Nikolai Gogol's story "The Nose" is one of the writer's most famous works. This absurdist story was written in 1832-1833.

Initially, the Moscow Observer magazine refused to print this work, and the author decided to publish it in the Sovremennik magazine. Gogol had to hear a lot of cruel criticism addressed to him, so the story was subjected to significant changes several times.

What is the story “The Nose” about?

The story “The Nose” consists of three parts and tells about an incredible incident that happened to the collegiate assessor Kovalev. “The Nose” begins with the fact that one morning a St. Petersburg barber discovers that there is a nose in his bread, and subsequently realizes that this nose belongs to his client, Major Kovalev. All subsequent time, the barber tries by any possible means to get rid of his nose, but it turns out that he constantly drops his unfortunate nose and everyone around him constantly points this out to him. The barber was able to get rid of it only when he threw it into the Neva.

Meanwhile, Kovalev, who has woken up, discovers that his own nose is missing, and somehow covering his face, he goes in search of it. Gogol shows us how the collegiate assessor diligently searches for his nose throughout St. Petersburg, and his feverish thoughts about how terrible it is to be in such a situation and not be able to appear before the people he knows. And when Kovalev finally meets his nose, he simply does not pay attention to him, and no requests from the major for his return to his place have any effect on the nose.

The main character tries to submit an advertisement about his missing nose to the newspaper, but the editorial office refuses him due to the fact that such a fantastic situation could harm the reputation of the newspaper. Kovalev even sends a letter to his friend Podtochina, accusing her of stealing his nose in retaliation for his refusal to marry her daughter. In the end, the police supervisor brings the nose to its owner and tells him how hard it is to catch the nose, which was about to go to Riga. After the warden leaves, the main character tries to put his nose back in place, but he fails. And then Kovalev falls into terrible despair, he realizes that life is now meaningless, since without a nose he is nothing.

Position of a person in society

It was the absurdity and fantastic nature of the plot that caused such abundant criticism of the writer. But it should be understood that this story has a double meaning, and Gogol’s idea is much deeper and more instructive than it seems at first glance. It is thanks to such an incredible plot that Gogol manages to draw attention to an important topic at that time - the position of a person in society, his status and the dependence of the individual on him. From the story it becomes clear that the collegiate assessor Kovalev, who for greater importance called himself a major, devotes his entire life to his career and social status, he has no other hopes and priorities.

Kovalev is losing his nose - something that, it would seem, cannot be lost for no apparent reason - and now he cannot appear in a decent place, in secular society, at work or in any other official institution. But he cannot come to an agreement with the nose; the nose pretends that it does not understand what its owner is talking about and ignores him. With this fantastic plot, Gogol wants to emphasize the shortcomings of the society of that time, the shortcomings of thinking and consciousness of that layer of society to which the collegiate assessor Kovalev belonged.

Characters of N.V. Gogol’s story “The Nose” and a short review. and got the best answer

Answer from Maxim Zulikov[guru]
Well, the nose and Gogol himself

Answer from Artem Zavadsky[guru]
Collegiate assessor Kovalev - a careerist who, for greater importance, calls himself a major - suddenly wakes up in the morning without a nose. Where the nose used to be is a completely smooth place. “Devil knows what, what rubbish! - he exclaims, spitting. “At least there was something instead of a nose, otherwise nothing!..” He goes to the chief police chief to report the loss, but on the way he unexpectedly meets his own nose in an embroidered gold uniform, a state councilor’s hat and a sword. Nose jumps into the carriage and heads to the Kazan Cathedral, where he prays devoutly. The amazed Kovalev follows him. Timidly, the collegiate assessor asks the nose to return, but he, with all the importance inherent in a conversation with a junior rank, declares that he does not understand what is being said and eludes the owner.
Kovalev goes to the newspaper to advertise his missing nose, but they refuse him, fearing that such a scandalous advertisement will damage the publication’s reputation. Kovalev rushes to the private bailiff, but he, being out of sorts, only declares that a decent man’s nose won’t be torn off if he doesn’t hang around God knows where.
Heartbroken, Kovalev returns home, and then an unexpected joy occurs: a police official suddenly enters and brings in his nose wrapped in a piece of paper. According to him, the nose was intercepted on the way to Riga with a false passport. Kovalev rejoices immensely, but prematurely: the nose does not want to stick to its rightful place, and even the invited doctor cannot help. Only many days later, in the morning, the nose again appears on the face of its owner, just as inexplicably as it disappeared. And Kovalev’s life returns to normal.

