
When was the nose by Pushkin written?
Written between 1835 and 1836, "The Nose" tells the story of a St. Petersburg official whose nose leaves his face and develops a life of its own. "The Nose" was originally published in The Contemporary, a literary journal owned by Alexander Pushkin.
What genre is the nose by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol?
by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol Gogol's The Nose exemplifies the genre of magical realism, often studied in U.S. grades 9-10. "How was it possible that the nose, which only yesterday he had on his face, and which could neither walk nor drive, should wear a uniform." The story was published in 1836, translated by Claud Field.
Why did Gogol write the nose?
"The Nose" was originally published in The Contemporary, a literary journal owned by Alexander Pushkin. The use of a nose as the main source of conflict in the story could have been due to Gogol's own experience with an oddly shaped nose, which was often the subject of self-deprecating jokes in letters.
Is the nose a comic?
"The Nose": A Satirical Comic Fantasy Born of an Impotence Complex". The Slavic and East European Journal. 7 (4): 361–374. doi: 10.2307/305434. JSTOR 305434. ^ Seifrid, Thomas (1993). "Suspicison toward Narrative: The Nose and the Problem of Autonomy in Gogol's 'Nos'".

What is the plot of The Nose?
Self-obsessed bureaucrat Kovalyov wakes up one morning to discover his nose has left his face. Horrified, he goes looking for the nose and finds it...
What does the nose in The Nose symbolize?
Readers and critics have interpreted the nose in Gogol's story "The Nose" in several ways. Kovalyov's loss of his nose represents damage to his vai...
What is the theme of The Nose by Nikolai Gogol?
"The Nose" represents a variety of themes. It is a critique of the imperial Russian bureaucracy, on one hand. At the same time, with its use of sur...
How did Kovalyov get his nose back?
A policeman brings the nose home to Kovalyov after catching it attempting to flee to Riga, Latvia. However, Kovalyov cannot get the nose to reattac...
Who wrote the nose?
According to the British composer Gerard McBurney writing for Boosey & Hawkes, " The Nose is one of the young Shostakovich’s greatest masterpieces, an electrifying tour de force of vocal acrobatics, wild instrumental colours and theatrical absurdity, all shot through with a blistering mixture of laughter and rage...
When was the nose revived?
This production was revived in 2013, and was beamed to cinemas around the world as part of the Metropolitan Opera Live in HD programme on 26 October. The Nose Live in HD, 2013.
What is the nose based on?
The Nose, Op. 15, (Russian: Нос, romanized: Nos ), is Dmitri Shostakovich 's first opera, a satirical work completed in 1928 based on Nikolai Gogol 's 1836 story of the same name .
When was the nose performed in the Soviet Union?
The opera was not performed again in the Soviet Union until 1974, when it was revived by Gennady Rozhdestvensky and Boris Pokrovsky. Interviewed for a 2008 documentary, Rozhdestvensky related that he had found an old copy of The Nose in the Bolshoi Theatre in 1974, supposedly the last copy in the Soviet Union.
When was the nose given a concert?
In June 1929 , The Nose was given a concert performance, against Shostakovich's own wishes: " The Nose loses all meaning if it is seen just as a musical composition. For the music springs only from the action...It is clear to me that a concert performance of The Nose will destroy it.".
Who shaved Kovalyov's nose?
Kovalyov, a Collegiate Assessor is being shaved by Ivan Yakovlevich (a barber). He is one of Yakovlevich's regular customers. The next morning, Yakovlevich finds a nose in his bread. His wife, believing he has cut off one of his customers' noses, requests him to dispose of it.
What did the sailor see instead of his nose?
He wished to look at the heat-boil which had appeared on his nose the previous evening; but to his great astonishment, he saw that instead of his nose he had a perfectly smooth vacancy in his face. Thoroughly alarmed, he ordered some water to be brought, and rubbed his eyes with a towel.
What grade was Gogol's nose?
Gogol's The Nose exemplifies the genre of magical realism, often studied in U.S. grades 9-10. "How was it possible that the nose, which only yesterday he had on his face, and which could neither walk nor drive, should wear a uniform.". The story was published in 1836, translated by Claud Field.
When was the story of the barber of the Ascension published?
The story was published in 1836, translated by Claud Field. On the 25th March, 18—, a very strange occurrence took place in St Petersburg. On the Ascension Avenue there lived a barber of the name of Ivan Jakovlevitch.
Who said "Your hands always smell"?
Ivan Jakovlevitch was a great cynic, and when Kovaloff, the member of the Municipal Committee, said to him, as was his custom while being shaved, "Your hands always smell, Ivan Jakovlevitch" the latter answered, "What do they smell of?". "I don't know, my friend, but they smell very strong.".
When did the Major look into the mirror?
This occurred on 7th April. On awaking, the Major looked by chance into a mirror and percieved a nose. He quickly put his hand to it; it was there beyond a doubt!
The Nose: Introduction
A concise biography of Nikolai Gogol plus historical and literary context for The Nose.
The Nose: Detailed Summary & Analysis
In-depth summary and analysis of every section of The Nose. Visual theme-tracking, too.
The Nose: Quotes
The Nose 's important quotes, sortable by theme, character, or section.
The Nose: Symbols
Explanations of The Nose 's symbols, and tracking of where they appear.
Brief Biography of Nikolai Gogol
Nikolai Gogol grew up in present-day Ukraine. At 19, Gogol moved to St. Petersburg Russia where he failed to make it as an actor.
Historical Context of The Nose
Gogol wrote “The Nose” during the age of Russian Enlightenment, Catherine the Great’s investment in Russian art, philosophy, and science. Best remembered for contributions to Opera, the Russian Enlightenment made it possible for writers like Gogol to make a living from their work.
