Analysis of Gogol's poem "Dead Souls. Analysis "Dead Souls" Gogol Theme of the poem dead souls

The idea of ​​the poem "Dead Souls" and its embodiment. Meaning of the title of the poem. Subject

The idea of ​​the poem dates back to 1835. The plot of the work was suggested to Gogol by Pushkin. The first volume of Dead Souls was completed in 1841 year and published in 1842 year under the title "The Adventures of Chichikov, or Dead Souls".

Gogol conceived a grandiose work in which he was going to reflect all aspects of Russian life. Gogol wrote to V.A. Zhukovsky about the concept of his work: "All Rus' will appear in it."

The concept of Dead Souls is comparable to that of Dante's Divine Comedy. The writer intended to write a work in three volumes. In the first volume, Gogol was going to show the negative aspects of life in Russia. Chichikov - the central character of the poem - and most of the other characters are depicted in a satirical manner. In the second volume, the writer sought to outline for his heroes the path to spiritual rebirth. In the third volume, Gogol wanted to embody his ideas about the true existence of man.

Connected with the writer's intention is the meaning of the title works. The very name "Dead Souls" contains, as you know, a paradox: the soul is immortal, which means that it cannot be dead in any way. The word "dead" is used here in a figurative, metaphorical sense. Firstly, we are talking here about the dead serfs, who are listed as alive in the revision tales. Secondly, speaking of "dead souls", Gogol means representatives of the ruling classes - landowners, officials, whose souls "dead", being in the grip of passions.

Gogol managed to complete only the first volume of Dead Souls. The writer worked on the second volume of the work until the end of his life. Gogol apparently destroyed the last version of the manuscript of the second volume shortly before his death. Only separate chapters of the two original editions of the second volume have survived. Gogol did not start writing the third volume.

In his work, Gogol reflected life of Russia in the first third of the 19th century, the life and customs of landowners, officials of the provincial city, and peasants. In addition, in digressions and other non-plot elements of the work, topics such as Petersburg, war of 1812, Russian language, youth and old age, writer's vocation, nature, future of Russia and many others.

The main problem and ideological orientation of the work

The main problem with Dead Souls is spiritual death and spiritual rebirth of man.

At the same time, Gogol, a writer with a Christian worldview, does not lose hope for the spiritual awakening of his heroes. Gogol was going to write about the spiritual resurrection of Chichikov and Plyushkin in the second and third volumes of his work, but this plan was not destined to come true.

"Dead Souls" is dominated by satirical pathos: the writer denounces the morals of landowners and officials, pernicious passions, vices of representatives of the ruling classes.

Approving start in a poem related to the theme of the people: Gogol admires his heroic strength and lively mind, his apt word, all kinds of talents. Gogol believes in a better future for Russia and the Russian people.

Genre

Gogol himself subtitle to "Dead Souls" called his work poem.

In the prospectus compiled by the writer of the "Educational Book of Literature for Russian Youth" there is a section "Smaller genera of the epic", which characterizes poem How a genre intermediate between the epic and the novel.Hero such a work - "a private and invisible face". The author leads the hero of the poem through adventure chain, to show a picture of "shortcomings, abuses, vices."

K.S. Aksakov saw in the work of Gogol features of the ancient epic. “The ancient epic rises before us,” wrote Aksakov. The critic compared Dead Souls with Homer's Iliad. Aksakov was struck both by the grandiosity of Gogol's idea and the grandeur of its embodiment in the first volume of Dead Souls.

In Gogol's poem, Aksakov saw a wise, calm, majestic contemplation of the world, characteristic of ancient authors. One can partly agree with this point of view. Elements of the poem as a glorifying genre we find primarily in the author's digressions about Rus', about the troika bird.

At the same time, Aksakov underestimated the satirical pathos of Dead Souls. V.G. Belinsky, entering into a polemic with Aksakov, emphasized first of all satirical orientation"Dead Souls". Belinsky saw in Gogol's work a wonderful sample of satire.

In "Dead Souls" there are also features of an adventure novel. The main storyline of the work is built on the adventure of the protagonist. At the same time, the love affair, so important in most novels, is relegated to the background in Gogol's work and sustained in a comic vein (the story of Chichikov and the governor's daughter, rumors about her possible abduction by the hero, etc.).

Thus, Gogol's poem is a complex work in terms of genre. "Dead Souls" combines the features of an ancient epic, adventure novel, satire.

Composition: the general construction of the work

The first volume of Dead Souls is complex artistic whole.

Consider plot works. As you know, it was presented to Gogol by Pushkin. The plot of the work is based on the adventurous story of Chichikov's acquisition of dead souls peasants who, according to the documents, are considered alive. Such a plot is consistent with Gogol's definition of the genre of the poem as "a lesser kind of epic" (see the section on genre). Chichikov turns out storyline character. The role of Chichikov is akin to the role of Khlestakov in the comedy "The Inspector General": the hero appears in the city of NN, makes a commotion in it, hastily leaves the city when the situation becomes dangerous.

Note that the composition of the work is dominated by spatialmaterial organization principle. Here we find a fundamental difference between the construction of "Dead Souls" and, say, "Eugene Onegin", where "time is calculated according to the calendar", or "Hero of Our Time", where the chronology, on the contrary, is broken, and the narrative is based on the gradual disclosure of the inner world Main character. In Gogol's poem, the composition is based not on the temporal organization of events and not on the tasks of psychological analysis, but on spatial images - provincial towns, landowners' estates, and finally, all of Russia, whose boundless expanses appear before us in digressions about Rus' and about the trio bird.

The first chapter can be seen as exposure the whole action of the poem. Reader meets Chichikov- the central character of the work. The author gives a description of Chichikov's appearance, makes several remarks about his character and habits. In the first chapter, we are introduced to external appearance of the provincial city NN, as well as with its inhabitants. Gogol gives a short but very capacious satirical picture of the life of officials.

Chapters 2 to 6 the writer presents the reader gallery of landowners. In the image of each landowner, Gogol adheres to a certain compositional principle (a description of the landowner's estate, his portrait, the interior of the house, comic situations, the most important of which are the dinner scene and the scene of the sale of dead souls).

In the seventh chapter the action is again transferred to the provincial city. The most important episodes of the seventh chapter - scenes in the treasury and description of breakfast at the police chief.

Central episode the eighth chapter - a ball at the governor. Here it develops love affair, outlined in the fifth chapter (the collision of Chichikov's britzka with a carriage in which two ladies were sitting, one of whom, as it turned out later, was the governor's daughter). In the ninth chapterrumors and gossip about Chichikov grow. Ladies are the main distributors. The most persistent rumor about Chichikov is that the hero is going to kidnap the governor's daughter. Love affair passes thus from the realm of the real to the realm of rumors and gossip about Chichikov.

In the tenth chapter, the central place is occupied by scene in the house of the police chief. A special place in the tenth chapter and in the work as a whole is occupied by an insertion episode - "The Tale of Captain Kopeikin". The tenth chapter ends with the news of the death of the prosecutor. Prosecutor's funeral scene in the eleventh chapter completes the theme of the city.

Chichikov's flight from the city of NN in the eleventh chapter ends the main storyline poems.

Characters

Gallery of landowners

Central to the poem is gallery of landowners. Their characteristics are devoted five chapters first volume - from the second to the sixth. Gogol showed close-ups of five characters. This Manilov, Korobochka, Nozdrev, Sobakevich and Plyushkin. All landowners embody the idea of ​​the spiritual impoverishment of man.

When creating images of landowners, Gogol makes extensive use of means of artistic expression, bringing together literary creativity with painting: it is description of the estate, interior, portrait.

Also important speech characteristics heroes, proverbs revealing the essence of their nature, comic situations, primarily the dinner scene and the scene of the sale of dead souls.

A special role in Gogol's work is played by details- landscape, subject, portrait, details of speech characteristics and others.

Let us briefly characterize each of the landowners.

Manilov- human outwardly attractive, benevolent, located to acquaintance, communicative. This is the only character who speaks well of Chichikov to the end. In addition, he appears to us as good family man who loves his wife and takes care of his children.

But still main features Manilova is empty daydreaming, projecting, inability to manage the household. The hero dreams of building a house with a belvedere, from where a view of Moscow would open. He also dreams that the sovereign, having learned about their friendship with Chichikov, "granted them generals."

The description of the Manilov estate leaves the impression of monotony: “The village of Manilovka could lure a few with its location. The master's house stood alone in the south, that is, on a hill, open to all the winds, whichever it takes to blow. An interesting detail of the landscape sketch is a gazebo with the inscription "Temple of Solitary Reflection". This detail characterizes the hero as a sentimental person who likes to indulge in empty dreams.

Now about the details of the interior of the Manilov house. His study had fine furniture, but two armchairs had been upholstered in matting for several years. In the same place lay some kind of book, all the time laid on the fourteenth page. On both windows there are “heaps of ash knocked out of a pipe”. Some rooms had no furniture at all. A dandy candlestick was placed on the table, and some kind of copper invalid was placed next to it. All this speaks of Manilov's inability to manage the household, that he cannot complete the work he has begun.

Consider the portrait of Manilov. The appearance of the hero testifies to the sweetness of his character. In appearance he was a rather pleasant person, "but this pleasantness seemed to have been transferred too much sugar." The hero had attractive facial features, but in his eyes it was "transferred to sugar." The hero smiled like a cat that has been tickled behind the ears with a finger.

Manilov's speech is wordy, ornate. The hero loves to say beautiful phrases. "May day... name day of the heart!" he greets Chichikov.

Gogol characterizes his hero, resorting to the proverb: "Neither this nor that, neither in the city of Bogdan, nor in the village of Selifan."

Note also the scene of the dinner and the scene of the sale of dead souls. Manilov treats Chichikov, as usual in the village, with all his heart. Chichikov's request to sell dead souls causes surprise in Manilov and high-flown arguments: “Will this negotiation be inconsistent with civil decrees and further views of Russia?”

box distinguishes love of hoarding and at the same time clubhead". This landowner appears before us as a woman limited, with a straightforward character, slow-witted, thrifty to the point of stinginess.

At the same time, Korobochka lets Chichikov into her house at night, which speaks of her responsiveness and hospitality.

From the description of Korobochka's estate, we see that the landowner cares not so much about the appearance of the estate, but about successful housekeeping and prosperity. Chichikov notices the well-being of peasant households. Box - practical hostess.

Meanwhile, in Korobochka's house, in the room where Chichikov fit in, "behind every mirror there was either a letter, or an old deck of cards, or a stocking"; all these substantive details emphasize the landowner's passion for collecting unnecessary things.

During lunch, all kinds of homemade supplies and pastries are placed on the table, which testifies to the patriarchal customs and hospitality of the hostess. Meanwhile, the Box cautiously accepts offer Chichikov about selling dead souls to him and even goes to the city to find out how much dead souls are now. Therefore, Chichikov, using a proverb, characterizes Korobochka as a "mutt in the hay", who does not eat herself and does not give to others.

Nozdrev–spendthrift, swindler, swindler,"historical man" because some kind of story always happens to him. This character is distinguished by constant lies, gambling, dishonesty,familiarity with the people around him boastfulness, a penchant for scandalous stories.

The description of the Nozdryov estate reflects the original character of its owner. We see that the hero is not engaged in farming. So, in his estate "the field in many places consisted of hummocks." Only Nozdryov's kennel is in order, which testifies to his passion for dog hunting.

The interior of Nozdrev's house is interesting. In his office hung “Turkish daggers, on one of which was mistakenly carved: “Master Savely Sibiryakov”.” Among the details of the interior, we also note Turkish pipes and a hurdy-gurdy - objects that reflect the range of interests of the character.

A curious portrait detail speaks of the propensity of the hero to a riotous life: one of Nozdryov's sideburns was somewhat thicker than the other - a consequence of a tavern fight.

In the story about Nozdryov, Gogol uses hyperbole: the hero says that he, being at the fair, “alone drank seventeen bottles of champagne during dinner,” which indicates the hero’s tendency to brag and lie.

At dinner, during which disgustingly cooked dishes were served, Nozdryov tried to get Chichikov drunk with cheap wine of dubious quality.

Speaking about the scene of buying and selling dead souls, we note that Nozdrev perceives Chichikov's offer as an excuse for gambling. As a result, a quarrel arises, which only by chance does not end with the beating of Chichikov.

Sobakevich- it landowner-fist who leads a strong economy and at the same time is distinguished rudeness and straightforwardness. This landowner appears before us as a man surly,clumsy,speaking badly of everyone. Meanwhile, he gives unusually well-aimed, albeit very rude, characteristics to the officials of the city.

Describing the estate of Sobakevich, Gogol notes the following. During the construction of the master's house, "the architect constantly fought with the taste of the owner", so the house turned out to be asymmetrical, although very durable.

Let's pay attention to the interior of Sobakevich's house. Portraits of Greek generals hung on the walls. “All these heroes,” Gogol notes, “were with such thick thighs and unheard-of mustaches that a shiver passed through the body,” which is quite consistent with the appearance and character of the owner of the estate. In the room stood "a walnut office on absurd four legs, a perfect bear ... Every object, every chair seemed to say:" And I, too, Sobakevich "".

Gogol's character and his appearance also resembles a "medium-sized bear", which indicates the rudeness, uncouthness of the landowner. The writer notes that “the tail coat on him was completely bearish in color, the sleeves were long, the pantaloons were long, he stepped with his feet and at random and stepped incessantly on other people's legs.” It is no coincidence that the hero is characterized by the proverb: "It is not right, but it is tightly sewn." In the story about Sobakevich, Gogol resorts to the technique hyperbole. Sobakevich's "heroism" is manifested, in particular, in the fact that his foot is shod "in a boot of such gigantic size, which is unlikely to be found anywhere to meet the foot."

Gogol also uses hyperbole when describing dinner at Sobakevich's, who was obsessed with a passion for gluttony: a turkey "as tall as a calf" was served at the table. In general, lunch in the hero's house is distinguished by unpretentious dishes. “When I have pork - put the whole pig on the table, lamb - drag the whole ram, goose - just the goose! I'd rather eat two dishes, but eat in moderation, as my soul requires, ”says Sobakevich.

Discussing the terms of the sale of dead souls with Chichikov, Sobakevich is diligently bargaining, and when Chichikov tries to refuse the purchase, he hints at a possible denunciation.

Plushkin personifies stinginess carried to the point of absurdity. This is an old, unfriendly, untidy and inhospitable person.

From the description of the estate and Plyushkin's house, we see that his farm is in complete desolation. Greed ruined both the well-being and the soul of the hero.

