Characteristics of the landowner Manilov from “Dead Souls” by N. Gogol

The gallery of landowners in the poem “Dead Souls” opens with the image of Manilov. This is the first character to whom Chichikov turns with a request for dead souls. What determines Manilov’s “superiority”? Gogol’s famous statement is that his heroes are more vulgar than the other. It turns out that Manilov in the poem represents the first, least, degree of moral degradation. However, modern researchers interpret the order of appearance of landowners in “Dead Souls” in a different sense, equating the first volume of Gogol’s poem with the first part of Dante’s “Divine Comedy” (“Hell”).

In addition, as Yu. Mann notes, Manilov’s primacy is also determined by the hero’s personal traits. Manilov's dreaminess and romanticism already at the very beginning of the poem create a sharp contrast to Chichikov's immoral adventure.

There is another reason here. According to I.P. Zolotussky, “every time Chichikov meets one of the landowners, he examines his ideals. Manilov is family life, a woman, children...” This “part” of Chichikov’s ideal is exactly the best thing in the hero’s “roughly material” dream of contentment and comfort. Therefore, the story of Chichikov’s adventures begins with Manilov.

This image in the poem is static - no internal changes occur to the hero throughout the entire narrative. Manilov's main qualities are sentimentality, dreaminess, excessive complacency, courtesy and courtesy. This is what is visible, what lies on the surface. It is these features that are emphasized in the description of the hero’s appearance. Manilov “was a distinguished man, his facial features were not devoid of pleasantness, but this pleasantness seemed to have too much sugar in it; in his techniques and turns there was something ingratiating favor and acquaintance. He smiled enticingly, was blond, with blue eyes.”

However, Gogol then proceeds to describe Manilov’s inner world, and the reader’s first impression of the landowner’s “niceness” is removed. “In the first minute of a conversation with him, you can’t help but say: “What a pleasant and kind person!” The next minute you don’t say anything, and in the third you say: “The devil knows what it is!” - and move away; If you don’t leave, you will feel mortal boredom. You won’t get any lively or even arrogant words from him, which you can hear from almost anyone if you touch an object that offends him.” With a bit of irony, the author lists the traditional “interests” of landowners: passion for greyhounds, music, gourmetism, career advancement. Manilov is not interested in anything in life, he has no “enthusiasm”. He says very little, he often thinks and reflects, but about what - “does God... know.” So several more characteristic properties of this landowner are clearly identified - uncertainty, indifference to everything, inertia and infantilism of life perception. “There is a kind of people,” writes Gogol, “known by the name: so-so people, neither this nor that, neither in the city of Bogdan, nor in the village of Selifan...” It is to this type of people that Manilov belongs.

The writer emphasizes the “lack of formality and vagueness” of the hero’s inner world with a characteristic landscape. Thus, the weather on the day when Chichikov came to Manilov was extremely uncertain: “The day was either clear or gloomy, but of some light gray color, which only happens on the old uniforms of garrison soldiers...”

In the description of the master's estate, new features of Manilov are revealed to us. Here we already see a person claiming to be “educated,” “cultured,” and “aristocratic,” but Gogol leaves readers no illusions on this score: all the hero’s attempts to seem like an educated and sophisticated aristocrat are vulgar and absurd. Thus, Manilov’s house stands “alone on the Jurassic, that is, on a hill open to all the winds,” but the mountain on which the estate stands is “clad with trimmed turf,” on it “are scattered, in English, two or three flower beds with lilac and yellow bushes.” acacias." Nearby you can see a gazebo “with wooden blue columns” and the inscription “Temple of Solitary Reflection.” And next to the “temple” is an overgrown pond covered with greenery, along which, “picturesquely picking up their dresses and tucking in on all sides,” two women wander, dragging their tattered drag behind them. In these scenes one can discern Gogol's parody of sentimental stories and novels.

