Mystical and philosophical novel“The Picture of Dorian Gray” will seduce everyone who has at least once in their thoughts or out loud wished to preserve their youth and beauty. But Oscar Wilde had no intention of sharing the secret of immortality; the author reflected in the work his own view of human morality, love and a world ruled by the desire for pleasure.
The plot is built around young man, which has a natural, sensual beauty. The young sitter poses for his friend, the artist Basil Hallward. In Basil's workshop, Dorian meets Henry Wotton, a man who subsequently poisons the young man's mind with his sophistic speeches and cynical views. Henry expresses regret that beauty is not eternal, and youth, in his opinion, is the only wealth worth cherishing. Well, the portrait of a wonderful hedonist is complete. The handsome man is delighted with his reflection, transferred to the canvas, but bitterness crept into his soul, caused by the words of a new acquaintance. The young man understands that time will take away the beauty and freshness of his face, and he will turn into a wrinkled old man with an ugly figure. In excitement, he exclaims: “If only I always remained young, and this portrait grew old! For this... for this I would give everything in the world! I wouldn't regret anything! I would be ready to give my soul for this.” From this moment on, the description of the book “Dorian Gray” takes on dark tones: the main character transforms into a perverted egoist, transferring all the consequences of his lifestyle to the picture. She grows old instead of him.
His wish comes true. A man throws himself into the pool of vice, torturing his soul and body with pleasures and amusements. For many years, the hero remains young, and his portrait takes on all his sins and crimes, becoming repulsive. He destroys the lovely girl Sibyl Vane, breaking her heart. Kills his own devoted friend Basil, who was very attached to the young man and loved him. And in the finale, a distraught Dorian thrusts a knife into the ill-fated image, wanting to put an end to the past and find peace. But this way he only finds his own death.
History of creation
Oscar Wilde made a bet with his friend that he would write a novel that would drive all of London crazy. "Dorian Gray" was written in as soon as possible, in a single impulse of creative will. The writer won the argument, but paid for his victory: he was tried for corrupting English morals. As a result, he got real prison term.
The novel has behind it real basis. Oscar Wilde actually had a friend, Basil, who was talented artist. One day in his workshop the writer saw a very handsome young man. Wilde was delighted with the sitter’s charming appearance and noted with bitterness that this beauty could not escape old age with its ugliness. But the artist was ready to paint an image of the handsome man every year, so that aging and fading would be reflected only on the canvas.
“Portrait...” is the only published novel that brought its creator success and almost scandalous fame. It was first published in July 1890 in the American Lippincott's Monthly Magazine. Subsequently, in 1891, the book was published in a separate edition with six new chapters and a special preface, which became a manifesto of aestheticism.
Genre
"The Picture of Dorian Gray" can be classified as a genre intellectual novel. In the work, the characters and the narrator are subject to introspection, comprehension of their actions and surroundings. Their conversations go beyond the plot, representing a debate of certain philosophical views. The book raises the most important aesthetic, moral and “eternal” problems.
Based on the time of creation and style, the work can be attributed to a Victorian novel. This is how English prose was called during the reign of Queen Victoria - an era of calm, puritanism and hypocrisy. Its author gracefully ridicules Lord Henry in his remarks.
The definition of “allegorical parable” is also applicable to the book. The events taking place in it should not be taken literally. Heroes are not people, they represent philosophical views, magical paintings- vicious temptation, death and love - tests, copper pipes that open the veil over human nature.
The direction of the author's creative thought is at the junction between romantic, fantastic and realistic principles. Thus, the book reveals an element of fantasy ( Magic force portrait), psychological and social components of realism and the romantic type of the main character.
Main characters
- Dorian Gray is a naive and beautiful young man who turned into a depraved and insensitive egoist under the influence of Lord Henry. He is a nobleman, a descendant of a noble family. His soul eagerly sought a mentor in something new to him. secular world. Having chosen a sophisticated and vicious example to follow, the hero, being weak-willed and driven, rushes to try out all the cynical advice of his senior comrade. From the very beginning it is clear that he is a sensual but cowardly self-lover, because the thought of losing his own beauty (the only difference from other men in his circle) enslaves his mind, which has not yet had time to develop. He easily betrays his love for other people, this speaks of the pettiness of his nature and the stinginess of his heart. Using his example, the author draws a parallel between internal and external wealth, which are not at all identical to each other. The writer has already embodied the image of Dorian Gray in the fairy tale “Boy Star”. Wilde turns that hero into a freak, not giving him the opportunity to hide the ugliness. Therefore, he quickly transforms into a good and highly moral young man, aware of his guilt. However, the novel is not fairy tale parable, in it the creator truthfully spoke about what awaits the arrogant and self-obsessed character.
- Lord Henry is a wealthy and refined nobleman, well accepted in high society. His sarcastic remarks and casuistic worldview (he professes hedonism) are liked by the people around him, who enjoy his wit. Every second quote of his is an aphorism. However, he himself never follows his bold thought. He admonishes, cunningly, gradually corrupts Dorian’s soul, but he himself does nothing of the kind. His image is traditionally compared to the archetype of the devil in literature. Wotton is like Mephistopheles from Goethe's Faust: he only guides a person, skillfully shuffling hedonistic ideas, subtle humor and arrogant cynicism. The spirit of depravity emanating from this hero is attractive. He has sophistication and sublimity, but this is only outer beauty, which, like the beauty of a face, is only a fragile veil of a rotten sinful essence.
