In 1836, Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin wrote the story “The Captain's Daughter,” which was a historical description of the Pugachev uprising. In his work, Pushkin was based on real events of 1773-1775, when, under the leadership of Emelyan Pugachev (Liar Peter Fedorovich), the Yaik Cossacks, who took escaped convicts, thieves and villains as their servants, began a peasant war. Pyotr Grinev and Maria Mironova are fictional characters, but their destinies very truthfully reflect the sad time of the brutal civil war.

Pushkin designed his story in a realistic form in the form of notes from the diary of the main character Pyotr Grinev, made years after the uprising. The lyrics of the work are interesting in their presentation - Grinev writes his diary in adulthood, rethinking everything he has experienced. At the time of the uprising, he was a young nobleman loyal to his Empress. He looked at the rebels as savages who fought with particular cruelty against the Russian people. During the course of the story, one can see how the heartless ataman Pugachev, who executes dozens of honest officers, over time, by the will of fate, wins favor in Grinev’s heart and finds sparks of nobility in his eyes.

Chapter 1. Sergeant of the Guard

At the beginning of the story, the main character Peter Grinev tells the reader about his young life. He is the only survivor of 9 children of a retired major and a poor noblewoman; he lived in a middle-class noble family. The old servant was actually involved in raising the young master. Peter's education was low, since his father, a retired major, hired the French hairdresser Beaupre, who led an immoral lifestyle, as a tutor. For drunkenness and dissolute acts he was expelled from the estate. And his father decided to send 17-year-old Petrusha, through old connections, to serve in Orenburg (instead of St. Petersburg, where he was supposed to go to serve in the guard) and assigned an old servant Savelich to look after him. Petrusha was upset, because instead of partying in the capital, a dull existence in the wilderness awaited him. During a stop along the way, the young master made an acquaintance with the rake captain Zurin, because of whom, under the pretext of learning, he got involved in playing billiards. Then Zurin suggested playing for money and as a result Petrusha lost as much as 100 rubles - a lot of money at that time. Savelich, being the keeper of the master’s “treasury,” is against Peter paying the debt, but the master insists. The servant is indignant, but gives the money.

Chapter 2. Counselor

In the end, Peter is ashamed of his loss and promises Savelich not to play for money anymore. A long road awaits them ahead, and the servant forgives the master. But due to Petrusha’s indiscretion, they again find themselves in trouble - the approaching snowstorm did not bother the young man and he ordered the coachman not to return. As a result, they lost their way and almost froze to death. As luck would have it, they met a stranger who helped the lost travelers find their way to the inn.

Grinev recalls how, tired from the road, he had a dream in a wagon, which he called prophetic: he sees his house and his mother, who says that his father is dying. Then he sees an unfamiliar man with a beard in his father’s bed, and his mother says that he is her sworn husband. The stranger wants to give his “father’s” blessing, but Peter refuses, and then the man takes up an ax, and corpses appear around. He doesn't touch Peter.

They arrive at an inn that resembles a thieves' den. A stranger, frozen in the cold in only an army coat, asks Petrusha for wine, and he treats him. A strange conversation took place between the man and the owner of the house in thieves' language. Peter does not understand the meaning, but everything he heard seems very strange to him. Leaving the shelter, Peter, to Savelich’s further displeasure, thanked the guide by giving him a sheepskin coat. To which the stranger bowed, saying that the century would not forget such mercy.

When Peter finally gets to Orenburg, his father’s colleague, having read the cover letter with instructions to keep the young man “with a tight rein,” sends him to serve in the Belgorod fortress - an even greater wilderness. This could not but upset Peter, who had long dreamed of a guards uniform.

Chapter 3. Fortress

The owner of the Belgorod garrison was Ivan Kuzmich Mironov, but his wife, Vasilisa Egorovna, was actually in charge of everything. Grinev immediately liked simple and sincere people. The middle-aged Mironov couple had a daughter, Masha, but so far their acquaintance has not taken place. In the fortress (which turned out to be a simple village), Peter meets the young lieutenant Alexei Ivanovich Shvabrin, who was exiled here from the guard for a duel that ended in the death of his opponent. Shvabrin, having a habit of speaking unflatteringly about those around him, often spoke sarcastically about Masha, the captain’s daughter, making her look like a complete fool. Then Grinev himself meets the commander’s daughter and questions the lieutenant’s statements.

Chapter 4. Duel

By his nature, kind and good-natured, Grinev began to become closer and closer friends with the commandant and his family, and moved away from Shvabrin. The captain's daughter Masha had no dowry, but turned out to be a charming girl. Shvabrin's caustic remarks did not please Peter. Inspired by thoughts of the young girl on quiet evenings, he began to write poems for her, the contents of which he shared with a friend. But he ridiculed him, and even more began to humiliate Masha’s dignity, assuring that she would come at night to someone who would give her a pair of earrings.

As a result, the friends quarreled, and it came to a duel. Vasilisa Egorovna, the commandant's wife, found out about the duel, but the duelists pretended to make peace, deciding to postpone the meeting until the next day. But in the morning, as soon as they had time to draw their swords, Ivan Ignatich and 5 disabled people were escorted out to Vasilisa Yegorovna. Having reprimanded them properly, she released them. In the evening, Masha, alarmed by the news of the duel, told Peter about Shvabrin’s unsuccessful matchmaking with her. Now Grinev understood his motives for his behavior. The duel still took place. The confident swordsman Peter, taught at least something worthwhile by tutor Beaupre, turned out to be a strong opponent for Shvabrin. But Savelich appeared in the duel, Peter hesitated for a second and ended up wounded.

Chapter 5. Love

The wounded Peter was nursed by his servant and Masha. As a result, the duel brought the young people closer together, and they were inflamed with mutual love for each other. Wanting to marry Masha, Grinev sends a letter to his parents.

Grinev made peace with Shvabrin. Peter's father, having learned about the duel and not wanting to hear about the marriage, became furious and sent his son an angry letter, where he threatened to be transferred from the fortress. At a loss as to how his father could have found out about the duel, Peter attacked Savelich with accusations, but he himself received a letter of dissatisfaction from the owner. Grinev finds only one answer - Shvabrin reported the duel. His father’s refusal to give his blessing does not change Peter’s intentions, but Masha does not agree to get married secretly. They move away from each other for a while, and Grinev realizes that unhappy love can deprive him of his reason and lead to debauchery.

Chapter 6. Pugachevism

Trouble begins in the Belgorod fortress. Captain Mironov receives an order from the general to prepare the fortress for an attack by rebels and robbers. Emelyan Pugachev, who called himself Peter III, escaped from custody and terrified the surrounding area. According to rumors, he had already captured several fortresses and was approaching Belgorod. It was impossible to count on victory with 4 officers and army “disabled” soldiers. Alarmed by rumors about the capture of a neighboring fortress and the execution of officers, Captain Mironov decided to send Masha and Vasilisa Yegorovna to Orenburg, where the fortress was stronger. The captain's wife speaks out against leaving and decides not to leave her husband in difficult times. Masha says goodbye to Peter, but she fails to leave the fortress.

Chapter 7. Attack

Ataman Pugachev appears at the walls of the fortress and offers to surrender without a fight. Commandant Mironov, having learned about the betrayal of the constable and several Cossacks who joined the rebel clan, does not agree to the proposal. He orders his wife to dress Masha as a commoner and take her to the priest’s hut, while he opens fire on the rebels. The battle ends with the capture of the fortress, which, together with the city, passes into the hands of Pugachev.

Right at the commandant’s house, Pugachev commits reprisals against those who refused to take the oath to him. He orders the execution of Captain Mironov and Lieutenant Ivan Ignatyich. Grinev decides that he will not swear allegiance to the robber and will accept an honest death. However, then Shvabrin comes up to Pugachev and whispers something in his ear. The chieftain decides not to ask for the oath, ordering all three to be hanged. But the old faithful servant Savelich throws himself at the ataman’s feet and he agrees to pardon Grinev. Ordinary soldiers and city residents take the oath of allegiance to Pugachev. As soon as the oath was over, Pugachev decided to have dinner, but the Cossacks dragged the naked Vasilisa Yegorovna by the hair from the commandant’s house, where they were plundering property, who was screaming for her husband and cursing the convict. The chieftain ordered to kill her.

Chapter 8. Uninvited Guest

Grinev's heart is not in the right place. He understands that if the soldiers find out that Masha is here and alive, she cannot avoid reprisals, especially since Shvabrin took the side of the rebels. He knows that his beloved is hiding in the priest's house. In the evening, the Cossacks arrived, sent to take him to Pugachev. Although Peter did not accept the Liar’s offer of all sorts of honors for the oath, the conversation between the rebel and the officer was friendly. Pugachev remembered the good and now granted Peter freedom in return.

Chapter 9. Separation

The next morning, in front of the people, Pugachev called Peter to him and told him to go to Orenburg and report on his attack in a week. Savelich began to bother about the looted property, but the villain said that he would let him go to sheepskin coats for such impudence. Grinev and his servant leave Belogorsk. Pugachev appoints Shvabrin as commandant, and he himself goes off to his next exploits.

Peter and Savelich are walking, but one of Pugachev’s gang caught up with them and said that His Majesty was granting them a horse and a sheepskin coat, and half a rouble, but he supposedly lost it.
Masha fell ill and lay delirious.

Chapter 10. Siege of the city

Arriving in Orenburg, Grinev immediately reported on Pugachev’s actions in the Belgorod fortress. A council met, at which everyone except Peter voted for defense rather than attack.

A long siege begins - hunger and need. On his next foray into the enemy’s camp, Peter receives a letter from Masha in which she begs to be saved. Shvabrin wants to marry her and keeps her captive. Grinev goes to the general with a request to give half a company of soldiers to save the girl, but he is refused. Then Peter decides to help out his beloved alone.