Extra Credit for The Nose
College Scam. Despite absolutely no expertise in medieval matters, Gogol conned his way into a job as a professor of medieval history at the University of St. Petersburg. For the year he held the position, Gogol skipped most the classes he was scheduled to teach.
What is the nose in Russia?
One of Russia’s first modern absurdist stories, “The Nose” is now ubiquitous in St. Petersburg. “The Nose” contains three parts. In the first, Ivan Yakovlevich, a barber, wakes up on the morning of March 25 and goes to the kitchen to eat breakfast with his wife. To his delight, his wife has made a loaf of bread.
Why did Gogol use the nose?
Literary scholars and historians have speculated that Gogol chose the nose as the plot’s central device because he was anxious about his own nose, which was unusually shaped.
Who stopped Ivan from throwing his nose into the river?
He then finds a police detective, who scoffs at his dilemma and refuses to assist. Defeated, Major Kovalyov goes home to his flat. There, the same police officer that stopped Ivan from throwing the nose into the river is waiting. He returns the nose, which was arrested while trying to leave town.
What is the nose about?
“The Nose” details an “extraordinarily strange incident” of status-obsessed Kovalev and his nose. The story begins with drunken barber Ivan Yakovlevich unexpectedly discovering a nose in his breakfast, which he immediately recognizes as belonging to Kovalev, who is one of his clients. Fearing legal trouble, Ivan Yakovlevich hastily dumps the nose in the river. When a police officer asks him what he’s up to, Ivan Yakovlevich nervously tries to sidestep the question, but the officer won’t relent. The section ends at this exchange, leaving the subsequent encounter between the police officer and Ivan Yakovlevich a mystery.
Why did Kovalev not place an ad for his nose in the newspaper?
From there, Kovalev fails to place an ad for his nose in the newspaper when a newspaper clerk declares that the ad would be too strange to print. Then, the police commissioner refuses to assist Kovalev, essentially declaring that whatever happened was probably Kovalev’s own fault.
What happens when Kovalev confronts the nose?
When Kovalev timidly confronts the nose, the nose responds with annoyance, declaring that he is own person— not Kovalev’s nose. When Kovalev distractedly pauses to leer at a young woman, the nose slips away. Get the entire The Nose LitChart as a printable PDF.
Is Kovalev's nose still lifeless?
That evening, though, the police officer from the first section returns the nose to Kovalev. The nose is no longer a gentleman, but is now lifeless and normal-sized. After failing to reattach the nose himself, Kovalev frantically requests a local doctor ’s assistance.

Overview
The Nose, Op. 15, (Russian: Нос, romanized: Nos ), is Dmitri Shostakovich's first opera, a satirical work completed in 1928 based on Nikolai Gogol's 1836 story of the same name.
Style and structure
The opera was written between 1927 and 1928. The libretto is by Shostakovich, Yevgeny Zamyatin, Georgy Ionin, and Alexander Preis. Shostakovich stated it was a satire on the times of Alexander I. The plot concerns a Saint Petersburg official whose nose leaves his face and develops a life of its own.
Gogol's original work was expanded by borrowing from some of his other works, including "The …
Performance history
In June 1929, The Nose was given a concert performance, against Shostakovich's own wishes: "The Nose loses all meaning if it is seen just as a musical composition. For the music springs only from the action...It is clear to me that a concert performance of The Nose will destroy it." Indeed, the concert performance caused bewilderment, and was ferociously attacked by the Russi…
Instrumentation
Woodwinds: flute (doubling piccolo, alto flute), oboe (doubling cor anglais), B-flat clarinet (doubling piccolo clarinet, A clarinet, bass clarinet), bassoon (doubling contrabassoon) Brass: horn, trumpet (doubling cornet), trombone Percussion: triangle, tambourine, castanets, tom-tom, ratchet, suspended cymbal, clash cymbals, bass drum, snare drum, tam-tam, glockenspiel, tubular bells, xylophone, flexatone (musical saw) Keyboards: piano Strings: violins I and II, violas, cellos, …
Synopsis
Opera in 3 acts and 10 scenes, without intermission.
St Petersburg. Kovalyov, a Collegiate Assessor is being shaved by Ivan Yakovlevich (a barber). He is one of Yakovlevich's regular customers.
The next morning, Yakovlevich finds a nose in his bread. His wife, believing he has cut off one of his customers' noses, requests him to dispose of it. He tries to dispose of it in the street, but is f…
Recordings
• 1964 Bruno Bartoletti, Fonit Cetra – live in Florence, in Italian, with Formichini, Capecchi and Tajo (as Ivan the servant, tenor; Kovalyov, baritone; and Yakovlevich, bass)
• 1975 Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Melodiya – studio recording made in Moscow and overseen by the composer, with Druzhinin, Akimov and Belykh in the main roles
Further reading
• Fay, Laurel E. (ed.),Shostakovich and His World (Bard Music Festival series) Princeton University Press, 2004. ISBN 0-691-12069-2 ISBN 978-0-691-12069-0
• Frolova-Walker, Marina (2005). "11. Russian opera; Two anti-operas: The Love for Three Oranges and The Nose". In Mervyn Cooke (ed.). The Cambridge Companion to Twentieth-Century Opera. Cambridge Companions to Music. London: Cambridge University Press. pp. 182–186. ISBN 0-521-78393-3.
External links
• Noted from Mariinsky, including bilingual synopsis and libretto
• English libretto
• Metropolitan Opera performance review by Elizabeth Barnette, 28 September 2013, classicalsource.com
• Metropolitan Opera 2013: The Nose