N.V. Gogol is perhaps the most mysterious writer of the 19th century. His works of mystical content are sometimes excitingly interesting, sometimes frightening. Even in realistic stories and short stories, the writer skillfully weaves a fantastic element. A striking example of such a combination is the St. Petersburg novels. It will not be wrong to say that the image of Petersburg is central to them. In the novel "The Overcoat," the writer describes in detail the streets of this city and its inhabitants. In his interpretation of this city, Gogol draws close to the tradition of Dostoevsky, exposing all the negative aspects of St. Petersburg.
N.V. Gogol "The Overcoat": the main character, content
The main character of the story is Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin. He is a titular adviser, clogged and intimidated by his superiors and colleagues. Gogol dwells in detail on how Bashmachkin was born, how his name was chosen. Since the father was Akaki, then the son will be him. Parents knew in advance that a titular adviser would come out of it. This predetermination is emphasized by the fact that Akaki Akakievich is a small person who cannot influence either his life or other people in any way. Colleagues brutally mocked him, poured pieces of paper on his head, and he could not say anything.
The main theme of the story "The Overcoat" is the replacement of everything spiritual in man with material. Even the surname of the hero indicates this. Akaki Akakievich is obsessed with repairing his overcoat, but the tailor refuses him. Then the hero decides to save up money for a new one. And then his dream came true. In the new overcoat, he was finally noticed, even invited to visit one of the clerks. Finally, Akaki Akakievich felt full. But on the way back he was torn off his new robe. At that moment it seemed to him that they were taking off not clothes, but part of him. Heartbroken hero decides to go to the "significant person", but he yells at him. After this incident, Bashmachkin’s health is deteriorating, he has strange visions. As a result, the hero dies. And a ghost walks through the streets of the city, which rips off his greatcoats from passers-by.
Petersburg in the story
The image of St. Petersburg in the story "The Overcoat" is very significant not only for understanding the work itself, but also in order to understand the intent of the entire cycle of "St. Petersburg Tales". The city on the pages of the story is phantasmagoric and unnatural. It resembles a ghost town. In such an environment, a full-fledged life of people is impossible, only an aimless and useless existence is possible. Gogol describes the entrances and houses of St. Petersburg, especially focusing on a strange, pungent smell. The image of St. Petersburg in the novel "The Overcoat" is close to the way it is presented in the novel Crime and Punishment. Dostoevsky also writes about the "stink" characteristic of Peter. However, Dostoevsky does not have a mystical element in his description.
The city’s hostility motive
From the very beginning, one gets the feeling that the city wants to expel people, it rejects them. But not all. First of all, such as Akaki Akakievich suffer. The enemy of all officials with a meager salary is the St. Petersburg frost. The cold in the story also symbolizes the space of death, especially spiritual. After all, neither the people surrounding Bashmachkin, nor he himself has any other interests other than things.
The city landscape is described in detail when Bashmachkin goes to the tailor to fix his overcoat. The rich front porches contrast with the smelly, dirty black steps of the poor houses. The hero himself is lost in crowded Petersburg, he does not have his own face. From this point of view, a portrait description of the main character, which is given at the very beginning of the story, is important. He is neither tall nor short, his face is neither thin nor fat, that is, the author does not mention anything concrete, thereby showing that the hero does not have any distinctive features, he is faceless, and because of this he practically does not cause sympathy.
Living Petersburg
Impersonation is another technique that N.V. Gogol resorts to. "The Overcoat" is rightfully considered the central story in the cycle, because it is here (as in "Nevsky Prospekt") that the city seems to become the main character. After the hero’s death, Petersburg was left without Akakievich. But surprisingly, no one noticed. A creature that no one needed was gone.
But in the city, in relation to which Gogol uses the same words as to a living being, it’s not people who go, but collars, overcoats, frock coats. The motive of materiality is important for all the stories of this cycle.
The function of the city landscape in the story
The image of Petersburg first appears on the pages of Gogol's prose back in the story "The Night Before Christmas." From the very beginning, the city became a space opposed to Ukraine, and more precisely, Dikanke. Already here Petersburg is a living city, staring at the hero with the fiery eyes of houses. Over the years of his life in St. Petersburg, Gogol more and more distinctly began to distinguish between the splendor and beauty of the palaces the inhumanity, greed and predatory nature of the people who inhabit it.
The main idea of the story "The Overcoat" is closely connected with the description of the city landscape. Gogol laid bare the social contrasts of this city, raised the theme of the humiliated and offended, suffering disenfranchised people. He heard a joke about a poor official from his friends, the story sunk into the writer’s soul, and he decided to create a work that reflected all his compassion for a small man, such as Bashmachkin.
Author's assessment in the story
Despite all compassion, Gogol’s novel “The Overcoat” is ironic. The author makes his hero wretched. After all, he is not just kind, calm, soft and spineless, he is pathetic. He can not oppose anything to his colleagues, he is afraid of the authorities. In addition, he still can not do anything but rewrite. The higher position - to rewrite, making corrections - Akaky Akakievich does not like, he rejects it. By this, Gogol shows that the hero himself does not particularly strive to get out of his humiliated state. With obvious sarcasm, the author talks about how Bashmachkin is obsessed with the idea of acquiring an overcoat, as if this was not a thing, but the goal of his whole life. What kind of life is this in which the main idea is to buy an overcoat?
Spirituality in the story
Perhaps this is the main motive to which all the threads of the narrative are reduced, including the image of St. Petersburg. In the story "The Overcoat" the spirituality of the protagonist clearly and clearly appears. He cannot even speak normally, he expresses himself with some pretexts and interjections, which emphasizes the lack of reason and soul in him. He is so obsessed with the idea of acquiring an overcoat that it becomes her idol. Akaki Akakievich’s colleagues are cruel, not able to sympathize. The authorities revel in their power and is ready to tear anyone for disobedience. And in place of Bashmachkin, a new titular adviser is arranged, about which Gogol says only that his handwriting is higher and more inclined.
conclusions
Thus, Gogol’s novel “The Overcoat” is a vivid example of a grotesque phantasmagoric work with a fantastic element. Moreover, mysticism is connected not only with the appearance of a ghost at the end, but also with the city itself, which rejects people, it is hostile. Petersburg in the story "The Overcoat" is intended to show the author’s assessment, and also helps to understand the main idea of the work. Thanks to the description of the city landscape, the reader understands all the cruelty, inhumanity, and soullessness of the environment in which there are such miserable people as Akaki Akievich Bashmachkin.