Chapter 11. Rebel settlement

On the way to the fortress, Peter ends up on Pugachev’s guard and is taken for interrogation. Grinev honestly tells everything about his plans to the troublemaker and says that he is free to do whatever he wants with him. Pugachev's thug advisors offer to execute the officer, but he says, “have mercy, so have mercy.”

Together with the robber chieftain, Peter travels to the Belgorod fortress; on the road they have a conversation. The rebel says that he wants to go to Moscow. Peter pities him in his heart, begging him to surrender to the mercy of the empress. But Pugachev knows that it’s too late, and says, come what may.

Chapter 12. Orphan

Shvabrin holds the girl on water and bread. Pugachev pardons the AWOL, but from Shvabrin he learns that Masha is the daughter of an unsworn commandant. At first he is furious, but Peter, with his sincerity, wins favor this time too.

Chapter 13. Arrest

Pugachev gives Peter a pass to all outposts. Happy lovers go to their parents' house. They confused the army convoy with Pugachev's traitors and were arrested. Grinev recognized Zurin as the head of the outpost. He said that he was going home to get married. He dissuades him, assuring him to stay in the service. Peter himself understands that duty calls him. He sends Masha and Savelich to their parents.

The military actions of the detachments that came to the rescue ruined the robber plans. But Pugachev could not be caught. Then rumors spread that he was rampant in Siberia. Zurin's detachment is sent to suppress another outbreak. Grinev recalls the unfortunate villages plundered by savages. The troops had to take away what people were able to save. News arrived that Pugachev had been caught.

Chapter 14. Court

Grinev, following Shvabrin's denunciation, was arrested as a traitor. He could not justify himself with love, fearing that Masha would also be interrogated. The Empress, taking into account his father's merits, pardoned him, but sentenced him to lifelong exile. The father was in shock. Masha decided to go to St. Petersburg and ask the Empress for her beloved.

By the will of fate, Maria meets the Empress in the early autumn morning and tells her everything, not knowing who she is talking to. That same morning, a cab driver was sent to pick her up at the house of a socialite, where Masha had settled down for a while, with the order to deliver Mironov’s daughter to the palace.

There Masha saw Catherine II and recognized her as her interlocutor.

Grinev was released from hard labor. Pugachev was executed. Standing on the scaffold in the crowd, he saw Grinev and nodded.

The reunited loving hearts continued the Grinev family, and in their Simbirsk province, under glass, a letter from Catherine II was kept, pardoning Peter and praising Mary for her intelligence and kind heart.

The story is about a gentleman whose identity remains a mystery. This man comes to a small town, the name of which the author did not voice, in order to give free rein to the reader’s imagination. The character's name is Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. Who he is and why he came is not yet known. The real goal: buying dead souls, peasants. Chapter 1 talks about who Chichikov is and about those who will surround him to carry out his plan.

Our main character has developed a good skill: recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of a person. It also adapts well to a changing external environment. From chapters 2 to 6, it talks about landowners and their possessions. In the work we learn that one of his friends is a gossip who leads a riotous lifestyle. This terrible man puts Chichikov’s position at risk and after the rapid development of some events, he flees the city. The post-war period is presented in the poem.

Summary of Gogol Dead Souls by chapters

Chapter 1

The beginning takes place in the provincial town of NN, a luxurious bachelor's carriage drove up to the hotel. No one paid much attention to the chaise, except for two men who argued about whether the cart wheel could reach Moscow or not. Chichikov was sitting in it, the first thoughts about him were ambiguous. The hotel house looked like an old building with two floors, the first floor was not plastered, the second was painted with yellow copper paint. The decorations are typical, that is, poor. The main character introduced himself as collegiate adviser Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. After the guest was received, his footman Petrusha and servant Selifan (aka coachman) arrived.

It’s lunch time, a curious guest asks the tavern employee questions about local authorities, significant persons, landowners, and the state of the region (diseases and epidemics). He leaves the task to the interlocutor to notify the police about his arrival, supporting a paper with the text: “Collegiate adviser Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov.” The hero of the novel goes to inspect the territory and is satisfied. He drew attention to the incorrect information posted in the newspaper about the state of the park and its current situation. Afterwards the gentleman returned to the room, had dinner and fell asleep.

The next day was devoted to visits to people in society. Pavel quickly realized to whom and how to present flattering speeches, but tactfully kept silent about himself. At a party with the governor, he made acquaintance with Sobakevich Mikhail Semenovich and Manilov, simultaneously asking them questions about possessions and serfs, and specifically, he wanted to know who had what number of souls. Chichikov received many invitations and attended each one, finding connections. Many began to speak well of him, until one passage led everyone to bewilderment.

Chapter 2

Lackey Petrusha is silent, he loved to read books of different genres. He also had a peculiarity: sleeping in clothes. Now back to the well-known main character, he finally decided to go with Manilov. The village, as the owner initially said, is 15 versts (16,002 km), but this turned out not to be the case. The estate stood on a hill, blown by the winds, a pitiful sight. The owner happily greeted the traveler. The head of the family did not take care of the estate, but indulged in thoughts and dreams. He considered his wife a wonderful match.

Both are slackers: the pantries are empty, the kitchen masters are disorganized, the housekeeper steals, the servants are always drunk and unclean. The couple was capable of long kisses. At dinner, compliments were exchanged, and the manager's children showed off their knowledge of geography. The time has come to resolve matters. The hero was able to convince the owner to make a deal in which dead people were listed as alive on the audit paper. Manilov decided to give Chichikov dead souls. When Pavel left, he sat on his porch for a long time and thoughtfully smoked his pipe. He thought that they would now become good friends, even dreamed that for their friendship they would receive a reward from the king himself.

Chapter 3

Pavel Ivanovich was in a great mood. Maybe that’s why he didn’t notice that Selifan wasn’t watching the road because he was drunk. It began to rain. Their chaise overturned, and the main character fell into the mud. Somehow, as darkness fell, Selifan and Pavel came across the estate and were allowed to spend the night. The inside of the rooms indicated that the housewives were the type who lamented about the lack of money and harvest, while they themselves put money aside in secluded places. The hostess gave the impression that she was very thrifty.

Waking up in the morning, the vigilant worker studies the yard in detail: there are a lot of poultry and livestock, the peasants’ houses are in good condition. Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka (the lady) invites him to the table. Chichikov invited her to conclude an agreement regarding deceased souls, the landowner was confused. Then she began to introduce hemp, flax and even bird feathers to everything. Agreement has been reached. Everything turned out to be goods. The traveler hurried to leave, because he could no longer tolerate the landowner. A girl accompanied them, she showed them how to get onto the main road and returned. A tavern appeared on the pavement.

Chapter 4

It was a simple tavern, with a standard menu. The staff were asked Peter’s natural questions: how long has the establishment been operating, what is the business of the landowners. Fortunately for Pavel, the owner of the inn knew a lot and gladly shared everything with him. Nozdryov arrived in the dining room. He shares his events: he was with his son-in-law at the fair and lost all the money, things and four horses. Nothing upsets him. There is a bad opinion about him: flaws in his upbringing, a tendency to lie.

The marriage did not affect him, unfortunately his wife died, leaving two children who were not cared for. A gambling person, dishonest in the game, he was often subjected to assault. A visionary, disgusting in everything. The impudent man invited Chichikov to his place for lunch and he gave a positive answer. The tour of the estate, as well as the lunch itself, caused outrage. The main character set the goal of the deal. It all ended in a quarrel. He slept badly at a party. In the morning the swindler invited the hero to play checkers for a deal. It would have come to a fight if the police captain had not come with the news that Nozdryov was under investigation until the circumstances were clarified. The guest ran away and ordered the servant to drive the horses quickly.

Chapter 5

On the way to Sobakevich, Pavel Chichikov collided with a carriage drawn by 6 horses. The teams were very confused. Everyone who was close was in no hurry to help. In the stroller sat an elderly woman and a young girl with blond hair. Chichikov was fascinated by the beautiful stranger. When they parted, he thought about her for a long time, until the estate that interested him appeared. An estate surrounded by forest, with strong buildings of ambiguous architecture.

The owner looked like a bear, as he was strongly built. His house had massive furniture and paintings depicting strong commanders. It was not easy to start a conversation even at lunch hour: Chichikov began to carry on his flattering conversations, and Mikhail started talking about how everyone was a swindler and mentioned a certain man named Plyushkin, whose peasants were dying. After the meal, the auction of dead souls opened, and the main character had to compromise. The city decided to carry out the deal. He, of course, was dissatisfied that the owner asked too much for one soul. When Pavel left, he managed to find out where the cruel holder of souls lived.

Chapter 6

The hero entered a vast village from a log road. This road was unsafe: old wood, ready to fall apart under the weight. Everything was in a state of disrepair: boarded-up windows of the houses, crumbling plaster, an overgrown and dried-out garden, and poverty was felt everywhere. The landowner outwardly resembled the housekeeper, he had neglected himself so outwardly. The owner can be described as follows: small shifty eyes, greasy torn clothes, a strange bandage around his neck. It's like a man begging for alms. Cold and hunger wafted from everywhere. It was impossible to be in the house: complete chaos, a lot of unnecessary furniture, flies floating in containers, a huge collection of dust in all corners. But in fact, he has more reserves of provisions, dishes and other goods that were lost due to the greed of his owner.

Once everything flourished, he had a wife, two daughters, a son, a French teacher, and a governess. But his wife died, the landowner began to harbor anxiety and greed. The eldest daughter secretly married an officer and ran away, the receiver went into service without receiving anything from his father, the youngest daughter died. Bread and hay were rotting in the merchant's barns, but he did not agree to sell. The heiress came to him with her grandchildren and left with nothing. Also, having lost at cards, the son asked for money and was refused.

Plyushkin's stinginess knew no bounds; he complained to Chichikov about his poverty. As a result, Plyushkin sold our master 120 dead souls and seventy runaway peasants at 32 kopecks per one. Both felt happy.

