At what age did Gogol start writing? Unusual in life

Gogol Nikolai Vasilievich (1809-1852)
Great Russian writer.

Born in the town of Velikiye Sorochintsy, Mirgorod district, Poltava province, in the family of a landowner. Gogol spent his childhood years on his parents' estate Vasilievka (another name is Yanovshchina). Cultural center The region was Kibintsy, the estate of D.P. Troshchinsky, their distant relative, Gogol’s father acted as his secretary. In Kibintsi there was a large library, there was home theater, for which Gogol's father wrote comedies, being also its actor and conductor.

In May 1821 he entered the gymnasium of higher sciences in Nizhyn. Here he paints and takes part in performances. Tries himself in various literary genres(writes elegiac poems, tragedies, historical poems, stories). At the same time he writes the satire “Something about Nezhin, or the law is not written for fools” (not preserved). However, he dreams of a legal career.

Having graduated from the gymnasium in 1828, Gogol in December, together with another graduate A.S. Danilevsky travels to St. Petersburg, where he makes his first literary attempts: at the beginning of 1829, the poem “Italy” appears, published by “Hanz Küchelgarten” (under the pseudonym “V. Alov”).

At the end of 1829, he managed to decide to serve in the Department of State Economy and Public Buildings of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. During this period, “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka”, “The Nose”, “Taras Bulba” were published.

In the fall of 1835, he began writing “The Inspector General,” the plot of which was suggested by Pushkin; the work progressed so successfully that the play premiered in the spring of 1836 on the stage of the Alexandria Theater.

In June 1836, Gogol left St. Petersburg for Germany (in total, he lived abroad for about 12 years). He spends the end of summer and autumn in Switzerland, where he begins to continue “ Dead souls" The plot was also suggested by Pushkin.

In November 1836, Gogol met A. Mitskevich in Paris. In Rome he receives shocking news about the death of Pushkin. In May 1842, “The Adventures of Chichikov, or Dead Souls" came out. The three years (1842-1845) that followed the writer’s departure abroad was a period of intense and difficult work on the second volume of Dead Souls.

At the beginning of 1845, Gogol showed signs of a mental crisis, and in a state of sharp exacerbation of his illness, he burned the manuscript of the second volume, on which he would continue to work some time later.

In April 1848, after a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Gogol finally returned to Russia, where he spent most of his time in Moscow, visiting St. Petersburg, and also in his native places - in Little Russia. In the spring of 1850, Gogol made his first and last attempt to organize his family life- proposes to A.M. Vielgorskaya, but is refused.

On January 1, 1852, Gogol informs Arnoldi that the second volume is “completely finished.” But in last days month, signs of a new crisis were revealed, the impetus for which was the death of E. M. Khomyakova, sister of N. M. Yazykov, a person spiritually close to Gogol.

On February 7, Gogol confesses and receives communion, and on the night of February 11-12, he burns the white manuscript of the second volume (only five chapters have survived in incomplete form). On the morning of February 21, Gogol died in his last apartment in the Talyzin house in Moscow. The writer's funeral took place with a huge crowd of people at the cemetery of the St. Daniel's Monastery, and in 1931 Gogol's remains were reburied at the Novodevichy cemetery.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol lived a short but eventful life. They talk a lot about him to this day, more than one generation has grown up on his works, they are in demand in schools, and based on them, art paintings. The name of this writer certainly left a significant mark on history.

Childhood

In 1809, in the spring of March 20, a boy was born into the family of a simple landowner Gogol, who began to be called Nikolai, by his patronymic - Vasilyevich. His family lived in a small town in the Poltava province. Then it was called the Great Sorochintsy.

The future writer spent his childhood near the village of Dikanka, where his parents had their own estate. The creative nature in little Gogol was revealed by his father, who was a fan of art and theater, a writer of comedies and poetry. The boy received his education within the walls of the house.

Youth

At the end homeschooling, Gogol spent 2 years in the district school of the Poltava province, after which he successfully entered the gymnasium in Nezhin. This institution was created to educate provincial noble children.

Young Gogol learned to draw, play on stage and play the violin here. In his future, he saw himself as a lawyer, dreaming of dispensing justice. But literature took precedence over his dreams.

Despite the unsuccessful auditions, which he failed in December, after graduating from high school (1828), his attitude towards literature and the desire to develop in this direction did not fade.