Answer from Eee-eh! Great, mighty[guru]
The nose in the story symbolizes meaningless external decency, an image that, as it turns out, can well exist without any inner personality. And moreover, it turns out that an ordinary collegiate assessor has this image that is three ranks higher than the person himself, and flaunts in the uniform of a state councilor, and even with a sword. On the contrary, the unfortunate owner of the nose, having lost such an important detail of his appearance, turns out to be completely lost, because without a nose “... you will not appear in an official institution, in secular society, you will not walk along Nevsky Prospekt.” For Kovalev, who above all else in life strives for a successful career, this is a tragedy. In “The Nose,” Gogol strives to show the image of an empty and pompous person who loves external showiness, chasing high status and the favor of higher ranks. He ridicules a society in which high position and rank are valued much more than the individual who possesses them.

Known as the author of mystical and fantastic works. But it was not only mysticism that interested Nikolai Vasilyevich. So in many works the author touches on the theme of the “little” person. But it does it in such a way that satire exposes the structure of society and the powerless position of a person in this society. It is known that the story “The Nose” was first published in 1836. In this article you can find both a description of the main characters of the work and a brief retelling of it. “Nose” is studied at school, so this article will be useful for schoolchildren to familiarize themselves with.

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The history of the story

Nikolai Vasilyevich sent his new story to the Moscow Observer magazine in 1835, but it was not published, considering it bad and vulgar. Alexander Pushkin had a completely different opinion about Gogol’s work, who considered this work funny and fantastic. The famous poet persuaded the mystical writer to publish his short work in the Sovremennik magazine.

Despite the fact that there was a lot of editing and censorship changes, the story was published in 1836. It is known that this work is part of the “Petersburg Tales” cycle. “The Nose” became the story that had a fantastic plot and evoked different assessments from readers and critics.

Main characters

The work pays special attention to the main character. But there are also minor persons, which also carry the author’s intention:

Characteristics of Kovalev

Platon Kuzmich Kovalev - major, whose image for the reader becomes double: the official himself and his nose. The nose soon completely separates from its owner and even achieves promotion in the service, receiving a rank three ranks higher. The author parodically describes not only his travels, but also how Platon Kuzmich found himself without him. So, on his face, where he should have been, there was only a smooth place.

The search leads Kovalev to the fact that he sees him driving around in a rich carriage, and even dressed in a smart uniform. The nose makes the dreams of its owner come true, but Kovalev himself is trying to find the reasons for his condition. He does not understand that all his behavior, dirty and dissolute, has led to his current situation.

Gogol shows that the soul of this man is dead. For Platon Kuzmich, the main thing in life is honoring ranks, promotion and servility to superiors.

One day at the end of March, a small incident happened in the city on the Neva, which was very strange. In the first chapter Ivan Yakovlevich, barber, having woken up very early, he heard the smell of hot bread, which his wife had prepared in the morning. He immediately got up and decided to have breakfast.

But having cut the bread in half, he began to peer into it closely, as something was white there. Using his knife and fingers, the barber pulled out something dense, and it turned out to be a nose. And he seemed very familiar to Ivan Yakovlevich. Horror gripped the barber, and his angry wife began to shout at him. And then Ivan Yakovlevich recognized him. Once upon a time, quite recently, it belonged to Kovalev, a collegiate assessor.

At first the barber wanted to wrap it in a rag, and then he wanted to take it somewhere. But his wife again started screaming and threatening the police. Ivan Yakovlevich could not understand how it got into the bread, trying to remember yesterday. The thought that he might be accused and taken to the police made him numb and unconscious. Finally, he collected his thoughts, got dressed and left the house. He wanted to quietly put it somewhere, but I couldn’t find a moment to do this: someone I knew always came across.

Only on the Isakievsky Bridge was Ivan Yakovlevich able to get rid of him by throwing him into the water. Feeling relieved, he immediately went to have a drink, as he was a drunkard.

In the second chapter The author introduces the reader to the main character. Waking up, the collegiate assessor demanded a mirror. And suddenly, unexpectedly, instead of a nose, he saw a completely smooth place. Having made sure that there was no nose, he immediately went to the chief of police. Kovalev came to St. Petersburg manor to advance in his career and find a rich bride. When he walked along Nevsky Prospekt, he could not catch a cab driver, so he tried to cover his face with a scarf.

When Kovalev was leaving the pastry shop, where he looked at himself in the mirror to make sure that there was no nose, he suddenly saw his nose in uniform jump out of the carriage and run up the stairs.

Kovalev, waiting for his return, saw that he had a rank much higher than his own. And the stunned Kovalev almost went crazy from everything he saw. He immediately ran after the carriage, which stopped near the cathedral.

Finding your Nose in a church among praying people, Kovalev spent a long time gathering the courage to speak to him. But when he made his speech, he immediately heard from the Nose in uniform that they were strangers and that he needed to observe the rules of decency. Seeing this state of affairs, the college official decides to go on a newspaper expedition to write a complaint.

