In 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 cunned and cheated 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 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 plump.
- 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, the 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.
Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov - main character famous poem N.V. Gogol’s “Dead Souls”, in the past he is an official and an inveterate careerist, then he became a clever swindler and manipulator. He travels through the villages of the Russian outback, meets with various landowners and nobles, tries to earn their trust and thus do things profitable for himself.
Chichikov is interested in purchasing the so-called “ dead souls", documents for serfs who have already died, but due to the fact that the population census was carried out once every few years, are documented to be alive. An enterprising businessman plans to resell these souls along with the land, which he plans to buy for pennies, and earn good capital from it. The image of Chichikov is fresh and new look on the adventurous image of an entrepreneur in Russian literature.
Characteristics of the main character
("Chichikov Pavel Ivanovich. In front of the box" Artist P. Sokolov, 1890)
The inner world of Chichikov before last chapter in the book remains mysterious and ambiguous for everyone. The description of his appearance is averaged to the maximum: neither handsome nor ugly, not very fat, but not thin, neither old nor young. The main features of this hero are averageness (he is a quiet and inconspicuous gentleman, distinguished by pleasant manners, roundness and smoothness) and a high degree of enterprise. Even his manner of communication does not reveal his character: he speaks neither loudly nor quietly, knows how to find an approach everywhere and is known as his own person everywhere.
The peculiarities of Chichikov’s inner world are revealed through the manner of his communication with the landowners, whom he attracts to his side and, through skillful manipulation, persuades them to sell “dead souls.” The author notes the ability of a cunning adventurer to adapt to his interlocutor and copy his manners. Chichikov knows people very well, finds his own benefit in everything and, like a subtle psychologist, tells people what they need.
(Illustration by V. Makovsky "Chichikov at Manilov")
Chichikov is an active and active person; it is very important for him not only to save what he has earned, but also to increase it (as many times as possible). Moreover, irrepressible greed does not torment him like Plyushkin, because money for him is only a means to ensure a decent life.
Chichikov comes from a poor, respectable family, and his father advised him to always please his superiors and hang out with the right people, and taught him that “a penny opens any door.” Having no initial concepts about duty and conscience, Chichikov, having matured, understands that moral values They only interfere with achieving their goals and therefore often neglect the voice of conscience, making their way in life with their own forehead.
(Illustration "Little Chichikov")
And although Chichikov is a swindler and a rogue, he cannot be denied perseverance, talent and ingenuity. At school, he sold buns to his classmates (who also treated him to them), at every job he tried to find his own profit and tried to get rich, and eventually came up with an idea with “ dead souls"and tried to pull it off, playing on the feelings and base instincts of the people around him. At the end of the work, Chichikov’s scam is discovered and becomes public knowledge, he is forced to leave.
The image of the main character in the work
("Chichikov's Toilet" Artist P.P. Sokolov 1966)
In his famous work, which took him 17 years to complete painstaking work, Gogol created a comprehensive picture of modern Russian realities and revealed a diverse gallery of characters and types of people of that time. The image of Chichikov, a talented entrepreneur and unprincipled swindler, represents, according to the author, “a terrible and vile force that is not capable of reviving the Fatherland.”
Trying to live according to the behests of his father, Chichikov tried to live frugally and save every penny, but realizing that you can’t make much wealth in an honest way, he finds a loophole in the Russian legislation of those years and begins to implement his plan. Having not achieved what he wanted, he brands himself as a swindler and a rogue, and is forced to abandon his plans.
What lesson this character learned from this situation remains unclear to us, because the second volume of this work was destroyed by the author, are we left to guess what happened next and whether Chichikov is to blame for what he tried to do or whether society and the principles to which it is subject are to blame.
Every schoolchild is familiar with the poem “Dead Souls” by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. It is very important to understand a work of literature, to feel each character, to understand him inner world and character. This is precisely what is important when studying “Dead Souls”. The main character is Pavel Ivanovich, about whose childhood and youth we learn at the very beginning. The author of the poem presented the main character as faceless and without his voice, like a chameleon. The character knows how to adapt to any person in order to achieve his main goal - own well-being. Our task is to understand how the character of Nikolai Chichikov manifests itself in his interactions with Manilov, Korobochka and the landowners.
The character of Chichikov in communication with Manilov
Manilov is a “very courteous” landowner, who is already known in the first chapter of the poem. He has "sweet as sugar" eyes. Manilov met Chichikov with a smile. His tone was sweet, but sweetly false, like his smile, which at least a little brightened his gray everyday life. Manilov's sweet voice is just a way to please the guest. Chichikov easily carries on a conversation with Manilov about a goal that interests him, but Manilov takes him by surprise with the question “What do you need all this for?” Despite Chichikov’s skill in getting people to like him, he did not expect such a course of the conversation, which is why both sat with their mouths open. Chichikov came to his senses and assured his interlocutor that the deal was legal, and he was right. Chichikov convinced Manilov that this deal would be a great honor, after which Manilov immediately agreed. Chichikov made his sweet speech with thanks and left, thinking about new myths and the profitability of selling dead souls.
