Characteristics of the heroes of the story "Overcoat". Overcoat (story), plot, characters, dramatizations, film adaptations

It often happens in life that cruel and heartless people who insult and humiliate the dignity of others end up looking weaker and more insignificant than their victims. Democritus once said that “he who commits injustice is more unhappy than the one who suffers unjustly.” The same impression is made by the offenders of the petty official Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, the hero of Gogol’s story “The Overcoat”, from which, in the figurative expression of Dostoevsky, all Russian literature came.

“No, I don’t have the strength to endure anymore! What are they doing to me!.. They don’t understand, don’t see, don’t listen to me...” Many of the great writers responded to this plea of the hero of Gogol’s story, in their own way comprehended and developed the image of the “little man” in their work. This image, discovered by Pushkin, after the appearance of “The Overcoat” became one of the central ones in the literature of the 40s. The topic opened the way for the depiction of Akaki Akakievich’s “followers” in the works of Saltykov-Shchedrin, Nekrasov, Ostrovsky, Tolstoy, Bunin, Chekhov, Andreev. Many of them tried to see in the “little man” their “little” hero, “their brother” with his inherent feelings of kindness, gratitude and nobility.

What is “ little man"? In what sense is “small”? This person is small precisely in social terms, since he occupies one of the lower steps of the hierarchical ladder. His place in society is little or not noticeable. This person is “small” also because his spiritual world, his desires and dreams are also extremely small and wretched. For him, for example, there are no historical and philosophical problems. He lives in a narrow and closed circle of his everyday interests.

Gogol characterizes the main character of his story as a poor, mediocre, insignificant and unnoticed person. In life he was assigned an insignificant role as a copyist of departmental documents. Brought up in an atmosphere of unquestioning submission and execution of orders from his superiors, Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin was not used to reflecting on the content and meaning of his work. That is why, when he is offered tasks that require the manifestation of elementary intelligence, he begins to worry, worry and ultimately comes to the conclusion: “No, it’s better to let me rewrite something.”

Bashmachkin's spiritual life is in tune with his inner aspirations. Collecting money to purchase an overcoat becomes for him the goal and meaning of life, filling it with happiness in anticipation of the fulfillment of his cherished desire. The theft of an overcoat, acquired through such great hardships and suffering, becomes truly a disaster for him. Those around him only laughed at his misfortune, but no one helped him. The “significant person” shouted at him so much that the poor fellow lost consciousness. Almost no one noticed the death of Akaki Akakievich, which followed shortly after his illness.

Despite the “uniqueness” of the image of Bashmachkin created by Gogol, he does not look lonely in the reader’s mind, and we imagine that there were a great many of the same small, humiliated people sharing the hero’s lot. In this generalization of the image of the “little man” is the genius of the writer, who satirically presented society itself, which gives rise to arbitrariness and violence. In this environment, people are cruel and indifferent to each other. Gogol was one of the first who spoke openly and loudly about the tragedy of the “little man,” respect for whom depended not on his spiritual qualities, not on his education and intelligence, but on his position in society. The writer compassionately showed the injustice of society towards the “little man” and for the first time called on him to pay attention to these inconspicuous, pitiful and funny people, as it seems at first glance.

“There can be no close relationship between us. Judging by the buttons on your uniform, you must serve in another department.” Like this, according to the buttons of the uniform, according to others external signs the attitude towards a person is determined immediately and forever. This is how the human personality is “trampled.” She loses her dignity, because a person not only evaluates others by wealth and nobility, but also himself.

Gogol called on society to look at the “little man” with understanding and pity. “Mother, save your poor son!” – the author will write. And indeed, some of Akaki Akakievich’s offenders suddenly realized this and began to experience pangs of conscience. One young employee, who, like everyone else, decided to make fun of Bashmachkin, stopped, amazed by his words: “Leave me alone, why are you offending me?” And the young man shuddered when he saw “how much inhumanity there is in a person, how much hidden ferocious rudeness…”.

