Gogol biography briefly about the main thing. Nikolai Gogol, biography, news, photos

Date of birth: April 1, 1809
Date of death: February 21, 1852
Place of birth: Sorochintsy, Poltava province

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol- Russian writer, playwright, Gogol N.V.- poet and publicist.

One of the classics of Russian and world literature.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol is a famous Russian playwright, publicist and prose writer, born in Sorochintsy (Poltava Province) on April 1, 1809. His father, Vasily Afanasyevich, was a very rich landowner who had about 400 serfs, his mother was a very young and active woman.

The writer spent his childhood in the conditions of colorful Ukrainian life, which he loved very much and remembered well. He knew the life of lords and peasants very well; at the age of ten he began studying in Poltava with a teacher, and then entered the Nizhyn Gymnasium of Higher Sciences. Researchers say that Gogol could not be called a successful student; most subjects were given to him with great difficulty, but he stood out among his peers with an excellent memory, the ability to correctly use the Russian language, and also in drawing.
Gogol was actively engaged in self-education, wrote a lot, and subscribed to metropolitan magazines with his friends. Even in his youth, he began to write a lot, tried himself in both prose and poetry. Gogol concentrated his attention on managing the estate after his father's death. In 1828 he graduated from high school and went to St. Petersburg.

Capital life was very expensive, wealth in the provinces was not enough to lead a frivolous life in St. Petersburg. At first he decided to become an actor, but theaters refused to accept him. Work as an official did not attract him at all, and therefore he turned his attention to literature. In 1829, his idyll “Hanz Küchelgarten” was harshly received by critics and readers, and therefore Gogol personally destroyed the entire first edition.

In 1830 he nevertheless entered the public service and began working in the department of appanages. In the same year he made a large number of various useful contacts in literary circles. The story “The Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” was immediately published, and one year later “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka” was published.

In 1833, Gogol was attracted by the prospect of working in scientific field, he began to collaborate with St. Petersburg University at the department general history. Here he spent the next two years of his life. During the same period, he completed the collections "Arabesques" and "Mirgorod", which were published immediately after his departure from the university.

There were also those who desperately criticized his work. Pressure from critics was one of the reasons why Gogol decided to take a break from literature and went to Europe. He lived in Switzerland, France and Italy. It was at this time that he finished the first volume" Dead souls". In 1841, he decided that he needed to return to Russia, where he was warmly received by Belinsky and contributed to the publication of the first volume.

Immediately after the publication of this book, Gogol began work on the second volume; at this moment the writer was experiencing a creative crisis. A big blow to his literary pride was Belinsky’s devastating review of the book “Selected Passages from Correspondence with Friends.” This criticism was received very negatively. At the end of 1847, Gogol went to Naples, from where he left for Palestine.

The return to Russia in 1848 was characterized by instability in the writer’s life; he still could not find a place for himself. Lived in Moscow, Kaluga, Odessa, then again in Moscow. He was still working on the second volume of Dead Souls, but felt a significant deterioration in his state of mind. He became interested in mysticism and was often haunted by strange thoughts.

On February 11, 1852, in the middle of the night, he suddenly decided to burn the manuscript of the second volume. He said that evil spirits forced him to do this. A week later he felt weak throughout his body, fell ill and refused any treatment.

The doctors decided that it was necessary to begin compulsory procedures, but no tricks of the doctors improved the patient’s condition. On February 21, 1852, Gogol died. He rests in the cemetery of the Danilov Monastery in Moscow.

Gogol was one of the strangest representatives of Russian classical literature. His work was received in different ways, critics both praised and loved him. On the other hand, he was greatly constrained by Nikolaev censorship.

Bulgakov and Nabokov looked back to Gogol in their work; many of his works were filmed in Soviet time.

