The Nose

by Catherine Cowan (Retold by), Nikolai Gogol (Original Story), Kevin Hawkes (Illustrator)

After disappearing from the Deputy Inspector's face, his nose shows up around town before returning to its proper place.

Genres: Classics, Short Stories, Russia, Fiction, Russian Literature, Literature, Humor

31 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1836

Reviews

[هدى يحيى · Rating 3 out of 5]

ماذا لو أن أنفك قرر أن يترك وجهك ويصير له إرادة حرة..؟

مسؤول حكومي مثلا..؟
وماذا لو أنه صار أعلى منك رتبة ومكانة..؟

ماذا ستفعل..؟

:::::::::::::::::

كما استيقظ جريجور سامسا ليجد نفسه قد تحول إلى حشرة
يستيقظ كوفاليف فلا يجد أنفه في مكانه المعتاد فوق شواربه
كيف يعيش دون أنفه الذي به يرفعه بتعال أمام الآخرين..؟
كيف له أن يغازل الحسناوات دونه..؟
إنها مشكلة.. أليس كذلك..؟
:D

:::::::::::::::::

والقصة مليئة بالترميز ونقد سخافات المجتمع الشديد السطحية والنفاق
وعلى مدار السنوات كتبت عشرات التفسيرات لهذه القصة ومغزاها
كلها تحاول فهم دلالة ذلك الأنف الذي يترك صاحبه ويغادر

:::::::::::::::::

لا تتوقع أن تجد العبث هنا كما العبث الذي قراته من قبل
غوغول يستخدم هنا أسلوبه الساخر الساحر لينقل لك قصة التحول هذه بطريقة غير مسبوقة
فيقرر بطلنا الهمام أن يبدأ رحلته المضحكة للبحث عن أنفه
فماذا سيفعل يا ترى حين يجده..؟
وكيف ستنتهي قصتنا
سأترك ذلك لكم
=)

[Flo · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the longer and more carefully we look at a funny story, the sadder it becomes.

As expected, this is a hilarious story. After an intriguing introduction that I shall refrain from explaining, we are told that a man woke up, looked at his mirror but didn't find any labyrinths of time nor tigers that haunt dreams. He only noticed that his nose had disappeared. Was it during the night? Perhaps a second before he opened his eyes. We will never know. But, in an act that can only be described as a heinous betrayal and a challenge to every manifestation of reason, that part of his body escaped from the surface of his respectable-looking face and became a well-dressed entity, very pleased with himself and, oddly, with a better social rank than his. Ah, and he was so proud of that rank! You know, he is the kind of person to whom you might ask about the weather and after a minute, you would find yourself listening to a fine gentleman boasting about his important occupations and the comforting feeling that his significant social status gave to him. Nothing profound, certainly. That sort of weakness might be suitable for someone of lesser rank, not him. Following this line of thought, remember, you would have the good fortune of listening to his distinguished conversation only if you belong to a similar status as his, otherwise, I'm afraid he will not be able to answer to you. That would be beneath him. Do not get me wrong, I am not trying to hurt your feelings. I am merely imparting what I regard as relevant information, a dash of knowledge, a gram of wisdom, if you will: the rules of civilization, no less!

You should know by now that the person I am referring to, the one who inspired these ridiculous lines—such drivel that he would unquestionably enjoy nonetheless because, after all, we are all talking about him—is no other than our friend Collegiate Assessor Kovalyov (now, if you would be so kind as to call him 'Major', that would help him make it through the night; to gently caress the ego of these upstanding members of society always ensures them a good night's sleep). Oh, the man sans nose. He could still breathe so that was not an issue, obviously. Notwithstanding, there was a visible absence on his face that surely made him feel self-conscious about his appearance. Who wouldn't understand?



You might think that the source of his distress was also the fact that he could no longer smell the fragrance of fresh-ground coffee (although he would prefer tea, I suppose). Or the perfume of a woman with whom he might have dreamt of the other night but would not speak about, not to one soul, wishing that such memory would return to the bleak corner of his disobedient mind, where it should have stayed; those little nooks under the shadows of the world that hold unavowed dreams and nightmares that ruin normal sleep patterns. Or the aroma that comes from the snuff-box belonging to a thoughtful clerk who might not be aware of our friend's refined taste.
No, the superficial side of human nature would not allow such luxury. Not being able to show his face in public struck fear into his heart. We are in no position to judge here because every individual would feel the same way. Yes, sir. Who wouldn't understand?



