Dead souls lyrical digressions by chapter table. The role of lyrical digressions in the poem "Dead Souls"

Analyzing Gogol’s “Dead Souls,” Belinsky noted the “deep, comprehensive and humane subjectivity” of the poem, subjectivity that does not allow the author “with apathetic indifference to be alien to the world he depicts, but forces him to conduct living phenomena of the external world through his soul, and through then I can breathe my soul into them...”

It was no coincidence that Gogol considered his work a poem. Thus, the writer emphasized the breadth and epic nature of the narrative, the importance of the lyrical principle in it. The same thing was noted by the critic K. Aksakov, who saw in the poem “an ancient, Homeric epic.” “It may seem strange to some that Gogol’s faces change without any particular reason... It is epic contemplation that allows this calm appearance of one face after another without external communications, while one world embraces them, connecting them deeply and inextricably with internal unity,” the critic wrote.

The epic nature of the narrative, internal lyricism - all this was a consequence of Gogol’s creative ideas. It is known that the writer planned to create a large poem like “ Divine Comedy» Dante. The first part (volume 1) was supposed to correspond to “Hell”, the second (volume 2) to “Purgatory”, the third (volume 3) to “Paradise”. The writer thought about the possibility of Chichikov’s spiritual rebirth, about the appearance in the poem of characters who embodied “the untold wealth of the Russian spirit” - “a husband gifted with divine virtues,” “a wonderful Russian maiden.” All this gave the story a special, deep lyricism.

Lyrical digressions The poems are very diverse in their themes, pathos and moods. Thus, describing Chichikov’s journey, the writer draws our attention to many details that perfectly characterize the life of the Russian province. For example, the hotel where the hero stayed was “ famous family, that is, exactly the same as hotels in provincial cities, where for two rubles a day, travelers get a quiet room with cockroaches peeking out like prunes from all corners.”

The “common hall” where Chichikov goes is well known to everyone passing by: “the same walls, painted oil paint, darkened at the top from pipe smoke”, “the same smoked chandelier with many hanging pieces of glass that jumped and clinked every time the floorman ran on the worn oilcloths”, “the same paintings covering the entire wall, painted with oil paints”.

Describing the governor's party, Gogol talks about two types of officials: “fat” and “thin.” “Thin” in the author’s view are dandies and dandies hanging around the ladies. They are often prone to extravagance: “for three years, the thin one does not have a single soul left that is not pawned in a pawnshop.” Fat people are sometimes not very attractive, but they are “thorough and practical”: they never “take indirect places, but are all straight, and if they sit somewhere, they will sit securely and firmly...”. Fat officials are “the true pillars of society”: “having served God and the sovereign,” they leave the service and become famous Russian bars and landowners. The author's satire is obvious in this description: Gogol perfectly understands what this “official service” was like, which brought a person “universal respect.”

The author often accompanies the narrative with general ironic remarks. For example, when talking about Petrushka and Selifan, Gogol notes that it is inconvenient for him to occupy the reader with people of low class. And further: “Such is the Russian man: a strong passion to become arrogant with someone who is at least one rank higher than him, and a casual acquaintance with a count or prince is better for him than any close friendly relations.”

In lyrical digressions, Gogol talks about literature, writing, about various artistic styles. These arguments also contain the author's irony; one can discern the hidden polemic of the realist writer with romanticism.

So, depicting the character of Manilov, Gogol ironically notes that it is much easier to depict the characters big size, generously throwing paint onto the canvas: “black scorching eyes, drooping eyebrows, a wrinkled forehead, a cloak black or scarlet like fire thrown over his shoulder - and the portrait is ready...”. But it is much more difficult to describe romantic heroes, A ordinary people, “which look very similar to each other, but when you look closely, you will see many of the most elusive features.”

Elsewhere, Gogol talks about two types of writers, meaning a romantic writer and a realistic satirist writer. “A wonderful destiny is enviable” for the first, who prefers to describe sublime characters that demonstrate the “high dignity of man.” But this is not the fate of the second, “who dared to bring out all the terrible, stunning mud of little things that entangle our lives, all the depth of the cold, fragmented, everyday characters with which our earthly, sometimes bitter and boring road" “His field is harsh,” and he cannot escape the modern court, which considers his works “an insult to humanity.” There is no doubt that Gogol is talking here about his own fate.

Gogol satirically describes lifestyle Russian landowners. So, talking about the pastime of Manilov and his wife, Gogol remarks, as if in passing: “Of course, one could notice that there are many other activities in the house, besides long kisses and surprises... Why, for example, is it stupid and useless to cook in the kitchen ? Why is the pantry pretty empty? Why is a thief a housekeeper? ...But all these are low subjects, and Manilova was brought up well.”

In the chapter dedicated to Korobochka, the writer talks about the “extraordinary ability” of the Russian person to communicate with others. And here comes the author's outright irony. Noting Chichikov’s rather unceremonious treatment of Korobochka, Gogol notes that the Russian man has surpassed the foreigner in the ability to communicate: “it is impossible to count all the shades and subtleties of our treatment.” Moreover, the nature of this communication depends on the size of the interlocutor’s fortune: “we have such wise men who will speak completely differently to a landowner who has two hundred souls than to one who has three hundred...”.

In the chapter on Nozdrev, Gogol touches on the same topic of “Russian communication,” but in a different, more positive, aspect of it. Here the writer notes the unique character of the Russian person, his good nature, easygoingness, and gentleness.

Nozdryov’s character is quite recognizable - he is a “broken fellow”, a reckless driver, a reveler, a gambler and a rowdy. He has a habit of cheating while playing cards, for which he is repeatedly beaten. “And what’s strangest of all,” Gogol notes, “which can only happen in Rus' alone, is that after some time he already met again with those friends who were pestering him, and they met as if nothing had happened, and he, as they say, nothing, and they are nothing."

