Analysis of N. Gogol's poem "Dead Souls": two types of writers, innovation, depiction of reality. Educational and methodological material on literature (grade 9) on the topic: Analysis of lyrical digressions in the poem by N.V. Gogol's "Dead Souls"

Starting from the third chapter, Gogol's laughter and his irony are combined with lyrical inspiration. The comic turns into the tragicomic, the genre of the poem arises, which manifests itself primarily in lyrical digressions. The author's laughter is accompanied by sadness, longing for the ideal, with hope for the revival of each hero and Rus' as a whole. The author's ideal fights with low reality throughout the entire poem.
Creation " Dead souls“Gogol perceived it as his life’s work, as his destiny: “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 yet, full of bewilderment, I stand motionless, and a menacing cloud has already overshadowed my head, heavy with the coming rains, and my thoughts are numb before yours. space. 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 room for him to turn around and walk? And the mighty space envelops me menacingly, with terrible force reflected in my depths; My eyes lit up with unnatural power: oh! what a sparkling, wonderful, unknown distance to the earth! Rus'!..” He considered it his duty to help Russia, to promote its moral regeneration through literature.
Gogol appears to us as a man who sincerely loves his homeland, a true patriot who sees its vices and shortcomings, but hopes to correct them. His love for Russia is boundless, like the world, he predicts a great future for the country, believes that it should go its own, previously unknown to anyone, that Russia is a country in which, thanks to the strong faith of the people and their tireless, boundless strength, one day there will come happy time when all evils are finally eradicated.

Lyrical digressions(by chapter)

Chapter I:

Chapter V:

Chapter VI:

Chapter VII:

Chapter X

Chapter XI:

Lyrical digressions. Lyrical digressions are a direct expression by the author of an epic work of his thoughts and feelings. Such deviations occur only in epic works; in dramatic works, the author’s speech, as a rule, is completely absent, while the lyrics are entirely a direct expression of the author’s holistic experience.

Compositional role lyrical digressions very diverse. Let us note some of the common cases. With the help of lyrical digressions, writers enhance the reader’s perception and assessment of the characters, their characters and behavior, which is necessary, from their point of view.

Sometimes a lyrical digression dedicated to a character merges with the thoughts and experiences of another character, but nevertheless is given in such a way that the reader perceives it as a direct expression of the author’s thoughts and feelings.

Sometimes a writer resorts to lyrical digressions to communicate the nature and objectives of his work. A classic example of this type of lyrical digression is Gogol’s famous discussion in Dead Souls about two types of writers. It was important for the writer to explain to readers public importance and the patriotic meaning of his satire, which met the interests of democratic circles in Russia and seemed unacceptable to the guardians of the autocratic-serf system.

Introductory episodes. Introductory episodes are those that are not directly related to the plot line of the story. This compositional device is used by writers either to expand and deepen the content of the work, or to indicate its ideological meaning. Chekhov's story "Gooseberry" tells the story of a certain Nikolai Ivanovich Chimshe-Himalayan, who, under the influence of the laws that prevailed in landowner-bourgeois Russia public life becomes a smug owner, an ardent conservative, an egoist. However, Chekhov inserts into his story about the Chimshe-Himalayan episodes that are not directly related to the main narrative. One episode tells about a miserly merchant who did not want anyone to be able to use the wealth that belonged to him after his death. The merchant, sensing the approach of death, turned all his fortune into large bank notes, ordered a plate of honey to be served, tore these notes into shreds, mixed them with honey and ate them. Another episode is dedicated to a business dealer who was left without a leg and was worried not about his injury, but about twenty rubles hidden in a boot from a severed leg. It is not difficult to understand the meaning of these episodes in the story “Gooseberry”.

Just like lyrical digressions, introductory episodes are sometimes used to clarify the idea and pathos of the work. We have already said that in a lyrical digression about two types of writers, Gogol explained the nature of his satire. However, the writer felt that the patriotic meaning of his satire might not be sufficiently understood by readers. In an effort to clarify, at the end of the first volume of “Dead Souls” the writer introduced an episode with Kifa Mokievich and Mokiy Kifovich and directly spoke about its hidden meaning, in this case directly explained the meaning of this episode.

Artistic framing and artistic anticipation. In order for the meaning of certain depicted phenomena and characters to become especially clear, writers sometimes resort to artistic framing, that is, to the creation of paintings and scenes that are close in essence to the depicted phenomena and characters. For example, in the story “Hadji Murat” by L.N. Tolstoy creates a more complete picture of the fate of the hero of the story by introducing the scene with the burdock.

