This article will examine the characteristics of the landowner Sobakevich, one of the main characters in Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol’s work “Dead Souls”. It is interesting that the idea of this poem belonged to the great poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, and Gogol only fulfilled his promise to him - he created the work.
It should be noted that he did not completely fulfill his mission, because initially it was planned to create three volumes of the poem (in the likeness of Hell, Purgatory and Paradise), but only the first one reached the reader. There is an assumption that the almost completely finished second volume was destroyed by the writer for unknown reasons, and Gogol did not have time to write the third. In order to get even a little closer to unraveling the mysteries associated with the fate of these works of the great writer, modern philologists carefully analyze and study the images of his heroes, creating Sobakevich, Korobochka, Manilov, Nozdrev, Plyushkin and other characters in the work.
History of writing
It must be said that the poem “Dead Souls,” like many other works of the author, - immortal work literary art. It depicts reality Russia XIX century, which is reflected in today. The activities of ignorant officials, the arbitrariness of the authorities, a difficult fate ordinary people- all this is fully presented by the author on the pages of the work.
In addition to the fact that Nikolai Vasilyevich gives a description of different types of people, he also describes inanimate objects in detail, which allows the reader to clearly imagine the way of life Russian people in the 19th century. Create general idea The key figures of the poem provide information about the people of that time: Chichikov, Manilov, Korobochka, Plyushkin, Sobakevich. The characterization of the hero is presented by Gogol in such a way that each of them is endowed and typical features representatives of the era, and individual, different from others.
An interesting discovery of observers and researchers was also that the order of appearance of characters in Gogol’s poem is not random, everything is subject to a certain order. This fact allows us to get closer to understanding the main idea of the work.
Landowner Sobakevich: characterization of the hero
Many landowners sold dead souls. Special attention Sobakevich Mikhailo Semenovich deserves among them. The author introduces the reader to this hero long before his appearance in the plot. First, Gogol describes his possessions, as if preparing the reader for the perception of such a complex character as Sobakevich. The character's characteristics are revealed through a detailed depiction of his village, a large settlement with strong buildings. Sobakevich’s own house was a solid structure and seemed to last forever. Peasant estates were also distinguished by their quality and reliability. But what Chichikov noticed when he entered Sobakevich’s village was that the owner of the property was not at all concerned about the aesthetics of the buildings; there was not a single extra “useless” decorative element on them. Appearance buildings were not distinguished by sophistication, practicality and functionality - that’s main feature buildings owned by the landowner Sobakevich.
The characteristics of the hero can also be traced in the description of the surrounding nature. The author says that on one side of the village there was a pine forest, and on the other, a birch forest. He compares the forests with the wings of a bird, only one of them is light and the other is dark. So Gogol makes it clear to the reader that Sobakevich, the owner of the estate, is endowed with different personal qualities.
Appearance of the landowner
A brief description of Sobakevich, in particular his appearance, is given by the author in the work itself. Gogol compares the hero with a medium-sized bear, focusing on his “bear”-colored tailcoat. Even the name, Mikhailo Semenovich, was not chosen by chance; it is involuntarily associated with a brown, club-footed animal. In addition, the landowner Sobakevich moved like a bear, every now and then stepping on someone’s feet.
The hero has a hot, red-hot complexion, which undoubtedly once again indicates the inviolability and strength of his nature.
Character traits
The author describes the character of the hero superbly. He is revealed not only in his appearance, gait, gestures, but also in his manner of speaking, and in his entire way of life. From the first words, the hero is credited with absolute down-to-earth views and interests.
Every detail in Sobakevich’s premises was very similar to its owner. The paintings hanging in his house depicted Greek heroes resembling Mikhail Semenovich in appearance. Similar to it were the walnut bureau and the dark-colored blackbird with spots.
The writer is presented as a strong, prudent owner, Mikhailo Sobakevich. The characterization of the hero makes it clear that his peasants live reliably and calmly under his leadership. And his efficiency and natural power, which began to look like dull inertia, are a problem, not the hero’s fault.
Outlook on life
Sobakevich is hostile to everything related to spirituality. In his understanding, culture and enlightenment are harmful and useless inventions. The main thing for him is to take care of his own well-being and a well-fed existence under any circumstances.
