The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol (Pdf+Summary)

The Overcoat PdfbyNikolai Gogol is a famous short story that greatly influenced Russian literature and is widely considered the most fantastic Russian short story ever written”. It was published in 1842 and, in modern times, regarded as a classic. It was translated into English by Andrew R. MacAndrew.

This short story adapted into a wide range of film and stage interpretations due to its popularity. The summary of this popular short story is shared below:

Summary of The Overcoat by Nikolai Gogol

The Overcoat Summary

The Pdf book of this short story narrates the life and death of supposed councilor Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin, a poor clerk in St. Petersburg. Although Akaky is devoted to his job, he is little acknowledged for his hard work in his department.

Instead, the junior clerks ridicule him and distract him whenever they can. His ragged overcoat is often the butt of their jokes.

Akaky decides it is required to have the coat repaired, so he carries it to his tailor, Petrovich, who states the coat irreparable, telling Akaky he must buy a new overcoat.

The price of a new overcoat is beyond Akaky’s inadequate salary, so he pushes himself to live within a stringent budget to save adequate money to buy the fresh coat.

Meanwhile, he and Petrovich often meet to discuss the style of the new coat. During that time, Akaky’s passion for copying is replaced with excitement about his new overcoat, to the fact that he thinks of little else.

Finally, with the acquisition of an unexpectedly large holiday salary bonus, Akaky has held enough money to buy a new overcoat.
Akaky and Petrovich go to the shops and choose the most delicate materials they can afford.

The new coat is of fine good quality and formation and is the talk of Akaky’s office when he comes wearing it. His boss decides to host a party honoring the new overcoat. The habitually alone Akaky is out of place; after the party, Akaky goes home, far later than usual.

On the way home, two ruffians encounter him, take his coat, kick him down, and ditch him in the snow.
Akaky finds no support from the authorities in regaining his lost overcoat. Finally, at the suggestion of another clerk in his department, he asks for help from an “important personage,” a general recently promoted to his position who knocks and shouts at his associates to firm his self-importance.

After keeping Akaky waiting, the public needs of him exactly why he has brought so unimportant a matter to him, personally, and not shown it to his secretary.

Socially inept, Akaky makes an unflattering remark regarding departmental secretaries, prompting a scolding from the general that he almost faints.

Soon afterward, Akaky gets deathly ill with a fever. In his final hours, he is delighted, imagining himself again posing before the general; at first, Akaky begs forgiveness, but as his death nears, he condemns the general.

Soon, a corpse, recognized as Akaky’s ghost, haunts areas of St. Petersburg, taking overcoats from people; the police are seeing it challenging to capture him.

Finally, Akaky’s ghost snags up with the general, who, since Akaky’s death, had begun to discern guilt over having mistreated him and takes his overcoat, scaring him terribly; satisfied, Akaky is not seen again.

The narrator ends his narration with another ghost seen in another part of the city. This other ghost meets the definition of one of the ruffians.

Download The Overcoat Pdf

Get the Pdf of this popular short story by Nikolai Gogol, which tells the story of a poor clerk, Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin, and an overcoat, which also led to his death. It was originally published in Russian and translated into English by Andrew R. MacAndrew.

It is considered one of the best short stories of all time.

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