In the author's digressions, the writer also talks about Russian noble class, shows how far these people are from everything Russian and national: from them “you won’t hear a single decent Russian word,” but they will “endow you with French, German, and English words in such quantities that you won’t even want them.” High society worships everything foreign, forgetting its original traditions and customs. These people's interest in national culture limited to building a “hut in Russian taste” at the dacha. The author's satire is obvious in this lyrical digression. Gogol here calls on his compatriots to be patriots of their country, to love and respect native language, customs and traditions.

But the main theme of the lyrical digressions in the poem is the theme of Russia and the Russian people. Here the author’s voice becomes excited, the tone becomes pathetic, irony and satire recede into the background.

In the fifth chapter, Gogol glorifies the “living and lively Russian mind”, the extraordinary talent of the people, “the aptly said Russian word" Chichikov, asking a man he met about Plyushkin, receives a comprehensive answer: “... patched, patched! - the man exclaimed. He also added a noun to the word “patched”, which is very successful, but not commonly used in social conversation...” "It is expressed strongly Russian people! - exclaims Gogol, “and if he rewards someone with a word, then it will go to his family and posterity, he will drag him with him into service, and into retirement, and to St. Petersburg, and to the ends of the world.”

The image of the road that runs through the entire work is very important in lyrical digressions. The theme of the road appears already in the second chapter, in the description of Chichikov’s trip to Manilov’s estate: “As soon as the city went back, they began to write, according to our custom, nonsense and game on both sides of the road: hummocks, a spruce forest, low thin bushes of young pines, charred trunks old, wild heather and similar nonsense.” IN in this case This picture is the background against which the action takes place. This is a typical Russian landscape.

In the fifth chapter, the road reminds the writer of joys and sorrows human life: “Everywhere, across whatever sorrows from which our lives are weaved, shining joy will rush merrily, just as sometimes a brilliant carriage with golden harness, picturesque horses and the sparkling shine of glass will suddenly unexpectedly rush past some stalled poor village...”

In the chapter about Plyushkin, Gogol discusses the susceptibility of people of different ages to life impressions. The writer here describes his childhood and youthful feelings associated with the road, with travel, when everything around him aroused keen interest and curiosity in him. And then Gogol compares these impressions with his current indifference, cooling towards the phenomena of life. The author’s reflection ends here with a sad exclamation: “Oh my youth! oh my freshness!

This reflection of the author imperceptibly turns into the idea of how a person’s character and inner appearance can change with age. Gogol talks about how a person can change in old age, to what “insignificance, pettiness, disgustingness” he can reach.

Both author’s digressions here echo the image of Plyushkin, with the story of his life. And therefore, Gogol’s thought ends with a sincere, excited appeal to readers to preserve in themselves the best that is characteristic of youth: “Take it with you on the journey, leaving the soft teenage years into stern, embittering courage, take everything with you human movements, don’t leave them on the road, you won’t pick them up later! The old age coming ahead is terrible, terrible, and nothing gives back and back!

The first volume ends with " Dead souls” with a description of the troika rapidly flying forward, which is a real apotheosis of Russia and the Russian character: “And what Russian doesn’t like driving fast? Is it possible for his soul, striving to get dizzy, to go on a spree, to sometimes say: “Damn it all!” - Is it his soul not to love her? ...Oh, three! bird-three, who invented you? to know, you could have been born to a lively people, in that land that does not like to joke, but has spread out smoothly across half the world... Rus', where are you rushing to? Give an answer. Doesn't give an answer. The bell rings with a wonderful ringing; The air, torn into pieces, thunders and becomes the wind; everything that is on earth flies past, and, looking askance, other peoples and states move aside and give way to it.”

Thus, the lyrical digressions in the poem are varied. These are satirical sketches by Gogol, and pictures of Russian life, and the writer’s reflections on literature, and ironic observations on the psychology of the Russian person, the peculiarities of Russian life, and pathetic thoughts about the future of the country, about the talent of the Russian people, about the breadth of the Russian soul.

The author's thoughts and feelings about ideal Russia are expressed in lyrical digressions filled with a feeling of deep patriotism and love for the Motherland and a feeling of hatred of injustice. In lyrical digressions, the writer’s thought goes far from the events in the life of the main character and covers the entire subject of the image, “all of Rus',” and even reaches a universal level. The author's thoughts about the high purpose of man, about the fate of the Motherland and the people are contrasted with gloomy pictures of Russian life.

Lyrical digressions scattered throughout the poem are organically woven into the narrative and sound like a cry of pain, indignation and delight. They touch on issues that are relevant for all times and enhance the impression of the pictures depicted. In digressions, the reader becomes acquainted with persons who do not act directly in the poem. These are gentlemen “fat” and “thin”, gentlemen “ big hands" And " mediocre", the ruler of the chancellery Ivan Petrovich, broken fellows, drunkards and brawlers and others. These episodic faces are drawn by the author with two or three strokes, but they play a big role. They never meet the main character, Chichikov, but help the author in creating the image of a united Rus'.

The narrative of the poem is more than once interrupted by upbeat, lyrical travel sketches and sincere conversations with the reader. In one of the most poetic places in the work, which precedes the story about the life and formation of the personality of the protagonist, the theme of the road and the future of Russia merge. In this lyrical digression, colloquial speech is intertwined with a sublime tone of speech, and the reader, along with the author, is imbued with the charm and music of the word “road” itself and a feeling of delight in nature: “What a strange, and alluring, and carrying, and wonderful thing in the word: road ! and how wonderful it is, this road: a clear day, autumn leaves, cold air..."