The appearance of the owner of the estate is nondescript. “His face was nothing special; it was almost the same as that of many thin old men, only one chin protruded very far forward, so that he had to cover it with a handkerchief every time so as not to spit, ”writes Gogol. “The little eyes had not yet gone out and were running from under high-growing eyebrows like mice.”

Of particular importance when creating the image of Plushkin is subject detail. On the bureau in the hero's office, the reader finds a mountain of various trifles. There are a lot of objects here: “a bunch of small papers covered with small papers, covered with a green marble press with an egg on top, some old book in leather binding with a red edge, a lemon, all dried up, no larger than a hazelnut, a broken arm of an armchair, a glass with some kind of liquid and three flies, covered with a letter, a piece of sealing wax, a piece of some kind of raised rag, two feathers stained with ink, dried up, as in consumption, a toothpick, completely yellowed, with which the owner, perhaps, picked his teeth even before the invasion of Moscow the French." We find the same pile in the corner of Plyushkin's room. As you know, psychological analysis can take different forms. For example, Lermontov draws a psychological portrait of Pechorin, revealing the inner world of the hero through the details of his appearance. Dostoevsky and Tolstoy resort to extensive internal monologues. Gogol recreates character's state of mind predominantly through the subject world. The "tina of trifles" surrounding Plyushkin symbolizes his stingy, petty, "dried" soul, like a forgotten lemon.

For lunch, the hero offers Chichikov a cracker (the remains of an Easter cake) and an old liqueur, from which Plyushkin himself extracted the worms. Upon learning of Chichikov's proposal, Plyushkin is sincerely happy, since Chichikov will relieve him of the need to pay taxes for the numerous peasants who died or fled from the stingy owner who starved them.

It is very important to note that Gogol resorts to such a technique as excursion into the past of the hero(retrospection): it is important for the author to show how the hero used to be and to what meanness he has now sunk. In the past, Plyushkin was a zealous owner, a happy family man. In the present - "a hole in humanity", in the words of the writer.

Gogol in his work satirically depicted the various types and characters of Russian landowners. Their names have become household names.

We also note the significance of the gallery of landowners symbolizing the process of spiritual degradation of a person. As Gogol wrote, his heroes are "one more vulgar than the other." If Manilov has some attractive features, then Plyushkin is an example of the extreme impoverishment of the soul.

The image of the provincial city: officials, ladies' society

Along with the gallery of landowners, an important place in the work is occupied by image of the provincial city NN. city ​​theme opens in the first chapter,resumes in the seventh chapter the first volume of "Dead Souls" and ends at the beginning of the eleventh chapter.

In the first chapter Gogol gives general description of the city. He's drawing appearance of the city, describes streets, hotel.

The urban landscape is monotonous. Gogol writes: "The yellow paint on the stone houses was strong in the eyes and the gray on the wooden houses was modestly dark." Some signs are curious, for example: "Foreigner Vasily Fedorov."

AT hotel description Gogol uses bright subjectdetails, resorts to artistic comparisons. The writer draws the darkened walls of the "common hall", cockroaches peeking out like prunes from all corners of Chichikov's room.

The urban landscape, the description of the hotel help the author to recreate an atmosphere of vulgarity reigning in the provincial city.

Already in the first chapter, Gogol calls the majority officials cities. These are the governor, vice-governor, prosecutor, police chief, chairman of the chamber, inspector of the medical board, city architect, postmaster, and some other officials.

In the description of the city, provincial officials, their characters and mores, a pronounced satirical focus. The writer sharply criticizes the Russian bureaucratic system, the vices and abuses of officials. Gogol denounces such phenomena as bureaucracy, bribery, embezzlement, gross arbitrariness, as well as idle lifestyle, gluttony, propensity to play cards, idle talk, gossip, ignorance, vanity and many other vices.

In "Dead Souls" officials are depicted much more generally than in The Inspector General. They are not named by their last names. Most often, Gogol indicates the position of an official, thereby emphasizing the social role of the character. Sometimes the name and patronymic of the acting person are indicated. We learn that chairman of the chamber name is Ivan Grigorievich,police chief - Alexei Ivanovich, postmaster - Ivan Andreevich.

To some officials Gogol gives brief characteristics. For example, he notices that governor was "neither fat nor thin, had Anna around his neck" and "sometimes embroidered on tulle." prosecutor had thick eyebrows and winked his left eye, as if inviting the visitor to go into another room.

Police Chief Alexei Ivanovich, "father and philanthropist" in the city, like the mayor from the "Inspector General", he visited the shops and the gostiny yard as if in his own pantry. At the same time, the police chief knew how to win the favor of the merchants, who said that Alexei Ivanovich "although he will take it, he will certainly not give you away." It is clear that the police chief covered up the machinations of the merchants. Chichikov speaks of the police chief as follows: “What a well-read person! We lost to him in whist ... until the very last cocks. Here the writer uses irony.

Gogol gives a vivid description of a petty bribery official Ivan Antonovich "jug snout", who knowingly takes Chichikov's "gratitude" for the registration of the deed of sale. Ivan Antonovich had a remarkable appearance: the entire middle of his face "came forward and went into the nose", hence the nickname of this official - the master of bribery.

And here postmaster"almost" did not take bribes: firstly, they did not offer him: the wrong position; secondly, he raised only one little son, and the state salary was basically enough. The character of Ivan Andreevich was sociable; according to the author, it was "wit and philosopher".

Concerning chairman of the chamber, then he knew by heart "Lyudmila" Zhukovsky. Other officials, as Gogol notes, were also "enlightened people": some read Karamzin, some "Moskovskie Vedomosti", some even read nothing at all. Here Gogol again resorts to the device irony. For example, about the game of officials in cards, the author notes that this is "a sensible occupation."

According to the writer, there were no duels between officials, because, as Gogol writes, they were all civil officials, but one tried to harm the other where possible, which, as you know, is sometimes harder than any duel.

In the center of the "Tale of Captain Kopeikin", told by the postmaster in the tenth chapter, there are two characters: this is an invalid of the war of 1812, "little man" Captain Kopeikin and "significant person"- a senior official, a minister who did not want to help the veteran, who showed callousness and indifference towards him.

Persons from the bureaucratic world also appear in Chichikov's biography in the eleventh chapter: this Chichikov himself, povytchik, whom Chichikov deftly deceived by not marrying his daughter, commission members for the construction of a government building, colleagues Chichikov at customs, other persons from the bureaucratic world.

Consider some episodes poems, where the characters of officials, their way of life are most clearly revealed.

The central episode of the first chapter is the scene parties at the governor's. Already here such features of the provincial bureaucracy are revealed, such as idleness, love of a card game, idle talk. Here we find digression about fat and thin officials, where the writer hints at the unrighteous incomes of the fat ones and the extravagance of the thin ones.

In the seventh chapter, Gogol returns to the theme of the city. Writer with irony describes Treasury Chamber. This is "a stone house, all white as chalk, probably to depict the purity of the souls of the positions placed in it." About the court, the author notes that it is "an incorruptible zemstvo court"; about judicial officials, he says that they have "the incorruptible heads of the priests of Themis." An apt characterization of officials is given by the mouth of Sobakevich. “They all burden the earth for nothing,” the hero remarks. Close-up showing bribe episode: Ivan Antonovich "jug snout" masterfully accepts "white" from Chichikov.

In the scene breakfast at the police chief reveals such traits of officials as gluttony and love for booze. Here Gogol again resorts to the technique hyperbole: Sobakevich alone eats a nine-pood sturgeon.

With undisguised irony, Gogol describes ladies' society. The ladies of the city were presentable", according to the author. Women's society is especially vividly depicted in the scenes ball at the governor's. Ladies perform in "Dead Souls" as trendsetters and public opinion. This becomes especially obvious in connection with Chichikov's courtship of the governor's daughter: the ladies are outraged by Chichikov's inattention to them.

The subject of ladies' gossip is further developed in ninth chapter, where the author showed a close-up Sofia Ivanovna and Anna Grigorievna - "just a nice lady" and "a lady pleasant in every way." Thanks to their efforts, a rumor is born that Chichikov is going to kidnap the governor's daughter.

Central episode of the tenth chapter–meeting of officials at the police chief, where the most incredible rumors about who Chichikov is are discussed. This episode is reminiscent of the scene in the mayor's house in the first act of The Government Inspector. The officials gathered to find out who Chichikov was. They remember their "sins" and at the same time utter the most incredible judgments about Chichikov. Opinions are expressed that this is the auditor, the manufacturer of counterfeit banknotes, Napoleon, and finally, Captain Kopeikin, about whom the postmaster tells the audience.

Death of a prosecutor, which is mentioned at the end of the tenth chapter, is a symbolic result of the author's reflections on the meaningless, empty life of the city. Mental impoverishment touched, according to Gogol, not only landowners, but also officials. The "discovery" of the inhabitants of the city, made in connection with the death of the prosecutor, is curious. “Then only with condolences did they find out that the deceased had, for sure, a soul, although he, due to his modesty, never showed it,” the writer notes with irony. Painting of the prosecutor's funeral in the eleventh chapter completes the story about the city. Chichikov exclaims, watching the funeral procession: “Here, prosecutor! Lived, lived, and then died! And now they will publish in the newspapers that he died, to the regret of his subordinates and all of humanity, a respectable citizen, a rare father, an exemplary spouse ... but if you take a good look at the matter, then in fact you only had thick eyebrows.

Thus, creating the image of a provincial city, Gogol showed the life of the Russian bureaucracy, its vices and abuses. The images of officials, along with the images of landlords, help the reader understand the meaning of the poem about dead souls distorted by sin.

Petersburg theme. "The Tale of Captain Kopeikin"

Gogol's attitude to Petersburg has already been considered in the analysis of the comedy The Inspector General. Recall that St. Petersburg was for the writer not only the capital of an autocratic state, the justice of which he did not doubt, but also the focus of the worst manifestations of Western civilization - such as the cult of material values, pseudo-enlightenment, vanity; moreover, Petersburg in Gogol's view is a symbol of a soulless bureaucratic system that humiliates and suppresses the "little man".

We find references to St. Petersburg, comparisons of provincial life with life in the capital, already in the first chapter of Dead Souls, in the description of a party at the governor's. The author discusses the insignificance of the gastronomic subtleties of St. Petersburg in comparison with the simple and plentiful food of the provincial landowners, "gentlemen of the middle hand", at the beginning of the fourth chapter. Chichikov, thinking about Sobakevich, tries to imagine who Sobakevich would become if he lived in St. Petersburg. Talking about the governor's ball, the author notes with irony: "No, this is not a province, this is the capital, this is Paris itself." The theme of St. Petersburg is also connected with Chichikov’s remarks in the eleventh chapter on the ruin of the landowners’ estates: “Everything climbed into St. Petersburg to serve; estates are abandoned.

The theme of St. Petersburg is most clearly revealed in "The Tale of Captain Kopeikin", which the postmaster tells in the tenth chapter. "The Tale..." is based on folk traditions. One of her sources–folk song about the robber Kopeikin. Hence the elements skaz: we note such expressions of the postmaster as “my sir”, “you know”, “you can imagine”, “in some way”.

The hero of the story, a disabled veteran of the war of 1812, who went to St. Petersburg to ask for “monarchal mercy”, “suddenly found himself in the capital, which, so to speak, does not exist in the world! Suddenly there is a light in front of him, so to speak: a certain field of life, a fabulous Scheherazade. This description of Petersburg reminds us of hyperbolic images in the scene of Khlestakov's lies in the comedy "The Inspector General": the captain sees in luxurious shop windows “cherries - five rubles each”, “huge watermelon”.

In the center of the "Tale" - confrontation "little man" Captain Kopeikin and "significant person" - the minister, who personifies a bureaucratic machine indifferent to the needs of ordinary people. It is curious to note that Gogol himself protects the tsar from criticism: at the time of Kopeikin's arrival in St. Petersburg, the sovereign was still on foreign campaigns and did not have time to make the necessary orders to help the disabled.

It is important that the author denounces the Petersburg bureaucracy from the position of a man from the people. The general meaning of the "Tale ..." is as follows. If the government does not turn its face to the needs of the people, a revolt against it is inevitable. It is no coincidence that Captain Kopeikin, not finding the truth in St. Petersburg, became, according to rumors, the chieftain of a gang of robbers.

Chichikov, his ideological and compositional role

The image of Chichikov performs two main functions - independent and compositional. On the one hand, Chichikov is a new type of Russian life, a type of acquirer-adventurer. On the other hand, Chichikov is plot-forming character; his adventures form the basis of the plot of the work.

Consider the independent role of Chichikov. This, according to Gogol, owner, purchaser.

Chichikov - a native of the environment poor and humble nobility. This official, who served the rank of collegiate adviser and accumulated his initial capital, engaging in embezzlement and bribes. At the same time, the hero acts as Kherson landowner who he claims to be. Chichikov needs the status of a landowner to acquire dead souls.

Gogol believed that the spirit of gain came to Russia from the West and acquired ugly forms here. Hence the hero's criminal paths to material well-being.

Chichikov distinguishes hypocrisy. By doing lawlessness, the hero declares his respect for the law. "The law - I am dumb before the law!" he says to Manilov.

It should be noted that Chichikov is attracted not by money per se, but by the opportunity rich and beautiful life. “He imagined ahead of him life in all contentment, with all prosperity; carriages, a house perfectly arranged, that's what constantly rushed about in his head, ”Gogol writes about his hero.

The pursuit of material values ​​distorted the soul of the hero. Chichikov, like landlords and officials, can be classified as "dead souls".

Consider now compositional the role of the image of Chichikov. This central character"Dead Souls". His main role in the work is plot-forming. This role is associated primarily with the genre of the work. As already noted, Gogol defines the poem as "a lesser kind of epic." The hero of such a work is “a private and invisible person”. The author leads him through a chain of adventures and changes in order to show a picture of modern life, a picture of shortcomings, abuses, vices. In "Dead Souls" the adventures of such a hero - Chichikov - become the basis of the plot and allow the author to show the negative aspects of contemporary Russian reality, human passions and delusions.

