What is the essence of the poem dead souls. "Dead Souls": reviews of the work

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

Birth of a genre

The idea that Gogol wrote "Dead Souls" was suggested to the author by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. Initially, the work was conceived as a light humorous novel. However, after the start of work on the work Dead Souls, the genre in which the text was originally supposed to be presented was changed.

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

Main idea

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

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

Unfortunately, the trilogy was never completed. But the poem "Dead Souls" should have had a significant meaning. Its main purpose was to describe the movement of the soul, which went through a fall, purification, and then rebirth. This path to the ideal had to be passed by the main character of the poem, Chichikov.

Plot

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

Let's look at the chapters of "Dead Souls" with their plot in a little more detail. This will give general idea about a brilliant piece of literature.

Chapter first. Start

How does the work "Dead Souls" begin? The theme raised in it describes the events that took place at the time when the French were finally expelled from the territory of Russia.

At the beginning of the story, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, who served as a collegiate adviser, arrived in one of the provincial cities. When analyzing "Dead Souls", the image of the protagonist becomes clear. The author shows him as a middle-aged man with an average build and good looks. Pavel Ivanovich is extremely inquisitive. There are situations when you can even talk about his importunity and annoying. So, at the tavern servant, he is interested in the income of the owner, and also tries to find out about all the officials of the city and about the most noble landowners. He is also interested in the state of the region to which he arrived.

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

The main purpose of Pavel Ivanovich's visit was to find a place for quiet life. To do this, when attending a party in the governor's house, he meets two landowners - Manilov and Sobakevich. At a dinner at the police chief's, Chichikov became friends with the landowner Nozdrev.

Chapter two. Manilov

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

Analyzing "Dead Souls", Manilov can be easily characterized by this decoration. This is a landowner who has no problems, but at the same time is too cloying. Manilov says that the arrival of such a guest is comparable for him to a sunny day and the happiest holiday. He invites Chichikov to dine. The mistress of the estate and the two sons of the landowner, Themistoclus and Alkid, are present at the table.

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

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

Chapter three. Getting to know the Box

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

The deal went through. The box treated Chichikov with pancakes and pies. Pavel Ivanovich, having eaten a hearty meal, drove on. And the landowner became very worried that she took little money for dead souls.

Chapter Four. Nozdrev

After visiting Korobochka, Chichikov drove out onto the main road. He decided to visit an inn along the way to have a bite to eat. And here the author wanted to give this action a certain mystery. He does digressions. In Dead Souls, he reflects on the properties of appetite inherent in people like the protagonist of his work.

While in the tavern, Chichikov meets Nozdryov. The landowner complained that he had lost money at the fair. Then they follow to the estate of Nozdrev, where Pavel Ivanovich intends to profit well.

By analyzing "Dead Souls", you can understand what Nozdrev is. This is a man who loves all sorts of stories. He tells them everywhere, wherever he is. After a hearty dinner, Chichikov decides to bargain. However, Pavel Ivanovich cannot beg for dead souls or buy them. Nozdrev sets his own conditions, which consist in an exchange or in a purchase in addition to something. The landowner even offers to use dead souls as a bet in the game.

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

Chapter five. Sobakevich

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

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

There are lyrical digressions in "Dead Souls" in the fifth chapter. The author finishes the story about Chichikov's visit to Sobakevich with a discussion about the Russian language. Gogol emphasizes the diversity, strength and richness of the Russian language. Here he points to the peculiarity of our people to give each nickname associated with various misconduct or with the course of circumstances. They do not leave their master until his death.

Chapter six. Plushkin

Very interesting hero is Plushkin. "Dead Souls" shows him as a very greedy person. The landowner does not even throw away his old sole, which has fallen off his boot, and carries it into a rather decent pile of such rubbish.

However plushkin dead soul sells very quickly and without bargaining. Pavel Ivanovich is very happy about this and refuses the tea with cracker offered by the owner.