The author speaks of “churches with ancient domes and blackened buildings”, “dark log and stone houses”, “fields and steppes”, “huts scattered on the slope”, soulfully conveys the feelings of a man racing in a troika: “God! how beautiful you are sometimes, long, long way! How many times, like someone dying and drowning, have I grabbed onto you, and each time you generously carried me out and saved me! And how many wonderful ideas, poetic dreams were born in you, how many wondrous impressions were felt!..”

Extra-plot, inserted episodes, scenes, paintings, and the author’s reasoning are organically included in the poem. For example, Gogol casually sketches portraits of “thin” and “fat” officials. "Alas! Fat people know how to manage their affairs in this world better than thin people,” writes Gogol. Or a satirical portrait of a certain chancellery ruler. Among his subordinates, the ruler is “Prometheus, decisive Prometheus!.. and a little higher than him, with Prometheus, such a transformation will take place, which even Ovid would not invent: a fly, even smaller than a fly, is destroyed into a grain of sand!”

IN last chapter, which tells about the development of Chichikov’s character, the reader is again plunged into the world of vulgarity and evil. Using the example of the life of his hero, the author very accurately formulates the principles that dominate in his contemporary world: “most of all, take care and save a penny,” “hang around with those who are richer,” “please your superiors.” With undisguised irony, the writer speaks of a system of education in which abilities and talents have no value, and eternal truths are driven into the heads of young men through flogging and other punishments. The spirit of commerce and profit, which reigned in the world of the feudal nobility, penetrated into educational establishments and destroyed everything pure and poetic in the souls of young people.

However, immersed in Once again into the world of self-interest and profit, Gogol again returns us to the positive principles of the Russian character, instills confidence in the bright future of his people. In a lyrical digression that concludes the story, he talks about the talent of the Yaroslavl peasant, who built a road wagon with a chisel and a hammer, about a bird or three, which originated among the lively people “in that land that does not like to joke, but was scattered evenly across half the world,” about courage and daring of a simple Russian person. The poem ends with a grandiose in its expressiveness image of the rushing Rus' - a trio of birds. In the last lyrical digression, the author emphasizes the doom of the world of officials and landowners and the belief in the limitless possibilities of the Russian people.

Throughout the entire narrative, the author draws our attention to Chichikov’s troika, more than once even indicating the names of the horses harnessed to it. Chichikov's troika is one of the main and expressive characters works. At the end of the poem, we again see Chichikov’s troika: Selifan slaps Chubari on the back, after which he breaks into a trot. The movement of the troika gradually accelerates, and the image of the troika changes its internal meaning. Instead of Chichikov's troika, a Russian troika appears, and at the same time the intonation of the narrative changes. An image appears before us native land, and the horses rush in a whirlwind, separate from the ground and turn into lines flying through the air, and instead of the troika, Rus' appears in all its rapid movement. The author’s speech is melodious, filled with emotional epithets and synonyms, metaphors and exclamations: “Rus, where are you rushing? Give an answer. Doesn't give an answer." This digression contains the result of many years of Gogol’s thoughts about the fate of Russia, about the present and future of its people. After all, it is the people who oppose the world of officials, landowners, businessmen, as alive soul- dead.

All topics in the book “Dead Souls” by N.V. Gogol. Summary. Features of the poem. Essays":

Summary poem "Dead Souls": Volume one. Chapter first

Features of the poem “Dead Souls”

Lyrical digressions scattered throughout the poem are organically woven into the narrative and sound like a cry of pain, indignation and delight. They touch on issues that are relevant for all times and enhance the impression of the pictures depicted. In digressions, the reader becomes acquainted with persons who do not act directly in the poem. These are gentlemen “fat” and “thin”, gentlemen of the “big hand” and “middle hand”, the ruler of the chancellery Ivan Petrovich, broken fellows, drunkards and brawlers and others. These episodic faces are drawn by the author with two or three strokes, but they play a big role. They never meet the main character, Chichikov, but help the author in creating the image of a united Rus'.

In the last chapter, which tells about the development of Chichikov's character, the reader again plunges into the world of vulgarity and evil. Using the example of the life of his hero, the author very accurately formulates the principles that dominate in his contemporary world: “most of all, take care and save a penny,” “hang around with those who are richer,” “please your superiors.” With undisguised irony, the writer speaks of a system of education in which abilities and talents have no value, and eternal truths are driven into the heads of young men through flogging and other punishments. The spirit of commerce and profit, which reigned in the world of the feudal nobility, penetrated educational institutions and destroyed everything pure and poetic in the souls of young people.

However, once again plunging us into the world of self-interest and profit, Gogol again returns us to the positive principles of the Russian character, instilling confidence in the bright future of his people. In a lyrical digression that concludes the story, he talks about the talent of the Yaroslavl peasant, who built a road wagon with a chisel and a hammer, about a bird or three, which originated among the lively people “in that land that does not like to joke, but was scattered evenly across half the world,” about courage and daring of a simple Russian person. The poem ends with a grandiose in its expressiveness image of the rushing Rus' - a trio of birds. In the last lyrical digression, the author emphasizes the doom of the world of officials and landowners and the belief in the limitless possibilities of the Russian people.

Throughout the entire narrative, the author draws our attention to Chichikov’s troika, more than once even indicating the names of the horses harnessed to it. Chichikov's troika is one of the main and expressive characters of the work. At the end of the poem, we again see Chichikov’s troika: Selifan slaps Chubari on the back, after which he breaks into a trot. The movement of the troika gradually accelerates, and the image of the troika changes its internal meaning. Instead of Chichikov's troika, a Russian troika appears, and at the same time the intonation of the narrative changes. The image of our native land appears before us, and the horses rush in a whirlwind, separate from the ground and turn into lines flying through the air, and instead of the troika, Rus' appears in all its rapid movement. The author’s speech is melodious, filled with emotional epithets and synonyms, metaphors and exclamations: “Rus, where are you rushing? Give an answer. Doesn't give an answer." This digression contains the result of many years of Gogol’s thoughts about the fate of Russia, about the present and future of its people. After all, it is the people who oppose the world of officials, landowners, and businessmen, like a living soul against a dead one.

