The main activities of Sobakevich in the poem Dead Souls. Sobakevich characterization of the hero
This article will examine the characteristics of the landowner Sobakevich, one of the main characters in Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol’s work “Dead Souls”. It is interesting that the idea of this poem belonged to the great poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, and Gogol only fulfilled his promise to him - he created the work.
It should be noted that he did not completely fulfill his mission, because initially it was planned to create three volumes of the poem (in the likeness of Hell, Purgatory and Paradise), but only the first one reached the reader. There is an assumption that the almost completely finished second volume was destroyed by the writer for unknown reasons, and Gogol did not have time to write the third. In order to get even a little closer to unraveling the mysteries associated with the fate of these works of the great writer, modern philologists carefully analyze and study the images of his heroes, creating Sobakevich, Korobochka, Manilov, Nozdrev, Plyushkin and other characters in the work.
History of writing
It must be said that the poem “Dead Souls,” like many other works of the author, is an immortal work of literary art. It depicts the reality of Russia in the 19th century, which is reflected in the present day. The activities of ignorant officials, the arbitrariness of the authorities, the plight of ordinary people - all this is fully presented by the author on the pages of the work.
In addition to the fact that Nikolai Vasilyevich gives a description of different types of people, he also describes in detail inanimate objects, which allows the reader to clearly imagine the way of life of the Russian people in the 19th century. The key figures of the poem allow us to create a general idea of the people of that time: Chichikov, Manilov, Korobochka, Plyushkin, Sobakevich. The characterization of the hero is presented by Gogol in such a way that each of them is endowed with both typical features of representatives of the era, and individual ones that are different from others.
An interesting discovery of observers and researchers was also that the order of appearance of characters in Gogol’s poem is not random, everything is subject to a certain order. This fact allows us to get closer to understanding the main idea of the work.
Landowner Sobakevich: characterization of the hero
Many landowners sold dead souls. Mikhailo Semenovich Sobakevich deserves special attention among them. The author introduces the reader to this hero long before his appearance in the plot. First, Gogol describes his possessions, as if preparing the reader for the perception of such a complex character as Sobakevich. The character's characteristics are revealed through a detailed depiction of his village, a large settlement with strong buildings. Sobakevich’s own house was a solid structure and seemed to last forever. Peasant estates were also distinguished by their quality and reliability. But what Chichikov noticed when he entered Sobakevich’s village was that the owner of the property was not at all concerned about the aesthetics of the buildings; there was not a single extra “useless” decorative element on them. The appearance of the buildings was not distinguished by sophistication; practicality and functionality were the main features of the buildings owned by the landowner Sobakevich.
The characteristics of the hero can also be traced in the description of the surrounding nature. The author says that on one side of the village there was a pine forest, and on the other, a birch forest. He compares the forests with the wings of a bird, only one of them is light and the other is dark. So Gogol makes it clear to the reader that Sobakevich, the owner of the estate, is endowed with different personal qualities.
Appearance of the landowner
A brief description of Sobakevich, in particular his appearance, is given by the author in the work itself. Gogol compares the hero with a medium-sized bear, focusing on his “bear”-colored tailcoat. Even the name, Mikhailo Semenovich, was not chosen by chance; it is involuntarily associated with a brown, club-footed animal. In addition, the landowner Sobakevich moved like a bear, every now and then stepping on someone’s feet.
The hero has a hot, red-hot complexion, which undoubtedly once again indicates the inviolability and strength of his nature.
Character traits
The author describes the character of the hero superbly. He is revealed not only in his appearance, gait, gestures, but also in his manner of speaking, and in his entire way of life. From the first words, the hero is credited with absolute down-to-earth views and interests.
Every detail in Sobakevich’s premises was very similar to its owner. The paintings hanging in his house depicted Greek heroes resembling Mikhail Semenovich in appearance. Similar to it were the walnut bureau and the dark-colored blackbird with spots.
The writer is presented as a strong, prudent owner, Mikhailo Sobakevich. The characterization of the hero makes it clear that his peasants live reliably and calmly under his leadership. And his efficiency and natural power, which began to look like dull inertia, are a problem, not the hero’s fault.
Outlook on life
Sobakevich is hostile to everything related to spirituality. In his understanding, culture and enlightenment are harmful and useless inventions. The main thing for him is to take care of his own well-being and a well-fed existence under any circumstances.
