Summary of Dead Souls
Volume one
ChapterI
One gentleman arrived at the hotel in the provincial town of NN in a beautiful chaise. Neither handsome, but not ugly, neither fat, nor thin, nor old, but no longer young. His name was Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. No one noticed his arrival. With him were two servants - the coachman Selifan and the footman Petrushka. Selifan was short and wore a sheepskin coat, and Petrushka was young, looked about thirty, and had a stern face at first glance. As soon as the gentleman moved into the chambers, he immediately went to dinner. They served cabbage soup with puff pastries, sausage and cabbage, and pickles.
While everything was being brought, the guest forced the servant to tell everything about the inn, its owner, and how much income they received. Then he found out who the governor of the city was, who the chairman was, the names of the noble landowners, how many servants they had, how far their estates were located from the city, and all that nonsense. After resting in his room, he went to explore the city. He seemed to like everything. And stone houses covered with yellow paint, and signs on them. Many of them bore the name of some tailor named Arshavsky. On the gambling houses it was written “And here is the establishment.”
The next day the guest paid visits. I wanted to express my respect to the governor, vice-governor, prosecutor, chairman of the chamber, head of state-owned factories and other city dignitaries. In conversations, he knew how to flatter everyone, and he himself took a rather modest position. He told almost nothing about himself, except superficially. He said that he had seen and experienced a lot in his lifetime, suffered in the service, had enemies, everything was like everyone else. Now he wants to finally choose a place to live, and having arrived in the city, he wanted first of all to show his respect to its “first” residents.
By evening he was already invited to the governor's reception. There he joined the men, who, like him, were somewhat plump. Then he met the courteous landowners Manilov and Sobakevich. Both invited him to see their estates. Manilov was a man with amazingly sweet eyes, which he squinted every time. He immediately said that Chichikov simply had to come to his village, which was only fifteen miles from the city outpost. Sobakevich was more reserved and had an awkward look. He only said dryly that he too was inviting the guest to his place.
The next day Chichikov was at dinner with the police chief. In the evening we played whist. There he met the broken landowner Nozdryov, who after a couple of phrases switched to “you.” And so on for several days in a row. The guest almost never visited the hotel, but only came to spend the night. He knew how to please everyone in the city, and the officials were pleased with his arrival.
ChapterII
After about a week of traveling for dinners and evenings, Chichikov decided to visit his new acquaintances, the landowners Manilov and Sobakevich. It was decided to start with Manilov. The purpose of the visit was not just to inspect the landowner’s village, but also to propose one “serious” matter. He took the coachman Selifan with him, and Petrushka was ordered to sit in the room and guard the suitcases. A few words about these two servants. They were ordinary serfs. Petrusha wore somewhat loose robes that came from his master's shoulder. He had large lips and nose. He was silent by nature, loved to read and rarely went to the bathhouse, which is why he was recognizable by his amber. The coachman Selifan was the opposite of a footman.
On the way to Manilov, Chichikov did not miss the opportunity to get acquainted with the surrounding houses and forests. Manilov's estate stood on a hillock, everything was bare, only a pine forest could be seen in the distance. A little lower down there was a pond and many log cabins. The hero counted about two hundred of them. The owner greeted him joyfully. There was something strange about Manilov. Despite the fact that his eyes were as sweet as sugar, after a couple of minutes of conversation with him there was nothing more to talk about. He smelled of deathly boredom. There are people who love to eat heartily, or are interested in music, greyhounds, but this one was not interested in anything. He had been reading one book for two years.
His wife did not lag behind him. She was interested in playing the piano, French and knitting all sorts of little things. For example, for her husband’s birthday, she prepared a beaded toothpick case. Their sons had strange names too: Themistoclus and Alcides. After dinner, the guest said that he wanted to talk with Manilov about one very important matter. He headed to the office. There Chichikov asked the owner how many dead peasants he had since the last audit. He didn’t know, but sent the clerk to find out. Chichikov admitted that he buys the “dead souls” of peasants who are listed as living in the census. Manilov at first thought that the guest was joking, but he was absolutely serious. They agreed that Manilov would give him what he needed even without money, if it did not violate the law in any way. After all, he will not take money for souls that no longer exist. And I don’t want to lose a new friend.
ChapterIII
In the chaise, Chichikov was already counting his profits. Selifan, meanwhile, was busy with the horses. Then thunder struck, then another, and then it began to rain like buckets. Selifan pulled something against the rain and rushed the horses. He was a little drunk, so he couldn't remember how many turns they made along the road. In addition, they did not know exactly how to get to the village of Sobakevich. As a result, the chaise left the road and drove across a ripped-up field. Fortunately, they heard a dog barking and drove up to a small house. The hostess herself opened the gate for them, welcomed them cordially, and let them spend the night with her.
It was an elderly woman in a cap. To all questions about the surrounding landowners, in particular about Sobakevich, she answered that she did not know who he was. She listed some other names, but Chichikov did not know them. In the morning, the guest looked at the peasant houses and concluded that everything was kept in abundance. The owner's name was Korobochka Nastasya Petrovna. He decided to talk to her about buying up “dead souls.” She said the deal seemed profitable, but dubious, she needed to think about it, ask the price.
Chichikov then got angry and compared her to a mongrel. He said that he had already thought about buying household products from her, but now he won’t. Although he lied, the phrase had an effect. Nastasya Petrovna agreed to sign a power of attorney to complete the deed of sale. He brought his documents and stamp paper. The job was done, he and Selifan got ready to set off. Korobochka gave them a girl to act as their guide, and so they parted. At the tavern, Chichikov rewarded the girl with a copper penny.
ChapterIV
Chichikov had lunch at the tavern and the horses rested. We decided to go further in search of Sobakevich’s estate. By the way, the surrounding landowners whispered to him that the old woman knew both Manilov and Sobakevich very well. Then two people drove up to the tavern. In one of them Chichikov recognized Nozdryov, a broken landowner whom he had recently met. He immediately rushed to hug him, introduced him to his son-in-law and invited him to his place.
It turned out that he was driving from the fair, where he not only lost to smithereens, but also drank an enormous amount of champagne. But then my son-in-law met. He took it from there. Nozdryov was from that category of people who create fuss around themselves. He easily met people, became familiar with them, and immediately sat down to drink and play cards with them. He played cards dishonestly, so he was often pushed around. Nozdryov’s wife died, leaving two children, whom the reveler didn’t care about. Where Nozdryov visited was not without adventure. Either he was taken away by gendarmes in public, or his own friends pushed him out, not without reason. And he was from the breed of those who could spoil their neighbors without any reason.
The son-in-law, at the behest of Nozdryov, also went with them. We spent two hours exploring the landowner's village, and then headed to the estate. At dinner, the owner kept trying to get the guest drunk, but Chichikov managed to pour the booze into a vat of soup. Then he insisted on playing cards, but the guest refused this too. Chichikov started talking to him about his “business,” that is, ransoming the souls of dead peasants, which is why Nozdryov called him a real swindler and ordered him not to feed his horses. Chichikov already regretted his arrival, but there was nothing left to do but spend the night here.
In the morning the owner again offered to play cards, this time for “souls”. Chichikov refused, but agreed to play checkers. Nozdryov, as always, cheated, so the game had to be interrupted. Because the guest refused to finish the game, Nozdryov called his guys and ordered them to beat him. But Chichikov was lucky this time too. A carriage rolled up to the estate, and someone in a semi-military frock coat got out. It was a police captain who had come to notify the owner that he was on trial for beating the landowner Maksimov. Chichikov did not listen to the end, but got into his chaise and ordered Selifan to drive away from here.
ChapterV
Chichikov looked back at Nozdryov’s village all the way and was afraid. On the way, they met a carriage with two ladies: one was elderly, and the other was young and unusually beautiful. This did not hide from Chichikov’s eyes, and all the way he thought about the young stranger. However, these thoughts left him as soon as he noticed Sobakevich’s village. The village was quite large, but a little awkward, like the owner himself. In the middle stood a huge house with a mezzanine in the style of military settlements.
Sobakevich received him as expected and led him into the living room, decorated with portraits of commanders. When Chichikov tried to flatter him as usual and start a pleasant conversation, it turned out that Sobakevich could not stand all these chairmen, police chiefs, governors and other swindlers. He considers them fools and sellers of Christ. Of all of them, he liked the prosecutor the most, and even he, according to him, was a pig.
Sobakevich’s wife invited him to the table. The table was set abundantly. As it turned out, the owner loved to eat from the heart, which distinguished him from the neighboring landowner Plyushkin. When Chichikov asked who this Plyushkin was and where he lived, Sobakevich recommended not to know him. After all, he has eight hundred souls, and eats worse than a shepherd. And his people are dying like flies. Chichikov started talking to the owner about “dead souls.” They bargained for a long time, but reached a consensus. We decided to settle the deed of sale in the city tomorrow, but keep the deal a secret. Chichikov went to Plyushkin by roundabout routes so that Sobakevich would not see.
ChapterVI
Rocking in his chaise, he reached a log pavement, behind which stretched dilapidated and dilapidated houses. Finally, the master's house appeared, a long and decrepit castle, looking like an invalid. It was clear that the house had endured more than one bad weather, the plaster was crumbling in places, only two of all the windows were open, and the rest were boarded up with shutters. And only the old garden behind the house somehow refreshed this picture.
Soon someone appeared. Judging by the outline, Chichikov thought it was a housekeeper, since the silhouette had a woman’s hood and cap, as well as keys in the belt. In the end it turned out that it was Plyushkin himself. Chichikov could not understand how the landowner of such a large village turned into this. He was terribly old, dressed in everything dirty and decrepit. If Chichikov had met this man somewhere on the street, he would have thought that he was a beggar. In fact, Plyushkin was incredibly rich, and with age he turned into a terrible miser.
When they entered home, the guest was stunned by his surroundings. There was an incredible mess, chairs piled on top of each other, cobwebs and a lot of small pieces of paper around, a broken arm of a chair, some kind of liquid in a glass with three flies. In a word, the situation was terrifying. Plyushkin had almost a thousand souls at his disposal, and he walked around the village, picking up all sorts of rubbish and dragging them home. But once upon a time he was simply a thrifty owner.
The landowner's wife died. The eldest daughter married a cavalryman and left. Since then, Plyushkin cursed her. He began to take care of the farm himself. The son went into the army, and the youngest daughter died. When his son lost at cards, the landowner cursed him and did not give him a penny. He drove away the governess and the French teacher. The eldest daughter somehow tried to improve relations with her father and at least get something from him, but nothing worked out. Merchants who came to buy goods also could not come to an agreement with him.
