman, a widow. She lives in a small village, runs the household herself, sells food and fur. Stingy woman. She knew the names of all the peasants by heart and did not keep written records.

Sobakevich- a landowner, looking for profit in everything. With its massiveness and clumsiness it resembled a bear. He agrees to sell dead souls to Chichikov even before he even talks about it.

Nozdryov- a landowner who cannot sit at home for a day. He loves to party and play cards: hundreds of times he lost to smithereens, but still continued to play; He was always the hero of some story, and he himself was a master at telling tall tales. His wife died, leaving a child, but Nozdryov did not care about family matters at all.

Plyushkin- an unusual person, by whose appearance it is difficult to determine which class he belongs to. Chichikov at first mistook him for an old housekeeper. He lives alone, although his estate used to be full of life.

Selifan- coachman, Chichikov's servant. He drinks a lot, is often distracted from the road, and likes to think about the eternal. 

Volume 1

Chapter 1

A carriage with an ordinary, unremarkable car enters the city of NN. He checked into a hotel, which, as often happens, was poor and dirty. The gentleman's luggage was carried in by Selifan (a short man in a sheepskin coat) and Petrushka (a young man about 30 years old). The traveler almost immediately went to the tavern to find out who occupied leadership positions in this city. At the same time, the gentleman tried not to talk about himself at all, nevertheless, everyone with whom the gentleman spoke was able to write the most pleasant description of him. Along with this, the author very often emphasizes the insignificance of the character.

During dinner, the guest finds out from the servant who is the chairman of the city, who is the governor, how many rich landowners are, the visitor did not miss a single detail.

Chichikov meets Manilov and the clumsy Sobakevich, whom he quickly managed to charm with his manners and ability to behave in public: he could always carry on a conversation on any topic, he was polite, attentive and courteous. People who knew him spoke only positively about Chichikov. At the card table he behaved like an aristocrat and a gentleman, even arguing in a particularly pleasant way, for example, “you deigned to go.”

Chichikov hastened to pay visits to all the officials of this city in order to win them over and show his respect.

Chapter 2

Chichikov had been living in the city for more than a week, spending his time carousing and feasting. He made many useful contacts and was a welcome guest at various receptions. While Chichikov was spending time at another dinner party, the author introduces the reader to his servants. Petrushka wore a wide frock coat from a lordly shoulder and had a large nose and lips. He was of a silent nature. He loved to read, but he liked the process of reading much more than the subject of reading. Parsley always carried “his special smell” with him, ignoring Chichikov’s requests to go to the bathhouse. The author did not describe the coachman Selifan, saying that he belonged to too low a class, and the reader prefers landowners and counts.

Chichikov went to the village to Manilov, which “could lure few with its location.” Although Manilov said that the village was only 15 versts from the city, Chichikov had to travel almost twice as far. At first glance, Manilov was a distinguished man, his facial features were pleasant, but too sweet. You won’t get a single living word from him; it was as if Manilov lived in an imaginary world. Manilov had nothing of his own, no peculiarity of his own. He spoke little, most often thinking about lofty matters. When a peasant or clerk asked the master about something, he answered: “Yes, not bad,” without caring about what would happen next.

In Manilov’s office there was a book that the master had been reading for the second year, and the bookmark, once left on page 14, remained in place. Not only Manilov, but also the house itself suffered from a lack of something special. It was as if something was always missing in the house: the furniture was expensive, and there wasn’t enough upholstery for two chairs; in the other room there was no furniture at all, but they were always going to put it there. The owner spoke touchingly and tenderly to his wife. She was a match for her husband - a typical girl's boarding school student. She was trained in French, dancing and playing the piano to please and entertain her husband. Often they spoke tenderly and reverently, like young lovers. One got the impression that the couple did not care about everyday trifles.

Chichikov and Manilov stood in the doorway for several minutes, letting each other go ahead: “do me a favor, don’t worry so much about me, I’ll pass later,” “don’t make it difficult, please don’t make it difficult. Please come in." As a result, both passed at the same time, sideways, touching each other. Chichikov agreed with Manilov in everything, who praised the governor, the police chief, and others.

