欧宝娱乐

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丕賱兀賳賮爻 丕賱賲賷鬲丞

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賷噩爻丿 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 丕賱賲噩鬲賲毓 丕賱乇賵爻賷 亘丕賱兀禺氐 丕賱丕賯胤丕毓賷賳賳 丕賱賲賱丕賰 賮賷 丕賱賯乇賳 丕賱鬲丕爻毓 毓卮乇 賮賷 賮鬲乇丞 賲賳 鬲丕乇賷禺 乇賵爻賷丕 丕賱賯賷氐乇賷丞 丨賷賳 賰丕賳 丕賱賳馗丕賲 丕賱爻丕乇賷 賮賷 丕賱毓賲丕賱丞 亘丕賱兀乇囟 丕賱夭乇丕毓賷丞 賴賵 賳馗丕賲 丕賱賯賳丕賳丞 賵 賴賵 兀丨丿 丕賱兀賳馗賲丞 丕賱丕爻鬲毓亘丕丿賷丞 丕賱賲毓丿賱丞 毓賳 丕賱乇賯 丨賷孬 賷賰賵賳 丕賱賯賳 睾賷乇 賲賲賱賵賰 亘匕丕鬲賴 賱氐丕丨亘 丕賱兀乇囟 賵 賱賰賳 毓賲賱賴 賷賰賵賳 賲賲賱賵賰丕 賱賱賲丕賱賰 毓賱賶 兀賳 賷賳丕賱 兀噩乇丕 乇賲夭賷丕 亘丕賱丕囟丕賮丞 賱胤毓丕賲賴 賵 卮乇丕亘賴 賵 賰丕賳鬲 丕賱兀乇丕囟賷 丕賱夭乇丕毓賷丞 賵 丕賱賲夭丕乇毓 丕賱囟禺賲丞 鬲賯丕爻 亘毓丿丿 丕賱兀賯賳丕賳 (丕賱兀賳賮爻 ) 丕賱賱丕夭賲丞 賱禺丿賲丞 賴匕賴 丕賱賲夭丕乇毓 賮賷賯丕賱 毓賳 丕賱賲丕賱賰 丕賳賴 賷賲賱賰 丕賱賮 賳賮爻 (賯賳) 兀賵 毓卮乇丞 兀賱丕賮 賳賮爻 (賯賳) 賮賷賮賴賲 賲賳 匕賱賰 賲丿賶 丕賱賲爻丕丨丞 丕賱夭乇丕毓賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賱丿賷賴 毓賱賶 丕毓鬲亘丕乇 丕賳 丕賱賴賰鬲丕乇 丕賱賵丕丨丿 賷丨鬲丕噩 賱毓丿丿 賲毓賷賳 賲賳 丕賱兀賳賮爻.
賵 丕賱賮賰乇丞 丕賱噩賴賳賲賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 乇丕賵丿鬲 毓賯賱 鬲卮賷鬲卮賷賰賵賮 (亘胤賱 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞) 丕賱賲賵馗賮 丕賱亘爻賷胤 兀賳 毓丿丿 丕賱兀賳賮爻 丕賱賲賲賱賵賰丞 賱賱兀卮禺丕氐 賱丕 賷鬲賲 賲毓乇賮鬲賴丕 亘丕賱鬲丨丿賷丿 丕賱丕 賮賷 爻賳賴 丕賱丕丨氐丕亍 丕賱爻賰丕賳賷 賵 丕賱匕賷 賷鬲賰乇乇 賰賱 毓卮乇丞 爻賳賵丕鬲 賵 亘丕賱鬲丕賱賷 賮丕匕丕 賲丕鬲鬲 丕賳賮爻 禺賱丕賱 賴匕賴 丕賱賮鬲乇丞 賮丕賳賴丕 鬲馗賱 賲賵噩賵丿丞 毓賱賶 丕賱賵乇賯 賮賯胤 丿賵賳 賵噩賵丿賴丕 丨賯賷賮丞 賵 亘丕賱鬲丕賱賷 爻毓賶 丕賱賶 噩賵賱鬲賴 丕賱卮賴賷乇丞 賲賳 兀噩賱 卮乇丕亍 丕賱兀賳賮爻 丕賱賲賷鬲丞 賲賳 丕賱賲丕賱賰賷賳 丕賱兀氐賱賷賷賳 亘孬賲賳 亘禺爻 賲賯丕亘賱 兀賳 賷賯丕賱 兀賳賴 賷賲賱賰 毓丿丿 賰亘賷乇 賲賳 丕賱兀賳賮爻 賵 亘丕賱鬲丕賱賷 賷賰賵賳 賲賳 丕賱賳賷賱丕亍 丕氐丨丕亘 丕賱賲賲鬲賱賰丕鬲 (乇丕爻賰賵賱賷賳賰賵賮)

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432 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1842

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About the author

Nikolai Gogol

1,944books5,384followers
People consider that Russian writer Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol (袧懈泻芯谢邪泄 袙邪褋懈谢褜械胁懈褔 袚芯谐芯谢褜) founded realism in Russian literature. His works include The Overcoat (1842) and Dead Souls (1842).

Ukrainian birth, heritage, and upbringing of Gogol influenced many of his written works among the most beloved in the tradition of Russian-language literature. Most critics see Gogol as the first Russian realist. His biting satire, comic realism, and descriptions of Russian provincials and petty bureaucrats influenced later Russian masters Leo Tolstoy, Ivan Turgenev, and especially Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Gogol wittily said many later Russian maxims.

Gogol first used the techniques of surrealism and the grotesque in his works The Nose , Viy , The Overcoat , and Nevsky Prospekt . Ukrainian upbringing, culture, and folklore influenced his early works, such as Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka .
His later writing satirized political corruption in the Russian empire in Dead Souls .

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 4,662 reviews
Profile Image for Vit Babenco.
1,691 reviews5,215 followers
August 10, 2024
Dead Souls is a pied vernissage of grotesque and colourful characters鈥� Unlike the dead souls of the novel they are quite quick and kicking鈥�
A new praiseworthy persona came to town鈥�
In the britzka sat a gentleman, not handsome, but also not bad-looking, neither too fat nor too thin; you could not have said he was old, yet neither was he all that young.

His arrival caused a real furore in the local high society鈥� He managed to charm everyone鈥�
The governor opined of him that he was a right-minded man; the prosecutor that he was a sensible man; the colonel of the gendarmes said he was a learned man; the head magistrate that he was a knowledgeable and estimable man; the police chief that he was an estimable and amiable man; the police chief鈥檚 wife that he was a most amiable and mannerly man.

Despite being nothing but a vulgar swindler the newcomer was so sweet and unctuous that he turned out to be practically irresistible鈥� Sycophancy is an indispensable quality of any fraud鈥�
And pursuing his clandestine aims he started making visits to the neighbouring estates鈥� And his purposes were pretty weird and peculiar鈥�
鈥淵ou ask, for what reasons? These are the reasons: I would like to buy peasants鈥︹€� Chichikov said, faltered, and did not finish his speech.
鈥淏ut allow me to ask you,鈥� said Manilov, 鈥渉ow do you wish to buy them: with land, or simply to have them resettled 鈥� that is, without land?鈥�
鈥淣o, it鈥檚 not quite peasants,鈥� said Chichikov, 鈥淚 would like to have dead鈥︹€�
鈥淗ow鈥檚 that, sir? Excuse me鈥� I鈥檓 somewhat hard of hearing, I thought I heard a most strange word鈥︹€�
鈥淚 propose to acquire dead ones, who would, however, be counted in the census as living,鈥� said Chichikov.

As long as there are those who are prone to be deceived there will be deceivers.
Profile Image for Jim Fonseca.
1,139 reviews8,137 followers
June 15, 2019
The book goes way back to 1842, before Russian serfs were emancipated in 1861. It鈥檚 considered a picaresque novel; Don Quixote-ish 鈥� a journey with a lot of satire and absurd situations with a rascal as a main character, a man who always has a get-rich-quick scheme going. He鈥檚 kind of happy-go-lucky - a drinker, gambler, liar. There are more than 2,000 reviews on GR so I鈥檒l be brief.

description

In this story the main character is buying 鈥渄ead souls鈥� 鈥� papers from other property owners whose serfs died (ownership of serfs went with the property). The point was to reduce his tax burden, since serfs were taxed unless he had papers showing they had died.

In the process we learn about life in Russia at the time: masters and peasants He travels by coach with two servants and goes to a lot of taverns gambling. Each negotiation to buy serfs is different. We attend high society balls. The author comments a lot on language 鈥� Russian and French; the provinces vs. the cities and 鈥渨e Russians鈥� vs. French, British, Germans and English. There鈥檚 humor but ultimately hopelessness of ever changing the conditions of serfdom.

description

A Russian classic.

Painting: A Peasant Leaving His Landlord on Yuriev Day, by Sergei V. Ivanov, 1908.
Russian stamp honoring the author from
Profile Image for Ahmad Sharabiani.
9,562 reviews760 followers
September 2, 2021
袦褢褉褌胁褘械 写褍虂褕懈 = My贸rtvyjye d煤shi = Dead Souls, Nikolai Gogol

Dead Souls is a novel by Nikolai Gogol, first published in 1842, and widely regarded as an exemplar of 19th-century Russian literature.

The purpose of the novel was to demonstrate the flaws and faults of the Russian mentality and character. Gogol portrayed those defects through Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov and the people whom he encounters in his endeavors. These people are typical of the Russian middle-class of the time.

Gogol himself saw it as an "epic poem in prose", and within the book as a "novel in verse". Despite supposedly completing the trilogy's second part, Gogol destroyed it shortly before his death.

Although the novel ends in mid-sentence (like Sterne's Sentimental Journey), it is usually regarded as complete in the extant form. The original title, as shown on the illustration (cover page), was "The Wanderings of Chichikov, or Dead Souls. Poema", which contracted to merely "Dead Souls". ...

毓賳賵丕賳賴丕蹖 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳: 芦賲乇丿诏丕賳 夭乇禺乇蹖丿 - 乇毓丕蹖丕蹖 賲乇丿賴 (亘乇丿诏丕賳 賲乇丿賴)禄貨 芦賳賮賵爻 賲乇丿賴禄貨 丕孬乇 賳蹖讴賵賱丕蹖 诏賵诏賵賱 (賳蹖讴賵賱丕蹖 賵丕爻蹖賱蹖賵蹖趩)貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮 乇賵夭 賴賮丿賴賲 賲丕賴 賳賵丕賲亘乇 爻丕賱 1991賲蹖賱丕丿蹖

毓賳賵丕賳: 賲乇丿诏丕賳 夭乇禺乇蹖丿 - 亘乇丿诏丕賳 賲乇丿賴貨 丕孬乇: 賳蹖讴賵賱丕蹖 诏賵诏賵賱 (賳蹖讴賵賱丕蹖 賵丕爻蹖賱蹖賵蹖趩)貨 賲鬲乇噩賲 賮乇蹖丿賵賳 賲噩賱爻蹖貙 賲卮禺氐丕鬲 賳卮乇貙 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 乇爻丕賳賴貙 1370貙 丿乇357氐貨 亘丕 毓賳賵丕賳: 賲乇丿诏丕賳 夭乇禺乇蹖丿 - 乇毓丕蹖丕蹖 賲乇丿賴貙 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳蹖賱賵賮乇貙 趩丕倬 丿賵賲 1387貙 丿乇 352氐貙 卮丕亘讴 9789644483844貨 亘丕 毓賳賵丕賳: 賲乇丿诏丕賳 夭乇禺乇蹖丿 - 賳賮賵爻 賲乇丿賴貙 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳蹖賱賵賮乇貙 1393貙 丿乇 352氐貨 讴鬲丕亘 丕夭 賲鬲賳 丕賳诏賱蹖爻蹖 亘乇诏乇丿丕賳丿賴 卮丿賴貙 趩丕倬 賳禺爻鬲 丕賳鬲卮丕乇丕鬲 乇爻丕賳賴 丿乇 爻丕賱 1379貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賴丕蹖 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 乇賵爻蹖賴 - 爻丿賴 19賲

毓賳賵丕賳: 賳賮賵爻 賲乇丿賴貨 丕孬乇: 賳蹖讴賵賱丕蹖 诏賵诏賵賱 (賳蹖讴賵賱丕蹖 賵丕爻蹖賱蹖賵蹖趩)貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 讴丕馗賲 丕賳氐丕乇蹖貙 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 讴鬲丕亘禺丕賳賴 丕蹖乇丕賳貙 趩丕倬 丕賵賱 1332貨 丿乇 454氐貨 趩丕倬 丿蹖诏乇貙 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賳卮乇 丕賳丿蹖卮賴貙 趩丕倬 爻賵賲 1369貙 丿乇 348氐貨 趩丕倬 丿蹖诏乇 賮乇賴賳诏 賲毓丕氐乇貙 丿乇 566氐貨 卮丕亘讴 9786001050398貨

毓賳賵丕賳: 賳賮賵爻 賲乇丿賴貨 丕孬乇: 賳蹖讴賵賱丕蹖 诏賵诏賵賱 (賳蹖讴賵賱丕蹖 賵丕爻蹖賱蹖賵蹖趩)貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 倬乇賵蹖夭 卮賴丿蹖 丿乇 賳卮乇 亘賴 爻禺賳貙 賲噩蹖丿貙 丿乇 爻丕賱 1395 賵 丿乇 528氐貙 鬲乇噩賲賴 丕夭 賲鬲賳 賮乇丕賳爻賴貨

诏賵诏賵賱 亘蹖卮鬲乇 毓賲乇 禺賵蹖卮 乇丕 氐乇賮 芦賳賮賵爻 賲乇丿賴禄 賰乇丿賳丿貙 丕夭 賳馗乇诏丕賴 丕蹖卮丕賳 賲蹖亘丕蹖爻鬲 賳賵毓蹖 芦讴賲丿蹖 丕賱賴蹖禄 賲丿乇賳 亘丕卮丿貙 讴賴 丿乇 丌賳 賯賴乇賲丕賳 芦倬爻 丕夭 诏匕乇 丕夭 丿賵夭禺禄貙 亘賴 芦亘乇夭禺禄 賲蹖乇爻丿貙 鬲賵亘賴 賲蹖讴賳丿貙 賵 乇丕賴 乇丕爻鬲 乇丕 亘乇賲蹖诏夭蹖賳丿貙 賵 爻乇丕賳噩丕賲 丕诏乇 賳賴 亘賴 亘賴卮鬲蹖 夭賲蹖賳蹖貙 丿爻鬲讴賲 亘賴 夭賳丿诏蹖 賲毓賳蹖丿丕乇 賵 丕禺賱丕賯蹖貙 丿爻鬲 賲蹖蹖丕亘丿貨 丿乇 丿賴賴 蹖 倬賳噩賲 爻丿賴 賳賵夭丿賴 賲蹖賱丕丿蹖貙 爻賱丕賲鬲蹖 芦诏賵诏賵賱禄 亘賴 禺胤乇 丕賮鬲丕丿貨 賴賳诏丕賲蹖 讴賴 蹖賯蹖賳 讴乇丿 乇賵 亘賴 賲乇诏 丕爻鬲貙 乇賵蹖丕蹖蹖 乇丕夭賵乇丕賳賴 亘乇 丕賵 馗丕賴乇 卮丿貙 讴賴 賴乇诏夭 丌賳 乇丕 亘乇 丿蹖诏乇丕賳 賮丕卮 賳讴乇丿貨 丕蹖賲丕賳蹖 乇丕夭诏賵賳賴 亘賴 賲匕賴亘 芦丕賵乇鬲賵丿賵讴爻 乇賵爻蹖禄 倬蹖丿丕 賰乇丿貙 賵 亘乇 丕蹖賳 亘丕賵乇 卮丿貙 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖 鬲毓賱蹖賲 芦丨賯賷賯鬲禄 亘賴 丕亘賳丕蹖 亘卮乇 亘乇诏夭賷丿賴 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲貨 賳卮丕賳賴 賴丕蹖 亘丕乇夭 丕蹖賳 诏乇丕賷卮貙 丿乇 賲賯丕賱丕鬲蹖 鬲丨鬲 毓賳賵丕賳 芦诏夭蹖丿賴 丕蹖 丕夭 賲讴丕鬲亘丕鬲 亘丕 丿賵爻鬲丕賳禄 賲卮賴賵丿 丕爻鬲貨

賳賯賱 丕夭 丌睾丕夭 亘乇诏乇丿丕賳 噩賳丕亘 芦丕賳氐丕乇蹖禄: (蹖讴 讴丕賱爻讴賴 讴賵趩讴 賮賳乇蹖 賳爻亘鬲丕賸 賯卮賳诏 丕夭 丿乇賽 賲賴賲丕賳禺丕賳賴 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 卮賴乇賴丕蹖 丕爻鬲丕賳 賵丕乇丿 卮丿貨 亘丕 丕蹖賳 讴丕賱爻讴賴 賴丕 賲毓賲賵賱丕賸 丕賮乇丕丿 賲噩乇丿貙 賲丕賳賳丿 爻乇诏乇丿賴丕蹖 亘丕夭賳卮爻鬲賴貙 爻乇賵丕賳賴丕蹖 爻鬲丕丿貙 賲賱賾丕讴丕賳蹖 讴賴 丿乇 丨丿賵丿 趩賳丿 爻乇 乇毓蹖鬲 丿丕乇賳丿 賵 乇賵蹖 賴賲 乇賮鬲賴 賴賲賴 讴爻丕賳蹖 讴賴 丿乇 夭賲乇賴 賲乇丿賲丕賳 賲鬲賵爻胤 亘賴 卮賲丕乇 賲蹖乇賵賳丿 賲爻丕賮乇鬲 賲蹖讴賳賳丿貨 賲爻丕賮乇 丕蹖賳 讴丕賱爻讴賴 賲乇丿蹖 亘賵丿 賲蹖丕賳賴 丨丕賱貙 賳賴 夭卮鬲 賵 賳賴 夭蹖亘丕 賵 賳賴 趩丕賯 賵 賳賴 賱丕睾乇貨 賴乇趩賳丿 倬蹖乇 亘賴 賳馗乇 賳賲蹖丌賲丿貙 噩賵丕賳 賴賲 賲丨爻賵亘 賳賲蹖卮丿貨 賵乇賵丿 丕賵 亘賴 卮賴乇 爻乇賵氐丿丕蹖蹖 乇丕賴 賳蹖賳丿丕禺鬲 賵 亘丕 賴蹖趩 倬蹖卮丕賲丿 禺丕氐 賵 賳丕賲賳鬲馗乇蹖 賴賲乇丕賴 賳卮丿貨 鬲賳賴丕 丿賵賳賮乇 乇賵爻鬲丕蹖蹖 乇賵爻蹖 讴賴 噩賳亘賽 丿乇賽 賲蹖禺丕賳賴 丕蹖 乇賵亘乇賵蹖 丕蹖賳 賲賴賲丕賳禺丕賳賴 丕蹖爻鬲丕丿賴 亘賵丿賳丿貙 趩賳丿 讴賱賲賴 丕蹖 丿乇 丕蹖賳 亘丕亘 亘丕 賴賲 乇丿 賵 亘丿賱 讴乇丿賳丿 讴賴 亘丕夭 爻禺賳丕賳卮丕賳 亘蹖卮鬲乇 丿乇亘丕乇賴 丿乇卮讴賴 亘賵丿)貨 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱

鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 15/08/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 10/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
Profile Image for Valeriu Gherghel.
Author听6 books1,959 followers
December 16, 2024
鈥濫ra o femeie aspr膬 卯n purt膬ri, de葯i se d膬dea 卯n v卯nt dup膬 stafide鈥�.

