Summary
Chichikov wakes up in the home of Nastasia Petrovna Korobotchka, a penny-pinching widow who owns a small but prosperous village. What should be a simple business transaction—buying the legal rights to her dead serfs—turns into an exhausting battle of wills. Korobotchka keeps pretending not to understand the concept, fixating on the fact that the souls are 'dead' and therefore worthless, while simultaneously trying to extract maximum value from the deal. Chichikov grows increasingly frustrated as he explains again and again that he'll pay fifteen rubles per dead serf and handle all the paperwork and taxes going forward. The widow's stubborn confusion seems partly genuine ignorance and partly calculated stalling—she's never done this kind of business before but senses there might be more money to be made. Eventually, Chichikov's persistence pays off when he mentions government contracts, which impresses her enough to agree. The chapter reveals how differently Chichikov behaves with people of different social classes—he's far more casual and direct with the widow than he was with the refined Manilovs. Gogol uses this negotiation to expose both characters: Chichikov's growing desperation and short temper, and Korobotchka's shrewd peasant cunning disguised as simple-minded confusion. The transaction finally concluded, Chichikov departs with a young peasant girl as his guide, having learned that sometimes the hardest deals are with people who have the least to lose.
Coming Up in Chapter 4
At a roadside tavern, Chichikov encounters other travelers and begins to hear gossip about the local landowners—information that could prove invaluable for his mysterious scheme. But he also risks exposure as questions arise about his true business in the region.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
Meanwhile, Chichikov, seated in his britchka and bowling along the turnpike, was feeling greatly pleased with himself. From the preceding chapter the reader will have gathered the principal subject of his bent and inclinations: wherefore it is no matter for wonder that his body and his soul had ended by becoming wholly immersed therein. To all appearances the thoughts, the calculations, and the projects which were now reflected in his face partook of a pleasant nature, since momentarily they kept leaving behind them a satisfied smile. Indeed, so engrossed was he that he never noticed that his coachman, elated with the hospitality of Manilov’s domestics, was making remarks of a didactic nature to the off horse of the troika [11], a skewbald. This skewbald was a knowing animal, and made only a show of pulling; whereas its comrades, the middle horse (a bay, and known as the Assessor, owing to his having been acquired from a gentleman of that rank) and the near horse (a roan), would do their work gallantly, and even evince in their eyes the pleasure which they derived from their exertions. “Ah, you rascal, you rascal! I’ll get the better of you!” ejaculated Selifan as he sat up and gave the lazy one a cut with his whip. “YOU know your business all right, you German pantaloon! The bay is a good fellow, and does his duty, and I will give him a bit over his feed, for he is a horse to be respected; and the Assessor too is a good horse. But what are YOU shaking your ears for? You are a fool, so just mind when you’re spoken to. ’Tis good advice I’m giving you, you blockhead. Ah! You CAN travel when you like.” And he gave the animal another cut, and then shouted to the trio, “Gee up, my beauties!” and drew his whip gently across the backs of the skewbald’s comrades--not as a punishment, but as a sign of his approval. That done, he addressed himself to the skewbald again. “Do you think,” he cried, “that I don’t see what you are doing? You can behave quite decently when you like, and make a man respect you.” With that he fell to recalling certain reminiscences. “They were NICE folk, those folk at the gentleman’s yonder,” he mused. “I DO love a chat with a man when he is a good sort. With a man of that kind I am always hail-fellow-well-met, and glad to drink a glass of tea with him, or to eat a biscuit. One CAN’T help respecting a decent fellow. For instance, this gentleman of mine--why, every one looks up to him, for he has been in the Government’s service, and is a Collegiate Councillor.” Thus soliloquising, he passed to more remote abstractions; until, had Chichikov been listening, he would have learnt a number of interesting details concerning himself. However, his thoughts were wholly occupied with his own subject, so much so that not until a loud clap...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Strategic Confusion
Using deliberate misunderstanding as a negotiating tactic to extract more value or avoid responsibility.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to distinguish genuine confusion from calculated stalling tactics disguised as ignorance.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when someone's 'confusion' always leads back to the same concern - they're probably not confused, they're negotiating.
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Dead souls
The legal records of serfs who had died but were still counted on tax rolls until the next census. Landowners had to pay taxes on them as if they were alive. Chichikov buys these worthless legal documents as part of his scheme.
Modern Usage:
Like buying someone's bad debt or expired contracts - technically worthless paper that might have hidden value in the right scheme.
Serf
A peasant bound to work a landowner's estate, essentially property that could be bought and sold with the land. They couldn't leave without permission and had few legal rights.
Modern Usage:
Similar to how some workers today feel trapped by debt, contracts, or lack of options - not legally owned but practically stuck.
Troika
A traditional Russian carriage pulled by three horses arranged side by side. The setup required skill to manage since each horse had a different role and temperament.
Modern Usage:
Like managing any team where everyone has different strengths and you need to know how to motivate each person differently.
Penny-pinching
Being extremely careful with money, often to the point of being stingy or suspicious of any deal. Korobotchka represents this type of person who hoards wealth out of fear.
Modern Usage:
The person who clips every coupon, questions every charge, and always thinks someone's trying to rip them off.