All topics in the book “Dead Souls” by N.V. Gogol. Summary. Features of the poem. Essays":

Summary of the poem “Dead Souls”: Volume one. Chapter first

Features of the poem “Dead Souls”

MUNICIPAL BUDGETARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION OF THE MUNICIPAL FORMATION CITY OF KRASNODAR

SECONDARY SCHOOL No. 66 NAMED AFTER EVGENIY DOROSH

METHODOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT ON LITERATURE

Subject:

“Lyrical digressions in the poem by N.V. Gogol

Stepanyan A.S.,

teacher of Russian language and literature

MBOU secondary school No. 66

I. Introduction.

1. The significance of N.V. Gogol for Russian literature and for Russia.

II. Main part

« Dead souls" - the pinnacle of Gogol's creativity.

The idea and history of the creation of the work.

Composition of Gogol's poem

Lyrical digressions and their role in “Dead Souls”

III. Conclusion.

1. The significance of Gogol’s work for modern reader.

“...For a long time there has not been a writer in the world who was as important for his people as Gogol was for Russia.” This is what the leader of Russian democracy N.G. Chernyshevsky wrote about Gogol when Gogol was no longer alive. And not only Chernyshevsky, many great Russian critics and writers pointed out the enormous importance of Gogol both in literature and “for Russia” in general.

Why is Gogol so important? Gogol turned literature into formidable weapon. Gogol's satire was such a weapon. Truthful satirical works the writer was mercilessly ridiculed and exposed the rulers Tsarist Russia. With his works, Gogol awakened the consciousness of the people.

Gogol's works are filled with ardent love for to the common people, to the “little people”. The writer believed in the mighty forces of the people, in the great future of his Motherland. He was proud of its glorious history.

In Russian literature, Gogol finally established critical realism.

The poem “Dead Souls” is the pinnacle of Gogol’s work. In it all the main features of his talent found their highest expression: deep realism, nationalism, lyrical animation and endless humor, turning into a menacing, punishing laugh.

Reading Dead Souls, we laugh at first. We laugh at the comic animation with which Gogol tells the story of a middle-class gentleman entering the city of K, we laugh at the reasoning of two men about the wheel of a passing chaise, at the dandy in very narrow and short rosin trousers. And we continue to laugh further, reading the poem, just as Pushkin and all of reading Russia laughed when they first became acquainted with wonderful work Gogol. However, laughter soon gives way to reflection, and it becomes completely clear that there is nothing humorous or funny in the poem, as in all of Gogol’s works, that not a single word in it is intended to make the reader laugh: everything in it is “serious, calm, true and deeply,” as V.G. Belinsky wrote.

First of all, I would like to talk about the history of the creation of the work.

Gogol began writing Dead Souls in 1835. A.S. Pushkin gave him a plot for comic story about how a rogue official is trying to get rich by buying dead serfs from landowners. When Gogol read his travel notes, sketches and sketches from life to A.S. Pushkin in the summer of 1835, he was amazed by Gogol’s powers of observation and the accuracy of his sketches of people and characters. “How,” he exclaimed, “with this ability to guess a person and with a few features suddenly make him look like he’s alive, with this ability not to get down to business? big essay! And Gogol, working on the comedy “The Inspector General,” begins to write his poem.

In 1836, The Inspector General was published and shown in the theater. He was a resounding success with the democratic public. A.S. Pushkin, V.G. Belinsky, Herzen and other leading writers enthusiastically welcomed the comedy as historical event V public life Russia. But the idea of comedy was also well understood by the defenders of autocracy, whom the satirist angrily ridiculed. They declared Gogol a dangerous writer. The Tsar banned the production of “The Inspector General” in theaters, and a frenzied persecution of Gogol began. Gogol wrote bitterly: “The police are against me, the merchants are against me, the writers are against me... Now I see what it means to be a comic writer. The slightest ghost of truth - and not just one person, but entire classes rebel against you...” In 1836, the persecuted writer was forced to leave Russia. Gogol lived most of all in Italy. In Rome, Gogol completed work on Dead Souls. The writer devoted 6 years to the first volume. In the fall of 1841, Gogol brought the first volume, ready for printing, to Moscow, but censorship difficulties arose. “The blow was completely unexpected for me: the entire manuscript is banned,” Gogol told Pletnev.

The chairman of the Moscow censorship committee rebelled against the title of the poem: “No, I will never allow this: the soul can be immortal!” It was explained to the nearby official that we're talking about about audit dead souls. The chairman sternly replied that “this certainly cannot be allowed, it means against serfdom.”

Gogol sent the manuscript of the poem to St. Petersburg. The writer's friends, including Belinsky, helped the author overcome censorship resistance. Gogol had to make significant changes. In May 1842, Dead Souls was published.

Under serfdom, the landowners owned the peasants. They could sell peasants, exchange them, give them as collateral, i.e. deposit it in the bank and receive money for it. But for their peasants, landowners were obliged to pay taxes or taxes to the state treasury. For this purpose, the government periodically conducted audits and compiled lists of serfs (these lists were called “revision tales”), according to which landowners paid taxes until the next audit. Landowners also had to pay taxes for those peasants who died between revisions. The landowners, therefore, were interested in getting rid of the “dead souls” and not paying taxes for them.