The main milestones in the life of Nikolai Gogol:

Birth in Sorochintsy April 1, 1809
- Moving to Poltava in 1819
- Start of studies at the Gymnasium of Higher Sciences in Nizhyn in 1821
- Beginning of the St. Petersburg period in 1828
- Publication of the idyll "Hanz Küchelgarten" in 1829
- Publication of “The Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” in 1830
- Printing “Evenings on a farm near Dikanka” in 1831
- Work at the Faculty of History at St. Petersburg University in 1834
- Publication of the collections “Arabesques” and “Mirgorod” in 1835
- Beginning of European travel in 1836
- Publication of the first volume of Dead Souls in 1841
- Destruction of the second volume for unknown reasons in 1852
- Death of N.V. Gogol February 21, 1852

Interesting facts from the biography of Nikolai Gogol:

The writer was not married, was suspicious of women and was a reserved person; researchers talk about his latent homosexuality and the presence of secret love for several women
- There is a version that the writer did not die, but plunged into Sopor, after which he was buried alive
- The writer’s skull was stolen from the grave in 1909, until the perestroika period the public did not know about this incident
- Gogol could hardly bear the thunderstorm, he was very afraid of thunder and lightning
- The writer did a lot of handicrafts, was an excellent cook and had a sweet tooth

Role and place in literature

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol - outstanding classic Russian literature of the 19th century centuries. He made great contributions to drama and journalism. According to many literary critics, Gogol founded a special direction called “ natural school" The writer with his creativity influenced the development of the Russian language, focusing on its nationality.

Origin and early years

N.V. Gogol was born on March 20, 1809 in the Poltava province (Ukraine) in the village of Velikiye Sorochintsy. Nikolai was born the third child in the family of a landowner (there were 12 children in total).

The future writer belonged to an old Cossack family. It is possible that the ancestor was Hetman Ostap Gogol himself.

Father - Vasily Afanasyevich Gogol-Yanovsky. He was involved in stage activities and instilled in his son a love of theater. When Nikolai was only 16 years old, he passed away.

Mother - Maria Ivanovna Gogol-Yanovskaya (nee Kosyarovskaya). She got married in at a young age(14 years old). Her beautiful appearance was admired by many of her contemporaries. Nikolai became her first child to be born alive. And that’s why he was named after St. Nicholas.

Nikolai spent his childhood in a village in Ukraine. The traditions and way of life of the Ukrainian people greatly influenced the future creative activity writer. And the mother’s religiosity was passed on to her son and was also reflected in many of his works.

Education and work

When Gogol was ten years old, he was sent to Poltava to prepare for his studies at the gymnasium. He was taught by a local teacher, thanks to whom Nikolai entered the Gymnasium of Higher Sciences in Nizhyn in 1821. Gogol's academic performance left much to be desired. He was only strong in drawing and Russian literature. Although the Gymnasium itself is to blame for the fact that Gogol’s academic success was not great. Teaching methods were outdated and not useful: rote learning and rods. Therefore, Gogol took up self-education: he subscribed to magazines with his comrades and became interested in theater.

After finishing his studies at the gymnasium, Gogol moved to St. Petersburg, hoping for a bright future here. But reality disappointed him somewhat. His attempts to become an actor failed. In 1829, he became a minor official, a scribe in a department of the ministry, but did not work there for long, becoming disillusioned with this matter.

Creation

Working as an official did not bring joy to Nikolai Gogol, so he tries his hand at literary activity. The first published work was “The Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala” (at first it had a different name). Gogol's fame began with this story.

The popularity of Gogol’s works was explained by the interest of the St. Petersburg public in the Little Russian (as some regions of Ukraine were previously called) existence.

In his work, Gogol often turned to folk legends, according to legend, he used simple folk speech.

The early works of Nikolai Gogol belong to the movement of romanticism. Later he writes in his original style, many associate it with realism.

Major works

The first work that brought him fame was the collection “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka.” These stories are considered to be Gogol's main works. In them, the author stunningly accurately depicted the traditions of the Ukrainian people. And the magic that lurks on the pages of this book still surprises readers.

TO important works include historical story"Taras Bulba". It is included in the cycle of stories “Mirogorod”. Dramatic fate produces heroes against the backdrop of real events strong impression. Films have been made based on the story.

One of the great achievements in the field of Gogol’s dramaturgy was the play “The Inspector General”. The comedy boldly exposed the vices of Russian officials.