In 1829 he became a minor official. His monotonous, boring life was brightened up by painting, which he studied at the Academy of Arts, and literature.

Creation

In 1830, Gogol wrote his first work. It was the story “Basavryuk”, which was later reworked into “The Evening on the Eve of I. Kupala”.

In his social circles, young Gogol had many famous people: Pushkin, Vyazemsky, Bryullov and many others. Such acquaintances broadened his horizons, helping in the development of his activities. He was friends with Pushkin.

Literary famous Nikolai Vasilyevich became after the publication of the book “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka,” to the creation of which he devoted 1831-32 years of his life. It includes the famous story “Sorochinskaya Fair”.

The following year, Gogol decided to connect his activities with scientific and pedagogical practice, and already in 1834 he was appointed associate professor at the University of St. Petersburg (department general history). This experience and the study of Ukrainian history served as the basis for the creation of his new work “Taras Bulba”.

A year after his appointment, Gogol left the department and became completely absorbed in literary work, having written such works as: “Viy”, “Taras Bulba”, “The Inspector General” and collections of stories “Mirgorod” and “Arabesques” ...

Most significant work, dedicated to St. Petersburg, was the story “The Overcoat”. Nikolai Vasilyevich worked on this work for about 7 years, finishing only in 1842, although the draft version was ready already in 1836. At the same time, he was working on other works. In 1841 he wrote Dead Souls, the first volume of which was published a year later. Since the creation of this work, the writer began to experience attacks of nervous disorders.

From 1837 to 39, Gogol traveled, and he left after the unsuccessful production of The Inspector General. He visited Switzerland, Paris and Rome. Afterwards he returned, left Russia again (he spent more than a year in Vienna), then again ended up in his homeland.

Work on the second volume of Dead Souls coincided with a writer's crisis. His works were criticized, Belinsky condemned the writer’s religiosity and mysticism. All this influenced state of mind the writer was driven to despair.

In 1852, the writer began to communicate with Archpriest Matvey Konstantinovsky, who was a mystic and fanatic. In the same year, in a state of severe mental breakdown, the writer burned his works of the second volume of the poem about dead souls.

Gogol died in 1852, 10 days after the destruction of the second volume of the poem. On February 21, the writer passed away.

• “Portrait”, analysis of Gogol’s story, essay
• “Dead Souls”, analysis of Gogol’s work

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Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol (1809 – 1852) – classic of Russian literature, writer, playwright, publicist, critic. Gogol’s most important works are considered to be: the collection “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka”, dedicated to the customs and traditions of the Ukrainian people, as well as the greatest poem “Dead Souls”.

Among the biographies of great writers, the biography of Gogol stands in a separate row. After reading this article you will understand why this is so.

Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol is generally recognized literary classic. He worked masterfully in the most different genres. Both his contemporaries and writers of subsequent generations spoke positively about his works.

Conversations about his biography still do not subside, since he is one of the most mystical and mysterious figures among the intelligentsia of the 19th century.

Childhood and youth

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol was born on March 20, 1809 in the town of Sorochintsy (Poltava province, Mirgorod district) into a family of local poor Little Russian nobles who owned the village of Vasilyevka, Vasily Afanasyevich and Maria Ivanovna Gogol-Yanovsky.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol’s belonging to the Little Russian nationality from childhood had a significant influence on his worldview and writing activity. Psychological characteristics Little Russian nationality were reflected in the content of it early works and on artistic style his speeches.

My childhood years were spent on my parents' estate Vasilyevka, Mirgorod district, not far from the village of Dikanki. An hour's drive from Vasilyevka along the Oposhnyansky tract was the Poltava Field - the site of the famous battle. From his grandmother Tatyana Semyonovna, who taught the boy to draw and even embroider with garus, Gogol listened winter evenings Ukrainian folk songs. Grandmother told her grandson historical legends and legends about the heroic pages of history, about the Zaporozhye Cossack freemen.