Chapter 7

The present day was declared by the main character to be a notary. He saw that he already had 400 souls, and he also noticed a woman’s name on Sobakevich’s list, thinking that he was unimaginably dishonest. The character went to the ward, completed all the documents and began to bear the title of Kherson landowner. This was celebrated with a festive table with wines and snacks.

Everyone said toasts and someone hinted at marriage, which, due to the naturalness of the situation, the new merchant was happy about. They didn’t let him go for a long time and asked him to stay in the city as long as possible. The feast ended like this: the satisfied owner returned to his chambers, and the residents went to bed.

Chapter 8

The conversations of local residents were only about the purchase of Chichikov. Everyone admired him. The townspeople were even worried about the outbreak of a riot in the new estate, but the master reassured them that the peasants were calm. There were rumors about Chichikov's million-dollar fortune. The ladies especially noticed this. Suddenly, merchants began to trade in expensive fabrics well. The newly-minted hero was glad to receive a letter with love confessions and poems. He was delighted when he was invited to an evening reception with the governor.

At a party, he caused a storm of emotions among the ladies: they surrounded him on all sides so much that he forgot to greet the hostess of the event. The character wanted to find the writer of the letter, but in vain. When he realized that he was acting indecently, he hurried to the governor’s wife and was confused when he saw with her the beautiful blonde whom he had met on the road. It was the owners' daughter, recently graduated from college. Our hero fell out of his rut ​​and lost interest in other ladies, which caused their discontent and aggression towards the young lady.

Everything was spoiled by the appearance of Nozdryov; he began to speak loudly about Pavel’s dishonorable deeds. This spoiled the mood and caused the hero’s quick departure. The appearance of a college secretary, a lady with the last name Korobochka, in the city had a bad effect; she wanted to find out the real price of dead souls, because she was afraid that she had sold too cheap.

Chapter 9

The next morning, the college secretary said that Pavel Ivanovich bought the souls of deceased peasants from her.
Two women were discussing the latest news. One of them shared the news that Chichikov came to a landowner named Korobochka and demanded that she sell the souls of those who had already died. Another lady reported that her husband heard similar information from Mr. Nozdryov.

They began to reason about why the newly minted landowner needed such deals. Their thoughts ended with the following: the master truly pursues the goal of kidnapping the governor’s daughter, and the irresponsible Nozdryov will assist him, and the matter with the departed souls of the peasants is fiction. During their arguments, the prosecutor appeared, the ladies told him their assumptions. Leaving the prosecutor alone with his thoughts, the two persons headed into the city, spreading gossip and hypotheses behind them. Soon the whole city was stunned. Due to the long absence of interesting events, everyone paid attention to the news. There was even a rumor that Chichikov left his wife and walked at night with the governor’s daughter.

Two sides emerged: women and men. The women talked only about the impending theft of the governor's daughter, and the men about the incredible deal. As a result, the governor’s wife interrogated her daughter, but she cried and did not understand what she was accused of. At the same time, some strange stories came to light, in which Chichikov began to be suspected. Then the governor received a document that spoke of a fugitive criminal. Everyone wanted to know who this gentleman really was and decided to look for the answer from the police chief.

Chapter 10 summary Gogol Dead Souls

When all the officials, exhausted by fears, gathered at the appointed place, many began to voice assumptions about who our hero was. One said that the character is none other than a distributor of counterfeit money. And later he stipulated that this might be a lie. Another suggested that he was an official, the Governor-General of the Chancellery. And the next comment refuted the previous one on its own. Nobody liked the idea that he was a common criminal. Then it dawned on one postmaster, he shouted that it was Mr. Kopeikin and began to tell a story about him. The Tale of Captain Kopeikin said this:

“After the war with Napoleon, a wounded captain with the surname Kopeikin was sent. No one knew for sure, under such circumstances he lost his limbs: an arm and a leg, and after which he became a hopeless invalid. The captain was left with his left hand, and it was unclear how he could earn a living. He went to the reception at the commission. When he finally got into the office, he was asked a question about what brought him here, he replied that while shedding blood for his homeland, he lost an arm and a leg, and could not earn a living, and from the commission he wanted to ask the king’s favor. The activist said that the captain would come in 2 days.

When he returned after 3-4 days, the captain was told the following: he needed to wait until the sovereign arrived in St. Petersburg. Kopeikin had no money left, and, in despair, the captain decided to take a rude step; he burst into the office and began to scream. The minister got angry, called the appropriate people, and the captain was taken out of the capital. No one knows what his fate would be like next. It is only known that a gang was organized in those parts, the leader of which is supposedly Kopeikin.” Everyone rejected this strange version, because our hero’s limbs were intact.

Officials, to clarify the situation, decided to invite Nozdryov, knowing that he constantly lies. He contributed to the story and said that Chichikov was a spy, a distributor of counterfeit banknotes and the kidnapper of the governor's daughter. All this news affected the prosecutor so much that upon arriving home he died.

Our main character knew nothing about this. He was in his room, cold and suffering from flux. He was surprised that everyone ignored him. As soon as the main character feels better, he comes to the conclusion that it is time to pay visits to officials. But everyone refused to accept him and talk to him, without explaining the reasons. In the evening, Nozdryov comes to the landowner and talks about his involvement in counterfeit money and the failed kidnapping of a young lady. And also, according to the public, it is his fault that the prosecutor dies and a new governor-general comes to their city. Peter got scared and sent the narrator out. And he himself ordered Selifan and Petrushka to urgently pack their things and hit the road as soon as dawn broke.

Chapter 11

Everything went against Pavel Chichikov’s plans: he overslept, and the chaise was not ready because it was in a deplorable state. He yelled at his servants, but this did not help the situation. Our character was extremely angry. At the forge they charged him a large fee because they realized that the order was urgent. And the waiting did not bring pleasure. When they finally set off, they met a funeral procession, our character concluded that this was fortunate.

Chichikov's childhood was not the most joyful and carefree. His mother and father belonged to the nobility. Our hero lost his mother at an early age, she died, and his father was sick very often. He used violence against little Pavel and forced him to study. When Pavlusha became older, his dad gave him to a relative living in the city so that he could go to classes at the city school. Instead of money, his father left him an instruction in which he instructed his son to learn to please other people. He still left 50 kopecks with the instructions.

Our little hero took his father’s words into account with complete seriousness. The educational institution did not arouse interest, but he willingly learned to increase capital. He sold what his comrades treated him to. Once I trained a mouse for two months and also sold it. There was a case when he made a bullfinch from wax and sold it just as successfully. Pavel's teacher valued the good behavior of his students, and therefore our hero, having graduated from the educational institution and received a certificate, received a reward in the form of a book with golden letters. At this time, Chichikov's father dies. After his death, he left Pavel 4 frock coats, 2 sweatshirts and a small sum of money. Our hero sold their old house for 1 thousand rubles, and redirected their family to serfs. Finally, Pavel Ivanovich learns the story of his teacher: he was expelled from an educational institution and, out of grief, the teacher begins to abuse alcohol. Those with whom he taught helped him, but our character cited a lack of money; he allocated only five kopecks.

Fellow students at the educational institution immediately threw away this disrespectful help. When the teacher learned about these events, he cried for a long time. This is where our hero’s military service begins. After all, he wants to live expensively, have a big house and a personal carriage. But everywhere you need acquaintances in high social circles. He got a position with a small annual salary of 30 or 40 rubles. He always tried to look good, he did it perfectly, especially considering the fact that his colleagues had an unkempt appearance. Chichikov tried in every possible way to attract the attention of the boss, but he was indifferent to our hero. Until the main character found the weak point of the authorities, and his weakness is that his already mature and unattractive daughter is still alone. Pavel began to show her signs of attention:

stood next to her whenever possible. Then he was invited to visit for tea, and after a short time he was received into the house as a groom. After a while, the place of the head of office work in the order became vacant in the ward, Chichikov took this position. As soon as he moved up the career ladder, a chest with the things of the prospective groom disappeared from the bride's house, he ran away and stopped calling his boss daddy. Despite all this, he smiled affectionately at his failed father-in-law and invited him to visit him when he met him. The boss remained with the honest understanding that he had been vilely and skillfully deceived.

According to Chichikov, he did the most difficult thing. In a new place, the main character began to fight against those officials who accept material assets from anyone, while he himself turned out to be the one who accepts bribes on a large scale. A project to build a building for the state began, Chichikov took part in this project. For 6 long years, only the foundation of the building was built, while the members of the commission added to their property an elegant building of high architectural value.

Pavel Petrovich began to pamper himself with expensive things: thin Dutch shirts, thoroughbred horses and many other little things. Finally, the old boss was replaced by a new one: a military-trained man, honest, decent, a fighter against corruption. This marked the end of Chichikov’s activity; he was forced to flee to another city and start all over again. In a short time, he changed several low positions in a new place, being in a circle of people who did not correspond to his status, so our hero thought. During his troubles, Pavel was a little drained, but the hero dealt with the troubles and got to a new position, he began working at customs. Chichikov’s dream came true; he was full of energy and put all his strength into his new position. Everyone thought that he was an excellent worker, quick-witted and attentive, he often managed to identify smugglers.

Chichikov was a fierce punisher, honest and incorruptible to such an extent that it did not look entirely natural. He was soon noticed by his superiors, the main character was promoted, after which he provided his superiors with a plan to catch all the smugglers. His elaborate plan was approved. Pavel was given full freedom of action in this area. The criminals felt fear, they even formed a criminal group and planned to bribe Pavel Ivanovich, to which he gave them a secret answer, it said that they needed to wait.