Chichikov was surprised by Manilov's children, two sons six and eight years old, Themistoclus and Alcides. Manilov wanted to show off his children, but Chichikov did not notice any special talents in them. After lunch, Chichikov decided to talk with Manilov about one very important matter - about dead peasants who, according to documents, are still listed as alive - about dead souls. In order to “relieve Manilov of the need to pay taxes,” Chichikov asks Manilov to sell him documents for the now non-existent peasants. Manilov was somewhat discouraged, but Chichikov convinced the landowner of the legality of such a deal. Manilov decided to give away the “dead souls” for free, after which Chichikov hastily began to get ready to see Sobakevich, pleased with the successful acquisition.

Chapter 3

Chichikov went to Sobakevich in high spirits. Selifan, the coachman, was arguing with the horse, and, carried away by thoughts, stopped watching the road. The travelers got lost.
The chaise drove off-road for a long time until it hit a fence and overturned. Chichikov was forced to ask for overnight accommodation from the old woman, who let them in only after Chichikov told about his noble title.

The owner was an elderly woman. She can be called thrifty: there were a lot of old things in the house. The woman was dressed tastelessly, but with pretensions to elegance. The lady's name was Korobochka Nastasya Petrovna. She didn’t know any Manilov, from which Chichikov concluded that they had drifted into quite the wilderness.

Chichikov woke up late. His laundry was dried and washed by the fussy Korobochka worker. Pavel Ivanovich did not stand on ceremony with Korobochka, allowing himself to be rude. Nastasya Filippovna was a collegiate secretary, her husband died long ago, so the entire household was in her hands. Chichikov did not miss the opportunity to inquire about dead souls. He had to persuade Korobochka for a long time, who was also bargaining. Korobochka knew all the peasants by name, so she did not keep written records.

Chichikov was tired from a long conversation with the hostess, and was rather glad not that he received less than twenty souls from her, but that this dialogue was over. Nastasya Filippovna, delighted with the sale, decided to sell Chichikov flour, lard, straw, fluff and honey. To appease the guest, she ordered the maid to bake pancakes and pies, which Chichikov ate with pleasure, but politely refused other purchases.

Nastasya Filippovna sent a little girl with Chichikov to show the way. The chaise had already been repaired and Chichikov moved on.

Chapter 4

The chaise drove up to the tavern. The author admits that Chichikov had an excellent appetite: the hero ordered chicken, veal and pig with sour cream and horseradish. At the tavern, Chichikov asked about the owner, his sons, their wives, and at the same time found out where each landowner lived. At the tavern, Chichikov met Nozdryov, with whom he had previously dined with the prosecutor. Nozdryov was cheerful and drunk: he had lost at cards again. Nozdryov laughed at Chichikov’s plans to go to Sobakevich, persuading Pavel Ivanovich to come visit him first. Nozdryov was sociable, the life of the party, a carouser and a talker. His wife died early, leaving two children, whom Nozdryov was absolutely not involved in raising. He could not sit at home for more than a day; his soul demanded feasts and adventures. Nozdryov had an amazing attitude towards dating: the closer he got to a person, the more fables he told. At the same time, Nozdryov managed not to quarrel with anyone after that.

Nozdryov loved dogs very much and even kept a wolf. The landowner boasted so much about his possessions that Chichikov was tired of inspecting them, although Nozdryov even attributed a forest to his lands, which could not possibly be his property. At the table, Nozdryov poured wine for the guests, but added little for himself. In addition to Chichikov, Nozdryov’s son-in-law was visiting, with whom Pavel Ivanovich did not dare talk about the true motives of his visit. However, the son-in-law soon got ready to go home, and Chichikov was finally able to ask Nozdryov about dead souls.

He asked Nozdryov to transfer the dead souls to himself without revealing his true motives, but this only intensified Nozdryov’s interest. Chichikov is forced to come up with various stories: supposedly dead souls are needed to gain weight in society or to get married successfully, but Nozdryov senses the falsehood, so he allows himself to make rude statements about Chichikov. Nozdryov invites Pavel Ivanovich to buy from him a stallion, mare or dog, complete with which he will give away his souls. Nozdryov didn’t want to give away dead souls just like that.

