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We often say that happiness cannot be found in money, but at the same time we always note that a person with money is in a more advantageous position and can afford more than a poor person. A bunch of works of art on the topic of a wedding with an unloved, but rich person, or the injustice that has arisen associated with bribery, brings to mind another well-known phrase: money rules the world. This is probably why a person with small capital often strives to improve his financial situation at any cost. These methods and methods are not always legal; they often contradict the principles of morality. N. Gogol talks about one of these actions in the poem “Dead Souls”.
Who is Chichikov and why does he come to town N
Main character narration by retired official Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. He is “not handsome, but not bad-looking either, neither too fat nor too thin; I can’t say that I’m old, but I can’t say that I’m too young.” He considers himself a person of pleasant appearance, he especially liked his face “which he loved sincerely and in which, it seems, he found the chin most attractive, for he very often boasted of it to one of his friends.”
This man travels through the villages of Russia, but his goal is by no means as noble as one might think at first glance. Pavel Ivanovich buys " dead Souls» that is, documents on the right of ownership of people who have died, but have not yet been included in the lists of the dead. The census of peasants was carried out every few years, so these same “dead souls” hovered and were considered alive in documents. They represented a lot of trouble and waste, since it was necessary to make payments for them before the next census (revision tales).
Chichikov's proposal to sell these people to the landowners sounds more than tempting. Many people find the item they are buying very strange, it sounds suspicious, but they want to get rid of it faster.” dead souls“takes its toll - one by one the landowners agree to the sale (the only exception was Nozdryov). But why does Chichikov need “dead souls”? He himself talks about it this way: “Yes, if I bought all these people who died out before they submitted new revision tales, buy them, let’s say, a thousand, yes, let’s say, the guardianship council will give two hundred rubles per head: that’s two hundred thousand for the capital " In other words, Pavel Ivanovich plans to resell his “dead souls”, passing them off as living people. Of course, it is impossible to sell serfs without land, but he finds a way out here too - buying land in a remote place, “for pennies.” Naturally, such a plan was not dictated good conditions life and financial situation, but, whatever one may say, this is a dishonorable act.
Last name meaning
It is difficult to judge unambiguously about the etymology of Pavel Ivanovich’s surname. It is not as prosaic as the surnames of other characters in the poem, but the very fact that the surnames of other characters are their characteristics (they draw attention to moral or physical flaws) suggests that there must be a similar situation with Chichikov.
And so, it is likely that this surname came from the word “chichik”. In Western Ukrainian dialects, this is the name given to a small songbird. N. Gogol was associated with Ukraine, so we can assume that he had in mind precisely this meaning of the word - Chichikov, like a bird, sings beautiful songs to everyone. There are no other meanings recorded in dictionaries. The author himself does not explain anywhere why the choice fell on this particular word and what he wanted to say by awarding Pavel Ivanovich such a surname. Therefore, this information should be perceived at the level of a hypothesis, and it should be argued that this absolutely correct explanation is impossible due to the small amount of information on this matter.
Personality and character
Arriving in the city of N, Pavel Ivanovich meets the local landowners and the governor. He produces on them good impression. This is the beginning trust relationships contributed to Chichikov’s further purchases - they spoke of him as a man of high morals and excellent upbringing - such a person cannot be a swindler and a deceiver. But, as it turned out, this was just a tactical move that allowed him to cleverly deceive the landowners.
The first thing that surprises you about Chichikov is his attitude to hygiene. For many of his new acquaintances, this became a sign of a person from high society. Pavel Ivanovich “waking up very early in the morning, washed himself, wiped himself from head to toe with a wet sponge, which was done only by Sundays" He “rubbed both cheeks with soap for an extremely long time,” when he washed himself, “plucked out two hairs that had come out of his nose.” As a result, those around him decided that “the visitor showed such attentiveness to the toilet that has not even been seen everywhere.”
Chichikov is a suck-up. “In conversations with these rulers, he very skillfully knew how to flatter everyone.” At the same time, he tried not to say anything specific about himself, using general phrases; those present thought that he was doing this out of modesty.
In addition, the phrases “he is an insignificant worm of this world and does not deserve to be cared for much, that he has experienced a lot in his life, endured in the service for the truth, had many enemies who attempted even on his life, and that now, wanting to calm down, looking to finally choose a place to live” evoked a certain feeling of pity for Chichikov among those around him.