And insults Akaki Akakievich, who rises from the grave in the epilogue, appears as a passer-by and takes away their overcoats and fur coats. He calms down only when he takes away the overcoat from a “significant person” who played a tragic role in the life of a little official.

The meaning of the fantastic episode of the resurrection of Akaki Akakievich and his meeting with her “significant person” is that even in the life of the most seemingly insignificant person there are moments when he can become a person in the highest sense of the word. Tearing off the greatcoat from the dignitary, Bashmachkin becomes in the eyes of millions of people like him, humiliated and insulted, a hero, capable of standing up for himself and responding to the inhumanity and injustice of the world around him. In this form the revenge of the “little man” on the bureaucratic Petersburg was expressed.

The talented portrayal in poetry, literature, as well as in other forms of art, of the life of the “little man” revealed to a wide range of readers and viewers that simple, but close to them truth, that life and the “twists” of souls “ ordinary people” are no less interesting than the lives of outstanding personalities. Penetrating into this life, Gogol and his followers, in turn, discovered new facets of human character and the spiritual world. Democratization in the depiction of reality led to the fact that the heroes he created at critical moments in their lives could become on a par with the most significant personalities.

In his story, Gogol concentrated his main attention on the fate of the personality of the “little man,” but this was done with such skill and insight that, empathizing with Bashmachkin, the reader involuntarily thinks about his attitude towards the entire world around him, and, first of all, about his sense of dignity and respect that every person should cultivate in himself, regardless of his social and financial status, but only taking into account personal qualities and merits.

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“We all came out of Gololev’s “Overcoat”” - what does this phrase mean and who said it? These words are often attributed to Dostoevsky, while they were spoken by the French writer and diplomat Eugene Melchior de Vogüe. The author’s description of Akakiy Akakievich Bashmachkin was, at first glance, unambiguous: a small man who can only dream of a new overcoat. But why did Gogol's hero become one of the most significant and important characters in Russian literature?

The story "The Overcoat" was written on the basis of an "office joke". A certain official saved for a long time to buy a gun, the loss of which became a real tragedy for him. “The Overcoat” is a story about a pathetic, downtrodden official. It has typical Gogolian humor, but at the same time it is a deep work, permeated with humanism.

Bashmachkina is given in the first paragraph of the story. He was an unremarkable man, a titular councilor. Here it is worth saying a few words about Bashmachkin’s rank.

In pre-revolutionary Russia there was a classification of ranks. Each rank corresponded to a certain meaning and status. The titular councilor had little opportunity to advance career ladder. His salary was small. Thus, Bashmachkin received 400 rubles a year, which was barely enough for meager food and accommodation in a modest St. Petersburg apartment. We can say that Bashmachkin was a beggar, like hundreds of petty officials like him.

More important than the titular adviser was the collegiate adviser. The trouble is that this rank was unattainable for Akaki Akakievich. A person of noble origin could become a collegiate adviser. Gogol's hero, apparently, was a commoner.

Characteristics of Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin: a modest, unremarkable official who does not have outstanding abilities, ambition or any aspirations in life. People like him were called “eternal titular advisers.” Bashmachkin was doomed to occupy an insignificant position in the department. But this did not upset him at all.

Bashmachkin's favorite thing

Akakiy Akakievich did simple work from morning to evening: he copied papers. He loved this activity very much and never dreamed of anything else. Bashmachkin took work home. He ate dinner in a hurry and sat down again to rewrite papers. One day, a compassionate boss entrusted him with a more significant task. It was necessary not only to rewrite the document, but also to change the title and several verbs. But Bashmachkin failed. He was all sweaty, nervous, then said: “No, let me rewrite something.”

The characterization of Akakiy Akakievich Bashmachkin will be supplemented by a description of his appearance. He was short, bald, and had a hemorrhoidal complexion. This man worked in the department for a very long time. So long ago that it seemed to young officials that this is how he was born - with a bald head and in a uniform.

"Why are you hurting me?"

This phrase became key in the image of Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin. Pushkin was the first to characterize the little man in the story “ Stationmaster" What type of literary character is this? This is the image of a socially unprotected person, unhappy, lonely, pitiful.