The same claims to “education” are discernible in the ancient Greek names that Manilov awarded his children - Alcides and Themistoclus. However, the superficial education of the landowner here turned into outright stupidity: even Chichikov, upon hearing these names, experienced some surprise, and it is easy to imagine the reaction of the local residents.

However, the ancient Greek names here are not only a striking characteristic of Manilov. “Alcides” and “Themistoclus” set the theme of history in the poem, the motive of heroism, which is present throughout the entire narrative. Thus, the name “Femi-stoklus” reminds us of Themistocles, a statesman and commander from Athens, who won brilliant victories in battles with the Persians. The life of the commander was very stormy, eventful, full of significant events (against the background of this heroic theme, Manilov’s inaction and passivity becomes even more noticeable).

Manilov’s “incompleteness of nature” (nature seemed to stop at the hero’s “pleasant” appearance, without “reporting” his character, temperament, and love of life) is also reflected in the description of his home environment.

In everything Manilov does, there is incompleteness that creates disharmony. A number of interior details testify to the hero’s inclination towards luxury and sophistication, but in this very inclination there is still the same incompleteness, the impossibility of finishing the job. In Manilov’s living room there is “wonderful furniture covered in smart silk fabric,” which is “very expensive,” but there is not enough for two armchairs, and the armchairs are “simply upholstered in matting.” In the evening, a “dandy candlestick made of dark bronze with three antique graces” is served on the table, and next to it is placed “a simple copper invalid, lame, curled to one side and covered in fat...”. For two years now, the hero has been reading the same book, reaching only the fourteenth page.

All the landowner's activities are meaningless and absurd, just like his dreams. So, having seen Chichikov off, he dreams of a huge house “with such a high belvedere that you can even see Moscow from there.” But the culmination of Manilov’s image is “slides of ash knocked out of a pipe, arranged, not without effort, in very beautiful rows.” Like all “noble gentlemen,” Manilov smokes a pipe. Therefore, in his office there is a kind of “cult of tobacco”, which is poured into caps, and in a tabashka, and “just in a heap on the table.” Thus, Gogol emphasizes that Manilov’s “passing of time” is completely worthless and meaningless. Moreover, this meaninglessness is noticeable even when comparing the hero with the rest of the landowners. It is difficult for us to imagine Sobakevich or Korobochka doing such an activity (placing piles of ash in beautiful rows).

The hero’s speech, “delicate”, florid, fully corresponds to his inner appearance. Discussing the sale of dead souls with Chichikov, he wonders “whether this negotiation will not be in accordance with civil regulations and future views of Russia.” However, Pavel Ivanovich, who added two or three book turns to the conversation, manages to convince him of the complete legality of this transaction - Manilov gives Chichikov the dead peasants and even takes over the registration of the deed of sale.

Thus, the portrait of the hero, his speech, landscape, interior, surroundings, everyday details reveal the essence of Manilov’s character. Upon closer examination, the illusory nature of his “positive” qualities - sensitivity and sentimentality - becomes noticeable. “His feeling is surprisingly small and insignificant, and no matter how much he squanders it, it makes no one feel warm or cold. His courtesy is at the service of everyone, as is his goodwill, but not because he really has such a loving soul, but because they cost him nothing - it’s just a manner... His feelings are not real, but only their fiction.” , wrote the pre-revolutionary Gogol researcher.

Thus, Manilov does not evaluate people from the point of view of the criteria of good and evil. Those around you simply fall into a general atmosphere of complacency and dreaminess. In essence, Manilov is indifferent to life itself.

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The image of the landowner Manilov, in comparison with most of the landowners described by Gogol, creates the most favorable and positive impression, although finding his negative traits is not so difficult, however, in comparison with the negative aspects of other landowners, this looks like the least of evils.

Manilov's appearance and age

Manilov's exact age is not indicated in the story, but it is known that he was not an old man. The reader’s acquaintance with Manilov most likely falls during the prime of his powers. His hair was blond and his eyes were blue. Manilov often smiled, sometimes to such an extent that his eyes were hidden and were not visible at all. He also had a habit of squinting.

