“Dead Souls” is characterized by the author of the poem himself. The original version was conceived as a work consisting of three books. The first volume of the book was released, only drafts remained of the second, and only some fragmentary information is known about the third volume. Gogol used the idea for the plot of the work at the suggestion of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. The case of using dead souls actually existed and took place in Bessarabia.
"Dead Souls" summary
The first volume of the book begins with the appearance of Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, who claimed to everyone that he was an ordinary landowner. Once in the small town of “N”, Chichikov gains the trust of the city’s residents, who occupy a privileged status. Neither the governor nor other residents of the city suspect the real purpose of Chichikov’s visit. The main goal of his actions is to purchase the dead souls of peasants, but not registered as dead and listed as alive in the register.
After completing a deal with local landowners, Chichikov transferred the peasants to himself. During his life, Chichikov tried many ways to achieve significant weight and high income in society. He once served at customs and collaborated with smugglers, but did not share something with his accomplice and he handed him over to the authorities, as a result, a case was opened against both, but Chichikov, using his remarkable mind, connections and money, managed to get out of on trial.
Manilov
Chichikov made his first visit to Manilov. The author is very critical of Manilov and characterizes him as too saccharine. After Chichikov expresses the purpose of his visit, Manilov, at first perplexed, simply completely without money, gives him the dead souls of the peasants. After Chichikov’s departure, Manilov is convinced that the service rendered to Chichikov is so great, and the friendship is so significant, that in his mind the Emperor will definitely reward them both with the rank of general.
Visit to Korobochka
Chichikov's next visit was to Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka, a woman who was certainly very economical and distinguished by her frugality. Having spent the night on her estate, he, without unnecessary ado, declares to her his desire to buy dead souls from her, which greatly surprises the landowner. He manages to persuade her to make a deal only after he promises to buy additional honey and hemp from her.
Failure with Nozdrev
On the way to the city, Chichikov meets Nozdryov, who, without much persuasion, rather unceremoniously, draws him in. The author characterizes the owner as an easy-going, broken person with very diverse interests and unpredictable moods. Here the main character faces failure; the owner, seemingly agreeing to give Chichikov dead souls, persuades him to buy a horse, a dog and a barrel organ, to which he, of course, refuses. The whole adventure of Chichikov and Nozdryov ends with a game of checkers, as a result of which Chichikov manages only to miraculously avoid a flogging or even an ordinary beating, he escapes.
Visit to Sobakevich
Sobakevich, whom Chichikov visited next, impressed him with his bearish habits. The owner has a rather harsh opinion about the officials in the city, he is hospitable and loves to treat his guest to a hearty lunch. The guest’s message about the desire to buy the dead souls of peasants from him was met in a businesslike manner, the price was requested at one hundred rubles for each soul, this was motivated by the fact that the men were all of the highest quality; after a long bargaining, Chichikov acquired peasant souls for two and a half rubles.
Plyushkin
Dissatisfied with the bargaining, Chichikov goes to Plyushkin, whom Sobakevich informed him about. Complete disorder greeted Chichikov on the estate, and the master himself, whom the guest initially mistook for the housekeeper, made a depressing impression on him. Life's misfortunes turned the once zealous owner into a stingy, petty person. Having promised Plyushkin to pay taxes for them after acquiring souls, Chichikov made him very happy. Chichikov left in the most cheerful mood, because he managed to acquire as many as 120 souls.
Consequences
After completing all the actions, Chichikov enjoys universal respect in the city and is accepted for a millionaire. Trouble awaits the hero; Nozdryov accuses him of buying dead souls. Worried about whether she has sold herself short, Korobochka comes to town. The secret becomes clear. Chichikov's flirtation with the governor's daughter, Korobochka's message about buying dead souls, did not make a favorable impression on the townspeople. And then there are the rumors and absurdities expressed by the ladies, the police chief’s notification about the escape of the criminal, the death of the prosecutor, everything was not at all favorable to the hero, he was refused admission in all houses. And Chichikov is forced to flee.
And again the road lies before him. Critics about the poem Despite the fact that critics greeted Gogol's poem ambiguously, they were all unanimous in their opinion about the unusualness of the work, both in its internal inconsistency and straightforwardness, and in the beauty of the writing, how beautiful, for example, is the description of the three-bird. How harmoniously the vital contradictions of the existing world and the world of art are shown. And only Gogol was able to give the reader a complete understanding of the difference between the reality of life and fiction.
Soon after Chichikov left Manilov's estate, he was caught on the road by a thunderstorm. As luck would have it, the coachman Selifan managed to get drunk somewhere, missed the turn to Sobakevich, lost his way and, driving into a plowed field in the darkness, overturned the chaise. Chichikov fell into the mud and got very dirty. He was already despairing of getting to his home when he suddenly heard a dog barking from a distance. Rushing at him, Selifan drove up to some house. A woman’s voice, responding to the knock on the gate, first told them to get out, because “this is not an inn, but a landowner lives here.” But when Chichikov said that he, too, was a nobleman, the lady herself came out of the house and let them spend the night.
She was an elderly woman, one of those small landowners who cry over crop failures and losses, but meanwhile collect little money into bags placed in dresser drawers, and out of frugality do not throw away old dresses or other worn-out rubbish. (See Description of the Box.) The maid Fetinya took Chichikov's clothes to be cleaned and prepared his bed, laying down a feather bed almost to the ceiling. Chichikov immediately fell asleep and woke up only when the clock struck ten in the morning. The landlady looked in the door, but at that very moment she hid, because Chichikov, wanting to sleep better, had thrown off completely everything.
Approaching the window, Chichikov saw a narrow courtyard, all filled with chickens and turkeys. The landowner's house differed little from the peasant huts visible at a distance. The economy and contentment of the inhabitants were noticeable everywhere. (See Description of the Korobochki estate.)
Chichikov found the landowner herself in the next room near the samovar. He started a lively conversation with her, with much less ceremony than with the Manilovs. If the Russian person has surpassed Europe in one thing, it is in the ability to find a special language and nuance with any interlocutor. Thus, our official in the office looks like a decisive eagle and Prometheus when he talks with lower ranks, but becomes a partridge and even a fly in the presence of higher ones. (See Gogol's lyrical digression on the subtleties of circulation.)
It turned out that the owner's name was Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka. As a homely woman, she immediately began to wonder: was her guest a buyer and could she sell him honey or hemp? Chichikov grinned and replied that he was interested in a different kind of product. He wondered how many of Korobochka’s serfs had died lately, and asked if she would like to sell these dead souls to him.
“Do you really want to dig them out of the ground?” – Nastasya Petrovna bulged her eyes. Chichikov explained that this was his business, but the hostess would receive a clear benefit: she would get rid of paying taxes for the dead.
The box became thoughtful, saying: “It has never happened before that they sold me dead people.” Chichikov began to cajole her. He said that he would pay 15 rubles in banknotes for each dead soul. The box hesitated. After thinking about it, she said that it would be better to wait: “perhaps the merchants will come, but I’ll adjust the prices.”
Not knowing how to persuade her, Chichikov pretended that the dead were useless in the household: how could they scare the sparrows at night in the garden. The box crossed itself and began to offer him to buy better hemp. Chichikov was suddenly struck by a happy thought. He hinted that he was conducting government contracts and, after the dead souls, he was going to buy various household products in bulk from Korobochka.