The Gogol family stood out for its stable cultural needs. Gogol's father, Vasily Afanasyevich, was a talented storyteller and theater lover. He became close friends with a distant relative, former Minister of Justice D.P. Troshchinsky, who lived in retirement in the village of Kibintsy, not far from Vasilyevka. A rich nobleman set up a home theater on his estate, where Vasily Afanasyevich became a director and actor. He composed his own comedies for this theater in Ukrainian, the plots of which he borrowed from folk tales. V.V. Kapnist, a venerable playwright, author of the famous “The Yabeda,” took part in the preparation of the performances. His plays were performed on the stage in Kibintsy, as well as “The Minor” by Fonvizin and “Podshchipa” by Krylov. Vasily Afanasyevich was friends with Kapnist, sometimes his whole family visited him in Obukhovka. In July 1813 little Gogol I saw G.R. Derzhavin here, visiting a friend of his youth. Gogol inherited his writing and acting talent from his father.

Mother, Maria Ivanovna, was a religious, nervous and impressionable woman. Having lost two children who died in infancy, she waited with fear for the third. The couple prayed in the Dikan Church in front of miraculous icon St. Nicholas. Having given the newborn the name of a saint revered by the people, the parents surrounded the boy with special affection and attention. From childhood, Gogol remembered his mother’s stories about the last times, about the death of the world and Last Judgment, about the hellish torment of sinners. They were accompanied by instructions on the need to maintain spiritual purity for the sake of future salvation. The boy was especially impressed by the story about the ladder that angels lower from heaven, giving their hand to the soul of the deceased. There are seven measures on this ladder; the last one, the seventh one raises immortal soul man to the seventh heaven, to the heavenly abodes, which are accessible to a few. The souls of the righteous go there - people who spent their earthly life “in all piety and purity.” The image of the staircase will then pass through all of Gogol’s thoughts about the fate and calling of man to spiritual improvement.

From his mother, Gogol inherited a subtle mental organization, a penchant for contemplation and God-fearing religiosity. Kapnist’s daughter recalled: “I knew Gogol as a boy who was always serious and so thoughtful that it worried his mother extremely.” The boy's imagination was also influenced pagan beliefs people in brownies, witches, mermen and mermaids. Multi-voiced and motley, sometimes comically cheerful, and sometimes leading to fear and awe mysterious world Gogol's impressionable soul absorbed folk demonology from childhood.

In 1821, after two years of study at the Poltava district school, the boy’s parents enrolled the boy in the newly opened gymnasium of higher sciences of Prince Bezborodko in Nizhyn, Chernigov province. It was often called a lyceum: like the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, the gymnasium course was combined with university subjects, and classes were taught by professors. Gogol studied in Nizhyn for seven years, visiting his parents only on vacation.

At first, studying was difficult: insufficient preparation at home had an effect. Children of wealthy parents, classmates of Gogol, entered the gymnasium with knowledge of Latin, French and German languages. Gogol envied them, felt slighted, shunned his classmates, and in letters home begged them to take him away from the gymnasium. The sons of rich parents, among whom was N.V. Kukolnik, did not spare his pride and ridiculed his weaknesses. From his own experience, Gogol experienced the drama of the “little” man, learned the bitter price of the words of the poor official Bashmachkin, the hero of his “The Overcoat,” addressed to the scoffers: “Leave me alone! Why are you offending me? Sick, frail, suspicious, the boy was humiliated not only by his peers, but also by insensitive teachers. Rare patience and the ability to silently endure insults gave Gogol the first nickname he received from schoolchildren - “Dead Thought.”

But soon Gogol discovered an extraordinary talent in drawing, far outstripping his offenders in success, and then enviable literary abilities. Like-minded people appeared, with whom he began to publish a handwritten magazine, publishing his articles, stories, and poems in it. Among them - historical story“The Tverdislavich Brothers”, a satirical essay “Something about Nezhin, or the law is not written for fools”, in which he ridiculed the morals of local inhabitants.

The beginning of a literary journey

Gogol early became interested in literature, especially poetry. His favorite poet was Pushkin, and he copied his "Gypsy", "Poltava", and chapters of "Eugene Onegin" into his notebooks. The first ones date back to this time literary experiments Gogol.

Already in 1825, he contributed to a handwritten gymnasium magazine and composed poetry. Another hobby of Gogol, a high school student, was the theater. He took an active part in staging school plays, playing comic roles, painted the scenery.

