How did Gogol write?

Author: [Russian] V. V. Vylezarsky
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-03-01
Features: In this book, Vylezarsky explores the entire process of Gogol's writing: how he gathered materials, how he wrote, how he revised after completion, how he listened to others' opinions after publication, and so on. All the materials he cites come from Gogol's letters, notes, as well as the letters and memoirs of his contemporaries, making them feel intimate and trustworthy. While studying Gogol's writing methods, the author not only regards him as a great satirical writer but also as a person with a rather contradictory worldview. On one hand, he fully acknowledges the significance of Gogol's exposure of the reality of Tsarist Russia. On the other hand, he points out that Gogol's declining creativity, even to the extent of publishing views praising the autocratic serfdom, was determined by the reactionary factors in his worldview.