But the official who accepted Kovalev’s statement that his nose had escaped from him could not understand that this was not a person. He kept repeating that the surname was strange, and how could he disappear. A newspaper official refused to place a missing person notice for Kovalev, as this would have a negative impact on the newspaper’s reputation.

After the newspaper expedition, the disgruntled Kovalev went to a private bailiff. But he was just about to fall asleep after lunch. Therefore, he dryly answered the college official that a decent man’s nose would not be torn off. The touchy Kovalev went home with nothing.

Only in the evening, tired Kovalev found himself at home. His own apartment seemed disgusting to him at that moment. And his lackey Ivan, who did nothing and just lay there and spat at the ceiling, infuriated him. Having beaten the footman, he sat down in a chair and began to mentally analyze the incident that happened to him. He soon decided that it was the officer Podtochina who, for the sake of revenge, wanting to marry him to his daughter, hired some attendants.

But then a police official unexpectedly came and said that his nose had been found. He began to say that he wanted to leave for Riga, but he was intercepted right on the road. He said that the culprit was the barber Ivan Yakovlevich, who is now sitting in a cell. After that, he took out his nose, wrapped in some piece of paper. And after the policeman left, Kovalev held it in his hand for a long time, examining it.

But the joy soon passed, as Kovalev realized that he was now somehow needed put in its place. He tried to put it in place himself, but the nose would not stay. Then he sent a footman for the doctor, who also lived in this house. But the doctor could not do anything, but only advised to place it in a jar of alcohol and wash it more often. He even offered to sell it to Kovalev.

Desperate, the major decides to write a letter to the headquarters officer to ask to be returned to his previous position. Alexandra Podtochina answered him immediately, where she didn’t even understand what was going on and wrote that she was glad to marry her daughter to him, and not leave him with his nose. After reading this message, Kovalev was completely upset, because he could not understand how this happened to him.

Meanwhile, rumors about the incident with Kovalev had already begun to spread throughout the capital. Moreover, there was more and more news about where Nose was seen walking by himself.

In the third chapter it is said that already on April 7, Kovalev’s nose again inexplicably appeared in its place. It happened in the morning when the major looked at himself in the mirror. Just at this time the barber arrived. He, surprised by the appearance of his nose, carefully began to shave the college official. After this procedure, the joyful Kovalev went on visits.

Analysis of the story

The nose in Gogol's story has a symbolic meaning. He points out that in society even the Nose can exist and even be higher in rank than its owner. But the owner turns out to be an unhappy person, but he is empty and pompous. He only thinks about women and his career.

1. Lack of rights of the people.
2. Corrupt practices.

The story “The Nose” is a mysterious work by Nikolai Gogol, since it never answers the question of how he was able to return to his place.

"Nose" often called the most mysterious story by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. It was written in 1833 for the Moscow Observer magazine, which was edited by the writer’s friends. But the editors did not accept the work, calling it dirty and vulgar. This is the first mystery: why did Gogol’s friends refuse to publish it? What dirt and vulgarity did they see in this fantastic plot? In 1836, Alexander Pushkin persuaded Gogol to publish “The Nose” in Sovremennik. To do this, the author reworked the text, changing the ending and strengthening the satirical focus.

In the preface to the publication, Pushkin called the story cheerful, original and fantastic, emphasizing that it gave him pleasure. The exact opposite review from Alexander Sergeevich is another mystery. After all, Gogol did not radically change the work; the second version was not fundamentally different from the first.

Many incomprehensible moments can be found in the fantastic plot of the story. There are no clearly defined motives for the runaway nose; the role of the barber in this story looks strange: why exactly did he show up with a runaway nose, and even in the bread? The story is blurry image of evil, hidden driver motive many actions, there is no clear reason for punishing Kovalev. The story also ends with a question: why did the nose return to its place without any explanation?

The work clearly spells out some minor details that do not affect the development of events, and the more significant facts, characters and settings are depicted very schematically. Such a “failure” could be forgiven for a novice author, but Gogol was already a mature writer at the time of writing the story. Therefore, details are important, but what is their significance then? These mysteries have given rise to many different versions among critics.

Most experts rightly classify the work as satire genre to modern society, where a person is judged not by personal qualities, but by rank. Let us remember how timidly Kovalev talks to his own nose. After all, he is dressed in a uniform, which shows that in front of the major is an official of a higher rank.

Interesting image of a quarterly overseer. He noticed from afar that the barber had thrown something into the water, but he only saw the missing part of the body when he put on his glasses. Of course, because the nose was in a shiny uniform and with a sword, and at the sight of gentlemen, the police are always short-sighted. That's why the barber was arrested; someone has to answer for the incident. Poor drunkard Ivan Yakovlevich was ideal for the role "switchman".