Soon, all his new acquaintances began to speak flatteringly about him and tried to please “such a pleasant, educated guest.”
Manilov, characterizing Chichikov, asserted that “he is ready to vouch, as for himself, that he would sacrifice all his estate in order to have a hundredth share of Pavel Ivanovich’s qualities.”
“The governor explained about him that he is a well-intentioned person; the prosecutor - that he is a sensible person; the gendarme colonel said that he learned man; the chairman of the chamber - that he is a knowledgeable and respectable person; the police chief - that he is a respectable and kind person; the police chief’s wife - that he is the most kind and courteous person.”
As we see, Pavel Ivanovich managed to gain the trust of the landowners and the governor the best way.
He managed to keep a fine line and not go too far with flattery and praise towards the landowners - his lies and sycophancy were sweet, but not so much that the lies were noticeable. Pavel Ivanovich not only knows how to present himself in society, but also has the talent to convince people. Not all landowners agreed to say goodbye to their “ dead souls" Many, like Korobochka, had great doubts about the legality of such a sale. Pavel Ivanovich manages to achieve his goal and convince him that such a sale is nothing unusual.
It should be noted that Chichikov has developed intellectual abilities. This is manifested not only when thinking about a plan to get rich from “dead souls”, but also in the manner of conducting a conversation - he knows how to maintain a conversation at the proper level, without having sufficient knowledge in a particular issue, it is unrealistic to look smart in the eyes of others and no flattery or sycophancy unable to save the situation.
In addition, he is very friendly with arithmetic and knows how to quickly carry out mathematical operations in his mind: “Seventy-eight, seventy-eight, thirty kopecks per head, that will be...” here our hero thought for one second, no more, and suddenly said: it will be twenty-four rubles ninety-six kopecks.”
Pavel Ivanovich knows how to adapt to new conditions: “he felt that the words “virtue” and “rare properties of the soul” could be successfully replaced with the words “economy” and “order”,” although he cannot always quickly figure out what to say: “Already Plyushkin stood for several minutes without saying a word, and Chichikov still could not start a conversation, entertained both by the appearance of the owner himself and by everything that was in his room.”
Having acquired serfs, Pavel Ivanovich feels awkward and anxious, but these are not pangs of conscience - he wants to get the matter over with as quickly as possible and is afraid that something might go wrong “still the thought came to me: that souls are not entirely real and that in such cases Such a burden always needs to be lifted off one’s shoulders as quickly as possible.”
However, his deception was revealed - Chichikov in an instant turns from an object of worship and a desired guest into an object of ridicule and rumors; he is not allowed into the governor’s house. “It’s just that you alone are not ordered to be allowed in, but all others are allowed,” the doorman tells him.
The others are also not happy to see him - they mumble something incomprehensible. This confuses Chichikov - he cannot understand what happened. Rumors about his scam reach Chichikov himself. As a result, he leaves home. In the last chapter, we learn that Pavel Ivanovich is of humble origin, his parents tried to provide him better life, so sending it to independent life, gave him such advice that, as his parents thought, would allow him to occupy a good place in life: “Pavlusha, study... please your teachers and bosses most of all. Don’t hang out with your comrades, they won’t teach you any good; and if it comes to that, then hang out with those who are richer, so that on occasion they can be useful to you. Don’t treat or treat anyone, but behave better so that you will be treated, and most of all, take care and save a penny... You will do everything and lose everything in the world with a penny.”
Thus, Pavel Ivanovich, guided by the advice of his parents, lived in such a way as not to spend money anywhere and save money, but to earn significant capital in an honest way turned out to be unrealistic, even with strict savings and acquaintance with the rich. The plan to buy “dead souls” was supposed to provide Chichikov with fortune and money, but in practice this turned out not to be the case. The stigma of a swindler and a dishonest person firmly stuck to him. Whether the hero himself learned a lesson from their current situation is a rhetorical question; it is likely that the second volume should have revealed the secret, but, unfortunately, Nikolai Vasilyevich destroyed him, so the reader can only guess what happened next and whether Chichikov should be blamed for such an act or it is necessary to mitigate his guilt by referring to the principles to which society is subject.
