
'The Overcoat' by Nikolai Gogol is a charming little story that portrays the life of a common worker in the bureaucracy of 19th century Russia. The plot revolves around Akaky Akakyevich, a minor official who leads a modest and solitary life until his overcoat begins to disintegrate. As he saves up to purchase a new coat, he experiences unexpected status and recognition from his peers, leading to a tragic turn of events that highlight the absence of recourse or justice in the contemporary bureaucracy. Gogol's writing style captures the inner life of Akaky, his struggles, and the societal dynamics of the time, blending humor and humanity in a pre-Modernist narrative that still resonates with modern readers.
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Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Content warnings for The Overcoat include themes of poverty, social alienation, mental breakdown, and existential despair.
From The Publisher:
Akaki Akakievich, a solitary, unworldly government clerk, is often mocked by his colleagues - not least on account of his pathetically threadbare overcoat, no longer a match for the St Petersburg climate. Economising to the point of austerity, Akaki has a new overcoat made, thus transforming his life. Then, one dark night, the unthinkable happens ... By turns wry, sad, tender and satirical, Gogol's greatest short work provided the template for an entirely new way of storytelling in the modern age.
Ratings (9)
Incredible (2) | |
Loved It (3) | |
Liked It (3) | |
It Was OK (1) |
Reader Stats (21):
Read It (9) | |
Want To Read (10) | |
Not Interested (2) |
1 comment(s)
Really good short story. Listened from an audiobook. It was a good experience.
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