Chapter seven. Deal

Having reached his original goal, Chichikov is sent to finally resolve the issue in civil chamber. Manilov and Sobakevich have already arrived in the city. The chairman agrees to become an attorney for Plyushkin and all other sellers. The deal went through, and champagne was opened for the health of the new landowner.

Chapter eight. Gossip. Ball

The city began to discuss Chichikov. Many thought he was a millionaire. The girls began to go crazy for him and send love messages. Once at the ball to the governor, he literally finds himself in the arms of the ladies. However, a sixteen-year-old blonde catches his attention. At this time, Nozdryov comes to the ball, loudly interested in buying dead shower. Chichikov had to leave in complete confusion and sadness.

Chapter nine. Benefit or love?

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

Chapter ten. Versions

The city literally revived. The news comes one after another. In them in question about the appointment of a new governor, about the presence of supporting papers about fake banknotes, about an insidious robber who escaped from the police, etc. There are many versions, and they all relate to Chichikov's personality. The excitation of people negatively affects the prosecutor. He dies on impact.

Chapter Eleven. Purpose of the event

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

And here Gogol decides to tell about his hero and why Chichikov is buying up dead souls. The author tells the reader about childhood and schooling, where Pavel Ivanovich already showed the ingenuity given to him by nature. Gogol also tells about Chichikov's relationship with his comrades and teachers, about his service and work in the commission, which was located in the government building, as well as about the transition to service in customs.

The analysis of "Dead Souls" clearly indicates the protagonist's inclinations, which he used to complete his deal described in the work. Indeed, at all places of work, Pavel Ivanovich managed to make a lot of money by concluding fake contracts and collusion. In addition, he did not disdain to work with smuggling. In order to avoid criminal punishment, Chichikov resigned. Having gone to work as an attorney, he immediately put together an insidious plan in his head. Buy Chichikov dead I wanted souls in order to pawn, as if alive, into the treasury for the sake of receiving money. Further in his plans was the purchase of a village for the sake of providing future offspring.

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

Images of landowners

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

What else vivid images created in the work "Dead Souls"? Heroes-landlords in the image of the Box are people who are focused only on their household. Not without reason, at the end of the third chapter, the author draws an analogy of this landowner with all aristocratic ladies. The box is distrustful and stingy, superstitious and stubborn. In addition, she is narrow-minded, petty and narrow-minded.

Next in terms of degradation is Nozdrev. Like many other landowners, he does not change with age, without even trying to develop internally. The image of Nozdryov embodies a portrait of a reveler and a braggart, a drunkard and a cheater. This landowner is passionate and energetic, but all of his positive traits go to waste. The image of Nozdryov is as typical as the previous landowners. And this is emphasized by the author in his statements.

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

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

Thus, all the landlords in the poem "Dead Souls" are united by such features as idleness and inhumanity, as well as spiritual emptiness. And he opposes this world of truly "dead souls" with faith in the inexhaustible potential of the "mysterious" Russian people. Not without reason, in the finale of the work, an image of an endless road appears, along which a trinity bird rushes. And in this movement, the writer's confidence in the possibility spiritual transformation humanity and in the great destiny of Russia.

// "Dead Souls" in Gogol's poem "Dead Souls"

Gogol's immortal poem "" opens before us not only life and customs Russian society mid-19th century, but also shows the human vices that were inherent in him. Central location in his work, the author pays attention to a man of a new type - entrepreneur Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov.

Nature endowed the protagonist with remarkable mental abilities. A brilliant scam was born and developed in his head. Finding inaccuracies in the then legislation, he decides to issue a bank loan, and leave as collateral peasant souls. Only in fact, these peasants were already dead for a long time, but on paper they were still alive and healthy. To implement his idea, Chichikov goes to the city of NN, where he buys dead peasant souls from local landowners for pennies.

The main character manages to win over all the officials and landowners of the city of NN. They begin to talk about Chichikov as a businesslike and decent person. Every official and landowner tries to invite Pavel Ivanovich to visit him, and he gladly agrees.