Dead Souls. The poem, written by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol in 1841, had a grandiose plan. It was supposed to be a work in three parts. The first volume was supposed to introduce readers to a real Russian person, possessing many “gifts and riches” and, at the same time, a huge number of disadvantages. It was this first house that reached the modern reader in full. Since the manuscript of the second volume was burned by the great Russian writer shortly before his death, only some chapters have survived.
The poem “Dead Souls” is the story of Chichikov, who bought up dead serfs in order to run a scam that would bring him a huge amount of money. Narrating the adventures of Mr. Chichikov, the author reflects on problems of a social and philosophical nature. The very title of the poem “Dead Souls” has several meanings.
“Dead souls” are, first of all, dead peasants whom Chichikov buys, following from landowner to landowner. But the situation when the sale and purchase of a person becomes an everyday matter makes living serfs “dead”; they are a commodity in the hands of powerful masters. Gradually, the concept of “dead souls” is transformed, acquiring a new meaning. It becomes clear to the reader that the dead souls are the landowners themselves, people mired in their passions for petty things, “petty inhabitants.” And although all 5 landowners visited by the main character, at first glance, are not similar to each other, they have something in common - worthlessness, emptiness.
"Dead Souls" summary
Chapters 1-6
Chapter 1 of the poem is an exposition. The reader meets Mr. Chichikov, who arrives in the city. The hero stops at a tavern and then pays visits to all available officials. During such visits, Chichikov meets some landowners: Manilov, Sobakevich, Nozdrev. He finds out how many souls each landowner supports, how far away their estates are.
Chapters 2-6 – Chichikov’s journey through the landowners. The main character visited 5 estates, met with five landowners: Manilov, Sobakevich, Nozdrev, Korobochka and Plyushkin. Having traveled 30 miles, instead of the promised 15, Chichikov comes to Manilov. His estate is located in the Jura, among English flower beds. The owner of the estate is very kind, but as it turns out, after a few minutes, he is too kind, too cloying. He does not delve into the affairs of the estate, but lives in illusions, dreams, all day long indulging in thoughts about unrealizable ideas. Chichikov has lunch with the Manilovs, and then informs the owner that he wants to buy from him the dead serfs who are listed as alive. Manilov begins to be frightened, but then, becoming emotional, he happily agrees. Chichikov leaves for Sobakevich.
The coachman Selifan misses the turn, which is why the travelers end up not with Sobakevich, but with Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka. Korobochka is an elderly landowner, she is very homely. Nothing goes missing in her house, and the peasants have strong huts. For a long time she does not agree to give the dead serfs to Chichikov, she keeps wondering whether she will sell things too cheap, whether they will be useful to her. As a result, having paid fifteen rubles for each “dead soul”, Chichikov moves on.
On the highway, the hero stops to have a snack at a tavern. Here he meets the next landowner - Nozdryov. He returns with his son-in-law from the fair - Nozdryov lost his horses. Wherever Nozdryov appeared, everywhere a story happened to him, he is such a daring hooligan. The landowner takes Chichikov to his home, where the hero tries to persuade Nozdryov to sell him the dead peasants. Nozdryov is not that simple: he gets Chichikov involved in a game of checkers, where the bets are the “dead souls” so desired by Chichikov. As the game progresses, it becomes clear that Nozdryov is openly cheating. When it almost comes to a fight, the buyer of the dead is saved by a sudden visit from the police captain, who reports that Nozdryov is on trial. Chichikov manages to escape. On the road, the traveler's crew accidentally encounters an unfamiliar crew. While the means of transportation are being put in order, Chichikov admires the young, especially pleasant appearance and reflects on the pleasures of family life.
Sobakevich, the next landowner, thoroughly feeds the traveler lunch, at the same time discussing all the city officials. All of them, according to Sobakevich, are the lowest people, swindlers and pigs. Having learned that, or rather who, Chichikov wants to buy, Sobakevich is not at all surprised. He bargains and asks Chichikov to leave a deposit.
Chichikov's journey ends with a visit to the last landowner - Plyushkin. The author calls it “the hole of humanity.” Chichikov, seeing Plyushkin, thinks that this is the housekeeper or servant. The owner of the estate is dressed in rags, strange rags. Nothing is thrown away in his house, but on the contrary, even the sole of a shoe will be brought into the house. The room is piled high with rubbish, Plyushkin invites Chichikov to drink a drink, which he himself has re-filtered to remove dirt. Having talked about the obvious benefits of selling dead souls and having concluded a successful deal, Chichikov returns to the city.
Chapters 7-10
The chapters show another layer of society - bureaucracy. Chichikov, having prepared all the lists of peasants, goes to the ward, where Manilov and Sobakevich are already waiting for him. The chairman of the chamber helps to prepare all the documents and signs the bill of sale for Plyushkin. Chichikov informs the officials that he will send all the peasants to the Kherson province. After completing the paperwork, everyone present goes to the next room, where they eat and drink to the newly minted landowner and his future lucky wife.
Chichikov returns to the tavern, exhausted and very tired. The very next day, rumors began to circulate in the city that Chichikov was a millionaire. The ladies began to go crazy, the hero even received a letter with amorous poems from an unknown woman. And most importantly, he is invited to the governor's ball. At the ball, Chichikov enjoys breathtaking success. He moves from one hug to another, from one conversation to another. Women don't take their eyes off him. But Chichikov was interested in only one girl - a sixteen-year-old blonde whom he had once encountered on the road.
She turned out to be the governor's daughter. But such an excellent state of affairs is spoiled by Nozdryov: drunk, in public, he asks the new Kherson landowner how many dead souls he has traded. Society does not take the drunken man's words seriously, but Chichikov becomes noticeably upset, does not maintain a conversation, and makes a mistake in a card game. The next day, Korobochka comes to the city to find out how much dead souls are worth these days. Her arrival provides fertile ground for gossip that divides the city into two parties: male and female.
The men's party is trying to find out why Chichikov bought up dead souls, and the women's party believes that Chichikov wants to steal the governor's daughter. Officials, talking about Chichikov, get confused in riddles. Some believe that he is a maker of counterfeit notes, others that he is Captain Kopeikin. Nozdryov also adds fuel to the fire, confirming every guess with invented details. After these proceedings, the shocked prosecutor comes home and dies.
At this time, Chichikov is sick and does not understand why no one visits him. Fortunately, Nozdryov visits him and tells him who Chichikov is now in the eyes of the city residents. The hero decides to leave urgently, but when leaving the city he encounters a funeral procession. Chapter 11 occupies a special place; the author tells the biography of Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. About his childhood, studies, career, service. Chichikov was poor, but had a practical mind, which helped him formulate a plan in his head on how to buy up dead peasants, and then, using the money, secure a calm future for himself.
DEAD SOULS
Gogol called his work a “poem”; the author meant “a lesser kind of epic... Prospectus for a textbook of literature for Russian youth. The hero of the epic is a private and invisible person, but significant in many respects for observing the human soul.” The poem nevertheless contains features of a social and adventure novel. The composition of “Dead Souls” is built on the principle of “concentric circles” - the city, the estates of the landowners, all of Russia as a whole.
