Gogol: Diary of a Madman (Russian Texts) [Paperback]

Nikolai Gogol (Author), Michael Pursglove (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1997 | Series: Russian Texts

Originally published in 1835, this is one of two works by Gogol dealing with the "little man" (the other is "The Overcoat"). Of over 150 examples of this genre, these two stories are often considered the most complex, both linguistically and psychologically. Poprischin is not at the bottom of the social ladder; he is a middle-aged, grade nine civil servant, with at least ten minions under him. Nevertheless he is painfully aware of the social gap between himself and his Director and, even more so, between himself and Sophie, the Director's daughter. Poprischin's frustrated love for Sophie drives him into madness, the stages of which are catalogued in diary form. These stages include imagined conversations between dogs and hallucinations set in a Spanish madhouse. This edition is based on the latest critical edition of the text to be published in Russia and follows the 1835 version of the text.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Short story by Nikolay Gogol, published in 1835 as "Zapiski sumasshedshego." Diary of a Madman, a first-person narrative presented in the form of a diary, is the tale of Poprishchin, a government clerk who gradually descends into insanity. At the outset, the narrator records his frustrations and humiliations straightforwardly, rationalizing various affronts to his dignity. Over time, however, reason gives way to delusion. His intermittent encounters with Sophie, the radiant daughter of his official superior, provoke an obsession that leads to his "overhearing" two dogs discussing his hopelessness. As such hallucinations become more frequent, he finds solace--and his ultimate rationale--in a new identity as the rightful king of Spain, whose enemies have engineered his exile. Throughout the story, interludes of sanity provide striking counterpoint to the deepening psychosis. -- The Merriam-Webster Encyclopedia of Literature --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Russian --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Duckworth Publishing (September 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1853994723
• ISBN-13: 978-1853994722
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 4.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,392,295 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Introduction (Penguin Edition), October 14, 2000

By 

Bruce Kendall "BEK" (Southern Pines, NC) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Diary of a Madman and Other Stories (Penguin Classics) (Mass Market Paperback)

Nikolai Gogol had an extraordinarily important influence on Russian literature. A contemporary and friend of Pushkin, he left his mark in several areas, as playwright, novelist and short-story writer. Every Russian writer to come after him acknowledges and reveres Gogol, from Dostoevsky to Bulgakov and on. This collection is a great introduction to Gogol. All of his most famous stories are included. "Diary of a Madman" shows us the disintegrating psyche of a minor civil servant during the era of the repressive rule of Nicholas I. Gogol had problems with Nicholas' censors (who were as vigilant as Stalin's) and he didn't exactly ingratiate himself with this depiction of bureaucratic malaise. The second short-story in the volume, "The Nose," again pokes fun at officialdom, but also takes us on a proto-magical-realism ride through mid-eighteenth century St. Petersburg (As an aside, you can currently take St. Petersburg tours of Gogol's fictional landscape, just as you can Dostoevsky's, [and Bulgakov's Moscow]). The third entry in the collection, "The Overcoat," deals again with an inconsequential bureaucrat (guess what Gogol's background was?) , whose entire existence is wrapped around a new overcoat. Suffice it to say that the story does not end happily for poor Akaky Akakievich. This is in some ways Gogol's signature piece. The story basically involves us in a humorous, at times capricious narrative, but the humor is infused with a great deal of pathos, to the point where we can almost call these tragicomedies.

The longest story in the collection, "How Ivan Ivanovich quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich," is a case-in-point. On the surface, it is a humorous account of two provincial boobs engaged in protracted enmity as a result of an inconsequential incident. However, at heart, Gogol is saying a great deal about Russian society, and the human condition, at the same time, and the picture is neither pretty nor funny. This is his most successful short story in many respects, imbued with wisdom and local color. Gogol is the most human and humane of Russian authors, but that does not mean that he is anywhere near the greatest, as a result. It would be left to the giants, Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, to truly establish Russia as a birthplace of great writers. But it is to this warmth of spirit that the Russian people and its literati have responded to so fervently for so many years. Gogol, of course, is well represented as a novelist for Dead Souls (or Chichikov's Journeys). He also attempted a Russian epic (Taras Bulba). For most modern readers, however, the stories are the most accessible and the most universally revered as regards his literary output. Give this volume a chance, and if you like the stories, turn your attention to Dead Souls, which is indeed worth reading.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Classic Russian Literature, December 14, 2007

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JMack (Chicago) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Diary of a Madman and Other Stories: The Nose; The Carriage; The Overcoat; Taras Bulba (Signet Classics) (Paperback)

I only became familiar with Gogol through references in the work of Philip Roth. After all, great writers should give their due to their predecessors. Five of Gogol's most celebrated short stories are included in this collection. While I can only classify myself as a fan of three of these stories, this collection is still worth purchasing.

"The Diary of a Madman" harkens Kafka-esque images of man versus isolation and the bureaucracy in the story of one man's sometimes humorous spiral into madness. Scorned in love and work, the main character retreats into an alternate reality. "The Nose", the story of a runaway body part, possesses elements of Kafka's "Metamorphisis". A fiction that borders on absurdity can still be frightening. It brings to mind that the superficial image one presents in society is too important. "The Overcoat", having themes of superficiality and prized possessions, is a peculiar tale. Taunted by his co-workers for the condition of his overcoat, the main character makes many sacrifices to replace his coat. To a point, the new overcoat becomes more of an obsession than it should.

While "The Carriage" and "Taras Bulba" are also included in the set, I do not believe they carry the same feeling as the other stories. To a degree, "Taras Bubla" almost seemed out of place in the set. The collection of short stories is enjoyable and highly recommended to lovers of literature. It brings the thought to mind of what other works of literature were hidden from American eyes by communism.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Diary of a Madman, January 28, 2001

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BMH (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Diary of a Madman and Other Stories: The Nose; The Carriage; The Overcoat; Taras Bulba (Signet Classics) (Paperback)

The short stories in this collection were very like those of Kafka, with the disorienting magical realism and the undercurrent of despair, although Gogol is the more blackly humourous of the two writers. Andrew MacAndrew's translation is a bit peculiar, however; for the Diary of a Madman, he mysteriously altered the structure of the vignettes (there is one less section than in other versions) and removed the name of the narrator. There are also a few irregularities in his version of The Nose. Work by other translators may be more reliable.