Chichikov in the story by N.V. Gogol’s “Dead Souls”: analysis of the hero, image and characteristics
4.4 (87.14%) 14 votesIn this chapter, Chichikov appears to the reader as an arrogant and callous person. He perceives all failures as troubles for others (he woke up late, the chaise is not ready), but at the same time he does nothing for their success. In addition, he allows himself to treat other people rudely. It seems to him that the whole world owes him something, but, apparently, he does not know his responsibilities and does not want to know. He just watches how other people do their work, without even trying to help them.
Chichikov's parents were nobles, but they were poor. And since childhood, Chichikov understood how to increase money: he sold pies from the market to hungry classmates, trained a mouse to perform tricks for a fee, sculpted wax figures. Chichikov was attracted Rich life, he actively sought to break into people.
He cheated and cunned everywhere, launched an entire campaign against corruption, although he himself was a bribe-taker. He was engaged in transferring documents for peasants to the guardianship council, where he was paid for each peasant. So Chichikov got the idea to buy them.
I don’t consider him vile because he wanted a secure life for himself so as not to need for anything.
Image of Chichikov
Chichikov embodies numerous traits and characters of Russian landowners. However, he is different, even towers above the rest of the surviving landowners: above the dreamer Manilov, above the stupid Korobochka, above the greedy Plyushkin and above the rest. He makes the way to the future with his strength, energy, and special passion for acquisition. Chichikov is active, lively, and enterprising. His goals are not hampered by lofty ideas: he has none. This is an ambiguous image that is neither mean nor virtuous. It has everything for a person whose meaning in life is accumulation and well-being. He is not a slave to money. They are only a means to achieve the life that Chichikov wishes for himself and his children in the future.
Characteristics of Chichikov
- The author is convinced that Chichikov is not a female ideal.
- He is middle-aged and overweight.
- He is not a virtuous person, but on the contrary, even a scoundrel.
- The origin of the hero is very vague. His parents were nobles, but Chichikov was not like them. As a child, he was lonely: without friends and comrades.
- When he began to study, he did not show any particular talent in the sciences, but he was diligent and neat.
- Even as a child, Chichikov became practical. He was thrifty, indulged in various speculations, saved and earned money.
- He knew how to fit in with teachers and bosses, for which he received a good certificate.
- Seemingly well-behaved and quiet, he could refuse to help a person if a significant amount was required.
- He was not stingy and attached to money, but kept it for future contentment.
- For business relations he had required characteristics: liveliness, liveliness, visibility, ability to get along and be pleasant in communication, understanding the spirit of the boss.
- He adapted to any work, quickly and zealously grasped any task.
- His honesty and integrity were demonstrated in customs affairs.
- He knew how to speak, convince people, flatter them without excess.
Chichikov is a man of great passion and irresistible strength of character. The hero had a passion for acquisition. He is not a scoundrel, not a virtuous person. He is the acquirer.
A special place in the work of N.V. Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls” also plays in Russian literature, the basis of which was suggested to the writer by A.S. Pushkin. The poem gives us a complete picture of the way of life of Russian landowners, peasants and officials.
In the center is Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. The image of the main character, as well as his role in the work, were never fully resolved. This man is revealed gradually in scenes of meetings with landowners. Moreover, with each of them Chichikov has some kind of new style communication, which is what Gogol notes. Pavel Ivanovich is an excellent psychologist, knows human nature well and knows how to say what is expected of him. Adopting the flattery and pomp of Manilov, the unceremoniousness of Korobochka and the rudeness of Nozdryov, Chichikov finds everyone mutual language. Let us note that he almost always achieves what he wants.
However, the fact that Chichikov is easily likened to each of the landowners does not speak in his favor at all. In him alone there are all the lowest human traits observed in different representatives. And Gogol gives clear confirmation of this throughout the poem. For example, storing street posters at home indicates hoarding, close to Plyushkin’s collecting. And what brings Chichikov together with Korobochka is his habit of arranging things with pedantic accuracy. That is, one person collected in himself all the unenviable traits and characteristics of landowners. He is colorless and empty, petty, narcissistic, rude and greedy.
