Brief summary of the work The Overcoat. Meeting the quiet, modest Akaki Akakievich

The story "The Overcoat" was first published in 1843. She talks about the life of a “little man” in society. He is indifferent to everyone, but sincerely loves his small position. Only one circumstance pulls him out of his usual way of life: the purchase of a new overcoat.

According to Belinsky, the story “The Overcoat” became “one of Gogol’s deepest achievements”; the social and moral motive of the writer’s earlier works was widely deployed in it.
For a detailed understanding of the essence of the work, we suggest reading below our version of the summary of Gogol’s “The Overcoat”.

Main characters

Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin- a modest, quiet, inconspicuous titular councilor, over 50 years old, short in stature, a little blind in appearance, with a bald spot on his forehead and wrinkles on his cheeks. Not married and has no boyfriends. Sincerely loves his job.

Other characters

Petrovich– former serf Gregory, crooked in one eye, pockmarked, loves to drink, faithful to his grandfather’s customs. Married. Nothing is known about the wife.

"Significant Person"- a recently promoted “insignificant person” who behaves pompously, “trying to give himself even greater significance.”

Akakiy Akakievich Bashmachkin was unlucky from birth: even “it was impossible to choose another name,” born on the night of March 23 (the year is not specified), the calendar suggested the strange names Sossia or Khozdata. The baby's mother turned the page of the calendar, hoping to find a good name, but here too the choice fell between Pavsikahiy and Vakhtisiy.

The child was named after his father - Akakiy Akakievich, after baptism he grimaced as if he had a presentiment that he would be a titular councilor.

The hero lived in a rented apartment in a poor area of ​​St. Petersburg. He worked in one of the departments, as part of his duty - he copied documents. The position is so petty and low-paid that even the guards in the department treat him with disdain, and officials silently hand him papers for correspondence, often without the authority to do so. At the same time, they laugh at Akaki Akakievich. But he does not pay attention to them, only when the officials push him by the elbow, then he asks: “Leave me, why are you offending me?” .

Bashmachkin sincerely loves his work. He works longer on individual letters, drawing out each squiggle, winking at them, smiling. He often takes work home, where he quickly eats cabbage soup, and sits down to copy something. If there is no such need, he still rewrites something, just for his own pleasure; even when he goes to bed, he happily thinks about tomorrow’s work. Only once did the director entrust him with something more important - to correct the document himself, change the title letters and some verbs, but Akaki Akakievich turned out to be unable to do this, sweated heavily, and asked to be given “something to rewrite.” He was no longer asked to fix anything.

In short, he leads a quiet, measured life, has no friends and family. He is indifferent to what is happening around him. It seemed that only “a horse, putting its muzzle on his shoulder, could return him to the reality of a St. Petersburg street from the middle of some line.” He wears a faded uniform and an overcoat so threadbare that the department calls it a hood. If it were not for the frost, this “little man” would not have noticed the flaws in his overcoat. But he has to take it to the crooked-eyed tailor Petrovich for repairs. In the past - to the serf, Gregory, who knew how to “drink well” and “successfully repair official trousers and tailcoats.”

The tailor assures that the overcoat cannot be repaired, and a new one will cost 150 rubles. This is a very large amount, which Bashmachkin does not have, but he knows that Petrovich becomes more accommodating when he drinks, and decides to come to the tailor again at the “right moment.” As a result, the overcoat costs him 80 rubles; he can save money by purchasing a cheap cat collar. He has already saved up about 40 rubles, thanks to his habit of saving a penny from each salary. The rest of the money needs to be saved: in the evenings, Akakiy Akakievich refuses tea and candles, washes his clothes less often, wears a dressing gown over his naked body at home, “so as not to wear out the underwear,” and on the street he tries to step so carefully so as “not to wear out the soles prematurely.” It’s difficult for Bashmachkin, but the dream of a new overcoat inspires him, he often comes to Petrovich to discuss the details.

