N.V. Gogol, the writer who created Fair at the Sorotchintsi story

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol (1809 – 1852) was a classic Russian literary figure, writer, playwright, publicist, and critic. Gogol's most famous works include the collection "Evenings on a Farm Near Dikanka," dedicated to the customs and traditions of the Ukrainian people, and his greatest poem, "Dead Souls."

Childhood and Youth

Gogol was born on March 20 (April 1), 1809, in the village of Sorochintsy in the Poltava Governorate, to a landowner. He was the third child in a family of 12.

Gogol's biography won't be complete without mentioning his education at the Poltava School. Then, in 1821, he entered the Nizhyn Gymnasium of Higher Sciences, where he studied justice. During his school years, the writer did not excel academically. He excelled only in drawing and Russian literature. Even as a child, Gogol developed a love for the theater, and while at school, he participated in almost every theatrical production. As for his early literary works, we can only judge them by the poem "Ganz Küchelgarten," published in St. Petersburg. No other early works by Gogol have survived.

The Beginning of a Literary Journey

In 1828, Gogol moved to St. Petersburg. There, he served as a civil servant, tried to find work as an actor in the theater, and dabbled in literature. His acting career was not going well, and his service brought him no pleasure, and at times even a burden. So the writer decided to make a name for himself in the literary field.

Gogol's story "Basavryuk" was published first. Later, the story was reworked into "The Evening Before Ivan Kupala." It was this story that brought him fame. Before this, Gogol's writing had not brought him success.

Gogol's works "The Night Before Christmas," "May Night," "The Fair at Sorochintsy," "A Terrible Vengeance," and others from the same cycle poetically recreate the image of Ukraine. Ukraine was also vividly described in Gogol's "Taras Bulba."

In 1831, Gogol met literary figures Zhukovsky and Pushkin, and these acquaintances undoubtedly greatly influenced his future life and literary work.

Gogol and the Theater

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol's interest in theater began in his youth, after the death of his father.

Recognizing the power of theater, Gogol took up playwriting. Gogol's "The Government Inspector" was written in 1835 and first performed in 1836. Due to the negative public reaction to the production of "The Government Inspector," the writer left the country. 

The Last Years of Gogol's Life

1836 was a crucial period in Nikolai Gogol's biography: during this time, he traveled to Switzerland, Germany, Italy, and even France (he stayed for a time in Paris). Then, from March 1837, Gogol had been working on the first volume of his greatest work, Dead Souls, which the author had conceived while still in St. Petersburg, continued in Rome. After returning home from Rome, the writer published the first volume of the poem. While working on the second volume, Gogol suffered a spiritual crisis. Even a trip to Jerusalem failed to remedy the situation.

In early 1843, perhaps one of Gogol's most important stories, "The Overcoat," was first published.

On the night of February 11, 1852, Gogol burned the second volume of Dead Souls and died on February 21. 

Gogol is recognized as one of the most influential writers in Russian literature, known for his sharp satire, vivid imagination, and exploration of the absurdity of human behavior and bureaucracy. 

Gogol’s unique blend of grotesque humor, fantasy, and moral depth inspired later Russian authors such as Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, and Chekhov, as well as modernist and absurdist writers worldwide.