Characterization of the image of the box, its economy and the estate from Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls”

In the form of boxes, Gogol personifies greed and wretchedness. Let's get acquainted with the character of the Dead Souls in more detail

Content

In Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls”, the main events unfold around the journey of a fraudster Chichikov through Russian provinces. The author presents the reader with several bright characters of the landowners. Opening their lifestyle and economic activity, Gogol reflects the difficult situation of the Russian people and denounces the shortcomings of the existing system of the early 19th century.

One of the central characters in the work “Dead Souls” is the landowner box.

Characterization of the landowner box

Her personality combines complex and contradictory character traits. The ability of the landowner to competently conduct economy and attentive attitude towards peasants endow it with some attractiveness. In the female image of Nastasya Petrovna, the missing features of Russian landowners previously represented by Gogol are embodied.

Overcoming the distance from the landowner Sobakevich to Manilov, the buyer of the Dead Souls is getting out of the way. Later, the time of the day and the bad weather force him to ask for the night in the nearest estate, in which the lonely landowner the box lives. Chichikov seems to be a nobleman that he immediately bribes Nastasya Petrovna. She cordially receives an unfamiliar guest in her house.

The author represents us the landowner as the widow of advanced age. It does not have external charm, but has its attentive attitude towards itself. Nastasya Petrovna does not wear magnificent outfits and has a strange taste in clothes. His neck is constantly hung with some kind of rags of an incomprehensible purpose.

The name of the box emphasizes The "tunity" of the landowner. This phenomenon was very common among employees. The essence of this type of people is their narrow -mindedness and fixation on their own decisions.

Gogol writes very little about her family. The only relative is the Moscow sister, whom Nastasya Petrovna sometimes lives. It is not known whether the old woman has children, but in a conversation she mentions the boots presented by her sister for children.

The old woman has some health problems. At night it is overcome by insomnia, and in bad weather the lower back and joints are worried. Possessing valuable practical knowledge, the landowner actively uses folk remedies for treatment.

The landowner is repeatedly noticed lean attitude towards everythingthat surrounds her. She supports cleanliness and order in everything. The interior and household supplies have not been updated for a long time, but they are checked by time and completely arrange the hostess. The house of the landowner You can safely be called a box that is cursed by ancient forgotten things.

Nastasya Petrovna belonged to the category of people who constantly exaggerate their problems and complain about life: “One of those mothers, small landowners who cry on crop failures, losses and hold their heads a little to one side, but meanwhile they gain a little money in the variegated bags placed along the drawers of the chests of drawers.”
Even in her savings, the landowner organized a certain order. “Cellovichi”, “quarters” and “fifty dollars” are stored separately, in multi -colored bags.
She likes to recalculate her savings daily and save, without pursuing a specific goal. Having no close relatives, the landowner is no one to convey his savings. If she could, she would definitely take them to the “that light”. Natalya Petrovna masterfully runs in front of Chichikov, trying to influence the price of the goods offered thus.

The circle of communication of the landowner perceives it as stupid and uneducated woman. Nastasya Petrovna did not use beautiful words in the conversation and did not claim education. She was simple and straightforward. The short -sightedness of the old woman was manifested in the denial of everything new and modern.

In the actions of people, she primarily searched for negative moments, after which it became very difficult to see something useful and positive. Nastasya Petrovna possessed some stubbornness, which became an obstacle to the right decisions. The most important for her was her own point of view, the arguments of others were practically not taken into account.

The landowner is combined conflicting actions. She is often baptized and praying, which speaks of her faith in the Almighty. In the conversation, he mentions not only God, but also the devil. But at the same time, it allows yourself to spread the cards and guess immediately after prayer. She sincerely believes that prophetic dreams are the result of the card layout. Excessive superstition emphasizes the ignorance of the box.

Gogol's symbolic techniques indicate the mystical of the image of the box. The location of the house on the outskirts, the frightening details of the interior, the eternal lamentations of the old woman and her peculiar clothing bring her image closer to the fairy -tale character.

Manor and farm boxes

Compared to the dwellings of other landowners, the landowner’s estate looked the most practical. It's not about external attractiveness. There were no decorative jewelry on it. Despite the small size of the building, each part of the house was in its place. Even rainwater flowing from the roof was going to a barrel and probably found its application. The possession of the landowner is protected by dogs, which emphasizes her foresight. It is not possible to get into the house unnoticed. The dogs reacted very aggressively on the arrival of Chichikov.