Once the glimmer of satire has vanished completely and a state of reflection has emerged from the depths of the unconscious, you will discover that underneath this funny story lies the countenance of misery; timid, distant, determined. The anxiety caused by the look of another person. The condescending sneer from a superior. The mockery directed at an inferior. The need to have a respectable place in society and the urge to cling to it as if your life depended on it. Which, at some degree, unfortunately, it does. A natural consequence of people's priorities. You do understand.

Gogol, whose name is another universe so different from Dostoyevsky's and yet with countless similar facets, mastered the art of blending humor with tragedy, sheer absurdity with varying nuances of misfortune. Like a chameleon and its unusual ability, his language gradually varies from paragraph to paragraph—entertaining lines might take the form of serious statements filled with amusing nonsense that, by the end of the story, might resemble a set of words dripping the sort of lyricism that transports you to another place defying the laws of time, space and apprehensive dispositions.



From that moment on, the thoughts that were impatiently dwelling in some obscure corner that no one would wish to see, manage to free themselves, to leave their self-absorbed bubble. Engulfed in flames of wintry colors and whispering voices, threatened by their wild nature, what are we supposed to do?



Look at the windows as you walk by. Better yet, do not go outside. Go to the bathroom where that wide mirror awaits for you every morning when you are most vulnerable, after walking aimlessly through the bedroom because of three or four hours of lousy sleep. Or reach into your handbag and pull out the small mirror you carefully hide from the world—a futile attempt to deny the existence of some vestige of vanity that might still reside in you.
In an act of moral courage, we could take a look at what that spotless piece of glass may reflect. We could stand in front of it, hold it before our eyes, struck by fear or overcome with joy, in deep, almost mystical contemplation, just to see ourselves through the perception of others, as we try to grab the nearest lifesaver for we might be sinking in a sea of inhibition; rough waters that may reveal a possible craving for social validation with fluctuating degrees of intensity, knowing all the time that any degree could dissolve all trace of reassurance, at the same speed an ice cube melts in hot water. To touch and recognize everything that visually defines us and emotionally affects us. More importantly, to find out, to bring to light. To actually discern what we might have lost yesterday, a while ago; during the minutes that have died and now belong to an uncertain space composed of unreliable memories and remnants of immortality. The things we are about to lose today. Things I would not want to lose tomorrow but that, as with anything in life, in fact, I may have never even had.




Mar 06, 16
* Also on my blog.
** Austen and Gogol have partaken in the creation of the first sentence. I share with you this classified piece of information before Collegiate Assessor Major Kovalyov takes the credit for it.

[Praveen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One day a nose suddenly goes
To whither, nobody knows

Thus leaving a smooth vacancy
On gentle face an averse fancy

Then it was found in the street
Panting owner, rushing feet

His nose was now higher in rank
Nose thus rose and owner sank

How the deuce had that happened?
Let us read it till the end
---------------------------
A beautiful satire by Gogol.
I really enjoyed it.
This story is a nicely written symbolic story, which is depicting snobbery in social order of his time.
Though story is absurd, yet is a powerful social commentary, plotted in a very funny, readable and enjoyable manner.

[Majenta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comic relief for sinus season. I found it on a site that offered it in several other languages, so I'll be reading a few of those.

[Ladan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I so very much enjoyed Gogol’s way of storytelling; it resembled watching a movie like “the grand Budapest hotel”. I even could hear a piece of music while reading the story, keeping the speed of the tale neither so rapid nor so sluggish. Since Russian lit provides one with so much detail leading to a tedious read, I always opt for short stories or plays.
As Gogol put it, “This world is full of the most outrageous nonsense. Sometimes things happen which you would hardly think possible.”, so he prepares us to accept the idea of a vanished nose wandering around the city and the rest. The idea sounds absurd, the major’s attitude is so ridiculous as he nags “what have I done to deserve this!” or “If I lost an arm or a leg it wouldn’t be so bad. Even without any ears, things would not be very pleasant, but it would not be the end of the world. A man without nose, though, is god knows what, neither fish nor fowl. Just something to be thrown out of the window. If my nose had been lopped off during the war, or in a duel, at least I might have had some say in the matter”.
In the end, all this makes me wonder, what is that I consider as “the nose” in my life, which I would sacrifice important things just for the sake of keeping it. What is "the nose" of your life?

[kian · Rating 5 out of 5]

بعد از شنل، دومين اثر از گوگول بود كه ميخواندم. تا اينجا كه گوگول، خيلي دلنشين بود.

