Everything in the poem was new and unusual. The reader was struck by the versatility of figurative material, the wealth of humorous and satirical denunciations: lengthy descriptions of a tavern or a landowner's house, portraits, landscapes, genre pictures and mastery of detail; smooth epic story and sparkling brilliance of wit; dynamic narration of adventures and portraits-joke and portraits-masks. The reader was struck by the very title of the work and its genre definition(poem); the harsh truth of paintings and images, the intensity of the expression of the author's patriotic feelings and the nature of humor.
A number of places in the poem, especially the beginning of the seventh chapter, is an exposition literary views the author, his public position. In the lyrical introduction to the seventh chapter, Gogol talks about two types of writers, about different principles for understanding and reproducing life by them, about the different attitudes of the public towards these writers and their artistic creations.
Not without irony, he writes about romantic writers who never change "the lofty order of their lyre, who do not descend from the heights to the earth to their poor, insignificant fellows", who are completely in power " sublime images uprooted from the earth." Hiding from people the sad and bleak, they idealize life and man. However, the author dead souls”is not against romance in general (while working on the poem, he also created the final version of the story “Taras Bulba”, in which the romantic, heroic principle sounded with great force), but against unjustified romantic exaggerations, against a superficial depiction of life, against writers who, instead of characters convincing by their truth draw a portrait that has already become obsolete and boring to everyone with such stamped attributes as “black scorching eyes, hanging eyebrows, a forehead cut with a wrinkle, a black or scarlet cloak thrown over his shoulder” ( Belinsky V. G. Full coll. op. in 13 vols. M., 1956, vol. VI, p. 23).
Gogol contrasted them with the writer, who surveys “the whole vastly rushing life through visible to the world laughter and invisible, unknown to him tears "and dared to show everything that" every minute before the eyes and what indifferent eyes do not see - all the terrible amazing type of trifles that have entangled our life, the whole depth of the cold, fragmented, everyday characters that our earthly life is teeming with, sometimes a bitter and boring road, and with the strong power of an inexorable chisel, expose them convexly and brightly to the eyes of the people! ( Belinsky V. G. Full coll. op. in 13 vols. M., 1956, vol. VI, p. 134).
Gogol defends the right of the writer not to disdain any character, to create characters based on the observations of such people, "of whom there are many in the world, who look very similar to each other," who are resolutely unremarkable at first glance, and therefore "terribly difficult for portraits" . In order to identify the characteristic, “subtle, almost invisible features” of these people from numerous observations, it is necessary to “strain attention strongly, deepen the already sophisticated look in the science of probing.”
He is convinced that true talent everything can be beautiful if the subject of the image is taken “not indifferently, not insensitively”, but is passed through the soul of the writer, through his thought, his ardent convictions, “deep beliefs”, if his personal, interested attitude to life is clearly shown. “For the creator there is no low object in nature,” wrote Gogol. “In the insignificant he is as great as in the great, in the despicable he no longer has the despicable.” In other words, the writer must be animated by the idea for which he takes concrete life material. The idea inspires the work, elevates the vulgarity and abomination of life "into a pearl artistic creation". Such an idea was for Gogol the idea of denying evil in the name of affirming good.
Art, according to the writer, should not lull, not console with the illusion of well-being, but put great, sharp questions, disturb the mind and heart, bring anxiety, anxiety into the minds of people, destroy complacency, complacency, stigmatize vulgarity and evil, execute them with laughter. But fighting evil, the artist is obliged to spare the person dehumanized by this evil.
