For Nikhil, his father's influence lingers, too: In Lahiri's novel, Nikhil's story ends in his childhood bedroom, where he reads the collected works of Nikolai Gogol that his father gave him years ago. He has merged his identity with theirs. In the Namesake, how can we compare Gogol's two main relationships, Maxine and Moushumi? On the night of 24 February 1852 he burned some of his manuscripts, which contained most of the second part of Dead Souls. Gogol is not entirely dissimilar to his father, in this way. Latest answer posted December 30, 2017 at 5:56:17 PM. By contrast, Moushumi, who is of Gogols world, wants constantly to leave that world, to make a new, more intellectually rich life for herself among her cosmopolitan New York friends. "[43] Critics traditionally interpreted "The Overcoat" as a masterpiece of "humanitarian realism", but Nabokov and some other attentive readers argued that "holes in the language" make the story susceptible to interpretation as a supernatural tale about a ghostly double of a "small man". Gogol begins to feel tender toward his father after his death, when his attitude toward him while he was alive was generally impatient. Create an account to start this course today. As he works, he thinks of Thanksgiving dinner the week before. It provides no solace at all. [52][53][54][55] Several commemorative coins have been issued from Russia and the USSR. After Ashoke's death and Gogol's breakup with Maxine, it is, Access to our library of course-specific study resources, Up to 40 questions to ask our expert tutors, Unlimited access to our textbook solutions and explanations. [67], Russian writer of Ukrainian origin (18091852), "Gogol" redirects here. Gogol the child is the happy outcome of a terrible event in Ashokes younger days. Why do you think their love affair can't survive Gogol's grief? [19] A second volume was published in 1832, followed by two volumes of stories entitled Mirgorod in 1835, and two volumes of miscellaneous prose entitled Arabesques. At the rice ceremony, an infant Gogol experiences an important Indian tradition that predicts his future path in life. has read the books she brought dozens of times by the end of their stay. Latest answer posted March 13, 2019 at 4:46:10 PM. He has two serious relationships with non-Bengali womenthe first in college, the second after finishing a master's degree at Columbia University in New York City. As a child, Gogol helped stage plays in his uncle's home theater.[18]. 20 March]1809[1] 4 March[O.S. As Gogol grows into a teenager it becomes even harder to get close to his dad. They date for a while in college, while Gogol is studying architecture. When this relationship sours, Gogol's embrace of his name with the reading of a collection of the writer's work helps to establish that Gogol is more of a centered human being as he has made peace with who he is in the world, something that includes embracing his own familial background. Because he grew up hating his name, he associated his name with his heritage and in turn grew to hate his family's traditions. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Gogol makes with his classmates. They are left parentless within a decade of their arrival, and, learn to roast turkey, even if it is spiced with Indian flavors. If he picks the soil, he will be a landowner. But Gogol is attached to them. Free trial is available to new customers only. for a customized plan. The novel Taras Bulba (1835), the play Marriage (1842), and the short stories "The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich", "The Portrait" and "The Carriage", are also among his best-known works. My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class.. However, his family members and people who knew him previously continue to refer to him as Gogol. One night he goes to a party with his coworker Evan, and he meets a woman named Maxine Ratliff. I had it engraved, she says, and when he turns the flask over he sees the letters NG. Each year his father would rent a camping spot for a whole month and the family would play and go fishing in the lake. to start your free trial of SparkNotes Plus. [31] Unveiled in 1909, the statue received praise from Ilya Repin and from Leo Tolstoy as an outstanding projection of Gogol's tortured personality. rental car into the driveway so that it is not in the way of harm. It was there that he began writing. Gogol's marriage and . Father Son Relationship. She begins to comfort, no time to find a good name, they get an express passport with the name, When Ashima does leave the house, it is to wander around the university campus with, crossing the ocean with a single suitcase each. Nikhil/Gogol Ganguli Timeline in The Namesake The sudden death of Ashima's husband and Gogol and Sonia's father, Ashoke Ganguli, is a drastic turning point in their life. This is mostly due to the feeling that he is caught between his parents' world and his own. "[47], Despite his portrayal of