Above the poem Dead Souls” Gogol worked approximately seven years old. In the center of the plot of the poem is Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. Externally the same a person is pleasant, but in fact he is a terrible, prudent money-grubber. His hypocrisy, cruelty, which he shows in achieving his selfish goals, is striking. He treated his teacher horribly meanly. His whole career is a chain of deceptions, bribes, bribes, ruined human destinies. In the bureaucratic world of lies and robbery, bribery and money-grubbing, he is his own, he is born of this world.
Chichikov set himself a certain task in life and does everything for its implementation. He dreams of a life with all the pleasures: carriages, a house perfectly arranged, delicious lunches, points.
“Having left the school, he did not even want to rest: he had such a strong desire to quickly get down to business and service, he got an insignificant place, a salary of thirty or forty rubles. But he decided to win and overcome everything. Chichikov, as soon as he can, sucks up to his superiors. Having entered into his confidence, he receives a promotion in rank. After that, he did not need friends with him. He could now make his own way. Chichikov joined the commission for the creation of some kind of government facility. And although nothing was built in six years, the members of the commission turned out to have “ beautiful house civil architecture.
Petty speculations have been replaced by machinations on a large scale. Chichikov is engaged in such “cases”, “to which the world gives the name not only to the pure.” Almost all of his affairs end in failure. But here is what is paradoxical: Chichikov does not feel remorse and does not lose heart. Hiding the traces of the crime and avoiding punishment, he takes on a new unclean deed with a vengeance. “Hooked, dragged, broke, do not ask” - this is his motto. The new official position is a customs official. “He took up his service with extraordinary zeal. It seemed that fate itself had determined him to be a customs official. Such promptness, perspicacity, perspicacity have not only been seen, but even heard. Having gained confidence in his superiors, he was known as an incorruptible and honest worker, and received a promotion. And Chichikov "presented a project to catch all the smugglers, asking for funds to test him himself, to which he received full consent." Now he has complete freedom of action. Having entered into an alliance with his own kind, Chichikov takes huge bribes from smugglers. Getting on this case approximately half a million, he again hides, but is not upset; hiding the traces of the crime, he takes on a new case - buying dead souls.
The transformation of Pavlusha into a respectable, revered by all Pavel Ivanovich in the then RF impossible in any other way, so that Chichikov's career is typical and deeply logical. Chichikov himself is the personification of the exploitative system.
I had to linger, because the negligent coachman Selifan did not warn in time about the malfunction of the britzka. I had to wait five or six hours for the hastily found blacksmiths to repair it. When the britzka left the city very late, she had to wait funeral procession. A prosecutor was carried to the cemetery, the cause of whose death was unwittingly Chichikov himself. Now he drew down the curtains on the windows of the carriage and hid himself until the procession passed by.
Having passed the city barrier, the britzka rolled along high road. After two digressions- about this road and about uncomfortable, but always alluring Rus' - Gogol introduces the reader to the biography, explaining the purpose of buying dead serfs.
Chichikov - main character"Dead Souls" by Gogol
Chichikov's father and mother were poor nobles who owned a single serf family. His sick parent did nothing, but only, shuffling, walked around the room and tore his son by the ear. Very young, Chichikov was taken from the village to an old relative in the city and sent to a school there. The father, parting with his son forever, advised him to please teachers and bosses and save a penny, because "this thing is more reliable than anything in the world, you can do everything and break everything in the world with a penny." (See Chichikov's childhood.)
Father's instruction sunk into the boy's soul. Not distinguished by outstanding talents, young Chichikov became the most exemplary student in the class in terms of behavior. Thanks to currying favor with teachers, he received an excellent certificate. Already at school, he showed a very inventive money-grubbing: having bought edibles on the market, he sat in the classroom next to those who were richer, and as soon as he noticed that a friend was hungry, he would stick out from under the bench, as if by chance, a corner of a gingerbread or a roll and take it by the hand. him money, according to his appetite.