In a conversation with Chichikov, our hero shows himself to be a predator with a stranglehold, ready to take possession of his prey at any cost. It is in this vein that the author characterizes Sobakevich. Dead souls - that’s what Chichikov came to him for, and Mikhailo Semenych immediately called a spade a spade, without waiting until they began to bore him with hints. He was not ashamed to bargain and even cheat, slipping Elizaveta Sparrow to Chichikov. During the transaction, the main qualities of the landowner Sobakevich appeared. His straightforwardness and savvyness sometimes bordered on rudeness, cynicism and ignorance.
Mikhailo Semenovich personally wrote a list of all his deceased peasants, in addition, he talked about each of them - what he did, what character traits he had. At first glance, it may seem that Sobakevich is worried about his subordinates, since he knows so much about them. But in fact, he is guided by a simple calculation - he does not care who lives in his domain, and he knows well who can be useful to him and how.
Sobakevich's relationship with his environment
An attentive reader will undoubtedly notice how Sobakevich is similar to other heroes and how he differs. The main ones have already been mentioned above. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that Sobakevich does not accept stinginess, as evidenced by his desire for his subordinates to live well, and criticism towards the landowner Plyushkin, who, having eight hundred peasant souls, eats like a shepherd. Sobakevich himself loved to eat delicious food. He also understands that he can get more from a strong peasant farm, which is probably why he keeps his charges in abundance.
The landowner speaks unflatteringly about officials, calling them “Christ-sellers” and swindlers. But this does not prevent him from doing business with them and concluding deals. And in general, not a single kind word came out of his mouth when he spoke about the people with whom he was friends or communicated.
conclusions
That the author leaves Sobakevich a chance for revival, attributing to him many good qualities, there is no doubt that the soul of the landowner is dead. He, like many others, does not allow changes around and within himself, because only the person who has a soul can change.
A landowner with a massive figure, similar to a bear, appears fourth in the gallery of characters. The image and characterization of Sobakevich in the poem “Dead Souls” (with quotes) allows us to more clearly imagine a gentleman from the Russian hinterland, strong in figure, but spiritually devastated.
Landowner of city N
Sobakevich is an older man. He is well over 40. Taking care of his estate, he is satisfied with the conditions of the “outback”, abandoned inland from even the unknown city of N. He belongs in the outback. But it’s not hard to find bears like him in human form in Moscow. The master is in good health. He "never got sick." Moreover, Sobakevich is afraid of this situation. It seems to him that some terrible, severe illness awaits him ahead. He says about himself:
“...even if my throat hurts, if I have a sore throat or a boil...”
But good health protects a man from illness.
Hero's appearance
From the first to the last feature of his appearance, Sobakevich resembles a bear: his figure, the set of his eyes, the chopped lines of his face, his gait. Character's appearance features:
“...round, wide, like Moldavian pumpkins” face;
“... wide, like the Vyatka squat horses...” back;
“...his legs, like cast-iron pedestals that are placed on sidewalks...”;
“...didn’t use any small tools.”
The master did not need files or gimlets. A not very sharp ax was enough:
“she grabbed it with an ax once and her nose came out, she grabbed it another time and her lips came out, she picked out her eyes with a large drill and, without scraping them, let her into the light...”.
The classic tries to stand or sit the character straight, but he doesn’t succeed:
“...I didn’t move my neck at all...”
The bear, the landowner, was sitting, looking from under his brows not at his interlocutor, but at where his gaze fell.
Mikhailo Semenovich does not see those walking nearby. More often they avoid him
“...knowing the habit...of stepping on feet...”
Sobakevich is a small, “medium-sized” bear. His father was much larger. There is a breed in a person, heredity, Russian heroism. But if you look into history, how strong in spirit the Russian giants were. They loved Rus' and its people with all their souls. What's left of them? Only external resemblance. The landowner has bearish taste. How the gentleman is dressed:
“tailcoat... bear color”;
“the sleeves (of a camisole, shirt or jacket) are long”;
“knickers (pants or trousers) are long.”
The author interestingly describes Sobakevich’s complexion: “... red-hot, like what happens on a copper coin.” A tall, healthy man with a purple face, how could one not recoil, frightened by such a thing! Besides this, there are no movements or emotions in the face. It is stone and frozen in one position.
The character of the landowner
Sobakevich is very different in character. He then curls up into a ball, like a fist, ready to strike, then becomes eloquent and quick. It all depends on the situation around him.
He shows his “dog-like disposition” when he speaks about the residents of the city. All of him are deceivers:
“...a swindler sits on a swindler and drives the swindler around.”
Rude in comparing people. According to the landowner,
“...there is a decent person: the prosecutor; and that one... is a pig.”
