In the poem “Dead Souls,” Gogol created a picture of contemporary Russia that was extraordinary in scope and breadth, depicting it in all its grandeur, but at the same time with all its vices. He managed to immerse the reader into the depths of the souls of his heroes with such force that the work has not ceased to make a stunning impression on readers over the years. At the center of the narrative of the poem is feudal Rus', a country in which the entire land with its riches, its people belonged to the ruling noble class. The nobility occupied a privileged position and was responsible for the economic and cultural development of the state. Representatives of this class are landowners, “masters” of life, owners of serf souls.
The gallery of images of landowners is opened by Manilov, whose estate is called the front facade of landowner Russia. At the first meeting, this hero makes a pleasant impression of a cultured, delicate person. But even in this cursory author’s description one cannot help but notice the irony. In the appearance of this hero, a sugary sweetness clearly appears, as evidenced by the comparison of his eyes with sugar. Further, it becomes clear that under the pleasantly courteous behavior with people lies an empty soul. In the image of Manilov, many people are represented, about whom, according to Gogol, one can say: “people are so-so, neither this nor that, neither in the city of Bogdan nor in the village of Selifan.” They live in the countryside, have a penchant for refined, florid turns of speech, because they want to seem enlightened and highly educated people, look at everything with a calm gaze, and, smoking a pipe, dream of doing something good, for example, building a stone bridge across a pond and starting a there are benches on it. But all their dreams are meaningless and unrealizable. This is also evidenced by the description of Manilov’s estate, which is Gogol’s most important method of characterizing landowners: by the state of the estate one can judge the character of the owner. Manilov is not involved in farming: everything “went somehow by itself” for him; and his dreamy inaction is reflected in everything; an indefinite, light gray color predominates in the description of the landscape. Manilov attends social events because other landowners attend them. The same is true in family life and at home. The spouses love to kiss, give toothpick cases, and do not show much concern for landscaping: there is always some kind of drawback in their house, for example, if all the furniture is upholstered in dandy fabric, there will definitely be two chairs covered in canvas.
Manilov's character is expressed in his speech and in the way he behaves during the deal with Chichikov. When Chichikov suggested that Manilov sell him dead souls, he was at a loss. But, even realizing that the guest’s offer was clearly contrary to the law, he could not refuse such a pleasant person, and only began to think about “whether this negotiation would not be in accordance with civil regulations and future views of Russia?” The author does not hide the irony: a man who does not know how many peasants have died, who does not know how to organize his own economy, shows concern for politics. The surname Manilov corresponds to his character and was formed by the author from the dialect word “manila” - the one who beckons, promises and deceives, a flattering pleaser.
A different type of landowner appears before us in the image of Korobochka. Unlike Manilov, she is economical and practical, she knows the value of a penny. The description of her village suggests that she brought order to everyone. Network on fruit trees and the cap on the stuffed animal confirm that the hostess has access to everything and nothing is wasted in her household. Looking around Korobochka's house, Chichikov notices that the wallpaper in the room is old and the mirrors are antique. But with all her individual characteristics, she is distinguished by the same vulgarity and “dead-heartedness” as Manilov. When selling an unusual product to Chichikov, she is afraid of selling it too cheap. After bargaining with Korobochka, Chichikov “was covered in sweat, like in a river: everything he was wearing, from his shirt to his stockings, was all wet.” The owner killed him with her cudgel-headedness, stupidity, stinginess and desire to delay the sale of unusual goods. “Perhaps merchants will come in large numbers, and I’ll adjust the prices,” she says to Chichikov. She looks at dead souls the same way as at lard, hemp or honey, thinking that they too may be needed on the farm.
On the high road, in a wooden tavern, I met Chichikov Nozdryov, a “historical man” whom he had met back in the city. And it is in the tavern that you can most often meet such people, of whom, as the author notes, there are many in Rus'. Speaking about one hero, the author at the same time gives characteristics to people like him. The irony of the author lies in the fact that in the first part of the phrase he characterizes the Nozdrevs as “good and faithful comrades,” and then adds: “... and for all that, they can be beaten very painfully.” This type of people is known in Rus' under the name of the “broken fellow.” The third time they say “you” to an acquaintance, at fairs they buy everything that comes to mind: collars, smoking candles, a stallion, a dress for a nanny, tobacco, pistols, etc., thoughtlessly and easily spend money on carousing and card games. games, they like to lie and “mess up” a person for no reason. The source of his income, like that of other landowners, are serfs. Such qualities of Nozdryov as blatant lies, boorish attitude towards people, dishonesty, thoughtlessness, are reflected in his fragmentary, fast speech, in the fact that he constantly jumps from one subject to another, in his insulting, abusive, cynical expressions: “a kind of cattle breeder “,” “You’re a jerk for this,” “such rubbish.” He is constantly looking for adventure and does not do housework at all. This is evidenced by the unfinished repairs in the house, empty stalls, a faulty barrel organ, a lost britzka and the pitiful situation of his serfs, from whom he beats everything possible.
Nozdryov gives way to Sobakevich. This hero represents the type of landowners for whom everything is distinguished by good quality and durability. The character of Sobakevich helps to understand the description of his estate: an awkward house, full-weight and thick logs from which the stable, barn and kitchen are built, dense peasant huts, portraits in the rooms depicting “heroes with thick thighs and unheard-of mustaches,” a walnut bureau on absurd four legs. In a word, everything looks like its owner, whom the author compares to a “medium-sized bear,” emphasizing its animal essence. When depicting the image of Sobakevich, the writer widely uses the technique of hyperbolization; just remember his monstrous appetite. Landowners like Sobakevich are evil and cruel serf owners who never missed their profits. “Sobakevich’s soul seemed to be covered with such a thick shell that whatever was tossing and turning at the bottom of it did not produce absolutely any shock on the surface,” says the author. His body became incapable of expressing emotional movements. In bargaining with Chichikov, the main character trait of Sobakevich is revealed - his uncontrollable desire for profit.
The gallery of persons with whom Chichikov enters into transactions is completed by the landowner Plyushkin - “a hole in humanity.” Gogol notes that such a phenomenon is rare in Rus', where everything likes to unfold rather than shrink. The acquaintance with this hero is preceded by a landscape, the details of which reveal the soul of the hero. Dilapidated wooden buildings, dark old logs on the huts, roofs resembling a sieve, windows without glass, covered with rags, reveal Plyushkin as a bad owner with a deadened soul. But the picture of the garden, although dead and deaf, creates a different impression. When describing him, Gogol used more joyful and bright hues- trees, “a regular sparkling marble column”, “air”, “cleanliness”, “neatness”... And through all this one can see the life of the owner himself, whose soul has faded away, like nature in the wilderness of this garden.