And yet Chichikov is different. Pavel Ivanovich is distinguished from other characters by his business acumen and energy. These traits are not found in any of the heroes of the poem except Chichikov. Gogol warns that the Manilovs and Plyushkins will be replaced by the Chichikovs. The soul of Pavel Ivanovich has long been dead. He is only interested in getting rich at any cost.
In an effort to reveal the psychology of people like Chichikov, the author introduced into the poem the story of his life, starting from childhood. After all, it is in childhood the foundations of a person’s worldview are laid. The reader learns that Pavlusha had nothing interesting as a child: he did not know the love and affection of his family, and had no friends. After the death of his father, he was left without money, but with a phrase that he perfectly performed in later life. And his father’s advice most eloquently explains Chichikov’s position in life. My father bequeathed me to study diligently, please teachers, and save a penny.
Chichikov quickly learned the laws of acquiring wealth, starting from an early age by serving his teachers, and then by courting his superiors. Next, the author describes in vivid colors different stories and Chichikov's machinations. It is noteworthy that all his affairs ended in failure. But this only inflamed him. Chichikov was driven not by the thirst for profit, but by thirst beautiful life, full of pleasures.
The poem was written over several years, at different moments of the writer’s creative rise and decline. At one time, Gogol wanted to show that all was not lost for people like Pavel Ivanovich. Gogol planned to show the revival of the hero in the second volume of Dead Souls, the purpose of which was the spiritual purification of the hero and through him the purification of the entire society. However, in a fit of despair and spiritual crisis the second volume was destroyed.
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It often happens that it is not enough for us to know about the actions or opinions of another person; we want to have a complete understanding of him, even when his external data in no way affects his type of activity or is not relevant to the subject of discussion. This pattern has its reasons. Often, peering into a person’s face, we try to lament something hidden, something that he does not want to talk about. Therefore, the appearance of any character has important place to compare his characteristics and actions.
Who is Chichikov
Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov is a former official of a “cautious and chilled character.”
Until the last chapter of the work, many facts of the biography and origin of Pavel Ivanovich remain hidden for us; we can guess about some points based on their hints from the hero, and only after reading the last pages will we learn the true picture.
Chichikov is of humble origin. As he himself says, “without family or tribe.” And this is not an exaggeration. His parents really were ordinary people, this fact confuses Pavel Ivanovich, but, nevertheless, at some points he makes mention of this in society, citing the fact that such a position in society will help win over the landowners and they will become more accommodating. Despite his humble origins, Pavel Ivanovich managed to become a man of “brilliant education,” but “Chichikov did not know French at all” (this is the privilege of aristocrats). He was especially good at exact sciences; he could quickly and easily make calculations in his head - “he was strong in arithmetic.”
Passion for accumulating money
The judgment that events that occurred in childhood properly influence the character, the process of formation of principles and moral principles of a person, has long passed from the category of assumptions to the category of axioms. We find confirmation of this in Chichikov.
After working for some time as a collegiate official, he resigned and seriously began to look for a way to enrich himself. By the way, the thought of the need to improve his financial situation never left Pavel Ivanovich, despite the fact that it arose in him from an early age.
The reason for this was the humble origin of the protagonist and the poverty he experienced in his childhood. This is confirmed in the last paragraphs of the work, where the reader can observe the picture of young Chichikov’s departure to study. His parents warmly and reverently say goodbye to him, giving advice that would help their son take a more advantageous position in society:
“Look, Pavlusha, study, don’t be stupid and don’t act out, but most of all please your teachers and bosses. Don’t hang out with your comrades, they won’t teach you any good; hang out with those who are richer, so that on occasion they can be useful to you. Don’t treat or treat anyone, take care and save a penny: this thing is more reliable than anything in the world. A comrade or friend will deceive you and in trouble will be the first to betray you, but a penny will not betray you, no matter what trouble you are in. You will do everything and ruin everything in the world with a penny.”
Gogol does not depict in detail the life of Pavel’s parents - a few snatched facts do not give full picture, but Nikolai Vasilyevich manages to achieve understanding among readers that the parents were honest and respectable people. They have felt the burden of earning a piece of bread and do not want their son to work hard as well, which is why they give him such unusual recommendations.
Chichikov tries his best to follow his parents' advice. And therefore, he manages to achieve significant results, but not as high as he wanted.
