Nikolai Gogol

12. At birth Nikolai Vasilyevich received the surname Yanovsky. His mother was married off at 14 to a man two years older. The father of the future classic of world literature was a poet, playwright, served up to college assessor. It was the father who filed a petition to have his 11-year-old son recognized as a nobleman and to fix the surname Gogol-Yanovsky.

13. Nikolai Gogol fell in love with theater while studying at the Gymnasium of Higher Sciences in the city of Nezhina, where they considered the best method of teaching, and did not recognize, for example, Pushkin and Zhukovsky. Gogol together with comrades organized a literary circle. They published their handwritten journal and acted out all sorts of scenes. Researchers believe that the acting talent got to the writer from his father who was a fine storyteller and even authored several theater plays.

14. Nikolai Vasilyevich had many oddities. For example, always walked only on the left side of sidewalks and roads when other pedestrians walked on the right. It was not without collisions.

15. Gogol was never rich and did not aspire to be rich.

16. Gogol is Ukrainian. But he calls and considers himself Russian. And Ukrainians calls little Russians.

1. Nikolai Gogol since childhood was engaged in needlework - he knew how to knit on needles, weave belts and sew outfits for his sisters.

2. The writer was very fond of miniature books - for example, he wrote an encyclopedia on mathematics with all the dislike of this science, since the size of the book was about 10 centimeters in length and 7 in width.

3. While working on his masterpieces, Gogol often rolled balls of breadcrumbs or ate sweets.

4. Nikolai Gogol died a month before his 43rd birthday - the writer stopped eating, went to bed and fell into unconsciousness. All attempts by friends and doctors to save him proved futile.

5. Nikolai Gogol liked to serve his guests a drink, jokingly called by himself "Gogol-Mogul" - it included goat's milk and rum.

6. The writer took sugar from the hotels where he stayed to eat it after work. Gogol in general was a big fan of sweets – could eat a whole jar of jam in one sitting.

7. Gogol told friends that French doctors allegedly discovered an abnormality in his body - the writer's stomach was turned "upside down".

8. Nikolai Gogol was never married and had no children. There is no record of his love affairs.

9. Gogol loved to cook - especially he liked dumplings and galushki. The writer's favorite dish was Italian pasta with spices and parmesan.

10. Nikolai Gogol categorically did not like his nose, although he devoted a separate work to this part of the body. Interestingly, in all the portraits of the writer, his nose looks different, as he asked to draw it differently each time to make the nose look more perfect.

11. Gogol was very afraid of thunder and lightning, and also that he would be buried alive. Also the writer feared strangers. And if a stranger appeared in the room, he immediately tried to leave.

Manner of dressing

Gogol, especially in his youth, was a famous prankster. After moving to St. Petersburg, he spent considerable funds on fashionable clothes:

· He wore colored tailcoats, bright waistcoats, light pantaloons. · Carefully picked ties and neckcloths. · Overall, his style could seem even a little extravagant for its time.

Over the years, as his religious and ascetic sentiments deepened, his clothes became much more modest, dark, and simple.

Gogol was of short stature - about 1.55-1.60 m. He was thin, and in mature years even miserly. His figure did not differ from the article, he stooped and walked a little mess. At the same time, in his manner of holding many noted a hidden irony and attentiveness.

Face

Gogol’s face was perhaps the most expressive part of his appearance.

· Nose: His most famous and often mocked feature was a long, pointed and strongly forward-protruding nose. He was so expressive that he became almost an independent "hero" in the writer's work. · Hair: Gogol wore long, dark blonde (or auburn) hair that he combed to one side. They fell upon the forehead and whiskers in characteristic strands, or, as they were called, "cocks." He hadn’t cut his hair in quite some time, and this hairstyle was his calling card. · Forehead: A high, open and smart forehead that contrasts sharply with the fine features of the lower part of the face. · Lips and chin: Thin, compressed lips and a small, weakly defined chin. The corners of the lips were often lowered, giving the face an expression of slight derision or displeasure. · Beard and mustache: In his youth, Gogol wore a small mustache and sideburns, but in his mature years was generally smooth-shaven.

Eyes

This was the most remarkable and piercing detail of his appearance. Contemporaries described them differently, but all converged in their extraordinary expressiveness.

· Colour: Most commonly they were called black or grey. · Expression: Gogle’s eyes were small but incredibly alive, insightful and intelligent. They, according to the memoir, "glowed with thought" and seemed radiant. Artist I. E. Repin, who wrote his portrait, noted that his look was at once mocking and weary. They could be kind and cheerful in moments of good mood, but more often they read deep thoughtfulness and weariness.

Closure and Secrecy Gogol extremely rarely shared his real experiences and creative plans. Even close friends (such as Aksakov) complained that they could not understand what he had in mind. He carefully guarded his inner world.

Perfectionism and Self-Criticism He could rewrite the finished chapters 8 times, bringing them to the ideal. Gogol was his own harshest critic. The famous story with the burning of the second volume of "Dead Souls" - the apogee of his creative and personal dissatisfaction. He believed that his work would fail to fulfill that high spiritual mission which he assigned to it.

Religiosity and Mysticism Over the years, Gogol became increasingly religious and ascetic. He saw in his work not just art, but a tool for moral correction of society and the service of God. He was haunted by a mystical fear of "imperfection", he saw in the ordinary world the manifestation of dark forces (which is especially vivid in early works like "Viy" and "Portrait").

Opinion and hypochondria Gogol was convinced that he had many serious diseases. He constantly listened to his body, was treated with different methods (often questionable) and depended heavily on his mental and physical condition.

Duality and "two souls" Gogol was often described as a man with two different identities:

· "Gogol secular": In society he could be nice, witty, good conversationalist, knew how to imitate people and tell funny stories. He was attentive to friends, helped young writers with money. · "Gogol the Solitary": Alone with himself this was a gloomy, closed off, absorbed in his thoughts, a man subject to long periods of melancholy, religious searching and rigorous self-analysis.

Oddities and Eccentricities

· In everyday life: Was known for his strange habits. He wrote, for example, only standing behind a special contour and rolling balls of bread. · In conversation: Could unexpectedly laugh in the middle of a serious conversation and just as unexpectedly fall silent. · Appearance: Was very careful about his clothes, could be flirtatious, especially when young.

How did these traits manifest in life?

· In creativity: His duality is the root of his genius. The ability to be a secular observer helped him create incredibly accurate and vivid satirical images ("The Auditor," the first volume of "Dead Souls"). And his inner, lonely, mystical side gave birth to the most profound and philosophical texts ("Overcoat", "Portrait", the second volume of "Dead Souls"). · In relationships with friends: He could be warm and caring, but his secretiveness and sudden mood swings often offended and repulsed even the closest people, such as Zhukovsky or Pushkin. · At the end of life: All these contradictions reached a peak. Spiritual crisis, misunderstanding by critics who expected him to continue satire rather than preach, and physical exhaustion led to his tragic death surrounded by mystery (including due to his refusal to eat).

Gogol was a brilliant writer with a wounded soul who spent his life searching for the truth and trying to reconcile the sarcastic satirist with the harsh religious preacher. His character is a lump of contradictions: funny and tragic, brilliant and morbid, secular and reclusive.