In Plyushkin’s house, too, everything speaks of the spiritual disintegration of his personality: piled-up furniture, a broken chair, a dried lemon, a piece of rag, a toothpick... And he himself looks like an old housekeeper, only his gray eyes, like mice, dart from under his high eyebrows. Everything dies, rots and collapses around Plyushkin. The story of the transformation of a smart person into a “hole in humanity,” which the author introduces us to, leaves an indelible impression. Chichikov quickly finds mutual language with Plyushkin. The “patched” master is only concerned about one thing: how to avoid incurring losses when making a deed of sale.
However, in the chapter devoted to revealing Plyushkin’s character, there are many details that have a positive meaning. The chapter begins with a lyrical digression about youth; the author tells the story of the hero’s life; light colors predominate in the description of the garden; Plyushkin's eyes have not yet dimmed. On the hero’s wooden face you can still see “a flicker of joy” and a “warm ray.” All this suggests that Plyushkin, unlike other landowners, still has the possibility of moral revival. Plyushkin's soul was once pure, which means it can still be reborn. It is no coincidence that the “patched” master completes the gallery of images of “old world” landowners. The author sought not only to tell the story of Plyushkin, but also to warn readers that anyone could follow the path of this landowner. Gogol believed in the spiritual revival of Plyushkin, just as he believed in the strength of Russia and its people. This is confirmed by numerous lyrical digressions filled with deep lyricism and poetry.
Show skill N.V. Gogol in the description of the characters of landowners in the poem “Dead Souls”.
Decor:
- Portraits of Chichikov and landowners.
- Text of the poem “Dead Souls”.
- Presentation “Images of landowners in the poem by N.V. Gogol “Dead Souls”. (Annex 1)
- Fragments of the video film “Dead Souls”. (DVD series “Russian Classics”)
DURING THE CLASSES
I. Organizational moment (greeting).
Reporting the topic of the lesson, goal setting.
II. Teacher's opening speech.
The close-up images of landowners, these “masters of life” who are responsible for its economic and cultural condition, for the fate of the people, are drawn in the poem “Dead Souls”.
What are they, the masters of life? A plan is proposed to analyze the images of landowners. Slide 2
III. Analysis of the image of Manilov.
Which landowner does Chichikov visit first? Slide 3
When does Chichikov's first meeting with Manilov take place? View V ideological fragment “Chichikov at Manilov”
Assignment: using the memo plan, tell about Manilov. Performance by the 1st group of students.
What detail in the description of the hero is dominant?
What is hidden behind Manilov’s smiling face? How the author himself characterizes the hero ?
A pleasant Manilov smile for everyone is a sign of deep indifference to everything around him; such people are not capable of experiencing anger, sorrow, joy.
With the help of what details does Gogol give a comic coloring to the images of his characters?
An integral part of Gogol's portrait drawing are poses, clothing, movements, gestures, and facial expressions. With their help, the writer enhances the comic coloring of the images and reveals the true essence of the hero. Manilov's gestures indicate mental impotence, an inability to comprehend what goes beyond the boundaries of his wretched little world.
What is distinguishing feature Manilov?
His main psychological trait is the desire to please everyone and always.
Manilov is a calm observer of everything that happens; bribe takers, thieves, embezzlers - all the most respected people for him. Manilov is an indefinite person; he has no living human desires. This is a dead soul, a person “so-so, neither this nor that.”
Conclusion. Slide 4
Instead of real feeling, Manilov has a “pleasant smile”, cloying courtesy and a sensitive phrase; instead of thought - some kind of incoherent, stupid reflections, instead of activity - either empty dreams, or such results of “labor” as “slides of ash knocked out of a pipe, arranged, not without effort, in very beautiful rows.”
IV. Analysis of the image of the Box.
Briefly describe the contents of Chapter 3.
What can you learn about Korobochka’s main character trait from the author’s direct description?
Gogol does not hide the irony regarding her thinking abilities: she thought, opened her mouth, looked almost with fear. “Well, the woman seems to be strong-minded!”
The essence of Korobochka's character is especially visible through the dialogical speech of the characters. The dialogue between Korobochka and Chichikov is a masterpiece of comedic art. This conversation can be called a dialogue of the deaf.
Watching the video clip “Dialogue between Korobochka and Chichikov”
What character traits of Korobochka were revealed in the bargaining scene?
She was not embarrassed by the trade in dead souls, she is ready to trade in dead souls, but she is afraid of selling herself cheap. She is characterized by tedious slowness and caution. She went to the city to find out how much “dead souls” were being sold these days.
What is the situation of the peasants near Korobochka?
The village is a source of honey, lard, and hemp, which Korobochka sells. She also trades with peasants.
Draw a conclusion about the meaning of the box's thriftiness .
It turns out that landowner thrift can have the same vile, inhuman meaning as mismanagement.
What made Korobochka like this?
Traditions in the conditions of patriarchal life suppressed Korobochka’s personality and stopped her intellectual development at a very low level; all aspects of life not related to hoarding remained inaccessible to her.
Assignment: using the memo plan, tell about the Box. Performance of the 2nd group of students
Conclusion : Slide 6
The “club-headed” box is the embodiment of those traditions that have developed among provincial small landowners leading subsistence farming.
She is a representative of a departing, dying Russia, and there is no life in her, since she is turned not to the future, but to the past.
V. Analysis of Nozdryov’s image.
It consists of separate fragments that tell about the hero’s habits, episodes from his life, manners and behavior in society. Each of these sketches is a condensed story that reveals one or another trait of his character: drunken revelry, a passion for changing everything, an addiction to playing cards, empty vulgar talk, complete lies.
How is Nozdryov’s desire to lie exposed?
In Nozdryov's office, Turkish daggers are shown, on one of which was carved: master Savely Sibiryakov.
What is the hero's speech? ?
Swear words: fetish, pig, scoundrel, rubbish. And this reveals not only a personal, but also a social trait. He is sure that he is allowed to insult and deceive with impunity - after all, he is a landowner, a nobleman, the master of life.
What are life goals Nozdreva ?
What Nozdrev cares about is profit: this tavern hero is in no way suitable for the role of an acquirer. He is possessed by a thirst for pleasures - those that are available to his dirty soul. And Nozdryov plays dirty tricks on his neighbor with pleasure, without any malicious intentions, even good-naturedly, since his neighbor is only a means or source of pleasure for him. Pleasure was denied or it did not take place: “fetish”, “scoundrel”, “rubbish”
Assignment: using the memo plan, tell about Nozdryov. Speech by the 3rd group of students
Conclusion. Slide 8
In general, Nozdryov is an unpleasant person, since he completely lacks the concepts of honor, conscience, and human dignity.
Nozdryov’s energy turned into scandalous vanity, aimless and destructive.
VI. Analysis of the image of Sobakevich.
What details and things does Gogol use when characterizing Sobakevich? ?
Description of the manor house: “... a wooden house with a mezzanine could be seen... “... In a word, everything he looked at was stubborn, without swaying, in some kind of strong and awkward order.