In a conversation with Chichikov, our hero shows himself to be a predator with a death grip, ready any to take possession of the spoils at a price. It is in this vein that the author characterizes Sobakevich. Dead souls - that's what Chichikov came to him for, and Mikhailo Semenych immediately called a spade a spade, without waiting until they began to bore him with hints. He was not ashamed to bargain and even cheat, slipping Elizaveta Sparrow to Chichikov. During the transaction, the main qualities of the landowner Sobakevich appeared. His straightforwardness and savvyness sometimes bordered on rudeness, cynicism and ignorance.
Mikhailo Semenovich personally wrote a list of all his deceased peasants, in addition, he talked about each of them - what he did, what character traits he had. At first glance, it may seem that Sobakevich is worried about his subordinates, since he knows so much about them. But in fact, he is guided by a simple calculation - he does not care who lives in his domain, and he knows well who can be useful to him and how.
Sobakevich's relationship with his environment
An attentive reader will undoubtedly notice how Sobakevich is similar to other heroes and how he differs. The main ones have already been mentioned above. It is also worth paying attention to the fact that Sobakevich does not accept stinginess, as evidenced by his desire for his subordinates to live well, and criticism towards the landowner Plyushkin, who, having eight hundred peasant souls, eats like a shepherd. Sobakevich himself loved to eat delicious food. He also understands that he can get more from a strong peasant farm, which is probably why he keeps his charges in abundance.
The landowner speaks unflatteringly about officials, calling them “Christ-sellers” and swindlers. But this does not prevent him from doing business with them and concluding deals. And not a single one at all kind words did not come out of his mouth when he spoke about people with whom he was friends or communicated.
Conclusions
That the author leaves Sobakevich a chance for revival, attributing to him many good qualities, there is no doubt that the soul of the landowner is dead. He, like many others, does not allow changes around and within himself, because only the person who has a soul can change.
The Domain of Sobakevich Mikhail Semenovich Sobakevich in the poem “Dead Souls” appears before the readers as the fourth character in the gallery of images. Acquaintance with him begins long before the appearance of the hero himself. A large village with strong and substantial buildings opens up to Chichikov’s gaze. The house of the landowner himself seemed to be destined for “eternal standing.” The buildings that belonged to the peasants also surprised Chichikov with their reliability and good quality. When describing the landscape, you need to pay attention to the forests that surround the village. On one side there was a birch forest, and on the other, a pine forest. This also indicates the thriftiness of the owner of the estate. Gogol compares the forest with the wings of the same bird, but one of them is light and the other is dark. Perhaps this is an indication of the character's character. This is how Gogol prepares the reader to perceive the complex image of the landowner Sobakevich.
Appearance of Sobakevich Description of Sobakevich, his external characteristics Gogol gives in comparison with animals and inanimate objects. This is a medium-sized clumsy bear. He moves by stepping on someone's feet. His tailcoat is bear-colored. Even the name, Mikhailo Semenovich, evokes in the reader an association with an animal. It was not by chance that Gogol did this. Characteristics of Sobakevich, description of him inner world It begins precisely with the perception of the character’s appearance. After all, we first of all pay attention to such features. Sobakevich’s complexion, which was red-hot, hot, like a copper coin, also indicates some kind of strength, inviolability of character.
Description of the interior and the image of the hero of the poem The interior of the rooms where Sobakevich lived is unusually similar to the image of the owner. Here the chairs, the table, and the table were just as clumsy, bulky, and heavy as he was. The reader, having familiarized himself with the description of the hero’s appearance and his environment, can assume that his spiritual interests are limited, that he is too close to the world of material life.
What distinguishes Sobakevich from other landowners The image of the landowner Sobakevich, having a lot common features with other characters in the poem, but at the same time is very different from them. This brings some variety. The landowner Sobakevich not only loves reliability and strength in everything, but also gives his serfs the opportunity to live thoroughly and stand firmly on their feet. This shows the practical acumen and efficiency of this character. When the deal with Chichikov for the sale took place dead souls, Sobakevich personally wrote a list of his deceased peasants. At the same time, he remembered not only their names, but also the crafts that his subordinates owned. He could describe each of them - name the attractive and negative aspects of a person’s character. This indicates that the landowner is not indifferent to who lives in his village and who he owns. At the right moment, he will use the qualities of his people, of course, to his benefit. He absolutely does not accept excessive stinginess and condemns his neighbors for it. This is what Sobakevich says about Plyushkin, who, having eight hundred souls of serfs, eats worse than a shepherd. Mikhailo Semenovich himself is very happy to please his stomach. Gluttony is perhaps his main business in life
Closing the deal This is interesting point in the poem. The moment of concluding a deal related to the purchase of dead souls tells a lot about Sobakevich. The reader notices that the landowner is smart - he understands instantly what Chichikov wants. Once again, such traits as practicality and the desire to do everything for one’s benefit come to the fore. In addition, in this situation Sobakevich’s straightforwardness is manifested. Sometimes it turns into rudeness, ignorance, cynicism, which is the real essence of the character.