Gogol called on writers, in the words of Nekrasov, "to preach love with a hostile word of denial." A sermon of this kind is the pathos of his poem, which is directly reflected in the originality of its style. Thus, the comic animation with which Gogol narrates about a middle-class gentleman entering the city, about two peasants talking about a wheel, about a dandy in narrow and short canine trousers, about a fidgety tavern servant, evokes an involuntary feeling of laughter. Manilov, Nozdrev, Korobochka, the governor, the ladies of the city of N are also full of great internal comedy. There is a lot of comic in their behavior, in conversations, in relations with Chichikov. And how much comedy in Manilov's sweetly sensitive conversations with his wife, in Nozdryov's purchases! It is not surprising that when reading Dead Souls for the first time, it is precisely this external humorous side that is perceived first of all. But Gogol's humor is not only a manifestation of external comedy, it is aimed at reproducing deep phenomena, which is why the images of the poem are not so much funny as gloomy and even tragic (Plyushkin). With further and careful acquaintance with the work, the reader thinks more and more about life, which is widely unfolding before his mental gaze. Its deep latent content begins to come to the fore, and it speaks of the tragic in the life of feudal Russia, of the cruel, unjust and senseless landowner domination, of the dominance of hypocrisy, ignorance, savagery and money-grubbing. With all its force, the bitterness of the satirical comes through in the poem. The book leaves not a funny, but in many ways a terrible impression.
The funny and the sad, the comic and the tragic, the low and the high organically merge in Dead Souls, and the funny, expressed sad and, finally, tragic, serves as an expression of the writer's deep grief about the main thing, about the main thing for him: about the spiritual death of man. This found direct expression in the excited lyrical address that concludes the chapter on Plyushkin. In principle, it is addressed to all people, directly to every Russian person.
Revealing the contradictions, contrasts of reality in big things and in small things, their interweaving, interpenetration, struggle is the pathos not only of Dead Souls, but of Gogol's entire work, his poetic way of thinking. When, in the last chapter of the first volume, Gogol writes about the road along which the troika rushes farther and farther, the reader’s eyes unfold pictures full of contrast, permeated with the author’s grief and at the same time his faith in the future of the Motherland. "Rus! what prophesies this vast expanse? exclaims Gogol. “Is it not here, in you, that an infinite thought is born, when you yourself are without end?” And suddenly here:
“Hold it, hold it, fool! Chichikov shouted.
The enormous, impressive force with which this contrast operates lies in the deep, tragic clash of Russia of the people in its present, unknown, but guessed, Gogol's vision of the future Russia, the embodiment of high and beautiful, and another - autocratic, despotic, "official" Russia of his time. , with the shout of the courier, asserting the power of the whip and broadsword, Russia - feudal, with rude and cruel landlords, "non-smokers", "shacks", bobak of various sizes, stale in dressing gowns for several years, with governors and metropolitan officials, townsfolk, etc. where the base and the ridiculous predominate, and in which it is so cramped and stuffy for a living person.
In Gogol's book, dream and reality are constantly opposed, and often the reality of official, police Russia looks like a terrible ghost that will inevitably disappear. Dreams of a different, more perfect reality spiritualize Gogol's satire. The pathos of negation and the contemplation of the ideal are inextricably merged in it. But Gogol's satire also has enduring significance. The reader is confronted with not just images of Russian landowners, "existents", acquirers, of the Russian bureaucratic bureaucratic world. All of them are also the embodiment of everyday life, narrow-mindedness, self-interest, rudeness, spiritual impoverishment and stagnation, moral deafness, threatening a person regardless of time and social status. Gogol's poem encourages the reader to check with all severity whether he, too, has stepped aside in his life from the best contained in himself, and to declare a fight against everything that humiliates and offends a person.
Analyzing " Dead Souls Gogol, Belinsky noted the “deep, comprehensive and humane subjectivity” of the poem, a subjectivity that does not allow the author “with apathetic indifference to be alien to the world he draws, but makes him pass through his soul alive the phenomena of the outside world, and through that and in them inhale the soul of life ... ".
Gogol did not accidentally consider his work a poem. Thus, the writer emphasized the breadth and epic nature of the narrative, the significance of the lyrical beginning in it. The same was noted by the critic K. Aksakov, who saw in the poem "the ancient, Homeric epic." “It may seem strange to some that Gogol’s faces change for no particular reason ... It is epic contemplation that allows this calm appearance of one face after another without external connection, while one world embraces them, linking them deeply and inseparably with an internal unity,” wrote critic.