In the department, even the watchman does not respect Bashmachkin. The bosses casually throw papers on his desk, not even bothering to say: “Rewrite, please.” Young officials make fun of Gogol's titular adviser. True, one of them once heard the phrase from Bashmachkin: “Why are you offending me?”, He was deeply amazed. In these words he heard “I am your brother.” The young official no longer allowed himself rude jokes about Bashmachkin. And for a long time he could not forget the image of the little unfortunate man.

In Gogol's story there are two images of Bashmachkin: external and internal. The first is a closed, unsociable official who diligently rewrites papers. Inner man in the image of Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin is completely different. He is cheerful and open. Suffice it to recall the state of the official after purchasing the overcoat.

Bashmachkin's goal

The item of clothing whose name appears in the title of the story deserves special attention. The overcoat here is not just a thing that, if it is sewn well and soundly, saves from the harsh St. Petersburg frosts. This is an image that symbolizes social status official Bashmachkin had a thin overcoat, which did not protect him from bad weather at all. Then he finally decided to order a new one. For a person who receives a salary of four hundred rubles a year, this is not at all easy.

The description of Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin presented above will be complemented by his manner of expressing himself. The official was extremely tongue-tied. He used to express his thoughts with prepositions and adverbs. Often he didn’t finish the sentence at all, saying something like: “that’s absolutely right... right.”

He spewed something similar in the house of Petrovich, the tailor, who had darned his old overcoat more than once. He refused to put on patches again and advised me to sew a new one. So Bashmachkin had a goal.

He started saving for a new overcoat. Akaki Akakievich stopped drinking tea in the evenings, did not light candles, walked more carefully so as not to spoil the soles of his boots, and gave his laundry to the laundress less and less often. At home I wore a robe so as not to wear a suit and to insure myself against possible expenses.

He dreamed of a new overcoat for so long that he fell in love with it with all his soul. Even before he saved up for cloth and work as a tailor. Every day he went to Petrovich to discuss the new thing. For Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, the overcoat became not just a thing, but a beloved friend, almost a living being.

Happy official

So, Bashmachkin goes hungry for several months: he saves for a new overcoat. Finally, she's ready. Petrovich brings Akaki Akakievich a new thing in the morning. The official goes to the department in a completely festive mood. Surprisingly, everyone there learns about Akaki Akakievich’s new overcoat, and that the old one, which, by the way, was called a hood, no longer exists. Bashmachkin is congratulated, they show attention to him, which has never happened in many years of work in the department. Moreover, the boss invites Akaki Akakievich to his name day.

Tragedy of Bashmachkin

But the little official’s happiness was short-lived. In a new overcoat, he goes to the chief’s name day. Here they again congratulate him on his new clothes and persuade him to drink. After two glasses of champagne, Akaky Akakievich’s life appears in rainbow colors. However, he remembers that it is already late, time to go home. Bashmachkin quietly leaves the chief's house. On his way home he meets robbers who take off his overcoat.

Death of an official

The next day, Bashmachkin went to the department in the well-known hood. Many felt sorry for him and advised him to contact a significant person: perhaps he would help find the robbers who stole the new overcoat. Akaki Akakievich did just that. But the significant person was a very formidable person, according to at least wanted to seem like that. The boss did not listen to Bashmachkin; on the contrary, he attacked him so much that he almost lost his spirit right in his office.

Ghost

When the official was gone, no one noticed. The department learned about his death only four days after the funeral. Bashmachkins were found, of course, not only among officials of the 19th century. Similar people, driven, unhappy, unprotected, exist today.

Gogol concluded the story with a fantastic ending. His hero, as a reward for his inconspicuous life, lived for several days after his death. Soon rumors about a ghost began to spread throughout St. Petersburg. It was a dead official who was looking for a missing overcoat. He terrified the townspeople, and disappeared only after he met the same general who had terrified him shortly before his death. The ghost took off the greatcoat from his significant face, and then disappeared forever. The boss, a man who was not essentially evil, could not forgive himself for Bashmachkin’s death for a long time.