The plot of Gogol's poem is connected with these circumstances of the era of serfdom. Its hero, retired official Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, decided to take advantage of the existing order to make capital and get rich. He travels around the estates of landowners and buys from them " dead Souls" The landowners give them to him almost for nothing. Chichikov then hopes to either pawn the “dead souls” in the bank, receiving money for them as if they were alive, or to become known as a rich man and marry a really rich landowner.

Although Chichikov actively participates in all the events that take place, the plot of the work goes beyond the story of his life, his personal fate. “Dead Souls” is a book about Russia, not about Chichikov. This is how the author understood his great plan. This is how Gogol shared his plan with Zhukovsky: “If I complete this creation the way it needs to be accomplished, then what a huge, what an original plot! What a varied bunch! All Rus' will appear in it!”

“Dead Souls” is a large prose work, which in its content and structure is close to a novel. But it differs from the novel in some ways. An epic narrative, that is, a description of events, the actions and actions of the heroes of the work, pictures of life - which is also typical for the novel - is combined in “Dead Souls” with numerous authorial or lyrical digressions and reflections. Such lyrical digressions are characteristic of the poem genre. In Dead Souls they play the same important role ideological role, as does epic storytelling. The author expresses in lyrical digressions his thoughts and feelings about what is happening, expresses his attitude towards the life phenomena depicted. Gogol turns to lyrical digressions in those cases when the description of external events and actions of the characters turns out to be insufficient to fully reveal the author's intention. The epic narrative in “Dead Souls” is mainly associated with the exposure of the ruling classes, satirically depicting their contemporaries, the philistine world of landowners and officials. Lyrical digressions, in their solemn and pathetic tone, seem to contradict the general satirical nature of the narrative, in fact they are of enormous importance. Pictures of what is happening in the feudal world leave us with gloomy moods and feelings.

Herzen, in his article “On the Development of Revolutionary Forces in Russia,” described Gogol’s poem as a “cry” of horror and shame emitted by a person humiliated by vulgar life, when he suddenly notices his castrated face in the mirror, he adds: “But for such a cry to come from someone’s chest, there must be healthy parts and a great desire for rehabilitation.”

Gogol had a passionate desire for the “rehabilitation” of Russia. He understood that everything was bleak and gloomy in the life of his homeland. It is not Russia and its people that are doomed to destruction, but the serf system. In lyrical digressions, the writer expressed faith in his people, in the future of his country. That is why the author defines the work as a poem going back to her classic images. IN Ancient Greece folk poems were called epic works, which depicted the life and struggle of the entire people. Such literary genre gave Gogol the opportunity to “look around at all the enormous rushing life,” his homeland “in all its enormity.”

Lyrical digressions give “Dead Souls” a special poetic emotion, which is usually characteristic of poetic works. All this gave Gogol the basis to call his work a poem.

The themes of lyrical digressions in the poem are very diverse:

Gogol's reflections on the fate of the representatives he depicts dead world human vulgarity;

reflections on the fate of the satirical writer;

reflections on the fate of the Russian people, the conditions of serfdom;

reflections on the sweeping and lively Russian word;

short story about Kif Mokievich and Mokiye Kifovich;

final lyrical reflection about Rus' - the bird-three.

Lyrical digressions differ from each other in content. In some, the author, as if something in the course of the poem accidentally gives the reader an idea, begins to talk about life in Russia in general, and the reader, meanwhile, draws parallels between the cities of NN and the whole Russian Empire. Sometimes it’s not even clear whose reasoning these are: the author’s voice is intertwined with Chichikov’s voice, the author himself seems to go into the shadows. Such lyrical digressions include, for example, discussions about “fat” and “thin” people who appear in the scene of the governor’s ball.

The men here, as everywhere else, were of two kinds: some thin, who kept hovering around the ladies; some of them were of such a type that it was difficult to distinguish them from those from St. Petersburg, they also had very deliberately and tastefully combed sideburns or simply beautiful, very smoothly shaven oval faces, they also casually sat down to the ladies, they also spoke French and they made the ladies laugh just like in St. Petersburg. Another class of men were fat or the same as Chichikov, that is, not too fat, but not thin either. These, on the contrary, looked sideways and backed away from the ladies and only looked around to see if the governor’s servant was setting up a green whist table somewhere. Their faces were full and round, some even had warts, some were pockmarked, they did not wear their hair on their heads in crests or curls, or in a “damn me” manner, as the French say - their hair They were either cut low or sleek, and their facial features were more rounded and strong. These were honorary officials in the city. Alas! fat people know how to manage their affairs in this world better than thin people.

Gogol speaks here about officials with undisguised mockery:

Subtle officials hover around the ladies, wiggle here and there, and sell off the property acquired by their fathers on courier.

Fat officials are also depicted in funny: their faces were full, round, some even had warts. They make money for themselves and, in order to hide the loot, they buy villages.

Gogol devotes several lyrical digressions to women, although he admits that he is very afraid to talk about ladies. With regret, he notes that the gap separating Korobochka from a lady of high society is not so great.

Maybe you will even begin to think: come on, is Korobochka really standing so low on the endless ladder of human improvement? Is the abyss really that great that separates her from her sister, inaccessibly fenced by the walls of an aristocratic house with fragrant cast-iron staircases, shining copper, mahogany and carpets, yawning over an unread book in anticipation of a witty social visit, where she will have the opportunity to show off her mind and express her expressed thoughts? thoughts, thoughts that, according to the laws of fashion, occupy the city for a whole week, thoughts not about what is happening in her house and on her estates, confused and upset thanks to ignorance of economic affairs, but about what political revolution is being prepared in France, what direction it has taken fashionable catholicism

The author accuses a lady of high society of lacking sincerity; she talks about fashionable nonsense, and not about what is going on in her estate. This makes the writer sad and he hurries: “...past! Past!” - further along the road, yours life's path and ways of developing the plot.

