As an “anti-hero,” does Gogol’s character Chichikov criticize society or the individual?
As an Anti-Hero, Does Chichikov Criticize Society or the Individual?
Nikolay Gogol’s Dead Souls, while allegorically reflecting the bureaucratic, aristocratic and social degeneration of the Russian countryside, not only draws the portrait of an individual with the character of Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov at its center, but also deepens the criticism of an era, a mentality and a system. In this context, Chichikov is neither a hero in the classical sense nor a directly evil figure; on the contrary, he is an “anti-hero” who acts for pragmatic goals that conflict with ethical principles, existing in moral gray areas. However, the real question is this: Who does Gogol target through this figure – the individual or society?
- Chichikov as a Reflection of Society: The Product of Corrupt Systems
Chichikov’s plan to collect dead souls is not an original evil created by itself, but rather the product of a mind that exploits the gap in the existing bureaucratic system. The first philosophical issue that comes to mind at this point is the relationship between individual moral responsibility and structural conditions.
Here, a parallel can be drawn with Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s thesis that “human nature is essentially good, but society corrupts it.” Chichikov’s character is not an essentially immoral individual, but rather a figure trying to be “successful” in a system where moral principles have become invalid.
Therefore, Gogol constructs Chichikov as a mirror rather than an object of criticism. What is reflected in this mirror is not only the individual’s self-interest, but also the society’s corruption, woven with bribery, sycophancy, class obsession, and status fetishism.
- The Universal Weaknesses of the Individual: Moral Autonomy and the Self
On the other hand, Chichikov is not only a tool for system criticism, but also a representation of the individual’s moral fragility. According to a “moral law” in the Kantian sense, the individual must act according to the ethical principles he carries within himself as a rational being. However, Chichikov’s actions lack moral autonomy in this sense; his values are determined by external gains (money, position, reputation).
This brings us to an existential dilemma: the individual is responsible for his own choices; no circumstances exempt him from his ethical obligations. Sartre’s words “man is condemned to be free” resonate here. In other words, although Chichikov is the product of a system, he is also responsible as an individual whose choices turn the wheels of this system.
In this case, Gogol criticizes not only society, but also the way the individual confronts his own weaknesses. Chichikov’s personal motivations also reveal his inner emptiness and lack of search for meaning. A nihilistic impulsiveness pushes him to constantly change places, to change identities, but never to truly exist.
- Society-Individual Dialectic: The Double Face of Criticism
Gogol’s criticism is not directed solely at the individual or society at this point. Chichikov’s anti-hero emerges at the point where the dialectic between the individual and society breaks down. While society devalues the individual’s inner values, the individual reproduces this distorted value system. Chichikov is a vivid representation of this mutual degradation.
From this perspective, the criticism Gogol presents through Chichikov is not one-sided. He shows how individuals who do not adhere to ethical principles can easily adapt to corrupt systems, but at the same time, such individuals become the building blocks that ensure the continuation of the system.
Chichikov as Anti-Hero – A Mirror Showing Both Ends
Chichikov’s anti-heroism makes him neither a completely innocent victim of the system nor an absolute source of evil. His personality and actions represent the tragic existence of man caught between moral responsibility and social conditions.
Therefore, Gogol’s aim is not simply to criticize the individual or society; on a deeper level, he exposes the intertwined corruption of the individual and society. Chichikov is not a character, but an allegory of an era, a mentality, and an ethical loss. He is a double-faced mirror that shows both the emptiness within the individual and how society feeds this emptiness.
