- Essays
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- Gogol
- The idea of the poem Dead Souls
Nikolai Vasilyevich spent a long time thinking about what the meaning of the novel would be. As a result, I came to the conclusion that it was necessary to show all of Rus', the people with all their shortcomings, negative traits, and contradictory characters. Gogol wanted to touch people, to show them what was happening in the world, what they should be afraid of. He wanted readers, after reading his work, to think about the problems posed in the work.
Nikolai Vasilyevich revealed the hidden corners of a person’s soul, manifestations of character in different situations, certain shortcomings that interfere with leading a happy life. He wrote his creation not only for specific people living at a certain time, but also for all generations. He was worried about a future in which what was depicted in the novel might be repeated. He showed by all means how “dead” the souls of people can be, and how difficult it is to awaken this soul and reach it. Gogol tried to expose Russia, to reveal the negative qualities of the people, which, apparently, is not accepted by many readers for such treatment of the characters.
But there is no need to blame Gogol. He did what many could not: the writer managed to find the strength to convey the truth to people! The writer managed to reflect in his work what he planned.
The concept and composition of “Dead Souls”
The great writer Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol was not accepted by many of his contemporaries, and all because they did not understand the entire underlying meaning of this or that work. Speaking about Gogol, it is impossible to ignore his magnificent novel “Dead Souls,” on which the writer worked for 17 years. It is worth considering that Nikolai Vasilyevich’s creative career lasted 23 years. Therefore, it is clear that “Dead Souls” occupied a special place in Gogol’s life.
Faithful and reliable comrade A.S. Pushkin suggested the plot for this creation. It is noteworthy that the initial three chapters were created by Gogol in Russia, and the subsequent ones abroad. The work was hard, because Nikolai Vasilyevich thought through every detail and emphasized every word. Even the names in the novel became telling, because with this action the writer wanted to clearly expose the essence of wealthy people, show the character of the homeland, reveal the shortcomings and reveal the negative sides of people. Perhaps in connection with such an act, “Dead Souls” often succumbed to negative criticism, Gogol was attacked, because the truth that was told by the writer did not want to be accepted by the people, they were not ready for it.
Nikolai Vasilyevich, when creating the novel, did not want to miss anything. He dreamed of embodying in it everything that so disturbs and excites the soul. Therefore, the creator started many events associated with different mindsets of people, one hero Chichikov. Gogol depicted the everyday life of landowners. The character who travels to each active person reveals their shortcomings, which are inherent in any person. On the pages of the novel, readers can notice Manilov, who only does what he pictures of heavenly life, imagines something unattainable, instead of stopping to indulge himself with desires and getting down to business. It is noticeable that Manilov has an incorrect understanding of life, because dreaminess envelops him so much that it is quite difficult to get out of its whirlpool.
A reflection of complete lies, lies, and hypocrisy is shown in the character of Nozdryov, whom Chichikov also visits. Sobakevich also shows kulaks and an aggressive attitude towards people. One way or another, each character has its own trait, which is revealed by Chichikov. Drawing attention to the negative sides of the heroes, Gogol warns us that everyone should think about their lives, change their views, understand that with such similar feelings as the characters, one cannot walk calmly on the Earth. And throughout the entire poem, Nikolai Vasilyevich poses an important compositional problem: the gap between the ruling class and ordinary people. It is not for nothing that the image of a road appears in the composition of “Dead Souls”. This writer makes a hint that Russia should deliberately move only forward, without turning back or dawdling. Gogol has a very tender love for his homeland; he does not want it to fall or go into oblivion. The writer worries about Russia, which is why he devoted many years to writing “Dead Souls”!
Dead Souls": concept, genre, composition, character system
“Dead Souls” was conceived by Gogol in 1835. Gogol planned 3 volumes. It is still unknown idea , or whether Pushkin suggested it to him. According to N.V. Gogol’s idea, the theme of the poem was to be the whole of contemporary Russia.
Genre – travel, constant road. “Dead Souls” was conceived as a “high road” novel.
