Gogol:Die toten Seelen (Illustrierte Au

Dead Souls is a novel by Nikolai Gogol (1809-1852). The first part was published in 1842. Originally, a trilogy was planned, but Gogol completed only the first two parts, of which the second is only partially preserved. Gogol destroyed the original manuscript of the second part a few days before his death. The novel was intended to provide a comprehensive picture of the decaying social system in post-Napoleonic Russia. As in many of Gogol's short stories, the critique of society in 'Dead Souls' is primarily conveyed through absurd and humorous satire.

Regarding the plot: Pavel Chichikov grows up in impoverished conditions and, after a deprived youth, secures a small office position in a remote treasury department. Through diligence, sacrifice, flattery, and later also through pleasant manners, a polished demeanor, and business acumen, he rises to the position of department head and commission member. Initially, he fights against corruption, but eventually succumbs to it, living in luxury and losing his position, possessions, and money after a scandal. The same pattern repeats after another period of hardship when he rises within the customs office. He also makes a living as a corner lawyer, certifying the sale of serfs in this capacity, and discovers that some of them are already dead. This leads him to a business idea that, while illegal, manages to pass through the legal practice thanks to the discretion of the business partners. In Russia at that time, deceased serfs, referred to as 'souls,' were not removed from the lists until the next revision, thus remaining on paper as not dead and therefore still valuable property.