Volume 1
CHAPTER 1
A carriage drove into the gates of a hotel in the provincial town of NN, in which sits a gentleman “not handsome, but not of bad appearance, not too fat, not too thin; I can’t say that I’m old, but I can’t say that I’m too young.” This gentleman is Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. At the hotel he eats a hearty lunch. The author describes the provincial town: “The houses were one, two and one and a half floors, with an eternal mezzanine, very beautiful, according to the provincial architects.
In some places these houses seemed lost among a street as wide as a field and endless wooden fences; in some places they huddled together, and here the movement of people and liveliness was more noticeable. There were signs almost washed away by the rain with pretzels and boots, in some places with painted blue trousers and the signature of some Arshavian tailor; where there is a store with caps, caps and the inscription: “Foreigner Vasily Fedorov”... Most often, the darkened double-headed state eagles were noticeable, which have now been replaced by a laconic inscription: “Drinking House”. The pavement was pretty bad everywhere.”
Chichikov pays visits to city officials - the governor, vice-governor, chairman of the chamber * prosecutor, police chief, as well as the inspector of the medical board, the city architect. Chichikov builds excellent relationships with everyone everywhere and with the help of flattery, gaining the trust of each of those he visited. Each of the officials invites Pavel Ivanovich to visit them, although they know little about him.
Chichikov attended the governor’s ball, where “he somehow knew how to find his way around everything and showed himself to be an experienced socialite. Whatever the conversation was about, he always knew how to support it: whether it was about a horse factory, he talked about a horse factory; were they talking about good dogs, and here he made very practical remarks; whether they interpreted the investigation carried out by the treasury chamber, he showed that he was not unaware of the judicial tricks; whether there was a discussion about the billiard game - and in the billiard game he did not miss; they talked about virtue, and he talked about virtue very well, even with tears in his eyes; he knew about the production of hot wine, and Tsrok knew about hot wine; about customs overseers and officials, and he judged them as if he himself were both an official and an overseer. But it’s remarkable that he knew how to dress it all up with some kind of sedateness, he knew how to behave well. He spoke neither loudly nor quietly, but absolutely as he should.” At the ball he met the landowners Manilov and Sobakevich, whom he also managed to win over. Chichikov finds out what condition their estates are in and how many peasants they have. Manilov and Sobakevich invite Chichikov to their estate. While visiting the police chief, Chichikov meets the landowner Nozdryov, “a man of about thirty, a broken fellow.”
CHAPTER 2
Chichikov has two servants - the coachman Selifan and the footman Petrushka. The latter reads a lot and everything, while he is not occupied with what he reads, but with putting letters into words. In addition, Parsley has a “special smell” because she very rarely goes to the bathhouse.
Chichikov goes to Manilov's estate. It takes a long time to find his estate. “The village of Manilovka could lure few people with its location. The manor's house stood alone on the jura, that is, on an elevation open to all the winds that could possibly blow; the slope of the mountain on which he stood was covered with trimmed turf. Two or three flower beds with lilac and yellow acacia bushes were scattered on it in English style; Five or six birches in small clumps here and there raised their thin, small-leaved tops. Under two of them was visible a gazebo with a flat green dome, blue wooden columns and the inscription: “Temple of Solitary Reflection”; Below is a pond covered with greenery, which, however, is not unusual in the English gardens of Russian landowners. At the bottom of this elevation, and partly along the slope itself, gray log huts were darkened along and across...” Manilov was glad to see the guest’s arrival. The author describes the landowner and his farm: “He was a prominent man; His facial features were not devoid of pleasantness, but this pleasantness seemed to have too much sugar in it; in his techniques and turns there was something ingratiating favor and acquaintance. He smiled enticingly, was blond, with blue eyes. In the first minute of a conversation with him, you can’t help but say: “What a pleasant and kind person!” The next minute you won’t say anything, and the third you’ll say: “The devil knows what it is!” - and move away; If you don’t leave, you will feel mortal boredom. You won’t get any lively or even arrogant words from him, which you can hear from almost anyone if you touch an object that bothers him... You can’t say that he was involved in farming, he never even went to the fields, farming somehow went on by itself. .. Sometimes, looking from the porch at the yard and 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 Merchants sat there and sold various small goods needed by the peasants... All these projects ended with just words. In his office there was always some kind of book, bookmarked on page fourteen, which he had been constantly reading for two years. There was always something missing in his house: in the living room there was beautiful furniture, upholstered in smart silk fabric, which was probably quite expensive; but there wasn’t enough for two armchairs, and the armchairs were simply upholstered in matting... In the evening, a very dandy candlestick made of dark bronze with three antique graces, with a dandy mother-of-pearl shield, was placed on the table, and next to him was placed some simple copper invalid, lame, curled up to the side and covered in fat, although neither the owner, nor the mistress, nor the servants noticed this.”
Manilov's wife suits his character very well. There is no order in the house because she doesn't keep track of anything. She is well brought up, she received her education in a boarding school, “and in boarding schools, as is known, three main subjects form the basis of human virtues: the French language, necessary for the happiness of family life, the piano, for making pleasant moments for the spouse, and, finally, the economic part itself: knitting purses and other surprises.”
Manilov and Chichikov show inflated courtesy towards each other, which leads them to the point that they both squeeze through the same doors at the same time. The Manilovs invite Chichikov to dinner, which is attended by both of Manilov’s sons: Themistoclus and Alcides. The first one has a runny nose and bites his brother's ear. Alcides, swallowing tears, covered in fat, eats a leg of lamb.
At the end of lunch, Manilov and Chichikov go to the owner’s office, where they have a business conversation. Chichikov asks Manilov for revision tales - a detailed register of peasants who died after the last census. He wants to buy dead souls. Manilov is amazed. Chichikov convinces him that everything will happen in accordance with the law, that the tax will be paid. Manilov finally calms down and gives away the dead souls for free, believing that he has done Chichikov a huge service. Chichikov leaves, and Manilov indulges in dreams, in which it comes to the point that for their strong friendship with Chichikov, the Tsar will reward both with the rank of general.
CHAPTER 3
Chichikov goes to Sobakevich's estate, but gets caught in heavy rain and gets lost on the road. His chaise overturns and falls into the mud. Nearby is the estate of the landowner Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka, where Chichikov comes. He goes into a room that “was hung with old striped wallpaper; paintings with some birds; between the windows there are old small mirrors with dark frames in the shape of curled leaves; Behind every mirror there was either a letter, or an old deck of cards, or a stocking; a wall clock with painted flowers on the dial... it was impossible to notice anything more... A minute later the hostess entered, an elderly woman, in some kind of sleeping cap, put on hastily, with a flannel around her neck, one of those mothers, small landowners, who cry over crop failures and losses and keep their heads somewhat to one side, and meanwhile, little by little they collect money in colorful bags placed in dresser drawers...”
Korobochka leaves Chichikov to spend the night in his house. In the morning, Chichikov starts a conversation with her about selling dead souls. Korobochka can’t understand what he needs them for, so he offers to buy honey or hemp from her. She is constantly afraid of selling herself short. Chichikov manages to convince her to agree to the deal only after he tells a lie about himself - that he conducts government contracts, promises to buy both honey and hemp from her in the future. The box believes what was said. The bidding went on for a long time, after which the deal finally took place. Chichikov keeps his papers in a box, which consists of many compartments and has a secret drawer for money.