What is alarming in the description of the hero’s image is Sobakevich’s characterization, some of his actions and statements make the reader wary. Although much of what the landowner does, at first glance, seems worthy of respect. For example, the desire to ensure that the peasants stand firmly on their feet does not at all indicate Sobakevich’s high spirituality. This is done only to benefit oneself - there is always something to take from the strong economy of the subjects. Sobakevich says about city officials that they are swindlers, “Christ-sellers.” And this is most likely true. But all of the above does not prevent him from having some profitable business and relationships with these scammers. His attitude towards science and education is sharply negative. And Mikhailo Semenovich would hang the people who are doing this - he hates them so much. This is probably due to the fact that Sobakevich understands: education can shake the established foundations, and this is unprofitable for the landowner. This is where his heaviness and stability of views come from.
Mortality of the soul Sobakevich’s characterization with all its positive and negative aspects allows us to make main conclusion: the landowner Mikhailo Semenovich is dead, just like his neighbors, officials from the city, and the adventurer Chichikov. Having an established character and way of life, Sobakevich and his neighbors will not allow any changes around them. Why do they need this? To change, a person needs a soul, but these people don’t have it. Gogol never managed to look into the eyes of Sobakevich and other characters in the poem (except Plyushkin). This technique once again indicates the absence of a soul. The deadness of the characters is also evidenced by the fact that the author tells very little about the family ties of the heroes. One gets the impression that they all came from nowhere, they have no roots, which means they have no life.
The idea for the poem “Dead Souls,” which became immortal, was presented to Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol by the poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. Creating a work is the main mission that Gogol had to fulfill. The writer himself thought so. Gogol's plans included writing three volumes of the poem (in the likeness of Hell, Purgatory, Paradise). Only the first volume of the work was written and published. Only he reached the reader. The sad fate of the second volume and the reasons that gave rise to it remain a mystery to this day. Modern philologists in their works try to unravel the mysteries associated with writing a work. For this purpose, the images created in the poem are carefully studied and analyzed, and characteristics of Sobakevich, Manilov, Korobochka and other main characters are given.
Gallery of poem images
In the poem “The Adventures of Chichikov, or Dead Souls,” and it was under this title that the work was published for the first time, a whole gallery of images is presented - different types of people and even inanimate objects. Using this technique, Gogol masterfully depicts the way of life in Russia in the 19th century.
It shows common features - the ignorance of officials, the arbitrariness of the authorities, the plight of the people. At the same time, the poem clearly presents the characters of individual characters and their individual characteristics.
For example, the image of Sobakevich, Plyushkin, Korobochka, Nozdrev, Manilov, Chichikov allows the reader to understand that the heroes are typical representatives of a certain era, although each brings something of their own, individual, different from the others. The appearances of characters in Gogol's poem are not random moments. Their presentation to the reader is subject to a certain order, which is very important for revealing general plan works.
Sobakevich's possessions
Mikhail Semenovich Sobakevich in the poem “Dead Souls” appears before the readers as the fourth character in the gallery of images. Acquaintance with him begins long before the appearance of the hero himself.
A large village with strong and substantial buildings opens up to Chichikov’s gaze. The house of the landowner himself seemed to be destined for “eternal standing.” The buildings that belonged to the peasants also surprised Chichikov with their reliability and good quality.
It’s immediately obvious that the owner doesn’t care about the outside of the buildings or their aesthetics at all. What is important is the functionality, the practical benefit of what surrounds it.
When describing the landscape, you need to pay attention to the forests that surround the village. On one side there was a birch forest, and on the other, a pine forest. This also indicates the thriftiness of the owner of the estate. Gogol compares the forest with the wings of the same bird, but one of them is light and the other is dark. Perhaps this is an indication of the character's character. This is how Gogol prepares the reader to perceive the complex image of the landowner Sobakevich.