The epic nature of the narrative, the inner lyricism - all this was the result of Gogol's creative ideas. It is known that the writer planned to create a large poem similar to " Divine Comedy» Dante. The first part (volume 1) of it was supposed to correspond to "Hell", the second (volume 2) - to "Purgatory", the third (volume 3) - to "Paradise". The writer thought about the possibility of Chichikov's spiritual revival, about the appearance in the poem of characters who embodied the "untold wealth of the Russian spirit" - "a husband gifted with divine valor", "a wonderful Russian girl". All this gave the story a special, deep lyricism.
Lyrical digressions in the poem are very diverse in their subject matter, pathos and moods. So, describing the journey of Chichikov, the writer draws our attention to many details that perfectly characterize the life of the Russian province. For example, the hotel in which the hero stayed was “of a certain kind, that is, exactly the same as there are hotels in provincial cities where, for two rubles a day, travelers get a quiet room with cockroaches peeking out like prunes from all corners.”
The “common hall” where Chichikov goes is well known to every passer-by: “the same walls, painted oil paint, darkened at the top from pipe smoke", "the same smoked chandelier with many hanging pieces of glass that jumped and tinkled every time the floor ran across the worn oilcloths", "the same full-length paintings painted with oil paints".
Describing the governor's party, Gogol talks about two types of officials: "fat" and "thin". "Thin" in the author's view - dandies and dandies, twining around the ladies. They are often prone to extravagance: "a thin person in three years does not have a single soul that is not pawned in a pawnshop." Fat ones are sometimes not very attractive, but they are “thorough and practical”: they never “occupy indirect places, but all are direct, and if they sit somewhere, they will sit securely and firmly ...”. Fat officials are “true pillars of society”: “having served God and the sovereign,” they leave the service and become glorious Russian bars, landowners. In this description, the author's satire is obvious: Gogol perfectly imagines what this "bureaucratic service" was like, which brought "universal respect" to a person.
Often the author accompanies the narrative with general ironic remarks. For example, when talking about Petrushka and Selifan, Gogol remarks that it is inconvenient for him to entertain the reader with low-class people. And further: “Such is the Russian man: a strong passion to be arrogant with someone who would be at least one rank higher than him, and a captive acquaintance with a count or prince is better for him than any close friendly relations.”
In lyrical digressions, Gogol also talks about literature, about writer's work, about various artistic styles. In these arguments, there is also the author's irony, the hidden polemic of the realist writer with romanticism is guessed.
So, depicting the character of Manilov, Gogol ironically remarks that it is much easier to portray the characters big size, generously throwing paint on the canvas: “black scorching eyes, hanging eyebrows, a forehead cut with a wrinkle, a black or scarlet cloak thrown over his shoulder, like fire, and the portrait is ready ...”. But it's much harder to describe romantic heroes, A ordinary people, "which in appearance are very similar to each other, but meanwhile, as you look closely, you will see many of the most elusive features."
Elsewhere, Gogol talks about two types of writers, meaning the romantic writer and the realist writer, the satirist. “A wonderful destiny is envisaged” of the first, who prefers to describe sublime characters, showing the “high dignity of a person.” But this is not the fate of the second, “who dared to bring out all the terrible, amazing mud of trifles that entangled our lives, the whole depth of cold, fragmented, everyday characters that our earthly, sometimes bitter and boring road is teeming with.” "Severe is his field," and he cannot escape the modern court, which considers his works an "insult to mankind." There is no doubt that Gogol is talking here about his own destiny.
Satirically describes Gogol lifestyle Russian landlords. So, talking about the pastime of Manilov and his wife, Gogol, as if in passing, remarks: “Of course, one could notice that there are many other activities in the house besides long kisses and surprises ... Why, for example, is it stupid and useless to cook in the kitchen ? Why is the pantry so empty? why is the key thief? ... But all these subjects are low, and Manilova was brought up well.
In the chapter devoted to Korobochka, the writer talks about the "extraordinary ability" of a Russian person to communicate with others. And this is where the author's irony comes in. Noting Chichikov's rather unceremonious treatment of Korobochka, Gogol remarks that the Russian has surpassed the foreigner in the ability to communicate: "it is impossible to count all the nuances and subtleties of our treatment." Moreover, the nature of this communication depends on the size of the state of the interlocutor: “we have such wise men who will speak with a landowner who has two hundred souls in a completely different way than with one who has three hundred ...”.