Ori de c卯te ori deschid Suflete moarte, m膬 opresc la un paragraf cunoscut. De altfel, cartea 卯ns膬葯i se deschide automat la paragraful cu pricina, nu mai trebuie s膬 caut paginile. Am citit fragmentul de zeci de ori dintr-o cauz膬 simpl膬: am g膬sit aici portretul cititorului ideal...

Dar mai 卯nt卯i s膬 spun dou膬 vorbe despre 鈥瀙oemul鈥� lui Gogol. Despre Pavel Ivanovici Cicikov toat膬 lumea 葯tie c膬 e un individ pe c卯t de misterios, tot pe at卯ta de ocupat: cump膬r膬 nume de iobagi care au murit de mult, dar au r膬mas consemna葲i 卯n scripte (la at卯ta s-a redus fiin葲a lor, la un nume) 葯i produc fo葯tilor proprietari numai b膬t膬i de cap. Prin cump膬rarea numelor (sufletelor moarte), Cicicov vrea s膬-i u葯ureze de povar膬: proprietarii nu vor mai fi obliga葲i s膬 completeze h卯rtii, cereri, peti葲ii. Gestul lui bizar dovede葯te c膬 protagonistul e un anti-birocrat. 脦葯i asum膬 el h卯r葲og膬ria. Sf卯r葯itul c膬r葲ii (de葯i Gogol a l膬sat romanul neterminat) e cunoscut de to葲i: comer葲ul lui Cicicov sf卯r葯e葯te prost 葯i negustorul ajunge la 卯nchisoare. Nu 卯nainte de a st卯rni 卯n consiliul ora葯ului ipotezele cele mai fanteziste cu privire la identitatea lui: dirigintele po葯tei crede c膬 e vestitul t卯lhar Kopeikin, al葲ii b膬nuiesc c膬 au de a face cu 卯mp膬ratul Napoleon, aflat incognito 卯n gubernia NN...

M膬 卯ntorc la pasajul preferat. Pavel Ivanovici Cicicov dispune de un vizitiu (Selifan) 葯i de un lacheu ilustru: 笔别迟谤耻葯办补. Cei doi nu s卯nt foarte ocupa葲i, au mult timp liber la dispozi葲ie. Selifan prefer膬 s膬 doarm膬. 脦n schimb, 笔别迟谤耻葯办补 e unul dintre noi, unul ca noi. El ar trebui s膬 fie sf卯ntul patron al cititorilor de pretutindeni. C膬ci 笔别迟谤耻葯办补 are nobilul n膬rav de a citi. 葮i cite葯te cu 卯nver葯unare, orice, nu conteaz膬 titlul, nu conteaz膬 autorul, carte s膬 fie. 脦n portretul lui, eu, unul, m-am recunoscut dintotdeauna. Transcriu c卯teva r卯nduri:
鈥瀃笔别迟谤耻葯办补] era mai cur卯nd taciturn dec卯t vorb膬re牛 din fire; avea chiar o nobil膬 pornire spre cultur膬, adic膬 spre cititul c膬r牛ilor, dar nu se ostenea s膬 aleag膬: 卯i era cu totul indiferent dac膬 citea aventurile unui erou 卯ndr膬gostit, un abecedar sau o carte de rug膬ciuni 鈥� tuturora le acorda aceea艧i aten牛ie; dac膬 i s ar fi b膬gat sub nas o carte de chimie, ar fi citit-o negre艧it. Nu-i pl膬cea ceea ce citea, ci 卯nsu艧i cititul sau, mai bine zis, 卯nsu艧i procesul lecturii鈥�.

Exact a葯a fac 葯i eu. Nu-mi plac c膬r葲ile, dar s卯nt posedat de obiceiul de a citi. 笔别迟谤耻葯办补 c'est moi...
Profile Image for 尝耻铆蝉.
2,271 reviews1,173 followers
June 2, 2024
Every writer carries an essential book, the work he has to "tell everything." From the day he saw it, when he began to realize it, to think of himself, his vision of the world and the conception of his own life revolve around this pole; the work becomes the symbol of man, his message.
It's about a crook named Pavel Ivanovich Tchitchikov. The latter has an extraordinary idea for making a fortune: he will redeem dead souls.
In ancient Russia, the peasants (dead souls, as they called them) were considered security: they sold and bought, and the owner paid a tax per male and adult male head. The census was every ten years, so in the meantime, he continued to pay a fee to deceased serfs on his property. The bright and brilliant idea of Tchitchikov was to buy in goods and due from dead souls since the last census: the owner would be happy to give a fictitious interest and free oneself of a real tax, and everyone would find his account. Nothing was illegal in this transaction, and when the purchaser possessed a few thousand serfs, he carried his contracts to a bank in Moscow or St. Petersburg and borrowed a large sum on these securities. Thus, he would be productive and able to buy peasants of flesh and bones!
In conclusion, Gogol's book is a satire of human mediocrity and a virulent and ruthless criticism of Tsarist Russia.
Profile Image for Stephen.
1,516 reviews12.1k followers
March 23, 2011
2.0 stars. As much as I hate to say this about a book that is both a classic of Russian literature and considered one of the best satires ever written, THIS BOOK BORED ME TO DEATH!!! Okay, not quite "coffin ready" dead, but certainly bored to the point of suffering intermittent bouts of narcolepsy. I can certainly say without hyperbole that this is not a book I would recommend as an 鈥渆njoyable鈥� experience, no matter how much Vodka you have standing by.

My assessment of the book arises DESPITE the fact that the novel is very well written and gives an excellent description of 鈥渙ld鈥� Russia (cold, dreary and depressing but otherwise a great place to visit). The historical detail is both precise and very broad as Gogol includes in the narrative detailed discussions of many aspects of Russian life from the economy to social life to politics to the very unique mindset of the Russian people. Thus, as a historical overview of a not very well known period of Russian history the novel is very good.

In addition, the basic plot itself (or at least the idea of the plot) was very interesting. The 鈥渄ead souls鈥� of the title refers to the measuring unit (i.e., souls) used by the Russian census takers to count the numbers of serfs that landowners owned. Serfs, while not exactly the same as slaves, are similar enough for purposes of this review as they were considered property and had very few rights. The taxes that Russian landowners paid during this time were based on the number of serfs they owned. Anyway, the main character of the novel, Pavel Ivanovitch Chichikov, devises a plan to 鈥減urchase鈥� from various landowners those serfs who have died since the last census but are still listed as alive for purposes of the taxes paid (at least until the next census which is only done every 5 to 10 years). Why he wants to do this, I will not spoil but it is very clever and I thought an excellent basis for a good story.

So we have a book that is very well written, full of superb historical detail and an original and potentially interesting plot. So what was the problem? Well, first off...NO VODKA!! No, in all seriousness, I found the book to be simply way too dull and plodding. The satirical elements were UNDERWHELMING (and that is being kind) and the story was just incredibly slow to unfold. I kept trying to give this the benefit of the doubt, it is a classic after all, but it was just determined to remian not very interesting or enjoyable. The various characters Chichikov encounters were intended to portray various types of Russians and I guess I was not familiar enough with the period to understand the nuances (and thus the intended caricature) that Gogal was trying to highlight. Therefore, the various encounters just sort of bled into one another and left me anxious for the end.

In sum, this was a book that I could appreciate on many levels (the quality of the writing, the historical detail, the cleverness of the plot) and there were certainly moments of the story that I truly liked. However, at the end of the day, from the standpoint of my enjoyment of the novel as literature, I can not rate it higher than two stars.
Profile Image for Jeffrey Keeten.
Author听6 books251k followers
November 20, 2019
鈥漌hat was the riddle, indeed, what was the riddle of the dead souls? There was no logic whatsoever in dead souls. Why buy dead souls? Where would such a fool be found? What worn-out money would one pay for them? To what end, to what business, could these dead souls be tacked? And why was the governor鈥檚 daughter mixed up in it? If he wanted to carry her off, why buy dead souls for that? And if he was buying dead souls, why carry off the governor鈥檚 daughter? Did he want to make her a gift of these dead souls, or what?鈥�


The madness of Dead Souls. Is it Gogol鈥檚 madness or is it the insanity of Russian society?

What is Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov up to? Where does he come from?

He is insinuating himself into a community and going around to the local landowners and offering to buy up their dead peasants? What is the going rate for dead souls? One of the rules that I鈥檝e always followed in making business deals is that I must understand the motivations of the people I鈥檓 negotiating with and the end game for all parties involved. If Chichikov showed up on my doorstep with a ridiculous request to buy my, obviously worthless or are they?, dead peasants, I would have many questions and would have to determine if he were brilliant or quite mad.

Being either or both can lead one to ruin or, quite possibly, to wealth and riches.

The much lauded translators Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky give us a clue to what Chichikov is up to in the introduction by explaining the system of serf ownership.

鈥滾andowners were not required to pay taxes, but their peasants were, and it was up to the landowner to collect them. He was responsible for turning in the tax money for as many souls as has been counted in the latest census (The action of Dead Souls is set in the period between the seventh official census of 1815 and the eighth, taken in 1833). During that time a number of peasants would die, but the master remained responsible for the tax on them until they were stricken from the rolls at the next census. It was possible for a landowner to obtain money from the government by mortgaging some or all of the peasants of whom he was the certified owner.鈥�

So a plague sweeps through that takes a large number of your serfs all at once. It is a tragedy on many levels. Setting aside the fact that these are human beings and not just line items in a ledger book, families are devastated. The time for grief and the pairing of new couples from the remains of the old will slow reproduction. Think of the time it takes a bairn to become a full grown useful laborer. It is enough to leave a landowner gripping his hair in agitation. Not only do you lose the use of the dead serf鈥檚 labor, but you also have to keep paying tax on those dead souls, possibly for a number of years, until the next census. It is a very Russian, very nonsensical system.

Nikolai Gogol was living abroad for most of the time he was writing this novel. He had to come back to Russia to usher the first of three parts of the novel through the census board. Golokhvastov, the acting chairman of the census committee, was disconcerted by the title of the book. 鈥滵ead Souls! No, never will I allow that--the soul is immortal, there can be no such thing as a dead soul; the author is taking up arms against immortality!鈥� When the idea of the novel was explained further to the chairman, he was even more offended. 鈥滶ven worse!...That means it is against serfdom.鈥�

I can see the struggle that Gogol had with this book, but it isn鈥檛 just about struggling with plots or wrestling with characters. Gogol the man was battling Gogol the writer. His expectations for himself were so high that feelings of failure were inevitable. He burned the manuscript of part two in 1845 and 1852. Cathartic in the moment, but what a hangover that must have left him with the next morning. I鈥檝e been enjoying the Russian Amazon Prime series Gogol, which has been a real pleasure to watch. It begins with Gogol buying up books of his published poetry, getting very drunk, and burning them in a fireplace. There have been numerous writers over the decades who, I鈥檓 sure, have had similar reactions to their published work.

So Gogol keeps the reader in the dark as to Chichikov鈥檚 true motivations for most of the novel. As I was reading, looking for hints of his past, I kept speculating about who he is. I kept thinking if I know more about him, maybe I can discover what he is up to. Is he even a man? Is he a demon stealing these souls? Con man? An escapee from a mental institution? Gogol, as the narrator, does worry about his hero. At several points, Gogol speculates about whether readers will even like him at all. Even then, he understands the fickleness of readers. One black smudge on his character that they don鈥檛 approve of, and his book goes from a five star to a one star. If he thought readers were harsh on books during his time, imagine what he would think of the readers on 欧宝娱乐 today.

What is the going rate for dead souls? It seems to be an arbitrary number, certainly negotiable, and believe me, these suspicious landowners are worried about being hoodwinked. One widow says to him, 鈥滻 will check on the prices.鈥� As if there is a stock market price for dead souls. To have a going rate, one must have buyers, certainly more than one seemingly crazy one.

There are certainly comedic elements to the book. After all, it is a farce of Russian culture and a condemnation of the owning of serfs. Any criticism offered by a Russian writer of the system had to be hidden beneath a veneer of humor. The book does have a cobbled together feel to it. The censoring committee did demand some changes, though according to Pevear they were minor, so it wasn鈥檛 censorship that created this disjointed feeling. I would say that Gogol wrote thousands of words, maybe hundreds of thousands, that never made it into the final manuscript. It did take me a bit of time to settle into the novel, but I was driven by a burning curiosity to know exactly what Chichikov was up to. I also took pleasure in smiling at Gogol鈥檚 caricatures of Russian people and the speculations they shared with one another that upon the retelling went from baseless fiction to fact. I did fear that our hero would find himself being carried out of town on a rail.

This Richard Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky translation is highly recommended.

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Profile Image for Fernando.
718 reviews1,067 followers
September 5, 2023
"-Dice usted que 驴por qu茅 deseo saberlo? Es por esto: quisiera comprar los campesinos鈥� -pronunci贸 Chichikov, vacilando y dejando la frase sin terminar.
-Pero perm铆tame preguntarle 鈥揹ijo Manilof-, 驴c贸mo desea usted comprarlos, con tierras o sencillamente para llev谩rselos, sin tierras?
-No; no son precisamente los campesinos. Replic贸 Chichikov. 鈥換uiero los muertos鈥�"


Nik贸lai G贸gol es considerado uno de los padres de la literatura rusa junto con el eterno Alexandr Pushkin. Es gracias a ellos que Rusia fue conocida a nivel literario en toda Europa. G贸gol, originario de la 鈥減eque帽a Rusia鈥� como se denominaba a Ucrania en los tiempos de los zares fue el pionero de la literatura moderna, adem谩s de perfeccionar junto con Pushkin la manera de escribir, as铆 tambi茅n como dar a conocer a Rusia al lector com煤n, adem谩s de los estratos literarios m谩s sofisticados. Luego de per铆odo ucraniano, G贸gol se traslada a San Petersburgo a vivir, raz贸n por la cual su obra de desdobla en estos dos lugares.

La obra de G贸gol no es tan extensa como la de otros autores rusos, pero marc贸 a fuego con su talento narrativo a todas las generaciones subsiguientes en su pa铆s y destaco entre todos ellos a Fi贸dor Dostoievski quien ya hab铆a acu帽ado su frase "Todos descendemos del capote de G贸gol" y a Lev Tolstoi, quien seguramente se haya inspirado en esta extensa novela para escribir uno de sus cuentos m谩s geniales, me refiero a "Cu谩nta tierra necesita un hombre" en donde emparenta el af谩n de conseguir tierras del personaje principal, Pajom con la obsesi贸n de Chichikov por comprar almas muertas.
En su obra encontramos sus cuentos m谩s inmortales como "El Capote", "La Nar铆z", "Viy", "Diario de un Loco", esta novela, "Tar谩s Bulba" y obras de teatro "El Inspector", las cuales son pruebas inequ铆vocas de su maestr铆a literaria.
"El Quijote ruso" es como se denomina a Almas Muertas. Ni m谩s ni menos. De hecho G贸gol reconoce su inspiraci贸n en la obra cumbre de Cervantes, madre de toda la novela moderna puesto que el viaje de Chichikov traza un paralelismo con el de Don Quijote aunque sus finales son totalmente distintos.

La concepci贸n de esta obra por parte del autor le llev贸 mucho tiempo para lograr su publicaci贸n all谩 por 1842 y fue ampliamente aclamada por cr铆tica y lectores. Su proceso fue largo y arduo, como lo cuenta Dostoievski en una carta a su hermano Mija铆l en mayo de 1858 cuando le dice "驴De d贸nde sacas t煤 que al primer intento se pueda pintar un cuadro? 驴Cu谩ndo has adquirido esa convicci贸n? Cr茅eme a m铆; para todo se requiere trabajo, una labor gigantesca. Ten la seguridad de que cualquier poema gracioso y ligero de Pushkin nos parece ahora a nosotros tan gracioso y ligero precisamente por lo mucho que lo trabaj贸 y corrigi贸 el poeta. Esa es la verdad. G贸gol tard贸 ocho a帽os en escribir su Almas Muertas. Todo lo que sale de un tir贸n est谩 todav铆a verde. Dicen que en los manuscritos de Shakespeare no se advierten tachaduras. Pues por eso, precisamente, presenta tales monstruosidades y pruebas de mal gusto; si hubiera trabajado m谩s, le habr铆a salido mejor.鈥�

Almas Muertas, por consiguiente es un libro largo, de apretadas y densas l铆neas, pero que son necesarias para desplegar toda la historia de Chichikov, este hombre tan particular que fatiga las estepas rusas en busca de hacendados que le vendan las almas, es decir los campesinos, que tienen en su poder y que han muerto pero que todav铆a aparecen en el Censo como vivos que realizaba el Estado ruso entre los terratenientes.
Era normal designar con el mote de "alma" al campesino que trabajaba para ellos y de esa manera, sus propietarios pod铆an tener trabajando veinte, cien o quinientas almas en sus tierras. El proyecto de Chichikov es comprar esas almas haciendo un contrato de traspaso para despu茅s hacerlos figurar como propios en unas tierras que tiene pensado comprar en la ciudad de Kherson, un remoto pueblo perdido dentro del vasto suelo ruso.
Chichikov es un hombre refinado, pero taimado, tiene una avaricia por la compra de almas que lo transforma en un comprador lisonjero y astuto y es capaz de hacer cualquier cosa con tal de conseguir lo que quiere. 脡l va atravesando ciudades (aunque gran parte de la novela sucede en la ciudad de N.), en su cales铆n acompa帽ado de su lacayo Petrushka y su cochero Selifan que ofician como dos Sancho Panza de menor injerencia que el famoso personaje espa帽ol.

El talento de G贸gol en esta novela es el que precisamente tambi茅n caracteriz贸 a Pushkin y me refiero a que era un conocedor total de todos los estratos sociales de Rusia. Y los conoc铆a como la palma de su mano. Este autor pod铆a describir con lujo de detalle a todas las clases sociales rusas, de hecho, aparecen en sus novelas campesinos, generales, terratenientes, sirvientes, polic铆as, gobernadores, funcionarios burocr谩ticos, doctores, comerciantes, lacayos, damas de la alta sociedad y muchos tipos de personajes m谩s. Para redondear el concepto, G贸gol nos muestra magistralmente a Rusia de una manera total.