The culmination of Chichikov's machinations had come: when, under the guise of Spanish sheep, smugglers smuggled expensive products. Chichikov earned about 500 thousand from a specific fraud, and the criminals earned at least 400 thousand rubles. Being drunk, our main character came into conflict with a man who also took part in the lace fraud. Because of this event, all of Chichikov’s secret affairs with smugglers were revealed. Our indomitable hero was put on trial, everything that belonged to him was confiscated. He lost almost all his money, but he resolved the issue of criminal prosecution in his favor. Again we had to start from the bottom. He was initiated into all matters, and again managed to gain trust. It was in this place that he learned how to make money from dead peasants. He really liked this possible way of earning money.

He figured out how to earn a lot of capital, but realized that he needed land where souls would be located. And this place is Kherson province. And so he chose a convenient place, explored all the intricacies of the matter, found the right people, and gained their trust. Human passions are of different natures. From birth, our hero lived the life that he preferred for himself in the future. His growing up environment was not favorable. Of course, we ourselves have the right to choose what qualities to develop in ourselves. Someone chooses nobility, honor, dignity, someone sets the main goal of building capital, having a foundation under their feet, in the form of material wealth. But, unfortunately, the most important factor in our choice is that a lot depends on those who have been with the person from the beginning of his life’s journey.

Do not succumb to the weaknesses that drag us down spiritually - this is probably how you can even cope with the pressure of others. Each of us has our own natural essence, and this essence is influenced by culture and worldview. A person has a desire to be human, this is important. Who is Pavel Chichikov for you? Draw your own conclusions. The author showed all the qualities that were in our hero, but imagine that Nikolai Vasilyevich would present the work from a different angle and then you would change your opinion about our hero. Everyone has forgotten that there is no need to be afraid of an honest, direct, open look, there is no need to be afraid to show such a look. After all, it is always easier not to pay attention to this or that action, to forgive someone everything, and to insult someone completely. You should always start your work with yourself, think about how honest you are, whether you have responsibility, whether you laugh at other people’s failures, whether you support a person close to you in moments of despair, whether you have any positive qualities at all.

Well, our hero safely disappeared into a chaise carried by three horses.

Conclusion

The work “Dead Souls” was published in 1842. The author planned to release three volumes. For some unknown reason, the writer destroyed the second volume, but several chapters were preserved in drafts. The third volume remains at the planning stage, very little is known about it. Work on the poem was carried out in various parts of the world. The plot of the novel was suggested to the author by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin.

Throughout the entire work there are comments from the author about how he admires the beautiful views of his homeland and the people. The work is considered epic because it touches on everything at once. The novel shows well the human capacity for degradation. Many human shades of character are shown: uncertainty, lack of inner core, stupidity, whim, laziness, greed. Although not all characters were originally like this.

Summary of Dubova The Fugitive

The fugitive is a prototype of a person who is trying to escape from this reality of a cruel world, where even the closest people show cruelty and heartlessness. Life is not like that, but most people make it so.

Summary Prishvin Inventor

There is a version that Prishvin’s story “The Inventor” was written about events from the life of the author of this work. The story makes it very clear that from the very first lines the reader will empathize with all the characters.

Summary I have the honor Pikul

The hero of the work was born at the end of the 19th century into a poor noble family and was raised without a mother, who left her husband.

In the morning, Chichikov cannot leave the city (he overslept, the chaise was not laid, the horses were not shod). He leaves only in the evening, on the way he meets a funeral procession (the funeral of a prosecutor), all the officials follow the coffin, and everyone thinks about the new governor-general and their future relationship with him. The chaise leaves the city. A lyrical digression about Russia follows.

"Rus! Rus! I see you, from my wonderful, beautiful distance I see you: poor, scattered and uncomfortable in you; The daring divas of nature, crowned by the daring divas of art, will not amuse or frighten the eyes... Everything in you is open, deserted and even; like dots, like icons, your low cities stick out inconspicuously among the plains; nothing will seduce or enchant the eye. But what incomprehensible, secret force attracts you? Why is your melancholy song, rushing along your entire length and width, from sea to sea, heard and heard incessantly in your ears? What's in it, in this song? What calls and cries and grabs your heart? What sounds painfully kiss and strive into the soul and curl around my heart? Rus! what do you want from me? what incomprehensible connection is hidden between us?... What does this vast expanse prophesy? Isn’t it here, in you, that a boundless thought will be born, when you yourself are endless? Shouldn't a hero be here when there is a place for him to turn around and pass? and a mighty space envelops me menacingly, reflecting with terrible force in my depths; My eyes lit up with unnatural power: oh! what a sparkling, wonderful, unknown distance to the earth! Rus!.."

The author's discussion follows about the hero of the literary work (this is not a virtuous person) and about the origin of Chichikov. Chichikov's parents were nobles, their son does not look like them, “life looked at him... sourly and unpleasantly.” Pavlusha’s father took Pavlusha to the city to go to school with an old relative. The father's instructions boiled down to the fact that the boy should please his teachers and superiors, hang out only with rich friends, not share with anyone, but behave in such a way that he would be treated, and most of all, save a penny. Chichikov was never known to have any special abilities, but the boy had a “practical mind”, saved his own money, sold the treats offered to him, showed him a trained mouse for money, curried favor with teachers and as a result received a certificate with golden letters. Towards the end of school, Chichikov's father dies, his son sells the dilapidated house and enters the service. He betrays the teacher who was expelled from school, whom all his former comrades helped and who really counted on the support of his favorite student Chichikov. Chichikov serves, pleasing his boss in everything, takes care of his ugly daughter, hints that he would not mind getting married, seeks promotion and does not marry. He is a member of the commission for the construction of a government building, for which a lot of money has been allocated, but the building is being built “no higher than the foundation” (Chichikov’s austerity and abstinence have ended). The new boss, a military man, hated Chichikov at first sight, and the latter was forced to start his career from scratch. Chichikov enters the customs service, since from this place he can fuck a lot. Chichikov reveals a talent for searches and inspections. Chichikov is promoted, and he presents a project to capture smugglers. At this time he himself conspires with smugglers and receives a lot of money (400-500 thousand). He quarrels with the friend with whom he shared, and they are brought to justice. The resourceful Chichikov manages to save some of the money and starts all over again as an attorney. There he is struck by the idea of ​​buying and reselling dead souls (he is going to put them in the bank under the guise of living ones, and having received a loan as collateral, he will hide).

Thinking about how readers will react to his hero, the author cites the parable of Kif Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich, father and son. The existence of the father is turned into a speculative direction (a sample of reflection: “a beast is not born from an egg”), and the son is rowdy. In response to requests to appease his son, Kifa Mokievich does not want to interfere in anything, “if he remains a dog, then let them not find out about it from me, let it not be me who gave him away.”

At the end of the poem, the chaise is moving quickly along the road, the horses are rushing at full speed. “And what Russian doesn’t like driving fast?”

“Oh, three! bird-three, who invented you? You 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, alive, with only an ax and a chisel, the efficient Yaroslavl man equipped you and assembled you. The driver is not wearing German boots: he has a beard and mittens, and sits on God knows what; and he stood up and swung, and began to sing - the horses were 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 - there it rushed, rushed, rushed!.. And you can already see in the distance how that It’s dusty and drills into the air.

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 this terrifying movement mean? 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.

DEAD SOULS

Gogol called his work a “poem”; the author meant “a lesser kind of epic... Prospectus for a textbook of literature for Russian youth. The hero of the epic is a private and invisible person, but significant in many respects for observing the human soul.” The poem nevertheless contains features of a social and adventure novel. The composition of “Dead Souls” is built on the principle of “concentric circles” - the city, the estates of the landowners, all of Russia as a whole.

Volume 1

CHAPTER 1

A chaise drove through the gates of a hotel in the provincial town of NN, in which sits a gentleman “not handsome, but not of bad appearance, not too fat, not too thin; I can’t say that I’m old, but I can’t say that I’m too young.” This gentleman is Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. At the hotel he eats a hearty lunch. The author describes the provincial town: “The houses were one, two and one and a half floors, with an eternal mezzanine, very beautiful, according to the provincial architects.

In some places these houses seemed lost among a street as wide as a field and endless wooden fences; in some places they huddled together, and here the movement of people and liveliness was more noticeable. There were signs almost washed away by the rain with pretzels and boots, in some places with painted blue trousers and the signature of some Arshavian tailor; where is a store with caps, caps and the inscription: “Foreigner Vasily Fedorov”... Most often, the darkened double-headed state eagles were noticeable, which have now been replaced by a laconic inscription: “Drinking House”. The pavement was pretty bad everywhere.”

Chichikov pays visits to city officials - the governor, vice-governor, chairman of the chamber * prosecutor, police chief, as well as the inspector of the medical board, the city architect. Chichikov builds excellent relationships with everyone everywhere and with the help of flattery, gaining the trust of each of those he visited. Each of the officials invites Pavel Ivanovich to visit them, although they know little about him.

Chichikov attended the governor’s ball, where “he somehow knew how to find his way around everything and showed himself to be an experienced socialite. Whatever the conversation was about, he always knew how to support it: whether it was about a horse factory, he talked about a horse factory; were they talking about good dogs, and here he made very practical comments; whether they interpreted the investigation carried out by the treasury chamber, he showed that he was not unaware of the judicial tricks; whether there was a discussion about the billiard game - and in the billiard game he did not miss; they talked about virtue, and he talked about virtue very well, even with tears in his eyes; about making hot wine, and he knew Tsrok about hot wine; about customs overseers and officials, and he judged them as if he himself were both an official and an overseer. But it’s remarkable that he knew how to dress it all up with some kind of sedateness, he knew how to behave well. He spoke neither loudly nor quietly, but absolutely as he should.” At the ball he met the landowners Manilov and Sobakevich, whom he also managed to win over. Chichikov finds out what condition their estates are in and how many peasants they have. Manilov and Sobakevich invite Chichikov to their estate. While visiting the police chief, Chichikov meets the landowner Nozdryov, “a man of about thirty, a broken fellow.”

CHAPTER 2

Chichikov has two servants - the coachman Selifan and the footman Petrushka. The latter reads a lot and everything, while he is not occupied with what he reads, but with putting letters into words. In addition, Parsley has a “special smell” because she very rarely goes to the bathhouse.