- Sibyl Vane - Dorian's lover, actress. The girl of rare beauty was also very talented. She amazed Gray with her talent. He loved her for him, because the artist could never get bored: she transformed into different images every day. The real Sybil was ready to sacrifice her career, success, creativity itself for the sake of love, and, feeling this, the young man quickly became fed up with adoration. He liked the stage, far-fetched lady of his heart, as free and incomprehensible as himself. But the young woman was only kind, dreamy, naive and vulnerable. Therefore, the first disappointment in people made her commit suicide. Neither her mother nor her brother were able to disabuse her of her rosy hopes in time.
- Basil Hallward is a painter, a friend of Dorian and Lord Henry, who introduces them. It was he who wrote fatal portrait. The artist sincerely admired the sitter and his beauty, and it was he who sensitively perceived the changes that had occurred in the young man. He saw the emerging depravity in him and sounded the alarm, but Gray only distanced himself from him in response. Basil was a humanist and moralist, his moral principles contrast with Henry's refined immorality, and therefore irritate the protagonist. Hallward values solitude, loves to reflect and philosophize, and is the bearer of the author's point of view in the novel. His sitter blames him for his fall, and then kills him, wanting to break the spell. Little does he know that his friend has been desperately trying to prevent his corruption all this time.
- James Vane is Sybil's brother, a sailor. A sane and strong-willed young man. From the very beginning, he is skeptical about the rich nobleman's intentions regarding his sister. The man is accustomed to relying on himself in everything, and not looking for easy ways to the top, so he warns his mother against trusting too much in a stranger from the nobility. He - typical representative Victorian era, his social prejudices are unshakable. When Vane learns of the death of his deceived sister, a desperate desire to take revenge on the heartless rich man awakens in his heart. Since then, the sailor, firm in his convictions and purposeful, has been chasing the offender, but meets his death before he can present it to Gray.
The meaning of the book
Wilde's novel is as multifaceted as the creative embodiment of his plan is multifaceted. The meaning of The Picture of Dorian Gray is to show us the superiority of the internal content of the human personality over the external. No matter how beautiful the face, it cannot replace the beautiful impulses of the soul. The ugliness of thought and heart still mortifies the flesh and makes the beauty of forms lifeless and artificial. Even eternal youth will not bring happiness to the ugly.
The author also proves to the reader that art is eternal. The Creator paid for his love and devotion to ideals, but his creation is alive and beautiful. The portrait shows a charming young man in the prime of enchanting youth and beauty. And a person who devotes himself to the cult of pleasure, in love only with himself and his desires, is dead. His appearance is alive in the picture, alive in art, and the only way To preserve a moment for centuries is to depict it in all its glory.
The preface to the novel consists of 25 aphorisms that proclaim the author’s aesthetic ideals. Here are some of them: “The artist is the creator of beauty”, “To reveal oneself and hide the creator - this is what art craves”, “The chosen ones are those for whom beauty means only one thing - Beauty.” “Vices and virtues for the creator are the material of art.” “The ethical preferences of the creator lead to mannerism of style.” Although Oscar Wilde was a supporter of the theory of aestheticism, the work clearly outlines the danger of separating ethical and aesthetic principles. Service leads to death, as it happened to the hero of the novel. To feel and enjoy beauty, and at the same time preserve your face and virtue, you must always observe moral standards and not drive yourself to fanaticism, even if you have eternal life in stock.
Morality
Of course, the most important moral law of existence is not to elevate what is visible to the status of the only significant thing. If a person is beautiful, this does not mean that his soul corresponds to his shell. On the contrary, many handsome people are selfish and stupid, but society continues to value them higher than people gifted with genuine virtues. This misguided worship leads to absurd cults of heartless and empty dummies, while truly beautiful individuals remain misunderstood. Carnival falsehood, hypocritical adherence to decency and generally accepted attitudes constituted the immutable law of the Victorian era, in which the smart, brave and original writer Oscar Wilde did not fit in.
The worship of love destroyed Sibylla Vane, love for beauty and admiration for it as art led the artist Hallward to the house where he met his end. Main character, who plunged into the vicious world of pleasures, fell from own hand. The moral of The Picture of Dorian Gray is that any absolute worship carries with it danger. You can love, create, enjoy, but at the same time leave room for a sober understanding of your actions. The characters are subject to impulsiveness, this is their misfortune: Sybil, after a breakup, commits suicide, Dorian, with triumphant malice, throws himself at the painting with a knife. And they all became victims of their ideals - such is the price of blindness. Within reasonable limits, cynicism helps people avoid making such mistakes; this is what the author teaches by portraying Lord Henry.