Mikhail Semenovich is straightforward, he does not try to conduct unnecessary discussions with Chichikov about a strange request - the purchase of dead souls. Without preamble or surprise, he immediately proceeds to bidding. The landowner says little, strictly and artlessly:
“You needed souls, and I’m selling them to you...”
By bargaining, the master shows his thoroughness; he slowly gives up rubles and kopecks, appreciating the smallest penny. It is impossible not to notice that there is cunning and resourcefulness in the character, for this he receives from Chichikov the epithet “beast”. A cheat and a scoundrel will not pass by the benefits.
Landowner in communication with his wife
The figure of Feodulia Ivanovna’s wife is opposite in appearance. This is a thin tall woman. The author compares it to a palm tree. It is impossible to imagine the image without a smile: a palm tree in a cap with ribbons. The hostess is like a “smooth goose”, like
"...to the actresses representing the queens."
Gogol claims that Sobakevich’s wife is a good housewife. She surrounded her husband with care, the main task was to feed him. If you count how much time is allocated during the day for food, then there is almost no time left for other things. The dinner Chichikov attended was a typical meal for the family. It is impossible to list everything that the master ate.
“Everything fell into a lump in my stomach...”
The beginning of the meal is “half a side of lamb”, it would seem that cheesecakes and drinks will follow, but no. Eaten
“... a turkey the size of a calf, stuffed with all sorts of goodness...”
Sobakevich recognizes only Russian cuisine. He doesn’t accept French, and it’s hard to imagine how a “bear” is trying to stuff a frog’s leg or an oyster into his mouth. Sobakevich is consistent when it comes to food, just like at an auction, he finishes his food to the end. At lunch with city officials:
“having spotted from a distance a sturgeon lying to the side on a large dish... in a little over a quarter of an hour he reached it all, so that... only one tail remained from the product of nature...”.
This attitude towards food is the essence of the character’s character. A well-fed master does not become kinder, a smile or other feelings do not appear on his face.
Attitude towards peasants
The landowner strives to create conditions of strength for the peasants. He participates in the life of the farm, understands that the better the men work, the stronger his estate. Sobakevich knows everyone living and dead. There is pride in the owner's words:
“What a people! Just gold..."
The landowner's list is detailed and accurate. There is all the information about the sold soul:
“...craft, title, years and family fortune...”.
Sobakevich remembers how the man treated wine, the behavior of a peasant.
Sobakevich is a landowner who differs from other residents of the district of the city N that Chichikov met. But this is only an external difference. Vice, stinginess and indifference are firmly embedded in the character. The soul becomes callous and dies; it is unknown whether anyone will buy his soul in the future.
Sections: Literature
Goals:
- analyze the image of the landowner Sobakevich to reveal the author’s ideological position based on individual work with the text;
- develop skills in analyzing a prose work, drawing general conclusions;
- develop attention, associative thinking and creative imagination of students, speech development, the ability to work in a group, listen to their classmates, express their opinions and generalize the knowledge gained in the lesson;
- working with key concepts;
- to cultivate the reading culture of schoolchildren
Technology: Developing critical thinking through reading and writing .
Equipment: portrait of N.V. Gogol, portraits of landowners, exhibition of books.
DURING THE CLASSES
1. The lesson begins with repetition of previous material in order to prepare students to solve the problem put forward by the teacher.
Teacher: What is the plot of Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls” and what opportunities did it give the writer to reveal the ideological meaning of the work?
Student: The essence of the plot is that the businessman-acquirer Chichikov travels around Russia, visits the estates of landowners and buys up dead souls. The plot was proposed to Gogol by A.S. Pushkin. This plot gave the writer the opportunity, following his hero, “to travel around Russia and show broadly the life of Russia and various landowners.”
2. Statement of the problematic question:
– Why do you think N.V. Gogol called his work “dead souls”?
3. Proposing hypotheses:
“Gogol named his poem because it talks about buying dead souls.”
– In my opinion, Gogol wants to show that the landowners have already, as it were, outlived their usefulness, they are, as it were, dead.
4. Repetition of old material in order to test hypotheses.
The teacher suggests recalling the works of Griboyedov and Lermontov.
– Remember Griboyedov’s comedy. After all, it could be given a title, say, “The Adventures of Chatsky in Moscow.” Why did Griboyedov call the comedy “Woe from Wit”?
What meaning did he put into this name?