The character of Chichikov in communication with Korobochka
Korobochka is an old economic woman, but she is limited and closed to other people. Therefore, in order for the deal to take place, Chichikov tries to understand his interlocutor. So he begins to get used to the image of Korobochka and understands that compliments do not work on her as they do on Manilov, and speaks to her only on business. Chichikov was dissatisfied with her curiosity, because she didn’t even know that dead souls can be bought or sold. The box turned out to be greedy, and she chose money.
The character of Chichikov in communication with Nozdrev
Nozdryov is an unpredictable person who does not control himself. Having come to visit Chichikov, Nozdrev introduces him to his farm, starting with the stables. Chichikov perceived this as obvious boasting, and the attitude towards him developed negatively. The landowner did not pay attention to dinner and only at 5 o’clock they sat down at the table. This is followed by drinking and a quarrel between the interlocutors. Then they start playing checkers for their souls. Nozdryov lost, and without admitting it, he starts a fight with Chichikov. Chichikov flees for his life. Running away, Chichikov cannot understand why he trusted this swindler. But one thing united them - they both act for selfish purposes.
The character of Chichikov in communication with Sobakevich
Sobakevich is rude, capable of swearing, loves money. Therefore, already at the beginning of lunch, they had an argument about the governor’s table. Next, Chichikov declares his goal, but began to speak somehow from afar. He talks about the existing law, but understands that talking to Sobakevich simply won’t work. Therefore, he begins to speak diplomatically, with a certain formality. Chichikov even replaces the word “dead” souls with “non-existent” in order to give softness and not focus Sobakevich’s attention on this.
The character of Chichikov in communication with Plyushkin
Plyushkin is a spiritually neglected person, quite stingy. Chichikov immediately puts politeness back into action and begins to please the landowner, calling him “a respectable, kind old man.” However, Plyushkin is not kind to the guest, not friendly, and did not even invite him to the table. Chichikov rejoices in his thoughts that he “intercepted Vatrushka from Sobakevich.” Interested in Plyushkin's souls, Chichikov refers to his friend, but in his thoughts he laughs sarcastically, because he bought them for himself. Leaving Plyushkin, in his thoughts he rejoices at the successful deal.
Chichikov's inner world remained unknown to us. It has not been repeated anywhere. He is like a professional actor and psychologist who skillfully wins over people. He was never able to win over Nozdryov, because he himself is not rude, it is alien to him. Chichikov is ready to pretend for his own benefit. He was taught this since childhood. The poem “Dead Souls” deserves our attention; so many life examples are presented on its pages. One has only to wonder what we would have learned about in the second volume if it had been preserved.
Brief description of Chichikov?
- The characteristics of Chichikov are given by the author in the first chapter. His portrait is given very vaguely: not handsome, but not bad-looking, neither too fat nor too thin; One cannot say that he is old, but not that he is too young. Gogol pays more attention to his manners: he made an excellent impression on all the guests at the governor’s party, showed himself to be an experienced socialite, maintaining a conversation on the most different topics, skillfully flattered the governor, police chief, and officials and formed the most flattering opinion of himself. Gogol himself tells us that he did not take a virtuous person as his hero; he immediately stipulates that his hero is a scoundrel.
The origins of our hero are dark and humble. The author tells us that his parents were nobles, but whether they were nobles or private - God knows. Chichikov's face did not resemble his parents. As a child, he had neither a friend nor a comrade. His father was ill, the windows of the little house were not open either in winter or summer. Gogol says about Chichikov: At the beginning, life looked at him somehow sourly and unpleasantly, through some muddy, snow-covered window - Chichikov was very neatly dressed and knew how to behave well in everything. He spoke neither loudly nor quietly, but absolutely as he should. In a word, no matter where you turn, he was a very decent person. All officials were pleased with the arrival of a new person. The governor explained about him that he was a well-intentioned person, the prosecutor - that he was an efficient person, the gendarmerie colonel said that he was a learned man, the chairman of the chamber - that he knowledgeable 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. Even Sobakevich, who spoke harshly of someone in a positive light, called Chichikov a pleasant person.