Last years

The year 1836 became the time for Gogol to travel around Europe. He is working on the first part of Dead Souls. Returning to his homeland, the author publishes it.

In 1843, Gogol published the story “The Overcoat”.

There is a version that Gogol burned the second volume of Dead Souls on February 11, 1852. And in the same year he passed away.

Chronological table (by date)

Interesting facts from the life of the writer

• A passion for mysticism led to the writing of Gogol’s most mysterious work, Viy.
• There is a version that the author burned the second volume of Dead Souls.
• Nikolai Gogol had a passion for miniature publications.

Writer's Museum

In 1984, the museum was opened in the village of Gogolevo in a solemn ceremony.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol was born in 1809 in the village of Bolshie Sorochintsy, into a family of poor landowners - Vasily Afanasyevich and Maria Ivanovna Gogol-Yanovsky. The writer's father was the author of several comedies in Ukrainian. From 1821 to 1828, Nikolai Vasilyevich studied at the Nezhin Gymnasium of Higher Sciences. Interest in literature and painting, as well as acting talent, appeared already during the years of study. The great hobby of many students at the gymnasium was amateur theater, one of the creators of which was Gogol. He was a talented performer of many roles, as well as a director and artist, the author of funny comedies and scenes from folk life.

In the gymnasium, the future writer began to compile the “Little Russian Lexicon” (Ukrainian-Russian dictionary) and write down folk songs. The writer collected remarkable monuments of oral poetic creativity throughout his life. Gogol's first literary experiments date back to 1823-24. Two years after entering the gymnasium, he became one of the active participants in the literary circle, whose members published several handwritten magazines and almanacs: “Meteor of Literature”, “Star”, “Northern Dawn”, etc. The first stories were published in these publications, critical articles, plays and poems by an aspiring writer.

After graduating from high school, Gogol left for St. Petersburg and a year later entered the civil service, and then began teaching history in one of the educational institutions. During this period, Nikolai Vasilyevich met V.A. Zhukovsky, P.A. Pletnev and A.S. Pushkin, who had a huge influence on his work. Gogol considered himself a student and follower of the great poet. Along with Pushkin, the formation of the literary tastes of the future writer was greatly influenced by romantic poetry and prose of the Decembrists.

In 1831-32, Gogol’s book “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka” was published, based on Ukrainian folk art- songs, fairy tales, folk beliefs and customs, as well as the personal impressions of the author himself. This book brought Gogol big success. The appearance of “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka,” according to Pushkin, was an extraordinary phenomenon in Russian literature. Gogol revealed to the Russian reader amazing world folk life imbued with romance folk legends and traditions, cheerful lyricism and playful humor.

The years 1832-33 were a turning point in the writer’s life. It was a time of persistent search for new themes and images suggested by life. In 1835, two collections were published: “Mirgorod” and “Arabesques”, which brought Gogol even greater recognition. The collection “Mirgorod” includes the stories “Old World Landowners”, “Taras Bulba”, “Viy” and “The Story of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich”. At the same time, work continued on “ Petersburg stories" - a series of works dedicated to St. Petersburg themes. The first sketches of the cycle date back to 1831. The most significant story in the St. Petersburg cycle, “The Overcoat,” was completed in 1841.

In 1836, at the Alexandrinsky Theater, the first performance of the comedy “The Inspector General” took place, in which the author mercilessly ridicules officials and landed nobility. The characters in the comedy were typical for all of Russia at that time, and many viewers who saw the comedy for the first time believed that the author was making fun of their city, its officials, landowners and police officers. But not everyone received the comedy favorably. Representatives of the bureaucracy saw comedy as a threat. Articles began to appear on the pages of the magazine accusing the author of the comedy of distorting reality. Those who recognized themselves in the heroes of the comedy argued that its content boiled down to an old empty joke.

Critical reviews deeply traumatized Gogol. In subsequent years, he continued to work hard on the composition of the play and the images of the characters. In 1841, the comedy, in a significantly revised form, was published a second time as a separate book. But this edition also seemed imperfect to the writer. Gogol included only the sixth version of The Inspector General in the fourth volume of his Works in 1842. But in this form, the comedy, due to censorship obstacles, was staged only 28 years later.

