Oppressed, defenseless, lonely - such is the characteristic of Akaki Akakievich. It allows him to be attributed to a special type of literary characters. Bashmachkin is a "little man". This type was created by Pushkin in the story “ Stationmaster».

This is the rank of Akaki Akakievich. Gogol gives a characterization of his hero at the very beginning of the work. People like Bashmachkin were called eternal titular advisers. The fact is that Akaky Akakievich was not destined to rise to the next step in the hierarchy of ranks and titles. A timid person is so oppressed by his position that, it would seem, he does not pay any attention to the bullying of young officials.

"Wordless creature" - this epithet is used by the author to complete the characterization of Akaki Akakievich. The titular counselor resignedly bears down the ridicule of his colleagues. Even the watchman does not greet him in the department. The main quality in the characterization of Akaki Akakievich is imperceptibility.

Bashmachkin's work is the most insignificant. Every day he rewrites various documents and papers. The titular counselor is so accustomed to his miserable social role, he is so lonely, that a monotonous, uninteresting occupation for him became the main thing in life. Bashmachkin is not interested in the meaning and content of the papers. Once one of the bosses offered him a more difficult task, but he did not cope. "Let me rewrite something better." - Bashmachkin asked pitifully. Since then he has been left alone. He has been rewriting papers in the department for so long that it seems that he was born - not young, in a uniform and with a bald head.

Why Akaki?

Gogol tells an origin story strange name hero. Why not Mokkiy, Sossiy and Khozdazat? And such options were offered to the mother of the future titular councilor. The woman could not choose a name for her son and decided to name him after his father. This reveals a thoughtless habit of following traditions, excessive conservatism. The image of Akaki Akakievich in the story "The Overcoat" is complemented by his far from aristocratic surname. Gogol's character is of low origin.

Childhood, adolescence of Akaki Akakievich passed unnoticed. He would have rewritten papers to a ripe old age. But the tragic story with the greatcoat ruined Akaki Akakievich. Quotations, witty and well-aimed, from the work of Gogol can be fished out a lot. At the beginning of the story, the author notes: “the disasters scattered on the life path of Bashmachkin are encountered on the way not only of titular advisers, but even secret, real, court and any advisers, even those who do not give anyone advice, do not take them from anyone yourself. "

Overcoat Akaki Akakievich

Severe Petersburg frosts set in. Bashmachkin suddenly drew attention to his old overcoat, which the department had long called the hood. And he had a goal. Akaki Akakievich dreamed of a new overcoat, which, of course, could not afford him. The titular councilor received a salary of four hundred rubles a year.

To acquire a new overcoat, Akaky Akakievich had to starve for several months, give up tea, not light candles, walk carefully so as not to ruin his boots. Oddly enough, such sacrifices inspired Bashmachkin. After all, he had a goal, and at the same time a certain confidence, firmness in his gaze. Another quote from the story: "Fire was sometimes shown in his eyes." This phrase is very important in the description of Akaki Akakievich.

New thing

For several months, almost every day, the titular adviser came to the tailor Petrovich in order to learn about the fate of the greatcoat. He thought about her for so long and often that she became not just a thing for him, but “ close friend". And finally a happy day has arrived. Petrovich brought Bashmachkin an overcoat. Akaki Akakievich put on her and went to work. This, perhaps, was the only happy day in his life.

Bashmachkina's overcoat made a splash in the department. With the titular adviser, a small and inconspicuous person, they suddenly spoke kindly, with respect. One of the chiefs even invited him to his name day. But the titular counselor was not destined to enjoy a happy life. On the same evening, the greatcoat was stolen.

Crushing blow

A person can endure constant adversity only if he does not know about what happiness is. Bashmachkin got used to over the years, and he was about fifty, to his miserable social position in society. The overcoat in Gogol's work is not just a wardrobe item. This is an important image, symbolizing both happiness and social status, respect of others. Bashmachkin suddenly found all this (after all, he had never been invited to a name day or to any other celebration before), but he immediately lost it. This was a crushing blow to him.

Significant person

The next day Bashmachkin went to the department in his old overcoat, the same one that the young officials called the hood. Many colleagues were imbued with compassion for Akaki Akakievich. He was advised to seek help from one of the bosses - a man who had recently gone up for a promotion. Bashmachkin went to the "significant person". But here an incident occurred that of a titular councilor.