Student: Griboedov wanted to emphasize with this name that an intelligent, progressive person is not valued in noble society. The title emphasizes the intransigence, the conflict between the progressive, enlightened people and the reactionary, backward nobility.
Teacher: What is the meaning of the title of Lermontov's novel? Why didn’t he call it, say, “The Life of Pechorin”?
Student: By calling the novel “A Hero of Our Time,” M.Yu. Lermontov emphasizes Pechorin’s typicality for the 80s. In the preface to the novel, Lermontov wrote: “A hero of our time ...” is definitely a portrait, but not of one person. This is a portrait made up of the vices of our entire generation in their full development.”
The teacher summarizes: As you can see, the title of a work of art does not simply reflect its theme, does not simply reveal its theme, but reveals its ideological meaning.
5. Analysis of the content of Chapter 5 Gogol's poem and the image of Sobakevich in order to solve the problem.
Teacher: Let's turn again to Gogol. What meaning does he put into the title of the poem? Let's think about this name. What meaning do we put into the concept of “soul” when we say: “This is a person with a soul”, “A person with a beautiful soul”?
– The soul is the beautiful inner qualities of a person.
– By this concept we mean the noble aspirations of a person. This is the inner, spiritual world of a person.
Teacher: Let's reveal the meaning of the title of the poem using the example of the image of Sobakevich. What is his spiritual world, his aspirations? How does the writer describe the estate and the interior decoration of the rooms?
Students retell passages from Chapter 5 close to the text. Under the guidance of the teacher, they conclude that through the description of the situation, Gogol characterizes Sobakevich as a person who has no taste, no aesthetic sense.
Teacher: How is Sobakevich’s appearance described?
When students retell the relevant passages from the chapter, the teacher draws attention to the artistic techniques of depicting the image:
– Why does Gogol so persistently emphasize Sobakevich’s similarity to animals and things?
Students, guided by the teacher, conclude that Sobakevich’s external rudeness reveals the baseness and animality of his nature. The hyperbolic comparison with animals and furniture is a lyrical device that emphasizes that Sobakevich has nothing sublime.
Teacher: When Chichikov arrived at Sobakevich’s, the guest and the owner were silent for several minutes, staring blankly at each other. And even Chichikov, who is skilled in “small” conversations, does not know what to talk about with the owner of the house, how to break the awkward silence.
And that’s true, what can you talk about with Sobakevich? About politics, art, about the fate of Russia, about literature? - No, this ossified landowner is not interested in such questions.
And yet, at some points in the conversation, the usually silent Sobakevich becomes animated and even becomes eloquent. Obviously, the conversation turned to what interests him. When and why does Sobakevich revive?
Students say that Sobakevich perks up when it comes to bargaining over dead souls. Even Chichikov was surprised: “Where did the agility and gift of speech come from?”
6. Expressive reading based on the roles of the bargaining scene between Sobakevich and Chichikov.
Teacher: What interests and aspirations of Sobakevich are revealed in that scene?
Student: The main goal of Sobakevich’s life is profit. He is ready to bargain with anything and asks for a hundred rubles for a dead soul.
Teacher: What interests Sobakevich?
Student: Sobakevich loves to eat. He has a monstrous appetite. (They give examples, retelling the episodes “Breakfast at the Chief of Police”, “Lunch at Sobakevich”).
7. Student presentations
Teacher: It should be emphasized that Sobakevich is not only not ashamed of his morbid gluttony, but is proud of it. He even believes that the ability to eat is the main advantage of a Russian person.
There are different types of patriots. They value the history of their country, others value the culture, and others value the military victories of their native country. And Sobakevich, as you can see, is a special kind of patriot. He cannot be called a patriot of Russia - he is a patriot of the Russian stomach.
In a conversation with Chichikov, Sobakevich proved himself to be a good owner.
He knows well the business qualities of his peasants.
Compare how the peasants live among Sobakevich and Manilov?
Students: Sobakevich’s peasants live in prosperity, he makes sure that they live better.
(Retell the corresponding episodes of chapters 2 and 5)
Teacher: Is it possible to conclude from these facts that Sobakevich cares about his peasants?
Teacher: Sobakevich has the views of a serf owner. For him, peasants are slaves, a source of income, a commodity. He reproaches Chichikov that “his human soul is like a steamed turnip,” and then cynically adds: “Give me at least three rubles.”
But perhaps Sobakevich only treats serfs so cruelly, and treats people in his own circle differently?
Student: Sobakevich hates all people. One can cite as an example Sobakevich’s review of city officials. Sobakevich is a fist, he is ready to step on anyone’s foot, squeeze, crush a person.