The officials of the city of N were bureaucrats, bribe takers, idlers, selfish and selfish people with a bad conscience, but they had an opinion of Chichikov as a decent person. And these assessments are given by people of very different personalities.2)
Relationships with others... Chichikov has studied people well, knows how to find benefits in any situation, always says what they would like to hear from him. So, with Manilov, Chichikov is pompous, amiable and flattering. He talks to Korobochka without any special ceremony, and his vocabulary is in tune with the style of the hostess. Communication with the arrogant liar Nozdryov is not easy, since Pavel Ivanovich does not tolerate familiar treatment, unless the person is of too high a rank. However, hoping for a profitable deal, he does not leave Nozdryov’s estate until the last moment and tries to become like him: he turns to you, adopts a boorish tone, and behaves familiarly. The image of Sobakevich, personifying the thoroughness of a landowner's life, immediately prompts Pavel Ivanovich to conduct as thorough a conversation as possible about dead souls. Chichikov manages to win over the hole in Plyushkin’s human body, who has long lost contact with the outside world and forgotten the norms of politeness. To do this, it was enough for him to play the role of a spendthrift, ready, at a loss to himself, to save a casual acquaintance from the need to pay taxes for dead peasants.3) How Khlestakov, passing through the provincial town, allowed Gogol to expose and show the agitated anthill of the district bureaucracy. Thus, Chichikov, who toured the noble estates, made it possible to paint a picture of the provincial-landowner life of serf Russia: the life of typical representatives of the landowner class, the range of their mental and moral interests.
Korobochka is a poor, tiny landowner, the owner of eighty serf souls, who lives, as if in a shell, separately from the rest of the world. She lives in contentment, but at the same time she always cries over crop failures, the death of peasants and losses. Korobochka is thrifty and knows how to collect little by little money, rubles, fifty rubles, quarters, and hide them in bags on chests of drawers (in fact, that’s why she is Korobochka). Gogol emphasizes the typicality of this image, simultaneously giving a characterization of Nastasya Petrovna, from which we learn about her exorbitant self-interest and greed.
What follows is the interior of the rooms, which appear to the reader as modest and quite old, but with a large number of paintings with some kind of birds. Old striped wallpaper, wheezing and hissing clocks, mirrors with dark frames - all this bears the imprint of the character of the housewife herself, who cherishes and collects everything.
But the landscape of the estate’s courtyard represents an abundance of birds and other domestic creatures, as Chichikov noted. The huts, which, although they were built scattered and not enclosed in regular streets, showed the visitor the contentment of the inhabitants and the fact that her (Korobochka’s) village was not small. The housewife sells honey, hemp, flour, and bird feathers. Treating the buyer Chichikov, Korobochka treats him to such dishes of patriarchal village cuisine that one cannot doubt his well-being - The start is right.
- Thank you
- Thank you
- The main character of Gogol's poem Dead Souls is Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, an adventurer who carries out a brilliant scam on the pages of the work. The author introduces us to his hero in detail only in the eleventh head of the dead shower. Before this, Gogol depicts the environment in which the hero operates; reveals the essence of his business, for the sake of which Chichikov travels all over Rus'; presents him as the hero of phantasmagoristic rumors (as if Chichikov is Rinaldi, Napoleon, and even the Antichrist himself).
- thank you
- not that.
The creation of the poem “Dead Souls” occurred precisely at a time when in Russia there was a change in the traditional, outdated foundations of society, reforms and changes in people’s thinking were brewing. Even then it was clear that the nobility, with its old traditions and views on life, was slowly dying out; it had to be replaced by a new type of person. Gogol's goal is to describe the hero of his time, declare him loudly, describe his positive qualities and explain what his activities will lead to, as well as how it will affect the destinies of other people.
The central character of the poem
Nikolai Vasilyevich Chichikov made in the poem central character, he cannot be called the main character, but it is on him that the plot of the poem rests. Pavel Ivanovich's journey is the framework for the entire work. It’s not for nothing that the author placed the hero’s biography at the very end; the reader is not interested in Chichikov himself, he is curious about his actions, why he collects these dead souls and what this will lead to in the end. Gogol does not even try to reveal the character’s character, but he introduces the peculiarities of his thinking, thus giving a hint where to look for the essence of Chichikov’s given act. Childhood is where the roots come from; even at a tender age, the hero formed his own worldview, vision of the situation and search for ways to solve problems.
Description of Chichikov
Childhood and early years Pavel Ivanovich is unknown to the reader at the beginning of the poem. Gogol portrayed his character as faceless and voiceless: against the background of bright, colorful images of landowners with their quirks, the figure of Chichikov is lost, becomes small and insignificant. He has neither his own face nor the right to vote; the hero resembles a chameleon, skillfully adapting to his interlocutor. This is an excellent actor and psychologist, he knows how to behave in a given situation, instantly determines a person’s character and does everything to win him over, says only what they want to hear from him. Chichikov skillfully plays the role, pretends, hides true feelings, tries to be one of the strangers, but he does all this in order to achieve the main goal - his own well-being.