Issues
The novel reveals the problem of “beautiful” and “ugly”. These two extremes are needed to understand the integrity of this world. The “beautiful” includes the tragic and pure love actress Sibyl, Basil's sincere affection for the young man and, of course, the main character himself, as the embodiment of genuine earthly beauty. The “ugly” is carried within his soul; with every vice and crime it smolders, rots, losing sensitivity and the ability to compassion. And all these metamorphoses are taken over by the mysterious canvas, turning the person depicted on it into an ugly, vicious creature. But society is blind to the fine lines between beauty and ugliness; it fixes only the external attributes of a person, completely forgetting about the internal ones. Everyone knows about Dorian’s tricks, but this doesn’t stop them loving and respecting him. Some people are only cowardly afraid of losing their ostentatious virtue, so they do not officially accept it. In these circumstances, along with the promiscuity of people, there is their hypocrisy and cowardice - problems that are no less important.
The portrait of Dorian Gray is a reflection of his soul and conscience. It in no way controls the life of its owner, does not punish him, but only silently reflects all the baseness and immorality of the young man. Virtue is desecrated, real feelings have given way to hypocrisy. The handsome man succumbed to temptation, and only his image will show the retribution for this temptation. There is a problem of impunity for a person from high society: he leads not only an immoral, but also an illegal lifestyle, and no one stops him. Of course, he is from the nobility, and, therefore, has the right to disregard the law until his behavior becomes known to the general public. Only then will everyone pretend that they are shocked by the news, but previously did not suspect anything like this. Thus, the author touches on social and political problems, criticizing Victorian England for turning a blind eye to the crimes of its elite.
Subject
The most interesting topic for the writer was the topic of art. He talked about him in the dialogues of the main characters, and dedicated the ending of the novel to him, where the man died, but his portrait remained eternal memory about him. The invisible power of a painting is an indicator that the most significant thing created by people is art; it overshadows and outlives its creator, perpetuating his name and skill. This is what makes him truly attractive. Dorian admired Basil's creative genius, Sybil's extraordinary talent, and Henry's oratorical power. His unspoiled soul was drawn to the light of the creative principle, and turned away from it, taking licentiousness and baseness as life guidelines.
In addition, the theme of the work can be called a dramatic clash of ideas of hedonism (an ethical doctrine where pleasure is both greater good and the purpose of life) and aestheticism (movement in European literature and in art, which was based on the predominance aesthetic values- worship of fine art). Basil Hallward was in love with beauty; art and beauty were inseparable for him. Art is beauty. He sought to immortalize her features with the help of his brush and exceptional talent. But the worship of beauty destroyed the artist; his love and devotion to beauty were trampled by the madness of a corrupt soul. The hero chose the path of pleasure, in the center of which he was himself. He reveled in his impunity and moral failure, because no one can deprive him of his wealth - eternal youth. This lifestyle does not lead to true happiness, but only creates the illusion of it. Dorian in the end begins to regret the lost innocence, the former purity of his soul, but it is too late; sincere feelings, compassion, real love forever lost their meaning for him.
Criticism
The writer's contemporaries vehemently took up arms against Dorian Gray for ridiculing the prim Puritan society of that period. In addition, Wilde vividly described the immoral behavior of the main character, which was indecent to see even on the pages of a book. In the secret adventures of the socialite, especially virtuous readers saw the propaganda of a hedonistic position and vicious leisure. The enlightened and discerning public did not notice the elegantly hidden condemnation, because no one canceled the competition in ostentatious piety.
The writer was even convicted for violating morality, and to a real prison term. Although his speech at the defense caused a sensation among sensible people, it failed to convince everyone else. However, later this work was appreciated, and today it is one of the most significant not only in English, but also in world literature.
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COMPOSITION
The role of the episode in the poem by N.V. Gogol
"Dead Souls"
"Chichikov at Nozdryov's"
History of creation :
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol worked on the poem “Dead Souls” abroad. The first volume was published in 1841. The writer planned to write the poem in three parts. His task in this work was to show Rossi with negative side, as he himself said, “on one side.”
This poem shows a separate landowner Chichikov, Russian society, Russian people, economy (economy of landowners).
The title “Dead Souls”, I think, has a double meaning. On the one hand, N.V. Gogol included in the title the souls of the dead peasants, about whom so much is said in the poem. On the other hand, these are the “Dead Souls” of landowners. The writer showed here all the callousness, the emptiness of the soul, the idleness of life, all the ignorance of the landowners.
The story about Captain Kopeikin shows the attitude of officials towards to the common people, the fact that the state does not respect people who gave their health, and in many cases, their lives for it; that the state for which they fought in the War of 1812 does not fulfill its promises, does not care about these people.
There are many episodes in this poem. I think they can even be divided into groups. One group is the episodes of Chichikov’s visits to landowners. I think this group is the most important in the poem. I want to describe, perhaps even comment on, one episode from this group - this is the episode when Chichikov visits the landowner Nozdryov. The action took place in the fourth chapter.
After visiting Korobochka, Chichikov stopped at the tavern for lunch and to give the horses a rest. He asked the owner of the tavern about the landowners, and, as was his custom, Chichikov began asking the owner about her family and life. As he talked and ate, he heard the sound of the wheels of an approaching carriage. Nozdryov and his companion, son-in-law Mezhuev, got out of the chaise.