Teacher: Such landowners, strong owners, convinced serf owners, were a reliable support for the reaction, a stronghold of the autocratic-serf system. Sobakevich appears in the poem as a symbol of Arakcheevism.
The teacher summarizes: This is what Sobakevich’s spiritual world is like: the absence of any high aspirations and interests, noble feelings. The world of profit, the world of property kills everything beautiful in a person. Gogol hyperbolically depicts the ugliness and absurdity of Sobakevich, thereby emphasizing his dead-heartedness.
The class, under the guidance of the teacher, will try to name the common features of all landowners, writing them on the board and in notebooks:
a) low cultural level;
b) lack of intellectual queries;
c) desire for enrichment;
d) cruelty in treatment of serfs;
e) moral uncleanliness;
f) lack of concept of patriotism.
8. Summing up the conversation. Solution
Teacher: How would you now explain the meaning of the title of the poem?
Student: Gogol calls landowners who lack beautiful human traits, feelings, and aspirations dead souls.
Teacher: On the poster are Herzen’s words, revealing the title of the poem: “Not the revision’s dead souls, but all these Sobakeviches, Nozdryovs, etc...” - and portraits of landowners. This is exactly how A.I. Herzen understood the meaning of the name. Work on the images of landowners continues.
9. Homework
1. Working with text based on images of landowners.
2. Work in groups: each group member receives a card with an individual task, the answers to which he must write down in a notebook. Each group also receives a card with a common task for everyone.
3. By choice (desire): write Sobakevich’s hymn.
Mikhailo Semyonovich Sobakevich is one of the landowners of Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls”, to whom the main character went. After visiting Nozdryov, Chichikov goes to Sobakevich. Everything in his house looks awkward, there is no symmetry.
In appearance, Sobakevich is a man resembling a bear and a dog. The way the landowner's home is furnished gives the impression that Sobakevich is a good owner; his peasants do not need food or clothing at all.
Sobakevich is driven by monetary calculations, but at the same time he is not at all stupid. His prudence makes him efficient, but at the same time he remains ponderous, uncouth and rude. The need for money is that it must pay for and provide for all his carnal needs. Sobakevich’s body exists at the expense of his soul, which, due to his habits, is doomed to death.
Sobakevich can be called a “slave of the stomach.” Food for him is almost the most important thing in life. The food is simple, but good and plentiful. Sobakevich resembles a bear: large, heavy-set, club-footed; nature didn’t think long about his appearance: “it took an ax once and the nose came out, it took enough another time and the lips came out...”. In Sobakevich’s large body, the soul freezes, spiritually motionless. Sobakevich vehemently opposes education and science.
Sobakevich scolds everyone: the only decent person for him is the prosecutor, “and even that one, to tell the truth, is a pig.” The landowner is not even surprised by Chichikov’s offer to sell him the dead souls of the peasants, since dead people for him are just goods. He sets a high price by praising non-existent peasants, describing them as they were in life.
Sobakevich image 9th grade
Gogol, in his famous poem, presented a whole gallery of human characters, embodying them in grotesque images of heroes. In each of them, he showed the most striking individual features inherent in Russian society.
One of them is Mikhail Semenovich Sobakevich.
He appears fourth in a row of landowners whom Chichikov turned to regarding the purchase of dead souls. When describing his appearance, the author resorts to comparison with a bear. He resembles him both in his face and clumsy habits, and in his remarkable strength. And his name is appropriately bearish - Mikhail.
This image refers the reader to Russian fairy tales about a big, strong, but at the same time very kind Toptygin. But in Gogol he becomes Sobakevich. All the names of the characters in the poem are telling. They embody the main feature of the character's character. And therefore, Mikhail Semenovich, from being strong and kind, becomes constantly swearing and dissatisfied.
He calls the chief of police a swindler, the governor a robber. Everyone with him is bad, liars and dishonest. But at the same time, when he needed to, he calmly lied to the chairman of the chamber that he had sold the coachman Mikheev, although he knew about his death.
Describing his estate, the author points out that all surrounding objects are in harmony with the character of the owner. The environment is strong and awkward. Sobakevich knows how to count his money well, so he watches over his serfs, but not because of some kind of philanthropy, but because they are also his property, generating income. He was the only one of all who immediately understood Chichikov’s intentions, was not at all surprised by them, but only saw his own benefit in this matter and sold the dead souls at the highest price.
