Those who at least sometimes read books, are well aware of what is known about many classical works of various masters of the word, which have not survived to our days ... The main work of all life N.V. Gogol is the second volume of the novel we know from school about the landowner Chichikov. Friends, today we will try to understand why Gogol burned the second volume of Dead Souls.
At the end of his life, the writer lived in Moscow. His house was on Nikitsky Boulevard. This estate legally belonged to Count Alexei Tolstoy, who sheltered a lone writer in it. Tradition says that it was there that Gogol destroyed his most important literary work. At first glance, the writer lived in abundance - he did not have his own family, which means that no one and nothing could distract him from work, he had a permanent roof over his head. But what happened? Why did Gogol burn the second volume of Dead Souls? What happened in his mind at the moment when he set fire to his manuscripts?
No stake, no yard ...
Few people know that Nikolai Vasilievich put everything into his work! He lived only by him alone. For the sake of creativity, the writer condemned himself to poverty. Then they said that all of Gogol’s property was limited to one “suitcase with papers”. His main work was already nearing completion. He put his whole soul into it. This was the result of religious machinations; it was the whole truth about Russia and all the love for it ... The writer himself said that his work was great, and his feat was saving. But the novel was never destined to be born: Gogol burned Dead Souls because of a woman ...
Oh dear Catherine!
In the life of Nikolai Vasilyevich, a real turning point occurred. It all began on the morning of January 1852. It was then that someone Ekaterina Khomyakova, the wife of one of Gogol’s friends, had taken to bed. The fact is that the writer himself sincerely considered her a worthy woman. Some literary scholars say that he was secretly in love with her and often veiledly mentioned her in his work. After her death, the writer told his confessor Matthew that he was suddenly seized by the fear of death! Now Gogol was constantly thinking about his future demise, he had a breakdown, had depression ... Father Matthew urged the writer to think about his spiritual condition, leaving his literary works.
Diagnosis: psychoneurosis
"Psychoneurosis! That's why Gogol burned the second volume of Dead Souls," this is the opinion of modern psychiatrists. They say that such a condition can lead anyone to suicide, not to mention the damage to their own property or any kind of work. did Gogol burn the second volume of his novel?
Chichikov, goodbye!
February 24, 1852. Night. The writer called his manager, Semyon, by ordering him to bring his briefcase with manuscripts to continue the novel. Under the cries of Semyon to change his mind and not destroy his literary works, Nikolai Vasilievich, with the words: “This is not your business,” addressed to the administrator, threw the manuscript notebooks into the fireplace and brought a burning candle to them ...
Sly is strong!
The next morning, the writer was stunned by his own deed. Justifying himself in front of Count Tolstoy, he said: "I was only going to destroy some things that had already been prepared in advance, but I destroyed everything ... How strong the evil one! That's what he did to me and my labors! Only you know that I’m very set out a lot of practical and clarified everything ... " According to the writer, he wanted to give each of his friends a memory book, but his dream did not come true ...
From the author
So, friends, it happens in life. As they say, if a person is talented, then this is manifested in everything. Perhaps it is the genius of the writer that explains why Gogol burned the second volume of Dead Souls. Be that as it may, modern literary scholars all agree that the execution of the continuation of the novel about Chichikov is a real loss for all world literature!