In some works, the artistic frame directly leads to main point the type of person depicted. For example, in Chekhov’s “Man in a Case,” the description of the headman’s wife, Mavra, who is afraid of everything, who has surrounded herself with some kind of shell that separates her from people, prepares for the formulation of the problem of the formation of “case” characters in the then “official” Russia, as Chekhov called it.

Sometimes the writer prefaces them for better understanding with certain people close to him. inner meaning episodes depicting future events. For example, in the second part of Tatyana’s dream, the poet shows Onegin’s murder of Lensky, which will soon happen in reality.

We find a similar technique in other works of Pushkin (for example, Grinev’s dream in “The Captain’s Daughter”).

Scenery. In many works, landscape plays an important ideological and compositional role. We are, of course, not talking about those works where nature is the direct subject of the image and, as such, is considered in internal correlation with ideological, moral and aesthetic views writer. Here we mean works in which landscapes serve a service purpose, participating, along with other visual means, in disclosure ideological plan writer.

Of course, not every landscape directly participates in the disclosure of the entire ideological and artistic whole. It can be correlated with individual episodes, phenomena, persons and only ultimately contribute to the creation of the whole, interacting with all other elements literary work. In Dostoevsky’s novel “Poor People,” Varenka recalls the dying moments of student Pokrovsky:

He asked to raise the curtain at the window and open the shutters. He probably wanted to look into last time for a day, into the light of God, into the sun... but the beginning of the day was sad and sad, like the fading poor life of a dying man. There was no sun. The clouds covered the sky with a foggy veil; it was so rainy, gloomy, sad. The fine rain crushed the glass and washed it with streams of cold, dirty water; it was dim and dark. The rays of the pale day barely penetrated the room and barely challenged the trembling light of the lamp lit in front of the image.

A kind of psychological accompaniment is created to the sad story of this particular character, but at the same time, the “stamp of the whole” lies on this landscape, correlating it with the general flavor of the life of poor people.

Interior. The immediate surroundings also have great ideological and compositional significance. characters situation. And its image, as well as pictures of nature, can correlate with both the general meaning of the work and its individual aspects.

Often the depiction of the situation also has a more local meaning: it is the key to the individual characters shown by the writers.

How does Dead Souls reveal the problem of the relationship between the artist and the crowd?

At the beginning of the 7th chapter of the poem “ Dead Souls» N.V. Gogol reflects on the relationship between the artist and the crowd.

The author compares two types of writers. One of them is a sublime romantic who passes by “boring, disgusting characters, striking with their sad reality” and never changes “the sublime structure of his lyre.” Such an artist is favored by the reading public, he has the great fame of “world poet”. But such is not the fate of the realist writer, the satirist, who dared to “call out” “all the terrible, stunning mud of little things that entangle our lives, all the depth of cold, fragmented, everyday characters.” This artist will not receive worldwide recognition, the public will not appreciate his creations, and will consider them “insignificant and low.” The author reflects with bitter feeling on tragic fate realist-satirist and his spiritual loneliness.

Of course, in this lyrical digression Gogol writes about himself. All these principles of displaying reality are reflected in the poem “Dead Souls”, in which the writer deeply explores the characters and elements Russian life. Author's position Gogol is quite definite: emphasizing the typicality created images, he deeply and subtly explores the environment that gave birth to them. The writer gives us all the details of the characters' lives, scrupulously describes rooms, things, and everyday details. So, for example, he draws in detail a portrait of Manilov, his estate, landscape, lunch, and gives us details of his way of life. All this helps him to reveal inner world hero, to most fully describe the character, to reproduce the type of an idle dreamer, an indefinite, inert person. And this is how the author explores almost each of the characters.

To a certain extent, these descriptions are predetermined genre originality works (Gogol called “Dead Souls” a poem, and the epic style was noted by many researchers). But important role The principles of realism that the author follows also play a role. We can consider the poem “Dead Souls” a realistic work, since the writer follows the principle of historicism in it (the subject of research is modern life), typical characters are given in typical circumstances, and certain means of satirical typification are also used (referring to the hero’s past, author’s characteristics, hyperbole, etc.). Hyperbole and grotesque - essential element style N.V. Gogol, often creating the effect of “twisted” reality. That is why some researchers call his style “fantastic realism.” However, the romantic current is also very noticeable in the poem “Dead Souls”. It makes its way through the author’s lyrical digressions and his thoughts about the future of Russia.

Everything in the poem was new and unusual. The reader was amazed by the versatility of the figurative material, the wealth of humorous and satirical denunciations: lengthy descriptions of a tavern or a landowner's house, portraits, landscapes, genre pictures and mastery of detail; smooth epic story and the sparkling brilliance of wit; a dynamic narrative of adventures and joke portraits and mask portraits. The reader was struck by the very title of the work and its genre definition(poem); the harsh truth of paintings and images, the intensity of expression of the author’s patriotic feeling and the nature of humor.