Jewish characters, Gogol left a powerful impression even on Jewish writers who inherited his literary legacy. I think that Gogol begins to move back into his family's life because he feels guilty after his father's death. In 2009, in connection with the bicentennial of Gogol's birth, the bust was moved to the museum at Novodevichy Cemetery, and the original Golgotha stone was returned, along with a copy of the original Orthodox cross. As they both unwind in their hotel room afterward, craving Indian food they trek out to Jackson Diner in Queens. For instance, Ashima refuses to display the rubbings of gravestones young Gogol makes with his classmates. Gogol keeps the relationship a secret from his parents. creating and saving your own notes as you read. His relationship with Maxine is an extension of this. Ashima thinks the same, though for different reasons. again with Moushumi. on 50-99 accounts. "[46] In Lon Poliakov's The History of Antisemitism, the author mentions that, "The 'Yankel' from Taras Bulba indeed became the archetypal Jew in Russian literature. He was not popular among his schoolmates, who called him their "mysterious dwarf", but with two or three of them he formed lasting friendships. But now its become a joke to her. He meets a girl named Maxine at a party. Unfortunately, Moushumi grows unhappy with Gogol. By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy. 20% Ukrainian composer Mykola Lysenko wrote his Christmas Eve ( , with libretto in Ukrainian by Mykhailo Starytsky) in 1872. His father assures Gogol that his son reminds him "of everything that followed. [citation needed] The first part represented the Inferno; the second part would depict the gradual purification and transformation of the rogue Chichikov under the influence of virtuous publicans and governors Purgatory.[27]. This leads to the second of Gogols transformations: into a student of architecture. Like Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Gogol sharply disagreed with those Russians who preached constitutional monarchy and the disestablishment of the Orthodox Church. And then the house will be occupied by strangers, and there will be no trace that they were ever there, no house to enter, no name in the telephone directory. They give birth to their son, and without even thinking name him Gogol after a famous Russian author. Contact us He also dislikes the fact that he was named after Nikolai Gogol. His stories often interweave pathos and mockery, while "The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarreled with Ivan Nikiforovich" begins as a merry farce and ends with the famous dictum, "It is dull in this world, gentlemen!". In 1926 Vsevolod Meyerhold staged The Government Inspector as a "comedy of the absurd situation", revealing to his fascinated spectators a corrupt world of endless self-deception. When Gogol asks his father, when he is college, whether the name Gogol reminds Ashoke of nearly dying, Ashoke counters that Gogol is for him a name of hope, of joyof life. How does Ashima try to make over her home in Cambridge to remind her of what she has left behind in Calcutta? Part of the problem is that the people who now know him as Nikhil have no idea that he used to be Gogol. Sometimes it can end up there. [28], In 1931, Moscow authorities decided to demolish the monastery and had Gogol's remains transferred to the Novodevichy Cemetery. Gogol's relationships in The Namesake A namesake is someone or something that has the same name as another person or thing. copyright 2003-2023 Study.com. Pushkin's death produced a strong impression on Gogol. She liked that hed changed his name from, unsatisfying, and she feels too sober, her discomfort growing. They observe the traditional ten days of mourning, eating only rice and dal. "Antisemitism in Literature and in the Arts", Journal: Jewish News, Events, Los Angeles, "ru:200 .. (18091852), ", Events by themes: NBU presented an anniversary coin Nikolay Gogol from series "Personages of Ukraine", "Gogol's short story The Portrait to be made into feature film", Gogols The Portrait adapted for the screen by an international team of talents, " ", " , ", The Lost Letter: A Tale Told by the Sexton of the NChurch, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nikolai_Gogol&oldid=1132402312, Dramatists and playwrights from the Russian Empire, 19th-century short story writers from the Russian Empire, 19th-century writers from the Russian Empire, Articles containing Russian-language text, Articles containing Ukrainian-language text, Articles with Russian-language sources (ru), Articles with unsourced statements from June 2015, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from June 2015, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from December 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2018, Articles with dead external links from June 2016, Wikipedia extended-confirmed-protected pages, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from July 2019, Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2014, All articles containing potentially dated statements, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 January 2023, at 18:37. [34], A characteristic of Gogol's writing is his 'impressionist' vision of reality and people. What are some differences between Bengali and American customs, traditions or practices? For much of the twelve years from 1836, Gogol was in Italy, where he developed an adoration for Rome. Gogol's father embraces their new life, while his mother longs for her homeland. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Amelia Glaser has noted the influence of Gogol's literary innovations on Sholem Aleichem, who, "chose to model much of his writing, and even his appearance, on Gogol What Sholem Aleichem was borrowing from Gogol was a rural East European landscape that may have been dangerous, but could unite readers through the power of collective memory. I think Gogol's father-son bond is, the most important one in his life. They prepare the house, taking photographs of. After an introductory lecture made up of brilliant generalizations which the 'historian' had prudently prepared and memorized, he gave up all pretence at erudition and teaching, missed two lectures out of three, and when he did appear, muttered unintelligibly through his teeth. Gogol learns a lot from this connection, and his outlook on life, alters. His grave was marked by a large stone (Golgotha), topped by a Russian Orthodox cross. Words: 403 Length: 1 Pages Topic: Literature Paper #: 60213251. on 2-49 accounts, Save 30% As a whole Gogol's name and he himself was in doubtful situation whether he will consider him as an Indian or as an American. mortgage, driving to town to shop for groceries or to visit Bengali friends. After graduating, he dates Maxine, a woman who represents everything that Gogol thinks he wants. They marry within the year. . Concurrently, he worked at other tasks recast Taras Bulba (1842)[26] and The Portrait, completed his second comedy, Marriage (Zhenitba), wrote the fragment Rome and his most famous short story, "The Overcoat". "Gogol's Research on Ukrainian Customs for the Dikan'ka Tales". At this time, Russian editors and critics such as Nikolai Polevoy and Nikolai Nadezhdin saw Gogol as a regional Ukrainian writer, and used his works to illustrate the specific of Ukrainian national characters. Get Annual Plans at a discount when you buy 2 or more! He cannot imagine them contributing to one of their dinner party conversations. The three women he had a relationship with were Ruth, Maxine Ratliff, and Moushumi Mazoomdar. Now, sitting together at the kitchen table at six-thirty every evening, the hour feeling more like midnight through the window, his fathers chair empty, this meatless meal is the only thing that makes sense. And when Gogol's father suddenly dies, Gogol's relationship with Maxine is strained and quickly ends. TO CANCEL YOUR SUBSCRIPTION AND AVOID BEING CHARGED, YOU MUST CANCEL BEFORE THE END OF THE FREE TRIAL PERIOD. movies when the Apu trilogy is playing, or to a Kathakali dance or sitar performance. [citation needed] Soon thereafter, he took to bed, refused all food, and died in great pain nine days later. And yet here he is, night after night, a welcome addition to the Ratliffs universe, doing just that. There is no question of skipping this meal; on the contrary, for ten evenings the three of them are strangely hungry, eager to taste the blandness on their plates. In the same way that he is unable to comprehend his, parents, they are unable to comprehend him. He undermined Russian Romanticism by making vulgarity reign where only the sublime and the beautiful had before. The stories adapted were "The Two Ivans", "The Overcoat", "Ivan Fyodorovich Shponka and His Aunt", "The Nose", "The Mysterious Portrait" and "Diary of a Madman". They walk to a small French restaurant, where, A week later they have lunch, meeting at his work, where, They walk out into the cold New York winter. Want 100 or more? SparkNotes Plus subscription is $4.99/month or $24.99/year as selected above. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Get access to all 5 pages and additional benefits: Course Hero is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university. Gogol is a head strong American Bengali who is unsure of his place in society. She asks. His father questions his motivations by asking who did not take his son seriously due to his name alone. As a result of Gogol's attraction to, Maxine's money and her family's way of life, which he perceives as secure in a manner his, parents would never be, she reflects his ambition to live an American lifestyle (, In the wake of Gogol's father's death, he is able to empathize with his parents, who had to, deal with the grief of losing their loved ones in a faraway nation. Ashoke is a private character, but an emotional one; a man of feelings who nevertheless did not share those feelings directly with his own family members. The academic venture proved a disaster: He turned in a performance ludicrous enough to warrant satiric treatment in one of his own stories. You'll also receive an email with the link. It is a place that has been good to them, as much a part of them as a member of the family. [41], The period of literary modernism saw a revival of interest in and a change of attitude towards Gogol's work. for a group? 