El libro se compone de dos partes bien diferenciadas, siendo la primera mucho m谩s extensa que la segunda y tambi茅n muy distinta en cuanto al aspecto narrativo. La primera, obviamente nos introduce de lleno en la vida de este particular personaje y nos cuenta todo lo que le sucede, pero la segunda es un tanto confusa. Constantemente aparecen frases entre par茅ntesis que dicen "(falta una hoja en el manuscrito original)" o "(en este punto se interrumpe el manuscrito)", con lo que no queda claro si el manuscrito al que se refiere es al del narrador o al del propio autor. Hasta da la sensaci贸n que el libro est谩 inconcluso, aunque queda muy claro como termina la historia de Chichikov, algo que no voy a develar para todo aquel valiente lector que desee atravesar las cuatrocientas o quinientas p谩ginas de las que se compone esta novela seg煤n la edici贸n que se lea.

Lamentablemente, la vida de G贸gol tuvo un giro radical casi hacia el final de su vida, ya que luego de un viaje a Palestina en busca de sosiego espiritual, su salud se deteriora r谩pidamente y comienza a tener serios problemas de insania, fanatismo religioso y delirio m铆stico, lo que lo lleva a auto infligirse de una gran culpa, despreciando todo lo hecho en su obra art铆stica. Abrumado por sus propios demonios, G贸gol quema el manuscrito de la segunda parte de Almas Muertas, imposibilit谩ndonos de saber que hubiera sucedido en la posterior vida viajera de Pavel Iv谩novich Chichikov.
Almas Muertas es uno de los cinco libros rusos fundamentales para todo lector que quiera acercarse a la de literatura cl谩sica rusa, asi como queda claro que Nik贸lai G贸gol es uno de los padres de la literatura rusa.
Y eso, no se discute.
Profile Image for Jon Nakapalau.
6,109 reviews936 followers
November 1, 2022
Another 'classic bucket list' book. As he buys dead souls in an attempt to help increase his social standing Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov represents the all too common association that is made between power, ethics and the law. The dead on the list are treated (by the law) better than they ever were when they were living. Should be required reading to get an MBA.
Profile Image for Piyangie.
587 reviews698 followers
September 5, 2024
Dead Souls is a work of pure satire. There is no section of Russian society that this work doesn't touch. It scorns the Russian bureaucracy, gentry, and society at large. Many of Gogol's works are known for their satire, but I think none would equal this.

Using a simple story with an antihero, Gogol exposes the corruption, bribery, and despotism of the Russian officials. A major part of the story is devoted to this exercise. Gogol brings to light how a "government" within the government operates hindering the established laws and regulations of the land. He shows how this "government' within the government corrupts the whole system of governing to the social and economic detriment of Russia. Gogol's pen doesn't rest there. It extends to the gentry as well. He shows how the idleness, mismanagement, and greed of the landowners have considerably contributed to the poor living conditions of the peasants and the surfs. Gogol goes even further. He wields his pen against society, in general, to show how the dominating prejudice and vanity have helped to cultivate an ignorant and uncultured populace.

Gogol's message is very strong. He sees that with the present state affairs, Russia cannot progress further. He doesn't hesitate to point out the issues boldly so that people would begin to think that a change is necessary if they are to secure a better future for the generations to come. With a story bordering between reality and absurdity, this is the message that Gogol wants to convey through his Dead Souls.

But even though the message is powerful, Gogol wouldn't have accomplished much had it not been for his writing. Gogol called Dead Souls an epic poem in verse. True to his description the poetic beauty, the adventure, and even the absurdity are interlaced to produce a light but clever and super satirical work. While the message holds your attention the writing absorbs you in it. I've read some of his works before but never was I captivated more. It is not a light and interesting story as such, the content is quite bleak, but I had such fun reading it which says a lot about his writing.

This is not a complete work, so my review is mostly formulated on the completed first part, but I don't think there would be any lesser understanding or enjoyment of the book because it is incomplete. For me, this work is the best of Gogol, where he truly comes out as one of the most remarkable Russian authors.
Profile Image for Fionnuala.
862 reviews
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June 20, 2023
Dead Souls Reading Diary

January 4th, 2019

I've just reached page 249 where finally the hero, to the waving of the cap of the houseman, who was standing there in the same fustian frock-coat, and in the presence of the inn-servants and someone else鈥檚 lackeys and coachmen, who had gathered to gape at the departure of someone else鈥檚 master, and amid all the other circumstances that accompany a departure, took his seat in the vehicle, and the britska, which was of the sort in which bachelors ride, and which has been standing so long in the town and thus has perhaps even become boring to the reader, finally drove out of the gate of the hostelry...

If I've felt the need to post this long passage, therefore beginning this review though I've not finished reading the book yet, it's because I'm struck by the mirror effect of the scene which occurs half-way through the book. Gogol, who is a slippery devil, has just made his main character take the reverse journey he took on page 1, when, through the gate of a hostelry in a provincial capital that will remain nameless rolled a small, rather handsome britska on springs, of the kind in which bachelors travel: retired lieutenant-colonels, staff-captains, landowners possessing a hundred or so peasant souls 鈥� in a word, all those who are known as gentlemen of the middling sort.

Of course, the travelling carriage has rolled in and out of the same gate many times during the 247 intervening pages as the mysterious 'gentleman of the middling sort', who owns it, visited the landowners of the surrounding countryside, but only on page 1 and page 249 did the carriage have all his luggage onboard.

The luggage was as odd and mysterious as the gentleman himself, and I might even say as odd and mysterious as the book inside of which he, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, his carriage and his servants, are confined. The luggage comprises a leather trunk that takes two men to lift, a small mahogany box inlaid with Karelian birch, and sundry other items, including shoe-trees. But I'm refusing to be distracted by the shoe-trees because I suspect that it is the small mahogany box that will prove to be the most interesting item. Chichikov keeps putting pieces of paper into it, theatre bills, letters, but most mysteriously, long lists of dead souls...

So now the small mahogany box is inside the carriage, and the carriage is on the road leading out of the nameless provincial capital, and I'm turning over page 249 in hopes of discovering the mystery that's inside the box that's inside the carriage that's inside this book. I don't know how well my investigation will proceed as I'm completely in the dark at present (the leather curtains are drawn in the carriage because Chichikov is sleeping) but I'm curious to know where I'm going.
I promise to keep you updated...if I can see my way to doing it.

January 6th
Page 280
When I turned over page 249, I didn't know that it marked the beginning of an interlude that would last thirty pages. Yes, Gogol left Chichikov sleeping in his travelling carriage with the curtains closed for a considerable time during which he obligingly agreed to fill me on on Chichikov's origins. You see, I'd been very curious about events in Chichikov's life before his carriage rolled into the inn on page 1, so I got comfortable and listened carefully to the back story鈥攚hich didn't come without many digressions.
Speaking of digressions, I'd been thinking about the author of Tristram Shandy from the early pages, but in this section, even more so. It's the games Gogol plays with the reader that remind me of Laurence Sterne (apart from the frequent mention of Chichikov's nose). By games, I mean not only the obvious humour that is part of character and plot but the fun that is embedded in anodyne words, linking phrases, and even punctuation (ellipses are often used in a comical way, especially when it comes to describing women...).
So, what I'm getting to is that the reader might be tempted to keep turning the pages of this book, interested only in where the plot takes the characters, but Gogol, like Sterne, challenges us to slow down and watch, as it were, the sideshows in the writing itself.

January 7th
Page 304
One of the sideshows I was thinking about yesterday, and it is a very elaborate type of sideshow, is 'The Tale of Captain Kopeykin' which begins on page 226. It's a long story told by a minor character about an army officer who becomes a brigand in order to get rich. The telling allows Gogol to demonstrate with much humour the kind of 'larded' language used by many people at the time (such a contrast to his own as can be seen in the p 304 update quote below), and which he's been making fun of from the early pages. It's the kind of language that includes a lot of unnecessary trimmings, for example: you know鈥� in a certain sense... you can just picture it鈥� so to speak鈥� in a word鈥� you understand鈥�.
But the really interesting thing about this sideshow tale is that it gives us some insight into Chichikov, but we don't realise this until we get to the backstory interlude on page 250 where we learn about Chichikov's life-long obsession with saving his kopecks (cents), and then we suddenly remember the Tale of Captain Kopeykin...
The other interesting thing about the Kopeykin tale, told after all in such a different style, was that it reminded me of inserted stories in Don Quixote and Tristram Shandy, as well as Ovid's Metamorphoses which I'm currently reading, specifically Book Four where Ovid allows a couple of his characters to tell stories in their own voices using their own verse style. Unlike Narcissus, I'm always on the lookout for echoes...

January 8th
Page 380
When I mentioned sideshows two days ago, I had no idea just what a funfair I was about to experience. The second part of this book introduces a series of characters, each more bizarre than the previous one. And as I'm still travelling with Chichikov, I've been able to step inside their strange houses and eat at their overloaded tables (there's a lot of eating in this book). Chichikov's carriage needed some repairs after he woke up so we had to knock at the door of a very lovelorn land owner who, after wining and dining us thoroughly, sent us on a mission to the fearsome father of the object of his affections. From there, having been reasonably successful, we set out to visit a relative of the fearsome father on another mission, but took the wrong road and ended up at the estate of a fisherman farmer where we ate our way through a monstrous sturgeon before making our escape to a model estate run by a very billious man who, on hearing that Chichikov might like to turn landowner, sent us off to the complete opposite kind of estate run by a most cheerfully incompetent man who needed to sell up.
Oh, and in between we visited a crazy ex-general, obsessed with administration...

January 9th
Concluding chapter

As I was saying three days ago, before I got distracted by the many sideshows in this fun-fair of a book, Gogol's announcement on page 250 of his intention to reveal Chichikov's back story was exactly what I wanted to hear. And I listened carefully to everything in the thirty pages that followed. But for all my assiduity, I still didn't learn much about the small mahogany box. And I learned even less about the list of dead souls Chichikov keeps inside it, or about his plans for those souls. There was an explanation on page 274 but it wouldn't seem to lodge in my brain no matter how many times I reread it. It was as if a spell had been cast over the words by a magician, and I had to conclude that Gogol himself was the biggest sideshow in the fun-fair. He'd bamboozled me completely; on page 275, he just moved on from the subject of the dead souls as if no further explanation was needed, saying: So it was that this strange plot took shape in our hero鈥檚 head. Whether readers will be grateful to him for it, I don鈥檛 know. As for how grateful the author is, that鈥檚 really hard to put into words. For, say what you will, if this idea hadn鈥檛 entered Chichikov鈥檚 head, this long poem would never have seen the light of day.
Isn't that a neat trick? Gogol just pushes all the responsibility for the dead souls plot onto Chichikov's shoulders and walks away.

In the concluding chapter, I had a similar bamboozling experience. This time, the explanation about the dead souls came directly from Chichikov but even while I was reading it, the meaning just wafted away from me like wisps of smoke, impossible to grasp.

Around about then, my comprehension faced an even bigger challenge because bracketed ellipses [鈥 began to appear on every page. But instead of being humourous avoidance strategies such as Gogol used earlier in the book, now they seemed to signify genuine gaps in the text as if someone had removed entire sections. I couldn't help wondering if Chichikov himself was somehow responsible, because, in the meantime, he seemed to have acquired a mysterious fortune and was suddenly spending lots of money (which he was very reluctant to do before) and getting himself a new suit the colour of smoke and flame. What the devil!

And believe it or not, the little wooden box reentered the story in a significant though rather unholy way鈥攁nd Chichikov was so happy to recover it that I wondered if, along with those mysterious lists of dead souls, it might not have contained the missing sections of this book...

The End.
Profile Image for Metodi Markov.
1,647 reviews407 followers
May 12, 2025
"校屑芯屑 袪芯褋褋懈褞 薪械 锌芯薪褟褌褜..." - 孝褞褌褔械胁, 1866 谐芯写懈薪邪. 孝芯谢泻芯胁邪 械 写芯褋褌邪褌褗褔薪芯 写邪 褋械 泻邪卸械 锌芯 褌芯蟹懈 胁褗锌褉芯褋!

袠 褌褗泄, 袘褗谢谐邪褉懈褟 褋懈 懈屑邪 斜邪泄 袚邪薪褜芯, 邪 袪褍褋懈褟 - 效懈褔懈泻芯胁!

袧懈泻芯泄, 薪懈泻褗写械 懈 薪懈泻芯谐邪 薪械 械 斜懈谢 芯斜懈褔邪薪, 蟹邪 懈蟹胁邪写械薪邪褌邪 薪邪褟胁械 薪械谢懈褑械锌褉懈褟褌薪邪 懈褋褌懈薪邪鈥�

"袦褗褉褌胁懈 写褍褕懈" 械 褋懈屑锌褌芯屑邪褌懈褔械薪 懈 褉械邪谢械薪 褉芯屑邪薪, 褉械卸械褖 写褗谢斜芯泻芯 懈 褌芯褔薪芯, 锌褉邪胁芯 锌褉械蟹 褋褉械写邪褌邪 薪邪 薪械褍谢芯胁懈屑邪褌邪 懈 锌褉械胁褗蟹薪邪褋褟薪邪褌邪 懈 写芯 写薪械褋 斜械蟹 芯褋芯斜械薪邪 锌褉懈褔懈薪邪 "写褗谢斜芯泻邪 褉褍褋泻邪 写褍褕械胁薪芯褋褌". 袗泻芯 薪械 褋懈 褋锌芯褋芯斜械薪 写邪 褋械 锌芯褏胁邪谢懈褕 褋 锌谢芯写芯胁械褌械 薪邪 褋胁芯懈褌械 蟹薪邪薪懈褟 懈 褍褋锌械褏懈, 薪邪 锌芯屑芯褖 胁懈薪邪谐懈 褋邪 谐芯褌芯胁懈 写邪 褌懈 褋械 锌褉懈褌械泻邪褌 锌邪褌褉懈芯褌邪褉褋褌胁芯褌芯, 褕芯胁懈薪懈蟹屑褗褌 懈 胁芯写泻邪褌邪/锌褉械锌邪褉邪褌 蟹邪 褔懈褋褌械薪械 薪邪 胁邪薪懈! 孝邪蟹懈 褌械薪写械薪褑懈褟 锌芯写褗谢卸邪胁邪 褋 锌褗谢薪邪 褋懈谢邪 写邪 械 胁芯写械褖邪 胁 褉褍褋泻芯褌芯 芯斜褖械褋褌胁芯 懈 写薪械褋, 写胁邪 胁械泻邪 褋谢械写 懈蟹谢懈蟹邪薪械褌芯 薪邪 袚芯谐芯谢械胁懈褟 褉芯屑邪薪. 袦褗褉褌胁懈褌械 写褍褕懈 褋邪 薪邪胁褋褟泻褗写械 褌邪屑, 薪邪泄-褔械褋褌芯 薪邪 褉褗泻芯胁芯写薪懈 锌芯蟹懈褑懈懈. :(

袧械芯褔邪泻胁邪薪芯, 泻薪懈谐邪褌邪 胁褋褗褖薪芯褋褌 写芯褋褌邪 屑械 蟹邪斜邪胁谢褟胁邪褕械 - 写芯斜褉械 械 薪邪锌懈褋邪薪邪 懈 锌褉芯褖邪胁邪屑 褋 谢械泻芯褌邪 薪褟泻芯谢泻芯褌芯 褋泻褍褔薪芯胁邪褌懈 懈 锌褉芯褋褌褉邪薪薪懈 芯褌泻谢芯薪械薪懈褟 薪邪 邪胁褌芯褉邪 胁 薪械褟. 袞邪谢泻芯, 薪械 械 蟹邪胁褗褉褕械薪邪 懈 薪褟屑邪 泻邪泻 写邪 褍蟹薪邪械屑, 写芯 泻褗写械 褖械褕械 褋褌懈谐薪械 薪邪褕懈褟褌 袩邪胁械谢 袠胁邪薪芯胁懈褔.

袥褞斜懈屑 懈蟹褉芯写 芯褌 屑械薪邪卸械褉懈褟褌邪 薪邪 袚芯谐芯谢 - 锌芯屑械褕褔懈泻邪 袧芯蟹写褉械胁!

袧械薪邪胁褉械屑械薪薪邪褌邪 褋屑褗褉褌 薪邪 褌芯蟹懈 锌懈褋邪褌械谢 械 芯谐褉芯屑薪邪 蟹邪谐褍斜邪 蟹邪 褋胁械褌芯胁薪邪褌邪 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉邪!

P.S. 小褞卸械褌褗褌 械 锌芯写邪褉械薪 薪邪 邪胁褌芯褉邪 芯褌 袩褍褕泻懈薪, 泻芯泄褌芯 谐芯 械 褋屑械褌薪邪谢 蟹邪 锌芯-锌芯写褏芯写褟褖 蟹邪 褉邪蟹胁懈褌懈械 芯褌 袚芯谐芯谢. 袩懈褋邪褌械谢褟褌 褍褋锌褟胁邪 写邪 屑褍 锌褉芯褔械褌械 锌褗褉胁邪褌邪 褉械写邪泻褑懈褟 薪邪 薪邪褔邪谢薪懈褌械 谐谢邪胁懈 懈 锌芯械褌褗褌, 泻芯泄褌芯 芯褌薪邪褔邪谢芯 写芯褋褌邪 褋械 械 褋屑褟谢, 械 蟹邪锌芯褔薪邪谢 写邪 褋褌邪胁邪 胁褋械 锌芯-屑褉邪褔械薪 懈 泻芯谐邪褌芯 锌褉芯褔懈褌褗褌 褋胁褗褉褕懈谢, 泻邪蟹邪谢 褋褗褋 褋泻褉褗斜械薪 谐谢邪褋: "袘芯卸械, 泻芯谢泻芯 械 褌褗卸薪邪 薪邪褕邪褌邪 袪褍褋懈褟!".

袩褍褕泻懈薪 薪械 褍褋锌褟胁邪 写邪 褍蟹薪邪械 锌褉芯写褗谢卸械薪懈械褌芯 薪邪 懈褋褌芯褉懈褟褌邪, 褋褗胁褋械屑 褋泻芯褉芯 褋谢械写 褌芯胁邪 蟹邪谐懈胁邪 褌褉邪谐懈褔薪芯, 卸械褉褌胁邪 薪邪 械锌芯褏邪褌邪 懈 懈写械锟斤拷谢懈褌械 褋懈.