A number of places in the poem, especially the beginning of the seventh chapter, represent a statement of the author’s literary views, his public position. In the lyrical introduction to the seventh chapter, Gogol talks about two types of writers, about different principles for understanding and reproducing life, about the different attitudes of the public towards these writers and their artistic creations.

Not without irony, he writes about romantic writers who never change “the sublime structure of their lyre, who do not descend from the heights to the ground to their poor, insignificant brothers,” who are entirely in the power of “sublime images, torn from the earth.” Hiding the sad and joyless from people, they idealize life and people. However, the author of “Dead Souls” is not against romance in general (while working on the poem, he also created the final edition of the story “Taras Bulba”, in which enormous power sounded a romantic, heroic beginning), and against unjustified romantic exaggerations, against a superficial portrayal of life, against writers who, instead of convincing characters with their truth, paint a portrait that has already become obsolete and boring to everyone with such cliched attributes as “black scorching eyes, drooping eyebrows, cut a wrinkled forehead, a black or fire-scarlet cloak thrown over a shoulder" ( Belinsky V. G. Full collection Op. in 13 volumes. M., 1956, vol. VI, p. 23).

Gogol contrasted them with a writer looking at “all the enormously rushing life through visible to the world laughter and invisible, unknown to him tears” and who dared to show everything that “every minute is before the eyes and what indifferent eyes do not see - all the terrible, amazing type of little things that entangle our lives, the whole depth of the cold, fragmented, everyday characters with which our earthly life is teeming, sometimes a bitter and boring road, and with the strong force of an inexorable chisel, expose them prominently and brightly to the eyes of the people!” ( Belinsky V. G. Full collection Op. in 13 volumes. M., 1956, vol. VI, p. 134).

Gogol defends the writer’s right not to disdain any character, to create characters based on the observations of such people, “of which there are many in the world, very similar in appearance to each other,” at first glance absolutely unremarkable, and therefore “terribly difficult for portraits.” . In order to identify from numerous observations the characteristic, “subtle, almost invisible features” of these people, it is necessary to “strongly strain attention, deepen the gaze already sophisticated in the science of prying.”

He is convinced that with true talent everything can be beautiful if the subject of the image is taken “not indifferently, not insensitively,” but is passed through the soul of the writer, through his thought, his ardent convictions, “deep beliefs,” if his personal, interested attitude to life. “For the creator there is no low object in nature,” wrote Gogol. “In the insignificant he is just as great as in the great; in the despised he no longer has the despicable.” In other words, the writer must be animated by the idea for the sake of which he takes specific life material. The idea spiritualizes the work, elevates the vulgarity and abomination of life “to a pearl.” artistic creation" For Gogol, such an idea was the idea of ​​denying evil in the name of affirming good.

Art, according to the writer, should not lull you to sleep, not console you with the illusion of well-being, but rather create great, thorny issues, disturb the mind and heart, bring anxiety and anxiety into people’s consciousness, destroy complacency, self-satisfaction, brand vulgarity and evil, execute them with laughter. But while fighting evil, the artist is obliged to spare the person dehumanized by this evil.

Gogol called writers, in the words of Nekrasov, “to preach love with the hostile word of denial.” A sermon of this kind constitutes the pathos of his poem, which is directly reflected in the originality of its style. Thus, the comic animation with which Gogol talks about Mr. mediocre, entering the city, about two men talking about the wheel, about a dandy in narrow and short rosin trousers, about a fidgety tavern servant, evokes an involuntary feeling of laughter. Manilov, Nozdryov, Korobochka, the governor, and the ladies of the city of N are also full of enormous inner comedy. There is a lot of comedy in their behavior, in their conversations, in their relationship with Chichikov. And how much comedy there is in Manilov’s sweetly sensitive conversations with his wife, in Nozdryov’s purchases! It is not surprising that when reading “Dead Souls” for the first time, it is this external humorous side that is perceived first of all. But Gogol’s humor is not only a manifestation of external comedy, it is aimed at reproducing deep-seated phenomena, which is why the images of the poem are not so much funny as gloomy and even tragic (Plyushkin). As one further and carefully reads the work, the reader thinks more and more about the life unfolding widely before his mental gaze. On foreground its deep hidden content begins to emerge, and it speaks of the tragic in the life of feudal Russia, of the cruel, unjust and senseless rule of the landowners, of the dominance of hypocrisy, ignorance, savagery and money-grubbing. The bitterness of the satirical appears with all its force in the poem. The book leaves not a funny, but in many ways a terrible impression.