Gogol early awakened dissatisfaction with the musty and dull life of the Nizhyn “existents”, dreams of serving the noble and high goals. The thought of the future, of “serving humanity,” already captured Gogol. These youthfully enthusiastic aspirations, this thirst for socially useful activity, a sharp rejection of philistine complacency found their expression in the first poetic work of his that has come down to us, the poem “Hanz Küchelgarten.”

Dreams and plans for future activities drew Gogol to the capital, to distant and tempting St. Petersburg. Here he thought to find an application for his abilities, to devote his strength to the good of society. After graduating from the gymnasium, in December 1828, Gogol left for St. Petersburg.

St. Petersburg did not kindly greet the enthusiastic young man who had come from distant Ukraine, from a quiet provincial wilderness. Gogol faces setbacks from all sides. The official-bureaucratic world treated the young provincial with indifferent indifference: there was no service, life in the capital for a young man who had very modest means turned out to be very difficult. Gogol also experienced bitter disappointment in the literary field. His hopes for the poem "Hanz Küchelgarten", brought from Nizhyn, were not justified. Published in 1829 (under the pseudonym V. Alov), the poem was not successful.

An attempt to enter the stage also ended in failure: Gogol’s true Riolist talent as an actor turned out to be alien to the then theater management.

Only at the end of 1829 Gogol managed to get a job as a minor official in the department of state economy and public buildings. However, Gogol did not stay in this position for long and already in April 1830 he became a scribe in the department of appanages.

Gogol recognized during these years the deprivation and need experienced in St. Petersburg for the most part service, disadvantaged people. Whole year Gogol served as an official in the department. However, bureaucratic service attracted him little. At the same time, he attended the Academy of Arts, studying painting there. Resumed it literary studies. But now Gogol no longer writes dreamy-romantic poems like “Hanz Küchelgarten”, but turns to the well-known Ukrainian life and folklore, starting work on a book of stories, which he entitled “Evenings on a farm near Dikanka.”

In 1831, the long-awaited acquaintance with Pushkin took place, which soon turned into a close friendship between both writers. Gogol found in Pushkin an older comrade, a literary leader.

Gogol and theater

In 1837, he appeared in Sovremennik with the article “St. Petersburg Notes of 1836,” much of which was devoted to drama and theater. Gogol's judgments broke the established canons and asserted the need for a new one for the Russian stage. artistic method- realism. Gogol criticized two popular genres that took over “theaters all over the world” in those years: melodrama and vaudeville.

Gogol sharply condemns the main vice of this genre:

Our melodrama lies in the most shameless way

Melodrama does not reflect the life of society and does not produce the proper impact on it, arousing in the viewer not participation, but some kind of “anxious state.” Vaudeville, “this light, colorless toy,” in which laughter “is generated by light impressions, fluent witticisms, puns,” also does not correspond to the tasks of the theater.

Theater, according to Gogol, should teach and educate audiences:

We made a toy out of the theater, like those trinkets that are used to lure children, forgetting that this is a pulpit from which a live lesson is read to a whole crowd at once.

In the draft version of the article, Gogol calls the theater a “great school.” But the condition for this is the fidelity of the reflection of life. “Really, it’s time to know already,” writes Gogol, that only a true depiction of characters, not in general, established features, but in their nationally expressed form, strikes us with liveliness, so that we say: “Yes, this seems to be a familiar person,” - only such an image brings significant benefits.” Here and in other places, Gogol defends the principles of realistic theater and only attaches great social and educational importance to such theater.

For God's sake, give us Russian characters, give us ourselves, our rogues, our eccentrics! on stage, to everyone's laughter!

Gogol reveals the importance of laughter as a powerful weapon in the fight against social vices. “Laughter,” Gogol continues, is a great thing: it does not take away either life or property, but before it the guilty person is like a tied hare...” In the theater “with the solemn brilliance of lighting, with the thunder of music, with unanimous laughter, a familiar person appears, hiding vice". A person is afraid of laughter, Gogol repeatedly repeats, and refrains from doing things “from which no force would restrain him.” But not every laughter has such power, but only “that electric, life-giving laughter” that has a deep ideological basis.

In December 1828, Gogol said goodbye to his native Ukrainian lands and headed north: to alien and tempting, distant and desired Petersburg. Even before his departure, Gogol wrote: “From the very times of the past, from the very years of almost misunderstanding, I burned with unquenchable zeal to make my life necessary for the good of the state. I went over in my mind all the states, all the positions in the state and settled on one. On Justice. “I saw that here only I can be a blessing, here only I will be useful to humanity.”

