Why Dead Souls is the main book about Russia

Historian Alexey Kuznetsov explains

On June 2, 1842, the first volume of Gogol’s “Dead Souls” was published - a book without which it is impossible to understand either Russian literature or Russia itself.

Why did Gogol conceive Dead Souls as a Russian version of Dante's Divine Comedy?

• How is the novel related to Homer's Odyssey?

• Why is Chichikov not an ordinary swindler, but the hero of a great journey?

• And what did Gogol see in Russia that, almost two centuries later, his book continues to seem surprisingly modern?

Historian Alexey Kuznetsov talks about Gogol’s plan, the fate of the second volume, the connection of “Dead Souls” with ancient literature and why true love for one’s country is impossible without understanding its shortcomings.

And advice: re-read Gogol’s poem as an adult.