Leaving the school, Chichikov entered the service in treasury chamber. At first, he was paid the lowest salary. But Chichikov managed to flatter himself with his elderly boss, who had an ugly, pockmarked daughter. Chichikov pretended to be ready to marry her. He even moved to the boss's house and began to call him daddy. The boss got him promotion, but immediately after that Chichikov skillfully hushed up the matter of the wedding, as if there had been no talk of it.
glib and sly Chichikov began to rise rapidly in the ranks. Everywhere he mercilessly took bribes, but he did it covertly and deftly: he never accepted money from the petitioner himself, but only through subordinate clerks. Having joined the commission for the construction of one state-owned building, Chichikov managed things in such a way that this structure did not go beyond the foundation, and he and his associates acquired beautiful houses of their own.
The authorities, however, started up and sent a strict military man to them as a new chief. Chichikov involuntarily had to leave his bread place. He spent some time in low positions, but soon got a job in customs. Here he showed unheard-of quickness and truly canine instinct. No smuggler on the western frontier could fool him. Chichikov's talents were noticed here too. For a long time he showed complete incorruptibility. But when, satisfied with his success, his superiors made him the head of a team to fight against one large smuggling society, he entered into an agreement with him and began to facilitate the transportation of illegal goods, earning hundreds of thousands on this.
However, this enterprise of Chichikov was also upset due to the negligence of one assistant. With difficulty avoiding a criminal court, Chichikov lost almost everything he had, lost his place, and only with difficulty got a job as an attorney. Once one of his clients, a bankrupt landowner, decided to mortgage his ruined estate to the state board of trustees. On the security of the peasants, the treasury gave money - two hundred rubles per capita. Chichikov suddenly found out that his client would receive these amounts not only for living serfs, but also for the dead, because before the financial census (audit) conducted every few years, all peasants were formally listed as alive. In the fraudulent mind of Chichikov, the thought flashed: to travel around Russia, buying from the landlords at a cheap price, and where, out of friendship, taking for nothing, dead peasant souls. Then Chichikov hoped to pledge them in bulk, as if alive, to the board of trustees and get a rich jackpot.
Corruption in our state is eternal and, it seems, ineradicable. So, in "Dead Souls" by N.V. Gogol there is great description Chichikov's career in customs (by the way, the first edition of the first volume of Dead Souls turns 180 this year). Read, maybe you will recognize our modern officials:
... but our hero endured everything, endured strongly, patiently endured, and - finally moved to the customs service.
It must be said that this service has long been a secret subject of his thoughts. He saw what smart foreign gizmos the customs officials got excited about, what porcelain and cambric they sent to gossips, aunts and sisters. More than once, for a long time, he had already said with a sigh: “I wish I could move somewhere: the border is close, and enlightened people, and what thin Dutch shirts you can get!” It must be added that at the same time he was also thinking about a special kind of French soap, which imparted an unusual whiteness to the skin and freshness to the cheeks; what it was called, God knows, but, according to his assumptions, it was certainly on the border.
So, he would have wanted to go to customs for a long time, but the current various benefits from the construction commission were holding back, and he reasoned rightly that the customs, anyway, was still nothing more than a pie in the sky, and the commission was already a bird in the hands. Now he decided to get to the customs at all costs, and got there.
He took up his service with unusual zeal. It seemed that fate itself had determined him to be a customs officer. Such promptness, perspicacity and perspicacity were not only not seen, but not even heard of. In three or four weeks, he had already got his hand in customs that he knew absolutely everything: he didn’t even weigh, didn’t measure, but by texture he found out how many arshins of cloth or other matter were in a piece; taking the bundle in his hand, he could suddenly tell how many pounds it contained.
As for the searches, here, as even the comrades themselves expressed it, he simply had a canine instinct: it was impossible not to be amazed, seeing how he had so much patience to feel every button, and all this was carried out with deadly composure, polite to incredible. And at a time when those being searched were furious, losing their temper and feeling a malicious impulse to beat up his pleasant appearance with clicks, he, without changing either in face or in polite deeds, would say only: “Wouldn’t you like to worry a little and get up?” Or: “Would you like, madam, to go to another room? there the wife of one of our officials will explain to you.” Or: “Let me, here I’ll cut the lining of your overcoat a little with a knife” - and, saying this, he pulled out shawls, scarves, coolly, as if from his own chest.
