|
Short Biography: (http://www.kirjasto.sci.fi/gogol.htm) Nikolay Gogol was born in Sorochintsi, Ukraine, and grew up on his parents' country estate. His real surname was Ianovskii, but the writer's grandfather had taken the name 'Gogol' to claim a noble Cossack ancestry. Gogol's father was an educated and gifted man, who wrote plays, poems, and sketches for puppet theatre in Ukrainian. Gogol started writing while in high school. He attended Poltava boarding school (1819-21) and then Nezhin high school (1821-28). In 1828 Gogol, an aspiring writer, settled in St. Petersburg, with a certificate attesting his right to 'the rank of the 14th class'. To support himself. Gogol worked at minor governmental jobs and wrote occasionally for periodicals. Although he was interested in literature, he also dreamed of becoming an actor. However, the capital of Russia did not welcome him with open arms, and his early narrative poem, Hans Küchelgarten (1829), turned out to be a disaster. Between the years 1831 and 1834 Gogol taught history at the Patriotic Institute and worked as a private tutor. In 1831 he met Aleksandr Pushkin who greatly influenced his choice of literary material, especially his "Dikinka Tales", which were based on Ukrainian folklore. Their friendship lasted until the great poet's death. Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka from 1831-32 was Gogol's breakthrough work, showing his skill in mixing fantastic with macabre. After failure as an assistant lecturer of world history at the University of St. Petersburg (1834-35), Gogol became a full-time writer. Under the title Mirgorod (1835) Gogol published a collection of stories, beginning with 'Old-World Landowners', which described the decay of the old way of estate life. The book also included the famous historical tale 'Taras Bulba which showed the influence of Sir Walter Scott’s historical novels. The protagonist is a strong, heroic character, not very typical for the author's later cavalcade of bureaucrats, lunatics, swindlers, and humiliated losers. One hostile critic described his city dwellers as the "scum of Petersburg". "I am destined by the mysterious powers to walk hand in hand with my strange heroes," wrote Gogol once, "viewing life in all its immensity as it rushes past me, viewing it through laughter seen by the world and tears unseen and unknown by it." St. Petersburg Stories (1835) examined social relationships and disorders of mind; Gogol's influence can be seen among others in Dostoevsky's Notes from Underground (1864) and Crime and the Punishment (1866). Gogolian tradition continued into the 20th century in the stories of Franz Kafka and the plays of Harold Pinter. “The Nose” is about a minor official in the St. Petersburg bureaucracy who wakes up one morning to discover that his nose is gone! (Gogol himself had a long nose.) This Collegiate Assessor Kovalev is even more horrified to learn that his nose has assumed a new identity, posing as a high state official. The central plot circles around Kovalev's quest to recapture his runaway proboscis - he has arrived in St. Petersburg to climb the social ladder but without a proper face that is impossible. Without an arm or leg it is not unbearable, thinks the Major, but without a nose a man is, the devil knows what... “The Nose” (1836) To discover the meaning of Gogol’s strange story, you must try to figure out why Kovalev’s nose has fallen off. Look to the details in the story. Gogol’s purpose and his political point of view are revealed indirectly in between the lines of this, the most famous of all Russian short stories. Opening Paragraph 1. What does the barber Ivan Yakovelevich try to do with the nose he has discovered one fine morning while cutting open his breakfast roll? Description of Ivan Yakovlevich 2. What does Kovalev do for a living? Which social class does he belong to? Kovalyov’s first reactions to his noselessness Description of Kovalyov, the young bureaucrat on the make 3. Where does Kovalev find his nose? Why is that so strange? the most incredible sight! 4. What does Kovalev usually do when he goes to church? Why is that difficult now? the Nose in the cathedral… to pray? the Babe! (Why can’t Kovalyov speak to her?) 5. Why does Kovalev rush off to the newspaper office? What happens to him there? Kovalyov’s plan of action: to the Classified Ads! The Classified Ads come to life. The Ad is refused. On what grounds? Horrors! The social consequences of noselessness. 6. What does the Police Inspector tell Kovalev when he asks him for help? The Police Inspector’s Strange pets! How is Kovalyov cut to the quick by the Police Inspector? 7. What does he find when he arrives home? Kovalyov at home: his servant Ivan, on his back, spitting at the ceiling. 8. What was the nose doing when the police officer apprehended it? The Police Officer to the rescue! How was the renegade Nose captured? 9. What does the doctor tell Kovalev after failing to put the nose back in its place? The Doctor’s Advice? 10. Why does Kovalev blame Madame Podtochin for his predicament? Who is to blame? Madame Podtochina and her daughter! Why? Kovalyov’s letter to Madame Podtochina and her reply. 11. What do the fine citizens of St. Petersburg do when the news of Kovalev’s amazing misfortune spreads through the city? The Nose becomes a Celebrity! The media crush in St. Petersburg! 12. The Nose miraculously returns to its rightful place! How has Kovalyov changed two weeks later?
What has he learned from his terrifying adventure?
|