Chichikov was even afraid to offer him anything and did not know which direction to approach. Although the owner invited him to sit down, he said that he would not feed him. Then the conversation turned to the high mortality rate of peasants. This is what Chichikov needed. Then he spoke about his “business”. Together with the fugitives, there were about two hundred souls. The old man agreed to give power of attorney for the deed of sale. With grief, a blank piece of paper was found and the deal was finalized. Chichikov refused tea and went to the city in a good mood.
ChapterVII
Chichikov, having slept, realized that he had neither more nor less, but already four hundred souls, so it was time to act. He prepared a list of people who were once alive, thought, walked, felt, and then went to the civil chamber. On the way I met Manilov. He hugged him, then handed him a rolled-up piece of paper and together they went to the office to see the chairman, Ivan Antonovich. Despite the good acquaintance, Chichikov still “slipped” him something. Sobakevich was also here.
Chichikov provided a letter from Plyushkin and added that there should be another attorney from the landowner Korobochka. The chairman promised to do everything. Chichikov asked to finish everything quickly, since he wanted to leave the next day. Ivan Antonovich quickly got it done, wrote everything down and entered it where it should be, and also ordered Chichikov to take half the duty. Afterwards, he offered to drink for the deal. Soon everyone was sitting at the table, slightly tipsy, trying to persuade the guest not to leave at all, to stay in the city and get married. After the feast, Selifan and Petrushka put the owner to bed, and they themselves went to the tavern.
ChapterVIII
Rumors about Chichikov's profits quickly spread in the city. Some people had doubts about this, since the owner would not sell good peasants, which means they were either drunkards or thieves. Some thought about the difficulties of moving so many peasants and were afraid of a riot. But for Chichikov everything worked out perfectly in the best possible way. They began to say that he was a millionaire. The residents of the city already liked him, and now they completely fell in love with the guest, so much so that they did not want to let him go.
The ladies generally idolized him. He liked local women. They knew how to behave in society and were quite presentable. Vulgarities were not allowed in conversation. So, for example, instead of “I blew my nose,” they said “I lightened my nose.” No liberties were allowed on the part of the men, and if they met with anyone, it was only in secret. In a word, they could give a head start to any young lady in the capital. Everything was decided at a reception with the governor. There Chichikov saw a blond girl whom he had previously met in a stroller. It turned out that it was the governor's daughter. And immediately all the ladies disappeared.
He stopped looking at anyone and thought only about her. In turn, the offended ladies began to say unflattering things about the guest. The situation was aggravated by the sudden appearance of Nozdryov, who publicly announced that Chichikov was a fraudster and that he traded in “dead souls.” But since everyone knew Nozdryov’s nonsense and deceitful nature, they did not believe him. Chichikov, feeling awkward, left early. While he was suffering from insomnia, another trouble was being prepared for him. Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka arrived in the city and was already interested in how much “dead souls” were now, so as not to sell them too cheap.
ChapterIX
The next morning, one “beautiful” lady ran to another similar lady to tell how Chichikov bought “dead souls” from her friend Korobochka. They also have thoughts about Nozdryov. The ladies think that Chichikov started all this in order to get the governor’s daughter, and Nozdryov is his accomplice. The ladies immediately spread the version to other friends and the city begins to discuss this topic. True, men have a different opinion. They believe that Chichikov was still interested in “dead souls.”
City officials are even beginning to believe that Chichikov was sent for some kind of check. But they were guilty of sins, so they got scared. During this period, a new governor-general was just appointed in the province, so this was quite possible. Then, as if on purpose, the governor received two strange papers. One said that a well-known counterfeiter who changed names was wanted, and the other said about an escaped robber.
Then everyone wondered who this Chichikov really was. After all, none of them knew for sure. They interviewed the landowners from whom he bought the souls of the peasants, but there was little use. We tried to find out something from Selifan and Petrushka, also to no avail. Meanwhile, the governor's daughter got it from her mother. She strictly ordered not to communicate with the dubious guest.
ChapterX
The situation in the city became so tense that many officials began to lose weight from worry. Everyone decided to gather at the chief of police to confer. It was believed that Chichikov was Captain Kopeikin in disguise, whose leg and arm were torn off during the 1812 campaign. When he returned from the front, his father refused to support him. Then Kopeikin decided to turn to the sovereign and went to St. Petersburg.
Due to the absence of the sovereign, the general promises to receive him, but asks him to come in a few days. Several days pass, but he is not accepted again. One nobleman assures that this requires the king’s permission. Soon Kopeikin runs out of money, he is in poverty and starving. Then he again turns to the general, who rudely escorts him out and expels him from St. Petersburg. After some time, a gang of robbers begins to operate in the Ryazan forest. Rumor has it that this was the work of Kopeikin.
After consulting, the officials decide that Chichikov cannot be Kopeikin, because his legs and arms are intact. Nozdryov appears and tells his version. He says that he studied with Chichikov, who was already a counterfeiter. He also says that he sold him a lot of “dead souls” and that Chichikov really intended to take away the governor’s daughter, and he helped him in this. As a result, he lies so much that he himself understands that he has gone too far.
At this time, in the city, a prosecutor dies for no reason from stress. Everyone blames Chichikov, but he knows nothing about it, since he suffers from gumboil. He is sincerely surprised that no one visits him. Nozdryov comes to him and tells him everything about how the city considers him a swindler who tried to kidnap the governor’s daughter. He also talks about the death of the prosecutor. After he leaves, Chichikov orders things to be packed.
ChapterXI
The next day Chichikov gets ready to go on the road, but cannot leave for a long time. Either the horses were not shod, or he overslept, or the chaise was not laid. As a result, they leave, but on the way they encounter a funeral procession. This is the prosecutor being buried. All the officials go to the procession, and everyone is thinking about how to improve relations with the new governor-general. What follows is a lyrical digression about Russia, its roads and buildings.
The author introduces us to the origin of Chichikov. It turns out that his parents were nobles, but he doesn’t look much like them. Since childhood, he was sent to an old relative, where he lived and studied. In parting, his father gave him parting words to always please his superiors and hang out only with the rich. At school, the hero studied mediocrely, had no special talents, but was a practical guy.
When his father died, he mortgaged his father's house and entered the service. There he tried to please his superiors in everything and even courted the boss’s ugly daughter and promised to marry. But when I got promoted, I didn’t get married. Then he changed more than one service and did not stay anywhere for long because of his machinations. At one time he even participated in the capture of smugglers, with whom he himself entered into an agreement.
The idea of buying “dead souls” came to him once again, when everything had to start all over again. According to his plan, the “dead souls” had to be pledged to the bank, and having received a significant loan, he had to hide. Further, the author complains about the properties of the hero’s nature, but he himself partly justifies him. At the end, the chaise rushed so quickly along the road. What Russian doesn't like driving fast? The author compares the flying troika with rushing Russia.
Volume two
The second volume was written by the author as a draft, revised more than once, and then burned by him. It told about Chichikov’s further adventures, about his acquaintance with Andrei Ivanovich Tententikov, Colonel Koshkarev, Khlobuev and other “useful” characters. At the end of the second volume, Chichikov's tricks were made public and he ended up in prison. However, a certain Murazov is working on his behalf. That's where the story ends.
/ "Dead Souls"
Chapter I
The action of the poem takes place in one small town, to which Gogol gave the name “NN”. So, one day an interesting chaise pulled up to the city hotel. As the author says, only bachelors travel in such a chaise. In this bachelor’s transport sat a man “not handsome, but not of bad appearance, neither too fat nor too thin; I can’t say that I’m old, but I can’t say that I’m too young.” No one noticed the arrival of this gentleman, except for two peasants who stood at the entrance to the tavern opposite the city hotel. Seeing the chaise approaching, they began to argue whether it would reach Moscow or Kazan.
The visiting gentleman settled in one of the hotel rooms with huge cockroaches that ran from corner to corner. A footman named Petrushka and Selifan also came with him, he was a coachman. While the footman and coachman were sorting out the visiting gentleman's belongings, he went down to the common room and ordered lunch. During the meal, this gentleman started a conversation with the policeman about the landowners with a large number peasant souls and officials of the local city.
The visiting gentleman's name was Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. The next day, Pavel Ivanovich paid a visit to all city authorities and minor officials, including the governor. Chichikov was distinguished by his courtesy and ability to quickly gain the trust of his interlocutor. For example, in front of the governor, he could not get enough of the city roads. For this, the latter invited Pavel Ivanovich to his home to celebrate some event. Other seduced officials invited Chichikov to their home to have tea.
About myself main character didn't say much. Only that he wants to settle in this city, and therefore wants to get to know all the city officials.
In the evening, Pavel Ivanovich went to visit the governor. There were a lot of people there: men in black tailcoats with white shirts, women in evening dresses. All the men present could be divided into two types: fat and thin. Gogol further tells the reader that thin people are only suitable for small, insignificant matters, while fat people are more judicious and achieve significant results in their activities. The author refers Chichikov specifically to fat people.
In the governor's house, Chichikov and two landowners meet - Manilov and Sobakevich. The landowners invite Pavel Ivanovich to visit their villages.
For a few more days, Chichikov is visited by a city official. In the city of NN, rumors spread about him as a businesslike and decent gentleman.
Chapter II
Pavel Ivanovich lived in the city of NN for about a week, visiting various officials, and then decided to visit his new acquaintances, the landowners Manilov and Sobakevich. Next, Gogol describes to us the footman Petrushka. The latter's favorite pastime was reading books. It should be noted that Petrushka read everything, without giving preference. He was silent by nature. Two things stood out about Parsley: he slept and what he wore; there was always the same smell wafting from him.
First of all, Chichikov decided to visit the landowner Manilov. His estate stood on the outskirts, blown by the winds. Near the landowner’s house there was a gazebo, on which one could see the inscription “Temple of Solitary Reflection.” Manilov was very happy about the arrival of his dear guest and immediately invited him to come into the house.
Looking at Manilov, it was very difficult to understand what kind of character he had. Gogol said about Manilov that he was neither this nor that. His facial features were pleasant and seemed like sugar. His manner of speech was inviting and seeking friendship. One can say about Manilov that he was a dreamer, he hardly looked after the household, but was constantly thinking about something. Once he even wanted to dig an underground tunnel from his house, but this idea remained an idea. In the landowner’s office, a book on one page had been gathering dust for two years. Manilov lived amicably and happily with his wife. And they had two sons - Themistokmos and Alcides.