袙懈卸写邪屑, 褔械 "袦褗褉褌胁懈 写褍褕懈" 懈屑邪 屑薪芯谐芯 薪械谐邪褌懈胁薪懈 褉械胁褞褌邪 胁 欧宝娱乐, 胁械褉芯褟褌薪芯 褋懈 褌褉褟斜胁邪褌 芯锌懈褌 懈 锌芯蟹薪邪薪懈褟 蟹邪 袪褍褋懈褟, 蟹邪 写邪 褲 褋械 薪邪褋谢邪写懈褕 薪邪锌褗谢薪芯 - 邪 谐芯谢褟屑邪 褔邪褋褌 芯褌 褔懈褌邪褌械谢懈褌械 褲 胁械褉芯褟褌薪芯 谐懈 薪褟屑邪褌, 锌芯 芯斜械泻褌懈胁薪懈 锌褉懈褔懈薪懈 锌褉械写懈屑薪芯. 袙械褉芯褟褌薪芯 懈 薪邪 屑械薪 斜懈 屑懈 写芯褋邪写懈谢邪, 邪泻芯 斜褟褏 褋械谐邪 薪邪 15 懈 褌褉褟斜胁邪褕械 写邪 褟 褔械褌邪 锌芯 蟹邪写褗卸械薪懈械.

袧邪屑懈褉邪屑 锌褉械胁芯写邪 薪邪 袛懈屑懈褌褗褉 袩芯写胁褗褉蟹邪褔芯胁 蟹邪 谢械泻芯 芯胁械褏褌褟谢, 屑芯卸械 斜懈 械 胁褉械屑械 蟹邪 薪芯胁, 锌芯-褋褗胁褉械屑械薪械薪 锌芯谐谢械写 泻褗屑 褌邪蟹懈 胁械谢懈褔邪胁邪 泻薪懈谐邪?

P.S. 袦薪芯谐芯 屑懈 褋械 懈褋泻邪 写邪 锌褉械胁械写邪 褌芯胁邪 褉械胁褞 薪邪 褉褍褋泻懈, 薪芯 泻邪泻 褋邪屑芯 屑械 屑褗褉蟹懈. ;)
Profile Image for Guille.
926 reviews2,864 followers
February 2, 2020
Una obra divertida en el mismo sentido que podemos decir que es divertido El Quijote, aunque no alcanza la universalidad ni la grandeza de la obra del espa帽ol.
Profile Image for Darwin8u.
1,771 reviews8,943 followers
October 26, 2012
An absurd and brilliant satire. To think I avoided reading this novel for years because I thought it was going to be depressing. Ha! Dead Souls reminded me in many ways of the Odyssey + Don Quixote written by Mark Twain in a Russian prose poem. Gogol captures the absurdity of the mid-19th century Russia. Included in Gogol's satire/farce is an absurd and brilliant look at the corruption of the government, the stratification of society, the pretentiousness of the Russian middle-class, etc. Anyway, the writing was amazing and the Pevear and Larissa Volokhonsky's translation was fantastic.
Profile Image for Dalia Nourelden.
677 reviews1,085 followers
February 5, 2024
禺賱賷賳丕 賳亘鬲丿賷 丕賱乇賮賷賵 亘廿鬲賮丕賯 賲賴賲 丕賳 丕賱丕卮禺丕氐 丕賱賱賶 賲亘賷丨亘賵卮 丕賱鬲賮丕氐賷賱 賵丕賱賵氐賮 丕賱賰鬲賷乇 賲賲賰賳 賷賰乇賴賵丕 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丿賶 .
賱賰賳 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱賱賶 夭賶 丨丕賱丕鬲賷 賲賲賰賳 乇兀賷賴賲 賷禺鬲賱賮 . 亘乇睾賲 丕賱鬲賮丕氐賷賱 丕賱賰鬲賷乇 丕賳丕 賰賳鬲 賲爻鬲賲鬲毓丞 貙 賲賲賰賳 亘丕賱兀爻賱賵亘 乇睾賲 氐毓賵亘鬲賴 丕賱鬲賶 鬲夭丿丕丿 兀丨賷丕賳丕賸 貙 賲賲賰賳 亘兀爻賱賵亘 丕賱爻禺乇賷賴 丕賱鬲賶 賰丕賳鬲 鬲囟丨賰賳賷 ( 賳賯丿 賱丕匕毓 亘丕爻賱賵亘 爻丕禺乇 賲賲鬲毓) 貙 賲賲賰賳 賱丕賳賶 毓丕乇賮丞 賲賳 賯亘賱 賲丕丕亘丿兀 賵賲爻鬲毓丿丞 賱賰賲賷丞 鬲賮丕氐賷賱 乇賴賷亘丞 賮賰賳鬲 賲賴賷兀丞 賳賮爻賷丕. 賵 賲賲賰賳 賰賲丕賳 賱丕賳賶 賲卮 賲賳 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱賱賶 賱丕夭賲 鬲賮賴賲 賰賱 乇賲夭賷丞 賱賱賰丕鬲亘 賵賰賱 賰賱賲丞 亘賷賯賵賱賴丕 賷賯氐丿 亘賷賴丕 丕賷賴 丕賱賲賴賲 丕爻鬲賲鬲毓 亘丕賱乇丨賱丞 賳賮爻賴丕 賲毓 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 .( 毓丕乇賮賷賳 賰丕賳 賮賶 爻丐丕賱 丕賷賴 丕賱賱賶 丕爻鬲賮丿鬲賴 賲賳 丕賱丿乇爻 丕賵 丕賱賯氐丞 貙 毓丕乇賮賷賳 丕賱爻丐丕賱 丿賴 責責 丕賳丕 賰賳鬲 亘賰乇賴賴 賵賱丨丿 丿賱賵賯鬲賶 亘賰乇賴賴 亘乇囟賴 馃榿 賮賲丨丿卮 賷鬲賵賯毓 賲賳賶 廿噩丕亘丞 毓賳 丕賱爻丐丕賱 丿賴 賮賷 丕賷 乇賵丕賷丞) 賵賲賲賰賳 賰賲丕賳 賱丕賳賶 賲賳 丕賱賳丕爻 丕賱賱賶 亘鬲睾賮乇 賱賱賰丕鬲亘 賰孬乇丞 丕賱鬲賮丕氐賷賱 丕匕丕 丕毓噩亘賳賷 丕賱丕爻賱賵亘 賵兀賳丿賲噩鬲 賲毓賴 賵賴匕丕 賲丕丨丿孬 賴賳丕

賰丕賳 丕賱賰丕鬲亘 賵丕賱卮丕毓乇 丕賱乇賵爻賷 兀賳丿乇賷賴 亘賷賱賷 賷賯賵賱 丕賳 丕賱賲丨鬲賵賷 丕賱睾賵睾賵賱賷 睾丕乇賯 賮賷 丕賱鬲賮丕氐賷賱. 賵賴匕丕 亘丕賱胤亘毓 賷賳胤亘賯 亘丕賱丿乇噩丞 丕賱兀賵賱賶 毓賱賶 ( 丕賱丕賳賮爻 丕賱賲賷鬲丞 ) 兀毓賯丿 兀毓賲丕賱 睾賵睾賵賱. 賵丕賱胤乇賷賯 丕賱賶 丕賱胤亘賯丕鬲 丕賱毓賲賷賯丞 賱賲丨鬲賵賶 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱 賷賲鬲丿 兀賷囟丕 禺賱丕賱 丕丿賯 丕賱鬲賮丕氐賷賱 賵丕賱丿賯丕卅賯

賷噩亘 丕賳 賷賯乇兀 睾賵睾賵賱 賮賷 睾丕賷丞 丕賱廿賴鬲賲丕賲 丿賵賳 丕賱鬲賵賯賮 毓賳丿 丕賱賲賵囟賵毓 賵丕賱丨丿孬 賳丕賮匕賷賳 丕賱賶 丕氐睾乇 丕賱丿賯丕卅賯 賵丕賱鬲賮丕氐賷賱



賮丕賳丕 丨亘賷鬲 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 亘賰賱 鬲賮丕氐賷賱賴丕 丕賱賲賴賲丞 賵丕賱賱賶 賲卮 賲賴賲丞 賵丨亘賷鬲 爻禺乇賷丞 睾賵睾賵賱 . 爻禺乇賷鬲賴 賲賳 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 賵丕賱兀丨賵丕賱 賵丕賱兀丨丕丿賷孬 亘賷賳賯丿 賰賱 卮卅 亘兀爻賱賵亘 爻丕禺乇 賲賲鬲毓 鉂�




賰賲 鬲爻丕賵賶 賯賷賲丞 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賵賴賵 毓賱賶 賯賷丿 丕賱丨賷丕丞 責責 賵禺丕氐丞 丕匕丕 賱賲 賷賰賳 賲賳 丕氐丨丕亘 丕賱丕賲賵丕賱 賵丕賱賳賮賵匕 責責 賵賰賲 鬲爻丕賵賷 賯賷賲鬲賴 亘毓丿 賵賮丕鬲賴 責責
丨賷賳 鬲賰賵賳 賳賮爻 丕賱丕賳爻丕賳 爻賱毓丞 鬲亘丕毓 賵鬲卮鬲乇賶 賵賴賵 毓賱賶 賯賷丿 丕賱丨賷丕丞 賮賱賲丕 賱丕鬲毓丕賲賱 賳賮爻賴 亘毓丿 賵賮丕鬲賴 亘賳賮爻 丕賱賲賳胤賯 責責
亘胤賱賳丕 賴賳丕 賷賲乇 毓賱賶 丕賱賲賱丕賰 賱賷卮鬲乇賶 賲賳賴賲 卮賷卅丕 睾乇賷亘丕 賱賲 賷爻亘賯 賱兀丨丿 卮乇丕卅賴 貙 賷卮鬲乇賷 丕賱兀賳賮爻 丕賱賲賷鬲丞 .
廿賳 丕賱匕賷 兀乇賷丿 賴賵 兀賳 丕卮鬲乇賷 丕賱兀賯賳丕賳 丕賱賲賵鬲賷 丕賱匕賷賳 賵乇丿 丕爻賲賴賲 賮賷 賱賵丕卅丨 丕賱廿丨氐丕亍丕賱兀禺賷乇丞 毓賱賶 兀賳賴賲 兀丨賷丕亍

丕賱賮賱丕丨賷賳 丕賱匕賷賳 賮丕乇賯賵丕 丕賱丨賷丕丞 鬲亘賯賶 兀爻賲丕丐賴賲 賲爻噩賱丞 丨鬲賷 賵賯鬲 丕賱廿丨氐丕亍 丕賱噩丿賷丿 賮賷 丕賱賱賵丕卅丨 丕賱噩丿賷丿丞 賰賲丕 賱賵 賰丕賳賵丕 兀丨賷丕亍 貙 賵賴匕丕 賷囟賲賳 廿乇丕丨丞 丕賱賲賰丕鬲亘 丕賱丨賰賵賲賷丞 賲賳 賴匕賴 丕賱鬲賮丕賴丕鬲 賮賴賷 鬲毓賯丿 賲賷賰丕賳賷賰賷丞 丕賱丿賵賱丞 丕賱鬲賷 賮賷賴丕 丕賱賰賮丕賷丞 賲賳 丕賱鬲毓賯賷丿 .賯丕賱 鬲卮賷鬲卮賷賰賵賮 亘兀賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賯丕賳賵賳 賲賴賲丕 丨丕賵賱賳丕 丕賳 賳毓夭賵 丕賱毓丿丕賱丞 賱賴 貙 賮廿賳賴 賲噩丨賮 亘丕賱賲賱丕賰賷賳 賮毓賱丕 賱兀賳賴 賷囟胤乇賴賲 丕賱賶 丿賮毓 丕賱囟乇賷亘丞 毓賳 丕賱兀賳賮爻 丕賱鬲賷 賱丕賵噩賵丿 賱賴丕 賰賲丕 賷丿賮毓賵賳賴丕 毓賳 丕賱兀賳賮爻 丕賱丨賷丞 丕賱兀禺乇賷


賵氐賮 睾賵睾賵賱 胤亘丕毓 賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱亘卮乇 賵禺丕氐丞 賲賳 兀氐丨丕亘 丕賱兀賲賱丕賰 賵丕賱賳賮賵匕 賲賳 禺賱丕賱 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱鬲賶 兀賱鬲賯丕賴丕 賮賰賱 賲丕賱賰 賯丕亘賱賴 鬲卮賷鬲卮賷賰賵賮 賯丕賲 亘賵氐賮賴 賵氐賮丕 卮丕賲賱丕 賲賳 丨賷孬 卮賰賱賴 賵胤亘丕毓賴 丨鬲賶 賱鬲卮毓乇 丕賳賰 鬲乇丕賴 丕賲丕賲賰 賵賱賲 賷賳爻賶 丕亘丿丕 丕賱爻禺乇賷丞 丕賱賲亘胤賳丞 丕孬賳丕亍 賵氐賮賴 .
廿賳 賲馗賴乇賴 丕賱賲賲賷夭 賰丕賳 賮賷 賲賱丕亘爻賴 賮賯胤 . 賮賱賲 鬲賰賳 賴賳丕賰 賲賳 賵爻賷賱 賮賷丞 賱賲毓乇賮丞 賳賵毓 丕賱賯賲丕卮 丕賱匕賷 氐賳毓 賲賳賴 賲毓胤賮賴 賱丕賳 丕胤乇丕賮 丕賱賲毓胤賮 賵兀賰賲丕賲賴 賰丕賳鬲 賲鬲賲夭賯丞 賲鬲爻禺丞 毓賱賶 氐賵乇丞 鬲鬲丨丿賶 賰賱 賵氐賮丞.

賵丨賵賱 毓賳賯賴 賷賱鬲賮 卮卅 賯丿 賷賰賵賳 噩賵乇亘丕 兀賵 賱賮丕賮丞 爻丕賯 兀賵 賱賮丕賮丞 亘胤賳 賵賱賰賳賴 賱賷爻 乇亘胤丞 毓賳賯 亘賰賱 鬲兀賰賷丿




賮賳噩丿 丕賱賲丕賱賰 丕賱爻丕匕噩 丕賱匕賷 賱丕 賷賴鬲賲 賵賱丕 賷亘丕賱賶 亘卮卅 賵賱丕賷毓乇賮 卮賷卅丕 爻賵賶 賲丕 賷賯賵賱賴 賱賴 賲兀賲賵乇 賲賱丕賰賴 . 賵 丕賱賲丕賱賰 丕賱賲毓丕賰爻 賱賴 鬲賲丕賲丕 丕賱匕賶 賷毓乇賮 賰賱 卮卅 賷賲鬲賱賰賴 賲毓乇賮丞 噩賷丿丞 賵賷爻鬲睾賱 賰賱 卮卅 賱氐丕賱丨賴 丕賱賶 丕賯氐賶 丿乇噩丞 . 賵賲丕亘賷賳 丕賱賲丕賱賰 丕賱賲爻乇賮 賵丕賱匕賶 賱丕賷賴鬲賲 爻賵賶 亘廿乇囟丕亍 賴賮賵丕鬲賴 賵賳夭賵丕鬲賴 賵丕賱賯賲丕乇 賵丕賱睾卮 . 賵丕賱亘禺賷賱 丕賱匕賷 賷亘禺賱 丨鬲賶 毓賱賶 賳賮爻賴 賵鬲賲賵鬲 丕賱丕賳賮爻 丕賱鬲賶 賷賲鬲賱賰賴丕 噩賵毓丕 賰賱賲丕 丕賱鬲賴賲 兀賰孬乇 氐丕乇 賱丕賷卮亘毓.


賵亘毓丿賴丕 噩賱爻 鬲卮賷鬲卮賷賰賵賮 賱賷爻噩賱 丕爻賲丕亍 丕賱賳賮賵爻 丕賱鬲賶 丕卮鬲乇丕賴丕 亘賲丕 賰鬲亘賴 丕賱賲賱丕賰 亘噩丕賳亘賴丕 賲賳 賵馗賷賮鬲賴 賵 丕賵氐丕賮賴 賵丕禺匕 賷鬲禺賷賱 丨賷丕鬲賴賲 賵 賰賷賮 賲丕鬲賵丕 責

賲丕 賱睾夭 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賮賵爻 丕賱賲賷鬲丞 責 賱丕 賷賵噩丿 兀賶 賲賳胤賯 賮賷 丕賱賳賮賵爻 丕賱賲賷鬲丞 貙 鬲亘丕毓 賵鬲卮鬲乇賶 . 賵 兀賶 兀丨賲賯 爻賷卮鬲乇賷賴丕 責 賵亘兀賶 賳賯賵丿 賲賲爻賵禺丞 爻賷卮鬲乇賷賴丕責 賵賱兀賶 睾乇囟 賵賮賷 兀賶 毓賲賱 賷賲賰賳 丕賳 賷丨卮乇 賴匕賴 丕賱賳賮賵爻 丕賱賲賷鬲丞 責

賱賰賳 賲賳 賴賵 鬲卮賷鬲卮賷賰賵賮 丨賯丕 !! 賵 賲丕 賯氐鬲賴 責責 賵賱賲丕匕丕 賰丕賳 賷卮鬲乇賷 丕賱兀賳賮爻 丕賱賲賷鬲丞 責

賵乇睾賲 丕賳 丕賱賮氐賱 丕賱丕禺賷乇 賰丕賳 兀孬賯賱 丕賱賮氐賵賱 賮賶 丕賱賯乇丕亍丞 賱賰賳賴 兀賵囟丨 賮賷賴 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賵鬲毓乇賮賳丕 賮賷賴 亘丕賱賮毓賱 毓賱賶 兀賮賰丕乇 鬲卮賷鬲卮賷賰賵賮 賵兀賴丿丕賮賴. 丕賱賮氐賱 丕賱匕賷 鬲丨丿孬 亘賴 睾賵睾賵賱

賱賷爻 賮賷賰賲 賲賳 賷賰鬲乇孬 毓賳 氐丿賯 賱乇丐賷丞 丕賱亘卮乇賷丞 賵賴賶 鬲鬲毓乇賷 .賵鬲賯賵賱賵賳( 賵賱賲 賳賮毓賱 匕賱賰 責 賵賲丕賮丕卅丿鬲賴 責 丕賱丕 賳毓乇賮 賲賳 賯亘賱 丕賳 賮賷 丕賱亘卮乇賷丞 賰孬賷乇丕 賲賲丕 賴賵 孬賯賷賱 賲丨鬲賯乇 責 兀賱丕 賷賰賮賷 丕賳 賳乇賷 亘兀毓賷賳賳丕 丕賱賰孬賷乇 賲賳 丕賱賲夭毓噩丕鬲 責 賰丕賳 賲賳 丕賱丕賮囟賱 賱賵 賵囟毓鬲 賱賳丕 賯氐丞 賱胤賷賮丞 噩匕丕亘丞 賳賳爻賷 亘賴丕 兀賳賮爻賳丕 賯賱賷賱丕

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鈥徺呝� 匕丕賰 丕賱匕賷 爻賷乇賮毓 丕賱氐賵鬲 毓丕賱賷丕 賱廿馗賴丕乇 丕賱丨賯賷賯丞 丕賳 賱賲 賷賰賳 丕賱賲丐賱賮 賳賮爻賴 責

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賲賱丨賵馗丞:
賲賳 賷乇睾亘 賮賷 賯乇丕亍丞丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 賷丐噩賱 丕賱賲賯丿賲丞 賱丕賳賴丕 賮賶 丕賱噩夭亍 丕賱丕禺賷乇 賲賳賴丕 鬲丨乇賯 丕賱賴丿賮 賵賴匕丕 卮卅 賲賳 丕賱丕賮囟賱 鬲兀噩賷賱 賲毓乇賮鬲賴 賱賱賳賴丕賷丞 .