His clothes were traditional and did not stand out in any way, just like Manilov himself in the context of society.

Personality characteristics

Manilov is a pleasant person. He does not have such a hot-tempered and unbalanced character as most of the landowners described by Gogol.

His goodwill and good nature endear him and create trusting relationships. At first glance, this state of affairs seems very profitable, but in fact, it plays a cruel joke on Manilov, turning him into a boring person.

The lack of enthusiasm and a clear position on this or that issue makes it impossible to communicate with him for a long time. Manilov was polite and kind. As a rule, he smoked a pipe, paying tribute to his habit during his army years. He was not involved in housekeeping at all - he was too lazy to do it. In his dreams, Manilov often made plans to restore and develop his farm and improve his home, but these plans always remained dreams and never reached the plane of real life. The reason for this was the same laziness of the landowner.

Dear readers! We invite you to read Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls”

Manilov is very upset by the fact that he did not receive a proper education. He cannot speak fluently, but he writes very competently and accurately - Chichikov was surprised to see his notes - there was no need to rewrite them, since everything was written clearly, calligraphically and without errors.

Manilov family

If in other respects Manilov can fail, then in relation to the family and his relationship with his family he is an example to follow. His family consists of a wife and two sons; to some extent, a teacher can be added to these people. In the story, Gogol gives him a significant role, but, apparently, Manilov perceived him as a member of the family.

Manilov's wife's name was Lisa, she had been a married woman for eight years. The husband was very kind to her. Tenderness and love prevailed in their relationship. It was not a game for the public - they really had tender feelings for each other.

Lisa was a beautiful and well-mannered woman, but she did absolutely nothing at home. There was no objective reason for this, other than laziness and her personal reluctance to delve into the essence of matters. The members of the household, in particular the husband, did not consider this something terrible and were calm about this state of affairs.

Manilov's eldest son was named Themistoclus. He was a good boy of 8 years old. According to Manilov himself, the boy was distinguished by unprecedented ingenuity and intelligence for his age. The name of the youngest son was no less unusual - Alcides. The youngest son was six. As for the youngest son, the head of the family believes that he is inferior in development to his brother, but, in general, the review of him was also favorable.

Manilov estate and village

Manilov has great potential to become rich and successful. He has a pond, a forest, and a village of 200 houses at his disposal, but the landowner’s laziness prevents him from fully developing his farm. It would be more correct to say that Manilov is not involved in housekeeping at all. The manager manages the main affairs, but Manilov has very successfully retreated and lives a measured life. Even occasional interventions in the course of the process do not arouse his interest.

On our website you can read Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls”

He undoubtedly agrees with his manager about the need for certain works or actions, but he does it so lazily and vaguely that it is sometimes difficult to determine his true attitude to the subject of discussion.

On the territory of the estate, several flower beds arranged in the English style and a gazebo stand out. The flower beds, like practically everything else on the Manilov estate, are in disrepair - neither the owner nor the mistress pays due attention to them.

Since Manilov loves to indulge in dreams and reflections, the gazebo becomes an important element in his life. He can stay there often and for a long time, indulging in fantasies and making mental plans.

Attitude towards peasants

The peasants of Manilov never suffer from the attacks of their landowner; the point here is not only Manilov’s calm disposition, but also his laziness. He never delves into the affairs of his peasants, because he has no interest in this matter. At first glance, such an attitude should have a favorable effect on the relationship in the landlord-serf projection, but this medal also has its own unsightly side. Manilov's indifference is manifested in complete indifference to the life of serfs. He does not in any way try to improve their working or living conditions.

By the way, he doesn’t even know the number of his serfs, since he doesn’t keep count of them. Some attempts to keep records were made by Manilov - he counted male peasants, but soon there was confusion with this and in the end everything was abandoned. Also, Manilov does not keep count of his “dead souls.” Manilov gives Chichikov his dead souls and even takes on the costs of their registration.