The boss was not a bad man. However, the high rank did not allow him to demonstrate his positive qualities. The unhappy, downtrodden Bashmachkin appeared in his office. The significant person, without even listening to the visitor, began to shout and stamp their feet. The little man lost consciousness for a while, came home and took to bed in a fever. He died a few days later.

Life after death

Nobody noticed the death of the little official. The department learned about his death only a few days after the funeral. By the way, the "significant person" later changed her mind and sent to the department to find out about the fate of the little official, who had lost consciousness in his office. But it was too late - Bashmachkin died.

Gogol decided to restore justice, which does not exist and has never been in our world, at least in the pages of his story. He gave Bashmachkin a few days after his death. For some time, there were rumors among Petersburgers about the ghost of Bashmachkin, who wandered across the bridge in search of an overcoat. The late official frightened passers-by, tore off their clothes. The dead man disappeared only after he met his abuser, that very terrible "significant" boss. Tearing off his greatcoat, he disappeared forever. So Bashmachkin avenged all the humiliated and insulted. And the significant person from now on did not scold his subordinates, did not raise his voice.

The image of Akaki Akakievich in the story "The Overcoat" is very tragic. But the saddest thing is that Gogol created his hero on the basis of life experience. Bashmachkin is in every class, in every team. The shoes are everywhere. Moreover, each of us has something of the Gogolian character.

“We all came out of Gololev's“ Overcoat ”- what does this phrase mean and who uttered it? These words are often attributed to Dostoevsky, while they were uttered by the French writer and diplomat Eugene Melchior de Vogue. The characterization of Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin was given by the author at first glance, unambiguous: a small man who can only dream of a new overcoat. But why did Gogol's hero become one of the most significant and important characters in Russian literature?

The story "The Overcoat" was written on the basis of the "clerical joke". A certain official saved up for a long time for a gun, the loss of which became a real tragedy for him. "The Overcoat" is a story about a pathetic, downtrodden official. She has a typical Gogol humor, but at the same time it deep pieceimbued with humanism.

Bashmachkin is given in the first paragraph of the story. He was an unremarkable person, a titular councilor. It is worth saying a few words about the Bashmachkin rank here.

In pre-revolutionary Russia, there was a classification of titles. Each rank had a specific meaning and status. The titular counselor had few opportunities to advance the career ladder. His salary was small. So, Bashmachkin received 400 rubles a year, which was barely enough for meager food and living in a modest St. Petersburg apartment. We can say that Bashmachkin was begging, like hundreds of other minor officials like him.

More important than the titular counselor was the collegiate one. The trouble is that this rank was out of reach for Akaki Akakievich. A collegiate advisor could be a person with noble origin... Gogol's hero, most likely, was a commoner.

Characteristics of Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin: a modest, unremarkable official who does not have outstanding abilities, ambition and any aspirations in life. Such as he was called "eternal titular counselors." Bashmachkin was doomed to occupy an insignificant position in the department. But this did not upset him at all.

Favorite thing Bashmachkin

Akaki Akakievich did a simple job from morning to evening: he copied papers. He loved this occupation very much, and did not dream of anything else. Bashmachkin took work home. He had dinner in a hurry, and again sat down to rewrite papers. Once, a compassionate boss entrusted him with a more significant task. It was necessary not only to rewrite the document, but also to change the name and several verbs. But Bashmachkin failed. He sweated all over, got nervous, then said: "No, let me rewrite something."

The characterization of Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin will be supplemented by a description of his appearance. He was short, bald, with a hemorrhoidal complexion. This man worked in the department for a very long time. So long ago that it seemed to young officials that he was born like that - with a bald head and in a uniform.

"Why are you insulting me?"

This phrase became the key one in the image of Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin. The characterization of the little man was first given by Pushkin in the story "The Station Keeper". What is this type literary character? This is the image of a socially unprotected person, unhappy, lonely, miserable.

Even the watchman does not respect Bashmachkin in the department. The bosses casually throw papers on his desk, not even bothering to say: "Rewrite, please." Young officials make fun of Gogol's titular adviser. True, one of them once, having heard from Bashmachkin the phrase: “Why do you offend me?”, Was deeply amazed. In these words he heard "I am your brother." The young official did not allow himself any rude jokes about Bashmachkin from now on. And for a long time he could not forget the image of the unhappy little man.

There are two images of Bashmachkin in Gogol's story: external and internal. The first is a closed, unsociable official, diligently rewriting papers. Inner man in the image of Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin is completely different. He is cheerful, open-minded. Suffice it to recall the state of the official after the acquisition of the overcoat.