賰丕賳 賲賳 丕賱賲賮鬲乇囟 丕賳 賷賰賵賳 賴賳丕賰 賲噩賱丿 孬丕賳賷 賱賰賳 賱賱丕爻賮 賱賲 賷乇囟賶 毓賳賴 睾賵睾賵賱 賵丕丨乇賯賴 賯亘賱 賵賮丕鬲賴


佗伲 / 佟佟 / 佗贍佗贍
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October 16, 2018
鈥庁堌池з嗁� 诏乇丕賳賯丿乇貙 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 讴賴 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 丌孬丕乇賽 亘蹖賳馗蹖乇 丿乇 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲賽 讴賱丕爻蹖讴 賵 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲賽 乇賵爻 亘賴 卮賲丕乇 賲蹖 丌蹖丿貙 丕夭 丿賵 噩賱丿 賵 348 氐賮丨賴 鬲卮讴蹖賱 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲 讴賴 噩賱丿 丕賵賱 卮丕賲賱賽 11 賮氐賱 賵 噩賱丿賽 丿賵賲 卮丕賲賱賽 5 賮氐賱 賲蹖亘丕卮丿
鈥庁ж池з� 丿乇 賲賵乇丿賽 賲乇丿蹖 亘賴 賳丕賲賽 芦丕蹖賵丕賳 丕蹖賵丕賳賵蹖蹖趩 趩蹖趩蹖讴賵賮禄 丕爻鬲 讴賴 亘賴 氐賵乇鬲賽 賲爻丕賮乇 賵 賲賴賲丕賳 亘賴 爻乇丕睾賽 賲丕賱讴丕賳 賵 夭賲蹖賳 丿丕乇丕賳賽 亘夭乇诏 乇賮鬲賴 賵 倬爻 丕夭 賵乇賵丿卮 亘丕 趩丕倬賱賵爻蹖 賵 鬲賲賱賯 禺賵丿卮 乇丕 丿乇 丿賱賽 夭賲蹖賳 丿丕乇丕賳 賵 丕卮禺丕氐賽 賲卮賴賵乇 賵 賲賯丕賲丕鬲賽 丿賵賱鬲蹖貙 噩丕 賲蹖讴賳丿 賵 爻倬爻 倬蹖卮賳賴丕丿 噩丕賱亘賽 鬲賵噩賴 賵 毓噩蹖亘蹖 亘賴 丌賳賴丕 賲蹖丿賴丿... 丕蹖賳 倬蹖卮賳賴丕丿 丕夭 丕蹖賳 賯乇丕乇 丕爻鬲: 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕賸 賴乇 丿賴 爻丕賱 亘賴 丿賴 爻丕賱貙 丿賵賱鬲 丕夭 讴丕乇诏乇丕賳 賵 讴卮丕賵乇夭丕賳蹖 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖 夭賲蹖賳 丿丕乇丕賳貙 賲丕賱讴蹖賳 賵 丕乇亘丕亘丕賳賽 乇賵爻鬲丕蹖蹖 賲卮睾賵賱 亘賴 讴丕乇 賴爻鬲賳丿貙 爻乇卮賲丕乇蹖 亘賴 毓賲賱 賲蹖 丌賵乇丿 賵 亘賴 丕夭丕蹖賽 丕蹖賳 讴丕乇诏乇丕賳貙 丕夭 賲丕賱讴丕賳 賵 丕乇亘丕亘丕賳賽 丌賳賴丕 賲丕賱蹖丕鬲 丿乇蹖丕賮鬲 賲蹖讴賳丿... 丨丕賱 丿乇 丕蹖賳 賲丿鬲 賲賲讴賳 丕爻鬲 趩賳丿蹖賳 鬲賳 丕夭 丕蹖賳 讴丕乇诏乇丕賳賽 乇賵爻鬲丕蹖蹖 亘賲蹖乇賳丿貙 讴賴 丨鬲蹖 丿乇 丕蹖賳 氐賵乇鬲 賳蹖夭 賲丕賱讴 亘丕蹖丿 賲丕賱蹖丕鬲賽 讴丕乇诏乇 賵 蹖丕 讴卮丕賵乇夭賽 賲乇丿賴 乇丕 倬乇丿丕禺鬲 賳賲丕蹖丿..... 賵 丕賲賾丕 丿乇 丕蹖賳 亘蹖賳 芦趩蹖趩蹖讴賵賮禄 丕夭 賲丕賱讴丕賳賽 孬乇賵鬲賲賳丿貙 讴丕乇诏乇丕賳賽 賲乇丿賴 賵 蹖丕 賴賲丕賳 "賳賮賵爻賽 賲購乇丿賴" 乇丕 亘丕 賯蹖賲鬲蹖 亘爻蹖丕乇 倬丕蹖蹖賳 禺乇蹖丿丕乇蹖 賲蹖讴賳丿 賵 賲丕賱蹖丕鬲賽 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 賲鬲賯亘賱 賲蹖卮賵丿貙 賵賱蹖 丕夭 胤乇蹖賯賽 賳丕賲賽 丕蹖賳 讴卮丕賵乇夭丕賳 蹖丕 賴賲丕賳 "賳賮賵爻賽 賲乇丿賴" 讴賴 丿賵賱鬲 丌賳賴丕 乇丕 胤亘賯賽 爻乇卮賲丕乇蹖 丕賳噩丕賲 卮丿賴貙 夭賳丿賴 亘賴 丨爻丕亘 賲蹖 丌賵乇丿貙 賵丕賲賽 亘丕賳讴蹖 丿乇蹖丕賮鬲 賲蹖讴賳丿
鈥庁� 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳貙 芦诏賵诏賵賱禄 亘丕 夭亘丕賳蹖 胤賳夭诏賵賳賴 賵 丕賱亘鬲賴 賳蹖卮丿丕乇 丕夭 賳賵毓賽 乇賮鬲丕乇 賲乇丿賲 丿乇 丕噩鬲賲丕毓 賵 賴賲趩賳蹖賳 乇卮賵賴 诏乇賮鬲賳 賵 倬丕乇鬲蹖 亘丕夭蹖 賵 丿乇賵睾 诏賵蹖蹖 賵 趩丕倬賱賵爻蹖 賵 讴賱丕賴 亘乇丿丕乇蹖 賵 賮爻丕丿 賵 賯丕賳賵賳 卮讴賳蹖 賴丕蹖賽 賲爻卅賵賱蹖賳 丿賵賱鬲蹖 賵 爻蹖丕爻蹖賵賳 丕賳鬲賯丕丿賴丕蹖賽 亘爻蹖丕乇 噩丕賱亘 丕賳噩丕賲 丿丕丿賴 丕爻鬲 賵 亘賴 賲毓賳丕蹖賽 賵丕賯毓蹖賽 讴賱賲賴貙 賲爻卅賵賱蹖賳賽 丿賵賱鬲蹖賽 乇賵爻 乇丕 亘丕 賯賱賲賽 丌鬲卮蹖賳賽 禺賵蹖卮貙 賱賴 讴乇丿賴 丕爻鬲
鈥庁必池� 丕爻鬲 讴賴 卮禺氐蹖鬲賽 丕氐賱蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 蹖毓賳蹖 芦趩蹖趩蹖讴賵賮禄 賲賲讴賳 丕爻鬲 讴丕乇賴丕蹖卮 夭卮鬲 亘賴 賳馗乇 亘乇爻丿貙 丕賲賾丕 芦诏賵诏賵賱禄 丕賵 乇丕 賯賴乇賲丕賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賲蹖丿丕賳丿 賵 丕賱亘鬲賴 亘賴 賳賵毓蹖 丨賯 丿丕乇丿貙 趩乇丕讴賴 卮賲丕 亘丕 丿賯鬲 讴乇丿賳 亘賴 乇賵丕亘胤 賵 賲毓丕賲賱賴 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 芦趩蹖趩蹖讴賵賮禄 丿乇 胤賵賱賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘丕 夭賲蹖賳丿丕乇丕賳 賵 丕乇亘丕亘 賴丕蹖賽 倬賵賱丿丕乇 賵 卮禺氐蹖鬲 賴丕蹖賽 亘夭乇诏 丕賳噩丕賲 賲蹖丿賴丿貙 賲鬲賵噩賴 亘爻蹖丕乇蹖 丕夭 讴乇丿丕乇賴丕 賵 诏賮鬲丕乇賴丕蹖賽 夭卮鬲 賵 賳丕倬爻賳丿 賲蹖卮賵蹖丿 賵 卮賲丕 乇丕 亘丿蹖賳 丕賳丿蹖卮賴 賮乇賵 賲蹖亘乇丿 讴賴 丕賳爻丕賳 鬲丕 趩賴 丕賳丿丕夭賴 賲蹖鬲賵丕賳丿 倬爻鬲 賵 夭卮鬲 禺賵 亘丕卮丿!! 賵 噩丕賴 胤賱亘蹖 賵 丕卮鬲蹖丕賯賽 亘賴 爻賵丿 噩賵蹖蹖 趩卮賲賽 禺乇丿賽 丕賳爻丕賳蹖卮 乇丕 讴賵乇 爻丕夭丿
鈥庁й屬� 賲乇丿賽 鬲蹖夭賴賵卮 賵 夭亘丕賳 亘丕夭 蹖毓賳蹖 芦趩蹖趩蹖讴賵賮禄 丕夭 亘賱賳丿亘丕賱丕鬲乇蹖賳 賲爻卅賵賱蹖賳賽 丿賵賱鬲蹖 賵 爻蹖丕爻蹖 賴賲趩賵賳 卮賴乇丿丕乇 賵 丕爻鬲丕賳丿丕乇 賵 乇卅蹖爻賽 跇丕賳丿丕乇賲乇蹖 诏乇賮鬲賴貙 鬲丕 讴丕乇诏乇丕賳 賵 賲爻鬲禺丿賲蹖賳賽 丕乇诏丕賳賴丕蹖賽 丿賵賱鬲蹖 乇丕 亘丕 乇卮賵賴 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 賲蹖丿賴丿 丿乇 讴丕乇賴丕蹖卮 卮乇蹖讴 賲蹖讴賳丿... 賴賲賴 賵 賴賲賴 夭賳噩蹖乇賴 賵丕乇 賲購卮鬲蹖 賲賵噩賵丿丕鬲賽 亘蹖 卮乇丕賮鬲 賵 亘丿讴乇丿丕乇 賴爻鬲賳丿
鈥庁з勜� 丕爻鬲 讴賴 丿乇 丿賱賽 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘丕乇賴丕 賵 亘丕乇賴丕 芦诏賵诏賵賱禄 賳氐蹖丨鬲 賴丕 賵 丨鬲蹖 賴卮丿丕乇賴丕蹖蹖 乇丕 亘賴 丿賵賱鬲 乇賵爻蹖賴 賵 倬丕丿卮丕賴蹖賽 鬲夭丕乇 賵 丕賱亘鬲賴 卮丕賴夭丕丿賴 賲蹖丿賴丿貙 賵 爻丕賱賴丕 亘毓丿 賲蹖亘蹖賳蹖賲 讴賴 丨賯 亘丕 芦诏賵诏賵賱禄 亘賵丿賴 丕爻鬲. 趩乇丕讴賴 乇賵爻蹖賴 亘丕 丕賳賯賱丕亘賽 亘夭乇诏卮貙 鬲丕 賲乇夭賽 賳丕亘賵丿蹖 倬蹖卮 乇賮鬲 賵 乇賵爻蹖賴贁 鬲夭丕乇蹖 丿乇 亘丕鬲賱丕賯賽 禺賵丿爻丕禺鬲賴 丕蹖 賮乇賵 乇賮鬲 賵 睾乇賯 卮丿.... 丕夭 丌賳噩丕 讴賴 爻乇夭賲锟斤拷賳賽 倬丕讴賲丕賳 丕蹖乇丕賳貙 丕賲乇賵夭賴 丕爻蹖乇賽 丨丕讴賲丕賳賽 睾蹖乇賽 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖 賵 賮丕爻丿 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲貙 亘賴鬲乇 賲蹖鬲賵丕賳蹖賲 爻禺賳丕賳賽 丕乇夭卮賲賳丿賽 诏賵诏賵賱 乇丕 丿乇 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿乇讴 讴賳蹖賲

鈥庁� 倬丕蹖丕賳 亘賴 丕賳鬲禺丕亘 亘禺卮 賴丕蹖蹖 丕夭 賳賵卮鬲賴 賴丕蹖賽 芦诏賵诏賵賱禄 丿乇丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘貙 讴賴 亘賴 賳馗乇賲 亘爻蹖丕乇 鬲兀賲賱 亘乇丕賳诏蹖夭 亘賵丿 乇丕 亘乇丕蹖賽 卮賲丕 毓夭蹖夭丕賳 丿乇 夭蹖乇 賲蹖賳賵蹖爻賲
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鈥庁ㄘ簇� 鬲丕 賵賯鬲蹖 丌賳趩賴 爻亘亘賽 賲賳丕賯卮賴 賵 噩丿丕賱 賵 禺賵賳乇蹖夭蹖 丕爻鬲貙 乇賴丕 賳爻丕夭丿 賵 丿乇 乇丕賴 氐賮丕蹖賽 丿賱 賵 乇賵丨賽 禺賵丿 賳讴賵卮丿貙 賴乇诏夭 孬乇賵鬲 賵 夭賳丿诏丕賳蹖賽 丕蹖賳 噩賴丕賳 乇丕 賳賲蹖鬲賵丕賳丿 亘乇 倬丕蹖賴 丕蹖 乇囟丕蹖鬲亘禺卮 丕爻鬲賵丕乇 爻丕夭丿... 賴賲趩賳丕賳讴賴 诏賴诏丕賴 賮賯乇 賵 诏乇爻賳诏蹖 亘賴 爻乇丕睾賽 讴卮賵乇蹖 賲蹖 丌蹖丿貙 賲賲讴賳 丕爻鬲 亘賴 爻乇丕睾賽 鬲讴 鬲讴賽 丕賮乇丕丿賽 丌賳 賲賱鬲 锟斤拷蹖夭 亘乇賵丿
鈥庂呝� 賲蹖丿丕賳賲 讴賴 亘賴 賴蹖趩 賵爻蹖賱賴 賵 亘丕 賴蹖趩 鬲賴丿蹖丿 賵 亘丕 賴蹖趩 賳賵毓 賲噩丕夭丕鬲蹖 賳賲蹖鬲賵丕賳 丕毓賲丕賱賽 禺賱丕賮賽 賯丕賳賵賳 乇丕 乇蹖卮賴 讴賳 讴乇丿.. 夭蹖乇丕 丿乇 賲蹖丕賳賽 賲丕 亘爻蹖丕乇 毓賲蹖賯 乇蹖卮賴 丿賵丕賳蹖丿賴 丕爻鬲... 丕賲乇賵夭賴 毓賲賱賽 賳丕卮乇丕賮鬲賲賳丿丕賳賴贁 乇卮賵賴 禺賵丕乇蹖貙 丨鬲蹖 亘乇丕蹖賽 賲乇丿賲蹖 賴賲 讴賴 亘乇丕蹖賽 亘蹖 卮乇丕賮鬲蹖 禺賱賯 賳卮丿賴 丕賳丿貙 丕賲乇蹖 賵丕噩亘 賵 囟乇賵乇蹖 卮丿賴 丕爻鬲
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鈥庁з呟屫堌ж辟� 丕夭 禺賵丕賳丿賳賽 丕蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳賽 夭蹖亘丕貙 賱匕鬲 亘亘乇蹖丿
鈥幝聚屫辟堌� 亘丕卮蹖丿 賵 丕蹖乇丕賳蹖禄
Profile Image for J.L.   Sutton.
666 reviews1,175 followers
January 10, 2022
鈥淗owever stupid a fool's words may be, they are sometimes enough to confound an intelligent man.鈥�

Publication of Dead Souls with illustrations and autograph by Chagall put on auction

Ostensibly a story about a man traveling the Russian countryside inexplicably buying the souls of dead serfs, Nikolai Gogol's Dead Souls is part commentary on middle class morality, part picaresque account of the main character's travels and part satire. It is actually a fun read and the humor comes here and there in moments when characters recognize the absurdity of what is happening. Dead Souls had been on my to-read list for quite some time, and I'm glad to have finally read it. 4.25 stars

"The ardent youth of today would start back in horror if you could show him his portrait in old age. As you pass from the soft years of youth into harsh, hardening manhood, be sure you take with you on the way all the humane emotions, do not leave them on the road: you will not pick them up again afterwards!鈥�
Profile Image for Jan-Maat.
1,653 reviews2,375 followers
Read
February 10, 2019
What is this book?

I can't remember any more if Gogol described it as a Poem or an Epic, maybe it doesn't matter what he called it since he had great chunks of the manuscript fed into the fire on the advice of his religious advisor.

So we are left with part one, some bits of part two and an outline of the three part whole of the work, the rest having gone up in smoke.

What there is of the first part is generally read as a comedy. It is funny, but bear in mind that the first part is about a young man travelling around in rural Russia in the 1820s buying the souls of dead peasants from their masters.

This isn't that kind of a supernatural book though, buying dead souls (the title was originally censored because as the Church teaches souls are immortal and can't be dead) was a reasonable financial undertaking at the time. Serfs could be mortgaged by their owners. Censuses in Imperial Russia were only undertaken once every twenty-five years and peasants who had died since the last one enjoyed a strange half-life in which they could still be mortgaged even though as assets they were completely non-liquid (at least financially speaking) since they were securely lodged in the graveyard. So we find our hero, or "hero", travelling about, meeting various members of the nobility and attempting to buy their dead souls from them.

If you've read some of Gogol's short stories you'll have some idea of what to expect when a man meets various members of the nobility and attempts to acquire legal title to their dead serfs. If you haven't read some of his short stories - that's probably the best place to start...

In the three part scheme there would have been a return to moral grace, but since this was burnt, with in the background as Nabokov describes the still youngish but dying Gogol with leeches hanging off his long nose, we're left instead with the tale of a wheeler dealer coaching round the bizarre and comical landowners that populated the imagined Ukraine of Gogol's pen.
Profile Image for Lisa.
1,102 reviews3,298 followers
August 6, 2019
What did you think, 欧宝娱乐 politely asks me.

Well, dear 欧宝娱乐, it has been a while since I read Dead Souls, and I think I remember the melancholy humour best, but as for what I THINK, this is what keeps haunting my mind:

There are so many things going on in the world right now that are more bizarre than wandering around buying dead serfs' names from their owners in order to make a profit...