The next morning, Nozdryov acted as if nothing had happened, inviting Chichikov to play checkers. If Chichikov wins, then Nozdryov will transfer all the dead souls to him. Both played dishonestly, Chichikov was greatly exhausted by the game, but the police officer unexpectedly came to Nozdryov, informing him that from now on Nozdryov was on trial for beating a landowner. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Chichikov hastened to leave Nozdryov’s estate.

Chapter 5

Chichikov was glad that he left Nozdryov empty-handed. Chichikov was distracted from his thoughts by an accident: a horse harnessed to Pavel Ivanovich’s chaise got mixed up with a horse from another harness. Chichikov was fascinated by the girl who was sitting in another cart. He thought about the beautiful stranger for a long time.

Sobakevich's village seemed huge to Chichikov: gardens, stables, barns, peasant houses. Everything seemed to be made to last. Sobakevich himself seemed to Chichikov to look like a bear. Everything about Sobakevich was massive and clumsy. Each item was ridiculous, as if it said: “I, too, look like Sobakevich.” Sobakevich spoke disrespectfully and rudely about other people. From him Chichikov learned about Plyushkin, whose peasants were dying like flies.

Sobakevich reacted calmly to the offer of dead souls, even offering to sell them before Chichikov himself spoke about it. The landowner behaved strangely, raising the price, praising the already dead peasants. Chichikov was dissatisfied with the deal with Sobakevich. It seemed to Pavel Ivanovich that it was not he who was trying to deceive the landowner, but Sobakevich.
Chichikov went to Plyushkin.

Chapter 6

Lost in his thoughts, Chichikov did not notice that he had entered the village. In the village of Plyushkina, the windows in the houses were without glass, the bread was damp and moldy, the gardens were abandoned. The results of human labor were nowhere to be seen. Near Plyushkin’s house there were many buildings overgrown with green mold.

Chichikov was met by the housekeeper. The master was not at home, the housekeeper invited Chichikov to his chambers. There were a lot of things piled up in the rooms, it was impossible to understand in the heaps what exactly was there, everything was covered in dust. From the appearance of the room it cannot be said that a living person lived here.

A bent man, unshaven, in a washed-out robe entered the chambers. The face was nothing special. If Chichikov met this man on the street, he would give him alms.

This man turned out to be the landowner himself. There was a time when Plyushkin was a thrifty owner, and his house was full of life. Now strong feelings were not reflected in the old man’s eyes, but his forehead betrayed his remarkable intelligence. Plyushkin's wife died, his daughter ran away with a military man, his son went to the city, and his youngest daughter died. The house became empty. Guests rarely visited Plyushkin, and Plyushkin did not want to see his runaway daughter, who sometimes asked her father for money. The landowner himself started a conversation about the dead peasants, because he was glad to get rid of dead souls, although after a while suspicion appeared in his gaze.

Chichikov refused treats, impressed by the dirty dishes. Plyushkin decided to bargain, manipulating his plight. Chichikov bought 78 souls from him, forcing Plyushkin to write a receipt. After the deal, Chichikov, as before, hurried to leave. Plyushkin locked the gate behind the guest, walked around his property, storerooms and kitchen, and then thought about how to thank Chichikov.

Chapter 7

Chichikov had already acquired 400 souls, so he wanted to quickly finish his business in this city. He reviewed and put in order all the necessary documents. All the peasants of Korobochka were distinguished by strange nicknames, Chichikov was dissatisfied that their names took up a lot of space on paper, Plyushkin’s note was brevity, Sobakevich’s notes were complete and detailed. Chichikov thought about how each person passed away, making guesses in his imagination and playing out entire scenarios.

Chichikov went to court to have all the documents certified, but there he was made to understand that without a bribe things would take a long time, and Chichikov would still have to stay in the city for a while. Sobakevich, who accompanied Chichikov, convinced the chairman of the legality of the transaction, Chichikov said that he had bought the peasants for removal to the Kherson province.

The police chief, officials and Chichikov decided to complete the paperwork with lunch and a game of whist. Chichikov was cheerful and told everyone about his lands near Kherson.