CHAPTER 4
Chichikov stops at a tavern, to which Nozdryov’s chaise soon arrives. Nozdryov is “of average height, a very well-built fellow with full rosy cheeks, teeth white as snow and jet-black sideburns. It was fresh, like blood and milk; his health seemed to be dripping from his face.” He said with a very satisfied look that he had lost, and not only lost his money,
I but also the money of his son-in-law Mizhuev, who is present right there. Nozdryov invites Chichikov to his place and promises a delicious treat. He himself drinks in the tavern at the expense of his son-in-law. The author characterizes Nozdryov as a “broken fellow,” from that breed of people who “even in childhood and at school are reputed to be good comrades and, for all that, they are painfully beaten... They soon get to know each other, and before you have time to look back, as they already say "you" to you. They will make friends, it seems, forever: but it almost always happens that the person who has become friends will fight with them that same evening at a friendly party. They are always talkers, carousers, reckless people, prominent people. Nozdryov at thirty-five was exactly the same as he was at eighteen and twenty: a lover of a walk. Marriage did not change him at all, especially since his wife soon went to the next world, leaving behind two children who he absolutely did not need... He could not sit at home for more than a day. His sensitive nose heard him several dozen miles away, where there was a fair with all sorts of conventions and balls; in the blink of an eye he was there, arguing and causing chaos at the green table, for, like all such people, he had a passion for cards... Nozdryov was in some respects a historical man. Not a single meeting he attended was complete without a story. Some story would certainly happen: either the gendarmes would lead him out of the hall by the arm, or his friends would be forced to push him out... And he would lie completely unnecessarily: he would suddenly tell that he had a horse of some kind of blue or pink wool, and similar nonsense, so that those listening finally all leave, saying: “Well, brother, it seems you have already begun to pour bullets.”
Nozdryov is one of those people who have a “passion to spoil their neighbors, sometimes for no reason at all.” His favorite pastime was exchanging things and losing money and property. Arriving at Nozdryov’s estate, Chichikov sees an unprepossessing stallion, about which Nozdryov says that he paid ten thousand for it. He shows a kennel where a dubious breed of dog is kept. Nozdryov is a master of lying. He talks about how there are fish of extraordinary size in his pond, and that his Turkish daggers bear the mark of a famous master. The dinner to which this landowner invited Chichikov is bad.
Chichikov begins business negotiations, saying that he needs dead souls for a profitable marriage, so that the bride’s parents believe that he is a wealthy man. Nozdryov is going to donate dead souls and, in addition, is trying to sell a stallion, a mare, a barrel organ, etc. Chichikov flatly refuses. Nozdryov invites him to play cards, which Chichikov also refuses. For this refusal, Nozdryov orders that Chichikov’s horse be fed not with oats, but with hay, to which the guest is offended. Nozdryov does not feel awkward, and the next morning, as if nothing had happened, he invites Chichikov to play checkers. He rashly agrees. The landowner begins to cheat. Chichikov accuses him of this, Nozdryov starts fighting, calls the servants and orders them to beat the guest. Suddenly, a police captain appears and arrests Nozdryov for insulting the landowner Maximov while drunk. Nozdryov refuses everything, says that he does not know any Maksimov. Chichikov quickly leaves.
CHAPTER 5
Through Selifan's fault, Chichikov's chaise collides with another chaise in which two ladies are traveling - an elderly and a sixteen-year-old very beautiful girl. The men gathered from the village separate the horses. Chichikov is shocked by the beauty of the young girl, and after the chaises have left, he thinks about her for a long time. The traveler approaches the village of Mikhail Semenovich Sobakevich. “A wooden house with a mezzanine, a red roof and dark or, better, wild walls - a house like the ones we build for military settlements and German colonists. It was noticeable that during its construction the architect constantly struggled with the taste of the owner. The architect was a pedant and wanted symmetry, the owner wanted convenience and, apparently, as a result, he boarded up all the corresponding windows on one side and screwed in their place one small one, probably needed for a dark closet. The pediment also did not fit in the middle of the house, no matter how hard the architect struggled, because the owner ordered one column on the side to be thrown out, and therefore there were not four columns, as was intended, but only three. The yard was surrounded by a strong and excessively thick wooden lattice. The landowner seemed to be concerned a lot about strength. For the stables, barns and kitchens, full-weight and thick logs were used, determined to stand for centuries. The village huts of the peasants were also built marvelously: there were no brick walls, carved patterns or other tricks, but everything was fitted tightly and properly. Even the well was lined with such strong oak, the kind that is used only for mills and ships. In a word, everything he looked at was stubborn, without swaying, in some kind of strong and clumsy order.”
The owner himself seems to Chichikov to look like a bear. “To complete the similarity, the tailcoat he was wearing was completely bear-colored, the sleeves were long, the trousers were long, he walked with his feet this way and that, constantly stepping on other people’s feet. The complexion had a red-hot, hot complexion, like what happens on a copper coin..."
Sobakevich had a manner of speaking straightforwardly about everything. He says about the governor that he is “the first robber in the world,” and the police chief is a “swindler.” At lunch Sobakevich eats a lot. He tells the guest about his neighbor Plyushkin, a very stingy man who owns eight hundred peasants.
Chichikov says that he wants to buy dead souls, which Sobakevich is not surprised by, but immediately begins bidding. He promises to sell 100 steering wheels for each dead soul, and says that the dead were real masters. They trade for a long time. In the end, they agree on three rubles apiece and draw up a document, since each fears dishonesty on the part of the other. Sobakevich offers to buy dead female souls cheaper, but Chichikov refuses, although it later turns out that the landowner did include one woman on the deed of purchase. Chichikov leaves. On the way, he asks a man how to get to Plyushkina. The chapter ends with a lyrical digression about the Russian language. “The Russian people are expressing themselves strongly! and if he rewards someone with a word, then it will go to his family and posterity, he will drag it with him into service, and into retirement, and to Petersburg, and to the ends of the world... What is accurately spoken, is the same as what is written, cannot be cut down with an ax . And how accurate is everything that came out of the depths of Rus', where there are no Germans, no Chukhons, or any other tribes, and everything is a nugget itself, a lively and lively Russian mind that does not reach into its pocket for a word, does not hatch it , like a mother hen chicks, but it sticks right away, like a passport on an eternal sock, and there is nothing to add later, what kind of nose or lips you have - you are outlined with one line from head to toe! Just as a countless number of churches, monasteries with domes, domes, and crosses are scattered throughout holy, pious Rus', so a countless number of tribes, generations, and peoples crowd, motley, and rush about the face of the earth. And every nation, bearing within itself a guarantee of strength, full of the creative abilities of the soul, its bright characteristics and other gifts, each in its own way distinguished itself with its own word, with which, expressing any object, it reflects part of its own character in its expression. The word of a Briton will echo with heart knowledge and wise knowledge of life; The short-lived word of a Frenchman will flash and spread like a light dandy; the German will intricately come up with his own, not accessible to everyone, clever and thin word; but there is no word that would be so sweeping, that would burst out so smartly from under the very heart, that would boil and vibrate as well as an aptly spoken Russian word.”