Manilov's house and office

Everything in the Manilov estate has a dual position. The house and, in particular, the office were no exception to the rule. Here, more than anywhere else, the inconstancy of the landowner and his family members can be seen better.

First of all, this is due to the comparison of the incomparable. In Manilov’s house you can see some good things, for example, the landowner’s sofa was covered with good fabric, but the rest of the furniture was in disrepair and was upholstered in cheap and already well-worn fabric. In some rooms there was no furniture at all and they stood empty. Chichikov was unpleasantly surprised when, during dinner, on the table next to him stood a very decent lamp and a completely unsightly-looking colleague who looked like a disabled person. However, only the guest noticed this fact - the rest took it for granted.

Manilov's office is not much different from everything else. At first glance, it was quite a nice room, the walls of which were painted in gray-blue tones, but when Chichikov began to carefully examine the furnishings of the office, he could notice that most of all in Manilov’s office there was tobacco. Tobacco was definitely everywhere - in a pile on the table, and he generously sprinkled all the documents that were in the office. There was also a book in Manilov’s office - the bookmark in it was at the very beginning - page fourteen, but this did not mean at all that Manilov had recently started reading it. This book has been quietly lying in this position for two years now.

Thus, Gogol in the story “Dead Souls” portrayed a completely pleasant person, the landowner Manilov, who, despite all his shortcomings, stands out noticeably positively against the background of the whole society. He has all the potential to become an exemplary person in all respects, but laziness, which the landowner is unable to overcome, becomes a serious obstacle to this.

Characteristics of Manilov in the poem “Dead Souls”: description of character and appearance

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Lesson summary based on N.V. Gogol’s poem “Dead Souls.”

(9th grade)

Subject: “Everyone has his own, but Manilov had nothing”

Target: analyze the image of the landowner Manilov.

Tasks:

identify techniques for describing the character of the landowner, the internal logic of creating the image;

teach the ability to determine the principles of typification of social phenomena;

involve students in research work.

Lesson structure:

1 . Organizational stage.

2. Checking homework.

3. Announcement of the topicand lesson objectives.

4. Work in notebooks.

5. Summing up the lesson.

6. Homework.

During the classes

1. Organizational stage.

1. Preparing students for work in the classroom.

2. Mutual greeting between teacher and students.

3. Visual control of readiness for the lesson.

2. Checking homework.

3. Announcement of the topic and lesson objectives.

One of the features of N.V. Gogol’s talent is that “passion to know everything,” that “desire to know a person,” which makes him look for people of all classes and notice something interesting in everyone.”

So, the purpose of today's lesson is to analyze the image of the landowner Manilov.

In the poem “Dead Souls” N.V. Gogol wrote: “It is much easier to depict large characters: there, just throw paint with all your hands onto the canvas... and the portrait is ready; but all these gentlemen, of whom there are many in the world, who look very similar to each other, and yet, when you look closely, you will see many of the most elusive features - these gentlemen are terribly difficult for portraits.”

Guys, please tell me when the first meeting with Manilov takes place?(The meeting with Manilov occurs already in the first chapter) .

What impression can you form about Manilov before meeting him?

4. Work in notebooks.

Now we will create a table in which we will record quotes from the text and your observations. We will fill it out during the discussion.

Criterion

Manilov

Appearance

Character

Peculiarities of behavior and speech

Relationships with others

Description of the estate

The result of the transaction

- Manilov's appearance.

In the description of Manilov’s portrait there is a succinct phrase: “...revealing in his face an expression that is not only sweet, but even cloying...”

In the portrait description of Manilov, the author emphasizes that he is a prominent person, but only “at first glance”; his facial features are not devoid of pleasantness, “but this pleasantness is somehow cloying, “sugar”; “ingratiating” manners, “tempting” smile, “blond hair, blue eyes.” The first impression is that Manilov is a kind, pleasant person, then some kind of uncertainty is felt, it is even suggested by the author: “neither this nor that...”.