He learned to earn money and save it, denying himself everything he could. True, his earnings were based on an unfair and insidious method: in his behavior with his classmates, he was able to arrange the situation in such a way that “they treated him, and he, having hidden the received treat, then sold it to them.” “He didn’t have any special abilities for any science,” but he could skillfully craft, for example, he molded a bullfinch from wax and managed to sell it at a good price. He knew how to communicate with animals, and he had a talent for training animals. Pavlusha - caught a mouse and taught it several tricks: it “stood on its hind legs, lay down and stood up when ordered.” They also managed to sell such a curiosity for a decent sum.
Gogol does not talk about how his father’s death affected Chichikov. The only thing he tells the reader is that Pavel inherited from his father “four irretrievably worn sweatshirts, two old frock coats lined with sheepskin, and an insignificant amount of money.” And he adds a sarcastic comment - the father happily gave advice on getting rich, but he himself could not accumulate anything.
His further life followed the same principle - he stubbornly saved money - “everything that smacked of wealth and contentment made an impression on him that was incomprehensible to himself.” But an economical life does not allow him to accumulate large capital, and this fact saddens him very much - he decides to get rich in any way. Over time, a loophole was found and Chichikov rushes to take advantage of it, trying to get rich by fraud. To do this, he travels to villages and tries to buy “dead souls” from local landowners, so that later, passing them off as real living people, he can sell them at a better price.
Appearance and character traits
Pavel Ivanovich is a stately man of middle age and “pleasant 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.”
It has just the right amount of everything - if it were a little fuller it would be too much and spoil it significantly. Chichikov himself also finds himself attractive. In his opinion, he is the owner beautiful face with an unusually beautiful chin.
He doesn't smoke, doesn't play cards, doesn't dance and doesn't like to drive fast. In fact, all of these preferences are associated with avoiding financial costs: tobacco costs money, added to this is the fear that the “pipe will dry out,” you can lose significantly at cards, in order to dance, you first need to learn how to do it, and this is also a waste—and This does not impress the main character; he tries to save as much as possible, because “a penny opens any door.”
The fact that Chichikov has an ignoble origin allowed him to outline for himself the ideal of a person close to high society (he knows perfectly well what, besides financial and social status aristocrats stand out, which is what first catches the eye and impresses people).
First of all, Chichikov is an undeniable pedant and a neat freak. He is very principled in terms of hygiene: when he needed to wash, he “rubbed both cheeks with soap for an extremely long time,” wiped his entire body with a damp sponge, “which was done only on Sundays,” and diligently exterminated the hair that came out of his nose. This has an unusually positive impression on the district landowners - they are very surprised by such habits, I consider them a sign of high society.
The following qualities that noticeably distinguish him from the crowd are knowledge and understanding of the basics of psychology and the ability to flatter a person. His praises always know the measure - there are not many and not little - just enough so that a person does not suspect deception: “he very skillfully knew how to flatter everyone.”
Due to his duty and, considering his origin, Chichikov witnessed various scenes, he was able to study the types of behavior different people and now in communication he easily found the key to the trust of any person. He understood perfectly well what, to whom and in what form needed to be said so that a person would stop distrusting him: he, “who really knew great secret like".
Chichikov is a person of exceptional upbringing and tact in communication. Many people find him charming, he has “charming qualities and techniques,” and his behavior in society is admired: “he did not like to allow himself to be treated with familiarity in any case.”
His efforts in the area of flattery are not in vain. The landowners, and even the governor of the city N himself, soon spoke of him as a person of the most pure thoughts and aspirations. He is an ideal for them, an example to follow, everyone is ready to vouch for him.
Characteristics of Chichikov are the topic of this article. What can we say about this hero from the work “Dead Souls”? Belinsky, a famous Russian critic, remarked in 1846 that, as an acquirer, Chichikov was no less, and perhaps more than Pechorin, a hero of our time. He can buy “dead souls”, collect donations for various charitable institutions, and acquire railway shares. It doesn’t matter what kind of activity someone like him does. Their essence remains unchanged.
Author's description of Chichikov at the beginning of the work
It is indisputable that Chichikov is an immortal type. You can meet people like him everywhere. This hero belongs to all times and all countries, he only accepts various shapes, depending on time and place. In the poem "Dead Souls" the action begins with the reader becoming acquainted with the main character. What is the characteristic of Chichikov? This is the “golden mean”, neither this nor that. The author, describing him, notes that he is not a handsome man, but also not a “bad-looking” person, not very thin, but not too fat, not old, but not young either. Chichikov Pavel Ivanovich is a venerable collegiate adviser. This is Chichikov’s characterization at the beginning of the work.