Finally, he saved the required amount and Grigory sewed a new overcoat, happy Akaki Akakievich goes to work in it. The most grandiose event in the pitiful life of the titular councilor does not go unnoticed: he is surrounded by colleagues and superiors, demanding to organize an evening on the occasion of the new thing. Bashmachkin is very embarrassed, he gave all his savings for a new overcoat, but he is rescued by a certain official who invites everyone, including Akakiy Akakievich, to his place on the occasion of his name day. The official's house is located in another part of the city. After having dinner at home, the hero goes there on foot.
Officials who only yesterday were making fun of Akaki Akakievich are now showering him with compliments; in his new overcoat he looks much more respectable. Soon they forget about him and move on to dancing and champagne. For the first time in his life, Akakiy Akakievich allows himself to relax, but he doesn’t stay long and leaves dinner earlier than others. Heated up with champagne, he even follows some lady with a good figure. But on a deserted square he is overtaken by unknown people with mustaches, one of them declares that the overcoat on Akaki Akakievich’s shoulders belongs to him, pushes him into the snow, and takes it away.

The private bailiff, instead of helping, completely embarrassed Akakiy Akakievich with questions about why he was on the street so late, and whether he had visited any obscene house, he left, not understanding whether the case would be set in motion. He is again forced to come to the department in an old, holey overcoat, and again they make fun of him, although there are those who feel sorry for him and advise him to go to “a significant person who can contribute to a more successful search for the overcoat.” Unhappy Akaki Akakievich is forced to endure the undeserved reprimand of this “significant person”, who “became significant only recently, and therefore is preoccupied with how to give himself greater significance.” Having failed to obtain help, he, frozen in an old hood, returns to his home in a severe fever.

At the service they only realized about him on the fourth day after his funeral.

This is where the story about the life of the “little man” ends. But the story continues, describing the strange events that followed the funeral of the titular adviser. It was rumored that at night a dead man appears near the Kalinkin Bridge, who rips off everyone's greatcoats, without distinguishing their owners by rank and rank. The police were powerless. One day, late in the evening, the former titular councilor tore off the overcoat of that same “significant person.” Since then, the “significant person” has behaved much more modestly with his subordinates.

Since then, no one has seen the ghost of Akaki Akakievich, but he was replaced by another ghost - taller and with a mustache.

Conclusion

The image of the “little man” had been raised in literature long before, but N.V. Gogol, unlike other writers, saw in his character not an object of ridicule, but a person worthy of sympathy and understanding.

“The Overcoat” is a protest against social order, where a conclusion about a person is made “in advance” based on his position, salary and appearance. The story is not even named after the hero, indifferent to society and destroyed by it, because this society brings material values ​​to the fore.

The story takes only 30 pages, so after reading this short retelling of Gogol’s “The Overcoat,” we advise you to read its full version.

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“The Overcoat” is one of Gogol’s St. Petersburg stories. Although many consider the Overcoat to be a story due to its small volume, in fact it is a story. Be careful and do not make mistakes in the definition.

We offer you a summary of the story The Overcoat. The summary covers all the key points of the story, so you won't miss anything important. Also, for your understanding, the summary of the story Overcoat is diluted with pictures so that you can vividly imagine the events taking place.

OVERCOAT – summary.

Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin

An unremarkable official served in one department Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin . He was small in stature, somewhat pockmarked, reddish, with a small bald spot on his forehead and a “hemorrhoidal” complexion. He held the rank of eternal titular councilor.

The name Akakiy was given to him by his late mother, who did not like calendar names such as Triphilius, Dula and Varakhasiy. She decided to let the child’s name be the same as his father’s name.

Having entered the department, Akaki Akakievich completely got used to the situation. No matter how many directors or employees changed, he could always be seen in the same position, the same official for writing. Many even believed that he was born in a uniform and with a bald spot on his head.

Bashmachkin was not respected at work. Even the watchmen perceived his presence as the presence of a passing fly.

The authorities treated him coldly and despotically. Colleagues mocked him, ridiculed his dependability, and even threw torn pieces of paper on his head. However, Akakiy Akakievich did not react in any way to these insults, accurately rewriting the documents. Only in the most extreme cases did the official ask his colleagues why they were offending him. Moreover, this was said in such a tone that once it even turned everything inside of one young man who had entered the service, forced him to look at everything that was happening differently, and pushed him away from his comrades, who seemed at first glance to be decent secular people.

Akaki Akakievich performed his work zealously, even with love. Seeing such zeal, one kind boss ordered to reward him and give him a more important task. However, Akakiy Akakievich even sweated from exertion and asked to be given something to simply rewrite. From that moment on, Bashmachkin was left alone.