Typical main character works by Major Kovalev. This is a provincial without education who received his rank in the Caucasus. This detail says a lot. Kovalev is smart, energetic, brave, otherwise he would not have earned his place on the front line. He is ambitious, prefers to be called by the military rank of "major" rather than by the civilian rank - "college assessor". Kovalev aims to become a vice-governor and dreams of a profitable marriage: “in this case, when the bride gets two hundred thousand in capital”. But now Kovalev is suffering greatly because he cannot hit on the ladies.

All the major’s dreams crumble to dust after the disappearance of his nose, because along with it his face and reputation are lost. At this time, the nose rises up the career ladder above the owner, for which he is obsequiously accepted in society.

The barber wearing a tailcoat is comical. His untidiness (smelly hands, torn buttons, stains on clothes, unshavenness) contrasts with a profession designed to make people cleaner and neater. The gallery of humorous characters is completed by a doctor who performs diagnostics with clicks.

However genre of satirical phantasmagoria only partially reveals the secrets of the story. Critics have long noticed that the work is a kind of code, perfectly understandable to Gogol’s contemporaries and completely incomprehensible to us. There are several versions about this. One of them: Gogol in a veiled form depicted a certain scandalous incident that was well known in his society. This fact explains the refusal of the first publication (the scandal was still fresh), the favor of the famous lover of shocking Pushkin and the negative assessment of critics.

Some researchers find parallels in the story with well-known popular print stories. In the 30s of the 19th century, lubok was considered a “low” genre, especially despised in secular society. Gogol's closeness to folk traditions could well have led the writer to such a unique experiment. There are also more exotic versions: the struggle with the author’s own complexes about his appearance, deciphering a popular dream book, etc.

But we have not yet received a clear and correct interpretation of the story “The Nose”. “There really is something in all this”“, - Gogol slyly declared at the end of the work.

• “The Nose”, a summary of the chapters of Gogol’s story
• “Portrait”, analysis of Gogol’s story, essay

The legacy of the brilliant Ukrainian and Russian writer N.V. Gogol contains many works that deserve the attention of a demanding reader. A feature of his work is subtle humor and observation, a penchant for mysticism and simply incredible, fantastic plots. This is exactly what the story “The Nose” (Gogol) is, which we will analyze below.

Plot of the story (briefly)

The analysis of the story should begin with a summary of the story. Gogol's "Nose" consists of three parts, which tell about incredible incidents in the life of a certain collegiate assessor Kovalev.

So, one day, the city barber of St. Petersburg, Ivan Yakovlevich, finds a nose in a loaf of bread, which, as it later turns out, belongs to a very respected person. The barber is trying to get rid of his find, which he does with great difficulty. At this time, the collegiate assessor wakes up and discovers the loss. Shocked and upset, he goes outside, covering his face with a handkerchief. And suddenly he meets his part of the body, which is dressed up in a uniform, driving around the city, praying in the cathedral, and so on. The nose does not respond to requests to return to its place.

N.V. Gogol’s story “The Nose” further tells that Kovalev is trying to find the loss. He goes to the police, wants to advertise in the newspaper, but is refused due to the unusual nature of such a case. Exhausted, Kovalev goes home and thinks about who could be behind such a cruel joke. Deciding that this is the headquarters officer Podtochin - because he refused to marry her daughter, the assessor writes her an accusatory letter. But the woman is at a loss.

The city is quickly filled with rumors of an incredible incident. One policeman even catches the nose and brings it to the owner, but fails to put him in his place. The doctor also doesn’t know how to make the fallen organ stay on. But after about two weeks, Kovalev wakes up and finds his nose in its rightful place. The barber, who came to do his usual work, no longer held on to this part of the body. This is where the story ends.

Characteristics and analysis. "The Nose" by Gogol

If you look at the genre of the work, “The Nose” is a fantastic story. It can be argued that the author is telling us that a person fusses for no reason, lives in vain and does not see beyond his nose. He is overwhelmed by everyday worries that are not worth a penny. He calms down, feeling familiar surroundings.

What conclusion does detailed analysis lead to? Gogol's "Nose" is a story about a man who is too proud, who does not care about people of lower rank. Like a severed smelling organ in a uniform, such a person does not understand speeches addressed to him and continues to do his job, no matter what it is.

The meaning of a fantasy story

Using a fantastic plot, original images and completely atypical “heroes”, the great writer reflects on power. He talks vividly and topically about the lives of officials and their eternal concerns. But should such people take care of their nose? Shouldn't they be solving the real problems of the ordinary people they supervise? This is a hidden mockery that draws attention to the big problem of Gogol’s contemporary society. This was the analysis. “The Nose” by Gogol is a work that is worth reading at your leisure.