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

OMG, I find Gogol such a laborious writer. I could barely force myself through this story, and it is relatively short as Russian writing goes. I'm not sure why he is a trial for me...I read Dostoevsky with relish, loved Doctor Zhivago, and Tolstoy goes in my favorite authors of all time list, so it is not his being Russian. His Dead Souls is one of only a handful of books I have ever DNF'd. I admit I am becoming less patient as I age; less time to waste, I suppose.

The story is absurd, and is meant to be. The nose takes on a life of its own. I'm convinced there are undertones in this story that would have been obviously satirical to his own people and time, and I think that is what fails here for me--it is a tale meant to be read contemporarily and it loses its edge out of its time.

[Seemita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hold thy nose, aye, hold thy nose;
Thee reason behind my crazy prose!

Mine went hopping, like it didn’t care,
Left my face, a patch so bare!
Mighty, my pride, huddled aground
And I ran in search, all about;

Ahoy! It worn a senior garb!
And scorned at my verbal stab,
And the wound, sullied my chance
With a dame, of marital dance.
All random strolls, I also lost,
Something that I enjoyed most.
No agent, no police could rescue
My adamant nose’ vulgar boo!

And just when I abandoned
My search, hope undone;
Sentimental, my dear nose, then
Made a return to its natural den!

Dream was it, a rogue reverie?
Or my thoughts, in form eerie?
Hey! Keep no pearls between the brows,
Hold thy nose, aye, hold thy nose!

[Duane Parker · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gogol, said to have an ugly nose himself, gives this nose (maybe his) a life of it's own. Whatever meaning was intended, Gogol delivers a tale as entertaining and funny as any short story I've read.

[Fatema Hassan , bahrain · Rating 4 out of 5]

بما اننا في زمن تقال الأشياء السهلة فيه بطريقة صعبة و متعجرفة لغويًا لتنال فيه الإعجاب، فلا أقل من أن نلتجئ لمن يقول الأشياء الصعبة بطريقة سهلة و مبسطة، كنوع من التغيير من حين لآخر و ترسيخًا لروح الأدب الرفيع و ليس المتكلف.

من المتعارف عليه لدى القراء إن الأدب الروسي هو الإبن البار لغوغول، كم التأثير في أجيال و أجيال من الكتاب ليس بالمهمة السهلة و ليس بالمنصب الذي يحتله أحد ما عبثًا، في قصة الأنف تجد ميزة بِكر في مزج الفنتازيا بالواقع بقلم غوغول، فبمجرد توجه الكاتب للفنتازيا - عادة - لا يعود منطقيًا عند أغلبية القراء فيتساءل: ما هذا الهراء؟ لن يصدق عقلي الذكي هذا! ، لكن غوغول لديه فنتازيا تكفل للقارئ إبقاء أبواب النص مفتوحة للعودة لمنطق الواقع في الحياة ولا تشعره بالغباء مباشرة، هو يخلق من الفنتازيا نمطاً يشد الجميع بانيًا له ذكاء يتراكم لتستدرك حكمك الغبي على الفنتازيا التي تمتحن ذكاء كل فرد بدرجة جودتها، الأنف الذي بمقدوره نقلك لعالم آخر بمجرد استنشاق رائحة تعجبه! الأدهى أنه يحدد ما يعجبك من الروائح! الأنف الذي يحمر فاضحًا نفسه بنفسه لماذا لا نصدق انه ينفصل رمزيًا عن صاحبه حتى في الحالات السابقة! ينتهز غوغول الفرصة هنا ليطلعنا أنّه من المُسلّمات انفصاله.. فهل يقتنع القارئ المذعور!يستثير غوغول العين الكسلى لفهمنا بقصة الأنف، أنف يختفي ويتجول ويتعالى ويفر من صاحبه و لا يقنع بالعودة.. قصة لا تسمعها كل يوم و رغم بساطتها فهي مجهدة للفهم، و كأن الأنف زيادة في شخصية الرائد كوفاليوف ولن يشكل انفصاله عائق على حياته سوى بعض التعقيدات النفسية التي سيعايشها بغياب تلك الأنف، الملاحظ كوفاليوف صاحب الانف الكثيرة الشكوى من الراوئح و الذي لا يقبل سوى أن يُخاطب برتبة رائد أنفه ينفصل عنه ليصبح مستشار، يبدو ان طموح انفه أعلى من طموحه! لابد أن هكذا قصص تستدر الكثير من التحليلات ولكنها تخلق في عقلي تساؤلات من قبيل: هل تغير تكلف الرائد و تعاليه بأنفصال انفه أو بعد عودته؟ لا اعتقد ف طبعه لم يتزحزح إذا فهل ينفي غوغول تهمة التعالي عن الأنف مهما ارتقت ارنبته للسماء؟ لماذا ميّز أنف الرائد ببثرة؟ لكي يحط من مكانته ربما أم ليكون انفصاله لا يقلل من قبحه؟ لماذا جعل الأنف في لقمة عيش الحلاق، في خبز يومه الذي يكدّ للحصول عليه؟ أليقول أن المجتمع حاجات متبادلة رغم إدعاء كل طبقات المجتمع بالإكتفاء؟ كثير من أنوف الأسئلة تنفصل عن قصة الأنف لأن أجوبتها في فهمنا للقصة.

