Dead Souls, by Nikolai Gogol, is a work of prose poetry about the protagonist, Tchitchikov, who purchases dead souls to become wealthy. The story takes place in the 1800s, in post-Napoleonic Russia. At the time, there were landowners and serfs. Landownersowned the serfs, so wealth was determined, not by the amount of land he owned, but by the number of souls he owned--the serfs. Gogol uses satire to comment on the noble class of Russian society.As serfs perish, Tchitchikov travels through the countryside, buying dead souls. He buys dead souls because he can get them for less money, allowing him to increase his wealth and, therefore, his social standing. Tchitchikov starts out in a town referred to as "N." Everyone in the town is excited about his arrival, because he is a stranger. His background is in academia, and no one there knows why he has come to N. The people like him immediately, and he soon receives many invitations to visit friends throughout the countryside.The first person Tchitchikov calls on is Manilov. Manilov is so eager to become friends with the charismatic and well-liked Tchitchikov, he offers to sell him souls without putting up much of a fuss. He plans to visit a character named Sobakevitch next, but before he can get there, a storm strikes. Madame Korobotchka provides him shelter during the storm, and they get to talking. He wants to buy her dead souls, and she agrees to sell them. He sets out after that to see Sobakevitch.Tchitchikov is delayed again when he stops in at a tavern. There he meets Nozdroyov, whom he also met in the town of N. Nozdroyov convinces Tchitchikov to visit him at his house, and he agrees. There, they eat and drink, and Tchitchikov reveals his plan to buy dead souls, but he regrets revealing his secret as soon as he says it. Nozdroyov turns rude and tells Tchitchikov that he will not sell him souls. He tries to get him to play a game of cards, and when Tchitchikov refuses, Nozdroyov tries to attack him. Tchitchikov is saved when the police arrive to arrest Nozdroyov. As it happens, he had been in a brawl a few nights before. The arrest allows Tchitchikov to escape.