Chichikov decides to start a business conversation. He asked Manilov for a register of peasants who died after the last census. After this, Pavel Ivanovich makes an amazing offer to the landowner to buy the dead souls of these peasants. According to all the documents, the eyes look as if they were alive and Manilov was obliged to pay tax for them. This proposal plunged the landowner into a daze, but Chichikov assured that everything would be formalized in the proper form. According to the documents, the dead peasants will pass through as if they were alive.
Manilov refuses the money and gives the dead souls of the peasants to Chichikov. After this, Pavel Ivanovich leaves the landowner’s estate, and Manilov plunges into his next dreams, seeing how the tsar presents him and Chichikov with general shoulder straps for their strong friendship.
Chapter III
Chichikov leaves Manilov's estate in a very good mood, he is happy about the successful deal. The coachman Selifan, talking to the horse, became completely distracted and drove off the road. Chichikov's chaise drove along the plowed ground and eventually overturned, and Pavel Ivanovich landed in the mud.
Only in the evening the travelers arrived at some village. These were the possessions of Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka. Nastasya Petrovna was an elderly and very melancholic woman. She grieved when the harvest failed or the farm suffered losses, but at the same time she gradually saved money and hid it in drawers in chests of drawers. By nature, landowner Korobochka was a very thrifty person.
A separate room was prepared for Chichikov to spend the night with a feather bed fluffed up to the ceiling. The next day Pavel Ivanovich woke up late. His clean clothes were already in the room. Looking out the window, Chichikov saw a large farm, the peasants lived in prosperity, order and cleanliness reigned on the estate.
After this, Pavel Ivanovich went to the room of the owner of the estate and without hesitation immediately started talking about selling the dead souls of the peasants. Nastasya Petrovna could not understand what her guest was talking about, but she felt that the business was profitable. Unable to bear it, Chichikov called Korobochka “a strong-willed man,” “a damned old woman.” The landowner refused to sell the dead souls; she wanted to first study the demand so as not to sell them too cheap. Still, Chichikov manages to persuade Nastasya Petrovna to sell him the dead souls of the peasants. For this he bought honey and hemp from the landowner. Korobochka was happy with this deal, she treated Pavel Ivanovich, after which he left the landowner’s estate.
Chapter IV
Deciding to have a snack, Chichikov stops at a tavern. There he strikes up a conversation with the owner of this establishment. She says that she knows the landowners Manilov and Sobakevich well. From her words one can understand that Manilov is a delicate person. He liked to order a lot of dishes, but he didn’t eat everything, he only tried it. Sobakevich, on the contrary, ordered one dish, which he ate completely, then asked for additional food, for which he necessarily paid extra.
At this time, Chichikov’s acquaintance Nozdryov appeared at the tavern. Nozdryov was a landowner. He was distinguished by average height, strong physique, snow-white teeth and resin sideburns. He was a man who radiated health. Nozdryov began the conversation with Chichikov by visiting a fair, where he spent all his money and things. He addresses Pavel Ivanovich as if he were an old friend, scolding him for the fact that he has not yet come to visit him. Later, Nozdryov brings Chichikov to his estate.
Next, Gogol introduces us to the personality of the landowner Nozdryov. The author says about the landowner that he was a reveler, that he was one of those who often makes friends and one who often finds himself beaten by new friends. Next we learn that his wife had already died, leaving two children with whom the landowner did not care at all. Nozdryov never sat at home, but constantly traveled to fairs and balls. Loved to play cards. Since he did not play honestly, he often returned home beaten and shabby. And what’s most amazing is that he could be friends with his offenders the very next day.
Nozdryov was a liar by nature. He often started stories about a pink or blue horse. The landowner loved to annoy his close people and friends by spreading rumors and telling tall tales. He was restless. At any moment he could take off and drive wherever his eyes lead. He offered ridiculous exchanges of everything for everything. And he did this not for profit, but for the sake of action and his curious character.
Nozdryov's estate was as reckless as its owner. There was a construction goat in the dining room of the house. On it, men whitewashed the walls. Nozdryov immediately took Chichikov to inspect his estate. The landowner had many dogs of all stripes. Their nicknames were very original: shoot, scold, bake.
At about five o'clock in the evening, Nozdryov invited Chichikov to dinner. Food, like everything else in the landowner's house, was not the main thing. Some dishes were burnt, others were damp. During the meal, Pavel Ivanovich starts a conversation about selling dead souls. The landowner agrees to the deal with one condition: Chichikov had to buy another horse with a dog and a barrel organ. Pavel Ivanovich does not agree to this.
The next day, Nozdryov invites Chichikov to play checkers for dead souls. The latter agrees. During the game, Chichikov notices that the landowner is not playing fairly and stops the game. When Nozdryov orders the servants to beat Pavel Ivanovich. At this moment, a police captain enters Nozdryov’s estate and reminds Nozdryov that he is on trial for beating the landowner Maksimov. Chichikov, taking advantage of the moment, leaves Nozdryov’s estate.
Chapter V
On the way to the village of Sobakevich, the coachman Selifan, unable to control the chaise, collides with another chaise harnessed to six horses. The reins got tangled and both vehicles got stuck on the road. This event attracted the attention of local men who gave ridiculous advice to the coachmen, thereby preventing the problem from being quickly resolved. In the chaise, Chichikov noticed an old woman and a girl with golden hair. She looked to be about sixteen years old. Chichikov liked the young lady, and he tried to start a conversation, but it didn’t work out. At this time, the reins were unraveled and the travelers dispersed.
Sobakevich's estate was significant in size. Everything about it was made to last. It was noticeable that the owner was busy with the housework, because order reigned everywhere.
Gogol compared Sobakevich to a “medium-sized bear.” This image was emphasized by a bear-colored tailcoat, long sleeves and trousers, and a clubbed gait. His face was red-hot. The landowner did not turn his neck at all. Because of this, I almost never looked at my interlocutor. In addition, Sobakevich’s name was Mikhail Semenovich.
Sobakevich invited Chichikov to go into the living room for dinner. In the living room hung huge paintings depicting Greek generals. All of them were depicted with “thick thighs and incredible mustaches.”
All household utensils seemed to resemble their owner and complement him. For example, in the corner of the living room there was a “pot-bellied walnut bureau on the most absurd four legs,” which resembled a bear.
For about five minutes Chichikov, Sobakevich and his wife sat in silence. To start the conversation, Pavel Ivanovich decided to talk about city officials. Sobakevich immediately spoke unflatteringly about them, calling them swindlers and hypocrites.
The lunch dishes were very nutritious. The landowner lived by the rule: if pork is served for dinner, then you need to eat the whole pig. Lamb and beef were treated the same way. To confirm this rule, Sobakevich independently ate most side of lamb, gnawing even the bones.
Later, when Sobakevich’s wife left the living room, Chichikov started talking about buying dead peasant souls. Sobakevich immediately wanted to sell them at a price of one hundred rubles per head. He explained the price by saying that all the peasants were masters of their craft and were famous throughout the area. Pavel Ivanovich was embarrassed by this price and after long negotiations the parties agreed on a price of 2.5 rubles per head.
Later, Chichikov leaves Sobakevich’s village very dissatisfied. He believes that Sobakevich simply robbed him. Pavel Ivanovich goes to the estate of the landowner Plyushkin.
Chapter VI
The village of Plyushkin was a mirror image of the village of Sobakevich. The houses here were very dilapidated, their roofs were full of holes, and there was no glass in the windows at all. Behind the village huts one could see huge stacks of the owner's bread, only they had been lying there for a long time and were overgrown with grass.
Gogol compares Plyushkin’s house to a “decrepit disabled person.” Almost all the windows were boarded up, and the plaster on the walls was crumbling. An old, withered garden grew around the house. Everything around said that once there was a vibrant life here, but now everything is dead and in oblivion.
In the center of the yard, Chichikov noticed “some figure” who was quarreling with a man. It was impossible to understand who it was: a man or a woman. She was wearing women's clothes and had a bunch of keys hanging from her belt. Deciding that it was a woman, Chichikov called out to her and said that the master was waiting for him. She told him to go into the house.
The house felt cold and damp from the basement. The situation inside the house was even worse than outside. It seemed as if all the furniture had been demolished into one room. The table was littered with some papers, glasses with liquid in which men were swimming. The whole thing was covered with a thick layer of dust. What was not needed was simply piled in the corner of the room.
A little later, the figure of a woman from the yard, already familiar to Chichikov, appears in the room. As it turned out, it was Plyushkin. He was a man with a huge chin, small eyes and thick eyebrows. His clothes were so worn and greasy that it was impossible to tell what he was wearing. In appearance, Plyushkin looked like the most ordinary beggar who begs for alms from the church.
In fact, Plyushkin was one of the richest landowners in this region. He had more than a thousand serfs. Its storerooms and barns were filled with goods. But this was not enough for the landowner. Every day he collected all sorts of things from around the village and dragged everything into the house, dumping it in the corners.
Gogol further tells us that Plyushkin was not always like this. He used to be an exemplary owner. His farm worked like clockwork, bringing huge profits to its owner. But after the death of his wife, Plyushkin changed, he began to get greedy every day. After his eldest daughter ran away from home to the headquarters captain, Plyushkin cursed her, the estate became even more empty. The son of a landowner, without his father's permission, decided to enlist in military service. After he lost at cards, Plyushkin cursed him too, and was never interested in his fate again. When his youngest daughter died, Plyushkin was left alone with everything. This loneliness gave rise to an irresistible feeling of greed and stinginess in him every day.
Soon traders stopped visiting Plyushkin’s estate. All the landowner's goods turned into decay, and the estate fell into disrepair.
Plyushkin began his conversation with Chichikov by saying that he was very poor. Pavel Ivanovich offered him help in the form of purchasing dead souls. Plyushkin was very happy about this and even treated Chichikov to tea with mossy crackers.
Chichikov bought more than one hundred and twenty dead souls from Plyushkin. After that, he returned in excellent spirits to his city hotel room.
Chapter VII
Waking up in the morning, Chichikov began to study the lists of acquired peasant souls. During the time that Pavel Ivanovich was in the city of “NN” he managed to buy four hundred dead souls. Getting acquainted with their names, he thought about the hard life of a simple serf. In one of the lists of peasants whom Chichikov bought from Sobakevich, he discovered a woman’s name: Sparrow Elizaveta. After this, Pavel Ivanovich said: “Sobakevich is a scoundrel, and he cheated here too!”
