The Overcoat
Book •
Nikolai Gogol's 'The Overcoat' tells the tragicomic story of Akaky Akakievich, a poor St. Petersburg clerk who dedicates his life to copying documents.
Akaky's threadbare overcoat becomes the symbol of his poverty and insignificance.
When a new overcoat is acquired, it briefly elevates Akaky's social standing and brings him joy.
The overcoat is stolen, plunging Akaky back into despair and leading to his untimely death.
The story critiques social injustice and the dehumanizing effects of bureaucracy, blending realism with elements of the grotesque and supernatural.
Akaky's threadbare overcoat becomes the symbol of his poverty and insignificance.
When a new overcoat is acquired, it briefly elevates Akaky's social standing and brings him joy.
The overcoat is stolen, plunging Akaky back into despair and leading to his untimely death.
The story critiques social injustice and the dehumanizing effects of bureaucracy, blending realism with elements of the grotesque and supernatural.
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Erik Rostad
2026: The Reading Year Ahead