Visits made by Chichikov in the city
Where does he begin his stay in the city? From numerous visits: to the prosecutor, vice-governor, governor, tax farmer, police chief, head of local state-owned factories, etc. Chichikov, behaving like a well-intentioned person, knew how to very skillfully flatter everyone in conversations with these rulers. So, for example, he praised the governor for the “velvet roads” in the province under his control, and the police chief Chichikov said something flattering about the city guards. He mistakenly called the Chairman of the House and the Vice-Governor “Your Excellency” twice. Chichikov paid a compliment to the governor's wife, decent for a middle-aged man who has not too little, but not too much rank. Quote characteristic Chichikova will complement the image created by the author. Pavel Ivanovich called himself nothing more than an “insignificant worm,” complaining that he had to experience a lot in his lifetime, endure a lot in his service for the truth, and make many enemies who even attempted on his life.
Ability to carry on a conversation
The characterization of Chichikov (“Dead Souls”) can be complemented by his masterful ability to maintain a conversation. Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol writes that if it was a question of a horse farm, he talked about it, but also about good dogs could provide useful comments. Moreover, Chichikov did this with “some kind of sedateness,” he spoke neither quietly nor loudly, but exactly as he should, he knew how to behave well. As we see, he learned to wear the mask of imaginary decency and vulgarity masterfully. Under this guise of a completely decent, decent gentleman, the true characteristics of Chichikov (“Dead Souls”), the content of his actions and thoughts, were hidden.
The author's attitude towards Chichikov in the first chapter
The author in the first chapter only allegorically, indirectly expresses his attitude towards Chichikov and his actions. And this hero himself, talking about the world of thick and thin, hints at his true vision of the world around him. He says that the fat ones manage their affairs better than the “thin” ones, who mostly serve on special assignments and “wander here and there.” The quotation description of Chichikov helps to better understand this image. The main character is attributed by Gogol to the world of fat people who sit firmly and securely in their places. By confirming the appearance of who Chichikov seems to be, the author is thus preparing to expose him, to reveal the truth about him.
First successful transactions
The deal with Manilov is the first success. She strengthens Pavel Ivanovich’s confidence in the safety and ease of the scam he has planned. The hero, inspired by his first success, is in a hurry to make new deals. Chichikov meets Korobochka on the way to Sobakevich, who showed him that the enterprise he conceived requires caution and subtlety, and not just persistence. This lesson, however, did not benefit Chichikov. He hurries to Sobakevich, but unexpectedly meets Nozdryov and decides to go to him.
Chichikov at Nozdryov's
Among Nozdryov’s main qualities, almost the main one was the passion to “spoil one’s neighbor,” sometimes without any reason. And Pavel Ivanovich unwittingly falls for this bait. Nozdryov ultimately reveals the true purpose of Chichikov’s acquisition of “dead souls.” This episode reveals the frivolity and weakness of the hero. Subsequently, of course, Chichikov scolded himself for acting carelessly in talking about such a delicate matter with Nozdryov. As we see, determination and perseverance, when taken too far, turn into a disadvantage.
Purchasing “dead souls” from Sobakevich
Chichikov finally arrives at Sobakevich. The characterization of Chichikov by other characters is interesting. They all have different tempers, and everyone has their own attitude towards the main character. Sobakevich is a persistent and resourceful person when it comes to his benefits. He guesses, most likely, why Chichikov needs “dead souls”. Sobakevich bargains godlessly, and besides, he also praises his dead peasants. He says that Eremey Sorokoplekhin, who traded in Moscow, brought 500 rubles per quitrent. This is not like the peasants of some Plyushkin.
Comparative characteristics of Chichikov and Plyushkin
Let's compare these two characters. The comparative characteristics of Chichikov and Plyushkin are very interesting. After all, Pavel Ivanovich was a serving nobleman, and Plyushkin was a landowner. These are the two classes that held royal Russia that time. Meanwhile, the lack of understanding of the need for daily work, the inability to do any useful work, makes these heroes similar, leads them to disastrous result. The characterization of Chichikov and Plyushkin is very unattractive. And this is the support of the state, the “tables of society”! Helps to discover interesting connections in a work Comparative characteristics Chichikova...