Chapter 8

The whole city is gossiping about Chichikov’s purchases: why does Chichikov need peasants? Did the landowners really sell so many good peasants to the newcomer, and not thieves and drunkards? Will the peasants change in the new land?
The more rumors there were about Chichikov's wealth, the more they loved him. The ladies of the city of NN considered Chichikov a very attractive person. In general, the ladies of the city of N themselves were presentable, dressed with taste, were strict in their morals, and all their intrigues remained secret.

Chichikov found an anonymous love letter, which interested him incredibly. At the reception, Pavel Ivanovich could not understand which of the girls wrote to him. The traveler was a success with the ladies, but he was so carried away by small talk that he forgot to approach the hostess. The governor's wife was at the reception with her daughter, whose beauty Chichikov was captivated - not a single lady interested Chichikov anymore.

At the reception, Chichikov met Nozdryov, who, with his cheeky behavior and drunken conversations, put Chichikov in an uncomfortable position, so Chichikov was forced to leave the reception.

Chapter 9

The author introduces the reader to two ladies, friends who met early in the morning. They talked about women's little things. Alla Grigorievna was partly a materialist, prone to denial and doubt. The ladies were gossiping about the newcomer. Sofya Ivanovna, the second woman, is unhappy with Chichikov because he flirted with many ladies, and Korobochka completely let slip about dead souls, adding to her story the story of how Chichikov deceived her by throwing 15 rubles in banknotes. Alla Grigorievna suggested that, thanks to the dead souls, Chichikov wants to impress the governor’s daughter in order to steal her from her father’s house. The ladies listed Nozdryov as Chichikov’s accomplice.

The city was buzzing: the question of dead souls worried everyone. The ladies discussed more the story of the kidnapping of the girl, supplementing it with all imaginable and inconceivable details, and the men discussed the economic side of the issue. All this led to the fact that Chichikov was not allowed on the threshold and was no longer invited to dinners. As luck would have it, Chichikov was at the hotel all this time because he was unlucky enough to get sick.

Meanwhile, the city residents, in their assumptions, went so far as to tell the prosecutor everything.

Chapter 10

Residents of the city gathered at the police chief. Everyone was wondering who Chichikov was, where he came from and whether he was hiding from the law. The postmaster tells the story of Captain Kopeikin.

In this chapter, the story about Captain Kopeikin is included in the text of Dead Souls.

Captain Kopeikin had his arm and leg torn off during a military campaign in the 1920s. Kopeikin decided to ask the Tsar for help. The man was amazed by the beauty of St. Petersburg and the high prices for food and housing. Kopeikin waited to receive the general for about 4 hours, but he was asked to come later. The audience between Kopeikin and the governor was postponed several times, Kopeikin’s faith in justice and the tsar became less and less each time. The man was running out of money for food, and the capital became disgusting due to pathos and spiritual emptiness. Captain Kopeikin decided to sneak into the general’s reception room to definitely get an answer to his question. He decided to stand there until the sovereign looked at him. The general instructed the courier to deliver Kopeikin to a new place, where he would be completely in the care of the state. Kopeikin, overjoyed, went with the courier, but no one else saw Kopeikin.

All those present admitted that Chichikov could not possibly be Captain Kopeikin, because Chichikov had all his limbs in place. Nozdryov told many different fables and, getting carried away, said that he personally came up with a plan to kidnap the governor’s daughter.

Nozdryov went to visit Chichikov, who was still ill. The landowner told Pavel Ivanovich about the situation in the city and the rumors that were circulating about Chichikov.

Chapter 11

In the morning, everything did not go according to plan: Chichikov woke up later than planned, the horses were not shod, the wheel was faulty. After a while everything was ready.

On the way, Chichikov met a funeral procession - the prosecutor died. Next, the reader learns about Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov himself. The parents were nobles who had only one serf family. One day, his father took little Pavel with him to the city to send his child to school. The father ordered his son to listen to teachers and please bosses, not to make friends, and to save money. At school, Chichikov was distinguished by his diligence. Since childhood, he understood how to increase money: he sold pies from the market to hungry classmates, trained a mouse to perform magic tricks for a fee, and sculpted wax figures.

Chichikov was in good standing. After some time, he moved his family to the city. Chichikov was attracted by a rich life, he actively tried to make his way into the people, but with difficulty he got into the government chamber. Chichikov did not hesitate to use people for his own purposes; he was not ashamed of such an attitude. After an incident with one old official, whose daughter Chichikov even planned to marry in order to get a position, Chichikov’s career took off sharply. And that official talked for a long time about how Pavel Ivanovich deceived him.

He served in many departments, cheated and cheated everywhere, launched an entire campaign against corruption, although he himself was a bribe-taker. Chichikov began construction, but several years later the declared house was never built, but those who supervised the construction got new buildings. Chichikov became involved in smuggling, for which he was put on trial.

He started his career again from the bottom rung. He was engaged in transferring documents for peasants to the guardianship council, where he was paid for each peasant. But one day Pavel Ivanovich was informed that even if the peasants died, but were listed as alive according to the records, the money would still be paid. So Chichikov came up with the idea of ​​​​buying peasants who were dead in fact, but alive according to documents, in order to sell their souls to the guardianship council.

Volume 2

The chapter begins with a description of the nature and lands belonging to Andrei Tentetnikov, a 33-year-old gentleman who thoughtlessly wastes his time: he woke up late, took a long time to wash his face, “he was not a bad person, he’s just a smoker of the sky.” After a series of unsuccessful reforms aimed at improving the lives of peasants, he stopped communicating with others, completely gave up, and became mired in the same infinity of everyday life.

Chichikov comes to Tentetnikov and, using his ability to find an approach to any person, stays with Andrei Ivanovich for some time. Chichikov was now more careful and delicate when it came to dead souls. Chichikov hasn’t talked about this with Tentetnikov yet, but with conversations about marriage he has revived Andrei Ivanovich a little.

Chichikov goes to General Betrishchev, a man of majestic appearance, who combined many advantages and many shortcomings. Betrishchev introduces Chichikov to his daughter Ulenka, with whom Tentetnikov is in love. Chichikov joked a lot, which was how he was able to win the favor of the general. Taking this opportunity, Chichikov makes up a story about an old uncle who is obsessed with dead souls, but the general does not believe him, considering it another joke. Chichikov is in a hurry to leave.

Pavel Ivanovich goes to Colonel Koshkarev, but ends up with Pyotr Rooster, whom he finds completely naked while hunting for sturgeon. Having learned that the estate was mortgaged, Chichikov wanted to leave, but here he meets the landowner Platonov, who talks about ways to increase wealth, which Chichikov is inspired by.

Colonel Koshkarev, who divided his lands into plots and manufactories, also had nothing to profit from, so Chichikov, accompanied by Platonov and Konstanzhoglo, goes to Kholobuev, who sells his estate for next to nothing. Chichikov gives a deposit for the estate, borrowing the amount from Konstanzhglo and Platonov. In the house, Pavel Ivanovich expected to see empty rooms, but “he was struck by the mixture of poverty with the shiny trinkets of later luxury.” Chichikov receives dead souls from his neighbor Lenitsyn, charming him with his ability to tickle a child. The story ends.

It can be assumed that some time has passed since the purchase of the estate. Chichikov comes to the fair to buy fabric for a new suit. Chichikov meets Kholobuev. He is dissatisfied with Chichikov’s deception, because of which he almost lost his inheritance. Denunciations are discovered against Chichikov regarding the deception of Kholobuev and dead souls. Chichikov is arrested.

Murazov, a recent acquaintance of Pavel Ivanovich, a tax farmer who fraudulently made himself a million-dollar fortune, finds Pavel Ivanovich in the basement. Chichikov tears out his hair and mourns the loss of a box of securities: Chichikov was not allowed to dispose of many personal belongings, including the box, which contained enough money to give collateral for himself. Murazov motivates Chichikov to live honestly, not break the law and not deceive people. It seems that his words were able to touch certain strings in Pavel Ivanovich’s soul. Officials hoping to receive a bribe from Chichikov are confusing the matter. Chichikov leaves the city.
 