- Manilov's character.

With his first phrase, Gogol emphasizes Manilov’s lack of anything specific: “Everyone has his own enthusiasm<...>... in a word, everyone has their own, but Manilov had nothing.” The character of this man seems to merge with the tone of the gray, boring, lifeless landscape.

- Peculiarities of behavior and speech.

In the expression on Manilov’s face during conversation, in speech, in the choice of words, in the manners and intonations of his voice, the author notes the same exaggerated sensitivity, sentimentality, and most importantly, mental limitation, vacuity, and helplessness of thought. Manilov is trying to conduct an elevated conversation, to understand the facts of life. He talks a lot, uses meaningless words, cannot complete sentences, instead of them there are gestures that replace the statement. All this speaks of the lack of content of Manilov’s thoughts, of his stupidity.

- Relationships with others.

The owner and his wife communicated with each other in a cloyingly sentimental manner: “Open your mouth, darling, I’ll put this piece in for you.” Manilov expresses himself extremely elegantly and in a bookish way: “It really was such a pleasure, May Day, the name day of the heart...”. Every person in Manilov is kind, courteous, sweet, pleasant, intelligent, educated, well-read and worthy, but not because this is how it really is, but because Manilov does not understand anything about people. The names of Manilov's children - Alcides and Themistoclus - clearly smack of the pagan ancient past, ancient times before the birth of Christ.

The comic scene at the door in the living room characterizes Manilov as overly amiable and intrusive. Again, the hero feels “saccharine sweetness.”

- Description of the estate.

The description of the village and the estate characterizes the landowner as lazy and mismanagement: the house stood “open to all the winds,” and the pond in the estate was covered with greenery. The author ironically notes that this “is not unusual in the English gardens of Russian landowners.” The birch trees here are “small-leaved, sparse,” “gray log huts” are scattered around the manor’s house and “nowhere between them is a growing tree or any greenery...”. The gazebo with a flat green dome and blue columns was called the “Temple of Solitary Reflection.” Life in the house and on the entire estate seemed to have stopped: the bookmark still remained on page 14, two armchairs were not ready and were covered with matting.

- The result of the transaction.

He is confused and helpless before Chichikov's proposal to sell dead souls. Gogol conveys this well by describing the hero’s facial expressions and gestures. It is surprising that, without knowing the person (Chichikov), Manilov immediately trusts him and tries in every possible way to serve him, to prove his “heartfelt attraction”... After this, he does not think about his action, but indulges in joyful reflections that he has given the guest a little pleasure. Again we see Manilov’s spinelessness and stupidity, which manifests itself not only in deeds, but also in his thoughts.So, the ability to persuade gave Chichikov his first results and he achieved his goal, without spending any savings.

5. Summing up the lesson.

What is the main thing in Manilov? What detail in the description of the hero is dominant?(The theme of sugar and sweetness, the author, with his comparisons, ensures that the reader develops a feeling close to physical disgust.)

- What is hidden behind Manilov’s smiling face? How does the author himself characterize the hero?(A pleasant Manilov smile for everyone is a sign of deep indifference to everything around them; such people are not capable of experiencing anger, sorrow, joy.)

- With the help of what details does Gogol give a comic coloring to the images of his characters?(An integral part of Gogol’s portrait drawing are poses, clothing, movements, gestures, facial expressions. With their help, the writer enhances the comic coloring of the images and reveals the true essence of the hero.)

What is the distinctive feature of Manilov?(His main psychological trait is the desire to please everyone and always.)

What do the names of Manilov’s children emphasize?

What conclusions does the author lead readers to?( Manilov is a calm observer of everything that happens; bribe takers, thieves, embezzlers - all the most respected people for him. Manilov is an indefinite person; he has no living human desires. This is a dead soul, a person “so-so, neither this nor that.”)

Conclusion. Instead of real feeling, Manilov has a “pleasant smile”, cloying courtesy and sensitive phrases; instead of thought - some kind of incoherent, stupid reflections, instead of activity - either empty dreams, or such results of “labor” as “slides of ash knocked out of a pipe, arranged, not without effort, in very beautiful rows.