A little later, Chichikov went to the chairman of the chamber of judges to formalize the deed of sale. There he met Manilov and Sobakevich. Pavel Ivanovich wandered around the offices of officials for a long time until he gave in to his paw. After completing the deal, he went to the chairman to wash the purchase. Chichikov told everyone that he was buying peasants to export to the Kherson province. At one moment he himself believed what was said. All evening everyone drank to Pavel Ivanovich and to his future bride, whom they wanted to find in the city.
Chapter VIII
After high-profile purchases, Chichikov found himself in the center of attention of all residents of the city “NN”. He began to be revered as a very rich and noble man. Everyone around him treated him with love and care. Also at this time, Pavel Ivanovich began to be in demand among the female population of the city.
One day Chichikov was invited to another ball, which took place in the governor’s house. There Pavel Ivanovich was person number one. There wasn't a minute when someone didn't hug Chichikov or shake his hand. The women surrounded the main character in a tight ring and kept him busy with their conversations. In an instant, Chichikov noticed the golden-haired girl whom he had tried to meet earlier, on the way to Sobakevich’s village. It turns out that she was the daughter of the governor. Pavel Ivanovich immediately turned his attention to her. The girl, as if not noticing his signs of attention, yawned periodically. The surrounding ladies were angry with Chichikov’s behavior.
A little later, the landowner Nozdryov appears at the ball, who loudly declares that Chichikov is not buying up peasants, but their dead souls. None of those present paid any attention to Nozdryov’s words, because the landowner was known as a notorious liar. Pavel Ivanovich spent the rest of the evening with a negative feeling in his soul.
At the height of the ball at the governor's house, a chaise resembling a fat watermelon drove into the city. The landowner Korobochka sat in it, who came to find out the true price dead souls, which she sold to Chichikov.
Chapter IX
The next day, one resident of the city “NN” came to her friend and told her the news: Chichikov was buying the dead souls of peasants. The landowner Korobochka, who personally sold them to him, said this.
Without thinking twice, the ladies decided that all this was just a cover. The true target is the governor's daughter, whom Chichikov planned to kidnap. This news spread throughout the city at the speed of light. The townspeople simply rebelled. Everything was confused in their heads, and no one could understand what was the matter. The news grew with new details every day. Whether Pavel Ivanovich abandoned his wife for the sake of the governor’s daughter, whom he secretly met with moonlight. City officials were also alarmed when they heard the news about the purchase of dead souls. Everyone began to look for sins in themselves that did not exist.
Just at the climax of the news about Chichikov, the governor receives a message about an escaped criminal. This completely confused everyone. And to find the truth, city officials went to the police chief.
Chapter X
All city officials were excited by the events taking place. Only the postmaster was calm and balanced. He told those gathered that Pavel Ivanovich was Captain Kopeikin and told the story of captain Kopeikin.
Captain Kopeikin lost an arm and a leg during the military campaign of the twelfth year. Together with the wounded soldiers he was taken to St. Petersburg. As it turned out, there were no orders regarding the wounded, and the captain found himself in a hopeless state. To clarify the situation, he decides to go to the sovereign. In St. Petersburg, Captain Kopeikin rents the cheapest room, after which he goes to the nobleman to ask for the sovereign's favor.
After standing in line for about four hours, Kopeikin managed to talk with the nobleman. The latter asked him to come back in a few days. The next day Kopeikin again came to the nobleman. He stated that it was necessary to wait for the king’s order regarding the wounded. The captain couldn't wait. He enters the nobleman's house and declares that he will not budge until his problem is solved. For such behavior, Kopeikin was expelled from St. Petersburg. No one heard from the captain again. A few months later, rumors spread that a gang of robbers led by Captain Kopeikin was operating in the forests near Ryazan.
This story did not make much of an impression on those present. Chichikov had both arms and legs intact, so he could not be Captain Kopeikin. Then the idea appeared that Pavel Ivanovich was Napoleon. To confirm this idea, officials turn to the landowner Nozdryov. He confirms that Chichikov is a sent Cossack. These rumors most likely caused the prosecutor to have a heart attack and die upon arriving home.
Due to illness, Chichikov lay in his room for three days and knew nothing about the events taking place in the city. After his recovery, he decides to visit city officials, but no one will let him in anymore. Towards evening, Nozdryov comes to Pavel Ivanovich, who tells him about what happened. Chichikov decides to leave the city as quickly as possible and tells Selifan to prepare the chaise for the trip.
Chapter XI
The next day, Chichikov failed to quickly leave the city of NN. Selifan did not prepare the chaise (the horses needed to be shoed and the wheel re-strung), and Pavel Ivanovich himself woke up late. All this preparation took about five more hours. After that, Chichikov got into the chaise and they set off.
One of the city streets was blocked by a funeral procession. Pavel Ivanovich hid in the chaise because he did not want to be seen. After a while, the chaise finally left the city.
Chichikov was born into a noble family. Pavlusha grew up without friends in a small room. Later, his father moved him to the city, where the main character began to attend school. Father Chichikov's last instructions were the words: “Most of all, please teachers and bosses.” They became the main principle of the life of the main character.
Chichikov did not have any special skills for education. He was always a modest and quiet student. Pavel Ivanovich was a man with a practical mindset. He did not spend the fifty dollars that his father left him, but managed to increase it by selling baked goods to his comrades. All his life Chichikov saved money not out of greed. He wanted a beautiful and well-fed life.
Later he entered the service of the treasury chamber, where he occupied the lowest position. There he pleases the boss as best he can, shows signs of attention to his daughter, and even promises to take her as his wife. Later, having received more high position, Chichikov forgets about marriage.
After a while, he became a member of the commission for the construction of a state-owned house. Construction continued for six years, but the state house was never built. But each member of the commission got his own brand new house. Later the boss was changed, and all property was confiscated.
Chichikov was again left penniless. He gets a job at customs. There he shows his abilities in searching smugglers, for which he receives a promotion. After this, Pavel Ivanovich enters into an agreement with the smugglers, receiving huge profits from this. Over time, this connection became obvious, and Chichikov was put on trial. Somehow the main character escapes criminal punishment. He again loses his fortune.
After this, he comes up with the idea of buying dead souls, because for them you can get Bank loan and escape with the money. It is for this purpose that Chichikov comes to the city of “NN”.
Gogol treats his hero as an acquirer of the owner. Many people may not like him. To which the author recommends that everyone look into their soul and answer the question: “Isn’t there some part of Chichikov in me too?”
The poem ends with Chichikov’s chaise rushing along the road, and the main character himself smiles, as he loves driving fast.
a chaise is driving in. She is met by men chatting about nothing. They look at the wheel and try to figure out how far it can go. The guest of the city turns out to be Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. He came to the city on business about which there is no exact information - “according to his needs.”
The young landowner has an interesting appearance:
- narrow short trousers made of white rosin fabric;
- fashionable tailcoat;
- pin in the shape of a bronze pistol.
The next day, the city guest spent time on visits. He managed to choose for everyone kind word, flattery penetrated the hearts of the officials. The city started talking about the pleasant man who visited them. Moreover, Chichikov managed to charm not only men, but also women. Pavel Ivanovich was invited by landowners who were in the city on business: Manilov and Sobakevich. At a dinner with the police chief, he met Nozdryov. The hero of the poem managed to make a pleasant impression on everyone, even those who rarely spoke positively about anyone.
Chapter 2
Pavel Ivanovich has been in the city for more than a week. He attended parties, dinners and balls. Chichikov decided to visit the landowners Manilov and Sobakevich. The reason for this decision was different. The master had two serfs: Petrushka and Selifan. The first silent reader. He read everything he could get his hands on, in any position. He liked unknown and incomprehensible words. His other passions: sleeping in clothes, preserving his scent. The coachman Selifan was completely different. In the morning we went to Manilov. They looked for the estate for a long time, it turned out to be more than 15 miles away, which the landowner spoke about. The master's house stood open to all winds. The architecture was in the English style, but only vaguely resembled it. Manilov broke into a smile as the guest approached. The owner's character is difficult to describe. The impression changes depending on how close a person gets to him. The landowner has an alluring smile, blond hair and Blue eyes. The first impression is very Nice man, then the opinion begins to change. They began to get tired of him because they did not hear a single living word. The economy went on by itself. The dreams were absurd and impossible: an underground passage, for example. He could read one page for several years in a row. There was not enough furniture. The relationship between wife and husband resembled voluptuous dishes. They kissed and created surprises for each other. They didn't care about anything else. The conversation begins with questions about the residents of the city. Manilov considers everyone to be pleasant people, sweet and kind. The intensifying particle pre- is constantly added to the characteristics: most amiable, most venerable, and others. The conversation turned into an exchange of compliments. The owner had two sons, the names surprised Chichikov: Themistoclus and Alcides. Slowly, but Chichikov decides to ask the owner about the dead on his estate. Manilov did not know how many people died; he ordered the clerk to write down everyone by name. When the landowner heard about the desire to buy dead souls, he was simply dumbfounded. I couldn’t imagine how to draw up a bill of sale for those who were no longer among the living. Manilov transfers souls for free, even pays the costs of transferring them to Chichikov. The farewell was as sweet as the meeting. Manilov stood on the porch for a long time, following the guest with his gaze, then plunged into daydreaming, but the guest’s strange request did not fit into his head, he turned it over until dinner.Chapter 3