At the same time, the compositional role of Chichikov's image is not limited to the plot-forming function alone. Chichikov turns out, paradoxically, author's confidant. In his poem, Gogol looks at many phenomena of Russian life through the eyes of Chichikov. A vivid example is the hero's reflections on the souls of the dead and fugitive peasants (Chapter 7). These thoughts formally belong to Chichikov, although the author's own view is clearly felt here. Let's take another example. Chichikov talks about the extravagance of provincial officials and their wives against the backdrop of national disasters (chapter eight). It is clear that the denunciation of the exorbitant luxury of officials and sympathy for the common people come from the author, but are put into the mouth of the hero. The same can be said about Chichikov's assessment of many characters. Chichikov calls Korobochka a "clubhead", Sobakevich a "fist". It is clear that these judgments reflect the view of the writer himself on these characters.

The unusualness of this role of Chichikov lies in the fact that "confidant" author becomes a negative character. However, this role is understandable in the light of Gogol's Christian worldview, his ideas about the sinful state of modern man and the possibility of his spiritual rebirth. At the end of the eleventh chapter, Gogol writes that many people have vices that make them no better than Chichikov. “Isn’t there some part of Chichikov in me too?” - the author of the poem asks himself and the reader a question. At the same time, intending to bring the hero to spiritual rebirth in the second and third volumes of his work, the writer thereby expressed the hope for the spiritual rebirth of every fallen person.

Consider some artistic means creating the image of Chichikov

Chichikov - type averaged. It's underlined description appearance hero. Gogol writes about Chichikov that he is "not handsome, but not bad-looking, not too fat, but not too thin, one cannot say that he is old, but not so that he is too young." Chichikov wears lingonberry-colored tailcoat with a sparkle. This detail of the hero's appearance emphasizes his desire to look decent and at the same time make a good impression of himself, sometimes even shine in the light, splurge.

The most important character trait of Chichikov is adaptability to others, a kind of "chameleon". This is confirmed speech hero. “Whatever the conversation was about, he always knew how to support it,” writes Gogol. Chichikov knew how to talk about horses, and about dogs, and about virtue, and about making hot wine. With each of the five landowners, Chichikov speaks differently. He talks to Manilov in a florid and grandiloquent way. Chichikov does not stand on ceremony with Korobochka; at the decisive moment, irritated by her stupidity, he even promises her the devil. Chichikov is cautious with Nozdryov, business-like with Sobakevich, and laconic with Plyushkin. curious Chichikov's monologue in the seventh chapter (the scene of breakfast at the police chief). The hero reminds us of Khlestakov. Chichikov imagines himself a Kherson landowner, speaks of various improvements, of a three-field economy, of the happiness and bliss of two souls.

Chichikov's speech often contains proverbs. “Don't have money, have good people to convert,” he says to Manilov. “Hooked - dragged, broke - do not ask,” the hero argues in connection with an unsuccessful scam in the commission for the construction of a government building. “Oh, I’m Akim-simplicity, I’m looking for mittens, and both are behind my belt!” - Chichikov exclaims on the occasion of the idea that came to his mind to buy up dead souls.

An important role in creating the image of Chichikov plays subject detail. casket the hero is a kind of mirror of his soul, obsessed with a passion for acquisitions. chaise Chichikov is also a symbolic image. It is inseparable from the way of life of the hero, prone to all sorts of adventures.

Love affair in Dead Souls, as in The Government Inspector, it turns out in the background. At the same time, it is important both for revealing the character of Chichikov and for recreating the atmosphere of rumors and gossip in the provincial town. Talk about the fact that Chichikov allegedly sought to kidnap the governor's daughter opens up a series of fables that accompany the hero until the moment he leaves the city.

It turns out that gossip and rumors about the hero also an important means of creating his image. They characterize it from different angles. According to the inhabitants of the city, Chichikov is both an auditor, and a manufacturer of fake banknotes, and even Napoleon. Napoleon theme in "Dead Souls" is not accidental. Napoleon is a symbol of Western civilization, extreme individualism, the desire to achieve the goal by any means.

Of particular importance in the poem is biography Chichikov, placed in the eleventh chapter. Let's name the main stages and events of Chichikov's life path. This joyless childhood, life in poverty, in an atmosphere of family despotism; leaving the parental home and the beginning of studies, marked parting words of the father: "Most of all, take care and save a penny!". AT school years the hero was carried away petty speculation, he did not forget about toadying before the teacher, to whom later, in a difficult moment, he treated very callously, callously. Chichikov hypocritically taking care of the daughter of an elderly for the purpose of promotion. Then he worked "ennobled" forms of bribery(through subordinates), theft in the commission for the construction of a government building, after exposure – fraud while serving at customs(story with Brabant lace). Finally, he started dead souls scam.

Recall that almost all the heroes of "Dead Souls" are depicted by the writer statically. Chichikov (like Plyushkin) is an exception. And this is no coincidence. It is important for Gogol to show the origins of the spiritual impoverishment of his hero, which began in his very childhood and early youth, to trace how the passion for a rich and beautiful life gradually destroyed his soul.

The theme of the people

As already noted, the idea of ​​the poem "Dead Souls" was to show in it "all of Rus'". Gogol paid the main attention to representatives of the nobility - landowners and officials. At the same time, he touched themes of the people.

The writer showed in "Dead Souls" dark sides the life of the peasantry rudeness, ignorance, drunkenness.

The serfs of Chichikov are a footman Parsley and coachman Selifan– unclean, uneducated, limited for their own mental interests. Petrushka reads books without understanding anything in them. Selifan is addicted to drinking. Fortress Wench Pelagia does not know where the right side is, where the left side is. Uncle Mityai and Uncle Minyay they cannot unravel the harness of horses harnessed to two carriages.

At the same time, Gogol notes talent, creativity Russian people, his heroic strength and free spirit. These features of the people are especially clearly reflected in author's digressions (about the well-aimed Russian word, about Rus', about the troika bird), as well as in Sobakevich's reasoning about the dead peasant craftsmen(it bricklayer Milushkin, Eremey Sorokoplekhin, who, being engaged in trade, brought quitrent of 500 rubles, carriage maker Mikheev, carpenter Stepan Cork, shoemaker Maxim Telyatnikov); in Chichikov's reflections on purchased dead souls, which express the position of the author himself (in addition to the already named peasants of Sobakevich, the hero mentions the fugitive peasants of Plyushkin, in particular Abakuma Fyrova, which was probably brought to the Volga; he became a barge hauler and gave himself up to the revelry of a free life).

Gogol also notes rebellious spirit people. The writer believes that if the arbitrariness of the authorities is not stopped, if the needs of the people are not satisfied, then a revolt is possible. This view of the author is evidenced by at least two episodes in the poem. This murder men assessor Drobyazhkin who, being possessed by fornication, molested girls and young women, and the story of captain kopeikin, who probably became a robber.

An important place in the poem is copyright digressions:satirical,journalistic,lyrical,philosophical other. In their content, some are close to digressions. Chichikov's reasoning, conveying the author's position. How can a digression be considered and such an off-plot element, How parable about Kif Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich in the eleventh chapter.

In addition to retreats, plays an important role in identifying the author's position "The Tale of Captain Kopeikin" told by the postmaster (chapter ten).

Let us name the main digressions contained in the first volume of Dead Souls. These are the thoughts of the author. about fat and thin officials(first chapter, scene of a party at the governor); his judgment about the ability to deal with people(third chapter); witty editorial remarks about a healthy stomach gentlemen of the middle class(beginning of the fourth chapter). We also note the digressions about a well-aimed Russian word(end of chapter 5) about youth(the beginning of the sixth chapter and the passage “Take it with you on the road ...”). Of fundamental importance for understanding the author's position is a digression about two writers(beginning of the seventh chapter).

Retreats can be equated Chichikov's reasoning about bought peasant souls(the beginning of the seventh chapter, after a digression about two writers), and also reflections hero about the idle life of the mighty of the world against the backdrop of the misfortunes of the people (end of the eighth chapter).

Note also the philosophical digression about the delusions of mankind(tenth chapter). The author's reflections in the eleventh chapter complete the list of digressions: about Rus'(“Rus! Rus!.. I see you…”), about the road, about human passions. We especially note parable about Kif Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich and retreat about the trio bird, which concludes the first volume of Dead Souls.

Let's look at some of the deviations in more detail. Author's reflections about a well-aimed Russian word completes the fifth chapter of the poem. In the strength and accuracy of the Russian word, Gogol sees a manifestation of the mind, creative abilities, and talent of the Russian people. Gogol compares the Russian language with the languages ​​of other peoples: “The word of a Briton will echo with the knowledge of the heart and the wise knowledge of life; The short-lived word of a Frenchman will flash and scatter like a light dandy; the German will intricately invent his own, not accessible to everyone, cleverly thin word; but there is no word that would be so bold, brisk, so burst out from under the very heart, so seething and vibrant, like the aptly spoken Russian word. Discussing the Russian language and the languages ​​of other peoples, Gogol resorts to the technique figurative parallelism: the multitude of peoples living on earth is likened to the multitude of churches in Holy Rus'.

At the beginning of the sixth chapter we find a digression about youth. The author, telling the reader about his road impressions in his youth and in his mature years, notices that in youth a person is characterized by a freshness of world perception, which he subsequently loses. The saddest thing, according to the writer, is that over time a person can lose those moral qualities that were laid in him in his youth. It is not for nothing that Gogol continues the theme of youth in the further narrative, in connection with the story of Plyushkin, about his spiritual degradation. The author addresses the youth with trembling words: “Take with you on the road, emerging from your soft youthful years into a severe, hardening courage, take with you all human movements, do not leave them on the road, you will not pick them up later!”

Retreat about two writers, which opens the seventh chapter, is also built on figurative parallelism. Writers are like travelers: a romantic writer is like a happy family man, a satirist writer is like a lonely bachelor.

The romantic writer shows only the bright side of life; satirist portrays "terrible mire of trifles" and exposes her to the eyes of the people.

Gogol says that romantic writer accompanies lifetime glory, satirist are waiting reproaches and persecution. Gogol writes: “This is not the fate of the writer who dared to bring out everything that every minute is before his eyes and that indifferent eyes do not see, all the terrible, amazing mire of trifles that have entangled our life, the whole depth of cold, fragmented, everyday characters.”

In a digression about two writers, Gogol formulates own creative principles which later became known as realism. Here Gogol says about the meaning of high laughter- the most valuable gift of a satirist writer. The fate of such a writer “look around” life “through laughter visible to the world and invisible, unknown to it tears”.

in retreat about the delusions of mankind in the tenth chapter the main idea of ​​"Dead Souls", component the essence of Gogol's Christian worldview. According to the writer, mankind in its history often deviated from the true path outlined by God. Hence the delusions of both past generations and the present. “What twisted, deaf, narrow, impassable, drifting roads mankind has chosen, striving to achieve eternal truth, while the whole straight path was open before it, similar to the path leading to the magnificent temple appointed by the king to the palaces. It is wider and more luxurious than all other paths, illuminated by the sun and illuminated by lights all night, but people were flowing past it in the dead darkness,” writes Gogol. The life of Gogol's heroes - landowners, officials, Chichikov - is a vivid example of human delusions, deviation from the right path, loss of the true meaning of life.

in retreat about Rus'(“Rus! Rus! I see you, I see you from my wonderful, beautiful far away…”) Gogol contemplates Russia from distant Rome, where, as we remember, he created the first volume of Dead Souls.

The author of the poem compares the nature of Russia with the nature of Italy. He is aware that Russian nature, unlike the luxurious Italian, no external beauty; at the same time, endless Russian expanses cause in the mind of a writer deep feeling.

Gogol says about the song in which the Russian character is expressed. The writer also thinks about boundless thought and about heroism characteristic of the Russian people. It is no coincidence that the author concludes his thoughts about Rus' with the words: “Is it not here, in you, that an infinite thought is born, when you yourself are without end? Is there not a hero to be here, when there is a place where to turn around and walk for him? And menacingly embraces me mighty space, with terrible power reflected in my depths; my eyes lit up with an unnatural power: wow! what a sparkling, wonderful, unfamiliar distance to the earth! Rus!.."

Parable about Kif Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich both in form and content resembles the author's digression. The images of father and son - Kifa Mokievich and Mokiy Kifovich - reflect Gogol's understanding of the Russian national character. Gogol believes that there are two main types of Russian people - type of philosopher and type of hero. According to Gogol, the misfortune of the Russian people lies in the fact that both thinkers and heroes in Rus' degenerate. A philosopher in his current state can only indulge in empty dreams, and a hero can destroy everything around him.

Completes the first volume of "Dead Souls" digression about the trio bird. Here Gogol expresses his faith in a better future for Russia, he connects him with the Russian people: it is not for nothing that the craftsman is mentioned here - "Yaroslavl agile man"- Yes dashing coachman, famously managing the rushing troika.

Questions and tasks

1. Give the full title of Dead Souls. Tell us about the history of the poem. What did Gogol write about the idea of ​​his creation to Zhukovsky? Did the writer manage to fully realize his plan? In what year was the first volume of the work completed and in what year was it published? What do you know about the fate of the second and third volumes?

Comment on the title of the piece. What is the paradox here? Why is the phrase "dead souls" interpreted as metaphorical?

Name the main themes of Gogol's poem. Which of these topics are covered in the main narrative, which in digressions?

2. How can you determine the main problem of the piece? How is it related to Gogol's Christian worldview?

What pathos prevails in Gogol's poem? What is the theme of the affirmative beginning?

3. What genre definition did Gogol give to "Dead Souls" in the subtitle to the work? How did the writer himself interpret this genre in the prospectus of the Educational Book of Literature for Russian Youth? Features of what genres did K.S. Aksakov and V.G. Belinsky see in “Dead Souls”? How does Gogol's work resemble an adventurous adventure novel?

4. Who gave Gogol the plot of "Dead Souls"? How is the plot of the work connected with Gogol's understanding of the genre of the poem? Which character is the main character in the story and why?

What principle of material organization prevails in Gogol's work? What spatial images do we find here?

What elements of the first chapter are relevant to the exposition? What place does the gallery of landowners occupy in the work? Name the main episodes of the subsequent chapters, revealing the image of the provincial city. What place does love intrigue occupy in the composition of the work? What is its peculiarity in the poem?

What place does Chichikov's biography take in Dead Souls? What extra-plot elements of the poem can you name?

5. Briefly describe the gallery of landlords. According to what plan does Gogol tell about each of them? What artistic means does the writer use to create their images? Tell us about each of the landowners depicted by Gogol. Reveal the value of the entire gallery.

6. Which chapters of Dead Souls cover the topic of the city? Tell us about the exposure of the image of the city in the first chapter. What descriptions, characteristics does it include?

List the maximum number of city officials, naming their positions and surname and patronymic, if they are indicated by the author. Give a general description of the officials and each separately. What human passions, vices do they personify?