In the chapter on Nozdryov, Gogol touches on the same topic of "Russian communication", but in a different, more positive aspect of it. Here the writer notes the originality of the character of the Russian people, his good nature, easygoing, gentleness.
The character of Nozdrev is quite recognizable - he is a "broken fellow", a reckless driver, a reveler, a gambler and a brawler. He has a habit of cheating while playing cards, for which he is beaten repeatedly. “And the strangest thing of all,” Gogol remarks, “what can happen only in Rus' alone, after a few time he already met again with those friends who thrashed him, and met as if nothing had happened, and he, as they say, nothing and they are nothing.
In the author’s digressions, the writer also talks about the Russian nobility, shows how far these people are from everything Russian, national: from them “you won’t hear a single decent Russian word”, but French, German, English “will be endowed in such quantities that they won’t want." high society worships everything foreign, forgetting their original traditions and customs. The interest of these people national culture limited to the construction of a "hut in the Russian style" at the dacha. In this lyrical digression, the author's satire is obvious. Gogol here calls on compatriots to be patriots of their country, to love and respect native language, customs and traditions.
But the main theme of lyrical digressions in the poem is the theme of Russia and the Russian people. Here the author's voice becomes agitated, the tone becomes pathetic, irony and satire recede into the background.
In the fifth chapter, Gogol glorifies "the lively and lively Russian mind", the extraordinary talent of the people, "aptly said Russian word". Chichikov, asking the man he met about Plyushkin, receives an exhaustive answer: “... patched, patched! the man exclaimed. He also added a noun to the word "patched", very successful, but uncommon in secular conversation ... ". "It expresses itself strongly Russian people! Gogol exclaims, “and if he rewards someone with a word, then it will go to his family and offspring, he will drag him with him to the service, and into retirement, and to Petersburg, and to the ends of the world.”
Very important in lyrical digressions is the image of the road passing through the whole work. The theme of the road appears already in the second chapter, in the description of Chichikov’s trip to the Manilov estate: “As soon as the city went back, they started writing nonsense and game, according to our custom, on both sides of the road: hummocks, a spruce forest, low liquid bushes of young pines, burnt trunks old, wild heather and such nonsense. In this case, this picture is the background against which the action takes place. This is a typical Russian landscape.
In the fifth chapter, the road reminds the writer of joys and sorrows. human life Everywhere, across whatever sorrows from which our life is weaved, shining joy will merrily rush, as sometimes a brilliant carriage with golden harness, picture horses and sparkling glass of glass will suddenly suddenly rush past some stalled poor village ... "
In the chapter on Plyushkin, Gogol talks about the susceptibility of people different ages to life experiences. The writer here describes his childhood and youthful feelings associated with the road, with the journey, when everything around him aroused keen interest and curiosity. And then Gogol compares these impressions with his present indifference, cooling to the phenomena of life. The author's reflection ends here with a sad exclamation: “O my youth! O my freshness!
This reflection of the author imperceptibly turns into the idea of how a person's character, his inner appearance can change with age. Gogol talks about how a person can change in old age, to what "insignificance, pettiness, disgust" he can reach.
Both author's digressions here have something in common with the image of Plyushkin, with the story of his life. And so Gogol’s thought ends with a sincere, excited call to readers to preserve in themselves the best that is characteristic of youth: “Take with you on the road, leaving the soft youthful years into severe hardening courage, take with you all human movements, do not leave them on the road, do not raise them later! Terrible, terrible is the coming old age ahead, and gives nothing back and back!
The first volume of “Dead Souls” ends with a description of the troika, which is rapidly flying forward, which is a real apotheosis of Russia and the Russian character: “And what Russian does not like to drive fast? Is it his soul, seeking to spin, take a walk, sometimes say: “Damn it all!” Is it possible for his soul not to love her? ...Eh, troika! trio bird, who invented you? to know that you could have been born to a lively people, in that land that does not like to joke, but spread out evenly to half the world ... Rus', where are you rushing to? Give an answer. Doesn't give an answer. A bell is filled with a wonderful ringing; the air torn to pieces rumbles and becomes the wind; everything that is on the earth flies past, and, looking sideways, other peoples and states step aside and give it the way.