Rewriting was the meaning of his life. The official did not take care of his appearance, and gradually his uniform became a reddish-flour color, with something constantly sticking to it. Akaki Akakievich was completely unaware of the life that was seething around him. Everything for him came down to neatly written lines.

In the evenings, Akaki Akakievich quickly ate his dinner, sometimes not noticing the flies in the dish, and sat down to copy again. When there was no work, he rewrote something just for himself, for memory. This man was alien to any entertainment. He received a meager salary, but somehow it was enough for him, and he was happy about it.

So Akaki Akakievich would have lived to old age if not for the St. Petersburg frost. Suddenly the official began to notice that his back and shoulder were hurting. When he examined his overcoat, he noticed that it was in these places that the material had frayed, and the lining had completely unraveled. The official decided to take his overcoat to a friend

to a tailor who had already put patches on Akaki Akakievich’s poor wardrobe more than once. The tailor examined the overcoat and categorically stated that nothing could be done - he needed to sew a new one. The tailor threw Akaki Akakievich into complete confusion. No matter how much the official tried to persuade him, the tailor did not want to remake the old overcoat.

Akaki Akakievich thought about it, because a tailor could sew an overcoat for as much as eighty rubles, Bashmachkin had half of this amount, accumulated over several years. Where can I get the missing money? The official decided to save on everything: refuse dinner, wash clothes less often (and for this purpose, walk only in a robe at home), work only by the owner’s candle. Fortunately, instead of the expected bonus of forty-five rubles, he was given as much as sixty, which helped speed up the matter. The overcoat became the goal of the official, which was reflected even in his appearance: he became more lively, even a light lit up in his eyes. Every month Akaki Akakievich came to the tailor to talk about the upcoming new thing.

Finally, after a few months, the required amount was collected. On the very first day they bought cloth, calico for the lining, a cat for the collar, and two weeks later Akakiy Akakievich tried on a new overcoat, which fit perfectly. Akakiy Akakievich went to the department in a great mood.

Colleagues from the service found out about the overcoat and came running to congratulate Akakiy Akakievich on the renovation, saying that this must be noted. The official even became shy. He was completely confused. Finally, the assistant chief announced that he himself would give the evening instead of Akaki Akakievich, and at the same time celebrate his name day.

The official began to refuse, but he was persuaded, and he wanted to walk around in his new overcoat one more time. At the evening, Bashmachkin soon became bored, but the hosts did not let him go until he drank a couple of glasses of champagne. The official returned home after midnight. In one of the dark alleys, two robbers with mustaches met him and took away his overcoat.

Akaki Akakievich was beside himself with grief. When the thieves disappeared, he rushed screaming to the watchman, who sent him to the warden. The landlady, seeing the tenant's plight, said that it was best to go to a private investigator - the quarterly would cheat. The private questioned the official more about what time and in what condition he returned home, which led him into complete confusion. One of his colleagues advised the official to contact a significant person.

Akaki Akakievich went to the general himself, who was famous among his subordinates for his impregnable severity. The official waited a long time and was received. He explained to the general that he had been robbed and came for help. He asked the general to contact the chief police chief and find the overcoat. The important person felt insulted. The general indicated to Bashmachkin that he should have first submitted a request to the office. When the visitor, gathering his courage, declared that secretaries were unreliable people, the significant person became completely angry. The watchman was carried out of the official's office, almost unconscious. Soon he fell ill with a fever and died suddenly.

Rumors spread across St. Petersburg that a dead man was wandering around the Kalinkin Bridge at night, tearing off the greatcoats of passers-by. One day, a significant person, wanting to have fun, went to his friend Karolina Ivanovna. The general was sitting in a sleigh and recalling a pleasant evening when someone grabbed him tightly by the collar of his overcoat. Turning around, the significant person saw with horror that Akaki Akakievich was holding him. The man sitting there quickly took off his overcoat and ordered the coachman to gallop home at full speed. Since then, the ghost no longer offended late passers-by, and the significant person became noticeably kinder to his subordinates.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol - one of the most famous life stories of the “little man” in the world.