Before us opens a whole galaxy of landowners who in themselves are strong and bright personalities, but who have closed themselves in their own world.

For example, the landowner was smart enough and an educated person. In society, he was known as an aesthete. But he could not realize himself. Manilov became a hostage of his dreams and castles in the air. He was not accustomed to physical labor, all his plans remained only plans, and he looked at the world "through rose-colored glasses."

In contrast to Manilov, Gogol shows us the landowner Sobakevich. He was a man physical labor. He achieved his goal with strength and ingenuity. Dreams were alien to Sobakevich. The only thing that interested him was material wealth. even trying to bargain for the dead souls of his peasants the maximum price.

Next we meet the landowner Korobochka, whom Chichikov comes across by accident. symbolizes stagnation and limitation. This is confirmed by the clock in her house, which has long since stopped. The purpose of her life was the sale of hemp and fluff.

The landowner Nozdrev became the embodiment of a broad Russian soul. Excitement and adventurism became the main principles of Nozdrev's life. For him, there were no customs, no laws. He lived according to his heart.

The last landowner with whom Gogol introduces us was. The author speaks of him as "a hole in the body of mankind." Plyushkin reduced his life to mindless hoarding. Even with a huge fortune, he starved and starved his peasants.

It is characteristic that Chichikov managed to find an approach to all these "different" people and get what he wanted. With some he is soft and well-mannered, with others he is firm and rude, with others he is cunning and prudent. All these qualities, ingenuity and ingenuity, perseverance make us admire the main character of the poem "Dead Souls".

For understanding inner world Chichikova, refers to the childhood of the protagonist and to the conditions in which little Pavlusha grew up. Chichikov's only childhood memory was his father's instructions on the need to "save a penny." And so, all my life main character devoted to fulfilling the will of his father.

In "Dead Souls" we can see many human vices, which are reflected in the images of the heroes of the work. Gogol treated this state of affairs with anxiety and emotion and hoped that someday the time will come and the "dead souls" of our society will be reborn.

In Gogol's work, one can discern both good and bad sides in Russia. As dead souls, the author positions neither the dead, but officials and townsfolk, whose soul has hardened from callousness and indifference to others.

One of the main characters of the poem was Chichikov, who visited five landowners' estates. And in this series of trips, Chichikov concludes for himself that each of the landowners, the owner of a nasty and dirty soul. At the beginning, it may seem that Manilov, Sobakevich, Nozdrev, Korobochka are completely different, but nevertheless they are connected by ordinary worthlessness, which reflects the whole landowner's foundation in Russia.

The author himself appears in this work like a prophet, who describes these terrible events in the life of Rus', and then outlines a way out, albeit to a distant, but bright future. The very essence of human ugliness is described in the poem at the moment when the landowners are discussing how to deal with "dead souls", to make an exchange or a profitable sale, or maybe even give it to someone.

And despite the fact that the author describes a rather stormy and active life cities, at its core, it's just empty fuss. The worst thing is that a dead soul is a common occurrence. Gogol also unites all the officials of the city into one, into one faceless face, which differs only in the presence of warts on it.

So, according to Sobakevich, one can see that everyone around is swindlers, Christ-sellers, that each of them pleases and covers the other, for the sake of their own benefit and well-being. And above all this stench, pure and bright Rus' rose, which, as the author hopes, will definitely be reborn.

According to Gogol, only the people have living souls. Who, under all this pressure of serfdom, has kept the Russian soul alive. And she lives in the word of the people, in their deeds, in sharp mind. In a lyrical digression, the author created the very image of ideal Rus' and its heroic people.

Gogol himself does not know which path Rus' will choose, but he hopes that it will not contain such characters as Plyushkin, Sobakevich, Nozdrev, Korobochka. And only with understanding and insight, without all this spirituality, the Russian people can rise from their knees, recreating an ideal spiritual and pure world.