The hero of the story is Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, a small official of one of the St. Petersburg departments, a powerless and humiliated person. Gogol describes the appearance of the main character of the story as follows: “short, somewhat pockmarked, somewhat reddish, somewhat blind in appearance, with a small bald spot on his forehead, with wrinkles on both sides of his cheeks.”
His co-workers treat him without respect. Even the guards in the department look at Bashmachkin as if he were empty space, “as if a simple fly had flown through the waiting room.” And young officials laugh at Akaki Akakievich. He is truly an absurd, funny person who only knows how to copy papers. The narrative in "The Overcoat" is structured in such a way that the comic image of Bashmachkin gradually becomes tragic. He wears an old overcoat that can no longer be repaired. In order, on the advice of the tailor, to save money for a new overcoat, he saves: in the evenings he does not light candles or drink tea. Akaki Akakievich walks the streets very carefully, “almost on tiptoe,” so as not to “wear out his soles” ahead of time, and rarely gives his laundry to the laundress. “At first it was somewhat difficult for him to get used to such restrictions, but then he somehow got used to it and things got better; even he completely learned to fast in the evenings; but he ate spiritually, carrying in his thoughts the eternal idea of a future overcoat,” writes Gogol . The new overcoat becomes the dream and meaning of life for the protagonist of the story. And now Bashmachkin’s overcoat is ready. On this occasion, officials organize a banquet. Happy Akaki Akakievich does not even notice that they are mocking him. At night, when Bashmachkin was returning from a banquet, the robbers took off his overcoat. This man's happiness lasted only one day. He turns to the police for help, but they don’t even want to talk to him. Then Akakiy Akakievich goes to the “significant person,” but he kicks him out. These troubles affected the main character of the story so strongly that he could not survive them. He fell ill and soon died. Emphasizing the typicality of the “little man’s” fate, Gogol says that his death did not change anything in the department; Bashmachkin’s place was simply taken by another official.
The story "The Overcoat", despite its realism, ends fantastically. After the death of Akaki Akakievich, a ghost began to appear on the streets of St. Petersburg, taking off the greatcoats of passers-by. Some saw in him similarities with Bashmachkin, others did not notice anything in common between the robber and the timid official. One night the ghost met a “significant person” and tore off his overcoat, frightening the official to the point that he “even began to fear about some painful attack.” After this incident, the “significant person” began to treat people better. This ending to the story emphasizes the author's intention. Gogol sympathizes with the fate of the “little man.” He calls on us to be attentive to each other, and, as it were, warns that a person will have to answer in the future for the insults inflicted on his neighbor. It was not for nothing that one of Bashmachkin’s colleagues heard behind his words: “Leave me alone, why are you offending me?” other words: “I am your brother.”

In the work "The Overcoat" the heroes are mostly faceless, with the exception of the main character - the titular adviser named Bashmachkin, a man without character, gray, incapable of action. The theme of the “little man” is not new in literature, but in the story it is revealed in a unique and profound way. In Gogol's works, the description of the heroes is extremely important, because behind every name and word there is a deep inner meaning. For the main character, the overcoat is a dream come true, the meaning of life. With her appearance, the hero changes not only externally, but also internally.

Characteristics of the heroes "Overcoat"

Main characters

Akakiy Bashmachkin	The author describes his appearance as the most unremarkable. Our hero is a little red-haired, has a receding hairline, is short, and has an unhealthy complexion. He has been rewriting documents for so long that no one remembers his age when he was hired. Nobody even heard the voice of the main character of “The Overcoat”, except for the request: leave him and not offend him. These are the words that he utters in cases where the mockery of his colleagues interferes with his duties. Bashmachkin lives by work.
Tailor Petrovich	The work contains scant information about him. Petrovich was a serf and was called Grigory. After he was given his freedom, they began to call him by his patronymic. He lives in a dirty entrance, on the fourth floor of the same building as Bashmachkin. He drinks often, but does his job well, despite the absence of one eye. The wife constantly scolds the tailor for his addiction to drinking. Sober Petrovich is very intractable when it comes to payment for work, and sets prices high.
Significant person	The one who could have played a fateful role in the life of Akaki Akakievich, but did not. Bashmachkin turned to him in the hope of help in finding the stolen overcoat. As a very strict person, he drove the poor fellow away, demonstrating his power in front of his acquaintance. The author mentions the rank of general, after receiving which a significant person was completely at a loss as to how to behave with others. He prefers to remain silent, which is why he is known as a reserved person.