Chichikov goes to Manilov's estate. It takes a long time to find his estate. “The village of Manilovka could lure few people with its location. The master's house stood alone on the jura, that is, on an elevation open to all the winds that could possibly blow; the slope of the mountain on which he stood was covered with trimmed turf. Two or three flower beds with lilac and yellow acacia bushes were scattered on it in English style; Five or six birches in small clumps here and there raised their thin, small-leaved tops. Under two of them was visible a gazebo with a flat green dome, blue wooden columns and the inscription: “Temple of Solitary Reflection”; Below is a pond covered with greenery, which, however, is not unusual in the English gardens of Russian landowners. At the foot of this elevation, and partly along the slope itself, gray log huts were darkened along and across...” Manilov was glad to see the guest’s arrival. The author describes the landowner and his farm: “He was a prominent man; His facial features were not devoid of pleasantness, but this pleasantness seemed to have too much sugar in it; in his techniques and turns there was something ingratiating favor and acquaintance. He smiled enticingly, was blond, with blue eyes. In the first minute of a conversation with him, you can’t help but say: “What a pleasant and kind person!” The next minute you won’t say anything, and the third you’ll say: “The devil knows what it is!” - and move away; If you don’t leave, you will feel mortal boredom. You won’t get any lively or even arrogant words from him, which you can hear from almost anyone if you touch an object that bothers him... You can’t say that he was involved in farming, he never even went to the fields, farming somehow went on by itself. .. Sometimes, looking from the porch at the yard and the pond, he talked about how nice it would be if suddenly an underground passage was built from the house or a stone bridge was built across the pond, on which there would be shops on both sides, and so that Merchants sat there and sold various small goods needed by the peasants... All these projects ended with just words. In his office there was always some kind of book, bookmarked on page fourteen, which he had been constantly reading for two years. There was always something missing in his house: in the living room there was beautiful furniture, upholstered in smart silk fabric, which was probably quite expensive; but there wasn’t enough for two armchairs, and the armchairs were simply covered with matting... In the evening, a very dandy candlestick made of dark bronze with three antique graces, with a dandy mother-of-pearl shield, was placed on the table, and next to him was placed some simple copper invalid, lame, curled up to the side and covered in fat, although neither the owner, nor the mistress, nor the servants noticed this.”

Manilov's wife suits his character very well. There is no order in the house because she doesn't keep track of anything. She is well brought up, she received her education in a boarding school, “and in boarding schools, as is known, three main subjects form the basis of human virtues: the French language, necessary for the happiness of family life, the piano, for making pleasant moments for the spouse, and, finally, the economic part itself: knitting purses and other surprises.”

Manilov and Chichikov show inflated courtesy towards each other, which leads them to the point that they both squeeze through the same doors at the same time. The Manilovs invite Chichikov to dinner, which is attended by both of Manilov’s sons: Themistoclus and Alcides. The first one has a runny nose and bites his brother's ear. Alcides, swallowing tears, covered in fat, eats a leg of lamb.

At the end of lunch, Manilov and Chichikov go to the owner’s office, where they have a business conversation. Chichikov asks Manilov for revision tales - a detailed register of peasants who died after the last census. He wants to buy dead souls. Manilov is amazed. Chichikov convinces him that everything will happen in accordance with the law, that the tax will be paid. Manilov finally calms down and gives away the dead souls for free, believing that he has done Chichikov a huge service. Chichikov leaves, and Manilov indulges in dreams, in which it comes to the point that for their strong friendship with Chichikov, the Tsar will reward both with the rank of general.

CHAPTER 3

Chichikov goes to Sobakevich's estate, but gets caught in heavy rain and gets lost on the road. His chaise overturns and falls into the mud. Nearby is the estate of the landowner Nastasya Petrovna Korobochka, where Chichikov comes. He goes into a room that “was hung with old striped wallpaper; paintings with some birds; between the windows there are old small mirrors with dark frames in the shape of curled leaves; Behind every mirror there was either a letter, or an old deck of cards, or a stocking; a wall clock with painted flowers on the dial... it was impossible to notice anything more... A minute later the hostess entered, an elderly woman, in some kind of sleeping cap, put on hastily, with a flannel around her neck, one of those mothers, small landowners, who cry about crop failures and losses and keep their heads somewhat to one side, and meanwhile, little by little they collect money in colorful bags placed on the drawers of their chests of drawers...”

Korobochka leaves Chichikov to spend the night in his house. In the morning, Chichikov starts a conversation with her about selling dead souls. Korobochka can’t understand what he needs them for, so he offers to buy honey or hemp from her. She is constantly afraid of selling herself short. Chichikov manages to convince her to agree to the deal only after he tells a lie about himself - that he conducts government contracts, promises to buy both honey and hemp from her in the future. The box believes what was said. The bidding went on for a long time, after which the deal finally took place. Chichikov keeps his papers in a box that consists of many compartments and has a secret drawer for money.

CHAPTER 4

Chichikov stops at a tavern, to which Nozdryov’s chaise soon arrives. Nozdryov is “of average height, a very well-built fellow with full rosy cheeks, teeth white as snow and jet-black sideburns. It was fresh, like blood and milk; health seemed to be dripping from his face.” He said with a very satisfied look that he had lost, and not only lost his money,

I but also the money of his son-in-law Mizhuev, who is present right there. Nozdryov invites Chichikov to his place and promises a delicious treat. He himself drinks in the tavern at the expense of his son-in-law. The author characterizes Nozdryov as a “broken fellow,” from that breed of people who “even in childhood and at school are reputed to be good comrades and, for all that, they are painfully beaten... They soon get to know each other, and before you have time to look back, as they already say "you" to you. They will make friends, it seems, forever: but it almost always happens that the person who has become friends will fight with them that same evening at a friendly party. They are always talkers, carousers, reckless people, prominent people. Nozdryov at thirty-five was exactly the same as he was at eighteen and twenty: a lover of a walk. Marriage did not change him at all, especially since his wife soon went to the next world, leaving behind two children who he absolutely did not need... He could not sit at home for more than a day. His sensitive nose heard him several dozen miles away, where there was a fair with all sorts of conventions and balls; in the blink of an eye he was there, arguing and causing chaos at the green table, for, like all such people, he had a passion for cards... Nozdryov was in some respects a historical man. Not a single meeting he attended was complete without a story. Some story would certainly happen: either the gendarmes would lead him out of the hall by the arm, or his friends would be forced to push him out... And he would lie completely unnecessarily: he would suddenly tell that he had a horse of some kind of blue or pink wool, and similar nonsense, so that those listening finally all leave, saying: “Well, brother, it seems you have already begun to pour bullets.”

Nozdryov is one of those people who have a “passion to spoil their neighbors, sometimes for no reason at all.” His favorite pastime was exchanging things and losing money and property. Arriving at Nozdryov’s estate, Chichikov sees an unprepossessing stallion, about which Nozdryov says that he paid ten thousand for it. He shows a kennel where a dubious breed of dog is kept. Nozdryov is a master of lying. He talks about how there are fish of extraordinary size in his pond, and that his Turkish daggers bear the mark of a famous master. The dinner to which this landowner invited Chichikov was bad.

Chichikov begins business negotiations, saying that he needs dead souls for a profitable marriage, so that the bride’s parents believe that he is a wealthy man. Nozdryov is going to donate dead souls and, in addition, is trying to sell a stallion, a mare, a barrel organ, etc. Chichikov flatly refuses. Nozdryov invites him to play cards, which Chichikov also refuses. For this refusal, Nozdryov orders that Chichikov’s horse be fed not with oats, but with hay, to which the guest is offended. Nozdryov does not feel awkward, and the next morning, as if nothing had happened, he invites Chichikov to play checkers. He rashly agrees. The landowner begins to cheat. Chichikov accuses him of this, Nozdryov starts fighting, calls the servants and orders them to beat the guest. Suddenly, a police captain appears and arrests Nozdryov for insulting the landowner Maximov while drunk. Nozdryov refuses everything, says that he does not know any Maksimov. Chichikov quickly leaves.

CHAPTER 5

Through Selifan's fault, Chichikov's chaise collides with another chaise in which two ladies are traveling - an elderly and a sixteen-year-old very beautiful girl. The men gathered from the village separate the horses. Chichikov is shocked by the beauty of the young girl, and after the chaises have left, he thinks about her for a long time. The traveler approaches the village of Mikhail Semenovich Sobakevich. “A wooden house with a mezzanine, a red roof and dark or, better, wild walls - a house like the ones we build for military settlements and German colonists. It was noticeable that during its construction the architect constantly struggled with the taste of the owner. The architect was a pedant and wanted symmetry, the owner wanted convenience and, apparently, as a result, he boarded up all the corresponding windows on one side and screwed in their place one small one, probably needed for a dark closet. The pediment also did not fit in the middle of the house, no matter how hard the architect struggled, because the owner ordered one column on the side to be thrown out, and therefore there were not four columns, as was intended, but only three. The yard was surrounded by a strong and excessively thick wooden lattice. The landowner seemed to be concerned a lot about strength. For stables, barns and kitchens, full-weight and thick logs were used, determined to stand for centuries. The village huts of the peasants were also built marvelously: there were no brick walls, carved patterns or other tricks, but everything was fitted tightly and properly. Even the well was lined with such strong oak, the kind that is used only for mills and ships. In a word, everything he looked at was stubborn, without swaying, in some kind of strong and clumsy order.”

The owner himself seems to Chichikov to look like a bear. “To complete the similarity, the tailcoat he was wearing was completely bear-colored, the sleeves were long, the trousers were long, he walked with his feet this way and that, constantly stepping on other people’s feet. The complexion had a red-hot, hot complexion, like what happens on a copper coin..."