The story that happened to Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin begins with a story about his birth and his bizarre name and moves on to the story of his service as a titular adviser.

Many young officials, laughing, bother him, shower him with papers, push him on the arm, and only when he is completely unbearable, he says: “Leave me alone, why are you offending me?” - in a voice bowing to pity. Akakiy Akakievich, whose service consists of copying papers, performs it with love and, even having come from the presence and hastily sipped his food, takes out a jar of ink and copies the papers brought to the house, and if there are none, then he deliberately makes a copy for himself. some document with an intricate address. Entertainment and the pleasure of friendship do not exist for him, “having written to his heart’s content, he went to bed,” smilingly anticipating tomorrow’s rewriting.

However, this regularity of life is disrupted by an unforeseen incident. One morning, after repeated suggestions made by the St. Petersburg frost, Akaki Akakievich, having examined his overcoat (so lost in appearance that the department had long called it a hood), notices that it is completely see-through on the shoulders and back. He decides to take her to the tailor Petrovich, whose habits and biography are briefly, but not without detail, outlined. Petrovich examines the hood and declares that nothing can be fixed, but he will have to make a new overcoat. Shocked by the price Petrovich named, Akakiy Akakievich decides that he chose the wrong time and comes when, according to calculations, Petrovich is hungover and therefore more accommodating. But Petrovich stands his ground. Seeing that you couldn’t do without a new overcoat,

Akaki Akakievich is looking for how to get those eighty rubles, for which, in his opinion, Petrovich will take up the matter. He decides to reduce “ordinary expenses”: not drink tea in the evenings, not light candles, walk on tiptoes so as not to wear out the soles prematurely, give the laundry to the laundress less often, and to avoid getting worn out, stay at home in just a robe.

His life changes completely: the dream of an overcoat accompanies him like a pleasant friend of life. Every month he visits Petrovich to talk about the overcoat. The expected reward for the holiday, contrary to expectation, turns out to be twenty rubles more, and one day Akaki Akakievich and Petrovich go to the shops. And the cloth, and the calico for the lining, and the cat for the collar, and Petrovich’s work - everything turns out to be beyond praise, and, in view of the frosts that have begun, Akaki Akakievich one day goes to the department in a new overcoat. This event does not go unnoticed, everyone praises the overcoat and demands that Akaki Akakievich set the evening on this occasion, and only the intervention of a certain official (as if on purpose the birthday boy), who invited everyone to tea, saves the embarrassed Akaki Akakievich.

After the day, which for him was like a big solemn holiday, Akaki Akakievich returns home, has a cheerful dinner and, having sat around doing nothing, goes to the official in the distant part of the city. Again everyone praises his overcoat, but soon turns to whist, dinner, champagne. Forced to do the same, Akaki Akakievich feels unusual joy, but, remembering the late hour, slowly goes home. Excited at first, he even rushes after some lady (“whose every part of her body was filled with extraordinary movement”), but the deserted streets that soon stretch out inspire him with involuntary fear. In the middle of a huge deserted square, some people with mustaches stop him and take off his overcoat.

The misadventures of Akaki Akakievich begin. He finds no help from a private bailiff. In the presence where he comes a day later in his old hood, they feel sorry for him and even think of making a contribution, but, having collected a mere trifle, they give advice to go to a significant person, who may contribute to a more successful search for the overcoat. The following describes the techniques and customs of a significant person who has become significant only recently, and therefore is preoccupied with how to give himself greater significance: “Severity, severity and - severity,” he usually said.

Wanting to impress his friend, whom he had not seen for many years, he cruelly scolds Akaki Akakievich, who, in his opinion, addressed him inappropriately. Without feeling his feet, he reaches home and collapses with a strong fever. A few days of unconsciousness and delirium - and Akaki Akakievich dies, which the department learns about only on the fourth day after the funeral. It soon becomes known that at night a dead man appears near the Kalinkin Bridge, tearing off everyone's greatcoat, without regard to rank or rank. Someone recognizes him as Akaki Akakievich. The efforts made by the police to catch the dead man are in vain.