So. Gogol arrived in St. Petersburg. The very first weeks of his stay in the capital brought Gogol bitter disappointment. He failed to fulfill his dream. Unlike Piskarev, the hero of the story “Nevsky Prospekt,” Gogol does not perceive the collapse of his dreams so tragically. Having changed many other activities, he still finds his calling in life. Gogol's calling is to be a writer. “... I wanted,” Gogol wrote, “in my essay to highlight primarily those higher properties of Russian nature that are not yet fairly valued by everyone, and mainly those low ones that have not yet been sufficiently ridiculed and amazed by everyone. I wanted to collect here only bright psychological phenomena, to place those observations that I have made for a long time in secret about a person.” Soon the poem was completed, which Gogol decided to make public. It was published in May 1829 under the title Hanz Küchelgarten. Soon critical reviews appeared in the press. They were sharply negative. Gogol took his failure very painfully. He leaves St. Petersburg, but soon returns again.

Gogol has mastered new dream: theater. But he didn't pass the exam. His realistic manner playing was clearly contrary to the tastes of the examiners. And here again failure. Gogol almost fell into despair.

After a little time, Gogol receives a new position in one of the departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. After 3 months, he couldn’t stand it here and wrote a letter of resignation. He moved to another department, where he then worked as a scribe. Gogol continued to look closely at the life and everyday life of his fellow officials. These observations later formed the basis of the stories “The Nose” and “The Overcoat”. After serving for another year, Gogol left the departmental service forever.

Meanwhile, his interest in art not only did not fade away, but every day it overpowered him more and more. The bitterness with Hanz Küchelgarten was forgotten, and Gogol continued to write.

His new collections and works will be published soon. 1831 - 1832 Gogol writes the collection “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka”, 1835 - the collection “Mirgorod”, in the same year he begins to create “Dead Souls” and “The Inspector General”, in 1836 - the story “The Nose” is published and the premiere of the comedy “ The Inspector" in theaters in Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Only later, after his death, some stories depicting St. Petersburg “in all its glory,” with officials and bribe-takers, were combined into “Petersburg Stories.” These are stories such as: “The Overcoat”, “The Nose”, “Nevsky Prospekt”, “Notes of a Madman”. IN Petersburg stories both the highest and by no means the best properties of the Russian character, the life and customs of different layers of St. Petersburg society - officials, military men, artisans - were reflected. Literary critic A.V. Lunacharsky wrote: “The vile faces of everyday life teased and called for a slap.” The story “Nevsky Prospect” with its Pirogov, Hoffmann and Schiller, with ladies, generals and department officials wandering along Nevsky Prospect “from two to three o’clock in the afternoon...” became such a bummer.

In St. Petersburg, Gogol had Difficult life, full of disappointments. He couldn't find his calling. And finally I found it. N.V. Gogol’s calling is to be a writer depicting the vices of the human soul and the nature of Little Russia.

Gogol died at the age of 43. Doctors who treated him last years, were in complete bewilderment about his illness. A version of depression was put forward.

It began with the fact that at the beginning of 1852, the sister of one of Gogol’s close friends, Ekaterina Khomyakova, died, whom the writer respected to the depths of his soul. Her death provoked severe depression, resulting in religious ecstasy. Gogol began to fast. His daily diet consisted of 1-2 tablespoons of cabbage brine and oatmeal broth, and occasionally prunes. Considering that Nikolai Vasilyevich’s body was weakened after illness - in 1839 he suffered from malarial encephalitis, and in 1842 he suffered from cholera and miraculously survived - fasting was mortally dangerous for him.

On the night of February 24, he burned the second volume of Dead Souls. After 4 days, Gogol was visited by a young doctor, Alexey Terentyev. He described the writer’s condition as follows:

He watched as a man for whom all tasks were resolved, every feeling was silent, every word was in vain... His whole body became extremely thin, his eyes became dull and sunken, his face became completely drawn, his cheeks sunken, his voice weakened...

Doctors invited to see the dying Gogol found he had severe gastrointestinal disorders. They talked about “intestinal catarrh,” which turned into “typhoid fever,” and about unfavorable gastroenteritis. And finally, about “indigestion,” complicated by “inflammation.”