The structure of the poem is distinguished by clarity and clarity: all parts are interconnected by the plot-forming hero Chichikov, who travels with the goal of getting “a million”. This is an energetic businessman, looking for profitable connections, entering into numerous acquaintances, which allows the writer to depict reality in all its facets, to capture socio-economic, family, household, moral, legal and cultural relations in feudal Russia. From chapter to chapter, the themes of lyrical digressions acquire increasing social significance, and the working people appear before the reader in a steadily increasing progression of their merits (mentions of the dead and runaway men of Sobakevich and Plyushkin).
Thus, Gogol achieves in the composition of the poem that continuously increasing tension, which, together with the increasing drama of the action, gives “Dead Souls” exceptional entertainment. In the composition of the poem, one should especially emphasize the image of the road running through the entire work, with the help of which the writer expresses hatred of stagnation and striving forward, ardent love for his native nature. This image helps to enhance the emotionality and dynamism of the entire poem.
Heroes are divided into two categories: dead souls, without returning to life, and those who are not completely dead.
Clues come from the description of the landscape, when the hero approaches the estates, Gogol pays great attention to details.
In the description of Manilov’s house, “it’s as if something is always missing,” but with Plyushkin it’s as if everything is “temporary” (Plyushkin is the only one with a backstory, he used to be different, he changed after the death of his wife). Plyushkin, for all his squalor, is a living person, he just degraded. Manilov is a doll from birth, and evolution is impossible.
Gogol separates the mental and moral in a person; age is not an obstacle to the development of morality. If there is a past, there is somewhere to return, but if you are a doll, there is no chance. Also, Chichikov had to evolve by the 3rd volume; changes in character were already evident in the 2nd volume. The dead soul of modern man is profit, money. Gogol had difficulty portraying a positive hero (the governor in the 2nd volume), and perhaps because of this the work “stalled.” Negativity and positivity found themselves at different poles, and this shows Gogol’s maximalism.
Option 3
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol spent a long time discussing what the idea of the work would be. The writer was in deep thought. After a while, he decides that he needs to show the people Rus' as it really is. Without exaggeration and lies. He wanted to convey to humanity that problems need to be solved, people have lied and are plundering the country. The whole idea of the poem is about swindlers and their deeds. One of the swindlers is Chichikov, from the work we know that he bought the souls of deceased workers. And the landowners gladly sold, because they also wanted to profit. The writer showed Russia both from the good and the bad side. Not every writer of that time decided to do this.
It is a pity that only the first volume of the poem reached the reader. The second author personally destroyed it, he burned it, but, thank God, the drafts reached people, and Gogol never began writing the third volume.
Nikolai Vasilyevich turned the souls of the heroes inside out in front of the reader. He showed how heroes behave in different situations and how their character manifests itself in this case. When this poem was created, the author hoped to convey it not only to the people who lived at that time. The writer wanted to make a work that would be read in a hundred years. He wanted no matter what people repeated the mistakes to pass. Gogol showed how strong the “dead” souls of living people can be when it comes to money, and how difficult it is to get to the good soul that is always present in a person, even the most evil. The poem is very difficult for the reader, perhaps because Gogol brings dishonest people out into the open, and people find it unpleasant to read this.
Gogol is the only writer in Russia who was able to convey to people the truth of that time. He wrote the truth as it is and did not hide anything.
He very clearly expresses patriotic feelings for Rus'. The writer compares the territory of the state with the limitless spiritual wealth of his beloved people. He hopes for a bright future for his nation. Years and a millennium will pass, people will read the poem and will not, they will repeat the mistakes of their ancestors, such is the hope of Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. But is this true in our time? I could write another poem about this. But the writer believes in his people, that sooner or later they will change for the better and become wiser.
Other works: ← Living and dead souls in the poem Dead Souls ↑ GogolThe meaning of the title of the poem Dead Souls by Gogol →
“The idea of “Dead Souls””
The idea of “Dead Souls” arose and took shape in Gogol’s creative consciousness under the direct influence of Pushkin. Pushkin, having read the manuscript, said in a voice full of melancholy: “God, how sad our Russia is!” In 1842, the poem was published despite the censorship ban; Belinsky helped publish it. Its appearance turned out to be a great event in Russian social and literary life. Herzen shocked all of Russia.” The portrait gallery of “Dead Souls” is opened by Manilov. By nature, Manilov is courteous, kind, polite, but all this took on funny, ugly forms with him. He has brought no benefit to anyone or anything, because his life is occupied with trifles. The word “Manilovism” has become a household word. Great-heartedness is Manilov’s most distinctive feature. Relations between people always seemed to him festive, without clashes and contradictions. He didn’t know life at all, reality was replaced by empty fantasy, and therefore he looked at everything through “rose-colored glasses.” This is the only landowner who gave “dead souls” to Chichikov.