Minor characters

Bashmachkin's mother
		She is mentioned in passing in the story, her name is unknown. The mother was an official, a very good woman - this is how the author simply describes her. At birth, the child began to cry, and his face took on such an expression, as if he had a presentiment that he would become a titular adviser - this is how the author ironically describes the birth of the central character.
Bashmachkin's father	The father's name was Akaki, and it was decided to name his son in his honor. All that is known about Akaki’s father is that he, like the rest of the male family members, wore not shoes, but boots, the soles of which were changed three times a year.
Petrovich's wife	A simple woman, not distinguished by beauty. She wore a cap, not a scarf. According to the author, nothing more is known about her. Petrovich himself spoke disparagingly about her.
Ghost of an official	Gogol's fantastic motifs are intertwined with real events. At the end of the story, a ghost is reported that appears in St. Petersburg at the site of Bashmachkin’s robbery. When meeting the ghost, a significant person recognizes our main character. Having taken the overcoat from the general, the ghost calms down and no longer bothers the city.

The story raises issues of indifference, immorality, poverty, and bureaucracy. Petersburg is shown as a cold city ruled by stupidity, disorder and tyranny. The central image of the official Bashmachkin develops in parallel with the image of the overcoat itself. The names of the characters in “The Overcoat” are practically not mentioned, which gives the era described the effect of facelessness. Gogol treats the characterization of the heroes of the story with extreme scrupulousness, masterfully, and irony. The work was included in the list of the most “revolutionary” in the literary world thanks to the vision of life of the brilliant writer.

Work test

Can one small work revolutionize literature? Yes, Russian literature knows such a precedent. This is a story by N.V. Gogol's "The Overcoat". The work was very popular among contemporaries, caused a lot of controversy, and the Gogolian direction developed among Russian writers until the mid-20th century. What is this great book? About this in our article.

The book is part of a series of works written in the 1830s-1840s. and united by a common name - “Petersburg Tales”. The story of Gogol's "The Overcoat" goes back to an anecdote about a poor official who had a great passion for hunting. Despite the small salary, the ardent fan set himself a goal: at all costs to buy a Lepage gun, one of the best at that time. The official denied himself everything in order to save money, and finally, he bought the coveted trophy and went to the Gulf of Finland to shoot birds.

The hunter set sail in the boat, was about to take aim, but did not find a gun. It probably fell out of the boat, but how remains a mystery. The hero of the story himself admitted that he was in a kind of oblivion when he anticipated the treasured prey. Returning home, he fell ill with a fever. Fortunately, everything ended well. The sick official was saved by his colleagues who bought him a new gun of the same type. This story inspired the author to create the story “The Overcoat”.

Genre and direction

N.V. Gogol is one of the most prominent representatives of critical realism in Russian literature. With his prose, the writer sets a special direction, sarcastically called “Natural School” by the critic F. Bulgarin. This literary vector is characterized by an appeal to acute social topics concerning poverty, morality, class relations. Here the image of the “little man”, which became traditional for writers of the 19th century, is actively being developed.

A narrower direction characteristic of “Petersburg Tales” is fantastic realism. This technique allows the author to influence the reader in the most effective and original way. It is expressed in a mixture of fiction and reality: the real in the story “The Overcoat” is a social issue Tsarist Russia(poverty, crime, inequality), and the fantastic is the ghost of Akaki Akakievich, who robs passers-by. Dostoevsky, Bulgakov and many other followers of this trend turned to the mystical principle.