CHAPTER 6
The chapter begins with a lyrical digression about travel. “Before, long ago, in the years of my youth, in the years of my irrevocably flashed childhood, it was fun for me to drive up for the first time to an unfamiliar place: it didn’t matter whether it was a village, a poor provincial town, a village, a settlement - I discovered a lot of curious things in there is a childish curious look. Every building, everything that bore the imprint of some noticeable feature - everything stopped me and amazed me... Now I indifferently approach any unfamiliar village and indifferently look at its vulgar appearance; It’s unpleasant to my chilled gaze, it’s not funny to me, and what would have awakened in previous years a lively movement in the face, laughter and silent speech, now slides past, and my motionless lips keep an indifferent silence. O my youth! oh my freshness!
Chichikov heads to Plyushkin’s estate, but for a long time cannot find the owner’s house. Finally he finds a “strange castle” that looks like a “decrepit invalid”. “In some places it was one floor, in others it was two; on the dark roof, which did not always reliably protect his old age, two belvederes stuck out, one opposite the other, both already shaky, devoid of the paint that once covered them. The walls of the house were cracked in places by the bare plaster lattice and, apparently, had suffered a lot from all sorts of bad weather, rain, whirlwinds and autumn changes. Only two of the windows were open; the others were covered with shutters or even boarded up. These two windows, for their part, were also weak-sighted; on one of them there was a dark stick-on triangle made of blue sugar paper.” Chichikov meets a man of indeterminate gender (he cannot understand whether he is a man or a woman). He decides that this is the housekeeper, but then it turns out that this is the rich landowner Stepan Plyushkin. The author talks about how Plyushkin came to such a life. In the past, he was a thrifty landowner; he had a wife who was famous for her hospitality, and three children. But after the death of his wife, “Plyushkin became more restless and, like all widowers, more suspicious and stingy.” He cursed his daughter because she ran away and married an officer of a cavalry regiment. The youngest daughter died, and the son, instead of studying, joined the military. Every year Plyushkin became more and more stingy. Very soon the merchants stopped taking goods from him, because they could not bargain with the landowner. All his goods - hay, wheat, flour, linen - everything rotted. Plyushkin saved everything, and at the same time picked up other people’s things that he did not need at all. His stinginess knew no bounds: for all of Plyushkin’s servants there are only boots, he stores crackers for several months, he knows exactly how much liqueur he has in the decanter, since he makes marks. When Chichikov tells him what he came for, Plyushkin is very happy. Offers the guest to buy not only dead souls, but also runaway peasants. Bargainable. The received money is hidden in a box. It is clear that he will never use this money, like others. Chichikov leaves, to the great joy of the owner, refusing the treat. Returns to the hotel.
CHAPTER 7
The narrative begins with a lyrical digression about two types of writers. “Happy is the writer who, past boring, disgusting characters, striking with their sad reality, approaches characters that demonstrate the high dignity of a person who, from the great pool of daily rotating images, chose only a few exceptions, who never changed the sublime structure of his lyre, did not descend from his peak to his poor, insignificant brothers, and, without touching the ground, he plunged entirely into his own, far removed from it and exalted images... But this is not the fate, and another fate of the writer who dared to call out everything that is every minute before his eyes and of which indifferent eyes do not see all the terrible, stunning details that entangle our lives, all the depth of the cold, fragmented, everyday characters with which our earthly, sometimes bitter and boring path teems, and with the strong force of an inexorable chisel daring to expose them convexly and brightly on the eyes of the people! He will not receive popular applause, he will not experience the grateful tears and unanimous delight of the souls excited by him... Without division, without answer, without participation, like a familyless traveler, he will remain alone in the middle of the road. His field is harsh, and he will feel his loneliness bitterly.”
After all the deeds of sale have been completed, Chichikov becomes the owner of four hundred dead souls. He reflects on who these people were when they were alive. Coming out of the hotel onto the street, Chichikov meets Manilov. They go together to complete the deed of sale. In the office, Chichikov gives a bribe to the official Ivan Antonovich Kuvshinnoye Rylo to speed up the process. However, the bribe is given unnoticed - the official covers the note with a book, and it seems to disappear. Sobakevich is sitting with the boss. Chichikov agrees that the deed of sale will be completed within a day, since he supposedly needs to leave urgently. He gives the chairman a letter from Plyushkin, in which he asks him to be an attorney in his case, to which the chairman happily agrees.
The documents are drawn up in the presence of witnesses, Chichikov pays only half of the fee to the treasury, while the other half was “attributed in some incomprehensible way to the account of another petitioner.” After a successfully completed transaction, everyone goes to lunch with the police chief, during which Sobakevich eats a huge sturgeon alone. The tipsy guests ask Chichikov to stay and decide to marry him. Chichikov informs those gathered that he is buying peasants for removal to the Kherson province, where he has already acquired an estate. He himself believes in what he says. Petrushka and Selifan, after sending the drunken owner to the hotel, go for a walk to the tavern.
CHAPTER 8
City residents discuss what Chichikov bought. Everyone tries to offer him help in delivering the peasants to their place. Among the proposals are a convoy, a police captain to pacify a possible riot, and education of the serfs. A description of the city residents follows: “they were all kind people, living in harmony with each other, treated themselves in a completely friendly manner, and their conversations bore the stamp of some special simplicity and brevity: “Dear friend Ilya Ilyich,” “Listen, brother, Antipator Zakharyevich!”... To the postmaster, whose name was Ivan Andreevich, they always added: “Sprechen zadeich, Ivan Andreich?” - in a word, everything was very family-like. Many were not without education: the chairman of the chamber knew by heart Zhukovsky’s “Lyudmila,” which was still big news at that time... The postmaster delved more deeply into philosophy and read very diligently, even at night, Jung’s “Nights” and “The Key to the Mysteries of Nature "Eckartshausen, from which he made very long extracts... he was witty, flowery in words and loved, as he himself put it, to embellish his speech. The others were also more or less enlightened people: some read Karamzin, some “Moskovskie Vedomosti”, some didn’t even read anything at all... As for appearances, it is already known, they were all reliable people, there was no one consumptive among them. They were all of the kind to whom wives, in tender conversations taking place in solitude, gave names: egg capsules, chubby, pot-bellied, nigella, kiki, juju, and so on. But in general they were kind people, full of hospitality, and a person who ate bread with them or spent an evening playing whist already became something close...”
The city ladies were “what they call presentable, and in this respect they could safely be set as an example to everyone else... They dressed with great taste, drove around the city in carriages, as prescribed by the latest fashion, with a footman swaying behind them, and a livery in gold braiding ... In morals, the ladies of the city of N. were strict, filled with noble indignation against everything vicious and all temptations, they executed all kinds of weaknesses without any mercy... It must also be said that the ladies of the city of N. were distinguished, like many ladies in St. Petersburg, by extraordinary caution and decorum in words and expressions. They never said: “I blew my nose,” “I sweated,” “I spat,” but they said: “I relieved my nose,” “I managed with a handkerchief.” In no case could one say: “this glass or this plate stinks.” And it was even impossible to say anything that would give a hint of this, but instead they said: “this glass is not behaving well” or something like that. In order to further refine the Russian language, almost half of the words were completely thrown out of the conversation, and therefore it was very often necessary to resort to the French language, but there, in French, it’s a different matter: there were words allowed that were much harsher than those mentioned.”