The image of the road becomes the compositional core of the poem. A straight road is always associated with a righteous, correct life in Russian culture. The symbolic meaning in the poem is that Chichikov constantly “loses his way,” turns, and chooses roundabout paths to achieve his goal. As the work progresses, the road becomes a symbol of the fluidity of time, the path of life and the path of a person’s spiritual quest. Several author’s digressions, imbued with special lyricism, are dedicated to her, the road.

Before, long ago, in the years of my youth, in the years of my irrevocably flashed childhood, it was fun for me to drive up for the first time to an unfamiliar place: it didn’t matter whether it was a village, a poor provincial town, a village, a settlement - I discovered a lot of curious things in it childish curious look. Every building, everything that bore the imprint of some noticeable feature - everything stopped me and amazed me...

Now I indifferently approach any unfamiliar village and indifferently look at its vulgar appearance; It’s unpleasant to my chilled gaze, it’s not funny to me, and what would have awakened in previous years a lively movement in the face, laughter and silent speech, now slides past, and my motionless lips keep an indifferent silence. O my youth! oh my freshness!

In this lyrical digression, the author, based on impressions on the road, judges the degree of decline of a person, the passing of his youth. It seems that life moves as quickly as the mileposts flash past the window of the post coach. As a child, the author looks at everything with a curious gaze, everything seems joyful and tempting to him. However, as he grows older, he becomes more and more indifferent to the wonders of life. The writer regrets his irrevocably past youth and freshness. With this lyrical digression, he makes readers think and feel the difference between the road of life and the high road: along the first one you can never return to where you are coming from.

Describing the commotion caused in the city by rumors about dead souls that Chichikov was buying up for no apparent reason, Gogol devotes several lines to reflections on the misconceptions of mankind. And in this lyrical digression, the image of the road grows to a symbol of the path of the entire human race:

Many mistakes have been made in the world that, it would seem, even a child would not do now. What crooked, deaf, narrow, impassable roads that lead far to the side have been chosen by mankind, striving to achieve eternal truth, while the straight path was open to them, like the path leading to the magnificent temple assigned to the palace! Wider and more luxurious than all other paths, it was illuminated by the sun and illuminated by lights all night, but people flowed past it in the deep darkness. And how many times already induced by the meaning descending from heaven, they knew how to recoil and stray to the side, they knew how to find themselves again in impenetrable backwaters in broad daylight, they knew how to once again cast a blind fog into each other’s eyes and, trailing after the swamp lights, they knew how to get to the abyss, and then ask each other in horror: where is the exit, where is the road? The current generation now sees everything clearly, marvels at the errors, laughs at the foolishness of its ancestors, it is not in vain that this chronicle is inscribed with heavenly fire, that every letter in it screams, that a piercing finger is directed from everywhere at it, at it, at the current generation; but the current generation laughs and arrogantly, proudly begins a series of new errors, which posterity will also laugh at later.

But the author devotes the most heartfelt lyrical digression, covered in real poetry, to the road - his companion and muse. Real life Gogol can only live on the road, only there can he feel “strange, and alluring, and carrying, and wonderful.” Only while on the road can a person see life in all its diversity, feel harmony and unity with the sky. In addition, in this lyrical digression, the author admits that without the road his poem would not have existed.

Not only in this place does Gogol reflect on the hard work of a writer as a traveler. He compares a writer who describes outstanding characters with a happy traveler, a family man, whose family is waiting for him after a long journey. And a writer who, like him, exposes to the reader scary picture life, he compares it with a familyless traveler who has only a “bitter, boring road” ahead.

Despite the bitterness of it author's digression, it defends the power of the moral influence of laughter, Gogol’s main weapon. How much more magnificent do they seem to the writer who are ready, despising fame and honor, to make a person like Chichikov the main character of the poem. Thus, they give the “scoundrels” hope for correction, and they also look for grains of human greatness in them. And Gogol ends his lyrical digression with words that perfectly characterize Gogol’s satire as a whole: the satirical writer looks at life “through laughter visible to the world and invisible tears unknown to him.”

In every word of Gogol one can feel both laughter and some kind of sadness. Gogol sees all the shortcomings of Russian reality, he ridicules them, but all this deeply touches him and touches him as a person, for real loving Russia. The writer perceived all the wounds of the fatherland as his own. But there were even those who reproached Gogol for his lack of patriotism, and it was to them that the author dedicated a lyrical digression about Kifei Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich. In it, the author says that these same patriots do not think about that. To avoid doing bad things, they just talk about it. Gogol feels the obligation to tell the whole truth.

This is how two inhabitants of a peaceful corner spent their lives, who unexpectedly, as if from a window, looked out at the end of our poem, looked out in order to respond modestly to the accusation from some ardent patriots, until time calmly engaged in some philosophy or increments on the account of sums tenderly their beloved fatherland, thinking not about not doing bad, but about not saying that they are doing bad. But no, it is not patriotism or the first feeling that are the reasons for the accusations; another is hidden under them. Why hide the word? Who, if not the author, should tell the holy truth?

In addition to reflecting on creativity and the purpose of the writer, Gogol devotes one lyrical digression to the main “instrument” of his work - the Russian word. He admires the “aptly spoken Russian word,” and seems to see in it the main dignity of the Russian people. The speech of no other nation can compete with the Russian word.

