Chichikov's characteristic: serf merchant

The story Dead Souls, which Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol prudently called a poem, really contains the "poetic" aspirations of the main character Chichikov in solving his completely prosaic life tasks. From childhood he was left to his own devices, his education was insufficient, his youth passed even in some hardships. Chichikov’s characteristics are not much different from others. However, the young man was naturally smart and resourceful, he overcame difficult situations in his life on his own, sometimes very successfully. Growing up and gaining experience, Chichikov learned to use numerous Russian social shortcomings to his advantage, so that he won and did not comply with the law.

From time to time, Chichikov, while serving in some kind of “bread place”, calculated through negligence or greed, received scolding from his superiors, but was generally in good standing and took bribes cleverly, imperceptibly and even artistically. And Chichikov’s characterization was an example for all other officials. The petitioner, who came to Chichikov, used to give the amount in his hands, but he did not take it. What are you, as you can, we do not take, sir ...! And he assured the person that today they would bring home all the necessary documents to the house, without any “grease”. The petitioner walked home, elated, almost happy, and waited for the courier. I waited a day, another, one week and a second. The bribe that the visitor then brought as a result of this simple combination, invented by Chichikov, was three times the original.

And once Chichikov dawned on a certain brilliant idea that promised a quick and sure enrichment. “I am looking for mittens everywhere, and they are behind the belt,” Chichikov said, and set about developing his future operation for acquiring dead souls. In landlord Russia, then there was a market of serfs. In other words, it was possible to buy peasants, sell them and give them away. The transaction was formalized by law, the buyer and seller made up a serf deed. The peasants were expensive, and one hundred rubles and two hundred. But if you buy from the landowners serfs of the dead, then you can cheaper, Chichikov thought and set to work.

All the salt of his enterprise consisted in the expectation of receiving the so-called lifting money issued by the guardianship councils throughout Russia, when the landlords moved to other lands or simply acquired serfs. Two hundred rubles per peasant, living and healthy naturally. But who will check there, alive or dead, Chichikov rightly believed and was slowly going on the road. Our hero arrived in the city of NN, looked around and immediately paid visits to all city officials. After a short conversation with Chichikov, officials did not look for him , so he knew how to flatter and oil. Chichikov’s characterization was impeccable, he was welcomed everywhere and welcomed.

Then he chose Chichikov landowners with serfs and began to go around them in turn. To each he made the same proposal. I’ll buy, they say, the dead serfs, it’s necessary for the cause, but I’ll give them inexpensively, not rich at the present time. The first landowner, Manilov, was a sort of refined dandy, had a wife and children. I was surprised at Chichikov’s request, but he behaved intelligently and gave his dead peasants for nothing. After Manilov Chichikov got to the landowner Korobochka. The old woman listened, pondered, and at first refused. Chichikov is literally soaking, persuading her, bringing all the obvious benefits of the deal to the landowner. But Korobochka know yourselves, I’m supposed to find out the prices first, I’ll make inquiries, then we'll talk.

After Korobochki Chichikov came to Nozdrev. This landowner turned out to be a rare crook, a cutie and a gambler. Chichikov got lured too. He offered him horses instead of dead souls, and dogs and a barrel organ. I wanted to play cards for dead souls or checkers. And he bent the price, asked more expensive than the living. Chichikov barely took his feet from Nozdrev. And he came to the next landowner Sobakevich. The landowner Sobakevich, a child of a small mind, but with a cunning, first step, Chichikov stepped on his foot with all his weight. Chichikov hissed in pain and hopped on one leg. Satisfied Sobakevich invited to dine. And when Chichikov started a business conversation, the landowner set the price even higher than Nozdrev. After the auction, they agreed on two rubles and a half. A brief description of Chichikov should be complemented by his ability to bargain.

The last was the landowner Plyushkin. He had more than a thousand serfs. And there were one hundred and twenty dead, and about a hundred fugitives. All bought Chichikov. And how the conversation went in the city after his trips and shopping, then Chichikov became almost a hero. But at the same time, Chichikov’s characteristic was lame, many of his former friends refused him home. It is a pity only, everything was in vain. An impeccable characterization of Chichikov will not help, dead souls - they will not become living, they will not be given money.