قصة تستحق إعادة القراءة دائمًا

[Hanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

كتاب طنز با مزه اي بود. به خود كتاب سه تا ستاره دادم.
ولي اگر قرار باشه به اين كتاب با صداي رضا عمراني امتياز بدم، پنج ستاره ميدم بهش. چقدر قشنگ با هر شخصيت لحن صداشو عوض ميكرد و فكر ميكردي كه داري تئاتر نگاه ميكني!

[soɥǝıๅɐ📚 · Rating 5 out of 5]

گوگول دوست داشتنی

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Strange events happen in this world, events which are sometimes improbable."

THE NOSE is a very peculiar and nonsensical little story about a St. Petersburg official whose nose leaves his face and is found in a baked-loaf in the home of his barber (no kidding) developing a life of its own.

Weird! Weird! Weird!......but funny Weird!

[Ivana Books Are Magic · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason, it took me a week to summon the courage to write this review. This is not my first reading of Gogol. I read Dead Souls at least a decade ago (and fallen in love with that novel I might add). Similarly, I read The Overcoat years ago. So, why did I find writing this review challenging? Perhaps because I feel like I don’t have anything especially profound to add to it. To be honest, I might have been a bit intimidated by the literary prestige of this story. Countless reviews and articles were written about The Nose. It is such a defining work of literature. What could I possibly add to it? Finally, instead of overthinking this review, I decided to simply write down what I loved about it. It is a book after all. I love writing about books. It shouldn’t be so hard, should it?
So, here are five main things I love about this short story:

1. I love the humour in this one. Humour exists on many levels. The Nose is a satirical work on a larger scale. It is an intelligent critique of human obsession with rank and climbing the social ladder. However, it is also wonderfully funny. There are so many comic episodes in this one, from the start of this novel to the end, there is no shortage of ridiculous and deliciously absurd episodes. At the very start, the reflections of barber Ivan and his wife made me giggle, even before the obvious absurdity of finding a nose in a bread. When Ivan tries to get rid of the nose, but fails miserably, one can’t help but to sympathize with him and yet the grotesqueness of the situation makes it quite entertaining. I mean it just keeps getting better from then on. My personal favourite episode is probably when major Kovaylor visits newspaper office to place an ad about his missing nose. Gogol is a master of comic situations, no doubt about that. His talent really shines in this short story.

2. I love all the characters in this novel. There isn’t that many of them, this is a shorter work, not a novel, but somehow they manage to represent the society of the time perfectly. As is expected from a short story, there is no in-depth analysis of character, but Gogol still does a great job of bringing them into life. From barber Ivan and his nagging wife to the protagonist Kovaylor and his potential hopeful mother-in-law, they are all wonderfully flawed and realistic. Kovaylor’s nose can perhaps also be considered a character in his own right….and what a character! The scene when the nose appears to be higher in rank that Kovaylor himself is particularly entertaining. Despite the absurdity of the situation, one can’t help but wonder at the motivation behind Kovaylor’s nose actions. What is the nose trying to accomplish? Why is he running away from his owner or better to say himself? I mean the question of identity is brilliantly handled in this one, especially when it comes to our flawed protagonist. Kovaylor and his nose make for a fabulous duo character.

