The Overcoat

Summary

The Overcoat is a work by Nikolai Gogol that tells the story of the life and tragic fate of a lowly clerk, Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin. Working in one of St. Petersburg's departments, the protagonist leads a modest and monotonous life, filled solely with the endless copying of documents. One of Akaky Akakievich's pressing concerns is his overcoat. As it falls into disrepair, it becomes clear that he cannot do without a new one. This work reflects the painful process of gathering funds for a new overcoat, exacerbated by bureaucratic obstacles and the indifference of those around him. Upon receiving his coveted overcoat, Akaky Akakievich almost immediately loses it: it is stolen on one of the streets of St. Petersburg. His attempts to seek help and justice from higher authorities end in failure. This event becomes a fatal blow for the hero. He dies, and his soul, according to rumors, begins to haunt passersby, taking their overcoats. Akaky Akakievich's story is a harsh critique of the bureaucratic system, an indictment of society's indifference to an individual's personal tragedy, and highlights the protagonist's heightened sense of justice.