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Abstract:

This article applies to Gogol’s “The Overcoat” the author’s method of interpreting literary works through the lens of bestiary codes and “inherent mirror” systems. “Inherent mirrors” refer to iterations at different textual levels that play an important semantic role in the structure of the story. Duplications are a fundamental part of Gogol’s poetics. In Gogol’s text the following bestiary “inherent mirrors” at RES and VERBA levels are exposed: the “mirrors” of the fly, horse, cat, and marten. Their functions in the general artistic system of the story are described. The entire system of techniques analysed in the article can be viewed as an example of bestiary estrangement, which allows us to see the world of Gogol’s story in a new, unexpected light. The argumentation and conclusions of the article serve as a confirmation and development of the provisions of classical works on Gogol’s poetics — B. Eikhenbaum’s article “How was Gogol’s ‘The Overcoat’ made?” and Andrei Bely’s book “Gogol’s Artistry”.