3. I love the way the dialogues are written. The dialogues and monologues in this one are simply brilliant. Without so well written dialogues, this short story would lose its realistic feel. Indeed, it is the realistic tone contrasted with the obviously surreal aspect of the story that probably makes it such an accomplished work of literature. The striking contrast adds volumes to the story. The dialogues help it all flow. I would count the letters exchange between major Kovaylor’s and Madame Potchorina as dialogues as well. Those letters are very entertaining, aren’t they? Finally, I really enjoyed Kovaylor’s monologues. The protagonist in his inner monologues reveals himself as man obsessed with his outer appearance. What is a man without his nose? This question turns into a philosophical one.

4. The originality of the idea. I mean there is no doubt that the idea is pretty original. Nobody mixes nonsense with sense quite so well as Gogol. The question of identity and the outer perception is masterfully handled but Gogol doesn’t stop at that. Some even consider this story to be the first work of magic realism. I can’t think of another similar work and link it to that time period. It is certainly something quite unique. The writing style is distinctly Gogol’s and that adds to the originality of the story. I mean Gogol’s certainly had an original artistic vision in all of his writing, and his short story is no exception but here he seems to push it to another level. Who else could have come up with those comic and absurd episodes? That all being said, there is still something very unique about the idea itself.


5. I love the timelessness of The Nose. Gogol's genius perhaps lies primarily in creating a surreal story that not only feels real, but manages to speak to us on so many levels. It is satire, but it manages to raise very serious questions. It is satire, but it is also wonderfully funny. The Nose is timeless really. You can put it within the historical context and that certainly adds an addition value to it but even on its own, it is an impressive piece of writing. Moreover, I’m convinced that a reader can enjoy it just as much without knowing all the historical details. From whatever angle you look at it, this short story is a masterpiece. A timeless classic.

[Connie G · Rating 3 out of 5]

"The Nose" is an absurdist short story with satirical commentary about social class and rank. It's set in St Petersburg after the introduction of the Table of Ranks by Peter the Great. Commoners were able to achieve nobility if they rose to a high rank in the Russian bureaucracy.

Collegiate Assessor Kovalyov wakes up one morning to find his nose missing. Kovalyov's goals in life are to climb the ranks of bureaucracy, and to marry a pretty wealthy woman. With his appearance ruined, the shallow man can reach neither of these dreams.

Meanwhile his nose has assumed a life of its own, and is human sized. The Nose is dressed in the splendid uniform of a higher-ranking gentleman than Kovalyov. The Nose behaves in an arrogant and condescending manner to the lower-ranked Kovalyov.

You'll have to read the surreal story to see how it ends. I'm sure a Russian in 1836 recognized more of the subtle social nuances while reading "The Nose" than an American in 2020. By the way, Gogol himself would laugh about his own strange, prominent nose. 3.5 stars.

[Loretta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining in a quirky kind of way! 👃🏻👃🏻 I really do enjoy the way Nikolai Gogol writes!

[Bettie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come watch the opera with a fab nose tap-dance - seriously good!

Bettie's Books

[Amina (ⴰⵎⵉⵏⴰ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Me when I started reading:



Me when I finished reading:



3.5 stars, the book had Gogol's strange humor, it's about a "nose", yes, a "nose" who decided to drop off its owner's face and be a state-councillor and the nightmare, its owner went through to get it back.

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Nose is a piece of sheer play, almost sheer nonsense. In it more than anywhere else Gogol displays his extraordinary magic power of making great comic art out of nothing.



Critics note that the story's title in Russian (Нос, "Nos") is the reverse of the Russian word for "dream" (Сон, "Son"). As the unreliable narrator himself notes, the story "contains much that is highly implausible", while an earlier version of the story ended with Kovalyov waking and realizing that the story was indeed a dream. Without the awakening, however, the story becomes a precursor of magical realism, as an unreal element is woven into a realistic narration. Peace also notes that some critics have interpreted the story as referring to a castration complex: the removal of Kovalyov's nose (and its developing a mind of its own) threaten both his chances of acquiring a position of power and of being a success with women.

Some days you wake up and something… just feels off, you know? Like you're not quite yourself, or like you're not living the life you're supposed to be living, or like there's another kind of you inside your body that wants to burst through your skin.

"The Nose" takes that out-of-body feeling that everyone's been through and just literalizes the business out of out. You've felt like you could be a higher achiever? Well, this dude's nose pops off his face and makes that ambition happen, baby. Wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am: that nose accomplishes more in a day than its owner has in his whole lifetime—and of course makes that owner feel pretty inconsequential and embarrassed in the process.