Bashmachkin's goal

A piece of clothing deserves special attention, the name of which is included in the title of the story. The overcoat here is not just a thing that, if it is well-sewn and soundly sewn, saves from the harsh Petersburg frosts. This is an image symbolizing the social position of an official. Bashmachkin had a thin overcoat, which did not save him from bad weather at all. Then he finally decided to order a new one. For a person who receives a salary of four hundred rubles a year, this is not at all easy.

Description Bashmachkin Akaki Akakievich, presented above, will complement the manner of expressing himself. The official was extremely tongue-tied. He used to express his thoughts in pretexts and adverbs. Often he did not finish the phrase at all, he said something like: "this is absolutely that ... right."

Something like that he cast out in the house of Petrovich, a tailor who had already darned his old greatcoat more than once. He refused to put patches again and advised to sew a new one. So Bashmachkin had a goal.

He started saving for a new overcoat. Akaki Akakievich stopped drinking tea in the evenings, did not light candles, walked more carefully, so as not to spoil the soles on his boots, gave his laundry to the washerwoman less and less. I wore a dressing gown at home, so as not to wear the suit and insure myself against possible expenses.

He dreamed of a new overcoat for so long that he loved her with all his heart. Before I had saved up for cloth and tailoring. Every day he went to Petrovich to discuss a new thing. The overcoat for Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin became not just a thing, but a beloved friend, almost a living being.

Happy official

So, Bashmachkin has been starving for several months: he is saving up for a new overcoat. Finally, she is ready. Petrovich brings Akaki Akakievich a new thing in the morning. The official, in a completely festive mood, goes to the department. Surprisingly, everyone there learns about Akaky Akakievich's new overcoat, that the old one, which, by the way, was called a hood, no longer exists. Bashmachkin is congratulated, attention is paid to him, which has never happened in the department for many years. Moreover, the boss invites Akaki Akakievich to the name day.

The tragedy of Bashmachkin

But the little official's happiness was short-lived. In a new overcoat, he goes to the clerk's birthday party. Here they again congratulate him on a new thing, persuade him to drink. After two glasses of champagne, Akaky Akakievich's life appears in rainbow colors. However, he remembers that it is late hour, it is time to go home. Bashmachkin imperceptibly leaves the clerk's house. On the way home he meets robbers who take off his overcoat.

Death of an official

The next day, Bashmachkin went to the department in the well-known hood. Many felt sorry for him, advised him to turn to one significant person: maybe he would help find the robbers who had stolen a new overcoat. Akaki Akakievich did just that. But the significant person was a very formidable person, at least wanted to appear so. The chief did not listen to Bashmachkin, on the contrary, attacked him so that he almost lost his spirit right in his office.

Ghost

When the official was gone, no one noticed this. The department learned about his death only four days after the funeral. The Bashmachkins met, of course, not only among the officials of the 19th century. Such people, driven, unhappy, unprotected, exist today.

Gogol completed the story fantastic ending... His hero, as a reward for an inconspicuous life, after his death, lived for several days. Soon, rumors of a ghost began to circulate in St. Petersburg. It was a dead official looking for a missing overcoat. He instilled fear in the townspeople, and disappeared only after he met the same general who had instilled fear on him shortly before his death. The ghost took off his overcoat from a significant face, after which he disappeared forever. The boss, a man, in fact, not evil, for a long time could not forgive himself for the death of Bashmachkin.

Nikolai Gogol's story "" most clearly showed us the problem of the "little man" in society. A the main character works - Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin became the personification of that very "little man".

Already the first lines of the story tell us that the fate of the protagonist has been decided. The first thing that catches your eye is the choice of a name. Gogol ironically describes the moment of choosing a name for a child. Of all the names presented: Mokkiy, Sossiy or Khozdazat - Akaki was the most suitable. Therefore, it was decided to name the baby Akaki in honor of his father.

Akaki Akakievich was fifty years old. He looked short, with a bald spot on his forehead. All his life he worked as a minor official in one of the city offices. His main task was to rewrite papers. It is worth noting that Bashmachkin really liked his work. He even had favorite letters, which he wrote with special diligence.

Like all "little people", the main character was afraid to take the initiative, he was afraid of any new business. Once the new director of the office, seeing the efforts of Akaki Akakievich, decides to reward him and give him a more difficult job. It was necessary to read the article and change the verbs where necessary. After a little thought, Bashmachkin said that it would be better if he just rewrote something.