Deal with Plyushkin
The enterprise conceived by Chichikov ends with a deal with Plyushkin. This landowner even loses his money. He put them in one of the boxes, where they were probably destined to remain until his death. Chichikov is now at his best. All the papers are signed, and he turns into a “millionaire” in the eyes of ordinary people. This is a magic word that opens all roads and affects both scoundrels and good people.
The real biography of Chichikov
Soon, however, Chichikov's triumph ends with the exposure of Nozdryov, who informed the authorities that he was selling dead souls. Confusion and commotion begin in the city, as well as in the reader’s mind. The author saved the true biography of his hero for the finale of the work, in which he finally gives a complete and true description of Chichikov in the poem “Dead Souls”. Throughout it, Pavel Ivanovich seemed virtuous and decent, but under this guise, as it turned out, a completely different essence was hidden. The characterization of Chichikov in the poem “Dead Souls”, given by the author in the finale, is as follows.
It turned out that this was the son of a semi-impoverished nobleman, whose face did not even resemble either his mother or his father. As a child, he had no friends or comrades. And then one fine day the father decided to send his child to the city school. There were no tears during parting with him, but Chichikov was given one smart and important instruction: to study, not to make a fool, not to hang around, to please bosses and teachers, to save a penny above all else, since this thing is the most reliable thing in the world.
The unsociable and lonely Pavlusha accepted this instruction with all his heart and was guided by it all his life. He quickly grasped the spirit of leadership in the school classes and understood what “correct” behavior should be. Chichikov sat quietly in class and as a result, not having any special talents or abilities, received a certificate upon graduation, as well as a special book for trustworthy behavior and exemplary diligence. After graduating from college, Pavlusha plunged into reality: his father died, leaving him as an inheritance only 4 sweatshirts, irretrievably worn out, 2 old frock coats and a small amount of money.
At the same time, remarkably, another event occurs that reveals the true qualities of Chichikov, the future swindler. The teacher, who loved the meek student so much, was fired from the school. He disappeared into a forgotten kennel without a piece of bread. Former arrogant and rebellious students collected money for him, and only Pavel Ivanovich limited himself to a nickel, citing his extreme need.
The means by which Chichikov advanced in his career
Chichikov, it should be noted, was not stingy. However, he imagined future life with abundance and all the amenities: a well-appointed house, carriages, delicious dinners and expensive entertainment. For this reason, Pavel Ivanovich agreed to go hungry and selflessly engage in service. He soon realized that honest work would not bring him what he wanted. And Chichikov begins, looking for new opportunities to improve his position, to care for the daughter of his boss. When he finally gets a promotion, he completely forgets about this family. Scams, bribes - this is the path Pavlusha took. He gradually achieves some visible well-being. But in the place of his former boss they appoint a military man, a strict man, in whom Chichikov could not gain the trust. And he is forced to look for other ways to arrange his well-being.
How Pavel Ivanovich “suffered in service”
The main character of the poem goes to another city. Here he becomes serendipity customs official and begins to conduct “commercial” relations with the smugglers. This criminal conspiracy was discovered after some time, and all those responsible, including Chichikov, were brought to justice. This is how Pavel Ivanovich actually “suffered in his service.” Chichikov, taking care of his offspring, decides to commit another scam, which Gogol describes in detail in the poem “Dead Souls”.
Chichikov - a hero of our time
So, Chichikov, who was brought face to face with the usual, traditional order of things, contributes through his actions to the destruction of the existing order. He lays the foundation for something new. Therefore, we can say in this sense that according to full right Chichikov is the hero of our time.
The characteristics of the hero of the work “Dead Souls” (Chichikov) were presented in this article. Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol wrote the poem that interests us in 1842. In it, he was able to talentedly and eloquently portray the destructiveness of the serfdom that existed at that time, and its terrifying consequences for the entire Russian society. It is not just individual people who are degenerating - the people and the entire state are being destroyed along with them. We can say with confidence that the anti-serfdom works of Nikolai Vasilyevich played a certain role in the approach of abolition in our country
