“Dead Souls” is one of the most extensive and significant works in Russian literature. Mr. Chichikov’s journey across Russia in order to buy “dead souls” is above all a large-scale study of a question that has worried Russian people at all times: “Rus’, where are you rushing to?” Here are reflected the most diverse characters and personalities; towns and villages flash before the hero’s eyes—Chichikov’s—and again and again the bird-troika spreads its wings...
In most collected works by N.V. Gogol, the first volume of the poem is printed in full, along with an early version of the second volume dated 1842. As is known, Gogol burned a later version of the second volume of the poem.