“The Marriage” of Gogol N.V .: analysis of the play

The play "The Marriage" of Gogol Nikolai Vasilievich at one time caused a lot of gossip, criticism and discussion. It was written in 1842, the author was accused of describing the life of “little people”, which was not accepted at that time. Nikolai Vasilyevich in most of his works made heroes of small officials or merchants, talked about their problems, concerns, interests and habits, while he did not embellish reality at all.

The plot of the play "The Marriage" of Gogol

The main character of the story is Agafya Tikhonovna, the daughter of a merchant, who decided to find a worthy groom with the help of a matchmaker Fekla Ivanovna. The chief applicants for the hand and heart of an enviable bride are the executor Ovarynitsa, court adviser Podkolesin, sailor Zhevakin and infantry officer Anuchkin. Agafia Tikhonovna has her own requirements for her future spouse, because she is not someone, but the daughter of a merchant of the third guild. The husband must be a nobleman.

The writer reliably described the heroine and in her image collected all the typical features of the girls of this class. Agafya Tikhonovna did nothing for days on end, she sat at home, indulged in dreams of a chosen one and was bored. Nikolai Vasilievich showed the ignorance and ignorance of the merchant environment, because the heroine without hesitation trusted superstitions and fortunetelling, she built her life, starting only from them.

Gogol chose a very simple and unpretentious theme for his play. “Marriage” is an essay showing the attitude of a “little man” to marriage. That from the side of the bride, that from the side of the groom there is not even a hint of feelings, they do not even remember each other's names. Another thing is important - dowry, titles, external virtues. These people approach the choice of a life partner as if they were buying something or an interior item.

The ratio of the main characters to marriage

Gogol’s “marriage” shows what it means for a petty official to be a significant event in his life. Podkolesin, as soon as he decided to get married, constantly thinks about marriage, but the bride does not bother him at all, he is more worried about her dowry, the man cannot even remember his narrowed name. The official believes that he has taken a very serious step, raising it not only in his own eyes, but also in the eyes of others. Podkolesin immediately talks about his decision to marry a shoemaker, a tailor, because everyone around must appreciate his deed and respect.

The bride, too, was not presented in the best light by Gogol. “Marriage”, the main characters of which amaze with hypocrisy and falsehood, shows the artificiality of the life of “little people”. Agafya Tikhonovna chooses the groom, starting from the external characteristics, and not the inner world of man. She refers to the applicants as things, trying to put together the perfect picture: if you take Ivan Kuzmich’s nose, Nikanor Ivanovich’s lips, Ivan Pavlovich’s portrayal and Baltazar Baltazarych’s swagger, then the bride would have married without hesitation.

Gogol's “marriage” reveals the surface and the falsity of these people. They have no idea that you need to get married only if you feel sympathy, respect, affection for a person. That is why Nikolai Vasilievich met so few happy people in his circle .