Sobakevich had a manner of speaking straightforwardly about everything. He says about the governor that he is “the first robber in the world,” and the police chief is a “swindler.” At lunch Sobakevich eats a lot. He tells the guest about his neighbor Plyushkin, a very stingy man who owns eight hundred peasants.

Chichikov says that he wants to buy dead souls, which Sobakevich is not surprised by, but immediately begins bidding. He promises to sell 100 steering wheels for each dead soul, and says that the dead were real masters. They trade for a long time. In the end, they agree on three rubles apiece and draw up a document, since each fears dishonesty on the part of the other. Sobakevich offers to buy dead female souls cheaper, but Chichikov refuses, although it later turns out that the landowner did include one woman in the deed of purchase. Chichikov leaves. On the way, he asks a man how to get to Plyushkina. The chapter ends with a lyrical digression about the Russian language. “The Russian people are expressing themselves strongly! and if he rewards someone with a word, then it will go to his family and posterity, he will drag it with him into service, and into retirement, and to Petersburg, and to the ends of the world... What is accurately spoken, is the same as what is written, cannot be cut down with an ax . And how accurate is everything that came out of the depths of Rus', where there are no Germans, no Chukhons, or any other tribes, and everything is a nugget itself, a lively and lively Russian mind that does not reach into its pocket for a word, does not hatch it , like a mother hen chicks, but it sticks right away, like a passport on an eternal sock, and there is nothing to add later, what kind of nose or lips you have - you are outlined with one line from head to toe! Just as a countless number of churches, monasteries with domes, domes, crosses are scattered throughout holy, pious Rus', so a countless number of tribes, generations, peoples crowd, variegate 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 characteristics and other gifts, each in its own way distinguished itself with its own word, with which, expressing any object, it reflects part of its own character in its expression. 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 boil and vibrate as well as an aptly spoken Russian word.”

CHAPTER 6

The chapter begins with a lyrical digression about travel. “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 to an unfamiliar place for the first time: 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 there is a 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!

Chichikov heads to Plyushkin’s estate, but for a long time cannot find the owner’s house. Finally he finds a “strange castle” that looks like a “decrepit invalid”. “In some places it was one floor, in others it was two; on the dark roof, which did not always reliably protect his old age, two belvederes stuck out, one opposite the other, both already shaky, devoid of the paint that once covered them. The walls of the house were cracked in places by the bare plaster lattice and, apparently, had suffered a lot from all sorts of bad weather, rain, whirlwinds and autumn changes. Only two of the windows were open; the others were covered with shutters or even boarded up. These two windows, for their part, were also weak-sighted; on one of them there was a dark stick-on triangle made of blue sugar paper.” Chichikov meets a man of indeterminate gender (he cannot understand whether he is a man or a woman). He decides that this is the housekeeper, but then it turns out that this is the rich landowner Stepan Plyushkin. The author talks about how Plyushkin came to such a life. In the past, he was a thrifty landowner; he had a wife who was famous for her hospitality, and three children. But after the death of his wife, “Plyushkin became more restless and, like all widowers, more suspicious and stingy.” He cursed his daughter because she ran away and married an officer of the cavalry regiment. The youngest daughter died, and the son, instead of studying, joined the military. Every year Plyushkin became more and more stingy. Very soon the merchants stopped taking goods from him, because they could not bargain with the landowner. All his goods - hay, wheat, flour, linen - everything rotted. Plyushkin saved everything, and at the same time picked up other people’s things that he did not need at all. His stinginess knew no bounds: for all of Plyushkin’s servants there are only boots, he stores crackers for several months, he knows exactly how much liqueur he has in the decanter, since he makes marks. When Chichikov tells him what he came for, Plyushkin is very happy. Offers the guest to buy not only dead souls, but also runaway peasants. Bargainable. The received money is hidden in a box. It is clear that he will never use this money, like others. Chichikov leaves, to the great joy of the owner, refusing the treat. Returns to the hotel.

CHAPTER 7

The narrative begins with a lyrical digression about two types of writers. “Happy is the writer who, past boring, disgusting characters, striking with their sad reality, approaches characters that demonstrate the high dignity of a person who, from the great pool of daily rotating images, chose only a few exceptions, who never changed the sublime structure of his lyre, did not descend from his peak to his poor, insignificant brothers, and, without touching the ground, he plunged entirely into his own, far removed from it and exalted images... But this is not the destiny, and another fate of the writer who dared to call out everything that is every minute before his eyes and of which indifferent eyes do not see all the terrible, stunning details that entangle our lives, all the depth of the cold, fragmented, everyday characters with which our earthly, sometimes bitter and boring path teems, and with the strong force of an inexorable chisel daring to expose them convexly and brightly on the eyes of the people! He will not receive popular applause, he will not experience the grateful tears and unanimous delight of the souls excited by him... Without division, without answer, without participation, like a familyless traveler, he will remain alone in the middle of the road. His field is harsh, and he will feel his loneliness bitterly.”

After all the deeds of sale have been completed, Chichikov becomes the owner of four hundred dead souls. He reflects on who these people were when they were alive. Coming out of the hotel onto the street, Chichikov meets Manilov. They go together to complete the deed of sale. In the office, Chichikov gives a bribe to the official Ivan Antonovich Kuvshinnoye Rylo to speed up the process. However, the bribe is given unnoticed - the official covers the note with a book, and it seems to disappear. Sobakevich is sitting with the boss. Chichikov agrees that the deed of sale will be completed within a day, since he supposedly needs to leave urgently. He gives the chairman a letter from Plyushkin, in which he asks him to be an attorney in his case, to which the chairman happily agrees.

The documents are drawn up in the presence of witnesses, Chichikov pays only half of the fee to the treasury, while the other half was “attributed in some incomprehensible way to the account of another petitioner.” After a successfully completed transaction, everyone goes to lunch with the police chief, during which Sobakevich eats a huge sturgeon alone. The tipsy guests ask Chichikov to stay and decide to marry him. Chichikov informs those gathered that he is buying peasants for removal to the Kherson province, where he has already acquired an estate. He himself believes in what he says. Petrushka and Selifan, after sending the drunken owner to the hotel, go for a walk to the tavern.

CHAPTER 8

City residents discuss what Chichikov bought. Everyone tries to offer him help in delivering the peasants to their place. Among the proposals are a convoy, a police captain to pacify a possible riot, and education of the serfs. A description of the city residents follows: “they were all good people, living in harmony with each other, treated themselves in a completely friendly manner, and their conversations bore the stamp of some special simplicity and brevity: “Dear friend Ilya Ilyich,” “Listen, brother, Antipator Zakharyevich!”... To the postmaster, whose name was Ivan Andreevich, they always added: “Sprechen zadeich, Ivan Andreich?” - in a word, everything was very family-like. Many were not without education: the chairman of the chamber knew by heart Zhukovsky’s “Lyudmila,” which was still big news at that time... The postmaster delved more deeply into philosophy and read very diligently, even at night, Jung’s “Nights” and “The Key to the Mysteries of Nature "Eckartshausen, from which he made very long extracts... he was witty, flowery in words and loved, as he himself put it, to embellish his speech. The others were also more or less enlightened people: some read Karamzin, some “Moskovskie Vedomosti”, some didn’t even read anything at all... As for appearances, it is already known, they were all reliable people, there was no one consumptive among them. All were of the kind to whom wives, in tender conversations taking place in solitude, gave names: egg capsules, chubby, pot-bellied, nigella, kiki, juju, and so on. But in general they were kind people, full of hospitality, and a person who ate bread with them or spent an evening playing whist already became something close...”

The city ladies were “what they call presentable, and in this respect they could safely be set as an example to everyone else... They dressed with great taste, drove around the city in carriages, as prescribed by the latest fashion, with a footman swaying behind them, and a livery in gold braiding ... In morals, the ladies of the city of N. were strict, filled with noble indignation against everything vicious and all temptations, they executed all kinds of weaknesses without any mercy... It must also be said that the ladies of the city of N. were distinguished, like many ladies in St. Petersburg, by extraordinary caution and decorum in words and expressions. They never said: “I blew my nose,” “I sweated,” “I spat,” but they said: “I relieved my nose,” “I managed with a handkerchief.” In no case could one say: “this glass or this plate stinks.” And it was even impossible to say anything that would give a hint of this, but instead they said: “this glass is not behaving well” or something like that. In order to further refine the Russian language, almost half of the words were completely thrown out of the conversation, and therefore it was very often necessary to resort to the French language, but there, in French, it’s a different matter: there were allowed words that were much harsher than those mentioned.”

All the ladies of the city are delighted with Chichikov, one of them even sent him a love letter. Chichikov is invited to the governor's ball. Before the ball, he spends a long time spinning in front of the mirror. At the ball, he is the center of attention, trying to figure out who the author of the letter is. The governor's wife introduces Chichikov to her daughter - the same girl he saw in the chaise. He almost falls in love with her, but she misses his company. The other ladies are outraged that all of Chichikov's attention is going to the governor's daughter. Suddenly Nozdryov appears, who tells the governor about how Chichikov offered to buy dead souls from him. The news spreads quickly, and the ladies convey it as if they don’t believe it, since everyone knows Nozdryov’s reputation. Korobochka comes to the city at night, interested in the prices of dead souls - she is afraid that she has sold too cheap.

CHAPTER 9

The chapter describes the visit of a “pleasant lady” to a “lady pleasant in every way.” Her visit comes an hour earlier than the usual time for visits in the city - she is in such a hurry to tell the news she heard. The lady tells her friend that Chichikov is a robber in disguise, who demanded that Korobochka sell him dead peasants. The ladies decide that the dead souls are just an excuse; in fact, Chichikov is going to take away the governor’s daughter. They discuss the girl’s behavior, herself, and recognize her as unattractive and mannered. The husband of the mistress of the house appears - the prosecutor, to whom the ladies tell the news, which confuses him.