Appearance of the hero
Gogol gives a description of Sobakevich and his external characteristics in comparison with animals and inanimate objects.
This is a medium-sized clumsy bear. He moves by stepping on someone's feet. His tailcoat is bear-colored. Even the name, Mikhailo Semenovich, evokes in the reader an association with an animal.
It was not by chance that Gogol did this. The characterization of Sobakevich, the description of his inner world begins precisely with the perception of the character’s appearance. After all, we first of all pay attention to such features.
Sobakevich’s complexion, which was red-hot, hot, like a copper coin, also indicates some kind of strength, inviolability of character.
Description of the interior and the image of the hero of the poem
The interior of the rooms where Sobakevich lived is unusually similar to the image of the owner. Here the chairs, the table, and the table were just as clumsy, bulky, and heavy as he was.
The reader, having familiarized himself with the hero and his environment, can assume that his spiritual interests are limited, that he is too close to the world of material life.
What distinguishes Sobakevich from other landowners
An attentive reader will definitely notice this difference. The image of the landowner Sobakevich, having many common features with other characters in the poem, is at the same time very different from them. This brings some variety.
The landowner Sobakevich not only loves reliability and strength in everything, but also gives his serfs the opportunity to live thoroughly and stand firmly on their feet. This shows the practical acumen and efficiency of this character.
When did the deal with Chichikov take place? selling the dead shower, Sobakevich personally wrote a list of his deceased peasants. At the same time, he remembered not only their names, but also the crafts that his subordinates owned. He could describe each of them - name the attractive and negative sides of a person’s character.
This indicates that the landowner is not indifferent to who lives in his village and who he owns. At the right moment, he will use the qualities of his people, of course, to his benefit.
He absolutely does not accept excessive stinginess and condemns his neighbors for it. This is what Sobakevich says about Plyushkin, who, having eight hundred souls, eats worse than a shepherd. Mikhailo Semenovich himself is very happy to please his stomach. Gluttony is perhaps his main business in life.
Closing the deal
This is an interesting point in the poem. The moment of concluding a deal related to the purchase of dead souls tells a lot about Sobakevich. The reader notices that the landowner is smart - he understands instantly what Chichikov wants. Once again, such traits as practicality and the desire to do everything for one’s benefit come to the fore.
In addition, in this situation Sobakevich’s straightforwardness is manifested. Sometimes it turns into rudeness, ignorance, cynicism, which is the real essence of the character.
What is alarming in the description of the hero’s image?
The characterization of Sobakevich, some of his actions and statements make the reader wary. Although much of what the landowner does, at first glance, seems worthy of respect. For example, the desire to ensure that the peasants stand firmly on their feet does not at all indicate Sobakevich’s high spirituality. This is done only for the benefit of oneself - there is always something to take from the strong economy of the subjects.
Sobakevich says about city officials that they are swindlers, “Christ-sellers.” And this is most likely true. But all of the above does not prevent him from having some profitable business and relationships with these scammers.
The reader is also alarmed by the fact that he did not say a single kind word about a single person with whom Sobakevich knew, with whom he was friends, if you can call it that.
His attitude towards science and education is sharply negative. And Mikhailo Semenovich would hang the people who are doing this - he hates them so much. This is probably due to the fact that Sobakevich understands: education can shake the established foundations, and this is unprofitable for the landowner. This is where his heaviness and stability of views come from.
Mortality of Sobakevich's soul
The characterization of Sobakevich with all its positive and negative aspects allows us to draw the main conclusion: the landowner Mikhailo Semenovich is dead just like his neighbors, officials from the city, and the adventurer Chichikov. The reader clearly understands this.
Having an established character and way of life, Sobakevich and his neighbors will not allow any changes around them. Why do they need this? To change, a person needs a soul, but these people don’t have it. Gogol never managed to look into the eyes of Sobakevich and other characters in the poem (except Plyushkin). This technique once again indicates the absence of a soul.
The deadness of the characters is also evidenced by the fact that the author tells very little about the family ties of the heroes. One gets the impression that they all came from nowhere, they have no roots, which means they have no life.
Sobakevich comes fourth in the gallery of Gogol's landowners. This image is compared to Shakespeare’s Caliban, but there is also a lot in it that is purely Russian and national.