His meager salary prevented him from making expensive purchases. For many years he wore a green jacket, which already seemed of a reddish flour color. One day, Akaki Akakievich decided to order himself a new overcoat. I must say that this decision was not easy for him. He twice asked the tailor to patch up his old overcoat, but the tailor did not want to take up the job.

Bashmachkin begins to save on everything in order to collect the required amount of money. And now the overcoat is ready. This event has become a real holiday in the life of the protagonist. The new overcoat seemed to open the door for him new life... He even decides to go to the evening to inject a new thing. There he becomes the main actor... For the first time in his whole life, Akaki Akakievich allowed himself to have fun. Late in the evening, on the way home, robbers attack Bashmachkin and take his overcoat. From that moment on, the life of the protagonist turned into hell. No one understands his tragedy. He tries to find help, but the bureaucratic apparatus crushes him.

Having caught a cold, Akaki Akakievich dies. His death is noticed only on the fourth day, but no one regrets what happened. Meanwhile, the ghost of Akaki Akakievich begins to take revenge on his offenders, tearing off their greatcoats. He calms down only when he takes the overcoat from the general who drove him away.

This was the result of the life of the "little man" Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin.

The meaning of the name in Nikolai Gogol's story "The Overcoat"

Shoemaker - the name of the official. It is clear from the very name that it once descended from a shoe; but when, at what time and how it originated from the shoe, none of this is known. The shoe is a low, closed shoe for outdoor use, often rough, heavy and uncomfortable. Shoes could not be found more indecent. So Gogol defined the status of the protagonist with the surname. Moreover, it was formed not even from the word "shoe", but from the word "shoe" - "little man" and a surname with a diminutive suffix. When he was born, mothers were offered a choice of many names: Mokkiy, Sossiy, Khozdazat, Trifiliy, Dula, Varakhasiy, Pavsikakhiy and Vakhtisiy. But these names were so strange that she decided: “… let it be better to be called like his father. The father was Akaki, so let the son be Akaki. " Akaky Akakievich did not even get his own name. “This is how Akaki Akakievich happened. The child was christened, and he burst into tears and made such a grimace as if he had a presentiment that there would be a titular councilor.

Already in the time of Gogol, the name Akaki was rarely used among the people, now it is preserved as a church name; by this name were called the holy martyrs and the most devout priests. The Holy Martyrs received the name Akaki posthumously, which indicated directly their suffering without guilt (Martyr Akaki, Venerable Akaki of Sinai, Venerable Akaki of Latria, Hieromartyr Akaki).

Akaki (ancient Greek kbkypt) - does not do evil, non-malicious.

The name "Akaki" means "innocence, innocent, non-spiteful, good-natured, not doing evil." And for the hero Gogol, this quality is doubled by the middle name. Doubling indicates an overabundance of a property, an increase in the meaning of a word.

"Young officials laughed and made fun of him, as far as the clerical wit was enough ... But Akaki Akakievich did not answer a single word, as if there was no one in front of him ...".

“Only if the joke was too unbearable, when they pushed him by the arm, interfering with his business, he said:“ Leave me, why are you offending me? ”

Thus, it can be noted that in the work of N.V. Gogol's names and surnames acquire a new function. They do not just name a person, they allow you to read the soul and know the personality of the hero in a few words. "Gogol's names are a kind of" title "of the characters' inner world."

Can one little piece revolutionize literature? Yes, Russian literature knows such a precedent. This is the story of N.V. Gogol's "The Overcoat". The work was very popular with contemporaries, caused a lot of controversy, and the Gogol trend developed among Russian writers until the middle of the 20th century. What is this great book? About this in our article.

The book is part of a series of works written in the 1830-1840s. and united by a common name - "Petersburg stories". The story of Gogol's "Overcoat" goes back to an anecdote about a poor official who had a great passion for hunting. Despite the small salary, the ardent fan set a goal for himself: by all means buy a Lepazhev's gun, one of the best at that time. The official refused to do everything to save money, and finally, he bought the coveted trophy and went to the Gulf of Finland to shoot birds.

The hunter sailed in the boat, was about to take aim - but did not find the gun. It probably fell out of the boat, but how - remains a mystery. The hero of the story himself admitted that he was a kind of forgetfulness when he was anticipating the cherished prey. Returning home, he fell asleep in a fever. Fortunately, everything ended well. The sick official was rescued by his colleagues, who bought him a new, similar gun. This story inspired the author to create the story "The Overcoat".