The hero, in excellent spirits, heads to Sobakevich. The weather turned bad. The rain made the road look like a field. Chichikov realized that they were lost. Just when it seemed that the situation was becoming unbearable, dogs were heard barking and a village appeared. Pavel Ivanovich asked to come into the house. He dreamed only of a warm night's sleep. The hostess did not know anyone whose names the guest mentioned. They straightened out the sofa for him, and he woke up only the next day, quite late. The clothes were cleaned and dried. Chichikov went out to the landlady, he communicated with her more freely than with the previous landowners. The hostess introduced herself as college secretary Korobochka. Pavel Ivanovich finds out if her peasants were dying. The box says there are eighteen people. Chichikov asks to sell them. The woman doesn’t understand, she imagines how the dead are dug out of the ground. The guest calms down and explains the benefits of the deal. The old woman doubts, she never sold the dead. All the arguments about the benefits were clear, but the essence of the deal itself was surprising. Chichikov silently called Korobochka a clubhead, but continued to convince. The old lady decided to wait, in case there were more buyers and prices were higher. The conversation did not work out, Pavel Ivanovich began to swear. He was so excited that sweat was rolling off him in three streams. The box liked the guest's chest, the paper. While the deal was being finalized, pies and other homemade food appeared on the table. Chichikov ate pancakes, ordered to lay the chaise and give him a guide. The box gave the girl, but asked not to take her away, otherwise the merchants had already taken one.Chapter 4
The hero stops at the tavern for lunch. The old woman of the house pleases him by eating pig with horseradish and sour cream. Chichikov asks the woman about her affairs, income, family. The old woman talks about all the local landowners, who eats what. During lunch, two people arrived at the tavern: a blond man and a black man. The blond man was the first to enter the room. The hero had almost begun his acquaintance when the second one appeared. It was Nozdryov. He gave out a ton of information in one minute. He argues with the blond man that he can handle 17 bottles of wine. But he does not agree to the bet. Nozdryov calls Pavel Ivanovich to his place. The servant brought the puppy into the tavern. The owner examined whether there were fleas and ordered to take it back. Chichikov hopes that the losing landowner will sell him the peasants cheaper. The author describes Nozdryov. The appearance of a broken fellow, of which there are many in Rus'. They quickly make friends and become familiar. Nozdryov could not sit at home, his wife quickly died, and a nanny looked after the children. The master constantly got into trouble, but after a while he reappeared in the company of those who beat him. All three carriages drove up to the estate. First, the owner showed the stable, half empty, then the wolf cub, and a pond. Blond doubted everything that Nozdryov said. We came to the kennel. Here the landowner was among his own. He knew each puppy's name. One of the dogs licked Chichikov and immediately spat out of disgust. Nozdryov composed at every step: you can catch hares in the field with your hands, he recently bought timber abroad. After inspecting the property, the men returned to the house. Lunch was not very successful: some things were burnt, others were undercooked. The owner leaned heavily on the wine. The blond son-in-law began to ask to go home. Nozdryov did not want to let him go, but Chichikov supported his desire to leave. The men went into the room, Pavel Ivanovich saw the card in the hands of the owner. He started a conversation about dead souls and asked to donate them. Nozdryov demanded to explain why he needed them, but the guest’s arguments did not satisfy him. Nozdryov called Pavel a fraudster, which greatly offended him. Chichikov proposed a deal, but Nozdryov offers a stallion, a mare and a gray horse. The guest didn’t need any of this. Nozdryov haggles further: dogs, barrel organ. He begins to offer an exchange for a chaise. Trade turns into dispute. The owner's violence frightens the hero; he refuses to drink or play. Nozdryov gets more and more excited, he insults Chichikov and calls him names. Pavel Ivanovich stayed overnight, but scolded himself for his carelessness. He should not have started a conversation with Nozdryov about the purpose of his visit. The morning starts again with a game. Nozdryov insists, Chichikov agrees to checkers. But during the game, the checkers seemed to move on their own. The argument almost turned into a fight. The guest turned white as a sheet when he saw Nozdryov swinging his hand. It is unknown how the visit to the estate would have ended if a stranger had not entered the house. It was the police captain who informed Nozdryov about the trial. He inflicted bodily injuries on the landowner with rods. Chichikov no longer waited for the conversation to end; he slipped out of the room, jumped into the chaise and ordered Selifan to rush at full speed away from this house. It was not possible to buy dead souls.Chapter 5
The hero was very frightened, rushed into the chaise and rushed quickly from the village of Nozdryov. His heart was beating so hard that nothing could calm it down. Chichikov was afraid to imagine what could have happened if the police officer had not appeared. Selifan was indignant that the horse was left unfed. Everyone's thoughts were stopped by a collision with six horses. The stranger's coachman scolded, Selifan tried to defend himself. There was confusion. The horses moved apart and then huddled together. While all this was happening, Chichikov was looking at the unfamiliar blonde. A pretty young girl caught his attention. He didn’t even notice how the britzkas uncoupled and drove apart different sides. The beauty melted away like a vision. Pavel began to dream of a girl, especially if he had a large dowry. A village appeared ahead. The hero examines the village with interest. The houses are strong, but the order in which they were built was clumsy. The owner is Sobakevich. Outwardly similar to a bear. The clothes made the resemblance even more precise: a brown tailcoat, long sleeves, a clumsy gait. The master constantly stepped on his feet. The owner invited the guest into the house. The design was interesting: full-length paintings of Greek generals, a Greek heroine with strong, thick legs. The hostess was tall woman, resembling a palm tree. All the decoration of the room, the furniture spoke about the owner, about the resemblance to him. The conversation didn't go well at first. Everyone whom Chichikov tried to praise drew criticism from Sobakevich. The guest tried to praise the table from the city officials, but even here the owner interrupted him. All the food was bad. Sobakevich ate with an appetite that one can only dream of. He said that there is a landowner Plyushkin, whose people are dying like flies. They ate for a very long time, Chichikov felt that he had gained a whole pound of weight after lunch.Chichikov began talking about his business. He called dead souls non-existent. Sobakevich, to the surprise of the guest, calmly called things by their proper names. He offered to sell them even before Chichikov spoke about it. Then trading began. Moreover, Sobakevich raised the price because his men were strong, healthy peasants, not like others. He described each person who died. Chichikov was amazed and asked to return to the topic of the deal. But Sobakevich stood his ground: his dead were dear. They bargained for a long time and agreed on Chichikov's price. Sobakevich prepared a note with a list of sold peasants. It indicated in detail the craft, age, marital status, and in the margins there were additional notes about behavior and attitude towards drunkenness. The owner asked for a deposit for the paper. The line of transferring money in exchange for an inventory of peasants makes me smile. The exchange was carried out with distrust. Chichikov asked to leave the deal between them and not to disclose information about it. Chichikov leaves the estate. He wants to go to Plyushkin, whose men are dying like flies, but he doesn’t want Sobakevich to know about it. And he stands at the door of the house to see where the guest will turn.
Chapter 6
Chichikov, thinking about the nicknames that the men gave Plyushkin, drives up to his village. The large village greeted the guest with a log pavement. The logs rose like piano keys. It was a rare rider who could ride without a bump or bruise. All the buildings were dilapidated and old. Chichikov examines the village with signs of poverty: leaky houses, old stacks of bread, ribbed roofs, windows covered with rags. The owner's house looked even stranger: the long castle resembled a disabled person. All but two windows were closed or covered. The open windows did not look familiar. The strange-looking garden located behind the master's castle was corrected. Chichikov drove up to the house and noticed a figure whose gender was difficult to determine. Pavel Ivanovich decided that it was the housekeeper. He asked if the master was at home. The answer was negative. The housekeeper offered to go into the house. The house was as creepy as the outside. It was a dump of furniture, piles of papers, broken objects, rags. Chichikov saw a toothpick that had turned yellow as if it had lain there for centuries. Paintings hung on the walls, and a chandelier in a bag hung from the ceiling. It looked like a big cocoon of dust with a worm inside. There was a pile in the corner of the room; it would hardly have been possible to understand what was collected in it. Chichikov realized that he was mistaken in determining the gender of a person. More accurately, it was the key holder. The man had a strange beard, like an iron wire comb. The guest, after waiting for a long time in silence, decided to ask where the master was. The key keeper replied that it was him. Chichikov was taken aback. Plyushkin's appearance amazed him, his clothes amazed him. He looked like a beggar standing at the door of a church. There was nothing in common with the landowner. Plyushkin had more than a thousand souls, full pantries and barns of grain and flour. The house has a lot of wood products and dishes. Everything that Plyushkin had accumulated would have been enough for more than one village. But the landowner went out into the street and dragged into the house everything he found: an old sole, a rag, a nail, a broken piece of crockery. The found objects were placed in a pile, which was located in the room. He took into his hands what the women left behind. True, if he was caught in this, he didn’t argue, he returned it. He was just thrifty, but he became stingy. The character changed, first he cursed his daughter, who ran away with a military man, then his son, who lost at cards. The income was replenished, but Plyushkin was constantly cutting expenses, depriving even himself of small joys. The landowner's daughter visited him, but he held his grandchildren on his lap and gave them money.There are few such landowners in Rus'. Most people want to live beautifully and widely, but only a few can shrink like Plyushkin.
Chichikov could not start a conversation for a long time; there were no words in his head to explain his visit. In the end, Chichikov started talking about savings, which he wanted to see in person.
Plyushkin does not treat Pavel Ivanovich, explaining that he has a terrible kitchen. A conversation about souls begins. Plyushkin has more than a hundred dead souls. People are dying of hunger, of disease, some are simply running away. To the surprise of the stingy owner, Chichikov offers a deal. Plyushkin is indescribably happy, he considers the guest a stupid man dragging after the actresses. The deal was completed quickly. Plyushkin suggested washing the deal with liquor. But when he described that there were boogers and bugs in the wine, the guest refused. Having copied the dead on a piece of paper, the landowner asked if anyone needed the fugitives. Chichikov was delighted and after a small trade bought 78 fugitive souls from him. Pleased with the acquisition of more than 200 souls, Pavel Ivanovich returned to the city.