The main features of Sobakevich are intelligence, efficiency, practical acumen, but at the same time he is characterized by tight-fistedness, some kind of ponderous stability in his views, character, and way of life. These features are already noticeable in the Portrait of the Hero itself, which looks like a “medium-sized” bear. They even call him Mikhail Semenovich. “To complete the similarity, the tailcoat he was wearing was completely bear-colored, the sleeves were long, the trousers were long, he walked with his feet this way and that, constantly stepping on other people’s feet. The complexion had a red-hot, hot complexion, like what happens on a copper coin.”
In Sobakevich’s portrait we can feel the grotesque motive of the hero’s rapprochement with an animal, with a thing. Thus, Gogol emphasizes the limited interests of the landowner in the world of material life.
Gogol also reveals the qualities of the hero through landscape, interior and dialogues. Sobakevich's village is "quite large." To the left and right of her are “two forests, birch and pine, like two wings, one dark, the other lighter.” Already these forests speak of the landowner’s thriftiness, his practical savvy.
The owner's estate is fully consistent with the external and internal appearance. Sobakevich does not care at all about aesthetics, external beauty surrounding objects, thinking only about their functionality. Chichikov, approaching Sobakevich’s house, notes that during construction, obviously, “the architect constantly struggled with the taste of the owner.” “The architect was a pedant and wanted symmetry, the owner wanted convenience...” notes Gogol. This “convenience”, concern for the functionality of objects, is manifested in Sobakevich in everything. The landowner's yard is surrounded by a "strong and excessively thick wooden lattice", the stables and barns are made of full-weight, thick logs, even the village huts of the peasants are "cut down marvelously" - "everything... is fitted tightly and properly."
The situation in Sobakevich’s house reproduces the same “strong, clumsy order.” The table, armchairs, chairs - everything is “of the heaviest and most restless quality”; in the corner of the living room there is a “pot-bellied walnut bureau on the most absurd four legs, a perfect bear.” On the walls hang pictures of “Greek generals” - unusually strong and tall fellows, “with such thick thighs and an incredible mustache that trembling runs through the body.”
It is characteristic that the motif of heroism reappears here, “playing the role of a positive ideological pole in the poem.” And this motif is set not only by the images of Greek commanders, but also by the portrait of Sobakevich himself, who has “the strongest and most wonderfully polished image.” This motif reflected Gogol’s dream of Russian heroism, which, according to the writer, lies not only in physical strength, but also in the “countless wealth of the Russian spirit.” The writer captures here the very essence of the Russian soul: “Russian movements will rise... and they will see how deeply ingrained into Slavic nature is that which slipped only through the nature of other peoples.”
However, in the image of Sobakevich, the “wealth of the Russian spirit” is suppressed by the world of material life. The landowner is concerned only with preserving his wealth and the abundance of the table. Most of all, he loves to eat well and tasty, not recognizing foreign diets. So, Sobakevich’s lunch is very “varied”: stuffed lamb stomach is served with cabbage soup, followed by “side of lamb with porridge”, cheesecakes, stuffed turkey and jam. “When I have pork, bring the whole pig to the table, bring the whole lamb, bring the whole goose, bring the whole goose!” - he says to Chichikov. Here Gogol debunks gluttony, one of the human vices that Orthodoxy fights.
It is characteristic that Sobakevich is far from stupid: he immediately realized the essence of Pavel Ivanovich’s lengthy speech and quickly set his price for the dead peasants. The landowner is logical and consistent when bargaining with Chichikov.
Sobakevich is insightful in his own way, endowed with a sober view of things. He has no illusions about city officials: “... these are all scammers; the whole city is like this: a swindler sits on a swindler and drives the swindler around.” The words of the hero here contain the truth of the author, his position.
Sobakevich's intelligence, his insight and, at the same time, the “wildness”, unsociability, and unsociability of the landowner are manifested in his speech. Sobakevich expresses himself very clearly, concisely, without excessive “prettyness” or floridity. Thus, to Chichikov’s lengthy rantings about the burdensome landowner’s obligation to pay taxes for revision souls who have “finished their career in life,” Mikhail Ivanovich “reacts” with one phrase; "Do you need dead souls?" When discussing acquaintances, the landowner may swear and use “strong words.”