The Greek heroes in the pictures in his living room were strong, with thick loungers, unheard of mustache
Is there a difference in the characterization of Sobakevich in chapters 1 and 5?
In Chapter 1, Sobakevich is characterized as a person “clumsy in appearance.” This quality is emphasized and deepened in Chapter 5: he looks “like a medium-sized bear.” The author persistently plays on the word “bear”: a bear-colored tailcoat, his name was Mikhail Semyonovich.
What is striking about Sobakevich’s portrait?
In the portrait, what is most striking is the complexion: “.. stony, hot, like the one on a copper coin”;
“It is known that there are many such persons in the world, over whose decoration nature did not spend much time, did not use any small tools, somehow: files, gimlets and other things, but she just chopped with all her might: she grabbed the ax once and her nose came out, she grabbed it another time and her lips came out, she picked out her eyes with a big drill...”
“Chichikov glanced sideways at him again as they walked into the dining room: bear! A perfect bear!”
Why is Chichikov careful in his conversation with Sobakevich: he did not call the souls dead, but only non-existent?
Sobakevich immediately “smelled” that the proposed deal was fraudulent. But he didn’t even blink an eye.
“Do you need dead souls? - Sobakevich asked very simply, without the slightest surprise, as if we were talking about bread.”
Assignment: using the memo plan, tell about Sobakevich. Speech by the 4th group of students
Chichikov is right in thinking that Sobakevich would have remained a kulak even in St. Petersburg, although he was raised according to fashion. Yes, it would have turned out even worse: “if he had tasted the top of some science, he would let me know later, having taken a more prominent place. To all those who actually learned some science.
Sobakevich, like Korobochka, is smart and practical in a business way: they do not ruin men, because it is unprofitable for themselves. They know that in this world everything is bought and sold.
VII. Analysis of the image of Plyushkin.
The theme of moral decline, the spiritual death of the “masters of life” ends with a chapter dedicated to Plyushkin.
Plyushkin is the last portrait in the gallery of landowners. Before us is the complete collapse of the human in man.
How and why a hardworking owner turned into “a hole in humanity” ?
Why does the chapter about Plyushkin begin with a lyrical digression about youth?
Why does Gogol recount the life story of Plyushkin in detail? ?
Gogol turns to the hero’s past, since the moral ugliness is the same as that of other landowners: spiritual possession, which gives rise to soullessness, loss of ideas about the meaning of life, about moral duty, about responsibility for everything that happens around. Plyushkin's tragedy is that he lost contact with people. He sees enemies in everyone, even his own children and grandchildren, ready to plunder good.
The image of Plyushkin is the embodiment of extreme dilapidation and moldiness, and in the characteristics of objects associated with him, Gogol reflected these qualities.
Find in text artistic media, with the help of which the author reveals the essence of the image of Plyushkin .
All the buildings were dilapidated, the logs on the huts were dark and old, the roofs were see-through like a sieve, the fence was broken...
Assignment: using the memo plan, tell about Plyushkin. Speech by the 5th group of students
Conclusion. Slide 12
Mold, dust, rot, and death emanate from the Plyushkin estate. Other details also chill the heart: the old man did not give a penny to either his daughter or his son.
So, for what purpose is the image of Plyushkin depicted in the poem? ?
Consistently, from hero to hero, Gogol exposes the worthless life of the landowners.
The images of landowners are given according to their spiritual impoverishment and moral decline.
It is shown how the disintegration of the human personality gradually took place.
Once upon a time, Plyushkin was just a thrifty owner. The thirst for enrichment turned him into a miser and isolated him from society.
His image reveals one of the varieties of spiritual death. Plyushkin's image is typical.
Gogol exclaimed bitterly: “And a person could condescend to such insignificance, pettiness, and disgustingness! Could have changed so much! And does this seem true? Everything seems to be true, anything can happen to a person.”
VIII. Similarities between Chichikov and landowners.
Landowner, his distinctive feature |
How does this trait manifest itself in Chichikov? |
| Manilov – sweetness, cloying, uncertainty | All residents of the city recognized Chichikov as a pleasant man in all respects |
| Box - petty stinginess | Everything in the box is laid out with the same diligent pedantry as in Nastasya Petrovna’s chest of drawers |
| Nozdryov - narcissism | The desire and ability to please everyone |
| Sobakevich – rude tight-fistedness and cynicism | There is “...no straightforwardness, no sincerity! Perfect Sobakevich” |
| Plyushkin - collecting unnecessary things and carefully storing them | While exploring the city, I tore off the poster, read it, folded it and put it in a small box. |
Chichikov's character is multifaceted, the hero turns out to be a mirror of the landowner he meets, because he has the same qualities that form the basis of the landowners' characters.
IX. Crossword . Slides 15 to 24
X. Summing up.
XI. Homework.
1. Fill out the table according to plan:
- brief description of the landowner;
- description of the landowner's estate;
- description of a shared meal;
- how landowners react to Chichikov’s proposal;
- further actions of the landowners.
2. Write a miniature essay “Why did Chichikov visit the landowners in such a sequence?”
A short essay-discussion on the topic Artistic Rus' in the poem “Dead Souls”, the image of Russia, “Russia of Dead Souls”, images of landowners and officials
The poem “Dead Souls” is one of the most significant works of Russian literature. Gogol masterfully reflected the problems of Russia, its vices and shortcomings. He identified unique types of people who have a special national flavor. The writer’s goal was to “illuminate a picture taken from a despicable life,” and he succeeded. Therefore, the brightest and in a realistic way in the work Russia became the homeland of dead souls.
The author decided to show the degradation of Russia using the example of the nobility - the main supporting class of the state. If even the nobles are dead souls, what can we say about the other, lower strata of society who look to the courtiers and landowners as examples to follow? Description of vices " the best people Fatherland" the writer begins with the hypocritical and lazy dreamer Manilov. This inactive person squanders his fortune and does not justify his privileged position. Such people can only talk, but are not going to do anything for the good of their homeland, so they only take from Russia, but do not give it anything in return.
After Manilov, Gogol introduces us to the thrifty Korobochka. It would seem, what is the vice? A woman runs the house and works to the envy of everyone. However, a very strong vice is obvious in her - greed. Profit became the only meaning of life for her. For the sake of profit or out of greed, she kills more than one peasant to death, therefore her activities are worse than Manilov’s inactivity. It also kills the future of Russia, because Korobochki are desperate enemies of progress.
The ruined Nozdryov is the antithesis of Korobochka. This man has undermined the credibility of his class, because he has sunk to the extreme degree of dishonor. He wanders in the status of “a guest worse than a Tatar” and is forced to live at the mercy of other nobles. He squandered the property of his ancestors, leaving his descendants poor and disgraced. It was because of such frivolous and vicious people that Russia gradually became merchant, and not noble. The privileged class began to humiliate itself in front of uneducated and greedy traders.