List the main episodes that reveal the theme of the city, identify the ideological and compositional role of each of them.

7. In what chapters and in what episodes of "Dead Souls" are Petersburg, Petersburg life mentioned? In which chapter, which of the characters and in what connection does the Tale of Captain Kopeikin tell? What folklore source does it go back to? What is the originality of the narration in the story about Kopeikin? How is Petersburg depicted here? What literary device is the author using here? What is the main conflict in The Tale...? What idea did the author want to convey to the reader by including the story of Kopeikin in the main text of Dead Souls?

8. What functions does the image of Chichikov perform in Dead Souls? What type of Russian life does he represent? What is the compositional role of Chichikov, what is the unusualness of this role? Consider the artistic means of creating the image of a hero, give examples of these means; pay special attention to the biography of the hero.

9. What aspects of the life of the people are revealed in Dead Souls? Tell us about the serf servants of Chichikov, about episodic characters - representatives of the people. Name the crafty peasants from among the "dead souls" sold to Chichikov by Sobakevich, briefly describe them. Name the fugitive peasant Plyushkin, who loved the free life. Which episodes of Dead Souls contain hints of the people's ability to revolt?

10. List all the author's digressions and other extra-plot elements of Dead Souls known to you. Consider in detail the digressions about the well-aimed Russian word, about youth, about two writers, about the delusions of mankind, about Rus', the parable about Kif Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich, as well as the digression about the trinity bird. How does the author of the work appear in these digressions?

11. Make a detailed outline and prepare an oral report on the topic: "Artistic means and techniques in the poem" Dead Souls "" (landscape, interior, portrait, comic situations, speech characteristics of heroes, proverbs; figurative parallelism, comparison, hyperbole, irony ).

12. Write an essay on the topic: "Varieties and artistic functions of details in N.V. Gogol's Dead Souls."

Many people associate the poem "Dead Souls" with mysticism, and for good reason. Gogol was the first Russian writer to combine the supernatural with reality. The second volume of "Dead Souls", the reasons for the burning of which are still debated, has become synonymous with an unrealized plan. The first volume is a manual on the life of the Russian nobility in the 1830s, an encyclopedia of landlord and bureaucratic sins. Memorable images, lyrical digressions filled with deep reflections, subtle satire - all this, coupled with the author's artistic talent, not only helps to understand the specific features of the era, but also brings true reader pleasure.

When it comes to Russian literature of the first half of the nineteenth century, two writers are most often remembered: Pushkin and Gogol. But not everyone, however, knows the following interesting fact: it was Pushkin who suggested to his friend the themes of The Inspector General and Dead Souls. The poet himself drew the idea from the story of fugitive peasants who did not have documents, who took the names of the dead and thus did not allow a single death to be registered in the city of Bendery.

Picking up the idea, Gogol began to develop a general plan. On October 7, 1835, he writes to Pushkin (this is when the documented history of the creation of the work begins):

Started writing Dead Souls. The plot stretched out into a long novel and, it seems, will be very funny.

Gogol's idea, according to one version, was to create a poem on the model of the Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri. The first volume is hell. The second is purgatory. The third one is heaven. We can only speculate about whether this was really the author's plan, and also about why Gogol did not finish the poem. There are two versions of this:

1. N.V. Gogol was a believer and listened to all the recommendations of his confessor (a priest who received his confessions and admonished him). It was the confessor who ordered him to burn the "Dead Souls" in its entirety, as he saw in them something ungodly and unworthy of a Christian. But the first volume had already spread so widely that it was impossible to destroy all copies. But the second at the stage of preparation was very vulnerable and fell victim to the author.
2. The writer created the first volume with enthusiasm and was pleased with it, but the second volume was artificial and forced, because it corresponded to Dante's concept. If hell in Russia could be depicted without difficulty, then heaven and purgatory did not correspond to reality and could not come out without a stretch. Gogol did not want to betray himself and try to do what was too far from the truth and alien to him.

Genre, direction

The main question is why the creation of "Dead Souls" is called a poem. The answer is simple: Gogol himself defined the genre in this way (obviously, in terms of structure, language and number of characters, this is an epic work, more precisely, a novel). Perhaps in this way he emphasized genre originality: the equality of the epic (actually a description of Chichikov's journey, way of life, characters) and lyrical (the author's reflections) began. According to a less common version, this is how Gogol made a reference to Pushkin, or put his work in opposition to "Eugene Onegin", which, on the contrary, is called a novel, although it has all the signs of a poem.

It is easier to deal with the literary direction. Obviously, the writer resorts to realism. This is indicated by a rather scrupulous description of the nobility, especially estates and landowners. The choice of direction is explained by the demiurgic task that Gogol chose for himself. In one work, he undertook to describe the whole of Russia, to bring to the surface all the bureaucratic dirt, all the lawlessness that is happening both in the country and inside every civil servant. Other areas simply do not have the necessary tools, Gogol's realism does not get along with, say, romanticism.

The meaning of the name

Probably the most famous oxymoron in Russian was used as the name. The very concept of the soul includes the concept of immortality, dynamism.

Obviously, dead souls are the subject around which Chichikov's machinations and, accordingly, all the events of the poem are built. But the poem is named not only and not so much to designate an extraordinary product, but because of the landowners who willingly sell or even give souls. They themselves are dead, but not physically, but spiritually. It is these people, according to Gogol, who make up the contingent of hell, it is they (according to the hypothesis of borrowing the composition from Dante) that heaven awaits after the atonement of sins. Only in the third volume could they become "alive".

Composition

The main feature of the Dead Souls composition is ring dynamics. Chichikov enters the city of NN, makes a journey inside it, during which he makes the acquaintances he needs and carries out the conceived scam, looks at the ball, after which he leaves - the circle closes.

In addition, acquaintances with landowners occur in descending order: from the least "dead soul", Manilov, to Plushkin, who is mired in debt and problems. The story about Captain Kopeikin, woven into the tenth chapter by the author as a story of one of the employees, is intended to show the mutual influence of a person and the state. It is noteworthy that Chichikov's biography is told in the last chapter, after his britzka left the city.

essence

The main character, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, comes to the provincial town of NN in order to buy dead souls from the landowners (supposedly for withdrawal, to the Kherson province, where the land was distributed for nothing), to pledge them to the board of trustees and receive two hundred rubles for each. In a word, he passionately desired to get rich and did not hesitate to use any methods. Upon arrival, he immediately gets acquainted with civil servants and charms them with his manners. No one suspects what a brilliant, but dishonest idea is at the heart of all his activities.

At first, everything went smoothly, the landowners were happy to meet the hero, sold or even gave him souls, invited him to visit them again. However, the ball that Chichikov attends before leaving almost ruined his reputation and nearly thwarted his machinations. Rumors begin to spread, gossip about his fraud, but the swindler manages to leave the city.

Main characters and their characteristics

Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov- "master of the middle hand." He is really an average character in everything: “not handsome, but not bad-looking, neither too fat nor too thin; one cannot say that he is old, but it is not so that he is too young. From the eleventh chapter we learn that in many respects his character was determined by his father's instruction to obey teachers and superiors in everything, and also to save a penny. Toadiness, cloying in communication, hypocrisy - all these are means to fulfill the father's decree. In addition, the hero has a sharp mind, he is characterized by cunning and dexterity, without which the idea with dead souls could not be realized (or perhaps would not have occurred to him). You can learn more about the hero from and from the Wise Litrekon.

The images of the landowners are described in accordance with the chronology of their appearance in the work.

• Manilov- the first landowner who gets acquainted with Chichikov and is on a par with him in terms of sweetness and vulgar mannerisms. But the motives of Chichikov's behavior are clearly defined, while Manilov is soft in himself. Soft and dreamy. If these qualities were reinforced by activity, his character could be classified as positive. However, everything that Manilov lives with is limited to demagoguery and wandering in the clouds. Manilov - from the word beckons. It is easy to get bogged down in it and its estate, to lose your bearings. However, Chichikov, true to his task, receives souls and continues on his way ...
• box he meets by chance when he can't find his way. She provides him with lodging for the night. Like Chichikov, Korobochka seeks to increase her wealth, but she lacks sharpness of mind, she is "club-headed". Her surname symbolizes the state of detachment from the outside world, limitation; she closed herself in her estate as if in a box, trying to see the benefit in every insignificant detail. You can find out more about this image in.
• Nozdrev- a real life burner. This is indicated at least by the fact that Chichikov's meeting with him took place in a tavern. In such institutions, Nozdrev spends his days. He does not deal with the affairs of his estate, but he drinks a lot, squanders money in cards. Egocentric, conceited. In every way he tries to arouse interest in his person, telling fables, composed by him. However, one should give him his due - he is the only landowner who refused to sell his soul to Chichikov.
• Sobakevich- A bear in human form. Also clumsy, also sleeps a lot and eats even more. Food is the main joy in his life. And after eating, sleep. He feeds Chichikov almost to death, which is reminiscent of Manilov, who also, as it were, “entangles the wanderer”, detaining him on the estate. However, Sobakevich is remarkably pragmatic. Everything in his household is sound, but without excessive pretentiousness. He trades with the main character for a long time, as a result he sells a lot of souls at a favorable price for himself.
• Plushkin- "tear on humanity." He abandoned the affairs of the estate, does not follow his own appearance so much that at the first meeting it is difficult to determine his gender. His passion for hoarding is the apotheosis of stinginess. His estate brings only losses, food is barely enough to survive (it spoils and rots in the barns), the peasants die. An ideal alignment for Chichikov, who buys many souls for next to nothing. Notice the connection between these characters. Only their biographies are given by the author, nothing is said about the past of the rest. This may serve as a basis for the hypothesis that it was they who could go through purgatory (second volume) and go to heaven in the third. The Wise Litrekon wrote more about this image in a small one.
• Captain Kopeikin- Veteran of the Great Patriotic War. He lost an arm and a leg, which forced him to stop working. He went to St. Petersburg to beg for benefits, however, having received nothing, he returned to his native city and, according to rumors, became a robber. This character embodied the image of an oppressed people, rejected by the state. It is noteworthy that the edition of the fragment, allowed by the then censorship, carries a diametrically opposite message: the state, not having the opportunity, helps the veteran, and he, despite this, goes against him. You can learn about the role and significance of this story from.
• trio bird, appearing at the very end of the poem, embodies Rus' and is also one of the characters. Where is she going? Chichikov's journey is the historical path of the country. His main problem is the lack of a home. He can't go anywhere. Odysseus had Ithaca, while Chichikov only had a britzka moving in an incomprehensible direction. Russia, according to the author, is also in search of its place in the world and, of course, will find it.
• Image of the author, revealed through lyrical digressions, brings a pinch of sanity into the swamp of sin and vice. He sarcastically describes his heroes and reflects on their fate, draws amusing parallels. His image combines cynicism and hope, a critical mindset and faith in the future. One of the most famous quotes written by Gogol on his own behalf is “What Russian does not like to drive fast?” - is familiar even to those who have not read the poem.
• The system of images introduced by Gogol still finds correspondence in reality. We meet walking Nozdrevs, sleepy Manilovs, enterprising opportunists like Chichikov. And Russia is still moving in an incomprehensible direction, still looking for its "home".

Topics and issues

1. The main theme in the poem is The historical path of Russia(in a broader sense - the theme of the road). The author tries to comprehend the imperfection of the bureaucratic apparatus that led to the current state of affairs. After the publication of Gogol's works, they scolded him for his lack of patriotism, for putting Russia in a bad light. He foresaw this and gave an answer to the skeptics in one of the digressions (the beginning of the seventh chapter), where he compared the fate of a writer who sings of the great, the sublime, with the fate of the one who dared to “call out everything that is every minute before the eyes and which indifferent eyes do not see, all terrible, amazing mire of trifles that have entangled our lives, the whole depth of cold, fragmented, everyday characters that our earthly, sometimes bitter and boring road is teeming with, and with the strong force of an inexorable chisel that dared to expose them convexly and brightly to the eyes of the people! A true patriot is not the one who does not notice and does not show the shortcomings of the homeland, but the one who plunges into them headlong, explores, describes in order to eradicate.
2. The theme of the relationship between people and power represented by the antithesis of landowners - peasants. The latter are the moral ideal of Gogol. Despite the fact that these people did not receive a good upbringing and education, it is in them that a glimpse of a real, living feeling is seen. It is their unbridled energy that is capable of transforming today's Russia. They are oppressed, but active, while the landlords have complete freedom, but sit idly by — this is what Gogol ridicules.
3. The phenomenon of the Russian soul is also the subject of the author's reflections. Despite all the problems raised in the book, our people are fraught with real wealth of talent and character. The Russian soul peeps through even in morally inferior landowners: Korobochka is caring and hospitable, Manilov is kind-hearted and open, Sobakevich is economic and businesslike, Nozdrev is cheerful and full of energy. Even Plyushkin is transformed when he remembers friendship. This means that Russian people are unique in nature, and even the worst of them have virtues and dormant abilities for creation.
4. Family Theme also interested the writer. The inferiority and coldness of the Chichikov family gave rise to vices in him, a talented young man. Plyushkin became a distrustful and malicious miser when he lost his support - his wife. The role of the family in the poem is the main one for the moral cleansing of dead souls.

The main problem of the work is the problem of "death of the Russian soul". The gallery of landlords of the first volume clearly demonstrates this phenomenon. Leo Tolstoy in the novel "Anna Karenina" derived the following formula, which later began to be applied to many areas of life: "All happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." She remarkably accurately notices the peculiarity of Gogol's characters. Although he shows us only one positive landowner (Costanjoglo from the second volume), and we cannot verify the first part of the formula, the second part is confirmed. The souls of all the characters in the first volume are dead, but in different ways.

Ultimately, it is the totality of characters, insignificant for society separately, that becomes the cause of a social and moral crisis. It turns out that every somewhat influential person by his activity can change the state of things in the city - Gogol comes to this conclusion.

Bribery and embezzlement, sycophancy, ignorance are integral parts of the problem of "mortification of the soul." Interestingly, all these phenomena were called "chichikovshchina", which was used by our ancestors for a long time.

Main idea

The main idea of ​​the poem lies in the seventh chapter, in a passage where Chichikov "revives" the souls he bought, fantasizes about what all these people could be. “Were you a master, or just a peasant, and what kind of death did you clean up?” the hero asks. He thinks about the fate of those whom he previously considered a commodity. This is the first glimpse of his soul, the first important question. Here the hypothesis about the possibility of cleansing the soul of Chichikov begins to seem plausible. If this is so, then every dead soul is capable of moral rebirth. The author believed in a happy and great future for Russia and associated it with the moral resurrection of its people.