Genre and direction

N.V. Gogol is one of the most prominent representatives of critical realism in Russian literature. With his prose, the writer sets a special direction, sarcastically called by the critic F. Bulgarin "Natural School". This literary vector is characterized by an appeal to acute social themesconcerning poverty, morality, class relationships. Here, the image of the "little man" is being actively developed, which has become traditional for writers of the 19th century.

A narrower trend, characteristic of Petersburg Tales, is fantastic realism. This technique allows the author to influence the reader in the most effective and original way. It is expressed in a mixture of fiction and reality: the real in the story "The Overcoat" is the social problem of tsarist Russia (poverty, crime, inequality), and the fantastic is the ghost of Akaki Akakievich, who robbing passers-by. Dostoevsky, Bulgakov and many other followers of this trend turned to the mystical principle.

The genre of the story allows Gogol to laconically, but brightly enough to highlight several plot lines, to outline many urgent social themes and even to include the motive of the supernatural in his work.

Composition

The composition "Overcoat" is linear, it is possible to designate an introduction and an epilogue.

The story begins with a kind of writer's discourse about the city, which is an integral part of all Petersburg Tales. Then follows the biography of the protagonist, which is typical for the authors of the "natural school". It was believed that these data help to better reveal the image and explain the motivation of certain actions.
Exposition - a description of the situation and position of the hero.
The plot takes place at the moment when Akaki Akakievich decides to acquire a new overcoat, this intention continues to move the plot until the climax - a happy acquisition.
The second part is devoted to the search for an overcoat and the exposure of senior officials.
The epilogue, where the ghost appears, loops this part: first, the thieves follow Bashmachkin, then the policeman follows the ghost. Maybe a thief?

About what?

One poor official Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, in view of the severe frosts, finally dares to buy himself a new overcoat. The hero denies himself everything, saves on food, tries to walk more carefully on the pavement, so as not to change the soles once again. By the required time, he manages to accumulate the required amount, soon the coveted overcoat is ready.

But the joy of possession does not last long: on the same evening, when Bashmachkin was returning home after a festive dinner, the robbers took away the object of his happiness from the poor official. The hero tries to fight for his greatcoat, he goes through several instances: from a private person to a significant person, but no one cares about his loss, no one is going to look for robbers. After a visit to the general, who turned out to be a rude and arrogant man, Akaki Akakievich fell ill with a fever and soon died.

But the story "takes a fantastic ending." The spirit of Akaki Akakievich wanders around Petersburg, who wants to take revenge on his offenders, but, mainly, he is looking for a significant person. One evening, the ghost catches the arrogant general and takes his greatcoat from him, on which he calms down.

The main characters and their characteristics

The protagonist of the story - Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin... From the moment of birth, it was clear that a difficult, unhappy life awaited him. This was predicted by the midwife, and the baby himself, when he was born, “burst into tears and made such a grimace as if he had a presentiment that there would be a titular counselor”. This is the so-called "little man", but his character is contradictory and goes through certain stages of development.
Overcoat image works to unleash the potential of this seemingly modest character. The new thing dear to the heart makes the hero possessed, as if she were controlling him by an idol. The little official shows such perseverance and activity that he never showed during his lifetime, and after death, he completely decides to take revenge and keeps Petersburg in fear.
The role of the overcoat in Gogol's story it is difficult to overestimate. Her image develops in parallel with the protagonist: a leaky overcoat is a modest person, a new one is an enterprising and happy Bashmachkin, a general's one is an almighty spirit, catching up with horror.
The image of St. Petersburg the story is presented in a completely different way. This is not a lush capital with smart carriages and flowering ceremonies, but a cruel city, with its fierce winter, unhealthy climate, dirty stairs and dark alleys.

Topics

The life of a little man - main topic the story "The Overcoat", so it is presented quite brightly. Bashmachkin does not have a strong character or special talents, higher-ranking officials allow themselves to manipulate him, ignore him or scold him. And the poor hero only wants to return to himself what belongs to him by right, but significant persons and the big world are not up to the problems of the little man.
The juxtaposition of the real and the fantastic allows us to show the versatility of Bashmachkin's image. In the harsh reality, he will never reach the selfish and cruel hearts of those in power, but having become a powerful spirit, he can at least avenge his insult.
The cross-cutting theme of the story is immorality. People are appreciated not for their skill, but for their rank, a significant person is by no means an exemplary family man, he is cold to his children and looks for entertainment on the side. He allows himself to be an arrogant tyrant, forcing those of lower rank to grovel.
The satirical nature of the story and the absurdity of the situations allow Gogol to most expressively point out social vices. For example, no one is going to look for the missing overcoat, but there is a decree to catch the ghost. This is how the author denounces the inaction of the St. Petersburg police.