Following Manilov, Gogol shows Korobochka, one of “those mothers, small landowners who cry about crop failures and losses, and meanwhile collect little money in bags placed in dresser drawers.” Korobochka has no pretensions to high culture, like Manilov, she does not indulge in empty fantasy, all her thoughts and desires revolve around the economy. For her, as for all landowners, serfs are a commodity, so Korobochka does not see the difference between living and dead souls.
The image of Nozdryov is typical. This is a “jack of all trades” man. He is carried away by drunken revelry, riotous fun, and card games. In the presence of Nozdryov, not a single society could do without scandalous stories, so the author ironically calls Nozdryov a “historical person.” Chatting, boasting, lying are the most typical traits of Nozdryov. According to Chichikov, Nozdryov is a “trashy person.” He behaves cheekily, insolently and has a “passion to spoil his neighbor.”
Sobakevich, unlike Manilov and Nozdrev, is associated with economic activities. Sobakevich is a fist and a cunning scoundrel. Gogol mercilessly exposes the greedy hoarder, who was “harassed” by the system of serfdom. Sobakevich's interests are limited. The goal of his life is material enrichment and delicious food. The furniture in Sobakevich's house - the table, armchairs, chairs - resembled the owner himself. Through appearance, through comparison with household items, Gogol achieves amazing expressiveness in describing the characteristic features of the hero.
The gallery of “dead souls” is completed by Plyushkin, in whom pettiness, insignificance and vulgarity reach their utmost expression. Stinginess and passion for hoarding deprived Plyushkin of human feelings and led him to monstrous ugliness. In people he saw only thieves of his property. Plyushkin himself abandoned society, did not go anywhere and did not invite anyone to visit him. He kicked out his daughter and cursed his son. His people were dying like flies, many of his serfs were on the run. Plyushkin considered all his peasants to be parasites and thieves. The chapter on Plyushkin touches upon the peasant issue more widely than others.
Gogol's images are distinguished by deep typification and are a truthful generalization of social order. The writer himself deeply felt the universal human significance of the types he created. Gogol wrote: “Nozdryov will not be removed from the world for a long time. He’s everywhere between us and maybe he’s just wearing a different caftan.” The author painted in his poem a gloomy and terrible picture of a serf society that is incapable of leading national life - a society deprived of an elementary idea of honesty and duty, devastated and spiritually dead. All progressive, thinking Russia, reading the poem, understood its title as Herzen understood: “Dead souls are the horror and shame of Russia.”
Gogol was highly praised by his contemporaries. Later Chernyshevsky Fr. Now there are no landowners, but the character traits that Gogol so vividly captured in the poem “Dead Souls” remain, manifesting themselves in countless vices of a huge part of our society.
Some political figures resemble Nozdryov, so they can be called “historical figures.” Boxes are found at almost every step. It is rare to find Plyushkins who have survived their madness, but they can still be found. The Manilovs alone have nothing to do in our cruel century. Dreaming in vain is too great a luxury.
Gogol is immortal, and this is clear to anyone who has studied Russian literature of the 19th century well. The main property of Gogol’s gift was especially clearly manifested in the depiction of the characters of the landowners, who had lost the ability to truly see, hear, and think. Their behavior is mechanical, given once and for all, and is subordinated to a single goal - to acquire in order to “sleep” in reality. This is spiritual death! Gogol's passionate desire to awaken sleepy human consciousness is in tune with our era of spiritual stagnation.
“Dead Souls” is an innovative work, boldly developing the traditions of Russian literature. The writer gave all his thoughts to the people; he saw the revival of Russia in the destruction of the idle caste of parasites, whose name is the serf-owning nobles. This is the greatness of Gogol’s literary feat.