In addition, Gogol shows the liveliness, spiritual strength, purity of every peasant character. “Stepan is a cork, that’s the hero that would fit into the guard!”, “Popov, a courtyard man, should be literate.” He does not forget to pay tribute to the workers, the peasants, although the subject of his coverage is the machinations of Chichikov, his interaction with the rotten bureaucracy. The purpose of these descriptions is not so much to show as to ridicule and condemn dead souls in order to raise the conscious reader to a new height of understanding and help him set the country on the right course.

What does it teach?

Everyone will draw their own conclusions after reading this book. Someone will object to Gogol: the problems of corruption and fraud are characteristic to one degree or another for any country, they cannot be eliminated completely. Someone will agree with him and affirm in the idea that the soul is the only thing that any person should take care of.

If it were necessary to single out a single morality, it could look like this: a person, whoever he may be, cannot live a full life and be happy if he does not use energy for creative purposes, while enriching himself illegally. Interestingly, even vigorous activity, coupled with illegal methods, cannot make a person happy. As an example - Chichikov, forced to hide the true motives of his behavior and fear for the disclosure of his plans.

Artistic details and language

Grotesque is Gogol's favorite technique. The well-known Soviet literary critic Boris Eikhenbaum in the article "How Gogol's Overcoat is made" showed that his genius is manifested not so much in the content of the works as in their form. The same can be said about Dead Souls. Playing with different stylistic registers - pathetic, ironic, sentimental - Gogol creates a real comedy. The grotesque lies in the discrepancy between the seriousness and importance of the chosen topic and the language used. The writer was guided by the principle "the longer we look at a funny work, the sadder it seems." With a satirical style, he lured the reader, forcing him to return to the text and see the terrible truth under humor.

A striking example of satire is the use of speaking surnames. Some of them are described in the section on characteristics of landowners. One can argue about the meaning of some (Disrespect-Trough, Arrive-not-arrive, Sparrow). Historicisms (britchka, goats, irradiation) make the details difficult to understand for the modern reader.

Meaning, originality and features

"Dead Souls" occupy a central place in Gogol's work. Despite the fact that "we all came out of Gogol's "Overcoat"" (according to Eugene de Vogüet), the poem about Chichikov also needs to be carefully studied.

There are many interpretations of the text. The most popular is the continuity with respect to the Divine Comedy. The poet, writer and literary critic Dmitry Bykov believes that Gogol was guided by Homer's Odyssey. He draws the following parallels: Manilov - Sirens, Korobochka - Circe, Sobakevich - Polyphemus, Nozdrev - Aeolus, Plyushkin - Scylla and Charybdis, Chichikov - Odysseus.

The poem is interesting for the presence of many features that are available only to professional researchers and writers. For example, at the beginning of the first chapter we read: “His entry made absolutely no noise in the city and was not accompanied by anything special; only two Russian peasants, standing at the door of the tavern opposite the hotel, made some remarks ... ". Why clarify that the men are Russians, if it is clear that the action takes place in Russia? This is the “figure of fiction” technique characteristic of the poem, when something (often a lot) is said, but nothing is defined. We see the same thing in the description of the "averaged" Chichikov.

Another example is the awakening of the hero at Korobochka as a result of a fly flying into his nose. Mukha and Chichikov actually play similar roles - they awaken from sleep. The first awakens the hero himself, while Chichikov wakes up the dead city and its inhabitants with his arrival.

Criticism

Herzen wrote "Dead souls shook Russia." Pushkin exclaimed: "God, how sad our Russia is!" Belinsky put the work above everything that was in Russian literature, however, he complained about the extremely pompous lyricism, which was not combined with the theme and message (obviously, he perceived only the content, rejecting the ingenious language game). O.I. Senkovsky believed that Dead Souls was a playful comparison with all the great epics.

There were many statements of critics and amateurs about the poem, they are all different, but one thing is certain: the work caused a huge resonance in society, made it look deeper at the world, ask serious questions. It is unlikely that a creation can be called great if it pleases and pleases everyone. Greatness comes later, in heated debate and exploration. Time must pass so that people can appreciate the works of geniuses, among which, undoubtedly, Nikolai Gogol is included.

Text essay:

Does the end always justify the means? It is this question that the Russian writer Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol asks in the text offered to me.

Arguing about this problem on the pages of the poem "Dead Souls", the author draws a dual image of the protagonist. On the one hand, he (Chichikov) has a great desire to "do a hot service, conquer and overcome everything." We see a selfless, patient and self-limiting person in all needs. On the other hand, the writer clarifies by what means the hero achieved his goal: he "began to please his boss in all sorts of inconspicuous little things", began to look after his daughter and even promised to marry her. The author shows that in order to achieve a successful career, Chichikov neglects the laws of morality: he is deceitful, prudent, hypocritical and cynical. It is no coincidence that in the final part of the fragment, N.V. Gogol emphasizes that the moral “threshold” was the most difficult and after that it was not difficult for the hero to deceive, please and be mean in order to achieve his goals. So the author warns the reader: it is easy to turn off the moral path - it is difficult to return to it. Gogol suggests thinking: is it worth it to go against universal principles, to become a scoundrel even for the sake of achieving what you want?

Of course, I agree with this point of view and I believe that the desire to achieve what you want at any cost not only does not lead to happiness and well-being, but can also affect the lives of other people.

I would like to substantiate my point of view by referring to the novel by Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy "War and Peace". On the example of his heroine Helen Kuragina, a woman of impeccable external beauty and gloss, we understand what a selfish desire to achieve one's own can lead to. Hunting for the wealth of Count Bezukhov, she achieves her goal: she marries Pierre, becomes one of the richest women in St. Petersburg. But marriage does not bring happiness to young people: Helen does not love her husband, does not respect him, continues to lead her usual way of life. We see how the cynical calculation of the heroine leads to the collapse of the family. The story of Helen and Pierre makes you think about whether it makes sense to achieve the desired goal by any means.

I would like to justify my position by referring to Richard Matheson's story "Press the Button". Before us is the average Lewis family. At first glance, we cannot reproach Arthur and Norma with lack of spirituality, because at first Mr. Stewart's offer to exchange the life of a stranger for fifty thousand dollars causes disgust and indignation among the spouses. Unfortunately, the very next day, the heroine begins to seriously think about the tempting, in her opinion, offer of the agent. We see how in this difficult internal struggle the dream of traveling around Europe, a new cottage, fashionable clothes wins... Reading this story, you understand that the inability to prioritize, the rejection of generally accepted values ​​is detrimental to a person: the price of Norma's desires was the life of her husband Arthur. Thus, Richard Matheson showed what the desire to achieve what you want at any cost can lead to.

The works of N.V. Gogol, L.N. Tolstoy and R. Matheson make it possible to understand that a person should not set goals for himself, the achievement of which requires the rejection of the universal laws of morality.

Text by N. V. Gogol

Leaving the school, he did not even want to rest: he had such a strong desire to soon set to work and service. He got an insignificant place, a salary of thirty or forty rubles a year. But he decided to hotly engage in service, to conquer and overcome everything. And, precisely, self-sacrifice, patience and limitation of needs, he showed unheard of. Among other officials, Chichikov could not help but be noticed and distinguished, representing in everything the perfect opposite, both in the goodness of his face, and the friendliness of his voice, and the complete non-use of any strong drinks.

But for all that, his path was difficult. He fell under the command of an already elderly assistant, who was the image of some kind of stone insensitivity and indestructibility. It seemed that there was no human strength to get close to such a person and attract his favor, but Chichikov tried. First, he began to please in all sorts of inconspicuous trifles: he carefully examined the feathers with which he wrote, and, having prepared several according to their model, put them under his arm each time; he blew and swept sand and tobacco from his table; got a new rag for his inkwell; I found somewhere his hat, the worst hat that ever existed in the world, and every time I put it near him a minute before the end of the presence; cleaned his back if he stained it with chalk against the wall. But all this was decidedly left without any comment, as if nothing of this had been done. Finally, he sniffed out his domestic, family life: he found out that he had a mature daughter, with a nondescript face, exactly like that of an old man. From this side he came up with the idea of ​​inducing an attack. He found out what church she went to on Sundays, every time he stood against her, cleanly dressed, starched heavily on his shirt-front, and the matter was a success: the stern priest staggered and called him for tea! And in the office they didn’t have time to look back, how things turned out in such a way that Chichikov moved into his house, became a necessary and necessary person, bought flour and sugar, treated his daughter like a bride, a father’s assistant and kissed him on the hand. Everyone put in the ward that at the end of February, before Lent, there would be a wedding. The stern assistant even began to fuss with the chief for him, and after a while Chichikov himself was appointed assistant to one vacant position that had opened up. This, it seemed, was the main purpose of his connections with the old associate, because he immediately sent his chest secretly home and the next day found himself in another apartment. The clerk ceased to call him papa and did not kiss his hand again, and the matter of the wedding was so hushed up, as if nothing had happened at all. However, every time he met him, he affectionately shook his hand and invited him to tea, so that the old clerk, despite his eternal immobility and callous indifference, shook his head every time and said to himself under his breath: !"

It was the most difficult threshold he had crossed. Since then, things have gotten easier and more successful. He became a prominent person. Everything turned out to be in him that is necessary for this world: both pleasantness in turns and actions, and glibness in business affairs.

(According to N.V. Gogol)

Dead and living souls in the poem "Dead Souls".

Goals: deepen students' understanding of the main conflict of the poem; help clarify the public position of the author of “Dead Souls; to determine the main character traits of Manilov, Korobochka, Nozdrev, Sobakevich, Plyushkin; pay attention to the general plan of the image of the landowners; to comprehend why the author made Chichikov the central hero of the poem; consider the motives of the behavior of city officials; generalize students' knowledge of the poem, consider how the people are depicted, what the writer sees as his strength and weakness.

1. The main conflict of the poem "Dead Souls".

2.Characteristics of various types of landowners. Souls "dead":

Manilov

Sobakevich

box

Nozdrev

Plushkin

3. The image of Chichikov.

4. Living souls are the embodiment of the talent of the people.

5. The moral degradation of the people is the result of the moral emptiness of society.

The peak of creativity was the poem "Dead Souls". Starting to create his grandiose work, he wrote: “All Rus' will appear in it!”

AT basis of the conflict of the poem Gogol put the main contradiction of contemporary reality between the gigantic spiritual forces of the people and their bondage. Gogol turned to the most pressing problems of that time: the state of the landlord economy, the moral character of the local and bureaucratic nobility, the relationship of the peasantry with the authorities, the fate of the peoples of Russia. In Gogol's poem "Dead Souls" a whole gallery of types, which have become common nouns, is displayed. Gogol consistently depicts officials, landowners and the main character of Chichikov's poem. The plot of the poem is built as a story of the adventures of Chichikov, an official who buys up dead souls.

Half of the first volume of the poem is devoted to the characteristics of various types of Russian landowners. Gogol creates five portraits, unlike each other, but at the same time, each of them shows the typical features of a Russian landowner. The images of the landlords are presented in the poem in contrast, because they carry various vices. One after the other, each spiritually more insignificant than the previous one, the owners of the estates follow: Manilov, Korobochka, Nozdrev, Sobakevich, Plyushkin. If Manilov is sentimental and sweet to the point of cloying, then Sobakevich is straightforward and rude. Their views on life are polar: for Manilov, everyone around is beautiful, for Sobakevich - robbers and swindlers. Manilov does not show real concern for the well-being of the peasants, for the well-being of the family, he entrusts all management to the rogue clerk, who ruins both the peasants and the landowner. But Sobakevich is a strong owner, ready for any scam for the sake of profit. Manilov is a careless dreamer, Sobakevich is a cynical fist-burner.

Korobochka's heartlessness is manifested in petty hoarding. The only thing that worries her is the price of hemp, honey; not to cheapen the sale of dead souls. Korobochka reminds Sobakevich of stinginess, passion for profit, although the stupidity of the "clubhead" brings these qualities to a comical limit.

"Accumulators", Sobakevich and Korobochka, are opposed to "squanderers" - Nozdrev and Plyushkin. Nozdrev is a desperate wast and a reveler, a devastator and destroyer of the economy. His energy turned into a scandalous fuss, aimless and destructive.

If Nozdryov let his entire fortune go to the wind, then Plyushkin turned his own into one appearance. That, the last line, to which the mortification of the soul can lead a person, Gogol shows on the example of Plyushkin, whose image completes the gallery of landowners. This hero is terrible and pathetic, because, unlike previous characters, he loses not only spirituality, but also his human appearance. Chichikov, seeing him, wonders for a long time whether this is a man or a woman, and, finally, decides that the housekeeper is in front of him. Meanwhile, this is a landowner, the owner of more than a thousand souls and huge storerooms. True, in these pantries bread rots, flour turns into stone, cloth and canvas into dust. A no less terrible picture appears to the eye in the manor house, where everything is covered with dust and cobwebs, and in the corner of the room “a bunch of things that are coarser and unworthy to lie on the tables are piled up. It was difficult to decide what exactly was in this heap, how difficult it is to “get to the bottom of what the master’s dressing gown was concocted from.

How did it happen that a rich, educated man, a nobleman turned into a "hole in humanity"? To answer this question, Gogol refers to the hero's past. The writer very accurately traces the degradation of a person, and the reader understands that a person is not born a monster, but becomes one. So the soul could live! But Gogol notices that over time a person submits himself to the laws prevailing in society and betrays the ideals of youth.

All Gogol's landowners are bright, memorable characters. But their essence is the same: owning living souls, they themselves have long turned into dead souls. They lack spiritual content, so these characters are funny.

Convincing the reader that his landlords are typical, Gogol names other nobles, characterizing them even by their surnames: Svinin, Trepakin, Blokhin, Kisses, Careless, etc.

Gogol shows the reason for the necrosis of the soul of a person by the example of the formation of the character of the protagonist - Chichikov. Joyless childhood, devoid of parental love and affection, service and the example of officials - bribe-takers - these factors have formed a scoundrel, who is like his entire environment. In the final chapter, supplementing Chichikov's biography, he is finally exposed as a clever predator, acquirer and entrepreneur of the bourgeois warehouse, a civilized scoundrel, the master of life. But Chichikov, differing from the landlords in enterprise, is also a "dead" soul. The happiness of a “decent person” is based on money. Calculation ousted all human feelings from him.