Even the authorities explained that it was a devil, and not a man: he looked for in wheels, drawbars, horse ears and who knows in what places, wherever it occurred to any author to climb and where only one customs officials were allowed to climb. So the poor traveler, who had crossed the border, still could not come to his senses for several minutes, and, wiping the sweat that had come out in a small rash all over his body, he only made the sign of the cross and said: “Well, well!” His position was very similar to that of a schoolboy who ran out of a secret room, where the chief called him in order to give some instruction, but instead whipped him in a completely unexpected way.
For a short time there was no life from him for smugglers. This was a thunderstorm and despair of all Polish Jews. His honesty and incorruptibility were irresistible, almost unnatural. He did not even make himself a small capital out of various confiscated goods and selected some gizmos that did not enter the treasury in order to avoid unnecessary correspondence.
Such zealous and disinterested service could not but become the subject of general astonishment and finally reach the attention of the authorities. He received a rank and a promotion, and after that he presented a project to catch all the smugglers, asking only for the means to carry it out himself. The same hour he was given a command and an unlimited right to conduct all sorts of searches. This was just what he wanted.
At that time, a strong society of smugglers was formed in a deliberately correct way; the audacious enterprise promised profits in the millions. He had long had information about him and even refused to bribe those sent, saying dryly: "It's not time yet."
Having received everything at his disposal, at that very moment he let the society know, saying: "Now is the time." The calculation was too correct. Here in one year he could receive what he would not have won in twenty years of the most zealous service. Before, he did not want to enter into any relations with them, because he was nothing more than a mere pawn, therefore, he would have received little; but now ... now it's quite another matter: he could offer any conditions.
To make things go smoothly, he persuaded another official, his comrade, who could not resist the temptation, despite the fact that his hair was gray. The terms were agreed and the society began to act. The action began brilliantly: the reader, no doubt, has heard the so often repeated story about the witty journey of Spanish rams, who, having crossed the border in double sheepskin coats, carried a million Brabant laces under their sheepskin coats. This incident happened exactly when Chichikov served at the customs. If he himself had not participated in this enterprise, no Jews in the world would have been able to carry out such a deed.
After three or four sheep's marches across the border, both officials ended up with four hundred thousand capital each. Chichikov's, they say, even exceeded five hundred, because he was a bit happier. God knows to what a huge figure the blessed sums would not have increased, if some difficult beast had not run across everything ...
Composition
Subject: Biography, study, service and career of Chichikov (Dead Souls)
Biography Chichikov By origin, Chichikov is a nobleman: "... The origin of our hero is dark and modest. Parents were nobles, but pillar or personal - God knows ..." His father is a sick and poor man. We don’t know anything about the mother: “... father, a sick man [...] who sighed incessantly, walking around the room, and spitting into the sandbox standing in the corner ...” Father and little Pavlusha live in a simple peasant hut: “. .. A small stove with small windows that do not open either in winter or in summer ... "
Chichikov's study Chichikov goes with his father to the city to study at the city school. He settles with some old relative: "...He was supposed to stay here and go to the classes of the city school every day..." Father leaves back to the village, and Chichikov never sees him again: "... father son and dragged himself home again on his forty, and since then he has never seen him again ... "At the school, Chichikov is a diligent and diligent student. He has no special talents. But on the other hand, he is a practical and patient child: "... He did not have special abilities for any science; he distinguished himself more by diligence and neatness ..." While still at the school, Chichikov begins to earn money: "... he blinded from wax bullfinch, dyed it and sold it very profitably..." "...finally got the mouse to stand on its hind legs, lie down and get up on orders, and then sold it also very profitably..." Chichikov is in good standing at the school. He behaves appropriately and diligently. He graduated from college as an exemplary student: "During his stay at the school, he was in excellent standing and upon graduation he received a full honor in all sciences, a certificate and a book with golden letters for exemplary diligence and trustworthy behavior." At this time, Chichikov's father dies. He sells the house and land. For them, he receives 1000 rubles - his initial capital: "... At that time his father died [...] Chichikov immediately sold a dilapidated courtyard with an insignificant piece of land for a thousand rubles ..."