The childhood of Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov
A person’s worldview is formed at a young age, so many of his actions in adulthood can be explained by carefully studying his biography. What he was guided by, why he collected dead souls, what he wanted to achieve with this - all these questions are answered by The hero’s childhood cannot be called happy, he was constantly haunted by boredom and loneliness. In Pavlush’s youth, he knew neither friends nor entertainment; he did monotonous, tedious and completely uninteresting work, listened to the reproaches of his sick father. The author did not even hint about maternal affection. One conclusion can be drawn from this - Pavel Ivanovich wanted to make up for lost time, to receive all the benefits that were not available to him in childhood.
But you shouldn’t think that Chichikov is a soulless cracker, thinking only about his own enrichment. He was a kind, active and sensitive child, subtly perceiving the world around him. The fact that he often ran away from his nanny in order to explore previously unseen places indicates Chichikov's curiosity. Childhood shaped his character and taught him to achieve everything on his own. His father taught Pavel Ivanovich to save money and please bosses and rich people, and he put these instructions into practice.
Chichikov's childhood and studies were gray and uninteresting; he tried in every possible way to become a popular person. At first he pleased the teacher in order to become a favorite student, then he promised the boss to marry his daughter in order to get a promotion, working at customs, he convinces everyone of his honesty and impartiality, and he makes a huge fortune for himself through smuggling. But Pavel Ivanovich does all this not with malicious intent, but with the sole purpose of making his childhood dream of a big and bright house, a caring and loving wife, and a bunch of cheerful children come true.
Chichikov's communication with landowners
Pavel Ivanovich could find an approach to everyone, from the first minutes of communication he could understand what a person was like. For example, he did not stand on ceremony with Korobochka and spoke in a patriarchal-pious and even slightly patronizing tone. With the landowner, Chichikov felt relaxed, used colloquial, rude expressions, completely adapting to the woman. With Manilov, Pavel Ivanovich is pompous and amiable to the point of cloying. He flatters the landowner and uses flowery phrases in his speech. By refusing the offered treat, even Plyushkin was pleased by Chichikov. “Dead Souls” very well demonstrates the changeable nature of man, because Pavel Ivanovich adapted to the morals of almost all landowners.
What does Chichikov look like in the eyes of other people?
The activities of Pavel Ivanovich greatly frightened city officials and landowners. At first they compared it with romantic robber Rinald Rinaldin, then began to look for similarities with Napoleon, thinking that he had escaped from the island of Helena. In the end, Chichikov was recognized as the real Antichrist. Of course, such comparisons are absurd and even somewhat comical; Gogol ironically describes the fear of the narrow-minded landowners, their speculation about why he actually collects Chichikov is dead souls. The character's characterization hints that the heroes are no longer the same as they used to be. The people could be proud, take an example from the great commanders and defenders, but now there are no such people, they have been replaced by selfish Chichikovs.
Character's Real Self
One would think that Pavel Ivanovich is an excellent psychologist and actor, since he easily adapts to the people he needs and instantly guesses their character, but is this really so? The hero was never able to adapt to Nozdryov, because unceremoniousness, arrogance, and familiarity are alien to him. But even here he is trying to adapt, because the landowner is incredibly rich, hence the address to “you”, Chichikov’s boorish tone. Childhood taught Pavlusha to please to the right people, so he is ready to step over himself, forget about his principles.
At the same time, Pavel Ivanovich practically does not pretend to be with Sobakevich, because they are united by serving the “kopek”. And Chichikov has some similarities with Plyushkin. The character tore the poster from the post, read it at home, folded it neatly and put it in a small chest in which all sorts of unnecessary things were stored. This behavior is very much reminiscent of Plyushkin, who is prone to hoarding various rubbish. That is, Pavel Ivanovich himself was not so far removed from the same landowners.
The main goal in the hero's life
And once again, money - this is precisely why Chichikov collected dead souls. The character's characteristics indicate that he invents various frauds not just for the sake of profit; there is no stinginess or miserliness in him. Pavel Ivanovich dreams that the time will come when he can finally use his savings, live a calm, prosperous life, without thinking about tomorrow.
The author's attitude towards the hero
There is an assumption that in subsequent volumes Gogol planned to re-educate Chichikov and make him repent of his actions. In the poem, Pavel Ivanovich is not opposed to landowners or officials; he is the hero of the capitalist formation, the “first accumulator” who replaced the nobility. Chichikov is a skilled businessman, an entrepreneur who will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. The scam with dead souls was not a success, but Pavel Ivanovich did not suffer any punishment. The author hints that there are a huge number of such Chichikovs in the country, and no one wants to stop them.