Then we went to the office. There they had a disagreement due to our hero’s reluctance to play cards. Before the quarrel, Chichikov offered to buy “dead souls” from Nozdryov. Nozdryov began to set his own conditions, but Chichikov did not accept any of them.
After the conversation, Chichikov was left alone with himself.
The next day they began to play checkers on the condition: if our hero wins, then his soul; if he loses, then “there is no trial.” The author characterizes Nozdryov as follows: “He was of average height, a very well-built fellow, with full pleasant cheeks, teeth white as snow and jet-black sideburns. It was fresh, like blood and salt; his health seemed to be dripping from his face.”
Nodryov joined our hero, told about the fair, that he was blown to smithereens there. Then Chichikov, Nozdryov and Mezhuev’s son-in-law went to Nozdryov’s. After dinner, Mezhuev’s son-in-law left. Chichikov and Nozdryov, as usual, began to “cheat.” Chichikov noticed this and became indignant, after which a quarrel ensued and they began waving their hands at each other. Nozdryov called his servants Pavlusha and Porfiry and began shouting to them: “Beat him, beat him!” Chichikov turned pale, his soul “sank to his feet.” And if it weren’t for the police captain, who entered the room to announce to Nozdryov that he was in custody for inflicting a personal insult with rods while drunk on the landowner Maximov; be our hero severely crippled. While the captain was announcing the notice to Nozdryov, Chichikov quickly took his hat, went downstairs, got into the chaise and ordered Selifan to drive the horses at full speed.
I think the theme of this episode was to show, to characterize the person who played not last role in the life of our hero. In my opinion,
N.V. Gogol also wanted to show with this episode all the “recklessness” of the young landowners, including Nozdryov. Here the writer showed how young landowners like Nozdryov, and in principle like all landowners, do nothing more than “hang around” at balls and fairs, play cards, drink “ungodly,” think only about themselves and how to be mean to others.
Episode Role :
This episode played a big role in the poem; Nozdryov, annoyed with Chichikov when he visited him, betrayed him at the governor’s ball. But Chichikov was saved by the fact that everyone knew Nozdryov as a liar, a hypocrite, a bully, so his words were perceived as “the ravings of a madman,” as a joke, as a lie, whatever, but not as the truth.
While reading this episode, my impressions varied from beginning to end. At the beginning of the episode, the actions were not very interesting for me: this is when Chichikov met Nozdryov, how they were driving to his house. Then I gradually began to be indignant at Nozdryov’s boorish behavior - this is when, after dinner, Chichikov offered to buy “dead souls” from him, and Nozdryov began to wonder why he needed this. All of Chichikov’s attempts to pull the wool over Nozdryov’s ears were thwarted by him. Nozdryov said that Chichikov was a big swindler and that if he were his boss, he would have hanged him from the first tree. While reading, I was outraged by Nozdryov’s behavior towards Chichikov; after all, Chichikov is his guest.
There were a lot of things that happened in this episode, but those were the actions that stayed with me.
Artistic details :
First, let's look at how the author describes the tavern: “A darkened wooden, narrow, hospitable canopy on carved wooden posts, similar to ancient church candlesticks; the tavern was something like a Russian hut, several in large size, carved patterned cornices made of fresh wood around the windows and under the roof sharply and vividly dazzled its dark walls; there were jugs of flowers painted on the shutters; narrow wooden staircase, wide entryway. The interior of the tavern: a frost-covered samovar, scraped walls, a three-coal cabinet with teapots and cups in the corner, gilded porcelain eggs in front of images hanging on blue and red ribbons, a recently fallen cat, a mirror showing four eyes instead of two, and some kind of face instead flatbread; finally, bunches of fragrant herbs and carnations were stuck near the images, dried to such an extent that those who wanted to smell them only sneezed, and nothing more.”
Let's move on to the description of Nozdryov's household: in the house there were wooden trestles in the middle of the dining room. In the stable there were two mares, one dappled gray, the other a brown stallion, empty stalls; a pond, a water mill, where there was not enough flutter; forge. Nozdryov’s office: “There were no visible traces of books or paper in it, only sabers and two guns hung.” This suggests that Nozdryov was not interested in anything, did not take care of his farm, everything was neglected.
The hero's inner world in this episode:
Let's pay attention to the inner world of our hero in this episode. Here Chichikov at some points did not know what to answer Nozdryov to his annoying questions. It was in moments like this when Nozdryov asked him: “Why do you need them (dead souls)?”
In this episode, Chichikov, I think, felt awkward because of Nozdryov’s boorish behavior: he is offended by him, since our hero’s pride was affected. After Chichikov quarreled with Nozdryov after dinner because he did not play cards with him, he remained in the most unfavorable mood. The author describes his thoughts and feelings this way: “He was internally annoyed with himself for visiting them and wasting his time. But he scolded himself even more for talking to Nozdryov about the matter, acting carelessly, like a child, like a fool: for the matter was not at all of the kind that should be entrusted to Nozdryov. Nozdryov is a rubbish person, Nozdryov can lie, add, spread rumors and the devil knows what kind of gossip, it’s not good, it’s not good. “I’m just a fool,” he said to himself.”