The genre of the story allows Gogol to succinctly, but quite clearly highlight several storylines, identify many current social themes and even include the motif of the supernatural in his work.

Composition

The composition of “The Overcoat” is linear; an introduction and an epilogue can be designated.

The story begins with a kind of writer's discussion about the city, which is an integral part of all “Petersburg Tales”. This is followed by a biography of the main character, which is typical for the authors of the “natural school”. It was believed that these data help to better reveal the image and explain the motivation for certain actions.
Exposition - a description of the situation and position of the hero.
The plot occurs at the moment when Akaki Akakievich decides to acquire a new overcoat; this intention continues to move the plot until the climax - a happy acquisition.
The second part is devoted to the search for the overcoat and the exposure of senior officials.
The epilogue, where the ghost appears, brings this part full circle: first the thieves go after Bashmachkin, then the policeman goes after the ghost. Or maybe behind a thief?

About what?

One poor official Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, due to severe frosts, finally dares to buy himself a new overcoat. The hero denies himself everything, skimps on food, tries to walk more carefully on the pavement so as not to change his soles again. By the required time, he manages to accumulate the required amount, and soon the desired overcoat is ready.

But the joy of possession does not last long: that same evening, when Bashmachkin was returning home after a festive dinner, robbers took the object of his happiness from the poor official. The hero is trying to fight for his overcoat, he goes through several levels: from a private person to a significant person, but no one cares about his loss, no one is going to look for the robbers. After a visit to the general, who turned out to be a rude and arrogant man, Akaki Akakievich came down with a fever and soon died.

But the story "takes on a fantastic ending." The spirit of Akaki Akakievich wanders around St. Petersburg, who wants to take revenge on his offenders, and, mainly, he is looking for a significant person. One evening, the ghost catches the arrogant general and takes away his overcoat, which is where he calms down.

The main characters and their characteristics

The main character of the story is Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin. From the moment of birth it was clear that a difficult, unhappy life awaited him. This was predicted by the midwife, and the baby himself, when born, “cried and made such a grimace, as if he had a presentiment that there would be a titular councilor.” This is the so-called “little man,” but his character is contradictory and goes through certain stages of development.
Overcoat image works to reveal the potential of this seemingly modest character. A new thing dear to the heart makes the hero obsessed, as if an idol controls him. The little official shows such persistence and activity that he never showed during his life, and after death he completely decides to take revenge and keeps St. Petersburg at bay.
The role of the overcoat in Gogol's story it is difficult to overestimate. Her image develops in parallel with the main character: the holey overcoat is a modest person, the new one is the proactive and happy Bashmachkin, the general’s is an omnipotent spirit, terrifying.
Image of St. Petersburg in the story it is presented completely differently. This is not a magnificent capital with elegant carriages and flowering front doors, but a cruel city, with its fierce winter, unhealthy climate, dirty staircases and dark alleys.

Topics

The life of a little man main topic the story “The Overcoat”, so it is presented quite vividly. Bashmachkin does not have a strong character or special talents; higher-ranking officials allow themselves to manipulate him, ignore him, or scold him. And the poor hero only wants to regain what belongs to him by right, but to significant persons and big world no time for the little guy's problems.
The contrast between the real and the fantastic allows us to show the versatility of Bashmachkin’s image. In the harsh reality, he will never reach the selfish and cruel hearts of those in power, but by becoming a powerful spirit, he can at least take revenge for his offense.
The running theme of the story is immorality. People are valued not for their skill, but for their rank, a significant person is by no means an exemplary family man, he is cold towards his children and seeks entertainment on the side. He allows himself to be an arrogant tyrant, forcing those of lower rank to grovel.
The satirical nature of the story and the absurdity of the situations allow Gogol to most expressively point out social vices. For example, no one is going to look for the missing overcoat, but there is a decree to catch the ghost. This is how the author exposes the inactivity of the St. Petersburg police.

Issues

The problems of the story “The Overcoat” are very broad. Here Gogol raises questions concerning both society and inner world person.

