Dead Souls

10 hrs. 49 min.

Classics

Language Russian

Author Nikolai Gogol

Narrator Alexander Klyukvin

Description

The conflict of the work is reflected right in its title. A soul is an immortal entity in principle that cannot be dead—but in Gogol’s novel the story is precisely about dead souls. Chichikov, Korobochka, Sobakevich, Plyushkin… All of these are living faces whom each of us, one way or another, has encountered in real life. Perhaps even by noticing some of their traits within ourselves. They are dead and alive at the same time. Dead, because there is no love in them, no breadth, no light—nothing for which the human soul was intended. And alive, because you meet them again and again.

Although the subject is the soul, the book contains no reflections on lofty matters and no romanticism. This is a realistic work that captures the vulgarity of everyday human life, the pettiness of feelings and passions of a soul that has gone numb in gray weekdays. Who are dead souls? Those whom Chichikov buys? Chichikov himself—or the landowners selling them who visit him?.. The question remains open.

At the same time, the novel is full of deep humor. It highlights the «reverse sides» of modern reality; it is easy to read and serves as a vivid illustration of human existence.