Gogol shows the appearance in Russian life of a new man who has neither a noble family nor a title, but who, at the cost of his own efforts, thanks to his mind and resourcefulness, is trying to make a fortune. His ideal is a penny; marriage is thought of as a bargain. Having quickly guessed a person, he knows how to approach everyone in a special way. The inner diversity is also emphasized by his appearance: “There was a gentleman sitting in the britzka, neither too fat nor too thin, one cannot say that he was old, but not so that he was too young.” Gogol was able to discern in his contemporary society the features of an emerging type and brought them together in the image of Chichikov.

- City officialsNN even more impersonal than the landowners. Their deadness is shown in the ball scene: people are not visible, muslins, atlases, tailcoats, uniforms, shoulders, necks, ribbons are everywhere. The whole interest of life is focused on gossip, gossip, envy. They differ from each other only in the size of the bribe. These are also "dead" souls.

But behind the dead souls of Chichikov, officials and landowners, Gogol discerned the living souls of the peasants, the strength of the national character. According to Gogol's poem, they show through "behind the dead souls are the living souls." The talent of the people is revealed in the dexterity of the coachman Mikheev, the shoemaker Telyatnikov, the carpenter Stepan Cork. The strength and sharpness of the people's mind were reflected in the glibness and accuracy of the Russian word, the depth and integrity of the Russian feeling - in the sincerity of the Russian song, the breadth and generosity of the soul - in the unrestrained fun of folk holidays.

However, serf death destroys the good inclinations in a person, destroys the people. Against the background of the majestic boundless expanses of Rus', the real pictures of Russian life seem especially bitter. Gogol sees how high and good qualities are distorted in the realm of "dead" souls, how desperate peasants die, rushing into any risky business, just to get out of serfdom.

Not finding the truth from the supreme power, Captain Kopeikin, helping himself, becomes the ataman of the robbers. The Tale of Captain Kopeikin reminds the authorities of the threat of a revolutionary uprising in Russia.

Depicting Russia in the poem “from one side” in its negative essence, in stunning “pictures of triumphant evil and suffering hatred”, Gogol once again convinces that in his time “it is impossible otherwise to direct society or even the whole generation towards beauty, until you show all the depth of his true abomination."

1. What is the meaning of the title of the poem?

2. Why is the chapter about Chichikov's biography located at the end of the work?

Literature lesson in the 9th grade on the topic: "Dead Souls" - the history of creation, features of the plot, the system of images. Chichikov and landowners"

Article categorized under: Teaching Literature

Lesson Objectives:

2. A more detailed examination of the chapters telling about Chichikov's visit to the landowners;

3. Teaching analytical retelling.

Vocabulary work:

Image system.

Equipment:

Portrait of a writer

Creative work of students

Projector,

Illustrations for the works of Gogol.

During the classes

I. Implementation of homework:

At the beginning of our lesson, I want to conduct a small quiz, which will be the implementation of your homework and prepare you for the perception of a new topic. I want to draw attention to the illustrations presented on the board. Some of them can be a small hint in your work. So, quiz questions.

Quiz.

1.Where and when was he born?

2. What education did Gogol receive?

3. What was the name of the gymnasium literary magazines, the organizer and participant of which was Gogol?

4. What female role did the gogol play in the student performance?

6. What was the name of the beekeeper on whose behalf the story is being told in “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka”?

7. In which theater was Gogol's play "The Inspector General" staged for the first time?

8. Who owns the words said after the first performance of the "Inspector": "Well, a play! Everyone got it, but I got it more than everyone! ”?

9. What proverb did Gogol take as an epigraph to the comedy "The Government Inspector"?

10. In what year does the play "The Inspector General" take place?

11. Where is the city in which the events of the play "The Inspector General" take place?

(collection of sheets with students' answers)

It was a quiz on the works of Gogol, studied earlier. Similar quizzes and tests have been prepared by you yourself today.

1st student: test on the story "Terrible revenge"

2nd student: test on the story "Taras Bulba"

3rd student: test on the comedy "The Government Inspector"

Introduction by the teacher.

... Much is known about the work and life of the Russian writer Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, but very little is known about the spiritual life of the writer.

Penetration into the depths of the soul is potentially accessible to many, however, only a few rush from external life to a different “side”, more precisely: to the point of intersection of the lines of time and space, beyond the known, studied and supposedly becoming the law for the direction of thought. Is a deep understanding of Gogol's work possible today?

Today we have an unusual lesson for you. A new meeting with the great writer and his work will not happen the way it usually happens in the classroom. Today you yourself will hold this meeting and introduce yourself to each other with the material that you have picked up in the course of your research.

II. Theme announcement. The study of the material by students.

1st presentation. History of creation. Image system. Chichikov and landowners.

2nd presentation. Genre originality.

3rd presentation. Chichikov and landowners.

III. Teacher's word.

And now I want to draw your attention to how I prepared for this lesson. I, too, like you, wanted to talk about what I conceived my poem thanks to A.S. Pushkin, whom I considered my teacher. He often visited him (to present a picture of the artist), often reread his manuscripts to him and consulted with the poet. A. Zhukovsky was also a connoisseur of Gogol's creativity.

When the manuscript was first read by Gogol to Pushkin and Zhukovsky, one of them exclaimed, "God, how sad our Russia is!"

I want to supplement the speeches of our students with the definition of the poem.

A poem is a lyrical epic genre, a poetic narrative work with a detailed plot and a pronounced lyrical assessment of what is being narrated.

Presentation by the teacher of the reference scheme. The construction of the poem "Dead Souls". Image system.

Russia… How much it means to many of us! No matter how our life develops in the future, it will always be with us in the corner of our heart, our soul. Feeling of Motherland, Russia... What does it mean for us? Russia is our home, and mother, and the street on which we grew up, and our Russian bread and salt. The Russian soul is so broad, direct, emotional. Do you remember from Gogol: "Isn't it you, Rus, that you are a brisk, unbeatable troika, rushing along?"? Troika is not only Rus', but all of its nature, its villages and cities, it's all Russian.

All Rus' appeared in this work. Together with the adventurer Chichikov, whose goal was to buy dead serfs, "dead souls", we saw Russia of the 19th century with its shortcomings, vices, with its acute social problems and contradictions, the landlord and bureaucratic world, the world of "dead souls", the whole tragedy people.

Many pages of the poem are directly devoted to the Motherland, Russia, its future.

Here is the realm of officials, which we saw during Chichikov's travels in Russia. It is no coincidence that the city where Gogol's hero stopped at the beginning of his journey was named city N by the author. This letter N means that at the time of the writer there were many such impersonal cities, they all looked alike. The kingdom of officials is in a dead sleep. Talking about the habits of city residents, Gogol makes a remark that allows us to attribute the symbolic meaning of the name “Dead Souls” to the city: “All those who have long stopped all acquaintances and knew only, as they say, with the landowners Zavalishin and Polezhaev (famous terms derived from verbs to lie down and fall down, which are in great use in Rus')”.

We see lazy Rus' not only in the image of the landowners, but also in the guise of the city itself: “He also looked into the city garden, which consisted of thin trees, badly accepted, with props below, in the form of triangles, very beautifully painted with green oil paint.” For city dwellers, green paint replaces the greenery of the trees. Gogol mockingly compares the "badly accepted, thin" trees with their luxurious description in the newspapers. Yes, servility reigned in Russia and among its sentimental inhabitants.

But what about landlord Russia? Traveling with Chichikov through the pages of the poem, we see that the real-life landowners are actually "dead souls". The Manilov estate is the front facade of Russia. Inside the house is empty, dirty, the colors are gray, and wasteful idleness coexists nearby.

Nozdryov burns life without any purpose of existence. Plyushkin's avarice turned into extravagance. Korobochka's life is the personification of hoarding in Russia. It turns out that there are no "living souls" in the city of N and in its district? Well, they are not in Rus' either, has it died out? But what about the peasants? Herzen said that in Gogol's poem, "behind dead souls - living souls" appear.

The simple Russian people are talented, but Chichikov does not notice this throughout his journey, because he himself is a "dead soul." The astute reader will surely notice this. The coachman Mikheev, the carpenter Stepan Cork - their talent is revealed in their dexterity, in the breadth and generosity of the soul, in rage and unrestrained fun ... round dances, songs, the whole square boils ... ”The living power of the people is also emphasized by the unwillingness of the peasants to endure oppression. Proof of this is the murder of assessor Drobyazhkin, the mass exodus from the landowners.

High and good qualities are distorted in the realm of "dead souls", peasants are dying, driven to despair. “Oh, the Russian people! does not like to die a natural death!”

The conflict of the poem lies in the contradiction of Gogol's contemporary reality, the spiritual forces of the people and their bondage.

We have done a lot of research work today. I am glad to see that in your presentations you spoke about the composition of the poem and about its genre originality, and asked questions about the meaning of the poem. Much of your research is the material of the following lessons. But I want to ask one more question in this lesson.

Why didn't Gogol finish his poem?

Gogol dreamed of creating a harmonious trilogy. In the first part, vice triumphs, in the second - it is reborn into virtue, in the third - it does good deeds. However, if for the first volume of "Dead Souls" Russian life provided material in abundance, then already in the second - the writer had to rely solely on the flight of his own imagination. For some reason, crooks did not want to turn into fighters for justice, landowners - to live for the good of their serfs, officials - to return the bribes they received and publicly repent of committing malfeasance. The case was limited to the partial collapse of Chichikov's scam with dead souls at the end of the first volume. The ideological task of the writer - to show the attractive aspects of Russian reality and the transformation of a bad person into a good one turned out to be in an insoluble contradiction both with the truth of life and with the creative possibilities of Gogol himself. And I want to finish this lesson with the words of our contemporary poet Pyotr Vegin.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol,

eternal overcoat - vnakid,

surveying our nakedness,

sits in his yard.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol…

Who can figure out

like a burn

is there a seal on his forehead?

Having started a lie with himself,

He put the fireplace in the mouth,

Like a devoted dog

"Dead Souls" part two!

But the chimney pipe

handwritten puffing smoke,

satanic round dance

The hero himself and after him -

all others.

That's the way it is!

How can this be

If the manuscript is burned

Did the hero live?

Through the distance, through the years

He's been abandoned

Chimney catapult

In a modern environment

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol,

how much longer to sit

not at odds with himself and with God,

to look into the clean street?

There stands at the crossroads

near the city gates

among the heroes of our everyday life

dead souls an old kind.

And as in a circus in the arena,

in their rooms is not new.

everything marjazhit yes manezhit

whip, hanyga Khlestakov!

Fireproof, even if it cracks,

in this century, as well as in that ...

Apparently, you have to get up from the chair,

Write a burned volume.

V. Homework

1. Prepare questions - tests to test knowledge of the text.

2. Creative work - the coat of arms of the landowner. (to introduce students to similar work, to present the creative work of older comrades)

Methodical development of a literature lesson in the 9th grade on the topic "Who is Chichikov: a scoundrel, an acquirer or ...?"

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Article categorized under: Literature teaching

The purpose of the lesson for the teacher:

create conditions conducive to the formation of a holistic assessment of a literary hero.

1) Tutorial: to continue the formation of the ability to give a comprehensive assessment of the literary hero;

2) Developing: develop the communicative culture of students;

3) Nurturing: to form a value attitude towards a literary hero, to cultivate tolerance for the existence of different points of view on the same fact.

Equipment:

portraits of Chichikov and landlords, statements of literary scholars about Chichikov, Fogelson’s scheme, the text of the poem “Dead Souls”, “Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language”, tables: “The author about his hero”, “What brings Chichikov closer to landowners”, “What is the difference between Chichikov and landowners ”, “The qualities of Chichikov, which contributed to his career growth.”

Lesson plan

I. Actualization of basic knowledge (staging of the episode of the story “Stalked”) - exposition (introduction to the topic of the lesson).

II. Isolating the problem of the lesson: “Who is Chichikov: “scoundrel”, “acquirer” or ...?”

III. Problem Research

3.1. Chichikov in the understanding of critics.

3.2. Chichikov through the eyes of landowners and officials of the city N N: "a pleasant person."

3.3. What brings Chichikov closer to the landowners?

3.4. How is Chichikov different from landlords?

3.5. What qualities of a business person contributed to his career growth?

3.7. Can Chichikov be called a “dead soul”? (Analysis of two episodes: scenes of a meeting with a blonde and scenes at a ball).

3.8.Is there any hope for the revival of the hero?

3.9. Why is the image of Chichikov so contradictory?

3.10. The place of the image of Chichikov in the gallery of literary heroes. Chichikov and Molchalin.

IV. Lesson results.

During the classes

This character is the most difficult

I. Exposition (introduction to the topic of the lesson).

The lesson begins with staging an episode of the story “Stalled”.

The plot of the story is quite simple: the hero, listening to his son cramming the passage about the trio bird from “Dead Souls”, assigned to the house, involuntarily thinks about the question: “Who is being taken? Horses? This ... Chichikov? This bastard is being transported, who bought up dead souls, traveled around the edge ... Rus' is a troika, everything rattles, everything is flooded, and in the troika - a swindler, a cheat ... ”

This question tormented the main character of Vasily Shukshin's story, Roman Zvyagin.

This question has been asked by generations of readers. Interest in Chichikov, the main character of the poem "Dead Souls", does not weaken even now.

What is the attraction of this image? Why, since the publication of the poem in print, the controversy around it has not ceased?

The answer to this question lies in the statement of the young Chernyshevsky: "This character is the most difficult."

In the minds of many generations of readers, they collided and argued among themselves with different impressions and opposite feelings.

How to explain the ambiguity in the assessment of the protagonist of the poem by readers?

On the one hand, Gogol calls him a scoundrel: “No, it's time to finally hide the scoundrel. So, let's harness the scoundrel!"

And in the same chapter, another characterization sounds: “That he is not a hero, full of perfection and virtue, this is evident. Who is he? So, a scoundrel? Why a scoundrel, why be so strict with others? .. It is more fair to call him: the owner, the acquirer. Acquisition is the fault of everything; because of him, deeds were produced, to which the light gives the name of not very clean deeds ... "

So who is Chichikov: "scoundrel," acquirer "or ...?

II. Isolation of the problem of the lesson. Message about the topic and purpose of the lesson.

That is the topic of our today's lesson.

Today we will look at Chichikov through the eyes of different people: literary critics, heroes of the poem, through the eyes of a modern reader and, of course, through the eyes of the author himself. Such a multifaceted view will help to comprehend the riddle of the complex nature of the protagonist, deepen the understanding of the ideological and artistic originality of the poem.

III. Study of the problem.

We give the floor to literary critics.

