Creativity N.V. Gogol is impossible to imagine without the novel "Nevsky Prospekt", which was included in the series "Petersburg Tales". The beginning was laid by the outline of the St. Petersburg landscape by the writer in 1831. A straightforward story begins with a description of the avenue in St. Petersburg at different times of the day. Then the reader gets acquainted with young people: Lieutenant Pirogov and artist Piskarev.
The story with Piskarev
The study of the story should be based on a comparison of these images. The comparative characteristics of Piskarev and Pirogov begin already from the first lines. The goal of young people is to rush around for ladies walking along the avenue. The romantic artist wants to fall in love, he chooses a brunette and goes after her. However, rising and entering her house, he suddenly becomes sober and with horror realizes that this is a brothel, and a beautiful stranger is a prostitute.
Piskarev can not accept that a girl of heavenly beauty is just a fallen woman, is in a dirty institution and is talking vulgarly. A stunned young man rushes home, wakes up for a long time, but then a carriage is sent for him. It turns out that the lady is asking him to come. Piskarev hits the ball. The brunette is beautiful and graceful. They try to talk, but the girl constantly disappears. Piskarev has been looking for her for a long time, but cannot find her. And then he wakes up ... It was in a dream.
Since then, the young man does not find peace, all the time introducing the girl to his lover. One day, he still finds a stranger’s house and, in conversation with her, tries to explain to her the whole horror of her situation, paints a picture of a happy family life in front of her. However, she does not understand him and even scoffs. Offended and dejected, Piskarev leaves, and in a week he will be found in his own house with his throat cut. At the funeral there is no his comrade Pirogov. Thus, the comparative characteristics of Piskarev and Pirogov are carried out on the analysis of the events that happened to them.
The story with Pirogov
After all, a situation also happened with Pirogov. When on that ill-fated evening he decided to hit on a blonde, he accidentally got into the house of a German who, in a drunken state, demanded to cut off his nose. The shoemaker had to do this. Pirogov intervenes and gets scolded. He leaves, but returns tomorrow, as he wanted to continue his acquaintance with the blonde, who turned out to be the wife of a German. His courtship ends with the fact that an angry husband and his friend create such evil over him that the author is silent about this. The enraged lieutenant promises to send the German to Siberia, but very quickly forgets everything and continues to live his former life.
Life goals
The comparative characteristics of Piskarev and Pirogov begin with determining the life goals of the heroes. Pirogov dreams of taking a place under the sun in any way, so he does not torment himself with thoughts of morality or love. Instead of thinking, he lives for his pleasure. Gogol made this character a symbol of vulgarity. He is interested in fashion and all that is connected with light. The only desire: to be part of a secular society. Superficially, he can judge literature and art, but not because he likes it or understands it, but because talking about high is a sign of good taste. In principle, both of them have a life goal: Pirogov and Piskarev. The characteristic of Pirogov’s position is as follows.
Chin
Pirogov's cherished desire is the rank. This is for him a pass to a bright and free life. And Pirogov is very proud of his own rank. Gogol shows how a position replaces a person. There was nothing decent in Pirogov. He behaves arrogantly and contemptuously with people from whom he is not dependent, and subservient to those who are superior to him in rank. Carving Pirogov, or rather, his reaction to this action is a test of his honor and dignity. His anger quickly cooled, which means that there was no human dignity in him. Another writer's characteristic of Piskarev. Pirogov’s state, his spiritual impoverishment is shown in the story.
Halftone artist, Gogol contrasts the characters in terms of lighting. Pirogov is a daytime hero, Piskarev is an evening hero. Daytime, that is, ordinary, gray. There are many such as Pies. Piskarev few. This is a person who knows what honor and dignity, love and compassion are. His goal is simple and at the same time high. He wants to be a good husband, father and artist. In many aspects, a comparative characteristic of Piskarev and Pirogov can be made: in relation to women, to life, and behavior in various situations.