Service and career of Chichikov: Chichikov is a real careerist, purposeful and stubborn. Chichikov does not create a family and does not have children. First, Chichikov wants to provide "offspring" with a decent future. See also: "Chichikov's service" Chichikov's career always goes easily and simply. He works hard and tries hard. There are ups and downs in Chichikov's service. During his life he manages to work in different places- and even in different cities. In general, Chichikov begins his service with a simple position in the state chamber: "... with great difficulty he decided to go to the state chamber ..." Then Chichikov gets a place in a more profitable place. Here he earns capital on bribes. But a new boss comes and reveals the theft. So Chichikov loses everything that he has acquired dishonestly: "... everything was fluffed up, and Chichikov is more than others ..." After that, Chichikov serves in another city in some miserable positions. Finally, he gets a job at customs: "... he finally moved to the customs service ..." At customs, Chichikov receives a promotion, as well as the rank of collegiate adviser: "... He received a rank and a promotion ..." Having become the head , Chichikov colludes in criminal gang smugglers. Chichikov earns hundreds of thousands of rubles from this "unclean" business. But the matter is revealed. Chichikov loses his place and the money he has earned: "... The officials were taken to court, confiscated, they described everything that they had ..." So Chichikov is again left with nothing. He is left with about 10 thousand rubles, a chaise and two serfs - Selifan and Petrushka. Chichikov starts his career again from scratch. He works as an attorney (self-taught lawyer) for the most different cases. Here it comes to his mind to buy himself dead serfs in order to get rich.
Life goal and career of Chichikov
Gogol worked on the poem "Dead Souls" for about seven years. In the center of the plot of the poem is Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. Outwardly, this person is pleasant, but in fact he is a terrible, prudent money-grubber. His hypocrisy, cruelty, which he shows in achieving his selfish goals, is striking. He treated his teacher horribly meanly. His entire career is a chain of deceptions, bribes, bribery, ruined human destinies. In the bureaucratic world of lies and robbery, bribery and money-grubbing, he is his own, he is born of this world.
Chichikov has set himself a specific goal in life and is doing everything to achieve it. He dreams of a life with all the pleasures: carriages, a house perfectly arranged, delicious dinners, balls.
“Having left the school, he did not even want to rest: he had such a strong desire to quickly get down to business and service, he got an insignificant place, a salary of thirty or forty rubles. But he decided to win and overcome everything. Chichikov, as soon as he can, sucks up to his superiors. Having entered into his confidence, he receives a promotion in rank. After that, he did not need friends with him. He could now make his own way. Chichikov joined the commission for the creation of some kind of government facility. And although nothing was built in six years, the members of the commission turned out to have a “beautiful house of civil architecture” each.
Petty speculations have been replaced by machinations on a large scale. Chichikov is engaged in such “cases”, “to which the world gives the name not only to the pure.” Almost all of his affairs end in failure. But here is what is paradoxical: Chichikov does not feel remorse and does not lose heart. Hiding the traces of the crime and avoiding punishment, he takes on a new unclean deed with a vengeance. “Hooked, dragged, broke, do not ask” - this is his motto. The new official position is a customs official. “He took up his service with extraordinary zeal. It seemed that fate itself had determined him to be a customs official. Such promptness, perspicacity, perspicacity have not only been seen, but even heard. Having gained confidence in his superiors, he was known as an incorruptible and honest worker, and received a promotion. And Chichikov "presented a project to catch all the smugglers, asking for funds to test him himself, to which he received full consent." Now he has complete freedom of action. Having entered into an alliance with his own kind, Chichikov takes huge bribes from smugglers. Having received about half a million in this case, he again hides, but is not upset; hiding the traces of the crime, he takes on a new business - buying up dead souls.
The transformation of Pavlusha into a respectable, revered by all Pavel Ivanovich in Russia of that time is impossible in any other way, so Chichikov's career is typical and deeply natural. Chichikov himself is the personification of the exploitative system.