Option 2

The great Russian writer N.V. Gogol worked at a difficult time for Russia. The unsuccessful Decembrist uprising is put down. Courts and repressions all over the country. The poem "Dead Souls" is a portrait of modernity. The plot of the poem is simple, the characters are written simply and are easy to read. But sadness is felt in everything written.

Gogol's concept of "dead souls" has two meanings. Dead souls are dead serfs, and landowners with dead souls. The writer considered slave labor to be a great evil in Russia. serfdom, which contributed to the extinction of the peasants, the devastation of the culture and economy of the country. Speaking of landlord dead souls, Nikolai Vasilyevich embodied in them autocratic power. Describing his heroes, he hopes for the revival of Rus', for warm human souls.

Russia is revealed in the work through the eyes of the main character Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. The landowners are described in the poem not as a pillar of the state, but as a decaying part of the state, dead souls that cannot be relied upon. Plyushkin's bread is dying, without benefit to the people. Manilov carelessly manages in an abandoned estate. Nozdrev, bringing the farm to complete decline, playing cards and drinking. In these images, the writer shows what is happening in modern Russia. « Dead souls”, Oppressors, Gogol contrasts ordinary Russian people. People deprived of any rights who can be bought and sold. They appear as "living souls".

Gogol with great warmth and writes with love about the abilities of the peasants, about their diligence and talents.

The carpenter Cork, a healthy hero, traveled almost all of Russia, built many houses. Mityai makes beautiful and durable carriages. The stove-maker Milushkin puts together solid stoves. Shoemaker Maxim Telyatnikov could sew boots from any material. Serfs in Gogol are shown as conscientious workers, enthusiastically doing their job.

Gogol ardently believes in the bright future of his Russia, in the huge, but for the time being hidden talents of the people. He hopes that a ray of happiness and kindness will break through even into the dead souls of the landowners. Its main character Chichikov P.I. remembers the love of his mother and his childhood. This gives hope to the author that even callous people have something human left in their souls.

Gogol's works are funny and sad at the same time. Reading them, you can laugh at the shortcomings of the characters, but at the same time think about what can be changed. Gogol's poem - a prime example negative attitude of the author to serfdom.

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WHAT'S THE POINT
GOGOL'S POEMS "DEAD SOULS".

Poem "The Dead"
soul" was written at a time when
Russia was dominated by serfdom.
The landlords controlled their peasants,
as things or livestock, could buy and
sell them. The wealth of the landowner
determined by the number of peasants who
belonged to him. Approximately 10
years the state produced a census of "souls".
According to the census lists, the landowners paid
peasant taxes. If between
two revisions the peasant was dying, the landowner
still paid for him as if he were alive, until
new census.

One day A.S.
Pushkin told Gogol about one rogue official,
who bought for nothing from the landowners
dead souls listed as alive.
After that, the official became very rich.
The plot greatly interested Gogol. He
conceived to paint a picture of a fortress
Russia, show what happened in it
the process of disintegration of the landlord economy.
Gogol decided to write his poem in three
volumes, in which it would be necessary to show the entire
Rus' is not "from one side", but comprehensively.
He sought to portray not only
negative feudal landlords, but
find positive ones among them. But since V
Russia at that time had no positive
landlords, the second volume of the poem was not published.

box -
housewife, but with a narrow mental
outlook. She sees nothing but
kopecks and two-kopeck pieces. ruined
landowner-squanderer Nozdrev, capable of "Lower"
the whole household in a few days.

Shown and
Sobakevich is a kulak landowner who is very
far from enlightenment, from advanced ideas
society. For the sake of profit, he is capable of
cheating, forgery, deceit. He even
manages to sell Chichikov instead of a man
woman.

The limit
moral fall is Plyushkin - "hole
on humanity." He regrets wasting his
good not only for others, but also for yourself. He
does not dine, dresses in torn clothes. TO
people he harbors distrust and hostility,
shows cruelty and injustice to
peasants. Paternal feelings died out in him,
things for him more expensive than people. "And before