Nikolay Gogol and his book "Dead souls" /part 2/

The most prominent and detailed was the image of the main character of the novel Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. Chichikov appears at the very beginning of the novel and remains there until the end. In front of the reader, his whole life unfolds, starting from the family environment, childhood, discipleship, and clerical activity. Most widely
and extensively expanded his activity of buying the "dead souls." It is not by chance that Gogol begins to describe him from that moment. This is because it begins to clarify his disgusting auction-like nature. The childhood and the family environment were only described at the end of the first volume to make the reader's mind aware of Chichikov until then. Chichikov is a "grim hero", unscrupulous and unconscious, a fraudster and a combiner. He is the main dead soul in the work, such as Manilov, Sobakevich, Korobochka, Nozdrayov, Plushkin.

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In order to achieve his terrible and criminal goal, Chichikov. he resorts to all possible means, but his strongest weapon is the ability to adapt to any environment, to any person depending on the benefit he can get. Gogol pays particular attention to the chameleon of his hero. On the first page of the novel poem are given the contours of a portrait, which is later filled with content: "There was a gentleman in the bosom, but not with ugly appearance, neither thick nor too thin; he could not say he was old but not young. "The further development of the action fills with this initial scheme. In the different landowners, Chichikov behaves in a completely different way. For Manilov, for example, he plays the role of an extraordinarily educated, brilliantly educated and highly cultured man. His conversations concern exclusively the issues of education, science (though both connoisseurs have no concept of it), friendship, friendship, etc.

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The sophisticated tone of the conversation, of course, gives out the low nature and ignorance of both. The strongest rebuke comes when Chichikov reveals himself to the host the real purpose of his visit - the purchase of "dead souls." In the following chapter, Gogol shows his character's other qualities, he realized he would not win the trust of the stubborn, petty little Crook, Chichikov bustled with a stool on the floor and uttered the rude lady. The author shows the complete transformation of his character. All of his appearance, facial expression, behavior become diametrically opposed to those of the previous chapter. Chichikov's vocabulary is changed. But the conversions of Chichikov do not end here. In Sobakovich, he behaves thoughtfully and abstinently. His thoughts are sober, precise and laconic. This is made possible by the atmosphere and the character of the host who does not like and is not capable of abusive reasoning, nor does it have a colorful speech. The scenes of extortion between Chichicov and Sobakevich are one of those who deeply reveal the moral and mental degradation of the two faces. Gogol shows Chichikov's ignorance at first through hints and then through a complete narrative. The first author makes when he tells about reading the theatrical poster.

part 1