Funny and sad, comic and tragic, low and high organically merge in “Dead Souls”, and the funny, expressed as sad and, finally, tragic, serves as an expression of the writer’s deep sorrow about the main thing, about the main thing for him: about the spiritual death of man. This found direct expression in the excited lyrical appeal that concludes the chapter about Plyushkin. In principle, it is addressed to all people, directly to every Russian person.

Identification of contradictions, contrasts of reality in large and small things, their interweavings, interpenetrations, struggles is the pathos of not only “Dead Souls”, but of Gogol’s entire work, the poetic way of his thinking. When, in the last chapter of the first volume, Gogol writes about the road along which the troika is rapidly rushing further and further, pictures unfold before the reader’s eyes, full of contrast, permeated with the author’s grief and at the same time his faith in the future of the Motherland. "Rus! What does this vast expanse prophesy? - exclaims Gogol. “Isn’t it here, isn’t it possible for an endless thought to be born in you, when you yourself are endless?” And suddenly here:

“Hold it, hold it, you fool! - Chichikov shouted.

The enormous, impressive force with which this contrast operates is contained in the deep, tragic collision of the people's Rus' in its present, the unknown, but guessed, envisioned by Gogol, the Rus' of the future, the embodiment of the high and beautiful, and the other - the autocratic, despotic, “official” Rus' of his time , with the shout of a courier, asserting the power of the whip and broadsword, Rus' - feudal, with rude and cruel landowners, “sky-smokers”, “prisoners”, bobaks of various sizes, lying in robes for several years, with governors and capital officials, ordinary people, etc. etc., where the base and ridiculous reign, and in which it is so cramped and stuffy for a living person.

In Gogol's book, dream and reality constantly confront each other, and often the reality of official, police Russia looks like a terrible ghost that will inevitably disappear. Dreams of a different, more perfect reality inspire Gogol’s satire. It inextricably merges the pathos of negation and contemplation of the ideal. But Gogol's satire also has an enduring significance. The reader is confronted with not just images of Russian landowners—“existents,” acquirers, of the Russian official bureaucratic world. All of them are the embodiment of everyday life, philistinism, self-interest, rudeness, spiritual impoverishment and stagnation, moral deafness, which threaten a person regardless of time and social status. Gogol's poem encourages the reader to check with all rigor whether he, too, in his life has moved away from the best contained within himself, and to declare a fight against everything that humiliates and insults a person.

Lyrical digressions in the poem "Dead Souls" play a huge role. They entered the structure of this work so organically that we can no longer imagine the poem without the author’s magnificent monologues. What is the role of lyrical digressions in the poem? Agree, thanks to their presence, we constantly feel the presence of Gogol, who shares with us his experiences and thoughts about this or that event. In this article we will talk about lyrical digressions in the poem “Dead Souls” and talk about their role in the work.

The role of lyrical digressions

Nikolai Vasilyevich becomes not just a guide leading the reader through the pages of the work. He is more of a close friend. The lyrical digressions in the poem “Dead Souls” encourage us to share with the author the emotions that overwhelm him. Often the reader expects that Gogol, with his inimitable humor, will help him overcome the sadness or indignation caused by the events in the poem. And sometimes we want to know Nikolai Vasilyevich’s opinion on what is happening. Lyrical digressions in the poem "Dead Souls", in addition, have a great artistic power. We enjoy every image, every word, admiring their beauty and accuracy.

Opinions on lyrical digressions expressed by Gogol's famous contemporaries

Many of the author's contemporaries appreciated the work "Dead Souls". The lyrical digressions in the poem also did not go unnoticed. Some have spoken about them famous people. For example, I. Herzen noted that the lyrical passage illuminates and enlivens the narrative in order to be replaced again by a picture that reminds us even more clearly of the hell we are in. The lyrical beginning of this work was also highly appreciated by V. G. Belinsky. He pointed to the humane, comprehensive and deep subjectivity that reveals in the artist a person with a “nice soul and a warm heart.”

Thoughts shared by Gogol

With the help of lyrical digressions, the writer expresses his own attitude not only to the events and people he describes. They contain, in addition, an affirmation of the high purpose of man, the significance of great social interests and ideas. The source of the author's lyricism is thoughts about serving his country, about its sorrows, destinies and hidden gigantic forces. This manifests itself regardless of whether Gogol expresses his anger or bitterness about the insignificance of the characters he depicts, whether he talks about his role in modern society writer or about the lively Russian mind.