Problematic

The problematic of the story "The Overcoat" is very broad. Here Gogol raises questions concerning both society and the inner world of a person.

The main problem of the story is humanism, or rather, its absence. All the heroes of the story are faint-hearted and selfish, they are not capable of empathy. Even Akaki Akakievich has no spiritual goal in life, does not seek to read or be interested in art. He is driven only by the material component of being. Bashmachkin does not recognize himself as a victim in the Christian sense. He has completely adapted to his miserable existence, the character does not know forgiveness and is only capable of revenge. The hero cannot even find peace after death, until he fulfills his low plan.
Indifference. Co-workers are indifferent to Bashmachkin's grief, and a significant person is trying by all means known to him to stifle all manifestations of humanity in himself.
The problem of poverty is touched upon by Gogol. A person who performs his duties roughly and diligently does not have the opportunity to update his wardrobe as needed, while careless flatterers and dandies successfully advance in the service, dine sumptuously and arrange evenings.
The problem of social inequality is covered in the story. The general treats the titular councilor as a flea that he can crush. Bashmachkin is shy in front of him, is speechless, and a significant person, not wanting to lose his appearance in the eyes of his colleagues, humiliates the poor suppliant in every possible way. Thus, he shows his power and superiority.

What is the meaning of the story?

The idea of \u200b\u200bGogol's "Overcoat" is to point out the acute social problems that were urgent in Imperial Russia. With the help of a fantastic component, the author shows the hopelessness of the situation: a small person is weak in front of the mighty of the world this, they will never respond to his request, and even kick him out of his office. Gogol, of course, does not approve of revenge, but in the story "The Overcoat" is the only way to get through to of stone hearts high-ranking officials. It seems to them that only the spirit is above them, and they will agree to listen only to those who surpass them. Becoming a ghost, Bashmachkin takes just this necessary position, so he manages to influence the arrogant tyrants. This is the main idea of \u200b\u200bthe work.

The meaning of Gogol's "Overcoat" is in the search for justice, but the situation seems hopeless, because justice is possible only when turning to the supernatural.

What does it teach?

Gogol's "Overcoat" was written almost two centuries ago, but it remains relevant to this day. The author makes one think not only about social inequality, the problem of poverty, but also about his own spiritual qualities. The story "The Overcoat" teaches empathy, the writer urges not to turn away from a person who is in a difficult situation and asks for help.

To achieve his authorial goals, Gogol changes the ending of the original anecdote, which became the basis for the work. If in that story colleagues collected an amount sufficient to buy a new gun, then Bashmachkin's colleagues practically did nothing to help a comrade in trouble. He himself died fighting for his rights.

Criticism

In Russian literature, the "Overcoat" story played a huge role: thanks to this work, a whole trend arose - "natural school". This work became a symbol of the new art, and this was confirmed by the journal Physiology of St. Petersburg, where many young writers came up with their own versions of the image of a poor official.

Critics recognized Gogol's skill, and "The Overcoat" was considered a worthy work, but the controversy was mainly conducted around the Gogol trend opened by this particular story. For example, V.G. Belinsky called the book "one of the deepest creations of Gogol," but considered the "natural school" a direction unpromising, and K. Aksakov refused to Dostoevsky (who also began with the "natural school"), the author of Poor People, with the title of artist.

Not only Russian critics were aware of the role of the "Overcoat" in literature. The French reviewer E. Vogue owns the famous saying "We all came out of Gogol's greatcoat." In 1885 he wrote an article about Dostoevsky, where he spoke about the origins of the writer's work.

Later, Chernyshevsky accused Gogol of excessive sentimentality, deliberate compassion for Bashmachkin. Apollo Grigoriev, in his criticism, opposed the Gogol method to true art satirical image reality.

The story made a great impression not only on the writer's contemporaries. V. Nabokov in the article "Apotheosis of the Disguise" analyzes Gogol's creative method, its features, advantages and disadvantages. Nabokov believes that "The Overcoat" was created for "a reader with a creative imagination", and for the fullest possible understanding of the work, it is necessary to get acquainted with it in the original language, because Gogol's work is "a phenomenon of language, not ideas."