I think that in this episode Chichikov behaved tolerantly and restrained, despite Nozdryov’s boorish behavior. But this is understandable, because our hero wants to achieve his goal at any cost.
In my opinion, the author wanted to show with this episode that not everything in life is as simple as one would like. That if everything turned out fine with Korobochka, then with Nozdryov everything went very abnormally - in life there are both white and black stripes.
I also think that this episode teaches us that we need to know a person very well, study him carefully before trusting him. After all, what happened with Chichikov: he trusted Nozdryov about the “dead souls,” and Nozdryov betrayed him by telling everyone about this matter.
But I repeat, Chichikov was saved by the fact that everyone considered Nozdryov a liar, no one believed him. Such luck may not happen in life.
Essay plan
1. Introduction. The author's intention.
2. Main part. The plot and compositional structure of the poem.
— Two-part composition. Exposition, plot and development of action in the first part of the poem.
— Chapters describing the landowners and their location.
— “Side passages” and their role in the plot.
— The second part of the poem. Development of action, climax, denouement.
— Compositional insertions and lyrical digressions.
— Artistic time and artistic space in the poem.
3. Conclusion. Artistic originality Gogol's plot.
The plot of the poem by N.V. Gogol was given as a gift by A.S. Pushkin. And the writer found it suitable for his work. “After The Inspector General, I felt, more than ever before, the need for a complete essay, where there would be more than one thing to laugh at. I found that the plot of “Dead Souls” was good for me because it gave me complete freedom to travel all over Russia with the hero and bring out many different characters,” wrote N.V. Gogol. And he brilliantly realized his plan.
Let's try to consider the plot and compositional structure of the poem. First of all, we note that the work is divided into two parts. The first part includes an exposition (description provincial town), the beginning (the arrival of Chichikov), the development of the action (the hero’s visit to officials and landowners).
All chapters (2–6), describing Chichikov’s visits to the landowners, are built according to the same compositional scheme. They include a landscape, a description of the village, an interior, a detailed portrait of the hero, and a dialogue with Chichikov. The order in which the images of landowners appear in the poem also has a special meaning. Researchers believe that here Gogol implements the principle of “diminishing guilt” of the character. The first to appear in this gallery is Manilov, whose figure is the most lifeless, reminding readers of a frozen statue. Korobochka, Nozdryov and Sobakevich - each of them in in a certain sense already “closer to life.” Plyushkin is the last to appear on stage. This is the only character, besides Chichikov, whose backstory the author reveals to us. But why does Gogol single out this hero? The fact is that " Dead Souls"were conceived by the writer as a great epic, a poem similar to " Divine Comedy» Dante. The first volume was supposed (according to the author) to correspond to “Hell”, the second to “Purgatory”, the third to “Paradise”. Gogol planned to talk about the gradual ascent of heroes from lower forms of life to higher ones. Chichikov was considered by him as a hero capable of finding the truth. And along with him, the author planned to make Plyushkin the hero of the third volume as a character capable of moral revival. That is why Gogol reveals to readers life story this hero.
Researchers noted that the first part of the poem is less dynamic. At first glance, all the movement here is Chichikov’s trips, his visits to officials and landowners. However, in this part there is a very noticeable “internal movement”, gradually preparing the denouement of the poem. And in this regard, the order in which the hero visits the landowners also has another meaning - an increase in the threat to Chichikov’s enterprise. The so-called “side passages” in the plot of the poem are connected with this. As A. Bely notes, “the three horses racing Chichikov across Russia are Chichikov’s entrepreneurial abilities; one of them is unlucky where it needs to go, which is why the move of the troika is a lateral move, raising the tires (“everything went like a crooked wheel”)<…>Chichikov is driving sideways: the details of the lateral triple run are an extra detail of the crooked path emblem: “You’ll pass... so here’s your right,” “I couldn’t remember, I passed two or three turns”; “turned... onto the cross road... with little thought... where the road would lead...”; “We turned off the road and trudged along a fenced-in field...” Combine the side entrances of the troika with the side entrance of Chichikov and road mishaps (you got into the wrong place), and you will be surprised at the integrity of the reception: I was driving to Zamanilovka, I ended up in Manilovka; I went to Sobakevich, got to Korobochka, from Korobochka - I didn’t get to Sobakevich again, but to the tavern and to Nozdryov; from Nozdryov got into a fight with the crew of the governor’s daughter, because of whom a scandal later arose...” And the threats to Chichikov really increase as the action progresses. So, Manilov simply does not understand the essence of Pavel Ivanovich’s proposal, but he already asks: “wouldn’t this negotiation be inconsistent with civil regulations and future views of Russia?” Near Korobochka's house, Chichikov falls into the mud. This scene is deeply symbolic. As A. Bely notes, “thunder, swimming in mud, hitting a fence, a puddle and the light illuminating it - all for a reason; in Korobochka’s house and the second bottom of the treasured casket is discovered.” Here the hero not only encounters a certain resistance in the form of misunderstanding - he himself gives the landowner a paper - “to sue.” Troubles await Chichikov in Nozdrev's house. Pavel Ivanovich not only fails to conclude a deal, but he is almost beaten. Finally, Sobakevich immediately understood the essence of his proposal and even in a certain sense threatens Chichikov: “Do you need dead souls? powers of attorney." The last landowner, Plyushkin, does not want to accept Chichikov at all. Then they finally manage to come to an agreement: Chichikov has to part with the money.