All the ladies of the city are delighted with Chichikov, one of them even sent him a love letter. Chichikov is invited to the governor's ball. Before the ball, he spends a long time spinning in front of the mirror. At the ball, he is the center of attention, trying to figure out who the author of the letter is. The governor's wife introduces Chichikov to her daughter - the same girl he saw in the chaise. He almost falls in love with her, but she misses his company. The other ladies are outraged that all of Chichikov's attention is going to the governor's daughter. Suddenly Nozdryov appears, who tells the governor about how Chichikov offered to buy dead souls from him. The news spreads quickly, and the ladies convey it as if they don’t believe it, since everyone knows Nozdryov’s reputation. Korobochka comes to the city at night, interested in the prices of dead souls - she is afraid that she has sold too cheap.
CHAPTER 9
The chapter describes the visit of a “pleasant lady” to a “lady pleasant in every way.” Her visit comes an hour earlier than the usual time for visits in the city - she is in such a hurry to tell the news she heard. The lady tells her friend that Chichikov is a robber in disguise, who demanded that Korobochka sell him dead peasants. The ladies decide that the dead souls are just an excuse; in fact, Chichikov is going to take away the governor’s daughter. They discuss the girl’s behavior, herself, and recognize her as unattractive and mannered. The husband of the mistress of the house appears - the prosecutor, to whom the ladies tell the news, which confuses him.
The men of the city are discussing the purchase of Chichikov, the women are discussing the kidnapping of the governor's daughter. The story is replenished with details, they decide that Chichikov has an accomplice, and this accomplice is probably Nozdryov. Chichikov is credited with organizing a peasant revolt in Borovki, Zadi-railovo-tozh, during which assessor Drobyazhkin was killed. On top of everything else, the governor receives news that a robber has escaped and a counterfeiter has appeared in the province. A suspicion arises that one of these persons is Chichikov. The public cannot decide what to do.
CHAPTER 10
Officials are so concerned about the current situation that many are even losing weight out of grief. They call a meeting with the police chief. The police chief decides that Chichikov is Captain Kopeikin in disguise, an invalid without an arm and a leg, a hero of the War of 1812. Kopeikin received nothing from his father after returning from the front. He goes to St. Petersburg to seek the truth from the sovereign. But the king is not in the capital. Kopeikin goes to the nobleman, the head of the commission, for an audience with whom he waits for a long time in the reception room. The general promises help and offers to come over one of these days. But the next time he says that he cannot do anything without the special permission of the king. Captain Kopeikin is running out of money, and the doorman will no longer let him see the general. He endures many hardships, eventually breaks through to see the general, and says that he can’t wait any longer. The general very rudely sends him away and sends him out of St. Petersburg at public expense. After some time, a gang of robbers led by Kopeikin appears in the Ryazan forests.
Other officials nevertheless decide that Chichikov is not Kopeikin, since his arms and legs are intact. It is suggested that Chichikov is Napoleon in disguise. Everyone decides that it is necessary to interrogate Nozdryov, despite the fact that he is a known liar. Nozdryov says that he sold Chichikov several thousand worth of dead souls and that already at the time when he was studying with Chichikov at school, he was already a counterfeiter and a spy, that he was going to kidnap the governor’s daughter and Nozdryov himself helped him. Nozdryov realizes that he has gone too far in his tales, and possible problems scare him. But the unexpected happens - the prosecutor dies. Chichikov knows nothing about what is happening because he is sick. Three days later, leaving home, he discovers that he is either not received anywhere or is received in some strange way. Nozdryov tells him that the city considers him a counterfeiter, that he was going to kidnap the governor’s daughter, and that it was his fault that the prosecutor died. Chichikov orders things to be packed.
CHAPTER 11
In the morning, Chichikov cannot leave the city for a long time - he overslept, the chaise was not laid, the horses were not shod. It is possible to leave only in the late afternoon. On the way, Chichikov encounters a funeral procession - the prosecutor is being buried. All the officials follow the coffin, each of them thinking about the new governor-general and their relationship with him. Chichikov leaves the city. Next is a lyrical digression about Russia. "Rus! Rus! I see you, from my wonderful, beautiful distance I see you: poor, scattered and uncomfortable in you; the daring divas of nature, crowned by the daring divas of art, cities with many-windowed high palaces grown into the cliffs, picture trees and ivy grown into houses, in the noise and eternal dust of waterfalls will not amuse or frighten the eyes; her head will not fall back to look at the boulders of stone endlessly piled up above her and in the heights; through the dark arches thrown one upon the other, entangled with grape branches, ivy and countless millions of wild roses, the eternal lines of shining mountains, rushing into the silver clear skies, will not flash through them in the distance... But what incomprehensible, secret power attracts you? Why is your melancholy song, rushing along your entire length and width, from sea to sea, heard and heard incessantly in your ears? What's in it, in this song? What calls and cries and grabs your heart? What sounds painfully kiss and strive into the soul and curl around my heart? Rus! what do you want from me? what incomprehensible connection lies between us? Why are you looking like that, and why has everything that is in you turned its eyes full of expectation on me?.. And a mighty space threateningly embraces me, reflecting with terrible force in my depths; My eyes lit up with unnatural power: oh! what a sparkling, wonderful, unknown distance to the earth! Rus!.."
The author talks about the hero of the work and the origin of Chichikov. His parents are nobles, but he is not like them. Chichikov's father sent his son to the city to visit an old relative so that he could enter college. The father gave his son instructions, which he strictly followed in life - to please his superiors, hang out only with the rich, not to share with anyone, to save money. No special talents were noticed in him, but he had a “practical mind.” Chichikov, even as a boy, knew how to make money - he sold treats, showed a trained mouse for money. He pleased his teachers and superiors, which is why he graduated from school with a gold certificate. His father dies, and Chichikov, having sold his father’s house, enters the service. He betrays the teacher who was expelled from school, who was counting on the fake of his beloved student. Chichikov serves, trying to please his superiors in everything, even caring for his ugly daughter, hinting at a wedding. Gets a promotion and doesn't get married. Soon Chichikov joins the commission for the construction of a government building, but the building, for which a lot of money has been allocated, is being built only on paper. Chichikov's new boss hated his subordinate, and he had to start all over again. He enters the customs service, where his ability to conduct searches is discovered. He is promoted, and Chichikov presents a project to capture smugglers, with whom at the same time he manages to enter into an agreement and receive a lot of money from them. But Chichikov quarrels with the comrade with whom he shared, and both are put on trial. Chichikov manages to save some of the money and starts everything from scratch as an attorney. He comes up with the idea of buying dead souls, which in the future can be pledged to a bank under the guise of living ones, and, having received a loan, escape.
The author reflects on how readers might relate to Chichikov, recalls the parable about Kif Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich, son and father. The father's existence is turned into a speculative direction, while the son is rowdy. Kifa Mokievich is asked to calm his son down, but he does not want to interfere in anything: “If he remains a dog, then don’t let them know about it from me, don’t let me give him away.”
