The poem "Dead Souls" written by Gogol is considered one of his best works. Reading this work you can meet such a hero as the landowner Manilov. This character piques the interest of the reader. Manilov lives to the fullest and in comfort. He also spends the whole day on his dreams, they do not leave his head. These dreams are not good. Such a life leads to disorder in the house and on the site. The serfs became lazy and not submissive. But, Manilov does not devote himself to everyday affairs, everything is controlled by the clerk.
Manilov is a rather silent person, he only thinks all day how to make his dreams come true. The landowner has a wife whom he has not stopped loving in 8 years of marriage. A woman devotes herself to raising children. By the way, their name is rather strange for Russia, Themistoclus and Alkid. When Manilov first meets someone, people are simply amazed at the way he communicates. He is very cultured and pleasant, people like him. The landowner tries not to look at the negative qualities of people, he notices only the good ones. There were cases when good manners communication and behavior he irritated people. Sometimes he just "went too far."
This person is practically not busy with anything useful. Manilov liked to spend time in his room and dream. Or just think about something. His office was not at all for work. The landowner read the same book for two years, in which there was a bookmark on one page. With People, he is specially, even unnecessarily pleasant. He can shower people with compliments and pleasantries, but, in fact, his speech is empty and has no interest.
Initially, it seems that in front of you is a very nice person. And then it quickly fades and becomes quite boring. The landowner does not know how to express his thoughts, and in principle he does not have his own opinion. The man is quite straightforward and in some way sense dead soul. The character is very gray and without character, he does not even have any special skills and inclinations.
This hero is surrounded by things that do not make any sense at all. This suggests that the landowner is indifferent to life. The house is always open for plowing, if you want to come in, if you want to go out.
Let's summarize. The author draws the reader's attention to inner world Manilov. His soul is empty and insignificant. And she is covered with an idle life and excessive pleasant manners. This hero has almost nothing bad, but it has nothing good either. Gogol does not give this hero of the work a chance to somehow change or be reborn. This person is basically empty place, so there is simply nothing to change in it. This character conveys the behavior of some people in real life, who only do what they dream of, don’t understand what.
Option 2
Manilov is the first landowner with whom N.V. Gogol introduces the reader. At the same time, his image can be considered central, he is best remembered. The author masterfully creates a characterization of the hero. When Chichikov just enters Manilovka, one gets the impression of a cozy home, pleasant and hospitable hosts. Everything smells of hospitality and even comfort. But, after staying in this house for some time, it becomes stuffy, disgusting, I want to escape from there with the main character.
Initially, a pleasant image of a smart and intelligent person is formed, but then his emptiness, mediocrity, and vulgarity are revealed to the interlocutor. It becomes uninteresting, cloying, sickening with the master, because Manilov never has his own opinion, but only maintains secular conversation with learned general phrases. Initially, Manilov seems to be a sweet, pleasant and kind person to his interlocutors, but communication with him causes mortal boredom. In his speeches there is no enthusiasm, individuality, living word. At the same time, his conversations are ingratiating, he desperately seeks the location of the interlocutor. The hero feels enthusiastic sympathy for Chichikov.
The landlord has a rather pleasant appearance. He is not old, blond, with blue eyes and enticing smile. He dresses expensively, albeit tastelessly. And at first glance, this is a prominent man. His eyes are "sweet as sugar" with a cute squint, especially when he laughs. The hero's smile was just as sweet and alluring. In general, there is a lot of “sugar” in the description of the hero. In facial features, facial expressions, expressions and conversations. “His features were not devoid of pleasantness, but this pleasantness seemed to have been too much transferred to sugar.” “He showed in his face an expression not only sweet, but even cloying.”
The man has been married for 8 years. He loves his wife Lisa. And she is very happy with her husband. They touchingly and gently bring each other pieces of fruit, sweets and other goodies. At the same time, they communicate in completely cloying voices, which causes disgust or laughter in the reader. Their children are called by completely strange and pretentious names: Themistoclus and Alkid. And their upbringing is done by servants.
Most acquaintances consider Manilov modest, well-mannered, delicate, cordial and an educated person. To some extent, this is true. In a deal with Chichikov, he behaves disinterestedly in material terms. And even legal costs incurs. But his advantage is that he is pleased to be useful to Chichikov, this flatters the landowner.