At that time, one significant person, who is not alien to compassion, having learned that Bashmachkin died suddenly, remains terribly shocked by this and, in order to have some fun, goes to a friend’s party, from where he goes not home, but to a familiar lady, Karolina Ivanovna, and, amid terrible bad weather, he suddenly feels that someone grabbed him by the collar. In horror, he recognizes Akaki Akakievich, who triumphantly pulls off his greatcoat. Pale and frightened, the significant person returns home and henceforth no longer scolds his subordinates with severity. The appearance of the dead official has since completely ceased, and the ghost that the Kolomna guard met a little later was already much taller and wore an enormous mustache.

Material provided by the internet portal briefly.ru, compiled by E. V. Kharitonova

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At the beginning of the story, a story is given about the choice of the bizarre name of the main character, Bashmachkin Akakiy Akakievich, the titular adviser.

A fair number of young people with ranks above his rank laughed at him, showered him with papers, and pushed him with their elbows. And only when he was completely unable to endure, not understanding such cruelty, he asked to leave him, in a voice evoking compassion. Akaki's service consisted of copying papers, but he performed it with love and saw a special world in his work. And while at home, he could not escape from his favorite activity. Having written to his heart's content, he went to bed, expecting a new rewrite the next day.

But even such a measured life can be changed by a sudden event. One day, which was always accompanied by the St. Petersburg frost, Akaki Akakievich, looking at his old overcoat (it was even nicknamed the hood), realizes that it has become thin on the shoulders and back. At first, he decides to have it mended by Petrovich, the tailor, but he claims that nothing can be done with it, but that a new overcoat should be made. The price seems too high to Akaki, but Petrovich cannot be persuaded to accept a lower price. Having convinced himself that a new overcoat is necessary, Bashmachkin begins to limit himself in many ways in order to accumulate the eighty rubles named by Petrovich.

His whole life is transformed: he lives with the dream of a new overcoat, asking Petrovich about it every month. However, the cost has risen to one hundred rubles, but finally they and Petrovich go to the market. Everything: the cloth, the calico for lining the overcoat, the collar, and the work itself turned out to be of the highest quality. Due to the new cold weather, the titular adviser dresses up in a brand new overcoat. This causes a storm of emotions in the department: everyone praises the purchase, forcing Akaki to organize an evening in this honor. Luckily for him, one of the employees, being a birthday boy, invited everyone to have tea.

After the day, which has become a huge event for him, Akaki Akakievich dines with pleasure at home and, having rested and lazed, goes to see a familiar official. And again his overcoat is admired, but soon a game of cards begins, and then dinner and champagne. Having fun with all his might, Bashmachkov realizes that the hour is late and goes home. All excited, he even tries to catch up with a lady unknown to him, but after some time the empty streets involuntarily begin to frighten him. In the middle of the empty square, several mustachioed people stopped him and stole the overcoat that was so dear to Akaki.

Worried by grief, Akaki Akakievich does not receive help from a private bailiff. In the department, where he could be seen again a day later in an old coat-hood, everyone began to feel sorry for Akaki and, sincerely trying to help, even tried to chip in. But, in the end, having gained practically nothing, they advise you to visit a significant person. A person whose system was based on severity reprimands Bashmachkin for treating, as it seemed to him, not in accordance with the regulations. After this, Akaki falls down with a terrible fever and dies some time later. Rumors begin to circulate about a dead man who takes everyone's greatcoats from the bridge at night.

Suspicion falls on Bashmachkin, but it is impossible to catch the dead man. A significant person for whom sympathy was not far away, hearing about the death of Akaki, was terribly worried about this and went to unwind. But during the journey, he was suddenly grabbed by the collar. It was none other than Akaki, taking off his overcoat. This event makes him stop bothering everyone with his severity. The dead man stopped appearing. Only later did I encounter a taller ghost with a huge mustache.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol - one of the most famous life stories of the “little man” in the world.

The story that happened to Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin begins with a story about his birth and his bizarre name and moves on to the story of his service as a titular adviser.

Many young officials, laughing, bother him, shower him with papers, push him on the arm, and only when he is completely unbearable, he says: “Leave me alone, why are you offending me?” - in a voice bowing to pity. Akakiy Akakievich, whose service consists of copying papers, performs it with love and, even having come from the presence and hastily sipped his food, takes out a jar of ink and copies the papers brought to the house, and if there are none, then he deliberately makes a copy for himself. some document with an intricate address. Entertainment and the pleasure of friendship do not exist for him, “having written to his heart’s content, he went to bed,” smilingly anticipating tomorrow’s rewriting.