Having no interests other than the desire to eat heartily, scolding everything new and incomprehensible, from French food to German doctors, Sobakevich appears on the pages of the poem as another example of the Russian noble class.
In this image, Gogol collected and showed all the inertia and limitations of Russian society. It is no coincidence that he notices that in St. Petersburg there are people like his hero.
Characteristics of the landowner Sobakevich
The landowner Sobakevich is one of the main characters on whom Gogol focused his attention.
Semenovich, as his relatives called him, was an excellent host. True, looking at his yard, one could doubt it, since not everything was perfect, like other wealthy landowners, but all his buildings, houses were tall and strong, and most importantly, strong. His estate is surrounded by a thick, strong wooden fence. At that time, such a fence was an indicator that people lived richly.
The author describes the hero as a big and clumsy man. He is not fat per se, just a well-fed man. The interior of his house is more reminiscent of a brown bear's den. Large and strong chairs, massive beds. The beauty of the furniture and the interior of the rooms are not important to him; functionality is important to him, first of all. Huge paintings hang throughout the house, in heavy wooden frames. They depict military commanders and generals. Everything in the house looks like Sobakevich’s texture, from the chair to the bed. They are as massive as he is. The hero himself is rude, stubborn and straightforward. He is not afraid of anyone. He can say to a person’s face everything that he thinks about him.
But at the same time he is very generous. When a guest comes to the house, the owner sets a magic table. He doesn’t skimp on food and loves to eat delicious food. Sobakevech is an excellent conversationalist.
His hobby is farming. He has hardworking peasants with whom he finds a common language. He knows everyone by name, knows who died, who worked before. The peasants treat him with great respect. They like to work for such a person. People are pleased that they are remembered and respected. Every day Sobakevich comes to the workers in the morning and asks how everyone is doing. If there are any problems, he is always happy to help. He values people very much.
Sobakevich is a cunning landowner, he bargains with Chichikov, bargaining for 100 rubles for one dead soul.
This hero has no soul. He understands perfectly well that Chichikov is a deceiver, so he himself is happy to enrich himself from this deal. Therefore, Sobakevich can also be called a deceiver.
Option 4
In N. V. Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls,” readers are presented with a whole gallery of bright, memorable grotesque images of Russian landowners, mercilessly ridiculed by the power of the writer’s great satirical talent. One of these characters visited by Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov was the landowner Mikhailo Semyonovich Sobakevich.
Describing Sobakevich’s appearance, the author compares him to a bear. Large, heavy, strong, clumsy, he resembles this beast in face, habits, and remarkable strength. The manner of moving was also bearish - Sobakevich managed to constantly step on everyone’s feet. Even his name is appropriate - Mikhailo. Characterizing the appearance of this hero, Gogol notes that he is one of those about whom they say that he is “not well cut, but tightly sewn.” The same can be said about the things surrounding Sobakevich. His home resembles a den, furnished with awkward, but strong, good-quality furniture.
Sobakevich’s farm leaves the same impression of clumsiness and good strength. His house, outbuildings, peasant huts - everything indicates that Sobakevich is a good owner. He knows how to find a common language with peasants, knows about their problems and needs. But all this does not come from the kindness of his soul. Mikhailo Semyonovich is smart and understands perfectly well that the better conditions he creates for his serfs, the better they will work and the more income he can get from this. Well, he needs money to satisfy his carnal needs, the main one of which is the love of hearty food. Sobakevich not only loves and knows how to eat himself, he, like a hospitable host, generously treats his guests, as Pavel Ivanovich had the opportunity to verify.
The fact that Sobakevich is far from stupid is evidenced by the fact that he, the only one of all the landowners, immediately understood Chichikov’s intentions and charged an exorbitant price for dead souls, as for living people. Compiling a list of dead serfs, Sobakevich described in detail their character, skills, and habits, which once again confirms that Mikhailo Semyonovich is a zealous owner who knows well the business in which he is engaged.
As you know, all the names of the characters in Gogol’s poem are “speaking”. What does the surname Sobakevich tell us? The fact that this character is rude, is always dissatisfied with everything and is inclined to scold city officials, calling them “robbers”, “swindlers” and “Christ-sellers”. Among them, he considered one prosecutor to be a decent person, and even that one, in his opinion, was a pig. However, here, perhaps, it is difficult to disagree with Mikhail Semyonovich.
Essay 5
“Dead Souls” is a poem written by N.V. Gogol in the first half of the 19th century. In the work, the writer reflected the images of the people of his time, endowing the landowners with satiristic features that ridiculed their vices.
