The Nose

The inability of Kovalyov to see the error of his ways is the central gag in The Nose on which all the other satirical elements are built. No matter what happens, even when faced with the possibility of this missing piece of himself replacing himself and becoming better than himself, Kovalyov’s primary concern is his own self-interest.

From both Ivan Yakovlevich and Kovalyov’s perspectives, the text induces a strong feeling of anxiety as both are faced with the insurmountable walls put up by society and other people’s own self-interest. Institutions that are supposed to serve the people operate by and large as a marketplace full of red tape. Uniform, rank, and social status are everything in Imperial Russia, if we are to take Gogol’s text and perspective at face value.

Thus, The Nose serves as a great satire on what life was like in St. Petersburg across class lines, with great emphasis on the selflessness of the working poor, as personified by Ivan Yakovlevich, and the self-interest of the upper classes. Gogol highlights this by showcasing Kovalyov’s socially accepted disdain and maltreatment of the working poor.