Chapter 7
Chichikov got enough sleep and went to the chambers to register ownership of the purchased peasants. To do this, he began to rewrite the papers received from the landowners. Korobochka's men had their own names. Plyushkin's inventory was notable for its brevity. Sobakevich painted each peasant with detail and qualities. Each one had a description of their father and mother. Behind the names and nicknames there were people; Chichikov tried to introduce them. So Pavel Ivanovich was busy with papers until 12 o’clock. On the street he met Manilov. The acquaintances froze in an embrace that lasted more than a quarter of an hour. The paper with the inventory of the peasants was rolled into a tube and tied with a pink ribbon. The list was beautifully designed with an ornate border. Hand in hand, the men went to the wards. In the chambers, Chichikov spent a long time looking for the table he needed, then carefully paid a bribe and went to the chairman for an order allowing him to complete the deal quickly. There he met Sobakevich. The chairman gave orders to gather all the people needed for the deal and gave orders for its rapid completion. The chairman asked why Chichikov needed peasants without land, but he himself answered the question. People gathered, the purchase was completed quickly and successfully. The Chairman proposed to celebrate the acquisition. Everyone headed to the police chief's house. The officials decided that they definitely needed to marry Chichikov. During the evening, he clinked glasses with everyone more than once, noticing that he had to go, Pavel Ivanovich left for the hotel. Selifan and Petrushka, as soon as the master fell asleep, went to the basement, where they stayed almost until the morning; when they returned, they lay down so that it was impossible to move them.Chapter 8
In the city everyone was talking about Chichikov's purchases. They tried to calculate his wealth and admitted that he was rich. Officials tried to calculate whether it was profitable to purchase peasants for resettlement, and what kind of peasants the landowner bought. The officials scolded the men and felt sorry for Chichikov, who had to transport so many people. There were miscalculations about a possible riot. Some began to give Pavel Ivanovich advice, offering to escort the procession, but Chichikov reassured him, saying that he had bought men who were meek, calm and willing to leave. Chichikov aroused a special attitude among the ladies of the city of N. As soon as they calculated his millions, he became interesting to them. Pavel Ivanovich noticed a new extraordinary attention to himself. One day he found a letter from a lady on his desk. She called him to leave the city for the desert, and out of despair she ended the message with poems about the death of a bird. The letter was anonymous; Chichikov really wanted to figure out the author. The governor is having a ball. The hero of the story appears on it. The eyes of all the guests are turned to him. There was joy on everyone's faces. Chichikov tried to figure out who the messenger of the letter to him was. The ladies showed interest in him, looked for him attractive features. Pavel was so carried away by conversations with the ladies that he forgot about the decency of approaching and introducing himself to the hostess of the ball. The governor's wife approached him herself. Chichikov turned to her and was already preparing to utter some phrase, when he stopped short. Two women stood in front of him. One of them is a blonde who charmed him on the road when he was returning from Nozdryov. Chichikov was embarrassed. The governor's wife introduced him to her daughter. Pavel Ivanovich tried to get out, but he wasn’t very successful. The ladies tried to distract him, but they didn't succeed. Chichikov tries to attract his daughter’s attention, but she is not interested in him. The women began to show that they were not happy with this behavior, but Chichikov could not help himself. He was trying to charm a beautiful blonde. At that moment Nozdryov appeared at the ball. He began to scream loudly and ask Chichikov about dead souls. Addressed a speech to the governor. His words left everyone confused. His speeches sounded crazy. The guests began to look at each other, Chichikov noticed evil lights in the eyes of the ladies. The embarrassment passed, and some people took Nozdryov’s words for lies, stupidity, and slander. Pavel decided to complain about his health. They calmed him down, saying that the brawler Nozdryov had already been taken out, but Chichikov did not feel calmer.At this time, an event occurred in the city that further increased the hero’s troubles. A carriage that looked like a watermelon drove in. The woman who got out of the cart is the landowner Korobochka. She was tormented for a long time by the thought that she had made a mistake in the deal, and decided to go to the city to find out at what price dead souls were sold here. The author does not convey her conversation, but what it led to is easy to find out from the next chapter.
The governor received two papers containing information about a fugitive robber and a counterfeiter. Two messages were combined into one, the Robber and the counterfeiter was hiding in the image of Chichikov. First, we decided to ask those who communicated with him about him. Manilov spoke flatteringly about the landowner and vouched for him. Sobakevich recognized Pavel Ivanovich as a good person. The officials were overcome with fear and decided to get together and discuss the problem. The meeting place is with the police chief.
Chapter 10
The officials gathered together and first discussed changes in their appearance. Events led to them losing weight. The discussion was of no use. Everyone was talking about Chichikov. Some decided that he was a government money maker. Others suggested that he was an official from the Governor General's office. They tried to prove to themselves that he could not be a robber. The guest's appearance was very well-intentioned. The officials did not find any violent behavior that is typical of robbers. The postmaster interrupted their arguments with a startling cry. Chichikov - Captain Kopeikin. Many did not know about the captain. The postmaster tells them “The Tale of Captain Kopeikin.” The captain's arm and leg were torn off during the war, and no laws were passed regarding the wounded. He went to his father, who refused him shelter. He himself did not have enough for bread. Kopeikin went to the sovereign. I came to the capital and was confused. He was pointed to the commission. The captain got to her and waited for more than 4 hours. The room was packed with people like beans. The minister noticed Kopeikin and ordered him to come in a few days. Out of joy and hope, he went into the tavern and drank. The next day, Kopeikin received a refusal from the nobleman and an explanation that no orders had yet been issued regarding disabled people. The captain went to see the minister several times, but they stopped receiving him. Kopeikin waited for the nobleman to come out and asked for money, but he said that he could not help, there were many important things to do. He ordered the captain to look for food himself. But Kopeikin began to demand a resolution. He was thrown into a cart and taken by force out of the city. And after some time a gang of robbers appeared. Who was its leader? But the police chief did not have time to pronounce his name. He was interrupted. Chichikov had both an arm and a leg. How could he be Kopeikin? The officials decided that the police chief had gone too far in his fantasies. They came to the decision to call Nozdryov to talk with them. His testimony was completely confusing. Nozdryov made up a bunch of tall tales about Chichikov.The hero of their conversations and disputes at this time, suspecting nothing, was ill. He decided to lie down for three days. Chichikov gargled and applied herbal decoctions to the gumboil. As soon as he felt better, he went to the governor. The doorman said that he was not ordered to be received. Continuing his walk, he went to the chairman of the chamber, who was very embarrassed. Pavel Ivanovich was surprised: he was either not accepted, or was greeted very strangely. In the evening Nozdryov came to his hotel. He explained the incomprehensible behavior of city officials: false papers, the kidnapping of the governor's daughter. Chichikov realized that he needed to get out of the city as quickly as possible. He sent Nozdryov out, ordered him to pack his suitcase and prepare to leave. Petrushka and Selifan were not very happy with this decision, but there was nothing to do.
Chapter 11
Chichikov is getting ready to go on the road. But unforeseen problems arise that keep him in the city. They are quickly resolved, and the strange guest leaves. The road is blocked by a funeral procession. The prosecutor was buried. All the noble officials and residents of the city walked in the procession. She was absorbed in thoughts about the future governor-general, how to impress him so as not to lose what she had acquired and not change her position in society. The women thought about the upcoming balls and holidays regarding the appointment of a new person. Chichikov thought to himself that this good omen: meeting a dead person on the way is fortunate. The author is distracted from describing the protagonist's trip. He reflects on Rus', songs and distances. Then his thoughts are interrupted by the government carriage, which almost collided with Chichikov’s chaise. Dreams go to the word road. The author describes where and how the main character came from. Chichikov's origins are very modest: he was born into a family of nobles, but took after neither his mother nor his father. Childhood in the village ended, and the father took the boy to a relative in the city. Here he began to go to classes and study. He quickly understood how to succeed, began to please the teachers and received a certificate and a book with gold embossing: “For exemplary diligence and trustworthy behavior.” After the death of his father, Pavel was left with an estate, which he sold, deciding to live in the city. I inherited my father’s instruction: “Take care and save a penny.” Chichikov began with zeal, then with sycophancy. Having made his way into the family of the police chief, he received a vacant position and changed his attitude towards the one who promoted him. The first meanness was the most difficult, then everything went easier. Pavel Ivanovich was a pious man, loved cleanliness, and did not use foul language. Chichikov dreamed of serving in customs. His zealous service did its job, the dream came true. But luck ran out, and the hero had to again look for ways to make money and create wealth. One of the orders - to put the peasants on the Guardian Council - gave him the idea of how to change his condition. He decided to buy dead souls and then resell them for settlement underground. Strange idea, hard to understand a simple person, only the cleverly intertwined schemes in Chichikov’s head could fit into the enrichment system. During the author's reasoning, the hero sleeps peacefully. The author compares Rus'Gogol's work “Dead Souls” was written in the second half of the 19th century. The first volume was published in 1842, the second volume was almost completely destroyed by the author. And the third volume was never written. The plot of the work was suggested to Gogol. The poem tells about a middle-aged gentleman, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, traveling around Russia with the aim of buying so-called dead souls - peasants who are no longer alive, but who are still listed as alive according to documents. Gogol wanted to show all of Russia, the entire Russian soul in its breadth and immensity.
Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls” can be read in a chapter-by-chapter summary below. In the above version, the main characters are described, the most significant fragments are highlighted, with the help of which you can form a complete picture of the content of this poem. Reading Gogol’s “Dead Souls” online will be useful and relevant for 9th graders.
Main characters
Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov- the main character of the poem, a middle-aged college adviser. He travels around Russia with the aim of buying up dead souls, knows how to find an approach to every person, which he constantly uses.
Other characters
Manilov- landowner, no longer young. In the first minute you think only pleasant things about him, and after that you no longer know what to think. He is not concerned about everyday difficulties; lives with his wife and two sons, Themistoclus and Alcides.
Box - elderly woman, widow. She lives in a small village, runs the household herself, sells food and fur. Stingy woman. She knew the names of all the peasants by heart and did not keep written records.
Sobakevich- a landowner, looking for profit in everything. With its massiveness and clumsiness it resembled a bear. He agrees to sell dead souls to Chichikov even before he even talks about it.
Nozdryov- a landowner who cannot sit at home for a day. He loves to party and play cards: hundreds of times he lost to smithereens, but still continued to play; He was always the hero of some story, and he himself was a master at telling tall tales. His wife died, leaving a child, but Nozdryov did not care about family matters at all.
Plyushkin- an unusual person appearance which is difficult to determine to which class he belongs. Chichikov at first mistook him for an old housekeeper. He lives alone, although his estate used to be full of life.
Selifan- coachman, Chichikov's servant. He drinks a lot, is often distracted from the road, and likes to think about the eternal.
Volume 1
Chapter 1
A carriage with an ordinary, unremarkable car enters the city of NN. He checked into a hotel, which, as often happens, was poor and dirty. The gentleman's luggage was carried in by Selifan (a short man in a sheepskin coat) and Petrushka (a young man about 30 years old). The traveler almost immediately went to the tavern to find out who occupied leadership positions in this city. At the same time, the gentleman tried not to talk about himself at all, nevertheless, everyone with whom the gentleman spoke was able to form the most pleasant description of him. Along with this, the author very often emphasizes the insignificance of the character.
During dinner, the guest finds out from the servant who is the chairman of the city, who is the governor, how many rich landowners are, the visitor did not miss a single detail.
Chichikov meets Manilov and the clumsy Sobakevich, whom he quickly managed to charm with his manners and ability to behave in public: he could always carry on a conversation on any topic, he was polite, attentive and courteous. People who knew him spoke only positively about Chichikov. At the card table he behaved like an aristocrat and a gentleman, even arguing in a particularly pleasant way, for example, “you deigned to go.”
Chichikov hastened to pay visits to all the officials of this city in order to win them over and show his respect.
Chapter 2
Chichikov had been living in the city for more than a week, spending his time carousing and feasting. He made many useful acquaintances and was a welcome guest at various techniques. While Chichikov was spending time at another dinner party, the author introduces the reader to his servants. Petrushka wore a wide frock coat from a lordly shoulder and had a large nose and lips. He was of a silent nature. He loved to read, but he liked the process of reading much more than the subject of reading. Parsley always carried “his special smell” with him, ignoring Chichikov’s requests to go to the bathhouse. The author did not describe the coachman Selifan, saying that he belonged to too low a class, and the reader prefers landowners and counts.