And even cooler? Gogol's story is pretty much the granddaddy of the many, many stories that play on this idea of a shared identity or a double that comes to take over another character's life, usually in some really creepy way. Think Dostoevsky's "The Double," Stevenson's Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Kafka's Metamorphosis, all the way through Invasion of the Body Snatchers and all the evil-twin subplots that pop up in comic books and sci fi.

[Ram Alsrougi · Rating 3 out of 5]

"This world is full of the most outrageous nonsense. Sometimes things happen which you would hardly think possible."

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just loved this story. It is a short story that I listened to on LibriVox.

It was so absurdly funny and very engaging. A nose is found. A nose is missing. I love how the nose gets a life of its own! It's a light, amusing read that pulls you into the story, and also a good distraction from the normal, nothing heavy, nothing dramatic. I really found myself laughing out loud throughout and rank it as one of the most humorous books I've read for the year.

[Stephy Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Nose is a strange story that covers an extraordinarily strange incident. The story begins with barber Ivan Yakovlevich finding a nose in a loaf of bread, which he recognizes to be of the Collegiate Assessor Kovalyov. At the same time, Kovalyov wakes to find that his nose is missing, instead had a perfectly smooth vacancy on his face. The plot moves on, one eagerly trying to get rid of the nose and the trying to find his missing nose. Strange things, expressed in a humorous tone, kept on happening, which gave me a feeling that something profound is coming. But nothing happened, and the story ended weirdly, not answering any of my doubts.

The story appears to be a pure non-sense, on first thought. But on sitting back and thinking about it, I found that the bizarre story is a mirror trying to reflect human minds, showing how we put our pride ahead of everything. Not just that, "Strange things happen in this world, events which are sometimes entirely improbable."

This short story is a perfect choice when you are in the mood for something entirely stupid, and also when you are in the mood for some deep thinking.

[Saddam · Rating 2 out of 5]

أسلوب الكتابة جميل بالتأكيد و الترجمة مميزة
لكنها قصة غريبة و لم أستطع إدراك المغزى منها

[Najla Isameel · Rating 3 out of 5]

الترجمة: الدكتور محمد الخزاعي

أيفان يعقوبليفيتش الحلاق الذي وجد في رغيف من الخبز أنف "أنف مفتش الكليات كوفاليوف أو كما يحب أن يطلق عليه لقب الرائد" والذي أستيقظ من النوم في ذات اليوم الخامس والعشرين من شهر مارس بلا أنف. وسعي الرائد كوفاليوف الحثيث ليعثر على أنفه وكيف عُثر عليه والشائعات التي صاحبت فقدانه لأنفه وكيف استيقظ مرة أخرى في السابع من شهر أبريل ليجد أنفه في مكانه كأن شئياً لم يكن.

كيف تكون بدون أنف وهل يعقل أن يعيش انسان دون أنف كيف يتنفس لم اتخيل يوماً أن انسان دون أنف
كعادته نيكولاي غوغل يدفعك للتفكير في الرمزيات التي يذكرها في كتاباته قد يرمز فيها لغرور الفرد واعتزازه قد تكون في وظيفة تمنحك وجاهة معينة وصلاحيات ومميزات تختلف فيها عن الآخرين وتميزك عنهم ولكن قد تتلاشئ مكانك الاجتماعية في لحظة أن تفقد شيءً قد تبدو للبعض بأنك مجنون وقد يصد عنك من كنت تتوقع مساعدته أو أن يشعر بألم ما فقدت كما شعرت أنت
فقد أنفه وظل يفكر من وراء ذلك هل هو سحر وشعوذات، كيف ذهب ذهنه لان يتهم هذا أو ذلك لأسباب هو يعتقدها بينه وبين نفسه وتصرفه اتجاه ما هو يشعر به من أسباب، كيف سيلتقي بصديقاته وسيذهب لسهراته ويمارس ما يهوى كما كان يفعل قبل الفقد

لأننا بشر قد ننسى أو نتناسى ما نمر به من أزمات كفقد الانف وتستمر حياتنا ونعود كما كنا ربما نعتاد وربما نرغب في حياتنا كما كانت

في لغتنا الدارجة نقول للمغرور – رافع خشمه "ينظر للناس من طرف أنفه"

اقتباسات راقت لي
هذا العالم حافل بالحماقات المشينة

[Aminova · Rating 3 out of 5]

what's this ? what's this craziness !

i'm pretty sure that gogol was out of his mind when he wrote this short story because a normal writer can't simply write something like that .
it's a hilarious story about a collegiate assessor kovalyov who one day wakes up with no nose ( his nose disappears with no reasons and reappears another day with no reasons too ) obviously the story contains other details but i wont spoil it for the ones who want to read it .
you just have to read between the lines , i'm not that clever but i guess that i understood the message behind it ..

i liked it ' not as much as ' the overcoat '' but i really enjoyed reading it .