Sometimes I think of Dead Souls when I read the news and wonder whether our world of 2019, with all this democratically-elected madness, is proof that Gogol got it all right and saw it coming? My nose is scratching me and my coat walks off frowning, but I stand by my theory: someone has bought the dead souls to make a profit, and it's scarier than reading Gogol!
Profile Image for Maru Kun.
221 reviews550 followers
November 22, 2024
The hero of Dead Souls, Chichikov, these days would be Fabulous Chichikov.

Sitting at his 40th floor, 200 West Street dealing desk Fabulous Chichikov鈥檚 eye would travel from screen to screen searching out deals in NINJA loans, distressed debt and CDOs squared. Debits and credits would flit in and out of his trading book as ephemeral as any Dead Soul.

Instead of a 鈥渢roika suitable for bachelors鈥�, Fabulous Chichikov would travel by Uber limousine. He would move from Manhattan steakhouse to members only night-club to hotel suite where he would 鈥渆xecute transactions鈥� with 鈥渃ounterparties鈥�, each deal bigger and more grotesque than the last.

Mexican immigrants working in hundred degree restaurant kitchens would prepare Fabulous Chichikov Michelin-starred molecular gastronomy while bartending Humanities MAs mix his Negronis. But these attendants to Fabulous Chichikov鈥檚 whims are as irrelevant to this story as any of Gogol鈥檚 muzhiks to the original Chichikov.

Sobakevich is the subtle hedge fund manager, promising his regulator that every loan he sold to Fabulous Chichikov was good. Manilov is inherited wealth, inviting Fabulous Chichikov to his Upper East side apartment to dine with his trophy wife. The Widow Korobochka is the dim-witted insurance company executive, unsure whether or not to buy into one of Fabulous Chichikov鈥檚 deals. Nozdrev is the the coked-out dealer looking for his last big trade.

But the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations is on our hero鈥檚 tail. A new administration is asking questions. Senators are meeting with their lawyers.

Fabulous Chichikov e-mails his girlfriend: 鈥淎s more and more leverage enters the system the whole building is about to collapse! The only potential survivor is the Fabulous Chichikov, standing in the middle of all the complex highly leveraged exotic trades I created without necessarily understanding all of the implications...鈥�.

It鈥檚 time for our hero to take a limousine to Teterboro airport. He can board his private jet (all Americans who can afford one love to ride in private jets) and slumber at thirty thousand feet, dreaming the great American Dream.
Profile Image for Olga.
373 reviews136 followers
November 9, 2024
What a gallery of unforgettable portraits we see in Book One of 'Dead Souls'! These selfish, eccentric, greedy, foolish parasites are the grotesque caricatures of provincial Russian landed nobility at the beginning of the 19th century. Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, the artful protagonist who is carrying out his fraudulent scheme (not very successfully) travelling across the country, looks almost a decent person in comparison with these landowners who also owned the entire villages populated with serfs, who were deprived of all the rights.
Gogol manages to blend humour and darkness, providing a timeless commentary on the corruption and moral decay of 19th-century Russian society and human nature in general.
Gogol's genius shines through his rich descriptive prose, his wit, his profound irony and his wisdom.
Reading 'Dead Souls' was pure pleasure, I am sorry this unfinished epic is over.
All of this makes Gogol's works the least translatable of all the 19th century Russian (although he was Ukrainian) classics.
I have just one regret - we will never learn when, where and how Chichikov's odyssey will end.

'The gentleman lolling back in the chaise was neither dashingly handsome nor yet unbearably ugly, neither too stout nor yet too thin; it could not be claimed he was old but he was no stripling, either. His arrival in the town created no stir and was not marked by anything out of the ordinary.'
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'But the remarkable thing is that he was able to dress all of this up in an aura of gravity: he had poise. He spoke neither loudly nor quietly, but precisely at the right pitch. In a word, from whatever angle you looked, he was a very decent man.'
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'In society or at a party, as long as everybody is of low rank, Prometheus goes on being Prometheus, but as soon as anyone a little more high-ranking appears, Prometheus undergoes a metamorphosis that even Ovid could not have invented: he becomes a fly, less than a fly, a grain of sand!'
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'[Women's] boarding schools, as we know, hold the three principal subjects which constitute the basis of human virtue to be the French language (a thing indispensable to the happiness of married life), piano-playing (a thing wherewith to beguile a husband鈥檚 leisure moments), and that particular department of housewifery which is comprised in the knitting of purses and other 鈥渟urprises.鈥� Nevertheless changes and improvements have begun to take place, since things now are governed more by the personal inclinations and idiosyncracies of the keepers of such establishments. For instance, in some seminaries the regimen places piano-playing first, and the French language second, and then the above department of housewifery; while in other seminaries the knitting of 鈥渟urprises鈥� heads the list, and then the French language, and then the playing of pianos鈥攕o diverse are the systems in force!'
August 27, 2020
螚 Wall Street 蟿蠅谓 谓蔚魏蟻蠋谓 蠄蠀蠂蠋谓 蟽蟿畏谓 蟿蟽伪蟻喂魏萎 巍蠅蟽委伪 蟿慰蠀 19慰蠀 伪喂蠋谓伪.

危蔚 苇谓伪 尾伪胃蠉蟿蔚蟻慰 蔚蟺委蟺蔚未慰 蟿慰 尾喂尾位委慰 伪蠀蟿蠈 蔚委谓伪喂 渭喂伪 未喂伪蠂蟻慰谓喂魏萎 渭蔚位苇蟿畏 蟿蠅谓 伪谓胃蟻蠅蟺委谓蠅谓 伪未蠀谓伪渭喂蠋谓, 蟿畏蟼 蠂蟻蠀蟽萎蟼 渭蔚蟿蟻喂蠈蟿畏蟿伪蟼 蠅蟼 喂未喂蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蟿蠅谓 魏慰蟽渭喂魏蠋谓 蟺伪胃蠋谓.

螠蟺蟻慰蟽蟿维 蟽蟿慰 魏苇蟻未慰蟼 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 魏慰喂谓蠅谓喂魏萎 魏伪蟿伪尉委蠅蟽畏, 苇蟽蟿蠅 魏喂 伪谓 蟿蔚魏渭伪委蟻蔚蟿伪喂 伪蟺慰 蟿畏谓 蔚未蟻伪委蠅蟽畏 蟿畏蟼 喂未喂慰魏蟿畏蟽委伪蟼 蟺慰位位蠋谓, 蟺维蟻伪 蟺慰位位蠋谓, 伪渭苇蟿蟻畏蟿蠅谓, 谓蔚魏蟻蠋谓 蠄蠀蠂蠋谓, 蠈位慰 蟿慰 胃蔚蟽渭喂魏蠈 魏伪喂 伪尉喂伪魏蠈 蟽蠉蟽蟿畏渭伪 渭蔚 蟿伪 蟺慰位位维 纬蟻伪谓维味喂伪, 芦位伪未蠋谓蔚蟿伪喂禄 魏伪喂 位蔚喂蟿慰蠀蟻纬蔚委 维蠄慰纬伪, 渭伪 魏蠀蟻委蠅蟼 谓蠈渭喂渭伪.
螌位伪 蟺蠅位慰蠉谓蟿伪喂, 蠈位伪 伪纬慰蟻维味慰谓蟿伪喂. 螌蟽慰 渭蔚纬伪位蠉蟿蔚蟻畏 味萎蟿畏蟽畏 苇蠂蔚喂 畏 伪纬慰蟻维 谓蔚魏蟻蠋谓 蠄蠀蠂蠋谓 蟿蠈蟽慰 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻慰喂 未慰蠀位慰蟺维蟻慰喂魏慰喂 蟺蔚胃伪委谓慰蠀谓 伪谓蔚尾维味慰谓蟿伪蟼 蟿畏谓 伪纬慰蟻伪蟽蟿喂魏萎 蟿慰蠀蟼 伪尉委伪.
螘尉伪蟻纬蠀蟻蠋谓慰谓蟿伪喂 蟿伪 慰渭蠈位慰纬伪 蟿蠅谓 谓蔚魏蟻蠋谓, 伪蟺慰蠁苇蟻慰蠀谓 蟺位慰蠉蟿畏 魏伪喂 未蠈尉伪, 蟺伪蟻鈥櫹屛晃� 蟺慰蠀 蔚委谓伪喂 渭喂伪 谓蠈渭喂渭伪 伪魏伪蟿伪谓蠈畏蟿畏 伪纬慰蟻慰蟺蠅位畏蟽委伪 蠅蟼 蟺蟻慰蟼 蟿畏谓 蠂蟻蔚蠅蟽蟿喂魏萎 魏伪喂 蟺喂蟽蟿蠅蟿喂魏萎 蟿畏蟼 苇魏尾伪蟽畏.

韦慰 维纬蟻喂慰 蟽伪蟿喂蟻喂魏蠈 蠂喂慰蠉渭慰蟻 蟿慰蠀 螕魏蠈纬魏慰位 未喂伪蠂苇蔚蟿伪喂 慰蟻渭畏蟿喂魏维 渭苇蟽伪 蟽蟿慰 伪喂渭伪蟿畏蟻蠈 伪蠀蟿蠈 尾喂尾位委慰 蠈蟺慰蠀 慰喂 伪谓胃蟻蠋蟺喂谓蔚蟼 蠄蠀蠂苇蟼 魏慰蟽蟿慰位慰纬慰蠉谓蟿伪喂 伪蟺慰 未蠅蟻蔚维谓, 未蠀慰 魏伪喂 蔚谓维渭喂蟽畏 蟻慰蠉尾位喂 伪谓伪 蠄蠀蠂萎 萎 蟺慰位位维 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻伪. 螘尉伪蟻蟿维蟿伪喂 蟺维谓蟿伪 伪蟺慰 蟿慰谓 喂未喂慰魏蟿萎蟿畏 蟿蠅谓 蠄蠀蠂蠋谓 魏伪喂 蟿畏谓 伪蟺位畏蟽蟿委伪 萎 蟿畏谓 伪谓维纬魏畏 蟿慰蠀 蟺慰蠀 胃伪 魏伪胃慰蟻委蟽蔚喂 蟿畏谓 蟿蔚位喂魏萎 蟿喂渭萎.

螆谓伪蟼 蠁喂位蠈未慰尉慰蟼 魏伪喂 伪未委蟽蟿伪魏蟿慰蟼 维谓未蟻伪蟼, 蟽蟿畏谓 伪纬蟻慰蟿喂魏萎 巍蠅蟽委伪 蟿慰蠀 19慰蠀 伪喂蠋谓伪 蠁蠅蟿委味蔚蟿伪喂 伪蟺慰 渭喂伪 位伪渭蟺蟻萎 喂未苇伪 蟺慰蠀 胃伪 蟿慰谓 魏伪蟿伪尉喂蠋蟽蔚喂 魏慰喂谓蠅谓喂魏维 魏伪喂 慰喂魏慰谓慰渭喂魏维.

桅蠀蟽喂魏维 苇蠂慰蠀渭蔚 蠅蟼 尾伪蟽喂魏蠈 未蔚未慰渭苇谓慰 蟺蠅蟼 蟿慰 谓伪 蠁伪委谓蔚蟽伪喂 蟺位慰蠉蟽喂慰蟼 萎 蟿慰 谓伪 蔚委蟽伪喂 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺蟻伪纬渭伪蟿喂魏蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蔚委谓伪喂 蔚尉委蟽慰蠀 蟽畏渭伪谓蟿喂魏维. 螘蟺喂魏蟻伪蟿慰蠉蟽伪 伪尾蔚尾伪喂蠈蟿畏蟿伪 蟺慰蠀 蔚蟺喂渭苇谓蔚喂 谓伪 伪尉喂慰位慰纬蔚委 蟿畏 蟻蠅蟽喂魏萎 魏慰喂谓蠅谓委伪.
螘渭蠁维谓喂蟽畏 蟺位慰蠉蟿慰蠀 蔚尉委蟽慰蠀 蟽畏渭伪谓蟿喂魏萎 渭蔚 蟿慰谓 委未喂慰 蟿慰谓 蟺位慰蠉蟿慰.

螣 萎蟻蠅伪蟼 渭伪蟼 伪纬慰蟻维味蔚喂 谓蔚魏蟻慰蠉蟼 蠂蠅蟻喂魏慰蠉蟼, 慰喂 慰蟺慰委慰喂 位蠈纬蠅 魏伪胃蠀蟽蟿蔚蟻畏渭苇谓蠅谓 伪蟺慰纬蟻伪蠁蠋谓 蟿蠅谓 未慰蠀位慰蟺维蟻慰喂魏蠅谓 蔚尉伪魏慰位慰蠀胃慰蠉谓 谓伪 蠁伪委谓慰谓蟿伪喂 蟽蟿伪 位慰纬喂蟽蟿喂魏维 尾喂尾位委伪 蠅蟼 味蠋谓蟿蔚蟼, 蔚蟻纬伪味蠈渭蔚谓慰喂 魏伪喂 伪渭蔚喂尾蠈渭蔚谓慰喂.
螠喂伪 位伪渭蟺蟻萎 蟺蟻慰蠇蟺蠈胃蔚蟽畏 纬喂伪 魏伪蟿伪尉委蠅蟽畏 魏慰喂谓蠅谓喂魏萎, 伪蟺慰未慰蠂萎 魏伪喂 伪谓蔚蟻蠂蠈渭蔚谓畏 胃畏蟿蔚委伪 渭蔚蟿伪尉蠉 蔚蠀蠂伪蟻喂蟽蟿畏渭苇谓蠅谓 - 魏伪位慰位伪未蠅渭苇谓蠅谓 纬蟻伪蠁蔚喂慰魏蟻伪蟿喂魏蠋谓 蟺伪蟻伪纬蠈谓蟿蠅谓 蟽蔚 魏维胃蔚 魏位维未慰.

危蟿慰 蟺位伪委蟽喂慰 伪蠀蟿蠈 伪谓蟿喂魏伪蟿慰蟺蟿蟻委味蔚蟿伪喂 畏 蟻蠅蟽喂魏萎 未喂伪蠁胃慰蟻维 蟿慰蠀 未畏渭蠈蟽喂慰蠀 蟿慰渭苇伪 魏伪喂 畏 伪魏蟻喂尾苇蟽蟿伪蟿畏 蔚喂魏蠈谓伪 蟿畏蟼 蟽蠀谓蔚喂未畏蟿萎蟼 伪蟽蠂萎渭喂伪蟼 魏伪喂 蟿畏蟼 畏胃喂魏萎蟼 伪位位慰蟿蟻委蠅蟽畏蟼.

韦慰 蠉蠁慰蟼 魏伪喂 蟿慰 纬蟻维蠄喂渭慰 蟿慰蠀 螕魏蠈纬魏慰位 蔚委谓伪喂 蟺蠀魏谓蠈, 喂未喂蠈蟿蟻慰蟺慰, 伪魏伪蟿苇蟻纬伪蟽蟿慰 魏伪喂 蔚位伪蠁蟻蠋蟼 魏慰蠀蟻伪蟽蟿喂魏蠈.

惟蟼 魏慰喂谓蠅谓喂魏萎 魏蟻喂蟿喂魏萎 渭蔚 未喂伪蠂蟻慰谓喂魏萎 伪尉委伪 魏伪喂 蟺蟻慰蠁畏蟿喂魏萎 蠂蟻慰喂维 蔚委谓伪喂 渭喂伪 蟽蟺慰蠀未伪委伪 魏伪喂 蔚尉伪喂蟻蔚蟿喂魏萎 未慰蠀位蔚喂维.

惟蟼 位慰纬慰蟿蔚蠂谓喂魏蠈 苇蟻纬慰 蠀蟺慰蟽蟿畏蟻委味蔚蟿伪喂 伪蟺慰 蟿畏谓 未喂魏萎 渭慰蠀 伪尉喂慰位蠈纬畏蟽畏 渭蔚 蔚位维蠂喂蟽蟿慰 蔚谓胃慰蠀蟽喂伪蟽渭蠈.

螝伪位萎 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽畏.
螤慰位位慰蠉蟼 伪蟽蟺伪蟽渭慰蠉蟼.
Profile Image for Vanja Antonijevic.
35 reviews43 followers
January 8, 2008
Gogol's "Dead Souls" is a true masterpiece. It is the only Russian novel that I have read that brings me as much deep satisfaction as Dostoevsky鈥檚 great novels. The novel is satirical, intellectual, political, and also entertaining.

The intriguing plot is sketched as follows:

A somewhat mysterious middle class man, named Chichikov, comes to a town and attempts to build prestige by impressing minor officials of the place. The man spends beyond his means in order to impress, and tries to befriend the townspeople in order to execute a curious little plan regarding the selling of "dead souls".

The idea is that the Russian state taxes these landowners pay are based on the number of serfs (or "souls") on record. The problem is that many of these landowners must also pay for the serfs that have already died. It is these "dead souls" that Chichikov wants to buy from the landowners. He does not tell the owners why he wants the souls, but one can imagine that his plans are somewhat twisted...

The novel is ultimately a social and political commentary involving exaggerated characters.

Profile Image for Marc.
3,355 reviews1,776 followers
February 10, 2024
Rating 3.5 stars. I read this the first time over 45 years ago, when I was only 17. Back then, I had already devoured some novellas by Puskhin and Gogol, to my delight, but this book was a different story: a solid novel, though left unfinished*. The smooth narrative style, the ironic character drawing and the unlikely but funny intrigue immediately won me over. It was the beginning of my 鈥淩ussian period鈥�, a fascination that would last two years and spread from Gogol to Turgenev and culminate, of course, in Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. I presume this 'condition' will be very recognizable to other avid readers.

Now, so many years later, I immersed myself again in 'Dead Souls'. And once again I was captivated by the detailed narrative style and the catchy story. Gogol consciously took the position of the omniscient narrator, accompanying his reader into a story with great taste, with the necessary digressions, striking character drawings, apt descriptions of landscapes and occasionally a moralizing comment. What struck me most is that the author is clearly not concerned with Chichikov himself, our would-be landowner who buys up the names of dead serfs in order to gain some status. Only in chapter 11, about halfway through the novel, does Gogol begin to elaborate on the character, youth and ambition of his protagonist. And in my opinion, the author was not so concerned with the entertaining, picaresque quality of the adventures of his (anti) hero, who did succeed in fooling a lot of people, but whose fortune goes up and down, who is both feted and humiliated. No, that picaresque aspect is 鈥� as in any picaresque novel 鈥� just the packaging that should disguise the true focus of the story.

And what is that focus? Well, especially in the long (and finished) first part, it clearly is to offer a drawing of the Russian soul, in all its diversity, of peasants and lackeys as well as of landowners and bourgeois people. Gogol portrays them with great taste, with all their nastiness, and with a moralizing undertone: great or small, rich or poor, we are all just pathetic people, who are subject to the whims of fate, and who all have our little sides. You could argue endlessly about whether Gogol's view of humanity is essentially misanthropic or not, but for me both this novel as his novellas express a genuine compassion for the human condition. That's what makes this writer so great.