Conclusion

“Dead Souls” shows a broad and truthful picture of life in Russia in the second half of the 19th century. Along with beautiful nature, picturesque villages in which the originality of the Russian people is felt, greed, stinginess and the never-vanishing desire for profit are shown against the backdrop of space and freedom. The arbitrariness of the landowners, the poverty and lack of rights of the peasants, the hedonistic understanding of life, bureaucracy and irresponsibility - all this is depicted in the text of the work, as in a mirror. Meanwhile, Gogol believes in a bright future, because it is not for nothing that the second volume was conceived as “the moral cleansing of Chichikov.” It is in this work that Gogol’s manner of reflecting reality is most clearly noticeable.

You have only read a brief retelling of “Dead Souls”; for a more complete understanding of the work, we recommend that you read the full version.

Quest

We have prepared an interesting quest based on the poem “Dead Souls” - go through it.

Test on the poem “Dead Souls”

After reading the summary, you can test your knowledge by taking this test.

Retelling rating

Average rating: 4.4. Total ratings received: 24676.

In this article we will describe the image of landowners created by Gogol in the poem “Dead Souls”. The table we have compiled will help you remember the information. We will sequentially talk about the five heroes presented by the author in this work.

The image of landowners in the poem “Dead Souls” by N.V. Gogol is briefly described in the following table.

Gogol's portrayal of landowners

In the works of Nikolai Vasilyevich, one of the main themes is the landowner class in Russia, as well as the ruling class (nobility), its role in the life of society and its fate.

The main method used by Gogol to portray various characters is satire. The process of gradual degeneration of the landowner class was reflected in the heroes created by his pen. Nikolai Vasilyevich reveals shortcomings and vices. Gogol's satire is colored with irony, which helped this writer speak directly about what was impossible to talk about openly under censorship conditions. At the same time, Nikolai Vasilyevich’s laughter seems good-natured to us, but he does not spare anyone. Each phrase has a subtext, a hidden, deep meaning. Irony is generally a characteristic element of Gogol's satire. It is present not only in the speech of the author himself, but also in the speech of the heroes.

Irony is one of the essential features of Gogol’s poetics; it adds greater realism to the narrative and becomes a means of analyzing the surrounding reality.

Compositional structure of the poem

The images of landowners in the poem, the largest work of this author, are presented in the most multifaceted and complete way. It is constructed as the story of the adventures of the official Chichikov, who buys up “dead souls.” The composition of the poem allowed the author to tell about different villages and the owners living in them. Almost half of the first volume (five out of eleven chapters) is devoted to the characteristics of different types of landowners in Russia. Nikolai Vasilyevich created five portraits that are not similar to each other, but each of them at the same time contains features that are typical of a Russian serf owner. Acquaintance with them begins with Manilov and ends with Plyushkin. This construction is not accidental. There is a logic to this sequence: the process of impoverishment of a person’s personality deepens from one image to another, it increasingly unfolds as a terrible picture of the collapse of serf society.

Meeting Manilov

Manilov - representing the image of landowners in the poem "Dead Souls". The table only briefly describes it. Let us introduce you closer to this hero. The character of Manilov, which is described in the first chapter, is already manifested in the surname itself. The story about this hero begins with an image of the village of Manilovka, which is capable of “luring” few people with its location. The author describes with irony the master's courtyard, created as an imitation with a pond, bushes and the inscription “Temple of Solitary Reflection.” External details help the writer create the image of the landowners in the poem “Dead Souls”.

Manilov: character of the hero

The author, speaking about Manilov, exclaims that only God knows what kind of character this man had. By nature he is kind, courteous, polite, but all this takes on ugly, exaggerated forms in his image. sentimental and beautiful to the point of cloying. The relationships between people seem festive and idyllic to him. Various relationships, in general, are one of the details that create the image of the landowners in the poem “Dead Souls”. Manilov did not know life at all; reality was replaced by empty fantasy. This hero loved to dream and reflect, sometimes even about things useful to the peasants. However, his ideas were far from the needs of life. He did not know about the real needs of the serfs and never even thought about them. Manilov considers himself a carrier of culture. He was considered the most educated man in the army. Nikolai Vasilyevich speaks ironically about the house of this landowner, in which there was always “something missing,” as well as about his sugary relationship with his wife.