[P.E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

L'histoire loufoque d'un nez atteint de folie des grandeurs, qui décide sur un coup de tête de quitter le visage de son possesseur. On le suit alors qu'il mène la grande vie et roule carrosse dans les rues de Saint-Pétersbourg.


Некто Нос, "Un certain nez", spectacle de marionnettes adapté du Nez de Gogol par Eric de Sarria (Octobre 2013) .


Proposed Soundtrack :
Igorrr - Problème d'émotion

[Osama · Rating 4 out of 5]

قصة للكاتب الروسي قوقول حول شخص فقد أنفه والتقى به بعد ذلك وهو يرتدي بدلة مستشار كبير في الدولة.

[Shaimaa أحمد · Rating 5 out of 5]

أول قصة أقرأها لنيكولاى جوجل وبالفعل أدركت عبقريته و لم أتعجب عند سماعي لمقولة دوستوفيسكي الشهيرة
(كلنا خرجنا من معطف جوجل)
فهو رائد الأدب الروسي بلا منازع
...............................
"إن أمانينا و مخاوفنا تتجسد أمامنا في كل شئ حولنا حقيقة حتى إن لم نستطع إدراكها..لا نستطيع إنكارها"

هذا ما استوعبته من هذه القصة الممتعة

نشرت القصة سنة 1836
و إليكم القصة بإختصار:

تحكي عن حلاق قام بقطع أنف رائد عقاباً له على تكبره و غروره يذهب الأنف إلى الحلاق متخفياً في الخبز الذي يأكله فيصاب بحالة من 
 الفزع عندما يجده و يقرر التخلص منه ..لكن الأنف يقرر التنكر في صورة رائد لابساً معطف منكراً لصاحبه الذي يصاب بحالة من الذهول بسبب فقدانه لأنفه 
و يقوم الرائد بمطاردة الأنف لكى يعود مرة أخرى إلى وجهه

و تتوالى أحداث القصة
................................................

" إن الجريمة التى يخشاها صاحبها تظل دائماً شاخصة أمام بصره في أحب الأشياء إليه "

...هل هذا نوع من العقاب لكى يذكّره دوما بما اقترفت يداه ؟؟ ....ربما
فالنسبة للمجرم الحلاق (الذى قطع أنف الرائد ليعاقبه بسبب سبه له و تقليله من قيمة عمله ) يتنكر الأنف في صورة الخبز ...و لماذا الخبز لأنه الطعام المفضل بالنسبة له ...أى أنه يرى جريمته في أحب الأطعمة لديه
أما بالنسبة لصاحبه يتنكر الأنف في صورة رائد ...هذه الوظيفة التي طالما انتحلها صاحبه فهو لم يكن رائداً و استخدمها لكى يتعالى بها على الناس ....
فيأتي هذا الأنف ليتنكر في صورة رائد و و يتكبر على صاحبه و يأبى العودة إليه
و هنا تكمن عبقرية الكاتب!! و عبقرية الرواية
..........................
كيف للمستحيلات أن تحدث ؟؟؟ بالطبع لا : فلن يقطع 👃 أحد و يتحول إلى قطعة خبز و لن يتحول هذا الأنف إلى إنسان يتنكر في معطف و ينتحل شخصية رائد يذهب للصلاة في الكنيسة و يقوم بجولات في المدينة و لن يذهب صاحبه لكى يعلن عنه في جريدة و يقدم ضده بلاغ في البوليس لكي يعود و تتوالى الأحداث .. و في النهاية سيعود الأنف إلى صاحبه كأن شيئا ً لم يكن 😅😅
.......................................................
و ننتظر بلهفة النهاية التى تكون عادية جداً أو...و لماذا نكمل قراءة الرواية ؟؟ 😅😅
أنت مغفل أيها القارئ لكي تستمر في قراءة هذه الرواية حتى النهاية ... هل هذا ما يود أن يقوله الكاتب للقارئ

(لا تعط أذنك أو عقلك للاكاذيب فكر دائماً فالمستحيلات لن تحدث)