6. Homework

Manilov: character story

A character from the prose poem “Dead Souls.” Landowner, inactive dreamer. Manilov has two sons and a wife, Lizonka.

History of creation

The idea of “Dead Souls” was suggested to Gogol, as follows from Gogol’s book “The Author’s Confession”. Pushkin himself intercepted this idea from a certain gentleman during his exile in Chisinau. Someone told Pushkin about a town in Bessarabia, where no one except the military has died for a long time.

At the beginning of the 19th century, many peasants fled to this town from the central Russian provinces. The police were looking for the fugitives, but they took the names of the dead, so it was impossible to find out who was who. As a result, it turned out that no deaths were registered in this city for a long time. According to statistics, people stopped dying. The authorities began an investigation, and it turned out that runaway peasants, who did not have papers, appropriated the names of the dead.

Gogol himself first mentions that he is working on Dead Souls in a letter to Pushkin in 1835. A year later, Gogol travels to Switzerland, then to Paris and Italy, where he continues to work on the novel.

When meeting, Gogol read individual chapters from the still unfinished novel to Pushkin and his other acquaintances. In 1842, the work was first published. The novel is not finished. Incomplete drafts of several chapters of the second volume survive.

Biography

Manilov is a middle-aged man of noble origin, a landowner. The hero has blond hair, blue eyes and a winning smile. The hero is courteous and courteous, often laughs and smiles. At the same time, he squints or closes his eyes and becomes like a cat that has been “tickled behind the ears.” He gives the impression of a prominent and pleasant person at first glance, but Manilov’s appearance and manners are characterized by a certain sweetness, excessive “sugariness”.

Manilov was an officer, but is now retired. Colleagues considered the hero an educated and delicate person. While still in the army, the hero developed the habit of smoking a pipe. The hero has been married for more than eight years, but is still happily married. Manilov and his wife Lizonka are happy with each other and communicate tenderly. The hero is raising two sons, six and seven years old, to whom he gave unusual names in the “Greek” manner.

Manilov differs little from people of the same circle as him; he is a typical rich gentleman of noble blood. Despite his pleasant and kind character, Manilov is boring and not interesting to communicate with. The hero does not stand out in any way, is not able to captivate the conversation and looks like a characterless person, devoid of an inner core.

The hero does not argue and is not arrogant, does not have hobbies, his own opinions or views that he would consider necessary to defend. Manilov, in principle, is taciturn, more inclined to have his head in the clouds and think about abstract subjects. The hero can enter the room, sit in a chair and fall into prostration for several hours.

Manilov is unusually lazy. The hero has left the household to its own devices, and affairs in the estate are settled without the participation of the owner. Manilov has never seen his own fields in his life and does not keep records of dead peasants, which indicates the hero’s complete indifference to his own estate.

In the Manilovs' house, things are also going very badly, and the owners do not pay attention to it. The Manilovs' servants drink, do not take care of their own appearance and do not fulfill their duties, the housekeeper steals, the pantries are empty, and the cook wastes food senselessly. The owners themselves, like the servants, do not pay attention to what is happening in the house and in what conditions they live.

In 2005, the eight-episode series “The Case of Dead Souls” was released. The script was created based on several works by Nikolai Gogol - “Dead Souls”, “Notes of a Madman”, “The Inspector General”, etc. Pavel Chichikov here is a swindler who disappeared from prison.

Pavel Lyubimtsev

The main character of the series, Ivan Schiller, a college registrar, is investigating the case of Chichikov’s disappearance and for this purpose arrives in a certain provincial town. Local officials are doing their best to prevent the visiting gentleman from investigating. Along the way, Schiller is forced to go through several strange encounters, and in the finale the hero himself turns into the swindler Chichikov. The role of Manilov in the series is played by actor Pavel Lyubimtsev.