V. Kozhinov: “Chichikov is a truly strong personality…”.

: “In the epic with“ dead souls ”the diabolical energy and ingenuity of Chichikov, his character as a businessman and inventor of a new formation was most clearly revealed ...”.

V. Nabokov: "Fool ... it was stupid to trade dead souls with an old woman and Nozdryov."

: "One of Chichikov's qualities is the ability to mimicry, the contradiction between the desire to appear and the inner essence of character."

: "One active person - Chichikov, and that limited rogue."

“After all, he cheats, and a cheat cannot but take risks. The life of a rogue consists of ups and downs - such is the law. But still, but still…”

: “Chichikov, different from the landowners, is also a “dead soul”. He is inaccessible to the "shining joy of life."

So, Chichikov, in the understanding of critics, is “a rogue”, “synthetic character”, “ordinary”, “a fool capable of mimicry”, “businessman”, “acquirer” - and a completely opposite point of view: “strong personality”. Literary critics not only disagreed, but also expressed completely opposite points of view.

. -What will the heroes of the poem say about Chichikov?

Let's listen to those from whom Chichikov bought dead souls.

Word to Manilov!

Manilov:

“Pavel Ivanovich?! O! This is an extremely pleasant, educated person. He honored us with his dear Lizanka with his visit ... Really, it really brought pleasure ... May day ... name day of the heart ... Yes, the chance brought me happiness, one might say, exemplary to talk with Pavel Ivanovich and enjoy a pleasant conversation. - Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka! What can you say about Chichikov?

Box:

"AND! That visitor? He then bought dead souls from me for 15 rubles. And he also buys bird feathers. And he promised to buy a lot of things. And he also puts fat in the treasury, and therefore, probably, a rogue.

- Let's hear what Nozdryov has to say about Chichikov.

Nozdryov:

“Who is Chichikov? Yes, he is a big scammer. If I were his boss, then, by God, I would hang him on the first tree. I also wanted, he is such a pig, a sort of cattle breeder, to take away the governor's daughter. I myself undertook to help him in this matter, because we are great friends! Do you want to know who Chichikov is?! Yes, he is a fetyuk, in a word, fetyuk. Now you can see that he is two-faced. Now I know him well, such, really, rakalia. I used to think that he was at least somewhat decent, but he didn't understand any kind of conversion. You can not talk to him in any way, as with a close person. No frankness, no sincerity! Perfect Sobakevich, such a scoundrel!!!”

- Mikhailo Semyonovich Sobakevich! What is your opinion about Chichikov?

Sobakevich:

“Chichikov is a good person.

Word to Stepan Plyushkin! What can you say about Chichikov?

Plushkin:

“Yes, I must admit, I see little use in this Chichikov: he has started an obscene custom of visiting, and there are omissions in the household ... and feed the horses with hay. So we listened to those from whom Chichikov bought not quite familiar goods - dead souls. And what did we hear? “The most pleasant, most educated person”, “a rogue”, “such rubbish”, “generous”. Opinions are different, but in general - a good person.

- And what will the officials of the city of NN say: the governor, the prosecutor, the chief of police, the chairman of the chamber?

Governor:

"Chichikov is a well-intentioned person."

Prosecutor:

"Pavel Ivanovich is a practical person."

Chief of Police:

"He is a respectable and amiable man."

Chamber President:

"A knowledgeable and respectable person."

- Let's hear the opinion of the ladies about Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov.

Ladies of NN City:

“Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov?! The kindest and most kind person.

And here the most flattering reviews were heard.

Thus, Chichikov made a good impression on everyone. So Chichikov is a good person!? Yes. But in whose mind? In the view of those whom Alexander Ivanovich Herzen called "dead souls", and Gogol - "non-smokers".

believes that Chichikov is related to dead souls, is their mirror, and therefore makes a good impression on them.

. - So, what brings Chichikov closer to the landowners - "non-smokers"?

Chichikov is somewhat similar to each of them. (In the Manilovian spirit, he daydreamed at the evening at the police chief, imagined himself a Kherson landowner. Like Korobochka, he saves money in a bag. In collecting all kinds of rubbish, he is not inferior to Plyushkin. worse than Nozdryov) Chichikov does not care about the public good. (All his activities are selfish and contrary to the high ideals of morality and humanity)

Thus, Chichikov is a "collector" of the negative traits of all landowners.

- How is Chichikov different from the landowners?

Chichikov has a past. (This is a “sour-uncomfortable” childhood, and the first lessons of thrift, and years of study, years of service in the state chamber and at customs, until the moment when Chichikov got the idea of ​​acquiring dead souls) Chichikov, unlike the landowners, reflects, trying to analyze his actions. (After one of his failures - dismissal from customs for smuggling - he thinks: “Why me? Why did trouble fall on me? .... Why do others prosper, and why should I disappear like a worm?”) Chichikov’s character is given in development. (From event to event, the thirst for profit grows in him) Chichikov has energy and will. Chichikov "was not mastered by stinginess and stinginess." (“There was no attachment in him to money for the sake of money. No, it was not they that moved him: he imagined life ahead in all contentment, with all the prosperity”) Chichikov starts “from scratch” and makes his way through his own efforts.

Thus, Chichikov, unlike the landowners, is endowed with will, energy, he has a goal to which he, overcoming obstacles, tirelessly strives. Patiently, stubbornly, he overcomes service barriers, gradually climbing the career ladder.

Here is the Vogelson diagram. (see appendix 1)

It reflects the main milestones of Chichikov's life path, the history of his ups and downs. They inevitably replace each other. But, pay attention, after another crash, Chichikov again reaches the top, makes a career.

.- What qualities of Chichikov contributed to his career growth, and, consequently, enrichment?

The ability to do something at the right time, to plan a “business” that brings profit. Practicality, ingenuity. Purposefulness. The ability to conduct “cases” (from the category of unclean ones). Ability to maintain a conversation breadth of interests. Knows human psychology. (Chichikov easily reincarnates and easily passes from one manner of behavior to another, without changing, however, in anything either himself or his goals.) He knows how to make a good impression. The typical appearance of a business prosperous person. Mimicry, adaptability. (When he finds himself in a new environment, in any environment, he immediately acquires its color, its color, everywhere becoming “his own”, a close person. Constant adaptability perfectly polished Chichikov: sharp, sharp features are alien to his appearance, the stamp of some kind of streamlining also lies on his external portrait) The ability to withstand “under the blows of fate”.

So, in Chichikovo there is everything that this world needs, everything that promotes career growth leads to enrichment.

If you create a portrait of Chichikov according to these characteristics, excluding the author's view of the main character, then you get a portrait of an interesting business person.

Chichikov is driven by one passion - acquisition. Money is the only purpose of his life. Father's admonition: “And most of all, take care and save a penny: this thing is more reliable than anything in the world,” “buried deep into the soul,” went for the future. The desire to acquire a penny, which led Chichikov from early childhood, turned into a passionate thirst for wealth. Maybe the desire to have money is not so bad. But the fact is that for Chichikov there are no moral ideals, and he does not shun, does not disdain any means. Any means to achieve the goal is good.

Thus, the scope for Chichikov does not really matter. He cares about the result. Chichikov believes in nothing but money. He does not give a moral assessment of his action. Maybe there was an attempt to analyze one's actions once, after the confiscation of stolen goods at customs: “Why me? Why did trouble fall on me ... ". But this is most likely an attempt to justify itself.

On the way to the goal, he commits a betrayal in relation to the old teacher. But that doesn't bother him. Money for Chichikov is more important than the fate of the person who used to love him. So, the lack of moral ideals, the passion for profit kills everything human in the main character, corrupts his soul.

“Do not look deeper into the soul of Chichikov, do not stir at the bottom of it what escapes and hides from the light, do not reveal the innermost thoughts that a person does not entrust to anyone else, but show him as he seemed to the whole city, Manilov and other people , and everyone would be welcome and take him for an interesting person, ”he writes about his hero.

But thanks to the penetrating, testing look of the author, the main character appeared in a different, true light. Comparing the lack of spirituality of Chichikov with the beautiful packaging in which it is served, we saw: before us is a scoundrel, capable of breaking all moral laws for the sake of enrichment.

-What conditions contributed to the development of a thirst for profit in Chichikovo?

(The embezzlement of public funds is widespread everywhere: bribes, extortions. Capital becomes the true owner).

-How are those who have capital treated?

(This word alone gives rise to a “tender disposition of meanness.” Those who own capital govern others, and capital governs those who govern others)

So, we have witnessed how the thirst for enrichment, the lack of moral ideals led to the death of Chichikov's soul. We have observed the process of de-souling an immortal soul.

The question arises: “Is Chichikov a dead soul?”

Many researchers of Gogol's work believe that the main character has replenished the gallery of dead souls. Is it so? Let's look at the text of the poem.

- Let's remember what Chichikov talks about in the 7th chapter?

(He talks about bought peasants).

With Chichikov, according to Gogol, something unusual is happening.

- What exactly?

(“When he later looked at the muzhiks, who, for sure, had once been muzhiks, some strange feeling, incomprehensible to himself, took possession of him”)

Pay attention: “Chichikov was seized by a feeling”!

- Can this happen to someone who, according to P. Antokolsky, is a “dead soul”?

Literary opinion is divided on this issue.

Some believe, among other things, that these thoughts are alien to Chichikov and that they are essentially expressed by the author of the poem, only slightly hiding behind his hero.

Other literary scholars believe that there are some bright beginnings in Chichikov's nature, which, however, he does not give way, but which cause him to sometimes have serious thoughts about life.

So we move on to the next controversial issue: “Does Gogol endow his protagonist with living human feelings?”

On this issue, the opinions of critics were divided, so we will now turn again to the text of the poem and, taking the position of the disputing parties, we will try to substantiate their points of view.

The first group, based on the text of the poem, will prove that human feeling is not alien to Chichikov. The second group, referring also to the text, will prove the opposite. (Two episodes are analyzed: the scene of the meeting with the blonde on the road and the scene at the ball.)

Analysis of these episodes once again emphasizes the duality of the protagonist of the poem. On the one hand, the protagonist is of a “cautiously chilled character”. On the other hand, these two episodes reveal something unexpected in this character: as if some kind of force pulled Chichikov “for a few minutes from the stream of vulgarity and prose, with which he was merged with every cell of his being. “And the Chichikovs turn into poets for a few minutes in their lives,” Gogol says and continues, “but the word poet will be too much.” Pay attention to how Gogol is careful, how he constantly refines himself: embarrassment, but “not a feeling of love”, similar to a “poet”, but not a “poet”.

Yu. Mann interprets this episode in an interesting way: “And yet,” the critic writes, “what an unusually high experience for the vulgar Chichikov. And how much stronger it is than his reaction at the first meeting with a stranger! Here Chichikov felt like "almost a hussar." Incidentally, this did not escape the young Chernyshevsky's attention. In his diary, the future critic made a note: “I marveled at Gogol’s deep look at Chichikov, how he sees the poetic or hussar movement of his soul.” “Finally,” Yu. Mann continues, at the first meeting of Chichikov with the blonde, it was emphasized that it was not Chichikov, but the other, “who had just begun his career”, would have frozen motionless when looking at the beauty. “For a long time he would stand insensibly in one place, staring senselessly into the distance.”

- And now?..

Now Chichikov had to experience this.

- What does it say?

“Chichikov, of course, is not a poet,” says Gogol. His experience is incomparably weaker and finer. In addition, these are rare, exceptional moments of his life. But those minutes were! And this is important!

An interesting assessment of the story with the governor's daughter at the ball is given by Igor Petrovich Zolotussky, our contemporary: “Didn't she let him down completely? Was it not on her that he cut himself off and let go of, perhaps, happiness already ready to flutter into his hands? If Chichikov had not neglected the attention of city ladies, everything would have been fine ... But he got mad, showed his feelings at the ball and was immediately punished.

Thus, Chichikov, having lost his vigilance, caution, again collapses. And the reason for the next fall was, - according to Zolotussky, - Chichikov's ability to lively move the soul.

Is there any hope for the hero's revival?

And these unusual moments in Chichikov's biography, his ability to respond to female beauty sparkle in Volume I as distant portents of a future revival. I'm talking about the plan to lead Chichikov through the temptation of possessiveness, through life's filth and abomination to a moral rebirth.

With the past behind him, Chichikov could also have a future. “And maybe,” Gogol writes, “in this same Chichikov, the passion that attracts him is no longer from him, and in his cold existence lies something that will later plunge a person to dust and knees before the wisdom of heaven.”

And this faith of Gogol in the ability of a Russian person to change, faith in the potential possibilities of his soul predetermined not only the central place of Chichikov in Volume I, but also his alleged life path in subsequent volumes. The protagonist had to, having gone through the hell of Russian life, be cleansed and reborn. This possibility of spiritual rebirth is indicated by the name of the protagonist - Pavel. There is an opinion that: Saul, the persecutor of Christians, is miraculously transformed into Paul, then follows Christ and becomes a holy apostle.

Why is the image of Chichikov so contradictory?

But as Gogol did not believe in the spiritual rebirth of his hero, his correction in Chapter II was given with difficulty. And, as you know, 9 days before his death, he burns the clean copy of volume 2.

- Why did it happen?

“A lot, too much has been promised,” Belinsky wrote after the release of Volume I, so much that there is nowhere to take what to fulfill the promise, because that is not yet in the world. Life itself was against Gogol, and even his talent, uncompromisingly consistent and true to the truth.

Now back to the question posed at the beginning of the lesson:

“Who is Chichikov: a scoundrel, an acquirer, or ..?” Write down the statement of the writer whose point of view is closer to you. Express your opinion and justify it.

So there are different points of view. We see that Chichikov is capable of living human feelings, but consciously suppresses them, subordinating his whole life to acquisition, enrichment. The passion for profit captured his entire being.

The place of the image of Chichikov in the gallery of literary heroes. Chichikov and Molchalin.

- Does Chichikov have a literary predecessor?

(Molchalin)

- How is Chichikov similar to Molchalin?

* Both follow the precepts of their father.

* Able to adapt to people.

* Both play the role of a lover in order to ease their path to wealth.

* After the rise of heroes, a fall inevitably follows.

* Make a good impression on others.

* Behind external attractiveness low, vile characters are hidden.

- “The silent ones are blissful in the world!” Can these words be attributed to Chichikov?(Yes. His ideals and the seeming speed of their achievement are always attractive in the modern world too).

IV. The results of the lesson (dialogue-conversation).

The Chichikovs are alive. Their dedication and patience allows them to constantly be reborn.