It is a pity that 'Dead Souls' has come to us unfinished. The second part in particular suffers from this. It is also 鈥� in its surviving state 鈥� a bit different in character: much less picaresque, much less a kaleidoscope of the Russian people, much more moralizing. With his extensive attention to a diligent landowner, who manages his estate very efficiently, Gogol even seems to have written a treatise for fellow landowners. The same ambiguity can also be found when the author talks about Russia itself: regularly, and even more so in the 2nd part, he gives praise to his homeland and underlines the unique character of the Russian values and norms, the Russian soul, etc.; but the ease with which he exposes and ridicules his characters, and even explicitly points out Russian weaknesses, suggests that we should take that praise with a grain of salt. Therefore, it is inevitable to conclude that Gogol really focused on the universal man, and that is the supreme value of his oeuvre that will always remain appealing.

* Addendum: Apparantly, as my 欧宝娱乐 friends kindly indicate, this book wasn't exactly unfinished. In a sort of religious crisis, Gogol destroyed parts of the manuscript, especially the second (and third?) part. That makes my interpretation a bit less sure, not really knowing what the original intentions of the author were.
** Addendum2: (After having read a few reviews of other 欧宝娱乐 friends) You could see this Dead Souls as a condensed version of Balzac's 'Com茅die Humaine', offering a broad panoramic view of humanity in its diversity. And the ironic style indeed comes near to 'Tristam Shandy', though - fortunately - Gogol is much less talkative and digressive!
Profile Image for Praveen.
193 reviews367 followers
January 21, 2020
"The longer and more carefully we look at a funny story, the sadder it becomes."
鈥� Nikolai Gogol


Before saying anything else, I think I must begin with my association with this novel. It was that period of my age, years and years ago when I had read only a few books, most of them incomplete, yet I used to impress my friends with that precocious intelligence I gathered from those books devoured by me in such scanty doses.
And what about my knowledge of Russian literature then?... That was extraordinarily abundant even at that time.
Was that a joke?... Indeed... it was!
If you had asked me to name any two authors of Russia then, I would have said the first name in a very confident tone... 'Tolstoy'... and second name, after a pause of a few seconds, I could have uttered aforementioned in full, with little more dignity... 'The Leo Tolstoy'.

Yes! That is true. I was not aware of any other name. What a pity! No. I was like an infant still swinging in my cradle of innocent ignorance as long as the book reading was concerned. I was a newbie. After some time when I started reading contemporary authors. I was reading a book by . There, for the first time, I encountered this unique name... GOGOL...Jhumpa had created a fictitious character there in her plot whose name was Gogol. I thought then that she might have been inspired by the modern-day 'Google'. However somewhere in between, she described the Gogol as someone like this as far as I remember, "an eccentric genius, an intelligent queer and sickly creature, a hypochondriac and a deeply paranoid, morbidly melancholic... one among Russian literary greats"

So, Jhumpa was decidedly the one who introduced me to the second name from the Russian Literary world many years back...GOGOL... Since then I wanted to read this fellow. I had notified Gogol and his Dead Souls in excitement then. It seems a silly association but it is quite true. Before turning to Dead souls finally, I had already read him three years back in his short tales, and . I loved both of them.

Now coming back to the Book, you can instantly see that I was reading this book with very high expectations and enthusiasm.
Did this book meet my expectations?
I鈥檒l first say YES. And then I鈥檒l say NO as well.

Actually this book had two parts. In the first part, I loved everything whatsoever was written by Gogol there. But in the second part, I鈥檒l say my excitement just perished in a very unusual way. It ended flat from the point of view of the story, leaving me disconcerting and a little disappointed as well. So this book just fell short of a five star read for me.

The storyline is rather simple. A clever man is trying to make wealth through trick and hoax. He is using the officials. Corruption practices among those officeholders made his fraud of buying and selling those dead souls quite convenient. Dead souls were those serfs who were dead but they were still shown as living ones in the census there on paper. So this guy used all his brain to acquire a huge sum of money through the deed of sale of such dead souls.

Our hero, the hero of this novel, as is defined in the beginning, is peripatetic rouge and is very solicitous about his descendants. Our hero is a traveler but his travel is of a different sort. One day our hero CHICHIKOV enters in a provincial city of N. Gogol has constantly used this term 鈥榦ur hero鈥� everywhere in the narration, whenever he had a strong intent to peep out in between the storyline and wanted to talk to the reader directly, this 鈥榦ur hero鈥� of Gogol, though acts throughout the book villainously. He entered in style on a pretty brichka (a type of horse-drawn carriage) and entered the gate of a hostelry in this city鈥nd thus began his journey in this novel Dead souls.

Every chapter of this book brings to the reader a unique character and an entirely new backdrop from Russian society. A scene changes every time a chapter finishes. Chichikov either deliberately reaches there or lands up there accidentally. And here in every chapter of this novel especially in the first part, Gogol has shown the class of his penmanship in framing such humorous circumstances and very sharp observations of Russian people and their behavior. And I really liked all the characters created by Gogol in this book. The humor content is at its best and the conversations and Gogol's delibrations on various issues of Russia can be seen in a new light.

"But wise is the man who disdains no character, but with searching glance explores him to the root and cause of all."

These FOUR things I noticed throughout the book. You will find here DIVERSITY of Russian classes and characters, then you will witness the DRAMA among the characters in the satirical language of Gogol, the dialogues and narration will fill you with unstoppable jest in that classic Gogolian HUMOR, and finally, a big-time SUSPENSE will linger on every time there.

So, Diversity, Drama, Humor, and Suspense are my four takeaways from this novel.

This is for sure a great classic book and is quite strange and queer in its approach and scope both, and one must read it if one is interested in peeking into the Russian ways of the 19th century through the eyes and style of Gogol. Nabokov had once described Gogol as "the strangest prose-poet Russia ever produced" and I too have felt this strangeness of his craft in this novel.
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902 reviews450 followers
February 6, 2024
诏購 诏購 賱 鬲賵蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖卮 丿乇丿 賵 賲乇囟 夭蹖丕丿蹖 讴卮蹖丿貙 賵 丕夭 丕賳賵丕毓 亘蹖賲丕乇蹖 賴丕蹖 噩爻賲蹖 賵 乇賵丕賳蹖 乇賳噩 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ必� 讴賴 蹖讴蹖卮 丕禺鬲賱丕賱 禺賵乇丿賳 亘賵丿. 丕賵賳 丿賵乇賴 賴丕蹖 賲鬲賳丕賵亘 倬乇禺賵乇蹖 賵 丕噩鬲賳丕亘 丕夭 禺賵乇丿賳 丿丕卮鬲 讴賴 丿乇 賳賴丕蹖鬲 賴賲 丕蹖賳胤賵乇 讴賴 诏賮鬲賴 卮丿賴 毓賱鬲 賲乇诏卮 诏乇爻賳诏蹖 卮丿蹖丿 亘毓賱鬲 丕噩鬲賳丕亘 丕夭 丿乇蹖丕賮鬲 睾匕丕 亘賵丿賴.
卮丕蹖丿 亘禺丕胤乇 賴賲蹖賳 丕禺鬲賱丕賱賴 讴賴 鬲賵蹖 丿丕爻鬲丕賳卮 丕蹖賳賯丿乇 乇賵蹖 鬲賵氐蹖賮 丕賳賵丕毓 睾匕丕 賵 賳賵卮蹖丿賳蹖 賵 胤乇夭 鬲賴蹖賴 卮賵賳 鬲賲乇讴夭 讴乇丿賴 貙 賵 亘賴 禺乇丿賴 賮乇賴賳诏 卮讴賲鈥屭嗀必з嗃� 亘賴 丕賳丿丕夭賴 丕賳鬲賯丕丿 丕夭 亘乇賵讴乇丕爻蹖 丕丿丕乇蹖 賲毓蹖賵亘 賵 倬賵賱 倬乇爻鬲蹖 鬲賵噩賴 賳卮賵賳 丿丕丿賴.
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丕睾賱亘 禺賵丕賳賳丿诏丕賳 诏賵诏賵賱 丕蹖賳 乇賲丕賳 乇賵 亘賴鬲乇蹖賳 丕孬乇 丕蹖賳 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 賲蹖丿賵賳賳貙 讴賴 禺亘 賲賳 賲鬲丕爻賮丕賳賴 賳賲蹖鬲賵賳賲 亘丕賴丕卮賵賳 賲賵丕賮賯 亘丕卮賲.
丕賱亘鬲賴 鬲丕 丌禺乇 亘禺卮 丕賵賱 讴鬲丕亘 賲蹖鬲賵賳爻鬲賲 亘丕 丕蹖賳 丕蹖丿賴 賲賵丕賮賯鬲 讴賳賲 賵賱蹖 亘毓丿 丕夭 禺賵賳丿賳 亘禺卮 丿賵賲 賵丕賯毓丕 賳丕丕賲蹖丿 卮丿賲. 亘禺卮 丿賵賲 讴丕賲賱丕 亘丕 鬲賲丕賲 賲毓蹖丕乇賴丕蹖 夭蹖亘丕卮賳丕爻丕賳賴 胤賳夭 賵 賳孬乇 诏賵诏賵賱 丿乇 鬲囟丕丿 亘賵丿 賵 蹖讴 趩乇禺卮 賳丕噩賵乇 亘賴 爻賲鬲 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 丕禺賱丕賯诏乇丕蹖丕賳賴 賵 鬲毓賱蹖賲蹖 丿丕卮鬲(賮丕夭 賳氐蹖丨鬲 賵 毓丕賯亘鬲 丕賳丿蹖卮蹖 亘乇丿丕卮鬲) 賵 丕蹖賳 丨乇讴鬲 亘賳馗乇賲 丕賲鬲蹖丕夭 讴鬲丕亘 乇賵 倬丕蹖蹖賳 讴卮蹖丿.
賲賳 丿乇讴 賲蹖讴賳賲 讴賴 诏賵诏賵賱 趩賯丿乇 亘乇丕蹖 乇賵爻賴丕 丕賴賲蹖鬲 丿丕乇賴 趩賵賳 亘賳蹖丕賳诏匕丕乇 爻亘讴 乇卅丕賱蹖爻賲 丕賳鬲賯丕丿蹖 丿乇 丕賵賳 讴卮賵乇 賵 丿乇 讴賳丕乇 倬賵卮讴蹖賳 噩乇蹖丕賳 爻丕夭 亘夭乇诏蹖 賴爻鬲卮 (賴乇趩賳丿 亘賴 卮讴賱 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 ) 亘胤賵乇賷讴賴 乇賵爻賴丕 亘乇丕蹖 诏賵诏賵賱 亘賴 丕賳丿丕夭賴 丕賳诏賱賷爻蹖 賴丕 亘乇丕蹖 卮讴爻倬蹖乇 鬲毓氐亘 賲蹖讴卮賳 賵 睾蹖乇鬲蹖 賲蹖卮賳.
丕賲丕 禺亘 賲賳 賱夭賵賲蹖 賳賲蹖亘蹖賳賲 賲鬲毓氐亘 亘丕卮賲 賵 亘禺氐賵氐 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇賵 亘倬乇爻鬲賲馃槳

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賲賳 亘乇丕蹖 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇蹖賵蹖賵賵 氐賵鬲蹖 鬲賵蹖 讴丕賳丕賱賲 诏匕丕卮鬲賲貙 丕诏賴 丿賱鬲賵賳 禺賵丕爻鬲 亘卮賳賵蹖丿 丕蹖賳噩丕爻鬲


乇丕爻鬲蹖 丕夭 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丿賵鬲丕 賳爻禺賴 賲賵噩賵丿賴 讴賴 讴丕賲賱卮 賴賲 亘禺卮 蹖讴 賵 賴賲 丿賵 乇賵 丿丕乇賴 賵 賳爻禺賴 賳丕鬲賲丕賲卮 讴賴 賮賯胤 亘禺卮 蹖讴 乇賵 丿丕乇賴.
賲賳 賳爻禺賴 賳丕鬲賲丕賲 乇賵 亘丕 鬲乇噩賲賴 賮乇蹖丿賵賳 賲噩賱爻蹖 禺賵賳丿賲 賵 亘禺卮 丿賵賲 乇賵 丕夭 賮蹖丿蹖 倬賱丕爻 賵 鬲乇噩賲賴 卮賴丿蹖 禺賵賳丿賲.

丕诏乇 亘賴 讴鬲丕亘 賵 賮蹖丿蹖 倬賱丕爻 丿爻鬲乇爻蹖 賳丿丕乇蹖丿貙 賮丕蹖賱 賲鬲賳蹖 賵 氐賵鬲蹖 賴賲 賲賵噩賵丿賴 馃槍
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165 reviews389 followers
January 4, 2021
袣芯谐邪褌芯 斜褟褏 胁 谐懈屑薪邪蟹懈褟褌邪 (锌褉械写懈 芯泻芯谢芯 锌芯谢芯胁懈薪 卸懈胁芯褌), 斜谢懈蟹褗泻 蟹邪 屑械薪 褔芯胁械泻 褋械 芯锌懈褌胁邪褕械 写邪 褉邪蟹胁懈械 胁泻褍褋邪 屑懈 泻褗屑 褌械邪褌褗褉邪. 袦邪谢泻芯 锌芯屑薪褟 芯褌 褋锌械泻褌邪泻谢懈褌械, 薪邪 泻芯懈褌芯 褋屑械 斜懈谢懈 褌芯谐邪胁邪. 袧邪锌褉懈屑械褉 蟹邪 鈥炐溞把€邪褌/小邪写鈥� 械写懈薪褋褌胁械薪邪褌邪 屑懈 褉械屑懈薪懈褋褑械薪褑懈褟 械, 褔械 袦邪褉邪褌 斜械褕械 谐芯谢邪 卸械薪邪, 泻芯褟褌芯 懈屑邪褕械 谐谢邪胁芯蟹邪屑邪泄胁邪褖芯 写褗谢褗谐 屑芯薪芯谢芯谐 胁 薪邪褔邪谢芯褌芯. 袨褌 鈥炐撔拘承拘恍感靶葱扳€� 锌褗泻 褋械 褋械褖邪屑 蟹邪 械写薪邪 褋褑械薪邪, 薪邪 泻芯褟褌芯 褋 褍写芯胁芯谢褋褌胁懈械 锌芯锌邪写薪邪褏 胁 鈥炐溠娧€褌胁懈 写褍褕懈鈥�. 袙 薪械褟 锌褉芯褋褌芯 锌褉懈褟褌薪邪褌邪 写邪屑邪 褉邪蟹褟褋薪褟胁邪 薪邪 写邪屑邪褌邪 锌褉懈褟褌薪邪 胁褗胁 胁褋褟泻芯 芯褌薪芯褕械薪懈械 蟹邪 械写薪邪 鈥炐残笛佇敌恍秆囆盒� 斜邪褋屑邪鈥�, 胁 泻芯褟褌芯 鈥炑勑拘窖娧� [械] 褟褋薪芯褋懈薪 懈 锌褉械写 胁褋褟泻邪 懈胁懈褔泻邪 褋械 褉械写褍胁邪褌 胁褋械 芯褔懈褔泻懈 懈 谢邪锌懈褔泻懈, 芯褔懈褔泻懈 懈 谢邪锌懈褔泻懈, 芯褔懈褔泻懈 懈 谢邪锌懈褔泻懈鈥� 小 械写薪邪 写褍屑邪, 斜械蟹锌芯写芯斜薪芯!鈥�. 袩褉械写懈 谐芯褉械褋锌芯屑械薪邪褌懈褟 锌芯谢芯胁懈薪 卸懈胁芯褌 褌芯胁邪 屑懈 褋械 褋褌褉褍胁邪褕械 写芯褋褌邪 薪械谢械锌邪 懈 懈蟹谢懈褕薪邪 褋懈褌褍邪褑懈褟. 小械谐邪, 褔械褌械泄泻懈, 褋械 锌芯写褏懈谢胁邪褏 锌芯写 屑褍褋褌邪泻 懈 褋械 褔褍写械褏 蟹邪褖芯 14-15-谐芯写懈褕薪芯褌芯 屑懈 邪蟹 薪械 械 屑芯谐谢芯 写邪 芯褑械薪懈 褏褍屑芯褉邪.

袚芯谐芯谢械胁邪褌邪 锌芯械屑邪, 泻邪泻褌芯 褌芯泄 褋邪屑懈褟褌 褟 薪邪褉懈褔邪, 械 懈蟹褋褌褉邪写邪谢邪. 袧械写芯胁褗褉褕械薪邪, 褋 锌械褉褋芯薪邪卸懈, 薪械薪邪屑械褉懈谢懈 褋胁芯械褌芯 懈蟹泻褍锌谢械薪懈械, 薪邪 薪褟泻芯谢泻芯 锌褗褌懈 懈蟹谐邪褉褟薪邪, 薪邪 胁懈褋褟褖懈 锌邪褉褑邪谢懈 懈 褑械谢懈 谢懈锌褋胁邪褖懈 褔邪褋褌懈. 袦芯卸械 斜懈 胁懈写褗褌, 胁 泻芯泄褌芯 械 写芯褋褌懈谐薪邪谢邪 写芯 薪邪褋, 械 写芯褋褌邪 写芯斜褉邪 屑械褌邪褎芯褉邪 蟹邪 卸懈胁芯褌邪. 袝写胁邪 谢懈 懈屑邪 写褍褕脿, 褔懈泄褌芯 卸懈蟹薪械薪 锌褗褌 薪械 械 芯褋械褟薪 褋 泻褉褗锌泻懈 懈 锌芯褔胁邪薪懈褟 芯褌薪邪褔邪谢芯, 褋 屑懈褉芯胁邪 褋泻褉褗斜 懈 芯褌褌谢邪褋泻胁邪薪械 锌芯 锌芯褋芯泻邪 薪邪 薪褟泻邪泻胁邪 褋屑褗褌薪邪 薪邪写械卸写邪. 袗 褌芯泄, 卸懈胁芯褌褗褌, 薪械 锌懈褌邪 写芯褋褌懈谐薪邪谢 谢懈 褋懈 写芯 褌邪屑, 蟹邪泻褗写械褌芯 褋懈 褌褉褗谐薪邪谢, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 屑褍 写芯泄写械 胁褉械屑械褌芯 写邪 褋胁褗褉褕胁邪.

