The Nose

by Nikolai Gogol

But Ivan felt more dead than alive.

‘I can’t say for certain if I came home drunk or not last night. All I know is, it’s crazy. After all, bread is something you bake, but a nose is quite different. Can’t make head or tail of it!

Barbers were associated with devilish causes - why shave beards when they are Holy. People don’t trust them (similarly distrustful of chemists)

Collegiate Assessor Kovalyov woke up rather early and made a ‘bring’ noise with his lips.

Wouldn’t expect a serious civil servant to wake up like this. Gogol always finds a way to make people seem a bit more foolish. Take themselves really seriously.

Kovalyov stretched himself and asked for the small mirror that stood on the table to be brought over to him.

self-absorbed, realises his nose is missing because he was looking at a pimple.

those collegiate assessors who acquire office through academic qualifications with the variety appointed in the Caucasus.

People were always having some conflicts with this region. People go to the war zone - stay there for a while - then get a job in the Government. Making fun of the imperial ambitions of the government. Comes from a place known as ‘Little Russia’ - critical of imperial pursuits.

‘Major’.

Not only vain but a liar. Wanted to be seen as heroic so he called himself major, despite not having such a rank He is also a womaniser, but wants a wife with a huge dowry.

Major Kovalyov had come to St Petersburg with the express purpose of finding a position in keeping with his rank. If he was successful, he would get a vice-governorship, but failing that, a job as an administrative clerk in some important government department would have to do. Major Kovalyov was not averse to marriage, as long as his bride happened to be worth 200,000 roubles.

Driven by the pursuit of wealth Not adverse to marriage unless if his wives had money.

‘But perhaps I dreamt it! How could I be so stupid as to go and lose my nose?’

Arbitrary metrics of a ‘respectable’ person. Kovalyov is valued when he wears his coat because of his coat. In the same way as long as the Nosa has the coat, that is all that matters in making it a respectable person.

Kazan Cathedral.

The Nose becomes a part of this societal performance - goes to the Cathedral because it is a respectable place to be and wanted to be seen as an important person. Plays into the society as a theatrical performance idea as the nose masquerades as a pious lad

The nose’s face was completely hidden by the high collar and it was praying with an expression of profound piety.

haha. People so blinded by their own stupidness that they see the overcoat as more important and don’t realise its a nose Also performance of piety

‘If one considers this from the point of view of duty and honour … then you yourself will understand.’

Wants to impress his own nose - now concerned with the social difference between them. His Nose out-ranks him

This reduced Kovalyov to utter despair.

‘My God, my God! What have I done to deserve this? If I’d lost an arm or a leg it wouldn’t be so bad. Even without any ears things wouldn’t be very pleasant, but it wouldn’t be the end of the world. A man without a nose, though, is God knows what, neither fish nor fowl. Just something to be thrown out of the window. If my nose had been lopped off during the war, or in a duel, at least I might have had some say in the matter. But to lose it for no reason at all and with nothing to show for it, not even a copeck!

The letter read as follows:

His true character is exposed. Doesn’t blame himself and instead deflects to other people. Letter writing norms “Your Very Faithful Servant” - while accusing her of magic, shows the disconnect between the self he portrays and his true personality Wants to show some respect but is exaggerated to absurdity. On principle just as bad as the barber - rude and insulting.

Dear Mr Kovalyov!

Response has the same superficial cordiality Offended because she had the attention of giving her daughters hand, but now taken aback by the accusatory letter he sent Doesn’t matter that he is stupid because he has a good position and money - still willing to give her daughter to him even though he just accused her of black magic.

‘Before you start, are your hands clean?’ Kovalyov shouted from the other side of the room. ‘Perfectly clean.’ ‘You’re lying.’ ‘On my life, sir, they’re clean!’ ‘Well, they’d better be!’