Then the author depicted the type of economic landowner Sobakevich. However, he did not become a positive image either. He turned out to be so narrow-minded and limited that after meeting his club-headed person it became clear: with such people Russia will not move forward and will not become better. They look into the past and are ready to stay in it forever.
The gallery of images of landowners in the poem “Dead Souls” is closed by the miser Plyushkin (), who embodies the extreme degradation of the human being: “A person could condescend to such insignificance, pettiness, disgusting!” - writes the author. Gogol. The landowner destroyed all the goods he had earned, drove away the children and starved the peasants to death with poverty. With such people, Russia is in danger of falling into the abyss.
In the poem, Gogol reveals the vices of the city, as well as the bureaucratic class, which represents the state and, in this case, discredits it. District officials of the city of N thought only about how to line their pockets and deceive the townspeople. They are all connected by a single criminal network that surrounds the city. Patriotism is alien to them, like other moral concepts. In depicting this, the author does not mean just one city, he means the whole of autocratic Russia.
The new type of person that Chichikov represents in the poem is hardly better than the old ones. As a bankrupt nobleman, he is forced to make a living through fraud. “It’s fairest,” writes Gogol, “to call him the owner-acquirer.” Chichikov's life credo is to save a penny. Therefore, the hero makes money in every possible way, not disdaining crime. Gogol also mercilessly ridicules the vices of this new type in order to prove that Russia is not on the same path with him.
Thus, Gogol described a gallery of images of landowners, revealing the pressing problems of the country. This is how the image of Russia in the poem “Dead Souls” was formed from fragments, an image long-suffering and deep, in need of change. And the author still hopes for a good future. The extraordinary potential of the Russian is manifested in the images of the “Yaroslavl efficient man”, the carpenter-hero Stepan Probka, the miracle shoemaker Makeich Telyatin, the carriage maker Mezheev. The people's love of freedom, their spiritual wealth, and their “lively and lively” mind give Gogol incentives to believe in his country and love it no matter what. Therefore, he compares Rus' with a flying “unbeatable troika”, which is shunned by “other peoples and states.”
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The image of Manilov in the poem by N.V. Gogol's "Dead Souls"
The gallery of landowners in the poem “Dead Souls” opens with the image of Manilov. This is the first character to whom Chichikov turns with a request for dead souls. What determines Manilov’s “superiority”? Gogol’s famous statement is that his heroes are one more vulgar than the other. It turns out that Manilov in the poem represents the first, least, degree of moral degradation. However, modern researchers interpret the order of appearance of landowners in “Dead Souls” in a different sense, equating the first volume of Gogol’s poem with the first part of Dante’s “Divine Comedy” (“Hell”).
Manilov’s dreaminess and romanticism already at the very beginning of the poem creates a sharp contrast to Chichikov’s immoral adventure.
There is another reason here. According to I. Zolotussky, “every time Chichikov meets one of the landowners, he inspects his ideals. Manilov is family life, woman, children...” This “part” of Chichikov’s ideal is exactly the best thing that is in the hero’s “roughly material” dream of contentment and comfort. Therefore, the story of Chichikov’s adventures begins with Manilov.
This image in the poem is static - no internal changes occur to the hero throughout the entire narrative. Manilov's main qualities are sentimentality, dreaminess, excessive complacency, courtesy and courtesy. This is what is visible, what lies on the surface. It is these features that are emphasized in the description of the hero’s appearance. Manilov “was a distinguished man, his facial features were not devoid of pleasantness, but this pleasantness seemed to have too much sugar in it; in his techniques and turns there was something ingratiating favor and acquaintance. He smiled enticingly, was blond, with blue eyes.”
However, Gogol then proceeds to describe inner world Manilov, and the reader’s first impression of the landowner’s “niceness” is removed. “In the first minute of a conversation with him, you can’t help but say: “What a pleasant and a kind person!" The next minute you won’t say anything, and the third you’ll say, ‘The devil knows what it is!’ and you’ll move away; if you don’t move away, you’ll feel mortal boredom. You won’t get any lively or even arrogant words from him, which you can hear from almost anyone if you touch an object that offends him.” With a bit of irony, the author lists the traditional “interests” of landowners: passion for greyhounds, music, gourmetism, career advancement. Manilov is not interested in anything in life, he has no “enthusiasm”. He says very little, he often thinks and reflects, but about what - “does God... know.” Several more stand out so clearly characteristic properties this landowner - uncertainty, indifference to everything, inertia and infantilism of life perception. “There is a kind of people,” writes Gogol, “known by the name: so-so people, neither this nor that, neither in the city of Bogdan, nor in the village of Selifan...” Manilov belongs to this type of people.
The writer emphasizes the “lack of formality and vagueness” of the hero’s inner world with a characteristic landscape. So. the weather on the day when Chichikov came to Manilov was extremely uncertain: “The day was either clear or gloomy, but of some light gray color, which only happens on the old uniforms of garrison soldiers...”
In the description of the master's estate, new features of Manilov are revealed to us. Here we already see a person claiming to be “educated,” “cultured,” “aristocratic,” but all the hero’s attempts to seem like an educated and sophisticated aristocrat are vulgar and absurd. Thus, Manilov’s house stands “alone on the Jurassic, that is, on a hill open to all the winds,” but the mountain on which the estate stands is “clad with trimmed turf,” on it “are scattered, in English, two or three flower beds with lilac and yellow bushes.” acacias." Nearby you can see a gazebo “with wooden blue columns” and the inscription “Temple of Solitary Reflection.” And next to the “temple” is an overgrown pond covered with greenery, along which, “picturesquely picking up their dresses and tucking in on all sides,” two women wander, dragging their tattered drag behind them. In these scenes one can discern Gogol's parody of sentimental stories and novels.
The same claims to “education” are discernible in the ancient Greek names that Manilov awarded his children - Alcides and Themistoclus. The landowner's superficial education turned into outright stupidity: even Chichikov, upon hearing these names, experienced some surprise, and it is easy to imagine the reaction of the local residents.
However, the ancient Greek names here are not only a striking characteristic of Manilov. “Alcides” and “Themistoctus” set the theme of history in the poem, the motif of heroism, which is present throughout the entire narrative. Thus, the name “Themistocles” reminds us of Themistocles, statesman and a commander from Athens who won brilliant victories in battles with the Persians. The life of the commander was very stormy, eventful, full of significant events (against the background of this heroic theme, Manilov’s inaction and passivity becomes even more noticeable).
Manilov’s “incompleteness of nature” (nature seemed to stop at the hero’s “pleasant” appearance, without “reporting” his character, temperament, and love of life) is also reflected in the description of his home environment.
In everything Manilov does, there is incompleteness that creates disharmony. A number of interior details testify to the hero’s inclination towards luxury and sophistication, but in this very inclination there is still the same incompleteness, the impossibility of finishing the job. In Manilov’s living room there is “wonderful furniture covered in smart silk fabric,” which is “very expensive,” but there is not enough for two armchairs, and the armchairs are “simply upholstered in matting.” In the evening, a “dandy candlestick made of dark bronze with three antique graces” is served on the table, and next to it is placed “a simple copper invalid, lame, curled to one side and covered in fat...”. For two years now, the hero has been reading the same book, reaching only the fourteenth page.