The men of the city are discussing the purchase of Chichikov, the women are discussing the kidnapping of the governor's daughter. The story is replenished with details, they decide that Chichikov has an accomplice, and this accomplice is probably Nozdryov. Chichikov is credited with organizing a peasant revolt in Borovki, Zadi-railovo-tozh, during which assessor Drobyazhkin was killed. On top of everything else, the governor receives news that a robber has escaped and a counterfeiter has appeared in the province. A suspicion arises that one of these persons is Chichikov. The public cannot decide what to do.

CHAPTER 10

Officials are so concerned about the current situation that many are even losing weight out of grief. They call a meeting with the police chief. The police chief decides that Chichikov is Captain Kopeikin in disguise, an invalid without an arm and a leg, a hero of the War of 1812. Kopeikin received nothing from his father after returning from the front. He goes to St. Petersburg to seek the truth from the sovereign. But the king is not in the capital. Kopeikin goes to the nobleman, the head of the commission, for an audience with whom he waits for a long time in the reception room. The general promises help and offers to come over one of these days. But the next time he says that he cannot do anything without the special permission of the king. Captain Kopeikin is running out of money, and the doorman will no longer let him see the general. He endures many hardships, eventually breaks through to see the general, and says that he can’t wait any longer. The general very rudely sends him away and sends him out of St. Petersburg at public expense. After some time, a gang of robbers led by Kopeikin appears in the Ryazan forests.

Other officials nevertheless decide that Chichikov is not Kopeikin, since his arms and legs are intact. It is suggested that Chichikov is Napoleon in disguise. Everyone decides that it is necessary to interrogate Nozdryov, despite the fact that he is a known liar. Nozdryov says that he sold Chichikov several thousand worth of dead souls and that already at the time when he was studying with Chichikov at school, he was already a counterfeiter and a spy, that he was going to kidnap the governor’s daughter and Nozdryov himself helped him. Nozdryov realizes that he has gone too far in his tales, and possible problems scare him. But the unexpected happens - the prosecutor dies. Chichikov knows nothing about what is happening because he is sick. Three days later, leaving the house, he discovers that he is either not received anywhere or is received in some strange way. Nozdryov tells him that the city considers him a counterfeiter, that he was going to kidnap the governor’s daughter, and that it was his fault that the prosecutor died. Chichikov orders things to be packed.

CHAPTER 11

In the morning, Chichikov cannot leave the city for a long time - he overslept, the chaise was not laid, the horses were not shod. It is possible to leave only in the late afternoon. On the way, Chichikov encounters a funeral procession - the prosecutor is being buried. All the officials follow the coffin, each of them thinking about the new governor-general and their relationship with him. Chichikov leaves the city. Next is a lyrical digression about Russia. "Rus! Rus! I see you, from my wonderful, beautiful distance I see you: poor, scattered and uncomfortable in you; the daring divas of nature, crowned by the daring divas of art, cities with many-windowed high palaces grown into the cliffs, picture trees and ivy grown into houses, in the noise and eternal dust of waterfalls will not amuse or frighten the eyes; her head will not fall back to look at the boulders of stone endlessly piled up above her and in the heights; through the dark arches thrown one upon another, entangled with grape branches, ivy and countless millions of wild roses, the eternal lines of shining mountains, rushing into the silver clear skies, will not flash through them in the distance... But what incomprehensible, secret force attracts you? Why is your melancholy song, rushing along your entire length and width, from sea to sea, heard and heard incessantly in your ears? What's in it, in this song? What calls and cries and grabs your heart? What sounds painfully kiss and strive into the soul and curl around my heart? Rus! what do you want from me? what incomprehensible connection lies between us? Why are you looking like that, and why has everything that is in you turned its eyes full of expectation on me?.. And a mighty space threateningly embraces me, reflecting with terrible force in my depths; My eyes lit up with unnatural power: oh! what a sparkling, wonderful, unknown distance to the earth! Rus!.."

The author talks about the hero of the work and the origin of Chichikov. His parents are nobles, but he is not like them. Chichikov's father sent his son to the city to visit an old relative so that he could enter college. The father gave his son instructions, which he strictly followed in life - to please his superiors, hang out only with the rich, not to share with anyone, to save money. No special talents were noticed in him, but he had a “practical mind.” Chichikov, even as a boy, knew how to make money - he sold treats, showed a trained mouse for money. He pleased his teachers and superiors, which is why he graduated from school with a gold certificate. His father dies, and Chichikov, having sold his father’s house, enters the service. He betrays the teacher who was expelled from school, who was counting on the fake of his beloved student. Chichikov serves, trying to please his superiors in everything, even caring for his ugly daughter, hinting at a wedding. Gets a promotion and doesn't get married. Soon Chichikov joins the commission for the construction of a government building, but the building, for which a lot of money has been allocated, is being built only on paper. Chichikov's new boss hated his subordinate, and he had to start all over again. He enters the customs service, where his ability to conduct searches is discovered. He is promoted, and Chichikov presents a project to capture smugglers, with whom at the same time he manages to enter into an agreement and receive a lot of money from them. But Chichikov quarrels with the comrade with whom he shared, and both are put on trial. Chichikov manages to save some of the money and starts everything from scratch as an attorney. He comes up with the idea of ​​​​buying dead souls, which in the future can be pledged to a bank under the guise of living ones, and, having received a loan, escape.

The author reflects on how readers might relate to Chichikov, recalls the parable about Kif Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich, son and father. The father's existence is turned into a speculative direction, while the son is rowdy. Kifa Mokievich is asked to calm his son down, but he does not want to interfere in anything: “If he remains a dog, then let them not learn about it from me, let it not be me who gave him away.”

At the end of the poem, the chaise travels quickly along the road. “And what Russian doesn’t like driving fast?” “Oh, three! bird three, who invented you? You 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 hammer. 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.

Aren't you, Rus, like a brisk, unstoppable troika, rushing along? 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 this terrifying movement mean? 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 breasts 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 on earth flies past,
and, looking askance, other peoples and states step aside and give her way.”

In a letter to Zhukovsky, Gogol writes that his main task in the poem is to depict “all of Rus'.” The poem is written in the form of a journey, and individual fragments of Russian life are combined into a common whole. One of Gogol’s main tasks in “Dead Souls” is to show typical characters in typical circumstances, that is, to reliably depict modernity - the period of the crisis of serfdom in Russia. The key orientations in the depiction of landowners are satirical description, social typification, and critical orientation. The life of the ruling class and peasants is presented by Gogol without idealization, realistically.

Dead souls (chapter 9)

Test No. 10.

1. To whom did a simply pleasant lady rush in the morning?

A). to the Box; B). to Chichikov;

IN). to a lady pleasant in all respects; D). to the protopopshe.

2. Who did they mean when they said: “In a word, the scandal has done something terrible: the whole village has come running, the children are crying, everyone is screaming, no one understands anyone, well, it’s just orrer, orrer, orrer!”

A). Nozdreva; B). Sobakevich; IN). Chichikova; G). Uncle Minya.

3. Insert the missing words: “Dead souls!...This was just made up as a cover, but the point is this:_____.”

A). he wants to pawn them in a pawnshop; B). he is Satan;

IN). he is Napoleon;G). he wants to take away the governor's daughter

4. Who is Korobochka staying with in the city?

A). uprotopopshi; B). at the governor's;

IN). from a nice lady; G). son's.

5. What did Petrushka say about Chichikov?

A). his master is an official of the secret chancellery;

B). didn't say anything;

IN). his master is a counterfeiter;

G). its owner is an auditor.

6. Insert the missing word: “At a time when both ladies so successfully and wittily solved such a confusing circumstance, ____ entered the living room”:

A). governor; B). prosecutor; IN). Chichikov; G). Nozdrev.

7. About whom it is said: “___ suddenly turned pale; he imagined God knows what: don’t the word “dead souls” mean sick people who died in significant numbers in hospitals and other places from epidemic fever?”

A). about the chairman of the civil chamber;

B). about the inspector of the medical board;

IN). about an official from the office of the Governor General.

8. How did the governor’s daughter react when she heard gossip about her relationship with Chichikov?

A). she burst into tears, sobbed and could not understand a single word;

B). experienced great excitement as her rating increased;

IN). I felt sorry for Chichikov, because he is a very decent person;

G). laughed because it was complete nonsense.

9. How much money, according to Korobochka, did Chichikov pay her for dead souls?

A). 2 rubles; B). 15 rubles; IN). 100 rubles; G). 50 rubles.

10. Which of the landowners explained to the officials “that Chichikov, in his opinion, is a good man, and that he sold him the peasants to choose from and the people are alive in all respects; but that he does not guarantee what will happen in the future?

A). Manilov; B). Sobakevich; IN). Plyushkin; G). Nozdrev.

11. Insert the missing word: in the governor’s house, “the doorman was given the strictest order not to accept _____ at any time and under any circumstances”:

A). Nozdreva, B). Plyushkina;

IN). landowner Zavalishin; G). Chichikova.

12. Insert the missing word: “The ladies knew how to throw such a fog into everyone’s eyes that everyone, and especially the officials, remained stunned for some time. Their position in the first minute was similar to the position of ____, who... had a piece of paper filled with tobacco shoved into his nose.”

A). drunken sexton; B). schoolchild; IN). footman; G). archpriest.

13. Who answered the officials: “...for Pavel Ivanovich I am always ready to vouch, as for myself, that [I] would sacrifice all my property in order to have a hundredth share of Pavel Ivanovich’s qualities...”?

A). Nozdrev; B). Sobakevich; IN). governor; G). Manilov.

14. Who did the officials decide to gather with to decide “what and how they should do and what measures to take” in relation to Chichikov and “what exactly is he: is he the kind of person who needs to be detained and captured as ill-intentioned, or is he the kind of person who who can himself seize and detain them all as ill-intentioned”?

A). at the governor's; B). from the chairman of the civil chamber;

IN). from Chichikov; G). at the police chief's.

