Once again in this next tale in the Folio Society selection of the stories of Nikolai Gogol, the author has displayed his facility for evoking place and person in apparently effortlessly fluent descriptive prose.
We are immediately introduced to this famous Petersburg street and its populace in the first two paragraphs covering five closely packed pages of glorious language. This technique is repeated throughout the work in different settings.
Gogol takes us through a typical day from morning to night showing the nature and numbers of visitors at work and play at different times. He details types and condition of clothing and presentation bearing in mind the impression walkers wish to impact on others of either sex. As the day progresses it is the self-display that becomes the more important.
“Thousands of varieties of hats, dresses, and kerchiefs, flimsy and bright-coloured, for which their owners feel sometimes an adoration that lasts two whole days, dazzle everyone on the Nevsky Prospect. A whole sea of butterflies seem to have flown up from their flower-stalks and to be floating in a glittering cloud above the beetles of the male sex……….And the ladies’ sleeves that that you meet….are like two air balloons and the lady might suddenly float up in the air, were she not held down by the gentlemen accompanying her, for it would be as easy and agreeable for a lady to be lifted into the air as for a glass of champagne to be lifted to the lips.”
The above quotation, part of the second paragraph mentioned above,contains samples of the descriptions, including the writer’s prolific use of metaphor and simile.
Two different gentlemen of dissimilar backgrounds and occupation meet and exchange observations of different young ladies.
We follow their diverging dreams and experiences culminating in Gogol’s belief in the falseness of the Nevsky Prospect. Peter Sturt has illustrated one man’s dream.
This evening we all dined on pork spare ribs in barbecue sauce, Jackie’s savoury rice, and breaded halloumi sticks, with which she drank more of the sauvignon blanc and I drank more of The Guv’nor.
I enjoyed the description of the sleeves like air balloons. 🙂
Another great illustration–the image of the woman makes me think of a Tarot card.
Thank you very much, Merril
Wonderful snippet you shared. I take it Gogol is a typical Russian, in that he loves to wax poetic about every button and piece of lace?
Thanks very much, Dale. He certainly does
I’ll still give him a try, one day 😉
Intriguing perceptions by Gogol’s enchanting descriptions, Derrick
Thanks very much, Ivor
Descriptions are exceptionally fine. Great review, Derrick.
Thank you very much, Pat
This made me smile. At Uni, Dead Souls was a book I had to study. I had completely forgotten this until I read your words.
Thanks very much Gary. I can’t find my copy of that
Wonderful snippet, illustration and review. Very, very intriguing!
Thank you very much, Donna
Gogol was eventually to be overwhelmed by the huge city, as he shows in his stories “The Nose” and “The Overcoat”.
Thanks very much, John. They are coming up after “The Diary of a Madmsn”
Gogol is an amazing writer! Thank you for sharing this story with us AND for showing us that amazing vivid illustration!
(((HUGS))) ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Much appreciated, Carolyn XX
I love the description you quoted!
Me, too, Liz. Thank you very much
You’re welcome, Derrick.
I, too, liked the description of the sleeves and could picture the young women floating up, up, and away. Am I right in thinking that Gogol did not exactly approve of the fashion obsessed?
It seems not. Thank you very much, Laurie
His descriptions are richly worded and as colorful as the illustrations.
This story was considered the “un-Gogol” Gogol. If it were not for his condemnation of the falseness of the Nevsky prospect, we might not have gotten the message of it presented as the microcosm of society.
Thank you very much, Dolly for another valued observation
My pleasure, Derrick.
Such fabulous illustrations
I really need to read some of Gogol’s stories!
Highly recommended. Thank you very much, Riba