Class-based behavior
How people change their manners, speech, and approach depending on who they're dealing with. Chichikov acts refined with nobles but blunt with peasants.
Modern Usage:
Code-switching - talking differently to your boss versus your friends, or how people act different around wealthy versus working-class people.
Government contracts
Official business deals with the state that carried prestige and promised steady payment. Mentioning them impressed people who wanted to seem important or connected.
Modern Usage:
Like name-dropping big corporate clients or government connections to close a deal - using official-sounding credentials to build trust.
Characters in This Chapter
Chichikov
Protagonist/schemer
Shows his true colors when dealing with lower-class people - more direct, impatient, and manipulative than his polite facade with the wealthy. His frustration reveals the pressure he's under to make his scheme work.
Modern Equivalent:
The smooth-talking salesman who's all charm with big clients but gets pushy with small-time customers
Nastasia Petrovna Korobotchka
Stubborn negotiator
A penny-pinching widow who owns dead serfs but drives Chichikov crazy with her mix of genuine confusion and shrewd stalling. She represents the small landowner trying to squeeze every kopeck from a deal she doesn't understand.
Modern Equivalent:
The cautious small business owner who asks a million questions and haggles over everything because they can't afford to make mistakes
Selifan
Chichikov's coachman
Provides comic relief as he talks to the horses and manages the troika while his master conducts business. His interactions with the horses mirror how different personalities need different handling.
Modern Equivalent:
The practical employee who keeps things running while the boss handles the wheeling and dealing
Key Quotes & Analysis
"YOU know your business all right, you German pantaloon!"
Context: Selifan scolds the lazy horse while Chichikov is inside negotiating
Shows how everyone has someone they can boss around and blame for problems. Even the lowly coachman needs to feel superior to something - in this case, a horse he calls foreign and lazy.
In Today's Words:
You think you're so smart, but I know you're just being lazy!
"But they are dead souls!"
Context: Her repeated confusion about why anyone would buy dead serfs
Represents the gap between legal technicalities and common sense. She can't understand why worthless paper has value, which actually shows she's smarter than she seems - the deal really doesn't make logical sense.
In Today's Words:
But why would you pay for something that doesn't exist anymore?
"I have never sold dead folk before - only live ones"
Context: When trying to understand Chichikov's unusual request
Highlights the absurdity of the whole serf system where humans are treated as property to be bought and sold. Her practical confusion exposes how bizarre the legal system really is.
In Today's Words:
I've never dealt with paperwork for people who aren't around anymore - I only know how to sell actual workers
Thematic Threads
Class
In This Chapter
Chichikov treats the widow more casually and directly than he did the refined Manilovs, adapting his approach to her social level
Development
Building from Chapter 2's class performance with Manilov—now showing how Chichikov code-switches between social levels
In Your Life:
You probably speak differently to your boss than to the grocery clerk, adjusting your communication style based on perceived social position
Deception
In This Chapter
Korobotchka's 'confusion' masks shrewd calculation—she's not as simple as she pretends to be
Development
Evolved from Chichikov's mysterious business—now showing deception from the other side of the transaction
In Your Life:
Someone in your life might be playing dumb to avoid responsibilities or get better treatment
Persistence
In This Chapter
Chichikov's growing frustration as he explains the same concept repeatedly, testing his patience and resolve
Development
New theme—showing how determination can be both strength and weakness depending on the situation
In Your Life:
You've probably had to explain something obvious multiple times to someone who benefits from not understanding
Power
In This Chapter
The widow uses her apparent weakness (confusion, being a woman, lower class) as actual strength in negotiations
Development
New angle on power—sometimes the person who seems to have less control actually controls the entire interaction
In Your Life:
The 'helpless' family member who always gets others to solve their problems might be more powerful than they appear
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What tactics does Korobotchka use to drag out the negotiation with Chichikov, and how does he respond differently than he did with Manilov?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does Korobotchka keep saying 'but they're dead' when she clearly understands the business concept? What is she really trying to accomplish?
analysis • medium - 3
Where have you seen people use 'I don't understand' as a way to avoid responsibility, get out of commitments, or extract better deals?
application • medium - 4
When someone uses strategic confusion against you, what specific steps would you take to move the conversation forward without getting trapped in endless explanations?
application • deep - 5
What does this chapter reveal about how people adapt their negotiating style based on who they're dealing with, and when might this flexibility cross the line into manipulation?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Decode the Real Message
Think of a recent situation where someone claimed they 'didn't understand' something that seemed pretty clear to you. Write down what they kept saying versus what you think they were really trying to communicate. Then identify what they actually wanted and whether their confusion strategy worked.
Consider:
- •Look for patterns in what they claimed to be confused about versus what they understood perfectly
- •Notice if their 'confusion' always led back to the same outcome they wanted
- •Consider whether you kept over-explaining instead of setting boundaries
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you used strategic confusion yourself - maybe to avoid a difficult conversation or get out of something you didn't want to do. How did it work, and how did you feel about using this strategy?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 4: When Hospitality Turns Dangerous
Moving forward, we'll examine to recognize when someone's charm masks unpredictable behavior, and understand sharing sensitive plans with the wrong person can backfire spectacularly. These insights bridge the gap between classic literature and modern experience.