Thus, the lyrical digressions in the poem are varied. These are Gogol's satirical sketches, and pictures of Russian life, and the writer's reasoning about literature, and ironic observations on the psychology of a Russian person, the peculiarities of Russian life, and pathetic thoughts about the future of the country, about the talent of the Russian people, about the breadth of the Russian soul.
From the point of view kind "MD" - lyrical-epic pr-th, combining 2 principles: epic, expressed in the description of Chichikov's journey through central Russia, and lyre-th, embodied in lyre digressions. Lyrical digressions in G.'s poem are such a compositional and stylistic device, which, on the one hand, "slows down" the development of the plot, interspersing it with inserts on topics that are more or less related to the main theme, and on the other hand, conveys feelings, thoughts, assessments, views and, finally, the worldview of the author as a whole. The epic narrative in "MD" is often interrupted by the writer's lyrical monologues, evaluating the behavior of his heroes, reflecting on life, art, Russia and the people, touching on issues of life's path, the problem of spiritual loss of a person, the problem of true and false patriotism .. Thus, the author strives to portray as broadly as possible the picture of Russian life in the first half of XIX century.
The most significant in the poem "MD" are the lyre. derogations related to way of the road(the main image of the project). V. mark that the road is comprehended by G. in three forms: road like life path, the fate of people; road to philosophical sense how to search for your destination; road as the way of Russia. In an autobiographical digression at the beginning of chapter 6, G. talks about the transience of life, about changing ideals, laments the impact of the “dead” period of his contemporary era: “Before, long ago, in the summers of my youth, in the summers of my childhood that flashed irrevocably, it was fun for me to drive up for the first time to an unfamiliar place ... Now I indifferently drive up to any unfamiliar village and indifferently look at its vulgar appearance; my chilled gaze is uncomfortable, it’s not funny to me ... O my youth! O my freshness! ". The author urges readers to keep youthful freshness and fullness of feelings in their souls for as long as possible, not to become, like landlord heroes, "dead souls." The image of the road opens the narrative in the 7th chapter of the poem: “Happy is the traveler who, after a long, boring road with its cold, slush, mud, sleepy stationmasters, with the rattling of bells, repairs, squabbles, coachmen, blacksmiths and all kinds of road scoundrels, he finally sees a familiar roof with lights rushing towards ... ". The road is perceived by G. and as the path of Russia. Thus, in the famous digression of Chapter 11, the road with a rushing chaise is transformed V symbolic image the trio birds, the future R., the cat, "squinting, step aside and give her way to other peoples and states." Thus, the author affirms faith in the "living" soul of the simple Russian people, endowed with enormous potentialities. In this leitmotif, the unknown ways of the Russian national development(“Rus, where are you rushing to? Give me an answer. Doesn’t give an answer”), offering an antithesis to the ways of other peoples: “How twisted, deaf, narrow, impassable, drifting far to the side has been chosen by mankind ...”. The direct path, which Rus'-troika will sooner or later take, is obvious and clear to G. Nineteen centuries ago, it was given to mankind by its Savior: "I am the path, the truth and the life." Gogol's Russia, "casting a blind fog" into its "eyes", rushed along the false path of self-interest, huckstering, and is moving along it to the very edge of the abyss. But with all the creation of the poem, the writer shows that the blind have not yet completely gone blind, that in the "christened" souls of manils, boxes, nostrils, dogs, not everything is lost, that they have resources for the coming insight and access to the "straight paths" in them. The dream troika, a renewed Russia, “entirely inspired by God”, is rushing along, having taken the right, straight paths. Rus-Troika is G.'s poetically embodied faith in the high world-wide significance of R. as an Orthodox-Christian country. Also noteworthy is the intonation. The impetuous, hot, expressive speech of the author is constantly changing: from bright reflection, the delight of flying on a troika, a loving, slightly ironic description of the coachman to an alarming question addressed to Rus', and, finally, a look into the future imbued with optimism. The perfect, emotional, melodic speech of the author acquires the features of a national song imbued with a deep patriotic feeling.