However, this regularity of life is disrupted by an unforeseen incident. One morning, after repeated suggestions made by the St. Petersburg frost, Akaki Akakievich, having examined his overcoat (so lost in appearance that the department had long called it a hood), notices that it is completely see-through on the shoulders and back. He decides to take her to the tailor Petrovich, whose habits and biography are briefly, but not without detail, outlined. Petrovich examines the hood and declares that nothing can be fixed, but he will have to make a new overcoat. Shocked by the price Petrovich named, Akakiy Akakievich decides that he chose the wrong time and comes when, according to calculations, Petrovich is hungover and therefore more accommodating. But Petrovich stands his ground. Seeing that you couldn’t do without a new overcoat,

Akaki Akakievich is looking for how to get those eighty rubles, for which, in his opinion, Petrovich will take up the matter. He decides to reduce “ordinary expenses”: not drink tea in the evenings, not light candles, walk on tiptoes so as not to wear out the soles prematurely, give the laundry to the laundress less often, and to avoid getting worn out, stay at home in just a robe.

His life changes completely: the dream of an overcoat accompanies him like a pleasant friend of life. Every month he visits Petrovich to talk about the overcoat. The expected reward for the holiday, contrary to expectation, turns out to be twenty rubles more, and one day Akaki Akakievich and Petrovich go to the shops. And the cloth, and the calico for the lining, and the cat for the collar, and Petrovich’s work - everything turns out to be beyond praise, and, in view of the frosts that have begun, Akaki Akakievich one day goes to the department in a new overcoat. This event does not go unnoticed, everyone praises the overcoat and demands that Akaki Akakievich set the evening on this occasion, and only the intervention of a certain official (as if on purpose the birthday boy), who invited everyone to tea, saves the embarrassed Akaki Akakievich.

After the day, which for him was like a big solemn holiday, Akaki Akakievich returns home, has a cheerful dinner and, having sat around doing nothing, goes to the official in the distant part of the city. Again everyone praises his overcoat, but soon turns to whist, dinner, champagne. Forced to do the same, Akaki Akakievich feels unusual joy, but, remembering the late hour, slowly goes home. Excited at first, he even rushes after some lady (“whose every part of her body was filled with extraordinary movement”), but the deserted streets that soon stretch out inspire him with involuntary fear. In the middle of a huge deserted square, some people with mustaches stop him and take off his overcoat.

The misadventures of Akaki Akakievich begin. He finds no help from a private bailiff. In the presence where he comes a day later in his old hood, they feel sorry for him and even think of making a contribution, but, having collected a mere trifle, they give advice to go to a significant person, who may contribute to a more successful search for the overcoat. The following describes the techniques and customs of a significant person who has become significant only recently, and therefore is preoccupied with how to give himself greater significance: “Severity, severity and - severity,” he usually said.

Wanting to impress his friend, whom he had not seen for many years, he cruelly scolds Akaki Akakievich, who, in his opinion, addressed him inappropriately. Without feeling his feet, he reaches home and collapses with a strong fever. A few days of unconsciousness and delirium - and Akaki Akakievich dies, which the department learns about only on the fourth day after the funeral. It soon becomes known that at night a dead man appears near the Kalinkin Bridge, tearing off everyone's greatcoat, without regard to rank or rank. Someone recognizes him as Akaki Akakievich. The efforts made by the police to catch the dead man are in vain.

At that time, one significant person, who is not alien to compassion, having learned that Bashmachkin died suddenly, remains terribly shocked by this and, in order to have some fun, goes to a friend’s party, from where he goes not home, but to a familiar lady, Karolina Ivanovna, and, amid terrible bad weather, he suddenly feels that someone grabbed him by the collar. In horror, he recognizes Akaki Akakievich, who triumphantly pulls off his greatcoat. Pale and frightened, the significant person returns home and henceforth no longer scolds his subordinates with severity. The appearance of the dead official has since completely ceased, and the ghost that the Kolomna guard met a little later was already much taller and wore an enormous mustache.

Material provided by the internet portal briefly.ru, compiled by E. V. Kharitonova