All the landowner's activities are meaningless and absurd, just like his dreams. So, having seen Chichikov off, he dreams of a huge house “with such a high belvedere that you can even see Moscow from there.” But the culmination of Manilov’s image is “slides of ash knocked out of a pipe, arranged, not without effort, in very beautiful rows.” Like all “noble gentlemen,” Manilov smokes a pipe. Therefore, in his office there is a kind of “cult of tobacco”, which is poured into caps, and in a tabashka, and “just in a heap on the table.” So Gogol emphasizes that Manilov’s “passing of time” is completely meaningless.
The hero’s speech, “delicate”, florid, fully corresponds to his inner appearance. Discussing the sale of dead souls with Chichikov, he wonders “whether this negotiation will not be in accordance with civil regulations and future views of Russia.” However, Pavel Ivanovich, who added two or three book turns to the conversation, manages to convince him of the complete legality of this transaction - Manilov gives Chichikov the dead peasants and even takes over the registration of the deed of sale. Only complete insensitivity can explain the fact that he, wanting to please his friend, decided to give Chichikov dead souls. And the blasphemous phrase that he utters at the same time: “dead souls are in some way complete rubbish” - for Gogol, a deeply religious man, is evidence that the soul of Manilov himself is dead.
Thus, upon closer examination, the illusory nature of his “positive” qualities - sensitivity and sentimentality - becomes noticeable. His feelings do no good to anyone, they are not real, but only fiction, it’s just a manner. Manilov does not evaluate people from the point of view of the criteria of good and evil. Those around you simply fall into a general atmosphere of complacency and dreaminess. In fact. Manilov is indifferent to life itself.
Korobochka Nastasya Petrovna - widow-landowner, college secretary; the second (after Manilov and before Nozdrev) “saleswoman” of dead souls. Chichikov gets to her (chapter 3) by accident: the drunken coachman Selifan misses many turns on the way back from Manilov. The “darkness” of the night, the thunderous atmosphere that accompanied the arrival at Nastasya Petrovna’s, the frighteningly snake-like hiss of the wall clock, Korobochka’s constant memories of her deceased husband, Chichikov’s confession (the very next morning) that the day before yesterday she had been dreaming about the “cursed” devil all night - all this makes the reader wary. But Chichikov’s morning meeting with Korobochka completely deceives the reader’s expectations, separates her image from the fairy-tale-fantastic background, and completely dissolves her in everyday life.
The surname Korobochka metaphorically expresses the essence of her nature: thrifty, distrustful, fearful, feeble-minded, stubborn and superstitious.
Korobochka is “one of those mothers, small landowners who cry about crop failures, losses and keep their heads somewhat to one side, and meanwhile they little by little collect money into colorful bags... In one... rubles, in another fifty rubles, in the third quarters...”. A chest of drawers where, in addition to linen, night blouses, skeins of thread, a torn cloak, and bags of money are kept. - analogue of Korobochka. (Identical to the image of the Box is also Chichikov’s box with drawers, partitions, nooks and crannies, a hidden box for money. Symbolically, the Box opened, making Chichikov’s secret public. Thus, the magic casket, a box with a “double bottom”, gives away its secret thanks to the Box.)
If in the image of Manilov Gogol exposed the myth of the enlightened master, then in the image of Korobochka the writer dispelled the idea of a thrifty and businesslike landowner who wisely manages the farm, takes care of the peasants, and preserves the family hearth. The patriarchal nature of this landowner is not at all the careful preservation of traditions about which Pushkin wrote: “They kept in their peaceful life / The habits of dear old times.” The box seems simply stuck in the past; time seemed to have stopped for her and began to move in a vicious circle of petty household worries that consumed and killed her soul. Indeed, unlike Manilov, she is always busy with housework. This is evidenced by the seeded vegetable gardens, the bird house filled with “every domestic creature,” and the “properly maintained” peasant huts. Her village is well-kept, and the peasants living in it do not suffer from poverty. Everything speaks of the housewife’s neatness and her ability to manage the estate. But this is not a manifestation of a living economic mind. The box simply follows a kind of “program of action”, that is, it grows, sells and buys. And only in this plane can she think. There can be no talk of any spiritual needs here.
A metonymic transfer characteristic of Gogol is a scarecrow on a long pole in the mistress’s cap, reinforcing the impression of the comic nonsense of the frugality of a lonely widow, saving for someone unknown and not seeing beyond her nose. The things in Korobochka's house, on the one hand, reflect Korobochka's naive ideas about lush beauty; on the other hand, her hoarding and range of home entertainments (fortune telling with cards, mending, embroidery and cooking): “the household room is hung with old striped wallpaper; paintings with some birds: between the windows there are old small mirrors with dark frames in the form of curled leaves: behind each mirror there was either a letter, or an old deck of cards, or a stocking: a wall clock with flowers painted on the dial...”
Korobochka's house with old small mirrors, hissing clocks and pictures, behind which there is always something hidden, lush feather beds and hearty food tells us about the patriarchal way of life of the housewife. But this simplicity borders on ignorance, an unwillingness to know anything beyond the scope of her concerns. In everything, she mindlessly follows the usual patterns: a visitor means “merchant”, a thing “from Moscow” means “ good job" and so on. Korobochka's thinking is limited, as is the vicious circle of her life - even to the city located not far from the estate, she only went out a couple of times.
The way Korobochka communicates with Chichikov betrays her stupidity, which is not in the least hindered by her practical acumen and desire not to miss out on benefits. This is most clearly manifested in the scene of the purchase and sale of dead souls. The box appears extremely stupid, unable to grasp the essence of Chichikov’s “profitable” offer. She takes him literally: “Do you want to dig them out of the ground?” - asks the landowner. Korobochka’s fear of selling dead souls is absurd and ridiculous, since she is not so much frightened by the item of trade itself, but is more worried about how not to sell it cheap, and suddenly the dead souls will come in handy for some reason in the household. Even Chichikov cannot stand Korobochka’s impenetrable stupidity. His opinion about her surprisingly coincides with the author’s: she is a “club-headed” landowner. Korobochka decides to sell the “souls” out of fear and superstition, because Chichikov dried the devil to her and almost cursed her (“get lost and begone with your whole village!”), especially since she saw the devil in a dream: “disgusting, and the horns- then longer than bull ones.”
The fear of selling too cheap forces Korobochka to go to the city to find out the price of “dead souls”, equipping a tarantass, “more like a thick-cheeked, convex watermelon placed on wheels... The watermelon was filled with chintz pillows in the form of pouches, bolsters and simple pillows, stuffed with bags of bread, rolls , skins, quickies and pretzels made from choux pastry.” Watermelon tarantas Boxes are another analogue of her image, along with a chest of drawers, a box and colorful bags full of money.