Chichikov went to the village to Manilov, which “could lure few with its location.” Although Manilov said that the village was only 15 versts from the city, Chichikov had to travel almost twice as far. At first glance, Manilov was a distinguished man, his facial features were pleasant, but too sweet. You won’t get a single living word from him; it was as if Manilov lived in an imaginary world. Manilov had nothing of his own, no peculiarity of his own. He spoke little, most often thinking about lofty matters. When a peasant or clerk asked the master about something, he answered: “Yes, not bad,” without caring about what would happen next.
In Manilov’s office there was a book that the master had been reading for the second year, and the bookmark, once left on page 14, remained in place. Not only Manilov, but also the house itself suffered from a lack of something special. It was as if something was always missing in the house: the furniture was expensive, and there wasn’t enough upholstery for two chairs; in the other room there was no furniture at all, but they were always going to put it there. The owner spoke touchingly and tenderly to his wife. She was a match for her husband - a typical girl's boarding school student. She was trained in French, dancing and playing the piano to please and entertain her husband. Often they spoke tenderly and reverently, like young lovers. One got the impression that the couple did not care about everyday trifles.
Chichikov and Manilov stood in the doorway for several minutes, letting each other go ahead: “do me a favor, don’t worry so much about me, I’ll pass later,” “don’t make it difficult, please don’t make it difficult. Please come in." As a result, both passed at the same time, sideways, touching each other. Chichikov agreed with Manilov in everything, who praised the governor, the police chief, and others.
Chichikov was surprised by Manilov's children, two sons six and eight years old, Themistoclus and Alcides. Manilov wanted to show off his children, but Chichikov did not notice any special talents in them. After lunch, Chichikov decided to talk with Manilov about one very important matter - about dead peasants who, according to documents, are still listed as alive - about dead souls. In order to “relieve Manilov of the need to pay taxes,” Chichikov asks Manilov to sell him documents for the now non-existent peasants. Manilov was somewhat discouraged, but Chichikov convinced the landowner of the legality of such a deal. Manilov decided to give away the “dead souls” for free, after which Chichikov hastily began to get ready to see Sobakevich, pleased with the successful acquisition.
Chapter 3
Chichikov went to Sobakevich in high spirits. Selifan, the coachman, was arguing with the horse, and, carried away by thoughts, stopped watching the road. The travelers got lost.
The chaise drove off-road for a long time until it hit a fence and overturned. Chichikov was forced to ask for overnight accommodation from the old woman, who let them in only after Chichikov told about his noble title.
The owner was an elderly woman. She can be called thrifty: there were a lot of old things in the house. The woman was dressed tastelessly, but with pretensions to elegance. The lady's name was Korobochka Nastasya Petrovna. She didn’t know any Manilov, from which Chichikov concluded that they had drifted into quite the wilderness.
Chichikov woke up late. His laundry was dried and washed by the fussy Korobochka worker. Pavel Ivanovich did not stand on ceremony with Korobochka, allowing himself to be rude. Nastasya Filippovna was a college secretary, her husband had died long ago, so the entire household was her responsibility. Chichikov did not miss the opportunity to inquire about dead souls. He had to persuade Korobochka for a long time, who was also bargaining. Korobochka knew all the peasants by name, so she did not keep written records.
Chichikov was tired from a long conversation with the hostess, and was rather glad not that he received less than twenty souls from her, but that this dialogue was over. Nastasya Filippovna, delighted with the sale, decided to sell Chichikov flour, lard, straw, fluff and honey. To appease the guest, she ordered the maid to bake pancakes and pies, which Chichikov ate with pleasure, but politely refused other purchases.
Nastasya Filippovna sent a little girl with Chichikov to show the way. The chaise had already been repaired and Chichikov moved on.
Chapter 4
The chaise drove up to the tavern. The author admits that Chichikov had an excellent appetite: the hero ordered chicken, veal and pig with sour cream and horseradish. At the tavern, Chichikov asked about the owner, his sons, their wives, and at the same time found out where each landowner lived. At the tavern, Chichikov met Nozdryov, with whom he had previously dined with the prosecutor. Nozdryov was cheerful and drunk: he had lost at cards again. Nozdryov laughed at Chichikov’s plans to go to Sobakevich, persuading Pavel Ivanovich to come and visit him first. Nozdryov was sociable, the life of the party, a carouser and a talker. His wife died early, leaving two children, whom Nozdryov was absolutely not involved in raising. More than a day he could not sit at home, his soul demanded feasts and adventures. Nozdryov had an amazing attitude towards dating: the closer he got to a person, the more fables he told. At the same time, Nozdryov managed not to quarrel with anyone after that.
Nozdryov loved dogs very much and even kept a wolf. The landowner boasted so much about his possessions that Chichikov was tired of inspecting them, although Nozdryov even attributed a forest to his lands, which could not possibly be his property. At the table, Nozdryov poured wine for the guests, but added little for himself. In addition to Chichikov, Nozdryov’s son-in-law was visiting, with whom Pavel Ivanovich did not dare talk about the true motives of his visit. However, the son-in-law soon got ready to go home, and Chichikov was finally able to ask Nozdryov about dead souls.
He asked Nozdryov to transfer the dead souls to himself without revealing his true motives, but this only intensified Nozdryov’s interest. Chichikov is forced to come up with various stories: supposedly dead souls are needed to gain weight in society or to get married successfully, but Nozdryov senses the falsehood, so he allows himself to make rude statements about Chichikov. Nozdryov invites Pavel Ivanovich to buy from him a stallion, mare or dog, complete with which he will give away his souls. Nozdryov didn’t want to give away dead souls just like that.
The next morning, Nozdryov behaved as if nothing had happened, inviting Chichikov to play checkers. If Chichikov wins, then Nozdryov will transfer all the dead souls to him. Both played dishonestly, Chichikov was greatly exhausted by the game, but the police officer unexpectedly came to Nozdryov, informing him that from now on Nozdryov was on trial for beating a landowner. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Chichikov hastened to leave Nozdryov’s estate.
Chapter 5
Chichikov was glad that he left Nozdryov empty-handed. Chichikov was distracted from his thoughts by an accident: a horse harnessed to Pavel Ivanovich’s chaise got mixed up with a horse from another harness. Chichikov was fascinated by the girl who was sitting in another cart. He thought about the beautiful stranger for a long time.
Sobakevich's village seemed huge to Chichikov: gardens, stables, barns, peasant houses. Everything seemed to be made to last. Sobakevich himself seemed to Chichikov to look like a bear. Everything about Sobakevich was massive and clumsy. Each item was ridiculous, as if it said: “I, too, look like Sobakevich.” Sobakevich spoke disrespectfully and rudely about other people. From him Chichikov learned about Plyushkin, whose peasants were dying like flies.
Sobakevich reacted calmly to the offer of dead souls, even offering to sell them before Chichikov himself spoke about it. The landowner behaved strangely, raising the price, praising the already dead peasants. Chichikov was dissatisfied with the deal with Sobakevich. It seemed to Pavel Ivanovich that it was not he who was trying to deceive the landowner, but Sobakevich.
Chichikov went to Plyushkin.
Chapter 6
Lost in his thoughts, Chichikov did not notice that he had entered the village. In the village of Plyushkina, the windows in the houses were without glass, the bread was damp and moldy, the gardens were abandoned. The results of human labor were nowhere to be seen. Near Plyushkin’s house there were many buildings overgrown with green mold.
Chichikov was met by the housekeeper. The master was not at home, the housekeeper invited Chichikov to his chambers. There were a lot of things piled up in the rooms, it was impossible to understand in the heaps what exactly was there, everything was covered in dust. From the appearance of the room it cannot be said that a living person lived here.
A bent man, unshaven, in a washed-out robe entered the chambers. The face was nothing special. If Chichikov met this man on the street, he would give him alms.
This man turned out to be the landowner himself. There was a time when Plyushkin was a thrifty owner, and his house was full of life. Now strong feelings were not reflected in the old man’s eyes, but his forehead betrayed his remarkable intelligence. Plyushkin's wife died, his daughter ran away with a military man, his son went to the city, and his youngest daughter died. The house became empty. Guests rarely visited Plyushkin, and Plyushkin did not want to see his runaway daughter, who sometimes asked her father for money. The landowner himself started a conversation about the dead peasants, because he was glad to get rid of dead souls, although after a while suspicion appeared in his gaze.
Chichikov refused treats, being impressed by dirty dishes. Plyushkin decided to bargain, manipulating his plight. Chichikov bought 78 souls from him, forcing Plyushkin to write a receipt. After the deal, Chichikov, as before, hurried to leave. Plyushkin locked the gate behind the guest, walked around his property, storerooms and kitchen, and then thought about how to thank Chichikov.
Chapter 7
Chichikov had already acquired 400 souls, so he wanted to quickly finish his business in this city. He reviewed and put in order all the necessary documents. All the peasants of Korobochka were distinguished by strange nicknames, Chichikov was dissatisfied that their names took up a lot of space on paper, Plyushkin’s note was brevity, Sobakevich’s notes were complete and detailed. Chichikov thought about how each person passed away, making guesses in his imagination and playing out entire scenarios.
Chichikov went to court to have all the documents certified, but there they made him understand that without a bribe things would take a long time, and Chichikov would still have to stay in the city for a while. Sobakevich, who accompanied Chichikov, convinced the chairman of the legality of the transaction, Chichikov said that he had bought the peasants for removal to the Kherson province.
The police chief, officials and Chichikov decided to complete the paperwork with lunch and a game of whist. Chichikov was cheerful and told everyone about his lands near Kherson.
Chapter 8
The whole city is gossiping about Chichikov’s purchases: why does Chichikov need peasants? Did the landowners really sell so many good peasants to the newcomer, and not thieves and drunkards? Will the peasants change in the new land?
The more rumors there were about Chichikov's wealth, the more they loved him. The ladies of the city of NN considered Chichikov a very attractive person. In general, the ladies of the city of N themselves were presentable, dressed with taste, were strict in their morals, and all their intrigues remained secret.
Chichikov found an anonymous love letter, which interested him incredibly. At the reception, Pavel Ivanovich could not understand which of the girls wrote to him. The traveler was a success with the ladies, but he was so carried away by small talk that he forgot to approach the hostess. The governor's wife was at the reception with her daughter, whose beauty Chichikov was captivated - not a single lady interested Chichikov anymore.
At the reception, Chichikov met Nozdryov, who, with his cheeky behavior and drunken conversations, put Chichikov in an uncomfortable position, so Chichikov was forced to leave the reception.
Chapter 9
The author introduces the reader to two ladies, friends who met early in the morning. They talked about women's little things. Alla Grigorievna was partly a materialist, prone to denial and doubt. The ladies were gossiping about the newcomer. Sofya Ivanovna, the second woman, is unhappy with Chichikov because he flirted with many ladies, and Korobochka completely let slip about dead souls, adding to her story the story of how Chichikov deceived her by throwing 15 rubles in banknotes. Alla Grigorievna suggested that, thanks to the dead souls, Chichikov wants to impress the governor’s daughter in order to steal her from her father’s house. The ladies listed Nozdryov as Chichikov’s accomplice.
The city was buzzing: the question of dead souls worried everyone. The ladies discussed more the story of the kidnapping of the girl, supplementing it with all imaginable and inconceivable details, and the men discussed the economic side of the issue. All this led to the fact that Chichikov was not allowed on the threshold and was no longer invited to dinners. As luck would have it, Chichikov was at the hotel all this time because he was unlucky enough to get sick.
Meanwhile, the city residents, in their assumptions, went so far as to tell the prosecutor everything.
Chapter 10
Residents of the city gathered at the police chief. Everyone was wondering who Chichikov was, where he came from and whether he was hiding from the law. The postmaster tells the story of Captain Kopeikin.
In this chapter, the story about Captain Kopeikin is included in the text of Dead Souls.
Captain Kopeikin had his arm and leg torn off during a military campaign in the 1920s. Kopeikin decided to ask the Tsar for help. The man was amazed by the beauty of St. Petersburg and the high prices for food and housing. Kopeikin waited to receive the general for about 4 hours, but he was asked to come later. The audience between Kopeikin and the governor was postponed several times, Kopeikin’s faith in justice and the tsar became less and less each time. The man was running out of money for food, and the capital became disgusting due to pathos and spiritual emptiness. Captain Kopeikin decided to sneak into the general’s reception room to definitely get an answer to his question. He decided to stand there until the sovereign looked at him. The general instructed the courier to deliver Kopeikin to a new place, where he would be completely in the care of the state. Kopeikin, overjoyed, went with the courier, but no one else saw Kopeikin.
All those present admitted that Chichikov could not possibly be Captain Kopeikin, because Chichikov had all his limbs in place. Nozdryov told many different fables and, getting carried away, said that he personally came up with a plan to kidnap the governor’s daughter.
Nozdryov went to visit Chichikov, who was still ill. The landowner told Pavel Ivanovich about the situation in the city and the rumors that were circulating about Chichikov.
Chapter 11
In the morning, everything did not go according to plan: Chichikov woke up later than planned, the horses were not shod, the wheel was faulty. After a while everything was ready.
On the way, Chichikov met a funeral procession - the prosecutor died. Next, the reader learns about Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov himself. The parents were nobles who had only one serf family. One day, his father took little Pavel with him to the city to send his child to school. The father ordered his son to listen to teachers and please bosses, not to make friends, and to save money. At school, Chichikov was distinguished by his diligence. Since childhood, he understood how to increase money: he sold pies from the market to hungry classmates, trained a mouse to perform magic tricks for a fee, and sculpted wax figures.
Chichikov was in good standing. After some time, he moved his family to the city. Chichikov was attracted by a rich life, he actively tried to make his way into the people, but with difficulty he got into the government chamber. Chichikov did not hesitate to use people for his own purposes; he was not ashamed of such an attitude. After an incident with one old official, whose daughter Chichikov even planned to marry in order to get a position, Chichikov’s career took off sharply. And that official talked for a long time about how Pavel Ivanovich deceived him.
He served in many departments, cheated and cheated everywhere, launched an entire campaign against corruption, although he himself was a bribe-taker. Chichikov began construction, but several years later the declared house was never built, but those who supervised the construction got new buildings. Chichikov became involved in smuggling, for which he was put on trial.
He started his career again from the bottom rung. He was engaged in transferring documents for peasants to the guardianship council, where he was paid for each peasant. But one day Pavel Ivanovich was informed that even if the peasants died, but were listed as alive according to the records, the money would still be paid. So Chichikov came up with the idea of buying peasants who were dead in fact, but alive according to documents, in order to sell their souls to the guardianship council.
Volume 2
The chapter begins with a description of the nature and lands belonging to Andrei Tentetnikov, a 33-year-old gentleman who thoughtlessly wastes his time: he woke up late, took a long time to wash his face, “he was not a bad person, he’s just a smoker of the sky.” After a series of unsuccessful reforms aimed at improving the lives of peasants, he stopped communicating with others, completely gave up, and became mired in the same infinity of everyday life.
Chichikov comes to Tentetnikov and, using his ability to find an approach to any person, stays with Andrei Ivanovich for some time. Chichikov was now more careful and delicate when it came to dead souls. Chichikov hasn’t talked about this with Tentetnikov yet, but with conversations about marriage he has revived Andrei Ivanovich a little.
Chichikov goes to General Betrishchev, a man of majestic appearance, who combined many advantages and many shortcomings. Betrishchev introduces Chichikov to his daughter Ulenka, with whom Tentetnikov is in love. Chichikov joked a lot, which was how he was able to win the favor of the general. Taking this opportunity, Chichikov makes up a story about an old uncle who is obsessed with dead souls, but the general does not believe him, considering it another joke. Chichikov is in a hurry to leave.
Pavel Ivanovich goes to Colonel Koshkarev, but ends up with Pyotr Rooster, whom he finds completely naked while hunting for sturgeon. Having learned that the estate was mortgaged, Chichikov wanted to leave, but here he meets the landowner Platonov, who talks about ways to increase wealth, which Chichikov is inspired by.
Colonel Koshkarev, who divided his lands into plots and manufactories, also had nothing to profit from, so Chichikov, accompanied by Platonov and Konstanzhoglo, goes to Kholobuev, who sells his estate for next to nothing. Chichikov gives a deposit for the estate, borrowing the amount from Konstanzhglo and Platonov. In the house, Pavel Ivanovich expected to see empty rooms, but “he was struck by the mixture of poverty with the shiny trinkets of later luxury.” Chichikov receives dead souls from his neighbor Lenitsyn, charming him with his ability to tickle a child. The story ends.
It can be assumed that some time has passed since the purchase of the estate. Chichikov comes to the fair to buy fabric for a new suit. Chichikov meets Kholobuev. He is dissatisfied with Chichikov’s deception, because of which he almost lost his inheritance. Denunciations are discovered against Chichikov regarding the deception of Kholobuev and dead souls. Chichikov is arrested.
Murazov, a recent acquaintance of Pavel Ivanovich, a tax farmer who fraudulently made himself a million-dollar fortune, finds Pavel Ivanovich in the basement. Chichikov tears out his hair and mourns the loss of the box with securities: Chichikov was not allowed to dispose of many personal belongings, including the box, which contained enough money to give bail for himself. Murazov motivates Chichikov to live honestly, not break the law and not deceive people. It seems that his words were able to touch certain strings in Pavel Ivanovich’s soul. Officials hoping to receive a bribe from Chichikov are confusing the matter. Chichikov leaves the city.
Conclusion
“Dead Souls” shows a broad and truthful picture of life in Russia in the second half of the 19th century century. On a par with beautiful nature, picturesque villages in which the originality of the Russian person is felt, against the backdrop of space and freedom, greed, stinginess and the never-vanishing desire for profit are shown. The arbitrariness of landowners, poverty and lack of rights of peasants, a hedonistic understanding of life, bureaucracy and irresponsibility - all this is depicted in the text of the work, as in a mirror. Meanwhile, Gogol believes in a bright future, because it is not for nothing that the second volume was conceived as “the moral cleansing of Chichikov.” It is in this work that Gogol’s manner of reflecting reality is most clearly noticeable.
You have only read a brief retelling of “Dead Souls”; for a more complete understanding of the work, we recommend that you read the full version.
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The coachman Selifan harnessed the horses, and Chichikov's chaise rushed along the road.
The owner of the estate ran out onto the porch and, showering pleasantries, greeted the guest. Manilov was one of the people about whom the proverb says: neither in the city of Bogdan, nor in the village of Selifan. His face was quite pleasant, but this pleasantness was too laced with sugar; there was something ingratiating in his techniques and turns. He did not have any strong passions or hobbies, but he loved to spend time in fantastic dreams, which he never tried to put into practice. Manilov hardly did any housekeeping, relying on the clerk, but, looking at his overgrown pond, he often dreamed about how good it would be to build an underground passage from the house or to build a stone bridge across the pond with merchant shops. In Manilov's office there was always a book with a bookmark on page fourteen, which he had been constantly reading for two years. His wife was a match for Manilov, brought up in a boarding school where the three main subjects were French, playing the piano and knitting purses. (See Description of Manilov.)
Manilov. Artist A. Laptev
As usual, Manilov went out of his way to please Chichikov. He did not agree to walk through the door ahead of him, called the meeting with him “the name day of the heart” and “exemplary happiness,” and assured that he would gladly give half of his fortune to have part of the advantages that his guest has. Manilov first of all asked how Chichikov liked the provincial officials - and he himself admired their extraordinary talents.
Chichikov was invited to the table. Manilov’s two sons, 8 and 6 years old, who bore the ancient names Themistoclus and Alcides, were also present at dinner.
After lunch, Chichikov said that he would like to talk with Manilov about an important matter. They both went into the study, where the owner of the house, according to fashionable custom, lit a pipe. A little worried and even looking back for some reason, Chichikov asked Manilov how many of his peasants had died since the last tax audit. Manilov himself did not know this, but he called the clerk and sent him to make a list of the deceased.
Chichikov explained that he would like to buy these dead souls. Hearing such a strange desire, Manilov dropped the pipe from his mouth and remained motionless for some time, gazing at his interlocutor. Then he cautiously inquired whether a deal with dead souls would not be in accordance with civil regulations and further developments in Russia?
Chichikov assured that no, and pointed out that the treasury would even receive benefits from this in the form of legal duties. The calmed down Manilov, due to his courtesy, could not refuse the guest. Having agreed with him to buy the dead, Chichikov hurried with his departure, asking for directions to the neighboring landowner Sobakevich.
Manilov stood on the porch for a long time, following the retreating chaise with his eyes. Returning to the room, with a pipe in his mouth, he indulged in plans to build a house with such a high belvedere that he could even see Moscow from there, drink tea there in the evening in the open air and talk about pleasant subjects. Manilov dreamed that he would invite Chichikov to these tea parties, and the sovereign, having learned about such friendship, would grant them generals.
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