Just as a countless number of churches, monasteries with domes, domes, and crosses are scattered throughout holy, pious Rus', so a countless number of tribes, generations, and peoples crowd, motley, and rush about the face of the earth. And every nation, bearing within itself a guarantee of strength, full of the creative abilities of the soul, its bright features and other gifts of God, each in its own way distinguished itself in your own words, by which, expressing any object, reflects in its expression part of its own character. The word of a Briton will echo with heart knowledge and wise knowledge of life; The short-lived word of a Frenchman will flash and spread like a light dandy; the German will intricately come up with his own, not accessible to everyone, clever and thin word; but there is no word that would be so sweeping, that would burst out so smartly from under the very heart, that would seethe and vibrate as well as an aptly spoken Russian word.

In his lyrical digressions, Gogol is able to very subtly notice all the features of the Russian character. The main thing in them is that the writer very objectively perceives and sees the Russian people. The author also notices a certain dreaminess of the man, who is capable of philosophizing over the most empty subjects; The Russian peasant is characterized by superstitiousness, which often only prevents him from working; and at the same time, how wonderfully Gogol describes the men-craftsmen, gifted, wonderful workers-heroes.

Sobakevich’s register was striking in its extraordinary completeness and thoroughness; not a single one of the man’s qualities was omitted; about one it was said: “a good carpenter”, to the other it was added: “he understands the business and does not get drunk.” It was also indicated in detail who the father and who the mother were, and what behavior both had; Only one Fedotov had it written: “the father is unknown, but was born from a courtyard girl, Capitolina, but of good character and not a thief.” All these details gave a special kind of freshness: it seemed as if the men were alive just yesterday.

Gogol believes in the high destiny of Russia, since the Russian people have a lively and lively mind. “... the lively and lively Russian mind, which does not reach into its pocket for a word, does not hatch it like a hen, but sticks it right away, like a passport on an eternal sock...”

The closer the first volume of the poem “Dead Souls” moves towards its completion, the longer and more penetrating the lyrical digressions become. In them, like in a huge mosaic, the image of Rus' is assembled more and more fully. The last lyrical digressions are dedicated to her, each of which looks like a small prose poem. The author addresses Rus' from “beautiful distance.” From Gogol’s biography it follows that by “beautiful distance” he means Italy, the country that he considered his spiritual homeland and where he wrote most of the poem. However, from the text it seems that it is located somewhere very high: the author seems to be looking at Rus' from the sky, seeing its vast fields, open spaces, voids. Rus' lies before him like an open book. Gogol admires the Russian land, the beauty of which lies in the simplicity and extraordinary harmony of nature and the spirit of the people themselves. This beauty fascinates the author, just as it fascinates every truly Russian person. And Gogol literally screams: “Rus! But what an incomprehensible, secret power attracts you! Why is your melancholy song, rushing along your entire length and breadth, from sea to sea, heard and resounded incessantly in your souls! What's in it, in this song? What calls and cries and grabs you by the heart? Rus! What do you want from me? Why do you look like that, and why did you turn everything that is in you towards me? full of anticipation eyes?..."

And it seems that this song of Rus', perceived by Gogol the artist, is embodied in his immortal poem. Rus' itself forces him to write, turning her gaze to him, full of expectation.

Gogol admires the vast expanses of Russia: “What does this immense expanse prophesy! Isn’t it here, isn’t limitless thoughts born within you, when you yourself are endless! Shouldn’t a hero be here when there is a place where he can turn around and walk?” And really, what lies in these vast expanses of Russia!

Russia is a land beloved by God, but it also faces the most severe trials. But Rus' is reckless about its destiny, how many times has Russia stood on the edge of the abyss!

Finally, the poem ends with the author’s speech, extraordinary in strength and lyricism, about Rus', about its historical path and future fate. This lyrical digression combines all the themes that worried the author throughout the poem: the themes of movement, the road, the Russian soul and Russian ingenuity, the role of Russia in the fate of humanity. He compares Rus' to a troika bird.

Ek, three! bird three, who invented you? to know, you could only have been born among a lively people, in that land that does not like to joke, but has spread out smoothly across half the world, and go ahead and count the miles until it hits your eyes. And not a cunning, it seems, road projectile, not grabbed by an iron screw, but hastily equipped and assembled alive by an efficient Yaroslavl man with only an ax and a chisel. The driver is not wearing German boots: he has a beard and mittens, and sits on God knows what; but he stood up, swung, and began to sing - the horses like a whirlwind, the spokes in the wheels mixed into one smooth circle, only the road trembled, and a pedestrian who stopped screamed in fear - and there she rushed, rushed, rushed!.. And there you can already see in the distance, like something is gathering dust and drilling into the air.

The lyrical and epic plots of the poem are miraculously combined. It seems that Chichikov’s chaise has imperceptibly turned into a “brisk, irresistible troika” and is galloping through the air. There is something frightening and beautiful at the same time in this vision: she rushes “all inspired by God,” but, at the same time, does not give an answer to where she is rushing.

The poem ends on an optimistic note. At the end, the image of the road appears again, but this road is no longer the life of one person, but the fate of the entire Russian state.

Is it not so for you, Rus', that you are rushing along like a brisk, unstoppable troika? The road beneath you smokes, the bridges rattle, everything falls behind and is left behind. The contemplator, amazed by God's miracle, stopped: was this lightning thrown from the sky? what does it mean terrifying movement? and what kind of unknown power is contained in these horses, unknown to the light? Oh, horses, horses, what kind of horses! Are there whirlwinds in your manes? Is there a sensitive ear burning in every vein of yours? They heard a familiar song from above, together and at once tensed their copper chests and, almost without touching the ground with their hooves, turned into just elongated lines flying through the air, and all inspired by God rushes!.. Rus', where are you rushing? Give an answer. Doesn't give an answer. The bell rings with a wonderful ringing;

The air, torn into pieces, thunders and becomes the wind; everything that is on earth flies past, and, looking askance, other peoples and states step aside and give way to it.