Gogol shows readers that people like her are not capable of any movement - neither external nor internal, because the soul in them is dead and can no longer be reborn.
The very location of the village of Korobochki (away from the main road, on a side branch of life) indicates its “hopelessness”, “futility” of any hopes for its possible correction and revival. In this she is similar to Manilov - and occupies one of the lowest places in the “hierarchy” of the heroes of the poem.
The main character traits of Nozdryov are arrogance, boasting, a tendency to rowdy, energy and unpredictability. Gogol notes that people of this type are always “talkers, revelers, reckless drivers”, in their faces you can always see “something open, direct, daring”, they are desperate players, lovers of taking a walk. They are sociable and unceremonious, “they will make friends, it seems, forever: but it almost always happens that the one who makes friends will fight with them that same evening at a friendly party.”
Revealing the image of Nozdryov. Gogol masterfully uses various artistic means. First of all, the portrait of the hero itself is expressive. In his portrait there is something that is reminiscent of a folkloric good fellow: “He was of average height, a very well-built fellow, with full rosy cheeks, teeth white as snow and jet-black sideburns. It was fresh, like blood and milk; his health seemed to jump from his face.” Of course, there is obvious irony in this description. It is not for nothing that the author, further talking about the fights in which Nozdryov constantly gets involved, notes that “his full cheeks were so well created and contained so much vegetative force that his sideburns soon grew back” when in the next mess they were pulled out for him. There is something of an animal in this hero (remember, he was among dogs “just like a father among a family”), but also the definition of “ historical person"was given to him for a reason. The author’s description of this landowner contains not only irony and mockery, but also another motive - the motive of unrealized possibilities contained in this nature
It is characteristic that Nozdryov has an attractive appearance, physical strength, he laughs “with that ringing laugh that only a fresh, healthy person bursts into.” The motif of Russian heroism that appears in Nozdryov’s depiction is comically reduced. The contrast between his appearance and its internal appearance is enormous: the hero’s life is meaningless, the “exploits” of this “hero” do not go further than card cheating or a fight calmed down at a fair. Nozdryov is only “the appearance of a broad nature. He is impudent, a drunkard, a liar, he is at the same time a coward and a completely insignificant person.
The landscape that frames the episode of Chichikov’s visit to the landowner is also characteristic. “Nozdryov led his guests through a field, which in many places consisted of hummocks. The guests had to make their way between fallow fields and armored fields... In many places their feet squeezed out the water under them, the place was so low. At first they were careful and stepped carefully, but then, seeing that it was of no use, they walked straight, not distinguishing where there was more and where there was less dirt.” This landscape speaks of the disturbed economy of the landowner and at the same time symbolizes Nozdryov’s carelessness.
Thus, the hero’s lifestyle is already devoid of any order. The landowner's economy fell into complete decline. His stable stood empty, his watermill was empty, his house was in disarray and neglect. And only his kennel is in good condition. “Among dogs, Nozdryov...is just like a father among a family,” notes Gogol. This comparison sets the theme of the hero’s “slander” in the story. As S. Shevyrev notes, Nozdryov “is very similar to a dog: for no reason at the same time he barks, nibbles, and caresses.”
The hero is prone to lies, deception, and empty chatter. He can easily slander, slander a person, spread gossip about him, “a fable that is more stupid than it is difficult to invent.” It is characteristic that Nozdryov lies for no apparent reason, “out of love for art.” So, having come up with a story about the governor’s daughter, he continues to lie further, involving himself in this story. The reason for this is simple: Nozdryov understood that “he could have caused trouble in this way, but he could no longer hold his tongue. However, it was difficult, because such interesting details presented themselves that could not be refused..."
His penchant for deception and trickery also manifests itself during a card game. That’s why the game often ends in a fight: “they beat him with their boots, or they gave him a hard time on his thick and very good sideburns...”
The character of the hero, his interests and lifestyle are reflected in the interior of his house. There are no books or papers in Nozdryov’s office, but there are hanging sabers, guns, Turkish daggers and pipes of various kinds - “wooden, clay, meerschaum, smoked and unsmoked, covered with suede and uncovered.” In this interior, one object is symbolic - a barrel organ, in which there is “one pipe, very lively, which did not want to calm down.” This expressive detail symbolizes the character of the hero, his restlessness, and irrepressible energy.
Nozdryov is unusually “active”, energetic, his nimbleness and liveliness of character push him to new and new “undertakings”. So, he loves to change: a gun, a dog, horses - everything instantly becomes an object of exchange. If he has money, then at the fair he immediately buys “all sorts of things”: clamps, smoking candles, raisins, tobacco, pistols, herrings, paintings, pots, etc. However, the purchased things are rarely delivered home - to this the same day he can lose everything.
Nozdryov is very consistent in his behavior during the purchase and sale of dead souls. He immediately tries to sell Chichikov a stallion, dogs, a barrel organ, then starts an exchange of chaises and a game of checkers. Noticing Nozdryov's trickery. Chichikov refuses to play. And then the “historical” man causes a scandal, a fight, and only the appearance of the police captain in the house saves Chichikov.
Nozdryov’s speech and manners are also characteristic. He talks loudly, emotionally, often screaming. His speech is very colorful and varied in composition.
In addition, it is worth noting the static this image. Gogol gives the character of Nozdryov as already formed, ready-made; the background of this character is closed to the reader; throughout the narrative, no internal changes occur to the hero.
Thus, the character created by Gogol - a braggart, a talker, a reckless driver, a reveler, a gambler, a rowdy and argumentative person, a lover of drinking and making up something - is colorful and easily recognizable. The hero is typical, and at the same time, thanks to a number of details, special little things, the writer was able to emphasize his individuality.
The image of Sobakevich in the poem by N.V. Gogol's "Dead Souls"
Sobakevich comes fourth in the gallery of Gogol's landowners. The main features of Sobakevich are intelligence. efficiency, practical acumen, but at the same time he is characterized by tight-fistedness, a kind of ponderous stability in his views. character, lifestyle. These features are already noticeable in the portrait of the hero, who looks like a “medium-sized” bear. And his name is Mikhail Semenovich. “To complete the similarity, the tailcoat he was wearing was completely bear-colored, the sleeves were long, the trousers were long, he walked with his feet this way and that, constantly stepping on other people’s feet. The complexion had a red-hot, hot complexion, like what happens on a copper coin.”
In Sobakevich’s portrait we can feel the grotesque motive of the hero’s rapprochement with an animal, with a thing. Thus, Gogol emphasizes the limited interests of the landowner in the world of material life.
Gogol also reveals the qualities of the hero through landscape, interior and dialogues. Sobakevich's village is "quite large." To the left and right of it are “two forests, birch and pine, like two roofs, one dark, the other lighter.” Already these forests speak of the landowner’s thriftiness and his practical savvy.