In chapter 6 the author urges readers to save the soul from "dying", do not become the living dead like Plyushkin: "Take with you on the road, leaving the soft youthful years in the harsh hardening courage, take with you all human movements, do not leave them on the road, you will not pick them up later!".
singing the potential of the people, in the 5th chapter of the poem, the writer glorifies "the lively and lively Russian mind", which, "if he rewards someone with a word, then it will go to his family and offspring, drags him with him and into service, and into retirement, and to St. Petersburg, and to the end of the world...". Comparing it with other languages, G. notes: “The word of the British will respond with heart-study and wise knowledge of life; the short-lived word of the Frenchman will flash and scatter with a light dandy; the German will intricately come up with his own, not accessible to everyone, cleverly thin word; but there is no word that would be so boldly, so briskly escaped from under the very heart, so it would seethe and lively, like a well-spoken Russian word.
Comparing 2 types of writers(romantic and realistic), Gogol asserts a new ethical system, the ethics of love and hate, characteristic of the "natural school": love for the bright side of national life, for living souls and hatred for the negative sides of life. Dooming himself to rejection of the "hypocritically insensitive modern court", the author chooses the path and fate of the writer, "who dared to bring out everything that is every minute before our eyes and that indifferent eyes do not see - all the terrible, amazing mire of trifles that have entangled our life." Explaining the choice of the main hero in chapter 11, the author speaks of the writer's right to "hide the scoundrel". This is where one of the key parties tv-va G.: resorting to the possibilities of art, to stop everything negative that is happening in contemporary society. At the same time, the author understands that his plan is unlikely to gain support and be understood: readers will see in his poem only laughter, satire and will not notice "invisible", "unknown" tears ("And for a long time it was determined for me by wonderful power to go about hand with mine strange characters, look over the whole hugely rushing life, look over it through laughter visible to the world and invisible, unknown to him tears! "). not the person himself, but the sin "living" in him (here the position of the Christian writer is manifested).
If the author's reflections on the fate of writers are filled with regret, bitterness, then in talk about officials his satirical talent is fully manifested. A caustic criticism of officials and landowners is contained in the famous digression of the first chapter, which speaks of "fat" and "thin" officials in the city: "Alas! fat people know how to do their business better in this world than thin ones. Thin ones serve more on special assignments or only are numbered and wag to and fro ... ".
Noteworthy are also the digressions dedicated to Russian ladies. Describing their manners and characters, the author ridicules and denounces the society as a whole. Chapter 8 tells of their "inner vow to be as charming as possible"; "to show in all its brilliance the superiority of what she had the most excellent"; about a "little weakness" to notice "something especially good" in one's appearance and think "that the best part their faces are the first to catch everyone's eye. "Thus, with the help of digressions about Russian ladies, Gogol expands, deepens and generalizes the picture of his contemporary society.
Chapter I: digression about thick and thin officials (not about the figure, but about the peculiarities of the social position).
Everyone has their own "cheer". Manilov didn’t have such “ardor” - deadness.
Words about good education.
Chapter III: on the shades of Russian treatment of people of various social status. Ridicule of chivalry.
Chapter V: Meeting Chichikov with a blonde (governor's daughter). Constructed using the technique of contrasts. Gogol: "The true effect lies in a sharp contrast, beauty is never as bright and visible as in contrast."
The meaning of a dream, a brilliant joy that appears at least once in life.
Contrast: dream and everyday life; possible perception of a 20-year-old boy (how Chichikov perceives the governor's daughter => not at all like a 20-year-old boy).
Chapter VI: digression about youth and the chill that comes in mature years(impotence is called).
About the traveler (contrast of the road and the house, the house and homelessness).
About two types of writers:
1. pure art (writes only about pleasant and good things)
A long discussion of Chichikov about the peasants he bought (digression, but not lyrical and not authorial, but Chichikov, who is picked up by the author at the end). The author emphasizes that his thoughts are close to those of Chichikov.
Chapter VIII:
About Writers and Readers secular society
Continuation of the discourse on fat and thin officials
The story of Captain Kopeikin (the hero of the war of 12 years, the cat lost his arm and leg), the government renounces its defenders, thereby showing its anti-national essence. It's a completion and a summary themes of the dead shower.