- Why do you think this image is eternal?

(1) the goal - enrichment - is attractive 2) the speed of achieving the goal attracts.)

- Are the Chichikovs scary?(The Chichikovs are terrible because, at first glance, everything is fine in appearance, and in behavior, and even in goals, if it were not for their complete lack of spirituality, but their ideals are seductive and human conscience is sold for them at all times and in our Chichikovs are freed from everything human, merciless to those who stand in their way).

V. Homework: writing an essay on the topic of the lesson.

Images of landlords in the poem "Dead Souls"

, teacher of Russian language and literature

Article categorized under: Literature teaching

Lesson Objectives:

Show skill in describing the characters of the landowners in the poem "Dead Souls". To form the ability to read, think about the text, find key words, significant details in a literary text, draw conclusions. To cultivate love for domestic literature, interest in the study of creativity.

Registration:

Portraits of Chichikov and landowners. The text of the poem "Dead Souls". Presentation “Images of landlords in the poem “Dead Souls”. (Appendix 1) Fragments of the video film “Dead Souls”. (DVD series “Russian Classics”)

DURING THE CLASSES

I. Organizing moment

(greetings).

slide 1

Presentation

The message of the topic of the lesson, goal setting.

II. Introduction by the teacher.

Close-up in the poem "Dead Souls" images of landlords are drawn, these "masters of life", responsible for its economic and cultural state, for the fate of the people.

What are they, the masters of life? A plan is proposed to analyze the images of the landlords. slide 2

III. Analysis of the image of Manilov.

Which of the landowners does Chichikov visit first? slide 3

When does the first meeting between Chichikov and Manilov take place? View in ideofragment “Chichikov at Manilov”

Task: using the plan-reminder, tell about Manilov. Performance of the 1st group of students.

What detail in the description of the hero is predominant?

What is hidden behind Manilov's smile? How does the author characterize the hero? ?

A pleasant Manilov smile for everyone is a sign of deep indifference to everything around; 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, clothes, movements, gestures, facial expressions. With their help, the writer enhances the comic coloring of the images, reveals the true essence of the hero. Manilov's gestures testify to mental impotence, the inability to comprehend what goes beyond the limits of his miserable little world.

What is the distinguishing feature of 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 of public funds - all the most respectable people for him. Manilov is an indefinite person, there are no living human desires in him. This is a dead soul, a “so-so, neither this nor that” person.

Output. slide 4

Instead of a real feeling, Manilov has a “pleasant smile”, sugary 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 "hills of ash knocked out of a pipe, placed not without diligence in very beautiful rows."

IV. Analysis of the image of the Box.

slide 5

Give a brief summary of Chapter 3.

What can you learn about Korobochka's main character trait from a direct author's description?

Gogol does not hide the irony regarding her mental abilities: she thought, opened her mouth, looked almost with fear. “Well, the woman seems to be strong-browed!”

The essence of Korobochka's character is especially visible through the dialogic speech of the characters. The dialogue between Korobochka and Chichikov is a masterpiece of comedy art. This conversation can be called a dialogue of the deaf.

Watching the video fragment “Dialogue between Korobochka and Chichikov”

What character traits of Korobochka came to light in the bargaining scene?

She was not embarrassed by the trade in dead souls, she is ready to trade in the dead, only she is afraid to sell too cheap. It is characterized by tedious slowness and caution. She went to the city to find out how much "dead souls" are being sold these days.

What is the position of the peasants near Korobochka?

The village is a source of honey, bacon, hemp, which Korobochka sells. She also trades with peasants.

Draw a conclusion about the meaning of housekeeping Boxes .

It turns out that landlord thrift can have the same vile, inhuman meaning as mismanagement.

What made the Box like this?

Traditions in the conditions of patriarchal life suppressed Korobochka's personality, stopped her intellectual development at a very low level; all aspects of life not connected with hoarding remained inaccessible to her.

Task: using the plan-reminder, tell about the Box. Performance of the 2nd group of students

Output : slide 6

The "Cudgel-Headed" Box is the embodiment of those traditions that have developed among provincial small landowners who are engaged in subsistence farming.

She is a representative of the outgoing, 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 habits of the hero, episodes from his life, manners and behavior in society. Each of these sketches is a concise 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, sheer lies.

How is Nozdryov's desire to lie revealed?

Turkish daggers are shown in Nozdryov's office, one of which was carved: master Savely Sibiryakov.

What is the character's speech ?

Swearing speech: fetyuk, piggy, scoundrel, rubbish. And this reveals not only a personal, but also a social trait. He is sure that he is allowed to offend and deceive with impunity - after all, he is a landowner, a nobleman, the master of life.

What are the life goals of Nozdrev ?

Profit is not dear to Nozdryov: 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 harms 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 denied or it did not take place: “fetyuk”, “scoundrel”, “rubbish”

Assignment: using the plan-memo, tell about Nozdryov Presentation of the 3rd group of students

Output. 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 a scandalous fuss, aimless and destructive.

VI. Analysis of Sobakevich's image.

Slide 9

What details - things Gogol uses when characterizing Sobakevich ?

Description of the manor house: “…a wooden house with a mezzanine was seen…”…In a word, everything he looked at was stubbornly, without shaking, in some kind of strong and clumsy order.

The Greek heroes in the pictures in his living room were sturdy, with thick sunbeds unheard of

mustache.

Is there a difference in the characterization of Sobakevich in the 1st and 5th chapters?

In the 1st chapter, Sobakevich is characterized as a person "clumsy in appearance." This quality is emphasized and deepened in chapter 5: he is like "a medium-sized bear." The author persistently plays with the word “bear”: a bear-colored tailcoat, his name was Mikhail Semyonovich.

What strikes in the portrait of Sobakevich?

In the portrait, first of all, the complexion is striking: “..stone, hot, which happens on a copper penny”;

“It is known that there are many such persons in the world, over the finishing of which nature did not think long, did not use any small tools, such as: files, a gimlet and other things, but simply chopped from the whole shoulder: she grabbed with an ax once - her nose came out, she had enough in the other - her lips came out, she poked her eyes with a large drill ... "

“Chichikov glanced sideways at him once more as they passed into the dining room: a bear! Perfect bear!”

Why is Chichikov careful in his conversation with Sobakevich: he did not call the souls dead, but only non-existent?

Sobakevich immediately “felt” that the proposed deal was a scam. But he didn't even blink.

“Do you need dead souls? Sobakevich asked very simply, without the slightest surprise, as if they were talking about bread.

Assignment: using the memo plan, tell about Sobakevich Performance of the 4th group of students

Chichikov is right when he thinks that Sobakevich would have remained a kulak even in St. Petersburg, although he was brought up in fashion. Yes, it would have turned out even worse: “if he tried a little the tops of some science, he would let you know later, taking a more visible place. To all those who actually learned some kind of science.

Sobakevich, like Korobochka, is smart and practical in a businesslike way: they do not ruin the peasants, because it is unprofitable for them. They know that in this world everything is bought and sold

VII. Analysis of the image of Plushkin.

slide 11

The theme of moral decline, 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 hard-working owner turned into a “hole in humanity” ?

Why does the chapter on Plyushkin begin with a digression about youth?

Why Gogol details the story of Plyushkin's life ?

Gogol refers to the past of the hero, since the moral ugliness is the same as that of other landlords: soul ownership, which gives rise to soullessness, loss of ideas about the meaning of life, about moral duty, about responsibility for everything that happens around. The tragedy of Plyushkin is that he lost touch with people. He sees in everyone, even in his own children and grandchildren, enemies who are ready to plunder good

The image of Plyushkin is the embodiment of extreme dilapidation and moldiness, and in the description of objects associated with him, Gogol reflected these qualities.

Find in the text the artistic means by which the author reveals the essence of the image of Plyushkin .

Dilapidation on all the buildings, the log on the huts was dark and old, the roofs pierced through like a sieve, the fence was broken ...

Assignment: using the plan-reminder, tell about Plyushkin. Performance of the 5th group of students

Output. slide 12

Mold, dust, rot, death just wafts 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 displayed in the poem ?

Consistently, from hero to hero, Gogol exposes the worthless life of the landowners.

The images of the landlords are given in proportion to their spiritual impoverishment and moral decline.

It is shown how the disintegration of the human personality gradually took place.

Once Plyushkin was only a thrifty owner. The thirst for enrichment turned him into a miser, isolated him from society.

In his image, one of the varieties of spiritual death is revealed. Plyushkin's image is typical.

Gogol exclaimed bitterly:

“And a person could descend to such insignificance, pettiness, vileness! Could have changed! And does it look like it's true? Everything looks like the truth, everything can happen to a person.

VIII. Similarities between Chichikov and the landowners.

slide 13

The landowner, his distinguishing 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 every way.
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	Desire and ability to please everyone
Sobakevich - rude stinginess and cynicism	No “…no straightforwardness, no sincerity! Perfect Sobakevich”
Plushkin - collecting unnecessary things and storing them carefully	During the inspection of the city, he tore off the poster, read it, folded it and put it in a chest

Slide 14

The character of Chichikov 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 characters of the landowners.

IX. Crossword

. Slides 15 to 24

X. Summing up.

XI. Homework.

1. Fill in the table according to the plan:

brief description of the landowner; description of the estate of the landowner; description of a joint meal; how the landowners react to Chichikov's proposal; further actions of the landowners.

2. Write an essay - a miniature “Why did Chichikov visit the landowners in such a sequence?”

1. The life path of Chichikov.
2. The purpose and means of the hero.
3. Vital tenacity of a businessman.

From the works of the righteous do not make stone chambers.
Russian folk proverb

Traditionally, the image of Chichikov, the main character of N.V. Gogol's poem "Dead Souls", is usually considered as unambiguously negative. However, is the hero so straightforward and simple as to rank him among the host of textbook villains? Can an image recreated in a work of art by a talented master be unambiguous at all?

Chichikov's life priorities are the values ​​of a new era, the values ​​of capitalism, which is replacing the feudal-serf system that has been preserved in Rus' for too long compared to other European countries.

Chichikov's life path, with all the desire, cannot be called easy and pleasant. The early childhood of the Gogol hero was unhappy and monotonous: “Life at the beginning looked at him somehow sourly and uncomfortably, through some kind of muddy, snow-covered window: no friend, no comrade in childhood!” Gogol did not say a word about any games that are usual for a child: no, only poverty and work - these are the memories taken by Chichikov from early childhood.

The school years of the hero were not distinguished by the brightness of impressions: however, it was at this time that his practical talents began to be revealed. The father, who took his son to school, gave him parting words, which the son remembered well and which he tried to follow to the best of his ability: “If you please the boss, then, although you won’t have time in science and God hasn’t given talent, you will go ahead and get ahead of everyone ... Most of all, take care and save a penny, this thing is more reliable than anything in the world.

Young Chichikov skillfully came up with various ways to make a profit: he did not spend anything from the money left to him by his father, but, on the contrary, increased it. His efforts to please the teacher were also not in vain. Although he did not shine with special abilities in the sciences, "at graduation he received a full honor in all sciences, a certificate and a book with golden letters for exemplary diligence and trustworthy behavior."

Chichikov's career before he started buying up "dead souls" is a string of ups and downs that showed in all its strength the vitality and enterprise of the nature of this character.

Gogol repeatedly mentions the cleanliness and accuracy of his hero, that Chichikov is always well dressed and behaves decently. Even at a time when the beginning young official served in an insignificant position, he favorably differed from his colleagues in that "he knew how to keep neatness, dress decently, give his face a pleasant expression and even something noble in his movements." The contrast of the external presentability of the hero is the means that he uses to achieve his goal. However, it should be noted right away that Chichikov’s goal is quite natural: he wants to have a family, children, live in abundance and comfort. There is nothing criminal in such a goal, of course. Promiscuity in the means leading to its achievement is not so much a manifestation of Chichikov's personal depravity, but a consequence of the powerful influence on him of the environment in which he developed. The father's instruction to "save a penny" was vividly perceived by the child's mind: there was no question of the same ways in which it is permissible to do this, and which are not. Open robbery, robbery, murder, of course, in the eyes of Chichikov are crimes. As for the various economic frauds, Gogol's hero considers them as a completely normal way of doing business. Again, it must be emphasized that Chichikov was not the only one who held this opinion. Let us recall Gogol's mayor from the comedy The Inspector General. He, too, was sincerely convinced that bribes and embezzlement were hardly God's institution.

It is not Chichikov himself who is to blame for such a view of life, but rather the system of government in Russia as a whole, the respectful attitude that prevails everywhere towards people who have money, no matter how they acquired it, and the dismissive attitude towards those who do not have money, even if they honestly served their homeland, sparing no effort and life, such as Captain Kopeikin. Chichikov's actions are primarily guided by a natural desire to get out of poverty, to provide himself with a reliable rear. When Chichikov laments that he lost his position in customs after fraud with smugglers, he argues like this: “Why me? why did I get in trouble? Who yawns in positions? everyone buys. I didn’t make anyone unhappy, I didn’t rob a widow, I didn’t let anyone into the world, I used from the surplus, I took where everyone would take, if I didn’t use it, others would. Why do others prosper, and why should I perish like a worm? It cannot be said that these arguments are completely devoid of justice: in fact, someone has appropriated more than Chichikov, and lives for his own pleasure, without experiencing the slightest remorse or any concern from the authorities.

Gogol shows many positive features of his hero. So, Chichikov has a huge supply of patience. What did he not have to endure, especially at the beginning of his career: the monotony of clerical work, the drunken faces of other officials, the indifference of the first chief to the zeal of a young official. How many times it seemed that luck favored Chichikov, and then he collapsed, and he had to start all over again. “We must do justice to the irresistible force of his character. After all that would be enough, if not to kill, then to cool and pacify a person forever, an incomprehensible passion did not go out in him. Those outlandish machinations into which Chichikov indulges testify to his intelligence, enterprise and courage.

By nature, Chichikov is an adventurer. He is one of those people who at all times relentlessly followed the goal, despite the obstacles. However, only a few choose a goal that is difficult to achieve in their loftiness, such as spiritual purification, creative self-realization, or the improvement of society. The goal of the overwhelming majority of people is much more modest - it is a life in abundance, health, a strong family. The tragedy of Chichikov is that, with his outstanding practical talents, he cannot realize them in an activity that would be both legal and quite profitable at the same time. It makes no sense to accuse Chichikov of legal nihilism: the behavior that Gogol's hero demonstrates is only a reproduction of the patterns that prevail in the society that brought him up.