The character of the hero is difficult to determine, he is what is called neither this nor that. But the details written by the author are quite eloquent. Manilov never gets things done. And most of the time they don't start at all. And only dreams about what would be good to do. He makes plans that he will never carry out. One of these dreams is the bridge, which every guest of Manilovka hears about several times. On the table at the owner lies a dusty book, open for many years on the same page. The furniture is upholstered in expensive foreign cloth, although there wasn't enough for all the items.
Manilovism is a false idyll, a kind of utopia. And it is addictive if you don't get out of it in time. Therefore, I so want to run away from the estate, leave as soon as possible, while there is still strength to fight.
An essay about the landowner Manilov
Manilov is one of the five landowners of Gogol's Dead Souls. Each landowner is described in the book by a decreasing trait of humanity, the first in which is Manilov, who managed to retain some aspects of attractiveness in himself. Each landowner parades human sins: laziness, self-interest, fraud, hypocrisy, absurdity and others. Manilov had to take on the role of a dreamer, whose thoughts are always elevated above the clouds, never descending to earth.
Manilov is a retired officer of pleasant appearance who leads a festive lifestyle: he is lazy and ridiculous, irresponsible and overly dreamy. He is comfortable in his surroundings. He constantly smokes a long pipe, has two sons and still loves his wife for eight years of married life. The first impression of him is favorable. Thanks to his upbringing, he sees only pleasant things in people, which is why he is shown to be extremely sugary and frivolous.
He is pleasant in communication, as he uses excessively "sweet" speech to please his interlocutor. Manilov likes to immerse himself in his dreams from morning to evening, which creates the image of "Manilovism". Life around freezes so much that the book has been open on the same page for two years. Manilov dreams of creating a high superstructure over the estate in such a way that all of Moscow can be seen. However, at the same time, he forgets about the management of the economy, which is why he entrusts it to the clerk. In turn, he is not particularly worried about the life of the peasants. In the end, two hundred peasant huts survive somehow on their own, leaving themselves to the mercy of fate.
Manilov is disinterested. In addition to daydreaming, he is often silent, or he smokes his favorite long pipe. He does not follow his peasants, as a result of which he cannot even answer the question about the number of victims to Chichikov. Manilov decides to give away the souls of the peasants for free, as he is surprised at the intentions of the guest and that he wants to take the real price for a non-existent product.
The image and characteristics of Manilov
Gogol's story is a large-scale allegory that depicts deeply mystical and religious meanings. The layer of description of the landlords presents the reader with an image of the fall, as well as images of embodied sins as such. Gogol arranges these images in a special order in order to compose both a semantic outline and interesting structural rhymes.
Manilov is the first landowner to whom Chichikov comes and this situation is quite justified. Indeed, in the semantic context, Manilov is an image of childhood, the least degree of death and, in some ways, even the least degree of sinfulness.
This hero is really childishly naive, he treats everyone complacently: the vice-governor is “nice”, the police chief is “very pleasant”. It creates positive and pleasant impression, communicates using many compliments to the interlocutor. Thus, this person is harmless and simple.
Nevertheless, the figure of Manilov, upon closer examination, is even disgusting. His absolute infantilism is transformed into terrible forms that are simply unacceptable in adulthood. Gogol emphasizes this fact with characteristic details, “a book bookmarked on page 14, which he has been reading constantly for two years” and mounds of ashes from a pipe that were carefully stacked on the window.
Thus, Manilov is an absolutely worthless person, in which fantasies completely crowd out true existence, he lives in dreams, and this is the beginning of his death. Also, his family relationships are completely false and caricatured.
He communicates with his wife in absurd sugary-tender phrases that have nothing to do with genuine feelings, but rather are intended only to keep comfort and a “rainbow” childish mood. The wife herself is also not distinguished by a mature character. He gives the children strange names and both of them treat the children like dolls or something like that. in question about education or the transfer of experience.
Manilov is a soul caught in a network of fairy tales and dreams, unable to do something worthwhile in this world. He also personifies, in general, childish stupidity and weakness of an unformed personality, the beginning of the fall.
A brief description of Manilov from the poem "Dead Souls" boils down to the fact that this person is a representative of the landed nobility, who is distinguished by a dreamy but inactive disposition.