Chichikov's conversation with Manilov about buying dead souls

In an episode of a conversation about buying dead souls, Manilov is compared to an overly smart minister. Gogol's irony here intrudes, as if accidentally, into a forbidden area. Such a comparison means that the minister is not so different from Manilov, and “Manilovism” is a typical phenomenon of the vulgar bureaucratic world.

Box

Let us describe another image of landowners in the poem “Dead Souls”. The table has already briefly introduced you to Korobochka. We learn about her in the third chapter of the poem. Gogol classifies this heroine as one of the small landowners who complain about losses and crop failures and always keep their heads somewhat to one side, while collecting money little by little into bags placed in the chest of drawers. This money is obtained by selling a variety of subsistence products. Korobochka's interests and horizons are completely focused on her estate. Her entire life and economy are patriarchal in nature.

How did Korobochka react to Chichikov’s proposal?

The landowner realized that trading in dead souls was profitable, and after much persuasion she agreed to sell them. The author, describing the image of landowners in the poem “Dead Souls” (Korobochka and other heroes), is ironic. For a long time, the “club-headed” one cannot figure out what exactly is required of her, which infuriates Chichikov. After that, she bargains with him for a long time, afraid of making a mistake.

Nozdryov

In the image of Nozdryov in the fifth chapter, Gogol depicts a completely different form of decomposition of the nobility. This hero is a man of what is called a “jack of all trades.” In his very face there was something daring, direct, open. He is also characterized by a “breadth of nature.” According to the ironic remark of Nikolai Vasilyevich, Nozdryov is a “historical man”, since not a single meeting that he managed to attend was ever complete without stories. He loses a lot of money at cards with a light heart, beats a simpleton at a fair and immediately “squanders it all.” This hero is an utter liar and a reckless braggart, a true master of “casting bullets.” He behaves defiantly everywhere, if not aggressively. This character’s speech is replete with swear words, and he has a passion for “spoiling his neighbor.” Gogol created in Russian literature a new socio-psychological type of the so-called Nozdrevism. In many ways, the image of landowners in the poem “Dead Souls” is innovative. A brief image of the following heroes is described below.

Sobakevich

The author’s satire in the image of Sobakevich, whom we meet in the fifth chapter, takes on a more accusatory character. This character bears little resemblance to previous landowners. This is a tight-fisted, cunning tradesman, a “kulak landowner.” He is alien to the violent extravagance of Nozdryov, the dreamy complacency of Manilov, as well as Korobochka’s hoarding. Sobakevich has an iron grip, he is taciturn, he is on his own mind. There are few people who could deceive him. Everything about this landowner is strong and durable. In all the everyday objects surrounding him, Gogol finds a reflection of the character traits of this person. Everything surprisingly resembles the hero himself in his house. Each thing, as the author notes, seemed to say that she was “also Sobakevich.”

Nikolai Vasilyevich portrays a figure that amazes with its rudeness. This man seemed to Chichikov to look like a bear. Sobakevich is a cynic who is not ashamed of moral ugliness in others or in himself. He is far from enlightened. This is a die-hard serf owner who only cares about his own peasants. It is interesting that, apart from this hero, no one understood the true essence of the “scoundrel” Chichikov, but Sobakevich perfectly understood the essence of the proposal, reflecting the spirit of the times: everything can be sold and bought, the maximum benefit should be obtained. This is the generalized image of the landowners in the poem of the work, however, it is not limited to the depiction of only these characters. We present to you the next landowner.

Plyushkin

The sixth chapter is dedicated to Plyushkin. On it, the characteristics of the landowners in the poem “Dead Souls” are completed. The name of this hero has become a household word, denoting moral degradation and stinginess. This image is the last degree of degeneration of the landowner class. Gogol begins his acquaintance with the character, as usual, with a description of the estate and village of the landowner. At the same time, a “particular disrepair” was noticeable on all the buildings. Nikolai Vasilyevich describes a picture of the ruin of a once rich serf owner. Its cause is not idleness and extravagance, but the painful stinginess of the owner. Gogol calls this landowner “a hole in humanity.” Its very appearance is characteristic - it is a sexless creature resembling a housekeeper. This character no longer causes laughter, only bitter disappointment.