Sobakevich Mikhailo Semenych is a landowner, the “fourth” seller of dead souls, to whom Chichikov came. Sobakevich’s exact age is not known; it is only reported that he lives in his “fifties.” Outwardly, the hero looks like a bear, he is distinguished by a strong physique and good health. Sobakevich is straightforward, he does not have delicacy and courtesy. The landowner speaks poorly of all his neighbors; it is rare that Sobakevich can say something good about anyone.
The estate and houses in the village are made of durable wood, they are practical and comfortable, but at the same time devoid of any decoration. Sobakevich believes that the main task of residential buildings is to protect people from wind and rain; aesthetic beauty for the landowner is an excess, devoid of meaning. Sobakevich works on an equal basis with his peasants; unlike other landowners, he does not see anything wrong with physical labor. For Sobakevich this is a natural activity.
Sobakevich is married, relations within the family are friendly. With his wife, the landowner is soft and gentle, as much as his character allows him. Sobakevich also has good relations with the peasants; he knows every person living in the village. He speaks of them as good workers.
Among the hero’s affections, his love for food should be highlighted. Sobakevich appreciates simple food, despises French cuisine, and speaks with disgust about eating frogs and offal.
Sobakevich is a cunning and calculating person. Chichikov spoke to him about the sale of dead souls “very distantly.” However, the landowner immediately realized the benefits of the deal and set a fairly high price. Noticing Chichikov's amazement, Mikhailo Semenych began to talk about the dead peasants as wonderful workers.
It cannot be said that Sobakevich is a strictly negative character. His image contains both positive and negative features. However, in my opinion, Sobakevich, unlike Plyushkin, is not a “dead” soul. He cares not only about himself and his well-being, but also about his peasants.
The image and characteristics of Sobakevich
This work contains both fictional and real characters. For example, one of the main characters of the work “Lefty” is Emperor Alexander the First, he is smart, educated
For me it is very simple to answer the question: What is more expensive in the world? If a person finds it difficult to answer, then he is being disingenuous. Ask yourself this question, and the first thing that comes to mind is your answer.
Not much is known about the image of the secular rake and jester Ippolit Kuragin. And yet, there is something to be said about the minor character in the world novel “War and Peace”.
Article menu:
All the landowners described by Gogol in the poem “Dead Souls” have their own unique character within the framework of the work, but in general they expose one of the types of landowners in the author’s contemporary Russia.
Appearance
Sobakevich's appearance is far from typical, sophisticated and delicate. According to Gogol’s description, the Creator did not bother much when creating it - he did not use “any small tools, such as files, gimlets and other things, but simply chopped from his shoulder: grabbed the ax once - the nose came out, grabbed another time - the lips came out , picked her eyes with a large drill and, without scraping them, let them into the light, saying: “He lives!”
His face was round, wide and very unattractive, similar to Moldavian pumpkins. The color was also not the most gentle and pleasant - typically, Sobakevich’s face was red, which reminded Chichikov of a “copper penny.”
Dear readers! We bring to your attention in the story by N.V. Gogol "Taras Bulba".
Sobakevich was distinguished by his strong build - he was a tall man with a wide, horse-like back. His legs were like sidewalk columns - large and awkward. His feet, accordingly, were also “gigantic in size.” Chichikov notes with surprise that now you rarely meet such a person - almost all the heroes have degenerated. It is not surprising that with such a build, Sobakevich was not graceful and looked more like a bull in a china shop - the landowner constantly shuffled his feet and stepped on the feet of those around him.
At a time when nature deprived Sobakevich of external attractiveness, she generously rewarded him with health - “it was more likely for iron to catch a cold and cough than for this wonderfully formed landowner.”
Sobakevich's classes
All the landowners described by Gogol in the poem “Dead Souls” have their own unique character within the framework of the work, but in general they expose one of the types of landowners in modern Russia for the author... It is common for him to work on an equal footing with his peasants. Mikhail Semenovich does this not because he does not trust his peasants, like Plyushkin, for example, or thinks that without him they will work poorly, but because he does not see anything shameful in physical labor. For Sobakevich this is a natural activity.
Among the landowner's other affections, a special love for food should be noted. Sobakevich loves to eat delicious food. However, in the understanding of this landowner, tasty food and unusual, delicious food are different concepts. Sobakevich talks with disgust about eating frogs and oysters, and eating offal. For him, the best food option is native Russian cuisine. For Sobakevich, ordinary food consumption turns into a feast, denouncing the “cult of food” present: “When I have pork, put the whole pig on the table, lamb, bring the whole ram, goose, the whole goose!” I’d rather eat two dishes, but eat in moderation, as my soul requires. “Sobakevich confirmed this with action: he threw half a side of lamb onto his plate, ate it all, gnawed it, sucked it to the last bone.”