The image of Manilov in the poem "Dead Souls"
Manilov is a businesslike, sentimental person. Behavior, appearance, including nice features the faces, the charm of this hero are so pleasant that they seem cloying and become literally repulsive.
Behind all this sugary appearance is hidden soullessness, callousness, insignificance.
The hero's thoughts are chaotic and disorderly. Having touched on one topic, they can immediately disappear in an unknown direction, go far from reality.
He does not know how to think about today and solve everyday issues. All his life he tries to clothe in exquisite speech formulations.
Characteristics and description of the portrait of the hero Manilov
Portrait this character, like any other, consists of several parameters.
These include:
- life attitudes of the hero;
- hobbies;
- description of home decoration and workplace (if any);
- first impression of the character;
- speech and behavior.
The life goals of the landowner
The hero does not make definite plans. All his dreams are extremely vague and far from reality - it is not possible to realize them.
One of the projects was the idea to build an underground tunnel and a bridge across the pond. As a result, not a drop of what the landowner fantasized was done.
The hero is unable to plan own life and make real decisions. Instead of real deeds, Manilov is engaged in verbiage.
However, it also contains good traits- the landowner can be described as good family man who sincerely loves his wife and his children, cares about their present and future.
Favorite activities
Manilov's leisure is not filled with anything. Most time he spends in a gazebo with the inscription "Temple of solitary reflection." It is here that the hero indulges in his fantasies, dreams, comes up with unrealistic projects.
The hero also likes to sit in his office, meditate and, from idleness, build “beautiful rows” of ash slides. Constantly dwelling in his dreams, the landowner never leaves for the fields.
Description of Manilov's office
The landowner's office, like his entire estate, very accurately characterizes the hero's personality. Interior decoration emphasizes the character traits and habits of the character. The windows of the study overlook the side of the forest. Nearby lies a book, bookmarked on the same page for two whole years.
In general, the room looks nice. Of the furniture in it: a table with a book, four chairs, an armchair. Most of all in the study was tobacco - the ashes from a tobacco pipe were scattered around.
The first impression of the hero
At first glance, the character appears to be a charming person. Thanks to his immense good nature, the hero sees the best in everyone, and does not detect shortcomings at all or turns a blind eye to them.
The first impression does not last long. Soon, Manilov's society becomes terribly boring for the interlocutor. The fact is that the hero does not have his own point of view, but only pronounces “honey” phrases and smiles sweetly.
It doesn't have vital energy, real desires that drive a person, make them act. Thus, Manilov is a dead soul, a gray, spineless person, without definite interests.
Behavior and speech of the landowner
Manilov behaves very hospitably. At the same time, the hero is so pleasant in communication that sometimes it becomes excessive. The look of the landowner seems to exude sugar, and his speech is cloying to disgrace.
Manilov is a very boring interlocutor; it is never possible to hear criticism, indignation, "arrogant words" from him. The conversation shows the lively manners of the hero, fast speech Manilova is like a bird's chirping, saturated with courtesies.
The landowner is distinguished by delicacy and cordiality in communication. These qualities are manifested in bright and pompous forms of endless delight (“schi, but from pure heart»).
Among the favorite expressions of the hero there are such words as "let me", "amiable", "the most pleasant", "the most refined", "cute". In addition, Manilov's conversation is full of pronouns, interjections and adverbs of an indefinite form: such, such, some. These words emphasize Manilov's indefinite attitude to everything around him.
The speech of the hero has no meaning, it is empty and fruitless. Nevertheless, Mr. Manilov is a taciturn person, and free time prefers to devote to reflection rather than conversation.
Children of Manilov
The landowner has two children - sons. Wanting to somehow stand out from the gray mass, the father gave the boys unusual names - he named the eldest Themistoklos, the youngest he gave the name Alkid. The children were still small - 7 and 6 years respectively. The teacher is responsible for the education of the sons.
Manilov predicts a great future for his eldest son - due to his incredible wit, the boy will have a career as a diplomat. Talking about ability younger son, the landowner is limited brief description: "...Here is the smaller one, Alcides, he is not so fast ...".
The relationship between Manilov and Chichikov
Unlike other landowners, Manilov meets with great cordiality and hospitality, showing himself as a caring and attentive host. He tries to please Chichikov in everything.
