Summary
Chichikov and Selifan continue their journey and stop at an inn for a meal. Chichikov talks to the innkeeper about her village. They also talk about Manilov and Sobakevich. Suddenly, Nozdriov appears at the inn and recognizes Chichikov from the governor's party. He engages Chichikov in conversation and talks, at length, about gambling at a nearby fair. They also talk about Sobakevich and Nozdriov says various insulting things about Sobakevich's cheapness.
They continue to chat and Nozdriov forces his brother-in-law, who is sitting with them, to pay the innkeeper for his vodka. Chichikov departs with Nozdriov and his brother-in-law. The narrator describes Nozdriov as very charming but very unreliable and selfish, saying that he is a common type of unpleasant person. They arrive at Nozdriov's house and inspect his stables. His brother-in-law complains about the price he was supposed to pay for these horses, saying that he feels cheated by Nozdriov.
They then look at Nozdriov's dog kennel and his fields, while continuing to discuss financial matters. They sit down for dinner and have an unremarkable meal; much of the food is carelessly prepared. Nozdriov's brother-in-law gets up but then is criticized for trying to leave. Nozdriov insults him cruelly, calling him names and mocking his wife. Chichikov waits until Nozdriov's brother-in-law leaves and then brings up his desire to purchase dead souls.
Nozdriov denigrates Chichikov's plans and calls him a scoundrel. Nozdriov tries to convince Chichikov to buy some of his horses or dogs but Chichikov refuses. Then he attempts to get Chichikov to gamble for it, which he also refuses to do. The next day Nozdriov gets Chichikov to play a game of checkers for the souls. Chichikov initially accepts but then refuses to finish the game when he notices that Nozdriov has been cheating. Nozdriov flies into a rage and then is suddenly arrested by the police, as he has an outstanding assault charge against him.
Chichikov and Selifan continue on to Sobakevich's estate. On their way, Chichikov notices a very beautiful girl in another carriage. They arrive at Sobakevich's and notice that the estate is effectively run and in good order. At the same time, it is extremely bare and plain, as everything has been built with efficiency in mind. Sobakevich does not care about aesthetic beauty or embellishment. Sobakevich proves to be a cold and unsympathetic man, with unkind things to say about every single village official. Chichikov carefully explains his desire to purchase dead souls. Sobakevich haggles for a good price and eventually agrees to sell his list of names to Chichikov. Their arguing proves to be contentious, as Sobakevich wants a deposit and Chichikov demands a receipt.
Chichikov then travels to the estate of another landowner named Pliushkin, who Sobakevich mentions in the previous chapter. Pliushkin's estate is decrepit and decaying. Chichikov talks to Pliushkin and finds him to be repugnantly selfish and miserly. The narrator says that at one time Pliushkin was happily married but the death of his wife left him bitter and paranoid. He refuses to lend anyone money, even one of his daughters. He also constantly accuses his serfs of stealing from him. Chichikov asks to buy his dead souls and Pliushkin eventually concedes, thinking that he has successfully scammed Chichikov. Chichikov returns to town, feeling victorious.
Analysis
Greed is one of the most prominent themes in this section of the book. As Chichikov encounters Nozdriov, he sees the extent to which his desire for money has made him conniving and nasty. Nozdriov is constantly gambling away all of his money and then borrowing more from his brother-in-law. At the same time, he is also continually attempting to bet on various games, asking Chichikov to play cards and, later, checkers, as if his gambling is an overwhelming compulsion. When he doesn't get what he wants, he throws an angry tantrum. This is demonstrated in the scene where his brother-in-law gets up to leave without staying for a game of cards and Nozdriov hurls insults at him. Like some of the other landowners, Nozdriov's personality has been warped by greed, making him volatile and obsessive. Greed corrupts Nozdriov, preventing him from having any kind of meaningful relationships not informed by his wants or needs.
Adaptation is another key theme in these chapters. Like Chichikov, Nozdriov is described as being good with people. Handsome and charming, Nozdriov is able to easily convince people to lend him money, despite being a known gambler and cheater. In the character of Nozdriov, Gogol reveals the danger of Nozdriov's actions, as he is able to manipulate people into doing what he wants. His likability has no connection to him actually being kind or reliable. In fact, it becomes very apparent that as soon as he is denied something his entire demeanor changes and all of that superficial warmth falls away. Gogol reveals that this false behavior is fundamentally untrustworthy, as Nozdriov's act hinges on his pursuit of money.
Russia's future also appears as a theme in this part of the book. Sobakevich's farm is in good order. He is familiar with the land and is capable of directing the labor of his serfs. He is brutally efficient and his estate has nothing of aesthetic value, as he only cares about productivity. Unsurprisingly, he is also a harsh man with lots of unkind things to say about the people around him. The narrator seems to suggest that while men like Sobakevich are successful and profit a great deal, their example is a bad one for Russian prosperity. While Sobakevich seems like the most able of the landowners, a country filled with landowners like him would be a place without fellow feeling or any sense of beauty. Sobakevich-like nobles are solely concerned with profit margins. However, the fact that he is so wealthy, and is easily able to bargain with Chichikov, indicates that the narrator believes there is a strong chance Sobakevich types will be prosperous in Russia's future, and that people will likely attempt to emulate them.
Greed also appears as an important theme in the chapter about Pliushkin. Yet, unlike Nozdriov, Pliushkin's greed is not motivated by gambling, but instead by distrust and bitterness. Pliushkin was once a happily married man with two daughters, however after his wife died, he became very cheap and greedy, hoarding his wealth. He refuses to give his daughter money on various occasions and often accuses the serfs of stealing from him. He has no compassion for anyone and only enjoys cheating other people out of money. His greed is framed by the narrator as supremely wasteful, as he never spends his money and will not pass it on. He collects and guards it for no other reason than to keep it away from others. Like Nozdriov, he is a man ruined by his greed and selfishness, cut off from the world because of his fixation on money. Gogol reveals, in a different light, another way in which money can sour an individual's soul.
In this section of the book, Chichikov continues his journey and bears witness to the terrible effects of money and greed. In Nozdriov, he sees gambling make him rageful and cruel. In Pliushkin, he watches miserliness make him miserable and vicious. Finally, in Sobakevich, he sees a desire for efficiency turn him heartless. These characters all offer a view of Chichikov himself, as his motivations are the same as theirs: a wish for wealth, land, and status. Like a premonition, these three landowners show what Chichikov will likely become if he continues to focus only on money, with no thought about morality or honesty.
