Gogol and the School of Cavalry Junkers (From the Commentary on Gogol’s Letters to A.S. Danilevsky)

Abstract

The article provides new information on Gogol’s biography in his early years in St. Petersburg (1829–1831). In particular, it gives new facts and hypotheses concerning Gogol’s social circle, interests and plans during this period. The author of the article carries out a detailed analysis of Gogol’s letters to his closest friend A.S. Danilevsky. Alexander Danilevsky arrived in the capital together with Gogol and entered the School of Cavalry Junkers and Ensigns of the Guard in the spring of 1829. Some names and circumstances mentioned in Gogol’s letters to Danilevsky have so far remained unclear to commentators. The article reveals the meaning of these realities due to the involvement of previously unpublished archival materials, as well as some newspaper reports and little-known memoirs of contemporaries. As follows from the letters, Gogol knew well the everyday life, manners and interests of the School’s students and teachers. This knowledge can be seen in his later literary work, for example in the numerous images of middle-ranking officers, from Lieutenant Pirogov in “Nevsky Prospect” to nameless minor characters: lieutenants in “Dead Souls,” “The Inspector General,” “Litigation,” “Ivan Fedorovich Shponkа,” etc.