In the second part of “Dead Souls” the action develops rapidly and energetically, many events take place. The second part of the poem includes the development of the action (signing of the deed of sale, the ball, Chichikov’s infatuation with the governor’s daughter), an extended climax (Nozdryov’s scandalous outburst at the ball, Korobochka’s arrival in the city, the spread of rumors about Chichikov). In the second part, Gogol gives us the background of the hero (delayed exposition of the image). Sometimes researchers consider this belated exposition to be Gogol's parody of romantic stories. The second part of the poem, in a certain sense, repeats the pattern of the first. Through the narratives of Korobochka, Manilov, Sobakevich, Plyushkin, Nozdryov, all Chichikov’s visits to them are repeated again. The visit to officials is also repeated, but with a much less successful outcome. And this repetition frames the central action of the poem. This is how the city scenes begin and end. However, the compositional ring is created by the main character of the poem himself. Gogol's Chichikov comes to town N from nowhere and leaves for nowhere, into infinity. The circle is thus closed.
The poem contains compositional inserts. This is “The Tale of Captain Kopeikin”, the parable of Kif Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich”, a letter from a stranger addressed to Chichikov. Also, the narrative is full of lyrical digressions, the author’s thoughts about Russia, about the Russian people, about life, about types of writers, about diversity human characters, about the Russian language.
Let us also note the special principle of connecting artistic time and artistic space in the poem. "Dead Souls" reminds us painting, the main background of which is the atmosphere of the provincial city, where everything is static, deadened. In the background are the estates of landowners. Life here also seems to come to a standstill. The figure of Chichikov looms in the foreground. And he already brings a certain dynamism and energy into the narrative, determining external events and provoking internal movement in the poem.
Thus, the factor of surprise and uncertainty plays a large role in Gogol’s plot. The outcome of the intrigue is not clear to readers almost until the end of the first volume. The motives for the hero’s scam are not entirely clear. However, in the last chapter, the author seems to bring us closer to the solution to both Chichikov’s intentions and character. The history of a case thus turns into a history of character. This is the uniqueness of Gogol’s plot.
Dead Souls, The Inspector General, Petersburg Stories, 3-4 stories from spiritual prose, Taras Bulba.
Dead Souls
The idea for the work arose in 1835. A. S. Pushkin helps him in terms of the plan; he suggests the plot to Gogol. At the same time, Gogol made the first sketches of an adventure-satirical novel, in which the author tried to show, at least from one side, all of Rus'. Gradually in creative consciousness The writer developed a plan for a three-volume work modeled on Dante’s “Divine Comedy”. Gogol devotes 6 years of his life to the first volume of Souls. He was very demanding of himself and revised what he wrote dozens of times. He once wrote to V. A. Zhukovsky: “My creation is enormously great and its end will not come soon.” The first volume of the poem was published in May 1842 under the title “The Adventures of Chichikov or Dead Souls.”
“Dead Souls” is a work of complex genre structure; elements of different genres can be distinguished in it:
Elements of an adventurous picaresque novel.
The main character is Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, a swindler, a rogue, an anti-hero. There are elements of such a novel here. The adventurous journey of the entrepreneur's hero across Rus' with the aim of acquiring the souls of dead peasants becomes, as it were, an occasion for creating a satirical canvas about the landowner and bureaucratic life of Russia in the first third of the 19th century.
The work contains elements of a traditional novel. The novel's beginning of Dead Souls is associated primarily with the image of Chichikov.
If in the first 6 chapters it is only a compositionally connecting image, then in subsequent chapters its role is comparable to the role of the hero of a traditional novel.
Hints of love affair.
Equal coexistence of the epic and lyrical principles, differing both in their ideological orientation and in language, the goal of the epic part of “Dead Souls” is a satirical exposure of the vices of Russian life. The subject of her image is dead souls, that is, spiritually dead Russian people. In the lyrical part of “Dead Souls,” an image of an author is created who believes in the inexhaustible possibilities of the talented Russian people, the great future of their Fatherland. Researchers believe that it is precisely thanks to the image of the author that “Dead Souls” is neither a story, nor a novel, nor an epic, but a poem.
Composition "Dead Souls".
The relationship of parts in the poem is strictly thought out by the author and is subordinated to the overall creative plan. The first chapter of the poem is a kind of introduction; the author introduces readers to the main characters - Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, his constant companions: Petrushka and Selifan. And here he introduces us to the Landowners: Manilov, Nozdrev and Sobakevich. Here is a sketch of the society of provincial officials.
Chapters two to six are devoted to landowners, that is, the masters of life.