In a deal with the main character, Manilov does not seek profit, refusing in every possible way to accept payment for dead Souls. He gives them away as a gift, out of friendship.
At first, the landowner is perplexed about unusual offer Chichikov, so much so that his pipe falls out of his mouth and the gift of speech is lost.
Manilov changed his attitude to the deal after Chichikov deftly filed his request in beautiful words- the landowner immediately calmed down and agreed.
The main character, in turn, cannot believe that Manilov and the clerk are not able to answer how many peasants have died since the last census.
Attitude towards the economy of Manilov
The character, to put it mildly, is not distinguished by practicality, which is vividly shown by the example of the description of his estate.
The hero's house stands in an open space accessible to all winds, the pond is overgrown with greenery, the village has become impoverished. Before Chichikov, miserable, lifeless views open up. Dilapidation and desolation reigns everywhere.
Manilov did not take care of the economy, he never went to the fields, he did not know about the number of serfs and how many of them were no longer alive. The landowner entrusted the management of affairs to the clerk, and he completely removed himself from solving pressing problems.
He can’t understand why Chichikov might need dead souls, but at the same time he is happy to indulge in fantasies about how great it would be to live next to him on the river bank. The clerk who manages Manilov's household is a hopeless drunkard, and the servants do nothing but sleep and do nothing.
Manilov is the only one who did not sell dead souls, but decided to give them away for nothing. In addition, the landlord bears all the costs of registration of the bill of sale. This act clearly demonstrates the impracticality of the hero. The only thing Manilov is guided by is senseless sycophancy in front of Chichikov, as well as in front of any other person.
Attitude towards others
Manilov treats all people equally benevolently and, as noted earlier, in each person he sees only positive traits. According to the hero, all officials - wonderful people in every way.
The landowner treats the peasants well, both with his own and with strangers. Manilov is very polite towards the teacher of his children, and he even addressed the coachman once with “you”. Manilov is so trusting and naive that he does not notice lies and deceit.
With his guests, the landowner behaves very hospitably and kindly. In addition, he observes ingratiating behavior towards those people who are of particular interest to him (such as Chichikov).
Kindness, gullibility, gentleness in Manilov are greatly exaggerated and unbalanced critical eye for life.
Description of the Manilov estate
This is a large estate owned by a landowner. More than 200 peasant houses are assigned to it. There are fields, a forest, a pond, a city house, a gazebo and flower beds. Manilov's economy is left to itself, and his peasants lead an idle lifestyle. The estate has a gazebo for reflection, where the landowner indulges in dreams and fantasies from time to time.
Why Manilov is a "dead soul"
The image of the landowner is the personification of a person who has lost his own personality, who does not have individuality.
Manilov has no purpose in life, this is a "dead soul" that is worth nothing even in comparison with such a scoundrel as Chichikov.
Conclusion
In the work, the red line emphasizes the spiritual emptiness and insignificance of Manilov, hiding behind the sugar shell of the hero and his estate. This character cannot be called negative, but it cannot be classified as positive either. He is a man without a patronymic name, who has no meaning for the world around him.
The hero can be characterized by a capacious quote from "Dead Souls" - "the devil knows what it is." Manilov cannot count on rebirth, because inside him is an emptiness that cannot be reborn or transformed. The world of this hero consists of false fantasies and is, in fact, a barren idyll leading nowhere.
Gogol devotes a large place in the poem to the image local nobility- serf landlords.
In appearance, the landowner Manilov is a "prominent person." “In the first minute of a conversation with him, you cannot but say: “What a pleasant and a kind person". In the next minute you won't say anything, but in the third you will say: "The devil knows what it is" and move away; if you don’t move away, you will feel mortal boredom.” Manilov's spiritual emptiness is expressed, first of all, in idle dreaminess and sugary sentimentality. Manilov loves to dream, but his dreams are pointless, unrealizable. Between his dream and reality - a complete discord. He dreams, for example, of building a stone bridge across the pond with benches “on both sides”, of building an underground passage, of building a house with such a high belvedere that one can see Moscow from there. None practical sense these dreams don't.
Manilov's time is not filled with anything. He likes to sit in his "pleasant little room", indulge in reflections and, having nothing to do, arrange "beautiful rows" of heaps of ash knocked out of a pipe. “In his office there was always some kind of book, bookmarked on page 14, which he had been constantly reading for two years.”