15. Insert the missing word: “Of course, one cannot think that he [Chichikov] could make false papers, much less be _____”:

A). robber; B). Satan;

IN). national security agent; G). a fool.

Dead souls (chapter 10)

Test No. 11.

1.Who was not afraid of new worries and anxieties, saying: “ We know you, governor generals! Maybe three or four of you will change, but for thirty years now, my sir, I’ve been sitting in one place”?

2. Fill in the missing word: “In all our meetings, starting from the peasant lay meeting to all sorts of possible scientists and other committees, if they do not have one head managing everything, there is a decent ____.”

A). muddle; B). confusion; IN). turmoil; G). bustle.

3. Who suggested that Chichikov is Captain Kopeikin?

A). police chief; B). governor;

IN). postmaster; D). medical ward inspector.

4.What is the name of the story that the postmaster told?

A). The Tale of Colonel Rublev;

B). The Tale of the Soldier Chervonets;

IN). The Tale of Captain Kopeikin;

G). The story of ensign Storublev.

5.What did Kopeikin’s capital lose in the campaign of the twelfth year?

A). family; B). arm and leg; IN). eye; G). estate.

6. To which city did Captain Kopeikin go to ask the sovereign for royal mercy?

A). to Moscow; B). to Saratov; IN). to St. Petersburg; G). in Paris.

7. What did your father say to Captain Kopeikin when he returned home from the war?

A). “I have nothing to feed you; I can barely get bread myself.”

B). “You are no longer little, look for the wind in the field”

IN). “Since you only rose to the rank of captain, then go and serve some more,”

G). “Parents should always take care of their children. I'm not an exception".

8. How many officials gathered to discuss the reasons for Chichikov’s presence in their city?

A). Five; B). six; IN). three; G). ten.

9. Insert the missing word: “ One doorman is already looking: a gilded mace, a count's physiognomy, like some kind of well-fed fat pug; cambric collars, sewage!”

A). wolf; B). generalissimo; IN). general; G). king

10. What did the minister say to Kopeikin when he was granted an audience?

A). “Get out, don’t bother me with your stupid requests.”

B). “Okay, come see me one of these days.”

IN). “You can go home, we have already assigned you a pension.”

G). “Our state never abandons its heroes.”

11. How did officials react to the assumption that Chichikov and Kopeikin were the same person?

A). everyone was very doubtful; B). unanimously agreed; IN). laughed; D) everyone was scared.

12.Insert the missing word: “..the officials...became thoughtful and, considering this matter each to themselves, found that Chichikov’s face, if he turned and stood sideways, looked very much like a portrait _________.”

A). Napoleon; B), Kopeikin; IN). sovereign; IN). general

13. Whom did the officials decide to ask thoroughly about Chichikov?

A). Sobakevich; B). Nozdreva; IN). Manilova; G). Plyushkina.

14 . Who told you that at school Chichikov was called fiscal?

A) Nozdrev; B). postmaster; IN). Parsley; G). Selifan.

15. What did Nozdryov say when he was asked the question “whether Chichikov really had the intention of taking away the governor’s daughter”?

A). All this is nonsense, Chichikov only buys souls and makes false notes.

B). Yes, it is true that he himself undertook to help and participate in this matter.

IN). No, Chichikov is an honest person.

16. Which of the officials was most affected by all the rumors and opinions about Chichikov, “that when he came home, he began to think and think and suddenly, as they say, for no apparent reason he died”?

A). governor; B). prosecutor;

IN). postmaster; G). police chief.

17. Why didn’t Chichikov leave the room for three days?

A). He got a slight cold and decided to sit in the room for three days.

B). He thought about where it would be more profitable to pawn the purchased souls.

IN). He decided to take a break, considering that attending balls was not for him.

G). He played cards with Nozdryov and could not tear himself away from the game.

18. Who was the first person Chichikov decided to pay a visit to after sitting in the room for three days?

A). to Nozdryov; B). to the governor;

IN). to the prosecutor; D) to the police chief.

19. Who came to Chichikov’s room when he, in “some senseless reasoning about the strangeness of his situation, began to pour tea”?

A). prosecutor; B) Sobakevich; IN). Nozdrev; G). governor.

20. What did Chichikov decide to do after he managed to “sell Nozdryov as quickly as possible”?

A). There’s no point in dawdling anymore, we need to get out of here as quickly as possible.

B). Tomorrow I will go and repent to everyone.

IN). I will certainly leave this city, but I would like to leave with the governor’s daughter.

G). I'll kill this scoundrel, but tomorrow.

Dead souls (chapter 11).

Test No. 12.

1. What troubles did Chichikov have at the beginning of Chapter 11?

A). the first - I woke up late, the second - Petrushka was completely drunk.

B). the first - the bill of sale was stolen, the second - the chaise was not yet mortgaged.

IN). the first - I woke up late, the second - the britzka had not yet been laid.

G). first - Selifan will contradict the master, second - breakfast is not served in the room.

2. How long did Chichikov live in the city? NN ?

A). month; B). three weeks; IN). week; G). year.

3. Whom did Selifan offer to sell to Chichikov, since he was “just a nuisance, God forbid”?

A). Parsley; B). greyhound puppy;

B) a forelock horse; D).blacksmith.

4. What did Chichikov carry with him on the road “to instill appropriate fear in whoever should”?

A). gun; B). whip; IN). saber; D).bomb.

5. Why did Chichikov's chaise, when turning into one of the streets, have to stop as soon as it left the hotel?

A). Chichikov was detained by the road patrol;

B). The britzka was attacked by robbers;

IN). A funeral procession was passing along the street.

G). Chichikov forgot the bill of sale in the hotel room, so he decided to return.

6. Why did none of those accompanying the funeral procession notice the carriage in which Chichikov was sitting?

A). All their thoughts were focused on thinking about the perishability of the world.

B). they wondered what the new governor-general would be like.

IN). They noticed something, but no one wanted to show it, since everyone despised Chichikov.

7. What sign did Chichikov remember when the funeral procession passed the street?

A). They say it means happiness if you meet a dead person;

B). They say you should spit over your shoulder if there is a funeral;

IN). However, it’s good if the funeral is on a sunny day.

G). If the funeral procession is large, it means the deceased was a good person.

8. Who does the author of the poem compare the virtuous person with?

A). with a dog; B). with a horse; IN). with a fly; G). with a bear.

9. How does Gogol characterize Chichikov, whom he took as the hero of the poem, at the beginning of chapter 11?

A). scoundrel; B). a virtuous person;

IN). neither this nor that; G). Neither in the city of Bogdan, nor in the village of Selifan.

10. What did the relative who was present at Chichikov’s birth exclaim?

A). Neither this nor that, neither in the city of Bogdan, nor in the village of Selifan.

B). Born neither as mother nor father, but as a passing fellow

IN). Fist, fist, and a beast to boot.

G). Really, you pig, such a cattle breeder!

11. Why, having taken his son, did Chichikov’s father go with him on a cart to the city?

A). Enroll my son in a city school.

B). Find your son to work.

IN). Sell ​​into slavery;

G). Buy goods at the fair.

12. What was the most important advice given by his father that Chichikov remembered for the rest of his life?

A). Love every day God has given you.

B). Value friendship and friends: only they will help you in life.

IN). Don’t be stupid and don’t hang around, but most of all please your teachers and bosses

G). The road is a spoon for dinner.

13. What did Chichikov’s former classmates do when they learned that the teacher, a lover of silence and praiseworthy behavior, who mercilessly punished guilty students, was expelled from the school and eked out a miserable existence?

A). They threw rotten eggs at the former teacher.

B). They assigned him to a charity home.

IN). They immediately raised money for him, even selling a lot of what he needed.

G). They took custody of him.

14. Who owns the words addressed to Chichikov? “Oh, Pavlusha! This is how a person changes! After all, he was so well-behaved, nothing violent, silk! I cheated, I cheated a lot...”

A). Father; B). governor; IN). clerk; G). teacher.

15. How did Chichikov manage to get his first promotion?

A). He hints to his boss that he wouldn’t mind marrying his ugly daughter.

B). He knows how to make the only right decision in difficult situations, and this was appreciated by the production commission.

IN). Passed the test to fill a vacant position,

G). He gave a bribe to an important official.

16. Why did Chichikov have to leave his service in the commission to build some kind of government building?

A). This structure was successfully built, so the commission for its construction disbanded.

B). The new boss did not like Chichikov.

IN). The place of service was far from Chichikov’s apartment, and this did not suit him.

G). The commission was dissolved for lack of funds for construction.

17. Who owns the words: “Well, well! If you caught it, you dragged it, if it fell off, don’t ask. Crying won’t help the grief, we need to do something”?

A). Chichikov; B). Nozdrev; IN). Parsley; G). Selifan.

18. What service “has long been the secret subject of his thoughts”?

A). at school; B). at customs;

IN). at the police station; G). in the army.

19. In what way did Chichikov, in the words of his fellow customs officers, “just have a dog’s instinct”?

A). in teaching; B). in searches; IN). in anticipation of danger.

20. Why does everyone know about Chichikov’s conspiracy with smugglers?

A). The smugglers did not like the new incorruptible official, and they framed him.

B). Chichikov was caught receiving a bribe right during its transfer.

IN). Chichikov is quarreling with a friend who participated in his conspiracy with smugglers, and his former friend sent a secret denunciation against him.

21. What thought especially bothered Chichikov when “he was in grief, vexed, grumbling to the whole world, angry at the injustice of people”?

A). What will my father say?

B). What will others think of me?

IN). How can you live in this world without money?

G). How can I not feel remorse knowing what my children will say later?

22. How does Gogol characterize Chichikov at the end of Chapter 11?

A) usurper; B) owner, acquirer;

B) scoundrel; D) simpleton.

23. What parable does Gogol give in chapter 11?

A) about Kifa Mokievich and Mokiya Kifovich; B) about captain Kopeikin; C) about King Solomon.