The owner's estate is fully consistent with the external and internal appearance. Sobakevich does not care at all about aesthetics, the external beauty of the objects around him, thinking only about their functionality. Chichikov, approaching Sobakevich’s house, notes that during construction, obviously, “the architect constantly struggled with the taste of the owner.” “The architect was a pedant and wanted symmetry, the owner wanted convenience...” notes Gogol. This “convenience”, concern for the functionality of objects, is manifested in Sobakevich in everything. The landowner's yard is surrounded by a "strong and excessively thick wooden lattice", the stables and barns are made of full-weight, thick logs, even the village huts of the peasants are "cut down marvelously" - "everything ... fits tightly and properly."
The situation in Sobakevich’s house reproduces the same “strong, clumsy order.” The table, armchairs, chairs - everything is “of the heaviest and most restless quality”; in the corner of the living room there is a “pot-bellied walnut bureau on the most absurd four legs, a perfect bear.” On the walls hang paintings of “Greek generals” - “unusually strong and tall fellows, with such thick thighs and an incredible mustache that a shiver runs through the body.”
It is characteristic that the motif of heroism reappears here, “playing the role of a positive ideological pole in the poem.” And this motif is set not only by images of Greek commanders, but also by the portrait of Sobakevich himself. having “the strongest and most wonderfully polished image.” This motif reflected Gogol’s dream of Russian heroism, which, according to the writer, lies not only in physical strength, but also in the “countless wealth of the Russian spirit.” The writer captures here the very essence of the Russian soul: “Russian movements will rise... and they will see how deeply rooted into Slavic nature that which slipped only through the nature of other peoples.”
However, in the image of Sobakevich, the “wealth of the Russian spirit” is suppressed by the world of material life. The landowner is concerned only with preserving his wealth and the abundance of the table. Most of all, he loves to eat well and tasty, not recognizing foreign diets. So, Sobakevich’s lunch is very “varied”: stuffed lamb stomach is served with cabbage soup, followed by “lamb side with porridge”, cheesecakes, stuffed turkey and jam. “When I have pork, give me the whole pig on the table, lamb - bring the whole ram, bring the whole goose?” - he says to Chichikov. Here Gogol debunks gluttony, one of the human vices that Orthodoxy fights.
It is characteristic that Sobakevnch is far from stupid: he immediately realized the essence of Pavel Ivanovich’s lengthy speech and quickly appointed his exchange for the dead peasants. The landowner is logical and consistent when bargaining with Chichikov. And he himself looks in such a way that it becomes clear; he is “one of those faces, over the finishing of which nature did not spend a long time... she grabbed with an ax once - the nose came out, she grabbed it another time - the lips came out, she picked at the eyes with a large drill...” It seems that he is only interested in how to fill his stomach more tightly . But behind this appearance lies a smart, evil and dangerous predator. No wonder Sobakevich recalls how his father could kill a bear. He himself turned out to be able to “overwhelm” another powerful and terrible predator - Chichikov. The scene of purchase and sale in this chapter is fundamentally different from all similar scenes with other landowners: here it is not Chichikov, but Sobakevich who leads the party. He, unlike the others, immediately understands the essence of the fraudulent transaction, which does not bother him at all, and begins to conduct real bargaining. Chichikov understands that in front of him is a serious, dangerous enemy who should be feared, and therefore accepts the rules of the game. Sobakevich, like Chichikov, is not embarrassed by the unusualness and immorality of the transaction: there is a seller, there is a buyer, there is a product. Chichikov, trying to bring down the price, reminds that “the whole thing is just wow... who needs it?” To which Soba-kevich reasonably remarks: “Well, you’re buying, so you need a wife.”
Sobakevich is insightful in his own way, endowed with a sober view of things. He has no illusions about city officials: “they are all swindlers: the whole city is like this: the swindler sits on the swindler and drives the swindler.” The words of the hero here contain the truth of the author, his position.
Sobakevich's intelligence, his insight and, at the same time, the “wildness”, unsociability, and unsociability of the landowner are manifested in his speech. Sobakevich expresses himself very clearly, concisely, without excessive “prettiness” or floridity. Thus, to Chichikov’s lengthy rantings about the burdensome landowner’s obligation to pay taxes for revision souls who have “finished their careers in life,” Mikhail Ivanova “reacts” with one phrase: “Do you need dead souls?” When discussing acquaintances, the landowner may swear and use “strong words.”
The image of Sobakevich in the poem is static: readers are not presented with the hero’s life story, or any of his spiritual changes. However, the character that appears before us is lively and multifaceted. As in the chapters devoted to other landowners, Gogol uses here all the elements of the composition (landscape, interior, portrait, speech), subordinating them to the leitmotif of this image.
The image of Plyushkin in the poem by N.V. Gogol's "Dead Souls"
The gallery of “dead souls” ends in the poem with Plyushkin.
Plyushkin's main traits are stinginess, greed, thirst for accumulation and enrichment. wariness and suspicion. These features are masterfully conveyed in the portrait of the hero, in the landscape, in the description; settings and dialogues.
Plyushkin's appearance is very expressive. “His face did not represent anything special: it was almost the same as that of many thin old men, one chin only protruded very far forward, so that he had to cover it with a handkerchief every time so as not to spit: his small eyes had not yet gone out and ran around from under high eyebrows, like mice, when, sticking their sharp muzzles out of dark holes, pricking their ears and blinking their noses, they look to see if a cat is hiding somewhere...” Plyushkin’s outfit is noteworthy - a greasy and torn robe, rags wrapped around his neck...
Small running eyes, similar to mice, indicate Plyushkin’s wariness and suspicion, generated by fear for his property. His rags resemble the clothes of a beggar, but not of a landowner with more than a thousand souls.
The motif of poverty continues to develop in the description of the landowner's village. In all the village buildings, “some kind of special dilapidation” is noticeable; the huts are made of old and dark logs, the roofs look like a sieve, and there is no glass in the windows. Plyushkin’s own house looks like “some kind of decrepit invalid.” In some places it is one floor, in others it is two, there is green mold on the fence and gates, a “naked plaster lattice” can be seen through the decrepit walls, only two of the windows are open, the rest are closed or boarded up. The “beggarly appearance” here metaphorically conveys the spiritual poverty of the hero, the severe limitation of his worldly acceptance by a pathological passion for hoarding.
Behind the house stretches a garden, equally overgrown and decayed, which, however, is “quite picturesque in its picturesque desolation.” “The connected tops of trees growing in freedom lay on the heavenly horizon like green clouds and irregular domes. A white colossal birch trunk... rose from this green thicket and rounded in the air like... a sparkling marble column... In places green thickets, illuminated by the sun, diverged..." A dazzling white marble birch trunk, green thickets, a bright, sparkling sun - in the brightness of its colors and Due to the presence of lighting effects, this landscape contrasts with the description of the interior decoration of the landowner's house, which recreates the atmosphere of lifelessness, death, and grave.
