Dead Souls was first published in 1842 by famed Russian author Nikolai Gogol, and is considered one of the finest Russian novels of the modern era. The novel is a comic epic of greed and gluttony that is admired not only for its vivid cast of characters and devastating satire, but also for its sense of moral fervor. The story follows the exploits of Chichikov, a middle-aged gentleman of middling social class and means. Chichikov arrives in a small town and turns on the charm to woo key local officials and landowners. He reveals little about his past, or his purpose, as he sets about carrying out his bizarre and mysterious plan to acquire "dead souls."

The novel stands as one of the most unusual and poetic masterpieces of the Nineteenth Century. The purpose of the novel was to demonstrate the flaws and faults of the Russian mentality and character.