First retreats

With great artistic tact, Gogol included extra-plot elements in the work “Dead Souls”. The lyrical digressions in the poem are at first only Nikolai Vasilyevich’s statements about the heroes of the work. However, as the story progresses, the themes become more varied.

Gogol, having talked about Korobochka and Manilov, interrupts his narrative for a while, as if he wants to step aside for a while so that the reader can better understand the picture of life he has drawn. For example, the digression that interrupts the story about Korobochka Nastasya Petrovna in the work contains a comparison of her with a “sister” belonging to an aristocratic society. Despite her slightly different appearance, she is no different from the local mistress.

Beautiful blonde

Chichikov, on the road after visiting Nozdryov, meets a beautiful blonde on his way. The description of this meeting ends with a wonderful lyrical digression. Gogol writes that everywhere on the way a person will encounter at least once a phenomenon that is unlike anything he has seen before, and will awaken in him a new feeling, not similar to the usual ones. However, this is completely alien to Chichikov: the cold caution of this hero is compared with the manifestation of feelings inherent in man.

Digressions in chapters 5 and 6

The lyrical digression at the end of the fifth chapter is of a completely different nature. The author here is not talking about his hero, not about his attitude towards this or that character, but about the talent of the Russian people, about a powerful man living in Rus'. as if not connected with the previous development of the action. However, it is very important for revealing the main idea of ​​the poem: true Russia is not boxes, nozdryovs and dogevichs, but the element of the people.

Closely related to lyrical statements dedicated to national character and the Russian word, and an inspired confession about youth, about Gogol’s perception of life, which opens the sixth chapter.

The angry words of Nikolai Vasilyevich, which have a generalizing deep meaning, the story about Plyushkin, who embodied with the greatest strength base feelings and aspirations, is interrupted. Gogol is indignant about the “nastiness, pettiness and insignificance” a person could reach.

The author's reasoning in Chapter 7

Nikolai Vasilievich begins the seventh chapter with discussions about life and creative destiny writer in contemporary society. He talks about two different destinies that await him. A writer can become a creator of “exalted images” or a satirist or realist. This lyrical digression reflects Gogol’s views on art, as well as the author’s attitude towards the people and the ruling elite in society.

"Happy traveler..."

Another digression, beginning with the words “Happy is the traveler...” is an important step plot development. It separates one part of the story from another. Nikolai Vasilyevich’s statements illuminate the meaning and essence of both the preceding and subsequent paintings of the poem. This lyrical digression is directly related to the folk scenes depicted in the seventh chapter. It plays a very important role in the composition of the poem.

Statements about classes and ranks

In the chapters devoted to the depiction of the city, we come across Gogol’s statements about classes and ranks. He says they are so "annoyed" that everything in a printed book seems "personal" to them. Apparently, this is the “disposition in the air”.

Reflections on human fallacies

We see lyrical digressions of the poem “Dead Souls” throughout the narrative. Gogol ends his description of the general confusion with reflections on the false paths of man, his delusions. Humanity has made many mistakes in its history. The current generation laughs at this arrogantly, although it itself is starting a whole series of new misconceptions. His descendants in the future will laugh at the present generation.

Last retreats

Gogol's civic pathos reaches particular strength in the retreat "Rus! Rus!...". It shows, like the lyrical monologue placed at the beginning of the 7th chapter, a clear line between the links of the narrative - the story about the origin of the main character (Chichikov) and the city scenes. Here the theme of Russia has already been widely developed. It is “unwelcoming, scattered, poor.” However, this is where heroes are born. The author then shares with us the thoughts that were inspired by the rushing troika and the distant road. Nikolai Vasilyevich paints pictures of his native Russian nature one after another. They appear before the eyes of a traveler racing along an autumn road on fast horses. Despite the fact that the image of the three-bird has been left behind, in this lyrical digression we feel it again.

The story about Chichikov ends with a statement from the author, which is a sharp objection to who main character and the whole work, depicting “the despicable and evil,” can be shocking.

What do lyrical digressions reflect and what remains unanswered?

The author’s sense of patriotism is reflected in the lyrical digressions in N.V. Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls.” The image of Russia that completes the work is covered deep love. He embodied the ideal that illuminated the artist’s path when depicting vulgar petty life.

Speaking about the role and place of lyrical digressions in the poem “Dead Souls,” I would like to note one interesting point. Despite the author's numerous arguments, the most important question for Gogol remains unanswered. And the question is, where is Rus' heading? You will not find the answer to it by reading the lyrical digressions in Gogol's poem "Dead Souls." Only the Almighty could know what awaited this country, “inspired by God,” at the end of the road.