Entering Plyushkin's house, Chichikov immediately finds himself in darkness. “He stepped into the dark, wide hallway, from which a cold breath blew, as if from a cellar. From the hallway he found himself in a room “also dark, slightly illuminated by the light coming out from under a wide crack located at the bottom of the door.” Further, Gogol develops the motif of death and lifelessness outlined here. In another room of the landowner (where Chichikov ends up) there is a broken chair, “a clock with a stopped pendulum, to which a spider has already attached its web”: a chandelier in a canvas bag, thanks to a layer of dust, similar “to a silk cocoon in which a worm sits.” On the walls, Pavel Ivanovich notices several paintings, but their subjects are quite definite - a battle with screaming soldiers and drowning horses, a still life with a “duck hanging head down.”
In the corner of the room, a huge pile of old rubbish is piled on the floor; through a huge layer of dust, Chichikov notices a piece of a wooden shovel and an old boot sole. This picture is symbolic. According to I. Zolotussky, the Plyushkin pile is “a tombstone above the ideal of a materialist.” The researcher notes that every time Chichikov meets one of the landowners, he makes an “examination of his ideals.” Plyushkin in this case “represents” fortune, wealth. In fact, this is the most important thing that Chichikov strives for. It is financial independence that opens the way for him to comfort, happiness, well-being, etc. All this is inextricably fused in Pavel Ivanovich’s mind with home, family, family ties, “heirs,” and respect in society.
Plyushkin takes the opposite route in the poem. The hero seems to reveal to us reverse side Chichikov's ideal - we see that the landowner's house is completely neglected, he has no family, he has severed all friendly and family ties, and there is not a hint of respect in the reviews of other landowners about him.
But Plyushkin was once a thrifty owner, married, and “a neighbor stopped by to have lunch with him” and learn housekeeping from him. And everything was no worse with him than with others: a “friendly and talkative hostess”, famous for her hospitality, two pretty daughters, “blond and fresh as roses”, a son, a “broken boy”, and even a French teacher. But the “good mistress” of him and youngest daughter died, the eldest ran away with the captain, “the time has come for my son to serve,” and Plyushkin was left alone. Gogol carefully traces this process of disintegration of the human personality, the development of his pathological passion in the hero.
The lonely life of a landowner, widowhood, “gray hair in his coarse hair,” dryness and rationalism of character (“human feelings ... were not deep in him”) - all this provided “well-fed food for stinginess.” Indulging in his vice, Plyushkin gradually ruined his entire household. Thus, his hay and bread rotted, flour in the cellars turned into stone, canvases and materials “turned to dust.”
Plyushkin's passion for hoarding became truly pathological: every day he walked the streets of his village and collected everything that came to hand: an old sole, a woman's rag, an iron nail, a clay shard. There was so much in the landowner’s yard: “barrels, crosses, tubs, lagoons, jugs with and without stigmas, twins, baskets...”. “If someone had looked into the work yard, where there was a stock of all sorts of wood and utensils that had never been used, he would have wondered if he had ended up in Moscow at the wood chip yard, where efficient mothers-in-law and mother-in-law go every day... detail your household supplies..." writes Gogol.
Submitting to the thirst for profit and enrichment, the hero gradually lost all human feelings: he ceased to be interested in the lives of his children and grandchildren, quarreled with his neighbors, and drove away all the guests.
The character of the hero in the poem is entirely consistent with his speech. As V. Litvinov notes, Plyushkin’s speech is “one continuous grumbling”: complaints about relatives, peasants and abuse with his servants.
In the scene of buying and selling dead souls, Plyushkin, like Sobakevich, begins to bargain with Chichikov. However, if Sobakevich. not caring about the moral side of the issue, probably guesses the essence of Chichikov’s scam, then Plyushkin doesn’t even think about it. Having heard that he could make a “profit,” the landowner seemed to forget about everything: he “waited,” “his hands trembled,” he “took the money from Chichikov in both hands and carried it to the office with the same caution as if would be carrying some liquid, every minute afraid of spilling it.” Thus, the moral side of the issue leaves him by itself - it simply fades under the pressure of the hero’s “surging feelings.”
It is these “feelings” that take the landowner out of the category of “indifferent”. Belinsky considered Plyushkin a “comical person,” disgusting and disgusting, denying him the significance of his feelings. However, in the context creative idea author, presented in the poem of the hero’s life story, this character seems to be the most complex among Gogol’s landowners. It was Plyushkin (together with Chichikov), according to Gogol’s plan, who was supposed to appear morally reborn in the third volume of the poem.
Many people have heard about the landowners in Dead Souls, whom Nikolai Gogol so vividly portrayed, but not everyone knows why these characters were created and how they can be characterized.
So, the landowners in Dead Souls are positive or negative characters? IN poem Dead souls Nikolai Gogol depicted what Russian landowners are like with the help of five characters.
The image of the landowner Manilov in Dead Souls
The first person Chichikov turns to with his vague proposal to buy dead souls is the courteous Manilov. With sugary speeches, memorized over many years of empty existence, he endeared himself to his new acquaintance.
The insensitive Manilov loved to indulge in dreams that led nowhere. He lived in his own serene world, in a world without problems and passions.
The image of the landowner Korobochka in Dead Souls
Further, the road led Chichikov to Korobochka, a very thrifty elderly landowner. This is a very interesting character. She conducts business with intelligence and petty extravagance, so the village is in good condition. However, at the same time, Korobochka is slow to think, afraid of change: time in her house seems to have stood still.
All this did not give Chichikov the opportunity to immediately agree on a deal. The landowner Korobochka was terribly afraid of selling herself cheap, because she could not understand the purpose of buying dead souls.
The image of the landowner Nozdryov in Dead Souls
The next person who was offered to get rid of them was the landowner Nozdryov. This crazy man is full of energy and passion, but he directs his stormy flow in the wrong direction.
And again Nikolai Gogol makes the reader wonder at the worthlessness of the landowner’s life, because the lies and boasting of the landowner Nozdryov have neither limit nor meaning.
Although this and other landowners in Gogol's Dead Souls are very bright characters, they are united by one thing - spiritual emptiness.
The image of the landowner Sobakevich in Dead Souls
The image of the landowner Plyushkin in Dead Souls
Perhaps the most terrifying image in the poem is that of the landowner Plyushkin. A man who once led a bright, fulfilling life has turned into a fanatical collector, seeking to dominate everything that catches his eye. The surname Plyushkin speaks of an unhealthy passion to have every little thing, considering it a kind of bun, that is, useful.
Because of this blasphemous attitude, the peasants suffer greatly: they have to look at mountains of rotting grain when they themselves have nothing on their plate.
As a result, the landowners in Gogol's Dead Souls are very bright characters who cannot be confused. But they all have one thing in common - spiritual emptiness.
We also bring to your attention summary Gogol's poems