As a result, the doctors diagnosed him with meningitis and prescribed bloodletting, hot baths and douses, which were deadly in such a condition.

The writer's pitiful withered body was immersed in a bath, his head was watered cold water. They put leeches on him, and with a weak hand he frantically tried to brush away the clusters of black worms that had attached themselves to his nostrils. Was it possible to imagine a worse torture for a person who had spent his whole life disgusted with everything creeping and slimy? “Remove the leeches, lift the leeches from your mouth,” Gogol moaned and begged. In vain. He was not allowed to do this.

A few days later the writer passed away.

Gogol's ashes were buried at noon on February 24, 1852 by parish priest Alexei Sokolov and deacon John Pushkin. And after 79 years, he was secretly, thieves removed from the grave: the Danilov Monastery was transformed into a colony for juvenile delinquents, and therefore its necropolis was subject to liquidation. It was decided to move only a few of the graves dearest to the Russian heart to the old cemetery of the Novodevichy Convent. Among these lucky ones, along with Yazykov, Aksakovs and Khomyakovs, was Gogol...

On May 31, 1931, twenty to thirty people gathered at Gogol’s grave, among whom were: historian M. Baranovskaya, writers Vs. Ivanov, V. Lugovskoy, Y. Olesha, M. Svetlov, V. Lidin and others. It was Lidin who became perhaps the only source of information about the reburial of Gogol. With him light hand started walking around Moscow scary legends about Gogol.

The coffin was not found immediately, he told the students of the Literary Institute; for some reason it turned out not to be where they were digging, but somewhat further away, to the side. And when they pulled it out of the ground - covered in lime, seemingly strong, from oak boards - and opened it, then bewilderment was mixed with the heartfelt trembling of those present. In the coffin lay a skeleton with its skull turned to one side. No one found an explanation for this. Someone superstitious probably thought then: “This is a publican - he seems not to be alive during life, and not dead after death - this strange great man.”

Lidin's stories stirred up old rumors that Gogol was afraid of being buried alive in a state of lethargic sleep and seven years before his death he bequeathed:

My body should not be buried until obvious signs of decomposition appear. I mention this because even during the illness itself, moments of vital numbness came over me, my heart and pulse stopped beating

What the exhumers saw in 1931 seemed to indicate that Gogol’s behest was not fulfilled, that he was buried in a lethargic state, he woke up in a coffin and experienced nightmarish minutes of dying again...

To be fair, it must be said that Lida’s version did not inspire confidence. Sculptor N. Ramazanov, who filmed death mask Gogol, recalled: “I did not suddenly decide to take off the mask, but the prepared coffin... finally, the constantly arriving crowd of those who wanted to say goodbye to the dear deceased forced me and my old man, who pointed out the traces of destruction, to hurry...” There was also an explanation for the turn of the skull: the first to rot were the The side boards of the coffin, the lid lowers under the weight of the soil, puts pressure on the dead man’s head, and it turns to its side on the so-called “Atlas vertebra.”

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol (1809 - 1852) was born in Ukraine, in the village of Sorochintsy in the Poltava region. His father was from the landowners of the family of Bohdan Khmelnitsky. In total, the family raised 12 children.

Childhood and youth

Neighbors and friends constantly gathered at the Gogol family estate: the father of the future writer was known as a great admirer of the theater. It is known that he even tried to write his own plays. So Nikolai inherited his talent for creativity on his father’s side. While studying at the Nizhyn gymnasium, he became famous for his love of composing bright and funny epigrams about his classmates and teachers.

Since the teaching staff educational institution was not distinguished by high professionalism, high school students had to devote a lot of time to self-education: they wrote out almanacs, prepared theatrical performances, published their own handwritten magazine. At that time Gogol had not yet thought about writing career. He dreamed of entering the civil service, which was then considered prestigious.

Petersburg period

Moving to St. Petersburg in 1828 and the much-desired public service did not bring moral satisfaction to Nikolai Gogol. It turned out that office work was boring.

At the same time, Gogol's first published poem, Hans Küchelgarten, appeared. But the writer is also disappointed in her. And so much so that he personally takes the published materials from the store and burns them.