It was inside the house a long -standing repair and old furniture. The walls of the house were decorated with paintings written in oil paints. Among them, the image of Kutuzov and some old man in the uniform stood out brightly. The interior was attended by mirrors, to which paper and trinkets were attached. A gloomy atmosphere was complemented by the clock. Their work was accompanied by unpleasant sounds resembling an echo from the past. Everything in the house seems to be frozen and lifeless. Against the background of the decorated rooms, Gogol depicts flying flies, which emphasizes the internal stagnation of the character.

All structures in the village are well -being and repaired. Compared to the village of Sobakevich, the housing of the peasants looks somewhat simpler, but not a single dilapidated element is noticed.

The landowner controls the box economy with 80 serfs. Such an amount is significantly lower than that of its neighbors, but absolutely does not prevent the old woman from receiving stable financial income. The landowner's household has given the village a special comfort to the village. Chichikov was pleasantly surprised by the order in the village. The box does not miss the opportunity to make money.

The landowner grows and sells a large range of fruit and vegetable crops. Engaged in breeding homemade living creatures. Her farm has a large number of poultry and pigs. Also, a significant income brings beekeeping and the cultivation of the Manila hemp. The landowner completely arranged his own position. Therefore, she lives in her comfortable environment and does not see any need to change anything.

The box knows all serfs by name. The landowner is always aware of current affairs. All processes regarding the estate do not pass without its participation. She knows how to establish the necessary acquaintances. He does not give himself offense and appears to the court for any controversial issues. In a deal with Chichikov, Natalya Petrovna is ready to sell 18 “dead souls”. She gratefully recall every deceased, about their work and human qualities. Not forgetting to mention your own interests. This characterizes it from the positive side. Several serfs happened to see Chichikov. Their strong male physique made a pleasant impression on him.

Despite a short acquaintance with Chichikov, the box surrounds the guest with comfort and care. He tries in every way to please with dinner and worries, so that the servant cleanses his clothes. The late arrival of an unexplored guest does not prevent the hostess from providing a worthy overnight. At the very beginning of the acquaintance, the landowner allows himself open statements that emphasize its primitive development. The old woman applies ridiculous comparisons to Chichikov. When their conversation switches to increased tones, the landowner unceremoniously corrects the interlocutor.

Each decision is made by a box with caution and excessive suspicion. The proposal to sell Dead Souls amazes it and is at a loss. Stupid questions arise in her head one by one. How to sell what cannot be attributed to material things? She equates the subject of the transaction with the sale of flour, honey and other products. A comparison of the value of souls and goods adds moral ugliness to the old woman. Primitive thinking leads her to the idea that souls will dig out of the ground.

The old woman is accustomed to a certain sequence of his actions and is afraid to miss her own benefit. Despite sympathy for Chichikov, she does not trust him: ". .. Maybe you, my father, are deceiving me, and they are ... they stand more ...". The landowner is inclined to the fact that it is necessary to postpone the sale, thereby trying to influence the decision of the merchant and fill the price. The old woman is ready to go to the city to check the true price of an unusual product. Her stubbornness leads Chichikov out of balance. Despite the business of the old woman, her stupidity is obvious to the seller. But to influence its solution is almost impossible.

Any arguments diverging from her point of view are not taken into account: "" ... as I cut it to your mind, then you can’t overpower it; No matter how much the arguments, clear like a day, bounces everything away from him, as a rubber ball bounces off the wall ...". The only offer that softened the position of the landowner is the promise of Chichikov to buy food from her. In the box, everything is transferred to a monetary equivalent. After analyzing the possibility of replenishing his own capital, the old woman agrees to the deal. Contrary to some shortcomings, Chichikov perceives the box as a business entrepreneurial landowner.

Natalya Petrovna acts in the work as a controversial character. Its positive qualities are economicness and frugality, concern for serfs. An unpleasant impression is created by the stupidity and limitations of the old woman. The constant baseless complaints of the landowner repel the desire from further communication. In such manifestations, her prolonged age laid out his mark.

Gogol calls her wretched. The main task of the landowner is to accumulate. In the eternal race for material, she does not notice the grayness and meaninglessness of her own life. The author leads the reader to the idea that the accumulation of financial resources through the exploitation of labor of a common people kills the moral appearance of a person. Natalya Petrovna can be ranked to the "dead souls."

The features that are displayed in the box are inherent in most representatives of the ruling class. The thirst for profit and love of money are reinforced by ignorance and stupidity. The landed people exists in their primitive world pursuing only one interest - it is cheaper to buy and profitably sell.