"Everything" "applauds", "climbs in", "was (present)". Three literary worlds: by Alexander Pushkin, by Nikolai Gogol, by Mikhail Lermontov. A literary essay
Аннотация: MMMCDXXIX. "Everything" "applauds", "climbs in", "was (present)". Three literary worlds: by Alexander Pushkin, by Nikolai Gogol, by Mikhail Lermontov. A literary essay. - January 8, 2024.
MMMCDXXIX. "Everything" "applauds", "climbs in", "was (present)". Three literary worlds: by Alexander Pushkin, by Nikolai Gogol, by Mikhail Lermontov. A literary essay.
Evgeny Onegin is a representative of the Russian nobility.
Khlestakov and Chichikov are representatives of the Russian nobility.
Pechorin is a representative of the Russian nobility.
In "Eugene Onegin" (1823 - 1831) (by Alexander Pushkin), the reader finds neither Khlestakov, nor Chichikov, nor the Mayor (Anton Antonovich Prozodnik-Dmukhanovsky, Gorodnichy-Head of the Town), nor Nozdrev, nor Maxim Maksimovich, nor other characters.
In the "The Government Inspector" (1835 ) and in "Dead Souls" (1835 -1842) (by Nikolai Gogol) the reader finds neither Onegin, nor Tatiana, nor archival youths, nor Mikhail Lermontov's "Caucasians", nor others.
In "Princess Ligovskaya" (1836-1837) and in "A Hero of Our Time" (1837-1839) (by Mikhail Lermontov) we will not see either Onegin, Khlestakov, or Chichikov.
It's very strange!!!
The main characters of all the above-mentioned works are representatives of the Russian nobility.
But it's as if we see three SEPARATE worlds - the world by Pushkin, the world by Gogol, the world by Lermontov.
I suggest you take a closer look at these worlds, try to find something in common in them.
Onegin is a resident of St. Petersburg. If you look at Onegin superficially, then his main problem is his relationship with Tatiana. Or Tatiana wants to get closer to Onegin, but he does not want that. Or Onegin wants to get closer to Tatiana, but she - as a married woman - cannot agree to his initiative.
And what is Onegin's rank according to the Table of Ranks? What is his position ("workplace")? Somehow, you can't answer these questions right away. He is a Russian nobleman. That's for sure. He's doing well. He is humane, educated, contemplative, cultured.
He (as a resident of St. Petersburg) is, in a sense, a person "close to the body." Is it important for Tatiana? In any case, Tatiana is extremely delicate and correct in relation to Onegin. But this may not be related to his "Petersburg status". Perhaps Tatiana is well-mannered and cultured. Or maybe both: she recognizes his "Petersburg virtues" and demonstrates good upbringing and the ability to behave.
"Everything (all) is clapping (applauding)," Alexander Pushkin writes in "Eugene Onegin".
We turn to the "world of Gogol".
Khlestakov has the lowest rank according to the Table of Ranks. He is a Collegiate registrar. What is his position ("workplace")? It is clear that he is an official. But what the position is he in?
But maybe this (rank, position) is not the main thing? The important thing is that he, Khlestakov, is resident of St. Petersburg. He (as a resident of St. Petersburg) is, in a sense, a person "close to the body."
Internally, Khlestakov feels himself like a "boss." And the public of a provincial city, even regardless of Khlestakov's rank and position, feels in him something like boss, and themselves as if (in the role of) Khlestakov's subordinates.
So the hoax (the representation of Khlestakov as an influential, high-ranking person) is partial. There are both social and political prerequisites (conditions) for the hoax.
Chichikov is a Collegiate Councillor ("retired") who declared himself a landowner.
He is not a resident of St. Petersburg, he is not a person "close to the body."
He has an initiative, sophisticated mind, but he does not declare himself a resident of St. Petersburg, and he is, really, not the resident of St. Petersburg.
Chichikov is much more active and much smarter than Khlestakov.
He does not feel the "boss" in himself, and he does not strive for the position of "boss". He is ready to pay for the "dead souls", get the necessary papers, say "thank you" and "goodbye", and then to depart and to live his private life.
Residents of a provincial town do not feel like Chichikov's "subordinates". They, immediately after meeting Chichikov, feel suspicion towards him. Later the suspicion is transformed into the most incredible rumors. Chichikov is forced to flee. The residents of a provincial town do not need his money.
And Chichikov, who lives his own independent private life, may even annoy them. It is much more interesting to catch Chichikov as if he is Napoleon or as if he is the kidnapper of the governor's daughter. Chichikov caught is much more interesting for them than the money received from Chichikov.
Rather stupid, with a smallest rank, with an unclear position ("workplace"), suffering from lack of money, Khlestakov is much more successful than the cunning, energetic, resourceful, monetary, "profitable" Chichikov.
"Everything (all) climbed (headed) into St. Petersburg to serve," Nikolai Gogol writes in "Dead Souls".
We find a different world in Lermontov's works "Princess Ligovskaya" and "A Hero of Our Time".
But in this "a different world" we can see something familiar.
Pechorin - he (as a resident of St. Petersburg) is, in a sense, a person "close to the body."
Ensign Pechorin condescendingly, though sympathetically, looks (down) on Staff Captain Maxim Maksimovich. And Staff Captain Maxim Maksimovich internally recognizes Pechorin's superiority.
"Meanwhile, although his chest is hung with crosses (awards), but the ranks - they are not arriving, they are not coming" Mikhail Lermontov writes ironically in the essay "The Caucasian" (1841).
"Everything (all) that is the best in St. Petersburg was presented here," Mikhail Lermontov describes the situation in "Princess Ligovskaya".
"Everything (all)" "clapped (applauded)", "climbed into", "was (presented)". ... Until February 1917.
January 8, 2024, 21:54
Translation from Russian into English: 8 января 2024 г. 23:56
Владимир Владимирович Залесский ' "Всё" "хлопает", "полезло", "было". Три литературных мира: Александра Пушкина, Николая Гоголя, Михаила Лермонтова. Литературный очерк '.
{3458. "Всё" "хлопает", "полезло", "было". Три литературных мира: Александра Пушкина, Николая Гоголя, Михаила Лермонтова. Литературный очерк. - 8 января 2024 г.
MMMCDXXIX. "Everything" "applauds", "climbs in", "was (present)". Three literary worlds: by Alexander Pushkin, by Nikolai Gogol, by Mikhail Lermontov. A literary essay. - January 8, 2024.
Vladimir Zalessky Internet-bibliotheca. Интернет-библиотека Владимира Залесского. }