In dealing with people, Manilov is cloyingly courteous and courteous. Talking to Chichikov, he sprinkles his speech with "pleasant" words and compliments, but is unable to express a single lively and interesting thought. “You won’t expect any lively or even arrogant word from him, which you can hear from anyone if you touch the subject that bullies him.”
He treats all people with the same complacency and tends to see only the good in any person. When, in a conversation with Chichikov, the speech concerns provincial officials, Manilov gives each of them the most flattering assessment: his governor is “most respected and most amiable”, the vice-governor is “nice”, the police chief is “very pleasant”, etc. Kindness, gentleness , trusting attitude towards people - these good qualities of character in Manilov are negative in themselves, since they are not associated with a critical attitude towards the environment.
He is far from practical activity and economic affairs: his house stands at a dab, open to all winds, the pond is overgrown with greenery, the village is poor.
The economy of this landowner “ran somehow by itself”, he never went to the fields, he did not even know how many peasants he had and how many of them died. Having entrusted the household to the clerk, he completely removed himself from the decision of any economic issues. His consideration is in no way accessible, for which Chichikov needed the dead
peasants, but with great pleasure he dreams of living with Chichikov "on the banks of some river."
Manilov is depicted as outwardly pleasant, but morally devastated. The image of Manilov has become a household name. empty, unrelated real life daydreaming, the same complacency towards all people, regardless of their qualities, is still called Manilovism.
Among the landowners visited by Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, Manilov stands apart.
The image and characterization of Manilov in the poem "Dead Souls" is the personification of living people who have lost their personality and individuality. Manilov is a soul that has lost the purpose of life, a "dead soul", but it is worth nothing even for such a scoundrel as Chichikov.
The landowner is a dreamer
The reader will learn quite a lot about the first inhabitant of the suburb, who was visited by Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. He is a retired officer who has been accustomed to smoking a pipe since his army service. He has been married to Lizonka for eight years, with whom he has two sons. Love between spouses resembles true happiness. They carry sweets, apples, nuts to each other, showing this care. They speak in soft voices. Love with its excessive sentimentality resembles a parody. The sons have such names that it is impossible not to dwell on them: Alkid and Themistoklus. Parents wanted to distinguish their children from the crowd, at least with names. Manilov presents himself as a Westerner, a man who builds his life in the European manner, but this results in absurdity and nonsense.The gullibility of the owner of the manor house leads to deception. The peasants ask to be let go to work, while they themselves go for a walk and get drunk. The naivety of the master leads to devastation. The whole estate is lifeless and miserable. The clerk on the estate is not surprising to the reader - a drunkard and a lazy person. Life in the estate and around flows according to some unknown laws of its own. The landowner became an association of a whole way of life - "Manilovism". This is an idle, dreamy attitude to life without work and action.
Character appearance
The landowner with the pleasant surname Manilov is not Old man, as the author of "middle years" says. His face is remembered for its excessive sweetness. It reminds the author of cloying sweets, excess sugar.Character traits:
- blue-eyed;
- blond;
- smiling pleasantly and enticingly.
Interesting clothes of the landowner:
- green "shallow" frock coat;
- warm cap with ears;
- bears in brown cloth.
Communication with Manilov
The surname of the character was chosen by the author from the so-called "talkers". The landowner "beckons" with his sweetness, flattery and sycophancy. From communication with the landowner quickly get tired. His pleasant at first glance smile becomes cloying and boring.- 1 minute - a nice person;
- 2 minutes - do not know what to say;
- 3 minutes - "The devil knows what it is."
Hero character
It would seem that the character of the landowner is built on his upbringing. He is educated and noble, but in fact this character has no character. At what point Manilov stopped developing is unclear. In the office there is a book that the owner has been reading for more than 2 years, and reading is on one page. The master is very hospitable. He welcomes everyone like a hospitable host. He sees only the good in everyone, he simply closes his eyes to the bad. It becomes more fun when approaching the house of the britzka with guests, a smile spreads all over his face. More often Manilov is not talkative. He indulges in dreams and talks to himself. Thoughts fly away, and only God knows what he thinks. The most important thing is that thoughts and dreams do not require implementation. They are like smoke, fluttering and melting. The man is simply too lazy to pronounce these thoughts. He likes to create cigarette ash slides that fall like sandcastles.- indifference;
- laziness;
- absence own opinion;
- verbiage.