Conclusion

The image of landowners in the poem “Dead Souls” (the table is presented above) is revealed by the author in many ways. The five characters that Gogol created in the work depict the diverse state of this class. Plyushkin, Sobakevich, Nozdrev, Korobochka, Manilov are different forms of one phenomenon - spiritual, social and economic decline. The characteristics of landowners in Gogol's poem "Dead Souls" prove this.

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 had suddenly appeared in town.

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 kinds 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.

The image of the landowner Korobochka

Characteristics of the landowner Nozdryov

The image of the landowner Sobakevich

Characteristics of the landowner Plyushkin

Important! Plyushkin personifies all the vices of landowners. He is characterized by stinginess, greed, rudeness, indifference to people, he is only interested in the accumulation of property, which rots in warehouses, like his soul.

Important! The images of landowners in the poem “Dead Souls” show how inhuman a person can be. Against the background of these Gogol sketches, the dead souls of the peasants become “alive.”

The title of Gogol’s work “Dead Souls” has many meanings. The “dead souls” in the poem are not only the deceased serfs, whose documents Chichikov wants to redeem, but also the landowners whom the reader meets while reading the book. This article briefly talks about the landowners in “Dead Souls”, about the characters, and their images.

Images of Manilov and Korobochka in the poem

The first landowners to meet on Chichikov’s path are Manilov and Korobochka. The reader meets Manilov in Chapter II, and Korobochka in Chapter III. After the publication of the poem, the term “Manilovism” came into use, denoting the image of parasitism and idleness. In the work, the author describes Manilov as follows: “a so-so man, neither this nor that, neither in the city of Bogdan, nor in the village of Selifan.” Blond-haired and blue-eyed Manilov, with eyes swollen from satiety, leads an idle life, makes many plans every day, but does nothing to implement them. All his dreams and plans do not bring any benefit to others. He dreams of unnecessary, useless things, for example, to build a tower from which even Moscow will be visible, or to dig an underground passage. The clerk is in charge of all matters, but even he does not know how many peasants died in one year. Behind the outward friendliness and courtesy of the landowner lies indifference, superficiality of views and lack of character.

Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka is the only woman among those with whom Chichikov had to deal. Having come to her by chance, Chichikov learns that he can also buy “dead souls” from her. Korobochka turns out to be a real entrepreneur and businessman. She cleverly bargains with Chichikov for her “product” and is very worried that she has sold too cheap. The former secretary's wife, now a widow, manages her entire household of 80 souls. She and her peasants provide themselves with the goods they produce.

The image of Nozdryov and Sobakevich in the poem

N.V. Gogol introduces the figure of Nozdryov in Chapter IV. This is a reckless young man, a gambler and a reveler. Nozdryov has no moral principles, so Chichikov has no doubt about the positive outcome of his case. Constant fights and vile actions define Nozdryov's character. This character does not pay attention to his children, and he loves dogs and the wolf cub who settled in his house more than his offspring.

In Chapter V of the work, Pavel Ivanovich meets Sobakevich. Outwardly similar to a bear, he also has a stony character. Mikhailo Semenovich is a hero, like everyone else in his generation. Among the interesting facts of his biography, it can be noted that he was never sick and even went bear hunting alone. And this strong, healthy man turns out, like all the other landowners, dead internally. He offered the highest price for his “dead souls”, and also bargained, assuring Chichikov of the quality of his goods. His soul, like that of other landowners, had already died, only the thirst for profit and unscrupulousness remained.

The image of Plyushkin in the poem

Stepan Plyushkin is in the final place in the sequence of characters. This figure personifies miserliness and incredible stinginess. Despite his wealth, he leads the life of a beggar, and his serfs die of hunger. Plyushkin's bins are full of goods and food that rots and deteriorates. Outwardly, this person looks more like an old housekeeper than a wealthy landowner. His possessions fully reflect the image of their owner. Everything is in disrepair, the houses are rickety, and the peasants are either dying or running away from such an owner. It is Plyushkin who has the largest number of “dead souls”.