At the end of the poem, the chaise travels quickly along the road. “And what Russian doesn’t like driving fast?” “Oh, three! bird three, who invented you? You know, you could only have been born among a lively people, in that land that does not like to joke, but has spread out smoothly across half the world, and go ahead and count the miles until it hits your eyes. And not a cunning, it seems, road projectile, not grabbed by an iron screw, but hastily equipped and assembled alive by an efficient Yaroslavl man with only an ax and a hammer. The driver is not wearing German boots: he has a beard and mittens, and sits on God knows what; but he stood up, swung, and began to sing - the horses like a whirlwind, the spokes in the wheels mixed into one smooth circle, only the road trembled, and a pedestrian who stopped screamed in fear - and there she rushed, rushed, rushed!.. And there you can already see in the distance, like something is gathering dust and drilling into the air.
Aren't you, Rus, like a brisk, unstoppable troika, rushing along? The road beneath you smokes, the bridges rattle, everything falls behind and is left behind. The contemplator, amazed by God's miracle, stopped: was this lightning thrown from the sky? What does this terrifying movement mean? and what kind of unknown power is contained in these horses, unknown to the light? Oh, horses, horses, what kind of horses! Are there whirlwinds in your manes? Is there a sensitive ear burning in every vein of yours? They heard a familiar song from above, together and at once tensed their copper breasts and, almost without touching the ground with their hooves, turned into just elongated lines flying through the air, and all inspired by God rushes!.. Rus', where are you rushing? Give an answer. Doesn't give an answer. The bell rings with a wonderful ringing; The air, torn into pieces, thunders and becomes the wind; everything on earth flies past,
and, looking askance, other peoples and states step aside and give her way.”
In a letter to Zhukovsky, Gogol writes that his main task in the poem is to depict “all of Rus'.” The poem is written in the form of a journey, and individual fragments of Russian life are combined into a common whole. One of Gogol’s main tasks in “Dead Souls” is to show typical characters in typical circumstances, that is, to reliably depict modernity - the period of the crisis of serfdom in Russia. The key orientations in the depiction of landowners are satirical description, social typification, and critical orientation. The life of the ruling class and peasants is presented by Gogol without idealization, realistically.
Published in the second half of the 19th century and consists of two volumes. It tells about one landowner who roams the expanses of the country in order to buy up dead peasant souls. The work rivets you, forcing you to read faster and faster in order to reach the moment in which the purpose of buying up dead souls will be explained. I would like to know what benefits he will receive through such manipulations.
In contact with
The main character of the poem is Chichikov Pavel Ivanovich, a middle-aged man of ordinary build. Gives you the opportunity to draw your own conclusions about the moral character, the author does not give any assessment of the hero’s personality.
In addition to Chichikov, there are several other characters in the novel with whom he makes acquaintance in order to make a deal that is profitable for him. Among them:
- Sobakevich
- Manilov
- Box
- Nozdryov
- Plyushkin
Each chapter of the volume provides an opportunity to get to know each character individually. Sometimes it is not possible to read the poem in its entirety, so the work “Dead Souls” is presented here briefly.
Chapter first
The first chapter tells how Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov drove into a hotel in a certain city of NN on his chaise. He introduced himself as a college adviser and didn’t tell anything else about himself. But he willingly asked about all the officials of this city, about landowners and other influential personalities. In addition, he asked whether there were epidemics in the province, and how many people died from diseases.
The main character was accompanied by his servants:
- Selifan, a middle-aged man who likes to drink.
- Petrushka, a footman of about thirty.
The councilor toured the city, inspected all the places and paid visits to city officials. Thanks to his insight and ability to flatter, he quickly made friends.
Chichikov was invited to the governor's ball, where he had the opportunity to meet such landowners as Sobakevich, Manilov and Nozdrev. All three invited a new friend to visit him, and he promised to visit him in the near future.
Chapter two
Chichikov decided to keep his promise and went to visit his friend Manilov. Accompanied by his coachman Petrushka and servant Selifan, he left the city.
The adviser was warned that the village was fifteen miles from the city, but in reality it turned out to be much further. The hero finally reached the village of Manilovka. The unremarkable village could hardly invite anyone to come to it. The master's house stood on a hill and was open to all winds. Chichikov counted about two hundred huts as he approached the landowner’s house.
Finally, Pavel Ivanovich met with Manilov.
The man seemed very pleasant and sociable. I never took care of my property and was not interested in the affairs of the village, but loved to dream. Manilov had a wife, with whom he was very pleased, and two sons - Themistoclus and Alcides.
The owner of the house invited Chichikov to the table. During dinner, the guest and the landowner showered each other with mutual compliments. Soon the conversation turned to the estate, and Pavel Ivanovich voiced the purpose of his visit. He asked to sell him souls that were no longer alive, but according to the auditor’s tale, they were listed as such.
After some persuasion, the main character finally convinced the gentleman to make a deal. Having discussed some details and agreed to meet in the city, he left the estate in high spirits. And the owner of the house was completely confused and thought about such a strange proposal for a long time.
Chapter Three
On the way back, Chichikov got caught in the rain, it became completely dark, and his cart went astray. Suddenly they found themselves at the gate of a landowner.
She turned out to be an elderly woman named Nastastya Petrovna Korobochka. The hostess let the wet poor fellows in to spend the night, and in the morning ordered them to be fed breakfast. It is clear that Nastasya Petrovna was a thrifty housewife and an intelligent landowner. Compared to the previous village, this one was much more well-kept.
At breakfast, an unexpected guest asked the hostess about the peasants and asked to sell those who had died, but were listed as alive in the audit. The hostess was shocked by the strange question. This was the first time she had heard that dead souls could still be sold. The woman did not want to agree to the deal, she reasoned like this: if someone needs these souls, then they have some kind of value; and since they have value, then there will still be someone willing to buy them, and it will be possible to sell them at a higher price.
In the end, the deal took place and the main character left the landowner’s village.
Chapter Four
After talking with Korobochka, Chichikov drove back to the city, along the way he stopped at a tavern, where he met his new acquaintance Nozdrev.
Nozdryov was a sociable person; he had many acquaintances. But at the same time, he could easily start a fight with his own friends. His wife died many years ago, and there were children at home, whom he was not involved in raising at all. His whole life was spent in entertainment establishments. He was both a very sincere man and at the same time a desperate liar. But he lied so naturally that he even believed it himself.
Despite being thirty years old, he remained at heart the leader and reckless driver that he was in the years of his stormy youth.
Nozdryov invited Chichikov to his place for lunch. After eating, the newly made friends started talking about the estate and the serfs. Pavel Ivanovich offered the landowner a deal for the purchase and sale of the so-called “dead souls,” which he soon regretted greatly, because the conversation ended in a quarrel.
Nevertheless, despite this, the main character stayed overnight with the flighty landowner. In the morning the conversation resumed and almost ended in a fight, but the police captain who arrived on time prevented this. He informed the owner of the estate that he was on trial for insulting the landowner Maksimov. Chichikov took advantage of this moment and ran out of the house.
Chapter Five
After the strange events in the previous estate, the collegiate adviser thought for a long time about the failed deal, but at the same time he was glad that he managed to escape.
The carriage brought him to the village to Sobakevich, whom he also met at the ball.