Special qualities
The landlord has no name. Surprisingly, the author does not even give a hint. Unusual names the children have, the wife's name is Lizonka, and the hero has nothing but a surname. This is his first elusiveness. The author says that such people are known under the name: "neither this nor that, neither in the city of Bogdan, nor in the village of Selifan." What else can be attributed to the special features and characteristics:Projection. Manilov dreams, has plans that are not destined to come true. It is difficult to imagine them in someone else's head: an underground passage, a superstructure for viewing Moscow.
Sentimentality. Everything causes tenderness in the soul of a man, and indiscriminately. He doesn't get to the heart of the matter. He rejoices in everything he sees. This attitude is surprising. You can not rejoice at the bare forests, scattered houses. "Schi from a pure heart" causes a smirk in an attentive reader. "May Day - Name Day of the Heart" - it is difficult to even understand the meaning of an enthusiastic feeling.
The man has many special qualities - beautiful handwriting, accuracy, but they only emphasize that Manilov could have been a good judge, but everything faded and died.
Things around the landlord
All objects surrounding the owner speak of his unsuitability, isolation from reality.House. The building stands in the wind, on a hill without trees. Around the liquid crowns of birches, which the author calls the tops. The symbol of Russia is losing its natural appeal.
Pond. The surface of the water is not visible. It is overgrown with duckweed, more like a swamp.
Alcove. The name of the lord's resting place is "Temple of Solitary Reflection." It should be comfortable here, but there is no word about it. Running building.
There has been no furniture in one of the rooms for 8 years, the emptiness in the manor's house is not due to a lack of funds, but from the laziness and mismanagement of the masters.
The landowner Manilov is the only one who did not sell, but gave dead souls. It is so impractical that it incurs the cost of making a purchase. But this is the whole essence of the landowner: senseless sycophancy in front of any person, be it even a criminal or a scoundrel.
Manilov - the hero of the poem by N.V. Gogol, the landowner. He is the first of the landowners whom Chichikov visits. The author plays on the character's surname (from the verb "to beckon", "to lure").
Manilov is characterized by the author as a fruitless dreamer, a man without his own opinion, unable to complete any business. The character of the hero is difficult to capture. The author himself describes it with the help of a proverb: “People are so-so, neither this nor that, neither in the city of Bogdan nor in the village of Selifan”. Manilov's appearance further emphasizes his dullness and the typical nature of his nature: “In his eyes, he was a prominent person; his features were not devoid of pleasantness, but this pleasantness seemed to have been conveyed too much sugar; in his manners and turns there was something ingratiating himself with favors and acquaintances. He smiled enticingly, was blond, with blue eyes. In the first minute of a conversation with him, you cannot but say: "What a pleasant and kind person!" In the next minute you will say nothing, and in the third you will say: "The devil knows what it is!" - and move away if you don’t move away, you will feel mortal boredom.”
The mismanagement of Manilov is shown even when describing his estate. Chichikov opens up lifeless and miserable views. His house is blown by all the winds, dilapidation and desolation are everywhere. Attention is also attracted by the gazebo, which is pompously called the "Temple of Solitary Reflection."
The household of Manilov is run by a drinking clerk, the housekeeper steals, the servants sleep and do nothing: “You can’t say that he was engaged in farming, he never even went to the fields, farming went on somehow by itself.” Manilov constantly comes up with various "projects" that are not only useless, but also hardly feasible: “... looking from the porch at the yard and at the pond, he talked about how good it would be if suddenly an underground passage was built from the house or a stone bridge was built across the pond, on which there would be shops on both sides, and so that in merchants sat there and sold various small goods necessary for the peasants.
Manilov - an adherent of everything Western, emphasizes his high education. He even named his children strange names- Themistoclus and Alkid. He is happily married, but his relationship with his wife looks feigned and parodic-sentimental.
Manilov is not looking for profit in a deal with Chichikov. He gives the souls of the peasants for free and takes over the bill of sale.
Behind the outward pleasantness of Manilov lies insignificance, dullness and emptiness.