袙懈薪邪谐懈 褋械 褔褍写褟 写邪谢懈 薪褟泻芯泄 褋械 褉邪蟹锌芯蟹薪邪胁邪 胁 褌邪泻懈胁邪 褌懈锌邪卸懈, 泻邪褌芯 芯锌懈褋邪薪懈褌械 芯褌 袚芯谐芯谢. 袙褋械懈蟹胁械褋褌薪芯 械, 褔械 褏芯褉邪褌邪 胁懈卸写邪褌 褌芯胁邪, 泻芯械褌芯 懈屑 褋械 懈褋泻邪 懈谢懈 蟹邪 泻芯械褌芯 懈屑邪褌 锌芯蟹薪邪薪懈械. 袣邪褌芯 褋械 懈屑邪 锌褉械写胁懈写 泻芯谢泻芯 屑薪芯谐芯 薪械 蟹薪邪褟褌 写芯褉懈 薪邪泄-械褉褍写懈褉邪薪懈褌械 褋褉械写 薪邪褋, 褋械 谢褍褌邪屑械 懈蟹 褋胁械褌邪, 斜械蟹 芯斜褗褉泻邪薪懈褌械 薪懈 褋芯薪邪褉懈 写邪 写芯谢邪胁褟褌 褌芯谢泻芯胁邪 薪械褖邪. 袗泻芯 褌械蟹懈 褏芯褉邪, 泻芯懈褌芯 懈蟹芯斜谢懈褔邪胁邪 锌芯械屑邪褌邪, 薪械 褋械 褉邪蟹锌芯蟹薪邪胁邪褌 懈 薪械 褋械 蟹邪屑懈褋谢褟褌, 褌芯谐邪胁邪 薪械 芯褌懈胁邪 谢懈 薪邪锌褍褋褌芯 袚芯谐芯谢械胁懈褟褌 谐械薪懈泄? 袗 邪泻芯 褋械 褉邪蟹锌芯蟹薪邪褟褌, 写邪谢懈 锌褉芯褋褌芯 薪褟屑邪 写邪 懈蟹锌褉褗褏褌褟褌 褋 锌褉械薪械斜褉械卸械薪懈械 懈 写邪 褋懈 褉械泻邪褌, 褔械 褌芯胁邪 褋邪 写褉邪褋泻邪薪懈褑懈褌械 薪邪 械写懈薪 薪械胁褉芯褌懈褔械薪 斜械蟹写械谢薪懈泻, 泻芯械褌芯 谐懈 谢懈褕邪胁邪 芯褌 写芯褋褌芯胁械褉薪芯褋褌? 袠 褌邪泻邪 写邪 械, 蟹邪 芯褋褗蟹薪邪褌邪褌邪 懈褋褌懈薪邪 褌褉褟斜胁邪 写邪 褋械 谐芯胁芯褉懈, 邪 薪械 写邪 褋械 屑褗谢褔懈. 袙褋械 薪褟泻芯泄 薪褟泻芯谐邪 屑芯卸械 写邪 褟 褔褍械.

笑褟谢芯褌芯 写械泄褋褌胁懈械 薪邪 锌芯械屑邪褌邪 褋械 胁褗褉褌懈 芯泻芯谢芯 泻褍锌褍胁邪薪械褌芯 薪邪 屑褗褉褌胁懈 写褍褕褲, 薪芯 袚芯谐芯谢 薪械 芯褋褌邪胁褟 褋褗屑薪械薪懈械 褔懈懈 写褍褕懈 芯褌写邪胁薪邪 褋邪 褋锌褉械谢懈 写邪 泻芯薪胁褍谢褋懈褉邪褌 褋 锌芯褋谢械写薪懈褌械 褌褉褗锌泻懈 薪邪 卸懈胁芯褌邪. 小 锌芯谢褍薪邪褋屑械褕泻邪, 锌芯谢褍芯褋褗卸写邪薪械 锌芯胁械褔械褌芯 懈屑械薪邪 薪邪 锌械褉褋芯薪邪卸懈褌械 褋邪 芯锌褉械写屑械褌械薪懈. 袦邪谢泻邪褌邪 泻褍褌懈泄泻邪 袣芯褉芯斜芯褔泻邪, 薪芯蟹写褉邪褌邪 袧芯蟹写褉械胁 懈 泻褍褔械褌芯 小芯斜邪泻械胁懈褔 褋邪 褋邪褌懈褉懈褔薪懈褟褌 芯锌懈褌 薪邪 袚芯谐芯谢 写邪 锌芯泻邪卸械 谢懈锌褋邪褌邪 薪邪 卸懈胁械褑 薪邪 褋胁芯懈褌械 写械泄褋褌胁邪褖懈 谢懈褑邪. 鈥炐熜谎幯埿盒感解€� 锌褗泻 斜邪褖邪 屑懈 懈蟹锌芯谢蟹胁邪 芯褌泻邪泻 褋械 锌芯屑薪褟 泻邪褌芯 薪邪褉懈褑邪褌械谢薪芯 蟹邪 褋褌懈锌褑邪. 小邪屑懈褟褌 效懈褔懈泻芯胁 懈屑械薪薪芯 泻邪褌芯 泻懈褏邪胁懈褑邪 屑懈薪邪胁邪 锌褉械蟹 卸懈胁芯褌邪 薪邪 写胁芯褉褟薪懈褌械, 褋褗屑薪懈褌械谢薪芯 懈屑芯褌薪懈 薪邪 褍屑褉械谢懈 泻褉械锌芯褋褌薪懈. 校 锌芯屑械褕褔懈褑懈褌械 锌褗褉胁芯 褋械 蟹邪褉邪卸写邪 械写薪芯 芯褋芯斜械薪芯 褔褍胁褋褌胁芯, 薪懈褌芯 锌褉懈褟褌薪芯, 薪懈褌芯 薪械锌褉懈褟褌薪芯, 锌芯褋谢械 褋谢械写胁邪 屑邪谢泻邪 泻褍谢屑懈薪邪褑懈褟 胁 芯褌薪芯褕械薪懈褟褌邪 懈屑 褋 薪邪褕懈褟 懈蟹锌械褔械薪 锌褉芯褌邪谐芯薪懈褋褌 懈 薪邪泻褉邪褟 褌芯泄 懈蟹褔械蟹胁邪, 泻邪褌芯 芯褋褌邪胁褟 械写懈薪褋褌胁械薪芯 谢械泻邪褌邪 褋谢褍蟹 芯褌 锌褉械卸薪芯褌芯 褋懈 锌褉懈褋褗褋褌胁懈械 懈 芯斜谢械泻褔械薪懈械褌芯, 褔械 胁械褔械 谐芯 薪褟屑邪.

袣褉懈胁芯褌芯 芯谐谢械写邪谢芯 薪邪 袚芯谐芯谢 斜芯谢懈 懈 卸械谐胁邪 褌芯谐邪胁邪褕薪邪 袪褍褋懈褟. 袛芯褉懈 褋邪屑芯褌芯 蟹邪谐谢邪胁懈械 薪邪 锌芯械屑邪褌邪 斜懈谢芯 褋褔械褌械薪芯 蟹邪 械褉械褌懈褔薪芯 懈 褋械 薪邪谢芯卸懈谢芯 写邪 斜褗写械 锌褉械懈屑械薪褍胁邪薪邪 薪邪 鈥炐熝€懈泻谢褞褔械薪懈褟褌邪 薪邪 效懈褔懈泻芯胁: 屑褗褉褌胁懈 写褍褕懈鈥�, 泻芯械褌芯, 褋褗谐谢邪褋械褌械 褋懈, 褋懈 械 写胁褍褋屑懈褋谢械薪芯 芯褌泻褗写械褌芯 懈 写邪 谐芯 谐谢械写邪褕. 袨斜褖械褋褌胁芯褌芯 胁 薪懈泻芯褟 械锌芯褏邪 薪械 褋械 褉邪写胁邪, 泻芯谐邪褌芯 薪褟泻芯泄 屑褍 锌芯褋芯褔懈 褟蟹胁懈褌械. 孝芯 芯斜懈褔邪 写邪 谐懈 褋懈 锌褉懈泻褉懈胁邪 褋 胁芯薪褟褖懈 屑械褏谢械屑懈 懈 褉褟写泻芯 锌褉芯褖邪胁邪 薪邪 薪褟泻芯谐芯, 泻芯泄褌芯 褋械 芯锌懈褌胁邪 写邪 谐懈 谢械泻褍胁邪. 袙褗胁 褎邪褉褋邪 袚芯谐芯谢 锌谢褍胁邪 胁 褋胁芯懈 胁芯写懈, 泻邪褌芯 锌褉芯褟胁褟胁邪 懈 蟹邪胁懈写械薪 褌邪谢邪薪褌 薪邪 泻芯屑械写懈械薪 邪泻褌褜芯褉, 薪芯 胁 锌芯械屑邪褌邪 锌褉懈屑械褋胁邪 褋屑械褕薪芯褌芯 懈 褋 写芯褋褌邪 褌褉邪谐械写懈褟. 孝褉邪谐械写懈褟褌邪 薪邪 屑邪谢泻懈褟 褔芯胁械泻, 薪邪 锌褉懈褋锌芯褋芯斜械薪械褑邪, 泻芯泄褌芯 薪械 蟹薪邪械 褋胁芯褟褌邪 懈褋褌懈薪褋泻邪 褎芯褉屑邪, 邪 蟹邪械屑邪 薪邪泄-褍写芯斜薪邪褌邪 屑褍 胁 屑芯屑械薪褌邪, 褌褉邪谐械写懈褟褌邪 薪邪 懈蟹谐薪懈谢邪褌邪 写褍褏芯胁薪芯褋褌 懈 屑邪褌械褉懈邪谢懈褋褌懈褔薪懈褟 褍泻谢芯薪.

袚芯谐芯谢 薪械 薪邪蟹懈写邪胁邪, 褌芯泄 褉邪蟹泻褉懈胁邪, 褋屑械械 褋械 懈 锌谢邪褔械 蟹邪械写薪芯 褋褗褋 褋胁芯褟褌邪 袪褍褋懈褟. 孝褗卸懈 蟹邪 薪邪褋褌芯褟褖械褌芯 褲 懈 褋械 芯锌懈褌胁邪 写邪 胁褟褉胁邪 胁 斜褗写械褖械褌芯 褲. 孝邪泻邪 泻邪泻褌芯 薪械 褍褋锌褟胁邪 写邪 蟹邪胁褗褉褕懈 褌胁芯褉斜邪褌邪 褋懈 芯斜邪褔械, 薪械 写芯卸懈胁褟胁邪 懈 写邪 胁懈写懈 褋斜褗写薪邪褌懈 薪邪写械卸写懈褌械 褋懈. 袗 斜褗写械褖械褌芯 械 泻褉械褏泻芯 褉邪胁薪芯胁械褋懈械 屑械卸写褍 鈥炐秆佇盒靶尖€� 懈 鈥炐惭佇� 薪褟泻芯谐邪 褋懈鈥�. 袦芯卸械 斜懈 薪褟泻芯谐邪, 屑薪芯谐芯 薪褟泻芯谐邪, 薪褟泻芯泄 褖械 屑芯卸械 写邪 谐芯 卸懈胁械械 褌邪泻芯胁邪, 泻邪泻胁芯褌芯 袚芯谐芯谢 薪械 谐芯 写芯锌懈褋胁邪.
Profile Image for Daniela.
189 reviews90 followers
June 11, 2021
4.5*

In Dead Souls, a novel about Russia and what it means to be Russian, we follow the adventures of Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, literature's most endearingly dishonest character. After several attempts to grow rich and live a life of comfort, Chichikov comes up with a scheme of buying non-existent peasants in order to get a state loan on them and, thus, making easy money out of nothing. The non-existent peasants are the title鈥檚 Dead Souls . They were those serfs who had already died but were counted as alive in the official lists since new census had not yet been made.

The macabre use of these dead serfs is brilliant, underlining the inhumanity of feudal Russia. Dead Souls is much more than a biting satire of a corrupted society. It is a criticism of a whole System of power in which corruption is only one of the many nefarious side-effects. As it usually happens in such societies, it corrupts even industrious, hard working men. It鈥檚 difficult to argue that Chichikov was a n鈥檈r-do-well. That鈥檚 the whole point: he was intelligent, charming and dynamic. The fact that he chooses to be dishonest and apply his qualities to shady schemes says much more about the environment that surrounded him than an inborn bad faith.
Profile Image for Michael Perkins.
Author听6 books453 followers
November 14, 2022
the wonderful dark irony of Russian humor....

According to the story line, a trickster, "not too fat and not too thin," i.e. a rather average person named Chichikov, is trying to enroll the names of dead peasants (muzhiks) to increase his paper wealth and raise his stature. These are the nominal dead souls.

Chichikov knows that serfs have value, even if it's just on paper. Most landowners jump at Chichikov's offer to buy them, because it means the landowners will no longer have to pay taxes on serfs who aren鈥檛 there anymore to work the fields. And what's in it for Chichikov? He's buying up all these non-existent people in order to use them as collateral for a huge loan and then flee with the money.

I submit that the title "Dead Souls" is a double entendre because mixed in with the truly banal and silly characters Chichikov encounters on his quest, there are those who may have pumping hearts, but for all intents and purposes are like ghosts---dead souls---such as this person Chichikov encounters at table in a house....

"...It was hard to say definitely who she was, a married lady or a spinster, a relative, the housekeeper or a woman simply living in the house - something without a cap, about 30, and wearing a multicoloured shawl. There are people that exist on this earth not as objects in themselves, but as extraneous specks or tiny spots on objects. They sit in the same place, they hold their heads in the same way and you are almost ready to take them for a piece of furniture..."

And Gogol offers how someone becomes a living ghost....

"Everything undergoes a rapid transformation in man. Before you know it, a dreadful worm has grown within him, and tyrannically sucked off all the vital juices for itself."

Chichikov himself is going through this process. I suppose one could call it the evil of banality. Such a banal man (poshlyak) is utterly empty, there's no inner life. A dead soul in the making.

Some of these souls, such as the character Mamilov, attempt a pretense at substance, but it's extrinsic only. Mamilov has a gazebo on his property with a flat green cupola, blue wooden columns, and an inscription: THE TEMPLE OF SOLITARY REFLECTION, but no ability to reflect on anything in a coherent fashion. He also lacks focus, a very modern problem. For example, "in his study there's always some book lying about, with a bookmark at the fourteenth page, which he had been reading constantly for the past two years."

Nozdryov is another landowner from whom Chichikov is trying to buy dead peasant souls. Nozdryov is a widower, left with two kids he has no interest in so leaves them to the nanny. He's a frivolous party animal who loves cards and is always getting into fights and getting tossed from social gatherings. He's also a pathological liar. Though he seems brisk and energetic, he's glib, has no ideas and plans nothing. He's just passing through like another dead soul.

Landowner and client, Sobakevich, could not be more different than Nozdryov. He's a cynic, conspiracy theorist, glutton and miser. Gripped by greed, he insists on discussing the fine personal qualities of the dead souls he wants to overcharge Chichikov for.

And finally there's Plyushkin, who has suffered about as much travail as Job. Needless to say, he's eager to sell his dead souls to Chichikov.

And like many in our world of Facebook, these living ghosts are obsessed with nonsense...

鈥渂ut mortal man鈥� truly, it is hard to understand how your mortal man is made: however banal the news may be, as long as it is news, he will not fail to pass it on to some other mortal, even if it is precisely with the purpose of saying: 鈥淪ee what a lie they鈥檙e spreading!鈥� and the other mortal will gladly incline his ear, though afterwards he himself will say: 鈥淵es, that is a a perfectly banal lie, not worthy of any attention!鈥� and thereupon he will set out at once to look for a third mortal, so that, having told him, they can both exclaim with noble indignation: 鈥淲hat a banal lie!鈥� And it will not fail to make the rounds of the whole town, and all mortals, however many there are, will have their fill of talking and will then admit that it is unworthy of attention and not worth talking about.鈥�

Returning to town with his four hundred dead souls, Chichikov is ecstatic. But he soon becomes the object of nasty gossip. Chichikov had bought these souls to raise his social standing and his net worth. But he is now seen as a grifter and must flee for his life.

=======

A favorite of Mel Brooks....

鈥淒ead Souls,鈥� by the magnificent genius Nikolai Gogol was a revelation. I鈥檇 never read anything like it. It was hysterically funny and incredibly moving at the same time. It鈥檚 like Gogol stuck a pen in his heart, and it didn鈥檛 even go through his mind on its way to the page. It truly raised the bar of what I considered to be important writing. It was a life-changing gift, and I still read it once a year to remind myself of what great comic writing can be."
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592 reviews1,137 followers
April 1, 2022
"廿賳 賲賳 卮兀賳 丕賱卮丕亘 賮賷 賴匕賴 丕賱兀賷丕賲 兀賳 賷孬亘 乇毓亘賸丕 廿匕丕 賲丕 毓乇囟鬲 毓賱賷賴 氐賵乇鬲賴 賵賴賵 賮賷 爻賳 丕賱賰賴賵賱丞".

"禺匕賵 賲毓賰賲 廿匕賳 賵兀賳鬲賲 鬲鬲賳賯賱賵賳 賲賳 爻賳賵丕鬲 卮亘丕亘賰賲 丕賱賳丕毓賲 廿賱賶 爻賳賵丕鬲 丕賱乇噩賵賱丞 丕賱賯丕爻賷丞貙 禺匕賵 賲毓賰賲 賰賱 丕賱賲卮丕毓乇 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞. 賵賱丕 鬲鬲乇賰賵賴丕 禺賱賮賰賲 毓賱賶 賯丕乇毓丞 丕賱胤乇賷賯貙 賵廿賱丕 賮賱賳 鬲賱鬲賯胤賵賴丕 賱丕丨賯丕賸. 賮廿锟斤拷 丕賱卮賷禺賵禺丞 丕賱賲禺賷賮丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賴丿丿賰賲 賮賷 丕賱賲爻鬲賯亘賱貙 賱賳 鬲毓賷丿 賱賰賲 卮賷卅丕賸 賲賲丕 丕賰鬲爻亘鬲賵賴貙 廿賳 丕賱賯亘乇 兀乇丨賲 賵兀賰孬乇 乇兀賮丞 賲賳賴丕貙 賮賴賲 賷賰鬲亘賵賳 毓賱賷賴:鈥澷囏柏� 賯亘乇 廿賳爻丕賳鈥� 賵賱賰賳 賱丕 賷賲賰賳 兀賳 鬲賯乇兀 賮賷 丕賱賲賱丕賲丨 丕賱亘丕乇丿丞貙 丕賱禺丕賱賷丞 賲賳 丕賱毓丕胤賮丞 賱賱卮賷禺賵禺丞 睾賷乇 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳賷丞 卮賷卅丕賸.

鈥溬堌ベ嗁� 賱兀鬲爻丕亍賱 賲丕 賴賷 丨賷丕鬲賳丕責 廿賳賴丕 賱賷爻鬲 廿賱丕 賵丕丿賺貙 丕爻鬲賵胤賳鬲賴 丕賱兀丨夭丕賳. 賵兀鬲爻丕亍賱 兀賷囟丕賸 賲丕 賴賵 丕賱毓丕賱賲責 廿賳賴 賱賷爻 廿賱丕 噩賲賴賵乇 賲賳 丕賱亘卮乇 禺丕賱賺 賲賳 丕賱鬲賮賰賷乇鈥�.
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