...........................................................
و في خضم أحداث القصة يستعرض الكاتب أحوال روسيا القيصرية الفروق الطبقية و العادات المجتمعية
رواية قرأتها و سأعاود قرائتها من جديد

[Orki De · Rating 2 out of 5]

نفهمیدم هدف این داستان چی بود... صرفا داستان مردی که دماغش رو به صورت خارق العاده ای از دست میده؟!
همین؟

[Mahir Farhan Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

কেমন হবে যদি একজন মানুষ সকালে ঘুম থেকে উঠে দেখে তার নাকটা নাই? এই ঘটনাই একদিন ঘটে গেল সরকারি কালেক্টর কভালিওভের সাথে। আগের রাতে যে যায়গায় তার নাকটা ছিল সেই যায়গা পরদিন সকালে বিলকুল ফাঁকা। চোখ-কান-মুখ-গাল সবই আছে যায়গামতোই, শুধু মাঝখান থেকে উধাও নাক! এমনকি যেখানে থাকার কথা ছিল নাক সেখানে না আছে কোনো কাটা দাগ, না কোনো ক্ষত। স্রেফ চ্যাপ্টা হয়ে আছে দুই গালের মাঝের যায়গাটা।

তবে সেই নাক যে একেবারে হাওয়ায় মিলিয়ে গেছে তাও কিন্তু না। নাক হারানোর ব্যাপারে পুলিশের কাছে অভিযোগ দেওয়ার জন্য রাস্তায় নামার খানিকক্ষণের মধ্যেই কভালিওভের সাথে দেখা হয়ে গেল স্বয়ং নাকের! সেই নাক আবার দিব্বি ঘুরে বেড়াচ্ছে জুড়িগাড়িতে করে। এমনকি সেই নাক পরে আছে সরকারি পরামর্শদাতার ইউনিফর্ম। মানে কিনা নাক পেয়ে গেছে নাকের মালিকের চেয়েও উচ্চ পদ!

তবে নিজের নাককে এইভাবে ঘুরে বেড়াতে দেখে কভালিওভও তো আর ছেড়ে দেবার পাত্র নয়। নাকের পেছনে ঘুরতে ঘুরতে শেষ পর্যন্ত নাককে পাকড়াও করা গেল এক গির্জার ভেতর। কিন্তু খানিক বাতচিতের পর নাক সোজা বলে দিলো সে কারও নাক-টাক নয়, সুতরাং আগের যায়গায় ফেরার প্রশ্নই ওঠে না। এইদিকে নাক ছাড়া তো চলাও যায় না। সেইটা কভালিওভের ভাষাতেই:- যদি হাত পা যেত, সেও ছিল এর চাইতে ভালো; কান যদি যেত সেটা খারাপই হতো, কিন্তু তাও সহ্য করা যেত; কিন্তু নাক ছাড়া মানুষ – কে জানে বাপু তাকে কী বলা যায়? – পশু নয়, পাখি নয়, মানুষও নয়! স্রেফ জানলা দিয়ে ছুঁড়ে ফেলে দেওয়ার বস্তু!

সেই নাককে পরে ফেরত পাওয়া গেল বটে এক পুলিশ অফিসারের কল্যাণে, কিন্তু নাক জোরা লাগানো যায় কীভাবে? এক ডাক্তারকে ডাকা হলো নাক লাগিয়ে দেওয়ার জন্য; সে সাফ জানিয়ে দিলো নাক জোরা লাগানো তার কম্মো না, বরং সে নাকটা কিনে নিতে পারে। কিন্তু নিজের নাক কি বেচবার জিনিস? ও জিনিস ছাড়া কভালিওভ না পারছে বাড়ি থেকে বের হতে না পারছে যে মেয়েটার সাথে তার বিয়ে হওয়ার কথা তার সঙ্গে দেখা করতে। নাক কি আর কখনই ফিরবে না যায়গামতো? কভালিওভকে কি থাকতে হবে এভাবেই?


শরীর থেকে নাক আলগা হয়ে ঘুরে বেড়াচ্ছে এর কোনো সিম্বলিক অর্থ আছে কিনা ঠিক বুঝলাম না, হয়ত আছে। তবে সিম্বলিক অর্থেই হোক বা আক্ষরিক অর্থে, এইরকম অদ্ভুত গল্প আমি জীবনে দ্বিতীয়টা পড়ি নাই। অবশ্য, অদ্ভুত জিনিস আমার বরাবরই ভীষণ প্রিয়, সেইজন্য পাঁচ তারা!