The surname Manilov makes you think about something sweet, serene. It comes from the word "beckon", which the author ironically beats. In this image, N.V. Gogol creates a parody of a feature of the Russian character, a penchant for dreams and inaction.
Manilov, the characterization of which occupies a significant part of the narrative, nevertheless, can be described very briefly and succinctly: a person is not that.
Character character
His character cannot be determined unambiguously.
Manilov is impractical and good-natured, has poor housekeeping, and a drinking clerk is in charge of estate issues. This led to the fact that he did not benefit from the delicate issue on which Chichikov turned to him. Manilov simply gave him dead souls, amusing, however, his vanity by the fact that he was able to render a person an invaluable service. This hero is the complete antipode of the materialist Sobakevich.
Manilov, whose characterization can be defined by such words as detachment, indifference, loves to be in the clouds, while his dreams are absolutely irrelevant to reality.
Initially, he makes a very pleasant impression, but then his interlocutor opens up his emptiness. It becomes boring and cloying with him, since Manilov does not have his own point of view, but only supports the conversation with banal phrases.
He does not have the vitality that compels him to do things.
There is an opinion expressed by D. Likhachev that Nikolay the First himself became the prototype of Manilov. Perhaps the academician had in mind the question of the abolition of serfdom, which, however, very often held meetings of the commissions, which was not brought to its logical conclusion.
Appearance Manilova
Even the appearance of this hero exudes sweetness, sugaryness. As the author notes, his features were pleasant, but this pleasantness was too sugar.
This landowner makes a first impression positively, but only until he speaks. Manilov, whose characterization, it would seem, has nothing negative, is disagreeable to the author, who makes us feel his ironic attitude towards him.
Education and upbringing of the hero
This sentimental landowner, in whose pleasantness "too much sugar was conveyed," considers himself a man of education, noble and well-mannered. This does not prevent him, however, from holding the bookmark in the book on page 14 for two years in a row.
Manilov’s speech is filled with kind words and, more likely, resembles twittering. His manners could be called good, if not for the excessive refinement and delicacy brought to the point of absurdity. Manilov abuses such words as “allow”, “amiable”, “most respectable”, speaks excessively positively about officials.
Also, one cannot fail to notice in his speech the abundance of vague adverbs and pronouns: sort of, some, some, some. When he talks about something, it becomes clear that his plans are not destined to come true. The nature of Manilov’s reasoning makes it clear that his fantasies have nothing to do with reality. So, he dreams of a neighbor who could talk with him "about courtesy, about good treatment."
He is not capable of thinking about real life, much less acting.
The fanciful names of the children of Manilov, Themistoklus and Alkida also underline once again the desire to seem refined and sophisticated.
Such is the landowner Manilov. Dead Souls is a characteristic of 19th-century Russian society. A comparison by the author of this hero with a “too clever minister” indicates the hypocrisy of representatives of the highest state power.
Positive qualities of Manilov
Still, this hero of the story of Gogol cannot be called negative. He is full of sincere enthusiasm, sympathy for people, hospitable.
Manilov loves his family, wife and children. He has a warm and, of course, too sweet relationship with his wife: “Open, darling, your mouth, I'll put this piece for you,” says Manilov to his wife. The characterization of this hero is impossibly saturated with sweetness.
Hero Leisure
All of Manilov’s activities are reduced to staying in a fantasy world. He prefers to spend time in the “temple of solitary reflection” and builds projects that can never be realized. For example, he wants to make an underground passage from a house or build a stone bridge over a pond.
For days on end, the landowner Manilov is dreaming. "Dead Souls" - a characteristic of the dead heroes of the landowners, whose lifestyle speaks of the degradation of mankind. It is worth noting that this hero, unlike the others, has some attractiveness.
Comparative characteristics of Oblomov and Manilov
Unlike Manilov, the character of Goncharov is not new in Russian literature. Oblomov can be put on a par with Onegin and Pechorin, who also had great potential, but could not realize it.
Like the heroes of Pushkin and Lermontov, the image recreated by Goncharov evokes the reader’s sympathy. The hero of Gogol, of course, is somewhat similar to Ilya Ilyich, but does not cause compassion and compassion for himself.
Oblomov and Manilov, the comparative characteristics of which are so often carried out by students at school, are really similar in many respects. In the image of the hero of the novel, Goncharov, perhaps, has even less external dynamics: he lies on the couch from morning till night, builds projects to improve things on his estate, reflects, dreams. His plans do not reach implementation, because he is so lazy that sometimes he doesn’t even get up from the sofa in the morning to wash himself.
The concepts of "Manilovism" and "Oblomovism" are put on the same line, but they do not mean the same thing. The synonym for Oblomovism is laziness. "Manilovism" is best defined by the concept of "vulgarity."
What is the difference between Oblomov and Manil? The comparative characteristics of these two characters cannot go around such a point as the difference in intelligence and the level of depth of personality of these two heroes. Manilov is superficial, trying to please everyone, he does not have his own opinion. Ilya Ilyich, on the contrary, is a deep, developed personality. The hero of Goncharov is capable of very serious judgments, he is not afraid to be misunderstood (the scene with Penkin), in addition, he is a really kind person. Manilova would be more correctly described by the word "good-natured."
The characteristics of Oblomov and Manilov are similar in attitude of the heroes to issues of housekeeping. Ilya Ilyich ponders the answer to the headman's unpleasant letter received several years ago, reflects on plans for transformations in the affairs of the estate. I must say that Oblomov receives such letters that violate his peace every year.
Manilov also did not engage in farming, it is conducted by itself. To the clerk's suggestions to introduce some kind of transformation, the master answers: "yes, not bad." Very often, Manilov plunges into empty dreams of how good it would be ...
For what reason is the hero of the story by Goncharov attractive to readers? The fact is that initially Manilov, as Gogol notes, seems like a nice person, but if you talk with him a little longer, you begin to feel deadly boredom. Oblomov, by contrast, initially makes a not very pleasant impression, but later, revealing himself from his best sides, he gains the general sympathy and sympathy of the readers.
In conclusion, it should be noted that Manilov is a happy person. He is pleased with his serene lifestyle, he has a beloved wife and children. Oblomov is deeply unhappy. In his dreams, he fights against slander, lies and other vices of human society.