In chapters 7-10, provincial society, city leaders, minor officials and ladies are depicted; they are divided into 2 groups: simple and pleasant and pleasant in all respects. All these images pass before the reader’s mind’s eye.
Chapter 11 gives a biography of Chichikov, not a clean businessman. The final lines of “Dead Souls” are dedicated to the beloved Motherland. Gogol sings of lyrical power to Russia.
A significant place in the ideological and compositional structure is occupied by inserted episodes, in them he touches on the most acute, most important public issues. The question of the high purpose of man, it concerns the question of the fate of the Motherland and the people - all these reflections are contrasted with gloomy pictures of Russian life. Extra-plot reflections, scenes, pictures are organically included. In the first chapter, Gogol casually sketches a portrait of fat and thin officials. In the 3rd chapter, a portrait of an official of the office is given, in the 9th chapter, Gogol talks about the incident that happened in the village “Lousy Arrogance”, in the 10th chapter, “The Tale of Captain Kopeikin” is obsessed. Extra-plot inserted episodes, portrait sketches and scenes help illuminate the life of various social strata of Russia, Russia of the 19th century; “Dead Souls” reflected all of Rus' with its good and evil.
Images of landowners
Carrying out his scam with revision souls, he travels around the provincial town of NN and visits: Manilov, Korobochka, Nozdryov, Sobakevich and Plyushkin. Their images are revealed primarily in the so-called portrait chapters: from 2 to 6. Introducing us to the landowners, Gogol resorts to almost the same plot scheme, first he describes the estate and the village, then the landscape, then the details of the estate life and architecture, the author is attentive to the manor's house and everyday details. The direct representation of a particular character includes a portrait, a description of clothing, and a speech characteristic. In addition, the author introduces us to the household, servants and in more detail describes a meal that will catch the taste of a guest. The central place is occupied by the discussion of Chichikov’s proposal to buying dead shower. The question arises: why are the images of landowners arranged in such a sequence? According to the most common version, which has existed since the time of Belinsky: Chichikov visits landowners on the principle of gradual degradation.
The first is Manilov. Name - to lure or lure. Here Gogol ironically plays up laziness, ethereal daydreaming, projectism and parodic sentimentality. The image of Manilov dynamically develops from the proverb: “A man is neither this nor that, neither in the city of Bogdan nor in the village of Selifan.” The things that surround Manilov testify to his complete indifference to reality. Our hero spends time in a gazebo, where the most fantastic projects come to his mind. The book has been in his office for 2 years, but he considers himself a well-read person. He never goes to the fields, but meanwhile his men get drunk, the farm somehow goes on by itself. The housekeeper is stealing, the servants are sleeping. The portrait is built on the principle of inflating enthusiasm, hospitality, reaching extreme excess and turning into negative qualities.
They bring each other candies and tidbits.
Officials, according to Manilov, are entirely the most respectable and kind people. The image of Manilov reflects a whole phenomenon - Manilovism is a tendency to create chimeras, to pseudo-philosophizing.
The second lady is Korobochka. Metaphorical. It reflects the essence of her nature: thrifty, distrustful, fearful, dim-witted, superstitious. Hoarding – she loves to save, just not for the sake of something. Clubhead - Chichikov calls her. She is afraid to sell things too cheap and wants to wait, so as not to incur a loss. At first, Chichikov is going to dig up the dead. She still decides to sell her souls to Chichikov, but out of fear and superstition, because he cursed her. The image captures the image of club-headed stubbornness.
Nozdrev.
The broken fellow is a debauchee. He is a historical person, because every time he ends up in some kind of story: he gets drunk in a buffet to a brutal state, or he kept a blue horse. Nozdryov is eager for the female sex, but main passion- to spoil the female sex. He upset a wedding or a business deal, but still considered the person he messed up to be his friend. The things around him are identical to his boastful nature: instead of books, sabers and daggers. He is devoid of internal content, so he is dead, he changes everything: guns, dogs, horses, a barrel organ, not for the sake of profit, but for the sake of the process itself. Nozdryov’s food also expresses an absolutely reckless spirit: something was burnt, not cooked: just roll it, it would have been hot.
Nozdryov is impulsive and angry. He is going to beat Chichikov. He was the first to reveal Chichikov's secret at the governor's ball, after which he sat on the floor and began to grab the dancers by the floor.
Sobakevich
He is distinguished by his heroic power. He performs feats at the dinner table. He is distinguished by his good health. His image is a parody of the appearance and deeds of fairy-tale heroes; rudeness and clumsiness are the essence of his portrait. Nature, when creating his faces, cut from all sides. The things around repeat the heavy and durable body of the owner: a strong asymmetrical house, a table, armchairs, chairs - everyone said it, and so did Sobakevich. He sees in everyone scoundrels and swindlers, the governor, in his opinion: the first robber in the world, he will kill for a penny, the whole city: the swindler sits on the swindler and drives the swindler, there is only a prosecutor, but at heart a pig.
Sobakevich is a fist person, he expresses a universal human passion for the heavy, the earthly, the carnal. Sobakevich's strength and will are devoid of ideal.