And although to the question: “Rus, where are you rushing?” - the author does not find an answer, he is confident in Russia, because “other peoples and states, looking askance, step aside and give her way.”

There are few lyrical digressions in Gogol’s poem; they make up a smaller part of it. However, it is precisely due to these beautiful, inspiredly written lines that the poem becomes a poem, the lyrical principle begins to sound in it. The lyrical digressions reflect the author’s dreams and thoughts about life, the change of generations, an ideal Russia, where heroes are born and spiritually rich people live. Gogol believed that someday this beloved “wonderful, unfamiliar distance to the earth” would become like this. One can only marvel at the perspicacity of the author, who was able to see in his distant past what would happen. Only a fiery patriot, like Gogol, was able to see and show the whole world what awaits Russia. And we, reading his works, admiring his humor, purity and depth of thoughts and language, learn from the writer to love his homeland, to be useful to it.

So, we see that the author’s digressions help Gogol create full picture reality of Russia, turning the book into a real “encyclopedia of Russian life” of the mid-19th century. It is the digressions, where the writer not only paints scenes of everyday life of various strata of the Russian population, but also expresses his thoughts, thoughts and hopes, that make it possible to realize the author's plan. “All Rus' has appeared” is abundant in this work.

References

N.V.Gogol. Collected works. T 5 “Dead Souls” - M. “ Fiction", 1978;

Gogol in the memoirs of his contemporaries. - M., 1962;

Gukovsky G.A. Gogol's realism. - M.; L., 1959;

Mashinsky S.P. Art world Gogol. - M., 1971;

Zapadov A.S. In the depth of the line. - M., 1975;

Zolotussky I.P. Gogol. - M., 1979;

Zolnikova V.I. Independent work students on literary works. - M., 1978.

The poem “Dead Souls” differs in genre from other works of Russian literature. Lyrical digressions make it even brighter. They prove that N.V. Gogol created precisely the poem, but not in verse, but in prose.

The role of retreats

N.V. Gogol is constantly present in the text of the poem. The reader feels it all the time; sometimes he seems to forget about the plot of the text and is led astray. Why does the great classic do this:

Helps to more easily cope with the indignation caused by the characters’ actions.
Adds humor to the text.
Creates separate independent works.
Changes the impression of general description the routine life of landowners who have lost their soul.

The writer wants the reader to know his relationship to events and people. That is why he shares his thoughts, shows anger or regret.

Philosophical reasoning

Some digressions suggest reflecting on the peculiarities of human personality and existence.

About thick and thin. The writer divides men into two kinds depending on their fatness. He finds distinctive properties of their character. Thin ones are resourceful and unreliable. They easily adapt to situations and change their behavior. Fat people are businessmen who more often gain weight in society.
Two types of characters. Large portraits and difficult for portraitists. Some are open and understandable, others hide not only their appearance, but also everything inside.
Passion and man. Human feelings vary in strength. He can be visited by the most beautiful passions, or base and petty ones. Someone dreams of insignificant trinkets, but somewhere a feeling of great love is born. Passion changes a person, it can turn him into a worm and lead to the loss of his soul.
About scoundrels and virtues. How do scoundrels appear? The classic believes that the fault is in the acquisition. The stronger a person’s desire to acquire, the faster he loses virtues.
About a human. Age changes personality. It's hard to imagine yourself in old age. The young man becomes bitter and loses his humanity life path. Even the grave is more merciful: it is written about the burial of a person. Old age loses its sensuality, it is cold and lifeless.

Love for Russia

Such digressions clearly show the peculiarity of Russian people and nature. The author's boundless love for his homeland is higher than other feelings. No obstacles will stop Russia. She will endure and take the wide, clear road, get out of all the contradictions of life.

Rus' - Troika. The road along which the country is heading evokes delight in Gogol’s soul. Russia is free, it loves speed and movement. The author believes that the country will find a path to a happy future for the people.
Roads. Roads of retreat are a force that conquers a person. He cannot sit still, he strives forward. Roads help him see new things, look at himself from the outside. The road at night, on a bright day and in a clear morning is different. But she's always good.
Rus. Gogol is transported to the beautiful far away and tries to examine the Russian expanses. He admires the beauty, the ability to hide the melancholy, sadness and tears of the inhabitants. The vastness of the country captivates and frightens. Why was it given to Russia?
Russian communication. Gogol compares the treatment of Russians with other nations. The landowners of the province change their conversation style depending on the state of the interlocutor: the number of souls. The “Prometheus” of the office becomes a “partridge” at the doors of the authorities. A person changes even outwardly, he becomes lower in servility, and with a lower class, louder and bolder.
Russian speech. The word spoken by the Russian people is apt and significant. It can be compared to things cut out with an axe. The word created by the Russian mind comes from the very heart. It is “sweeping, smart” and reflects the character and identity of the people.

Selected stories

Some of the lyrical digressions have their own plot. They can be read as an independent work, taken out of the context of the poem. They will not lose their meaning.

The Tale of Captain Kopeikin. The most bright part books. Censorship sought to remove the story from Dead Souls. The story of a war participant seeking help from the authorities is a difficult one. Having achieved nothing, he becomes a robber.
Kif Mokievich and Mokiy Kifovich. Two characters, living according to their own laws, connect all the characters that have passed before the reader. The strong Mokiy wastes what is given to him by God. Bogatyrs are taken out and turned into weak-spirited people. They, endowed with special qualities, do not understand what they could become, what benefit they could bring to the people.
Peasants of the village Lousy arrogance. Talented people are enslaved, but remain hardworking and bright. A story about how, during a popular revolt in a village with a telling (as Gogol likes) name