There have been many misconceptions in the world
Reasoning about the Motherland (patriotic), thought about the hero
Goes into a digression about the road (Gogol spent a lot of time on the road, and there he was born a large number of intentions).
Reasoning about the hero (Chichikov is frankly called a scoundrel)
An insert parable about Kif Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich (a hero is born in Rus', but his wealth is not aimed at that)
Bird-troika (where the bird-troika rushes: Gogol's ideal is high, but abstract. He loved his homeland, people and believed in a bright future. Russia will find a way to move its poor, homeless life). A naive hope that a person should be found who will open the eyes of all Russian people to the vulgarity of their lives, anti-human morals and customs. Gogol takes on the role of such a person. "Who, if not the author, should tell the truth." He did not open his eyes to officials and landowners, but subsequent revolutionaries honored him)
Starting from the third chapter, Gogol's laughter, his irony is combined with lyrical inspiration. The comic turns into the tragicomic, the genre of the poem arises, which manifests itself primarily in lyrical digressions. The author's laughter is accompanied by sadness, longing for the ideal, with the hope of the revival of each hero and Rus' as a whole. The author's ideal fights throughout the whole poem with low reality.
Gogol perceived the creation of "Dead Souls" as his life's work, as his destiny: "Rus! what do you want from me? what incomprehensible bond lurks between us? Why do you look like that, and why did everything that is in you turn eyes full of expectation on me? space. What does this vast expanse prophesy? Is it not here, in you, that an infinite thought is born, when you yourself are without end? Is it not possible for a hero to be here when there is a place where he can turn around and walk around? And menacingly embraces me mighty space, with terrible force reflected in my depth; my eyes lit up with an unnatural power: wow! what a sparkling, wonderful, unfamiliar distance to the earth! Rus'!..” He considered it his duty to help Russia, to promote its moral rebirth through literature.
Gogol appears to us as a man who sincerely loves his homeland, a true patriot who sees its vices and shortcomings, but hopes to correct them. His love for Russia is boundless, like the world, he predicts a great future for the country, believes that it should go its own way, previously unknown to anyone, that Russia is a country in which, thanks to the strong faith of the people and their tireless, unlimited strength, one day happy time when all vices will be finally eradicated.
Lyrical digressions(by chapters)
Chapter I:
Chapter III:
Chapter V:
Chapter VI:
Chapter VII:
Chapter X
Chapter XI:
Rus' does not attract with a variety of nature and works of art. But Gogol feels inseparable bond with your country. Gogol understands that Rus' expects help from him, feels responsible. “Why do you look like that, and why did everything that is in you turn eyes full of expectation on me? .. And still, full of bewilderment, I stood motionless, and already my head was overshadowed by a menacing cloud, heavy with coming rains, and the thought was numb before your space” Rus' is able to inspire. It is Russia Gogol predicts a great future.
A reverent attitude to Russia, to the road, to the movement itself. The road for Gogol is a source of inspiration.
This digression characterizes Chichikov as truly Russian, and generalizes the character of any Russian person. Gogol also loves Russian driving.
This retreat has literary character(as well as about two types of writers). Gogol writes that the task of a real writer, a true patriot, is to tell the holy truth, “to look deeper into the soul of a hero. Expose all vices." Hushing up vices, hiding behind a patriotic feeling, is false patriotism. It is not oblivion, not resting on one's laurels, that is required of a true citizen, but action. It is important to be able to find vices in yourself, in your state, and not see them only in others.
Poetic, imbued with Gogol's love for Russia and faith in her bright future lyrical digression. The author draws fabulous image horses, their flight, endows them with a wonderful, fantastic, power beyond reason. In it one can see a hint of the Christian path of Russia’s development: “We heard a familiar song from above, together and at once strained our copper breasts and, almost without touching the ground with our hooves, turned into only elongated lines flying through the air, and everything inspired by God rushes! .. ". “Rus, where are you going? Give an answer. Does not give an answer” – however, Gogol does not see the end point of Russia’s path, but he believes that other states will give her the way.