Almost simultaneously with the first edition of The Inspector General, the first issue of Pushkin’s journal Sovremennik was published, in the preparation of which Gogol took an active part. In one of his articles, he criticized editorial publications, after which attacks from the ruling classes noticeably intensified.

In the summer of 1836, Gogol decided to temporarily go abroad, where he spent a total of more than 12 years. The writer lived in Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria, the Czech Republic, but most of all in Italy. In subsequent years, he returned to his homeland twice - in 1839-40. and in 1841-42. Death of A.S. Pushkin deeply shocked the writer. The beginning of his work on the poem “ Dead Souls" Shortly before the duel, Pushkin gave Gogol his own plot, and the writer considered his work the “sacred testament” of the great poet.

At the beginning of October 1841, Gogol arrived in St. Petersburg, and a few days later he left for Moscow, where he continued to work on “ Dead souls" In May 1842, the first volume of Dead Souls was published, and at the end of May Gogol went abroad again. Russian readers, who became acquainted with Gogol's new creation, were immediately divided into his supporters and opponents. Heated debates erupted around the book. Gogol at this time was resting and receiving treatment in the small German town of Gastein. The unrest associated with the publication of Dead Souls, material need, and attacks from critics became the cause of a spiritual crisis and nervous disease.

In subsequent years, the writer often moved from one place to another, hoping that a change of environment would help him restore his health. By the mid-40s spiritual crisis went deeper. Under the influence of A.P. Tolstoy, Gogol became imbued with religious ideas and abandoned his previous beliefs and works. In 1847, a series of articles by the writer in the form of letters was published entitled “Selected Passages from Correspondence with Friends.” the main idea This book is the need for internal Christian education and re-education of each and every one, without which no social improvements are possible. The book was published in a heavily censored form and was considered an artistically weak work. At the same time, Gogol also worked on works of a theological nature, the most significant of which is “Reflections on Divine Liturgy"(published posthumously in 1857).

The last years of his life N.V. Gogol lived alone. In 1848, the writer intended to fulfill his main dream - to travel around Russia. But there was no longer any money for this, no physical strength. He visited his native places and lived in Odessa for six months. In St. Petersburg he met Nekrasov, Goncharov and Grigorovich, in April 1848 he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land to the Holy Sepulcher, but spent most of his time in Moscow. Despite his illness, the writer continued to work, as he saw the meaning of his life in literature.

IN last years all Gogol's thoughts were absorbed in the second volume of Dead Souls. At the beginning of 1852, the writer showed signs of a new mental crisis; he refused food and medical care. His health condition worsened every day. One night, during another attack, he burned almost all of his manuscripts, including the completed edition of the second volume of “Dead Souls” (only 7 chapters survived in incomplete form). Soon after this, the writer died and was buried in the St. Daniel Monastery. In 1931, the writer's remains were reburied at Novodevichy Cemetery. Shortly before his death, Gogol said: “I know that after me my name will be happier than me...”. And he was right. About two hundred years have passed since the death of the great Russian writer, but his works still occupy an honorable place among the masterpieces of world classics.

Years of life: from 03/20/1809 to 02/21/1852

Outstanding Russian writer, playwright, poet, critic, publicist. The works are included in the classics of domestic and world literature. Gogol's works had and still have a huge influence on writers and readers.

Childhood and youth

The beginning of a literary career, rapprochement with A.S. Pushkin.

The most fruitful period of life

Last years of life. Creative and spiritual crisis of the writer.

Information about the works:

At the Nizhyn gymnasium, Gogol was not a diligent student, but had an excellent memory, prepared for exams in a few days and moved from class to class; he was very weak in languages ​​and made progress only in drawing and Russian literature.

It was Gogol, in his article “A few words about Pushkin,” who was the first to call Pushkin the greatest Russian national poet.

The morning after the burning of the manuscripts, Gogol told Count Tolstoy that he wanted to burn only some things that had been prepared in advance, but he burned everything under the influence of evil spirit.