The image of Sobakevich in the poem is static: the readers are not presented life story hero, any spiritual changes in him. However, the character that appears before us is lively and multifaceted. As in the chapters devoted to other landowners, Gogol uses here all the elements of the composition (landscape, interior, portrait, speech), subordinating them to the leitmotif of this image.
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When we talk about aristocrats, what often appears in our imagination is a fit, slender, handsome young man. When it comes to landowners, we are always lost, because in literature we often see two types of such heroes. The former try to imitate aristocrats and are used mainly in comic situations, since imitation is more like a caricature of aristocratic life. The latter are masculine-looking, rude and not much different from peasants.
In N.V. Gogol’s story “Dead Souls” the reader has a unique opportunity to analyze different types landowners. One of the most colorful of them is Sobakevich.
Appearance of Sobakevich
Mikhailo Semenovich Sobakevich is one of the landowners to whom Chichikov turns with a request to sell dead souls. Sobakevich's age varies between 40-50 years.
"Bear! perfect bear! You need such a strange rapprochement: he was even called Mikhail Semenovich” - this is the first impression of this man.
His face is round and rather unattractive in appearance, resembling a pumpkin. “The complexion had a red-hot, hot complexion, the kind you get on a copper coin.”
His facial features were unpleasant, as if hewn with an ax - rough. His face never expressed any emotion - it seemed that he had no soul.
He also had a bearish gait - every now and then he would step on someone’s feet. It is true that at times his movements were not without dexterity.
Mikhailo Semenych has unique health - in his entire life he has never been sick, he has never even had a boil. Sobakevich himself thinks that this is not good - someday he will have to pay for it.
Sobakevich family
Sobakevich’s family is small and is limited to his wife Feodulia Ivanovna. She is as simple and a woman as her husband. Aristocratic habits are alien to her. The author does not directly say anything about the relationship between the spouses, but the fact that they address each other as “darling” indicates a family idyll in their personal lives.
The story also contains references to Sobakevich's late father. According to the recollections of other heroes, he was even larger and stronger than his son and could walk against a bear alone.
The image and characteristics of Sobakevich
Mikhailo Semenovich is an unpleasant looking person. In communication with him, this impression is partially confirmed. This is a rude person, he has no sense of tact.
The image of Sobakevich is devoid of romanticism and tenderness. He is very straightforward - a typical entrepreneur. It's rare to surprise him. He calmly discusses with Chichikov the possibility shopping dead shower as if it were the acquisition of bread.
“You needed souls, so I’m selling them to you,” he says calmly.
The images of money and thrift are firmly attached to the image of Sobakevich - he strives for material gain. On the contrary, the concepts are completely alien to him cultural development. He doesn't strive to get an education. He believes that he has a great understanding of people and can immediately tell everything about a person.
Sobakevich does not like to stand on ceremony with people and speaks extremely disapprovingly of all his acquaintances. He easily finds flaws in everyone. He calls all the landowners of the county “swindlers.” He says that among all the noble people of the district, only one is worthy - the prosecutor, but at the same time adds that if you look carefully, then he is also a “pig”.
We invite you to get acquainted with the “Image of Chichikov” in the poem by N.V. Gogol “Dead Souls”
The measure of a good life for Sobakevich is the quality of dinners. He loves to eat well. Russian cuisine is preferable for him; he does not accept culinary innovations, considers them stupidity and nonsense. Mikhailo Semenovich is sure that only he has food good quality- the cooks of all the other landowners, and what of them, and the governor himself, prepare food from poor quality products. And some of them are prepared from such that the cook throws it in the trash.
Sobakevich's attitude towards the peasants
Sobakevich loves to take part in all work, along with the peasants. He takes care of them. Because he believes that employees who are treated well work better and more diligently.
When selling his “dead souls,” Sobakevich praises his serfs with might and main. He talks about their talents and sincerely regrets that he lost such good workers.
Sobakevich does not want to be left in the cold, so he asks Chichikov for a deposit for his peasants. It is difficult to say exactly how many “souls” were sold. It is certainly known that there were more than twenty of them (Sobakevich asks for a deposit of 50 rubles, stipulating the price for each at 2.5 rubles).
Sobakevich's estate and house
Sobakevich does not like sophistication and decoration. In buildings he values reliability and strength. The well in his yard was made of thick logs, “of which mills are usually built.” The buildings of all peasants are similar to a manor's house: neatly built and without a single decoration.