The Calash by Nikolai Gogol (1836)
The story revolves around a young nobleman who returns to his family's estate after years abroad and becomes embroiled in a complex web of relationships with the local peasants and aristocrats. He falls deeply in love with a beautiful peasant woman, but their social differences make their relationship impossible. The young man's attempts to navigate this situation lead to a series of tragic events that ultimately destroy his family's reputation and livelihood. Throughout the story, Gogol explores themes of class, morality, and the corrupting influence of wealth and power.
By Nikolai Gogol · First published 1836 · Genre: Satire, Comedy, Social Commentary · 5,087 words
First lines
The town of B -- -- had become very lively since a cavalry regiment had taken up its quarters in it. Up to that date it had been mortally wearisome there. When you happened to pass through the town and glanced at its little mud houses with their incredibly gloomy aspect, the pen refuses to express what you felt. You suffered a terrible uneasiness as if you had just lost all your money at play, or had committed some terrible blunder in company. The plaster covering the houses, soaked by the rain, had fallen away in many places from their walls, which from white had become streaked and spotted, whilst old reeds served to thatch them.
What this Textopian page supports
The Calash is listed on Textopian as a novel by Nikolai Gogol, dated 1836 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Nikolai Gogol
- Date: 1836 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Comedy, Social Commentary, Realism, Fiction
- Length: 5,087 words
- Structure: 1 section, 101 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Calash by Nikolai Gogol
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Calash?
- How does this novel by Nikolai Gogol fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Satire — The work critiques social norms and the absurdities of aristocratic life, highlighting the folly of its characters.
- Comedy — The narrative employs humor and exaggerated situations to entertain while addressing serious themes.
- Social Commentary — It reflects on societal structures and the behavior of the upper class in a specific cultural context.
- Realism — The depiction of everyday life and characters is grounded in realistic settings and situations.
Tags
Satire · Social Commentary · Russian Literature · 19th Century Fiction · Comedy · Farce · Absurdism · Critique of Society · Class Satire · Morality Tale · Farcical Comedy · Social Satire