A bronze cross was installed on Gogol’s grave, standing on a black tombstone (“Golgotha”). In 1952, a new monument was erected on the grave instead of Golgotha, but Golgotha, as unnecessary, was for some time in the workshops of the Novodevichy cemetery, where it was discovered by the widow of E. S. Bulgakov. Elena Sergeevna bought the tombstone, after which it was installed over the grave of Mikhail Afanasyevich.

The 1909 film Viy is considered the first Russian “horror film.” Yes, the film has not survived to this day. And the film adaptation of the same Viy in 1967 is the only Soviet “horror film”.

Bibliography

Poems

Cycles of stories and novellas

First part:
1. Old world landowners
2. Taras Bulba
Second part:
1. Viy
2. The story of how Ivan Ivanovich quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich

Nevsky Prospekt (1833-1834)
Nose (1832-1833)
Overcoat (1839-1840)
Notes of a Madman (1834)
Portrait (1833-1834)
Carriage (1835)

Not included in cycles
Rome (1839-1842)
Dead Souls (1909) dir. P. Chardynin, short film
The Night Before Christmas (1913) dir. V. Starevich
Portrait (1915) dir. V. Starevich
Viy (1916) dir. V. Starevich
How Ivan Ivanovich quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich (1941) dir. A. Kustov
May Night, or the Drowned Woman (1952) dir. A. Rowe
The Inspector General (1952) dir. V. Petrov
The Overcoat (1959) dir. A. Batalov
Dead Souls (1960) dir. L. Trauberg
Evenings on a farm near Dikanka (1961) dir. A. Rowe
Viy (1967) dir. K. Ershov
Marriage (1977) dir. V. Melnikov
Incognito from St. Petersburg (1977) dir. L. Gaidai, based on the play The Inspector General
The Nose (1977) dir. R. Bykov
Dead Souls (1984) dir. M. Schweitzer, serial
The Inspector General (1996) dir. S. Gazarov
Evenings on a farm near Dikanka (2002) dir. S. Gorov, musical
The Case of “Dead Souls” (2005) dir. P. Lungin, television series
The Witch (2006) dir. O. Fesenko, based on the story Viy
Russian Game (2007) dir. P. Chukhrai, based on the play Players
Taras Bulba (2009) dir. V. Bortko
Happy Ending (2010) dir. Ya. Chevazhevsky, modern version based on the story Nose

In 1831, with the help of Zhukovsky, he received a recommendation for the position of teacher at the Women's Patriotic Institute.
In 1831-1832 he published “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka”, his first major work, which was the beginning of his fame, published under the pseudonym Rudy Panko.
In 1834 he was appointed to the position of adjunct in the department of history at St. Petersburg University.
In 1836, a printed edition of the comedy “The Inspector General” was published and theatrical performance, thanks to the permission of Emperor Nicholas. The theme of The Inspector General was new to the Russian stage, which caused a split in public opinion. For conservatives it was a demarche, for freethinkers it was a manifesto.
Since June 1836 he moved abroad. Rome, which became like a second homeland for Gogol, France, Germany, Switzerland. At this time he is seriously working on “Dead Souls”. In 1839 he came to Russia, where he read completed chapters to friends. By the summer of 1841, the first volume was ready and Nikolai Vasilyevich went to Russia to print the poem. Here he faces great obstacles from censorship, but thanks to connections and support from influential friends, the work, with some exceptions, was allowed to be published and in 1842 it was published under the title “The Adventures of Chichikov or Dead Souls.” In 1845, due to a mental crisis, he burns the manuscript of the second volume of Dead Souls and plans to go to a monastery.
At the beginning of 1848, he went from Naples to Palestine to venerate the Holy Sepulcher. And from there, through Constantinople and Odessa, he returns to Russia.
In the last years of his life, Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol became very religious. In 1852, a week before Lent, he almost stopped eating and stopped leaving the house. On February 18 (old style) he completely stops eating, and on February 20 the medical council decides to forcibly treat Gogol, but on February 21 (March 4, new style) Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol dies.
He was buried on February 24 (March 7, new style) at the cemetery of the Danilov Monastery in Moscow. On May 31, 1931 he was reburied at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow.