Real and fantastic in Gogol's novel "The Nose." Nikolai Gogol, "The Nose": an analysis of the story, the main meaning

The story "The Nose" is one of the most jolly, original, fantastic and unexpected works of Nikolai Gogol. The author for a long time did not agree to the publication of this joke, but his friends persuaded him. The story was first published in the journal Sovremennik, in 1836, with a note by A.S. Pushkin. Since then, hot discussions have not ceased around this work. Real and fantastic in Gogol's novel "The Nose" is combined in the most bizarre and unusual forms. Here the author reached the peak of his satirical mastery and painted a true picture of the mores of his time.

Brilliant grotesque

This is one of the most popular literary devices of NV. Gogol. But if in early works it was used to create in the narrative an atmosphere of mystery and mystery, then in a later period it turned into a way of satirical reflection of the surrounding reality. The story "The Nose" is a vivid confirmation of this. The inexplicable and strange disappearance of the nose from the physiognomy of Major Kovalev and his incredible independent existence separate from his master suggest that the order is unnatural, in which a high status in society means much more than a person himself. In this state of affairs, any inanimate object can suddenly acquire significance and weight if it acquires the proper rank. This is the main topic of the story "The Nose".

Features of a realistic grotesque

In the late works of N.V. Gogol is dominated by a realistic grotesque. It is aimed at revealing the unnaturalness and absurdity of reality. Incredible things happen to the heroes of the work, but they help to reveal the typical features of the surrounding world, to reveal the dependence of people on conventional conventions and norms.

Contemporaries Gogol did not immediately appreciate the satirical talent of the writer. Only V.G. Belinsky, who did a lot for a correct understanding of Nikolai Vasilyevich's creativity, once remarked that in the "ugly grotesque" that he uses in his work, there is "an abyss of poetry" and an "abyss of philosophy", worthy of "Shakespeare's brush" in its depth and authenticity.

Summary of the story

"Nose" begins with the fact that on March 25 in St. Petersburg happened "an unusually strange incident." Ivan Yakovlevich, a barber, in the morning finds a nose in a freshly baked bread. He drops it from the St. Isaac's Bridge into the river. The owner of the nose, the collegiate assessor, or the major, Kovalev, waking up in the morning, does not find on his face an important part of the body. In search of the loss, he goes to the police. On the way he meets his own nose in the attire of the state councilor. Pursuing the fugitive, Kovalev goes after him to the Kazan Cathedral. He tries to get his nose back, but he only prays with "the greatest zeal" and tells the master that there can not be anything in common between them: Kovalev serves on another agency.

Distracted by an elegant lady, the major loses the rebellious part of the body from view. After making several unsuccessful attempts to find the nose, the master returns home. There they return it to him. The police chief grabbed his nose as he tried to escape to other people's documents in Riga. Joy of Kovalev does not last long. He can not put a part of the body in its original place. The summary of the story "The Nose" is not exhausted by this. How did the hero manage to get out of this situation? The doctor can not help the major. On the capital, meanwhile, there are interesting rumors. Someone saw a nose on Nevsky Prospekt, someone - in the Tauride Garden. As a result, he himself returned to his former place on April 7th, which gave the owner considerable joy.

Topic of the work

So what's the point of such an incredible story? The main theme of Gogol's story "The Nose" is the loss of a part of his "I" as a character. Probably, this happens under the influence of evil forces. Organizing role in the plot is given the motive of persecution, although Gogol does not specify the concrete embodiment of supernatural power. The mystery captures readers literally from the first sentence of the work, it is constantly recalled, it reaches its climax ... but there is no clue even in the finale. Covered by the darkness of the unknown is not only the mysterious separation of the nose from the body, but also the way it could exist independently, and even in the status of a high-ranking official. Thus, the real and fantastic in the story of Gogol "The Nose" intertwines in the most unthinkable way.

The real plan

He is embodied in a work in the form of rumors, which the author always mentions. This is gossip that the nose regularly makes a promenade along Nevsky Prospekt and other crowded places; That he seemed to be dropping into the store and so on. Why did Gogol need such a form of communication? Keeping the atmosphere of mystery, he satirically ridicules the authors of stupid rumors and a naive belief in incredible miracles.

Characteristics of the main character

Why did Major Kovalev deserve such attention of supernatural forces? The answer lies in the content of the story "The Nose". The fact is that the protagonist of the work is a desperate careerist, ready for anything for promotion. He managed to get the rank of collegiate assessor without an examination, thanks to the service in the Caucasus. Kovalev's cherished goal is to get married and become a high-ranking official. In the meantime, in order to give himself more weight and significance, he always calls himself not a collegiate assessor, but a major, knowing the advantage of military ranks over civilians. "He could forgive everything that was said about himself, but did not excuse, if it was a rank or rank," the author writes about his hero.

Here is an unclean force and laughed at Kovalev, not only taking away from him an important part of the body (without her making a career!), But also endowing the latter with the rank of general, that is, giving her more weight than the master himself. That's right, there's nothing to pick up your nose! Real and fantastic in the story of Gogol "Nose" makes you think about the question "what is more important - a person or her status?". And the answer is disappointing ...

Hints of the genius author

In Gogol's story there are many satirical subtleties, transparent hints of the realities of modern times. For example, in the first half of the 19th century, glasses were considered an anomaly giving an officer or officer an appearance of some kind of inferiority. In order to wear this accessory, a special permit was required. If the heroes of the work strictly followed the prescriptions and corresponded to the form, the Nose in the uniform acquired for them the importance of a significant person. But when the police chief had to "get out" of the system, violate the severity of his uniform and put on his glasses - he immediately noticed that in front of him was only a nose - a part of the body useless without his master. So intertwines the real and the fantastic in Gogol's novel "The Nose." It is not by chance that the author's contemporaries read this extraordinary work.

Many writers noted that the "Nose" is a magnificent example of fantasy, Gogol's parody of various prejudices and naive people's belief in the power of supernatural forces. Fantastic elements in the works of Nikolai Vasilyevich are ways of satirical display of society's vices, as well as the assertion of a realistic beginning in life.