Dec 26, 2009

Dead Souls | Dead Souls

At a glance:

Author: Nikolai Gogol
First Published: 1842
Type of Work: Novel
Type of Plot: Social satire
Time of Work: Early nineteenth century
Setting: Russia
Genres: Long fiction, Satire
Subjects: Nineteenth century, Wills, Russia or Russian people, Feudalism, Swindling or swindlers, Taxation
Locales: Russia

Characters Discussed

Pavel Ivanovitch Tchitchikov (PAH-vehl ih-VAH-nuh-vihch CHEET- chee-kof), an adventurer of early nineteenth century Russia. He buys “dead souls,” that is, the names of serfs who have died since the last census but who still continue to cost their owners taxes until they can be written off in the next census. Using their names, he plans to get from his uncle’s estate the money refused him in the old man’s will by mortgaging his own “estate,” with its dead souls, to the Trustee Committee. To find dead souls, he rides from village to village...

[The entire page is 1021 words long]

Dead Souls | Dead Souls

At a glance:

Characters Discussed

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