A few words about the landowner Sobakevich: He was a serious, demanding man, he managed the farm seriously and thoughtfully, somewhat reminiscent of a bear. Either because of his strong physique, or because of the name Mikhail Semenovich. Everywhere in his house there were things as large as the owner.
A distinctive feature of Sobakevich was the ability to think very badly about everyone. He called everyone scammers and trusted no one.
The owner invited the guest to dinner, after which Chichikov dared to name the reason for his visit. Sobakevich reacted absolutely calmly to such a strange offer, agreed to carry out the deal, and even became so carried away that he began to praise every dead peasant.
During the transaction, Mikhail Semenovich started a conversation about the strange landowner Plyushkin, whose peasants often die of hunger.
Chapter Six
Soon after Chichikov left Sobakevich's estate, he found himself in front of a vast village. But its appearance was so dilapidated, abandoned and poor that it was difficult to imagine that someone lives here. At the end of the street a manor's house was visible, equally dilapidated and covered with mold.
Not far from the house, an old man in greasy rags, who could be mistaken for a beggar and given alms, was cursing. But it turned out to be none other than Plyushkin, the landowner of this village.
He was once a happy family man, he had a wife, two daughters and a son. They ran their household competently and thoughtfully. But after the death of his wife, the daughters got married, and the son went to serve in the regiment. After these events, Plyushkin became very suspicious and stingy.
He stopped looking after the estate, everything was slowly falling apart. The landowner walked the streets collecting carnations, feathers and all sorts of small things. Then he carefully hid what he had collected at home in the hope that it would come in handy.
Chichikov pondered for a long time how to approach and talk to Plyushkin. He was considering how to explain his visit. After several minutes of hesitation, he finally dared and met the master. Over a cup of tea, he offered to ransom dead souls from the master, for which he received approval.
The result of this visit was a deal to buy Chichikov one hundred and twenty dead and another seventy fugitive souls.
After a profitable purchase, the newly minted entrepreneur returned to the hotel and fell into a deep sleep.
Chapter Seven
The next morning, the entrepreneur prepared lists for the deed of sale in the chamber. Sobakevich and Manilov were waiting for him there.
Having drawn up the bill of sale, the comrades began to celebrate the profitable deal. During the feast, Chichikov answered those who were interested that he had bought peasants for withdrawal and would take them with him to the Kherson province.
After a pleasant feast, the adviser arrived at the hotel and fell asleep.
Chapter Eight
In the city everyone talked only about Pavel Ivanovich and his peasants. People often wondered how it was possible to transport so many peasants to another province.
At the same time, the people’s love for the newly-minted landowner grew, and rumors appeared that he was a millionaire. Women tried to attract his attention on themselves and bought the most beautiful dresses in the city.
There was a governor's ball in the city again, where the main character appeared. The officials greeted and hugged him and showered him with compliments.
Chichikov approached the governor’s wife to express his respect. Next to her stood her daughter, a young, pretty blonde, from whom Chichikov could not take his eyes off.
But the unexpected happened - a drunken Nozdryov appeared at the ball. Seeing a new acquaintance, he asked how many dead peasants he could buy. Almost everyone heard these words and were surprised by the strange words. After these words, the entrepreneur was very upset and did not find what to answer.
Chapter Nine
This chapter describes a conversation between two ladies. They tell each other the latest news, the main one of which is the news about a certain Chichikov, who is buying up dead souls in order to kidnap the governor's daughter. And Nozdryov is his accomplice and helps in this dirty business.
In general, the city is overgrown with rumors and gossip. And in an instant, the image of a millionaire state councilor, ransoming peasants for withdrawal, was destroyed. The town was divided into two parts:
- the female part of the city was interested in the story of the kidnapping of the governor’s daughter;
- The male population was worried about the issue of dead souls.
Both of them began to be distrustful of the newly-made landowner. No one now could answer the question - who is Chichikov, and what is the purpose of his visit to their city?
Chapter Ten
To discuss an important issue, everyone gathered at the chief of police. Officials put forward their own versions of Chichikov's arrival and suggested that he could be Captain Kopeikin.
Since few people knew about this captain, the postmaster began his story. It spoke of a certain captain whose limb was torn off in one of the battles. And in order to feed himself, he went to St. Petersburg to ask for the mercy of the monarch, but he was sent back several years ago, without being given the opportunity to see the ruler.
After several such unsuccessful visits, the unfortunate man was expelled from the city at public expense.
After this, rumors appeared about gangs of robbers, whose leader was considered Kopeikin.
After listening to the story, everyone unequivocally decided that Chichikov could not have been the captain, since all the limbs were in place. Then the officials decided to invite Nozdryov so that he would clarify and explain to everyone who Chichikov was. However, the reveler introduced even more everyone is confused by confidently declaring that our hero is:
- kidnapper
- spy
- counterfeiter of securities.
Against the backdrop of all these events, the prosecutor died.
Chichikov was sick at that time, suffering from a cold. The adviser was sincerely perplexed why no one came to visit him. And only in the evening he learned about the new gossip of the city. Nozdryov came to him and declared him a forger, a kidnapper and guilty of the death of the prosecutor.
Chapter Eleven
And finally, the most interesting part of the work “Dead Souls”, chapter 11, summary. In this chapter, Chichikov's personality is finally revealed. Although Gogol himself does not give him any assessment, but leaves the reader the opportunity to decide for himself who the main character is.
Pavel Ivanovich decided to leave this city as soon as possible, but, unfortunately, he did not succeed.
It turns out that he was not spoiled by fate. His mother died early, and his sick father sent his young son to study in the city. There he ordered the child to “study and please bosses and teachers, take care of money and increase it, be friends only with rich people.”
The smart child remembered his father’s words for a long time and tried to follow his advice all his life: he learned to get grades not for knowledge, since he did not like to read, but for diligence and good behavior. He never treated his friends, but he knew how to sell something profitably.
Soon after Chichikov graduated from college, his father died. He inherited several sweatshirts, frock coats, a dilapidated house and some money. The career either rose up or ended.
Immediately after college, Pavlusha entered the public service. Having achieved the favor of his boss, he was promoted to the position of military officer.
Our hero was no stranger to bribery. He masterfully organized the fight against bribes and at the same time accepted them without a twinge of conscience, swimming like cheese in butter.
But everything comes to an end, and in place of the old boss they sent a new one, a military man and very strict. Soon Chichikov was removed from his post, he had to leave his city and start his career from the very beginning in another place. In the new city, the hero got a job at the customs office, where he soon became a threat to all smugglers. But over time, he himself became a link in the chain of fraud and again earned hundreds of thousands.
However, he was not given the chance to become rich. During one drunken quarrel with another official, aspects of agreements with smugglers came to light and Chichikov was taken to court. All his property was cut; he had about ten thousand left. This was enough to get out of court.
Again he started his career from the very bottom. This time he was engaged in pawning the peasants to the guardianship council. But someone suggested that for the mortgage it did not matter whether they were alive or dead, the only important thing was that they were listed in the auditor’s book. And that the council will still allocate money for each of them. Then a new plan matured in the businessman’s head. He decided to go to those areas of the country that suffered the most from epidemics and redeem “dead souls” from the landowners.