The main problem of the story is humanism, or rather, the lack of it. All the heroes of the story are cowardly and selfish, they are incapable of empathy. Even Akaki Akakievich does not have any spiritual goal in life, does not strive to read or be interested in art. He is driven only by the material component of existence. Bashmachkin does not recognize himself as a victim in the Christian sense. He has fully adapted to his miserable existence, the character does not know forgiveness and is only capable of revenge. The hero cannot even find peace after death until he fulfills his base plan.
Indifference. Colleagues are indifferent to Bashmachkin’s grief, and a significant person is trying by all means known to him to drown out any manifestations of humanity in himself.
The problem of poverty is touched upon by Gogol. A person who performs his duties roughly and diligently does not have the opportunity to update his wardrobe as needed, while careless flatterers and dandies are successfully promoted, have luxurious dinners and arrange evenings.
The problem of social inequality is highlighted in the story. The general treats the titular councilor like a flea that he can crush. Bashmachkin becomes shy in front of him, loses the ability to speak, and a significant person, not wanting to lose his appearance in the eyes of his colleagues, humiliates the poor petitioner in every possible way. Thus, he shows his power and superiority.

What is the meaning of the story?

The idea of Gogol’s “The Overcoat” is to point out acute social problems relevant in Imperial Russia. With the help of a fantastic component, the author shows the hopelessness of the situation: the little man is weak in front of strongmen of the world This means they will never respond to his request, and they will also kick him out of his office. Gogol, of course, does not approve of revenge, but in the story “The Overcoat” it is the only way to reach the stony hearts of high-ranking officials. It seems to them that only the spirit is above them, and they will agree to listen only to those who are superior to them. Having become a ghost, Bashmachkin takes precisely this necessary position, so he manages to influence arrogant tyrants. This is the main idea of the work.

The meaning of Gogol’s “The Overcoat” is the search for justice, but the situation seems hopeless, because justice is possible only by turning to the supernatural.

What does it teach?

Gogol’s “The Overcoat” was written almost two centuries ago, but remains relevant to this day. The author makes you think not only about social inequality and the problem of poverty, but also about your own spiritual qualities. The story “The Overcoat” teaches empathy; the writer encourages not to turn away from a person who is in a difficult situation and asks for help.

To achieve his author's goals, Gogol changes the ending of the original anecdote, which became the basis for the work. If in that story the colleagues collected enough money to buy a new gun, then Bashmachkin’s colleagues did practically nothing to help their comrade in trouble. He himself died fighting for his rights.

Criticism

In Russian literature, the story “The Overcoat” played huge role: thanks to this work, a whole movement arose - the “natural school”. This work became a symbol of new art, and confirmation of this was the magazine “Physiology of St. Petersburg”, where many young writers came up with their own versions of the image of a poor official.

Critics recognized Gogol's mastery, and "The Overcoat" was considered a worthy work, but the controversy was mainly centered around Gogol's direction, opened precisely by this story. For example, V.G. Belinsky called the book “one of Gogol’s deepest creations,” but considered the “natural school” a direction without prospects, and K. Aksakov denied Dostoevsky (who also started with the “natural school”), the author of “Poor People,” the title of artist.

Not only Russian critics were aware of the role of “The Overcoat” in literature. The French reviewer E. Vogüe owns famous saying“We all came out of Gogol’s overcoat.” In 1885, he wrote an article about Dostoevsky, where he spoke about the origins of the writer’s work.

Later, Chernyshevsky accused Gogol of excessive sentimentality and deliberate pity for Bashmachkin. Apollo Grigoriev, in his criticism, contrasted Gogol's method with true art satirical image reality.

The story made a great impression not only on the writer’s contemporaries. V. Nabokov, in his article “The Apotheosis of the Mask,” analyzes Gogol’s creative method, its features, advantages and disadvantages. Nabokov believes that “The Overcoat” was created for “a reader with a creative imagination,” and for the most complete understanding of the work, it is necessary to get acquainted with it in the original language, because Gogol’s work “is a phenomenon of language, not ideas.”

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