Sobakevich is far from self-education and art - all the attributes of “cultural” development in his house, such as paintings, look comical, it is noticeable that they are placed because it is “so fashionable” and so “accepted”, and not because their owners are interested in a certain type of art.
Mikhail Semenovich’s mind is actively occupied with ways to make money. He works hard to earn a decent income. Sobakevich takes Chichikov’s proposal to sell dead souls calmly, as if this is the most ordinary thing, like selling wheat.
Sobakevich's estate and village
Sobakevich's estate and village looks like its owner - strong, reliable and completely devoid of aesthetics. All of Sobakevich’s buildings (even wells and fences) are made of very strong wood, they are massive and devoid of any decorations. “The village huts of the peasants were also cut down in a marvelous way: there were no brick walls, carved patterns or other tricks, but everything was fitted tightly and properly.” Sobakevich believes that buildings should perform well their main function - to protect from wind, cold and rain, they should be quite durable and easy to use, and they do not have to be beautiful and sophisticated.
The landowner's house also looks unusual and comical. It reminds Chichikov of a house for military settlements: massive and rough.
Looking at the manor house, Chichikov notes that the process of its construction was the product of active bickering between the pedantic architect and Sobakevich: some windows in the house were blocked up and converted into small ones, instead of the traditional four columns there were only three - “the architect wanted symmetry, the owner wanted convenience “And therefore, after the construction of the house, Sobakevich did everything his own way.
Paradoxes of the image
In the poem, Gogol repeatedly draws readers’ attention to the fact that Sobakevich is “the spitting image of a bear.”
Dear readers! We bring to your attention the poem “Dead Souls” by N.V. Gogol.
Outwardly, the landowner is very similar to this beast, his gait is the same clubfoot, he is also clumsy and from time to time shows unprecedented dexterity, like trained bears. In addition to this, his clothes were also brown, like the skin of a bear - “To complete the similarity, his tailcoat was completely bear-colored, the sleeves were long, and the trousers were long.”
In the house, all the interior items also make the landowner similar to the image of this animal, even the blackbird reminds Chichikov of a bear.
At the same time, Pavel Ivanovich repeatedly makes comments of this kind towards Sobakevich: “bear! perfect bear! We need such a strange rapprochement: he was even called Mikhail Semenovich.”
However, this misses the similarity of this landowner with another animal - a dog. As is known, in the poem Gogol widely used a system of symbolic names and surnames. Based on these data, the surname of Mikhail Semenovich should lead the reader to perceive this landowner not only as a symbolic “bear”, but also as a symbolic “dog”. The landowner himself also points out this fact in his speech: “I have such a dog’s temper: I can’t help but please my neighbor.”
In other words, Sobakevich’s paradox lies in the fact that in his image two symbols coexist - a bear - large, strong and clumsy and a dog - barking at everyone.
Attitude towards others
Sobakevich, with all his “dog” dedication, enters into communication with people. He rarely speaks well of people, especially other landowners and nobles. Unceremoniously, Mikhail Semenovich notes that everyone around is greedy and fools. In his opinion, even the most well-mannered and intelligent people in the county, if you look carefully, are sheer fools. They understand little about housekeeping and are ready to waste their energy and finances on trivial activities.
Sobakevich never stands on ceremony in his characterizations. For example, he openly calls Plyushkin, a stranger to Chichikov, a swindler and a dog, criticizes French cuisine and the gastronomic tastes of the governor, claims that his cook cooks cats and passes them off as rabbits.
Mikhail Semenovich has a tender relationship, as far as possible given Sobakevich’s nature, with his wife Feodulia Ivanovna - the landowner calls his wife “darling” and does not forget to praise her for a delicious dinner.
Sobakevich also had good relations with his serfs. The landowner knows all his peasants by name and speaks of them as skilled workers.
Thus, Sobakevich seems to be a kind of landowner - while most people strive to ennoble their interior, he completely deprives it of any beauty and harmony. At the same time, he is a difficult person in terms of communication - it is not easy for him to get along with other people, since he first of all sees shortcomings in those around him (unless, of course, this is a representative of his family). At the same time, Sobakevich is a good landowner; he makes sure that his serfs are well-fed and provided with the minimum necessary for life.