Plyushkin
The name is associated with the image of a moldy cracker left over from the Easter cake brought by the daughter. The portrait was created using hyperbole. Chichikov takes him for the housekeeper, for a sexless creature. One of his chins jutted forward. The universal type of miser: a hole in humanity. Object world around Plyushkin indicates rottenness, laziness, dying and decline. The huts are drawn through like a sieve, the generous and exemplary owner Plyushkin transforms into a spider, after the death of his wife, the eldest daughter runs away with the captain. He curses his son, who became a military man. Things deteriorate, time stops. Mental faculties decline, are reduced to suspicion, to insignificant pettiness, he considers all the servants to be thieves and swindlers, he makes list of dead shower.
Gogol's poem "Dead Souls" is full of extra-plot elements. This work contains many lyrical digressions and, in addition, there are inserted novellas. They are concentrated at the end of “Dead Souls” and help to reveal the ideological and artistic design author.
“The Tale of Captain Kopeikin” is located in the tenth chapter of the work. She talks about fate common man, brought to a desperate situation by the indifference of the authorities, on the verge of life and death. This “work within a work” develops the theme “ little man”, also embodied in the story “The Overcoat”.
The hero of the story, Captain Kopeikin, participated in the military campaign of 1812. He courageously and bravely fought for his homeland and received many awards. But during the war, Kopeikin lost his leg and arm and became disabled. He could not exist in his village because he could not work. How else can you live in the village? Using your last chance, Kopeikin decides to go to St. Petersburg and ask the sovereign for “royal mercy.”
Gogol shows how the common man is consumed and suppressed Big city. He pulls everything out vitality, all the energy, and then throws it away as unnecessary. At first, Kopeikin was bewitched by St. Petersburg - luxury, bright lights and colors were everywhere: “a certain field of life, a fabulous Scheherazade.” Everywhere there is a “smell” of wealth, thousands and millions. Against this background, the plight of the “little man” Kopeikin is even more clearly visible. The hero has several tens of rubles in reserve. You need to live on them while your pension is earned.
Kopeikin immediately gets down to business. He is trying to get an appointment with the general-in-chief, who is authorized to decide issues about pensions. But it was not there. Kopeikin cannot even get an appointment with this high official. Gogol writes: “One doorman already looks like a generalissimo...” What can we say about the rest of the employees and officials! The author shows that “higher-ups” are absolutely indifferent to fate ordinary people. These are some kind of idols, gods who live their own, “unearthly” life: “... a statesman! In the face, so to speak... well, in accordance with the rank, you know... with a high rank... that’s the expression, you know.”
What does this nobleman care about the existence of mere mortals! I wonder what indifference is in " significant persons“supported by everyone else, those who depend on these “gods”. The writer shows that all the petitioners bowed down before the general-in-chief, trembled, as if they saw not only the emperor, but the Lord God himself.
The nobleman gave Kopeikin hope. Inspired, the hero believed that life was beautiful and that justice existed. But it was not there! No real action followed. The official forgot about the hero as soon as he took his eyes off him. His last phrase was: “I can’t do anything for you; For now, try to help yourself, look for the means yourself.”
Desperate and disillusioned with everything holy, Kopeikin finally decides to take fate into his own hands. The postmaster, who told this whole story about Kopeikin, hints in the finale that Kopeikin became a robber. Now he thinks about his own life, without relying on anyone.
“The Tale of Captain Kopeikin” carries a large ideological and artistic load in “Dead Souls”. It's no coincidence that this insert novella located in the tenth chapter of the work. It is known that in last chapters poems (from the seventh to the tenth) characterize bureaucratic Russia. Officials are shown by Gogol as the same “dead souls” as the landowners. These are some robots the walking Dead who have nothing sacred left in their souls. But the death of bureaucracy occurs, according to Gogol, not because all this bad people. The system itself, which depersonalizes everyone who falls into it, is dead. This is precisely why bureaucratic Rus' is terrible. In the highest expression consequences social evil and this, it seems to me, is the fate of Captain Kopeikin.
This short story expresses Gogol's warning Russian authorities. The writer shows that if there are no radical reforms from above, they will begin from below. The fact that Kopeikin goes into the forests and becomes a robber is a symbol of the fact that the people can “take their destiny into their own hands” and raise uprisings, and perhaps a revolution.
It is interesting that the names of Kopeikin and Chichikov come closer together in the poem. The postmaster believed that Chichikov was probably the captain himself. It seems to me that such parallels are not accidental. According to Gogol, Chichikov is a robber, an evil that threatens Russia. But how do people turn into Chichikovs? How do they become soulless money-grubbers who do not notice anything other than their own goals? Maybe the writer shows that people do not become Chichikovs because of a good life? Just as Kopeikin was left alone with his pressing problems, so Chichikov was abandoned to the mercy of fate by his parents, who did not give him spiritual guidance, but set him up only for material things. It turns out that Gogol is trying to understand his hero, the essence of his nature, the reasons that formed this nature.
“The Tale of Captain Kopeikin” is one of the most important links in the poem “Dead Souls”. It contains the resolution of many issues, characterizes many images, reveals the essence of many phenomena and the author’s thoughts.