Life in St. Petersburg has a depressing effect on the writer: uninteresting work, dull climate, financial problems... He increasingly thinks about returning to his picturesque native village in Ukraine. It was the memories of the homeland that were embodied in the well conveyed national color in one of the most famous works writer "Evenings on a farm near Dikanka". This masterpiece was warmly received by critics. And after Zhukovsky and Pushkin left positive reviews of “Evenings...”, the doors opened for Gogol into the world of real luminaries of the art of writing.

Inspired by the success of his first successful work, Gogol later a short time writes “Notes of a Madman”, “Taras Bulba”, “The Nose”, “Old World Landowners”. They further reveal the writer's talent. After all, no one before in his works had so accurately and vividly touched upon the psychology of “little” people. No wonder famous critic At that time, Belinsky spoke so enthusiastically about Gogol’s talent. One could find everything in his works: humor, tragedy, humanity, poetism. But despite all this, the writer continued to remain not completely satisfied with himself and his work. He believed that he civil position expressed too passively.

Having failed at public service, Nikolai Gogol decides to try his hand at teaching history at St. Petersburg University. But even here another fiasco awaited him. Therefore, he makes another decision: to devote himself entirely to creativity. But no longer as a contemplative writer, but as an active participant, a judge of heroes. In 1836, the bright satire “The Inspector General” came out from the author’s pen. Society received this work ambiguously. Perhaps because Gogol managed to very sensitively “touch a nerve”, showing all the imperfections of the society of that time. Once again, the writer, disappointed in his abilities, decides to leave Russia.

Roman holiday

Nikolai Gogol emigrates from St. Petersburg to Italy. The quiet life in Rome has a beneficial effect on the writer. It was here that he began to write a large-scale work - “Dead Souls”. And again society did not accept a real masterpiece. Gogol was accused of slandering his homeland, because society could not take the blow to the serfdom. Even the critic Belinsky took up arms against the writer.

Not accepted by society in the best possible way affected the writer's health. He made an attempt and wrote the second volume of Dead Souls, but he himself personally burned the handwritten version.

The writer died in Moscow in February 1852. Official reason death was called "nervous fever."

• Gogol was fond of knitting and sewing. He made the famous neckerchiefs for himself.
• The writer had the habit of walking along the streets only on the left side, which constantly disturbed passers-by.
• Nikolai Gogol loved sweets very much. You could always find candy or a piece of sugar in his pockets.
• The writer's favorite drink was goat milk, brewed with rum.
• The writer’s entire life was associated with mysticism and legends about his life, which gave rise to the most incredible, sometimes ridiculous rumors.

Born on March 20 (April 1), 1809 in the village of Sorochintsy, Poltava province, in the family of a landowner. Gogol was the third child, and in total there were 12 children in the family.

Training in the biography of Gogol took place at the Poltava School. Then in 1821 he entered the class of the Nizhyn gymnasium, where he studied justice. IN school years the writer was not particularly talented in his studies. He was only good at drawing lessons and studying Russian literature. He was only able to write mediocre works.

The beginning of a literary journey

In 1828, Gogol’s life took place when he moved to St. Petersburg. There he served as an official, tried to get a job as an actor in the theater and studied literature. Actor career things didn’t go well, and the service did not bring Gogol any pleasure, and at times even became a burden. And the writer decided to prove himself in the literary field.

In 1831, Gogol met representatives literary circles Zhukovsky and Pushkin, undoubtedly these acquaintances greatly influenced his future fate and literary activity.

Gogol and theater

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol showed interest in theater in his youth, after the death of his father, a wonderful playwright and storyteller.

Realizing the power of the theater, Gogol took up drama. Gogol's work "The Inspector General" was written in 1835, and first staged in 1836. Due to the negative reaction of the public to the production of “The Inspector General,” the writer leaves the country.

last years of life

In 1836, the biography of Nikolai Gogol included trips to Switzerland, Germany, Italy, as well as a short stay in Paris. Then, from March 1837, work continued on the first volume in Rome greatest work Gogol's "Dead Souls", which was conceived by the author back in St. Petersburg. After returning home from Rome, the writer publishes the first volume of the poem. While working on the second volume, Gogol suffered from a spiritual crisis. Even a trip to Jerusalem did not help improve the situation.

At the beginning of 1843 it was first printed famous story Gogol's "The Overcoat".