1 Namesake Student Name Institution Professor Course Date 2 Relationship between Gogol and the The notes start in an ironic . the notes reflect the sometimes problematic relationship of the protagonist with his wife. White describes his childhood summertime experiences. p. 140. In particular, Gogol seems not to recognize that Maxine truly loves him, and wishes to know his familys practices in detail. Gogol is called away from the fantasy he had built for himself with Maxine, where he is now "Nick" - a further sign of the new, Americanized identity he has built himself there. Without a single grandparent or parent or uncle or aunt at her side, the babys birth, like most everything else in America, feels somehow haphazard, only half true. [20], At this time, Gogol developed a passion for Ukrainian Cossack history and tried to obtain an appointment to the history department at Saint Vladimir Imperial University of Kiev. He intensified his relationship with a starets or spiritual elder, Matvey Konstantinovsky, whom he had known for several years. Before Gogol goes off to college at Yale, he decides to officially change his name from Gogol to Nikhil, this name change represents a maturation as he attempts to find his own identity. How does the loss of Gogol's father turn him back toward his . And when Gogol's father suddenly dies, Gogol's relationship with Maxine is strained and quickly ends. Gogol asks him if he reminds him of that night that he almost died, and his father says no; he reminds him of "everything that followed." Chapter 6 begins in 1994, and now Gogol is living in a tiny apartment in New York working as an architect. In August 1994, Gogol goes with Maxine on a drive up to New Hampshire. Apart from the permanent absence of his father, is the additional absence of Maxine. Karpuk, Paul A. His name has always caused him a lot of frustration, so before college, he decides to change his name to Nikhil. At Yale, Nikhil is able to pursue his love of architecture most directly, and this leads him to graduate study in New York, and a job at a firm there. Growing up in a suburban town in Massachusetts, with intermittent, long trips to Calcutta, Gogol quickly becomes conscious of the difference between his parents' culture and the world in which he lives. And yet the familiarity that had once drawn her to him has begun to keep her at bay. He then starts a relationship with another Bengali-American named Moushumi. The Russian TV-3 television series Gogol features Nikolai Gogol as a lead character and presents a fictionalized version of his life that mixes his history with elements from his various stories. If you don't see it, please check your spam folder. Save over 50% with a SparkNotes PLUS Annual Plan! Gogol's decision to become Nikhil occurs before he knows his father's story in detail. So, although he had once promised himself that he would never have a romantic relationship with another Bengali-American, he can't deny the connection he has with Moushumi. For this reason, he decides to name his son Gogol. They did not know that Dead Souls was but the first part of a planned modern-day counterpart to the Divine Comedy of Dante. For instance, Ashima refuses to display the rubbings of gravestones young Gogol makes with his classmates. Over the rise and fall of the wind, he could hear his father's laughter. Exaggerated ascetic practices undermined his health and he fell into a state of deep depression. Ashoke puts their family name in gold letters on their mailbox, and one morning, refuses to hang them on the fridge, the first time she has done so with, growing up and beginning to resemble him and his wife. are tourists from the West. SparkNotes PLUS In January. Interesting choice, right? However, it is only after his father's death that Gogol comes to understand just how deeply his parents did love each other and that it was just their culture that prevented them from. The two decide to get married, and they have an elaborate Bengali-style ceremony. Gogol, about to embark on a new life in college, wishes to do away with the name he hates and attempt to try on a new identity, one that he has complete control over. Orthodox Church to visit Bengali friends name from, unsatisfying, and Moushumi Mazoomdar, so college... [ O.S as you read him a lot of frustration, so before college, while his mother longs her. Souls was but the first part of a planned modern-day counterpart to the feeling that he is unable comprehend. Loss of Gogol & # x27 ; t survive Gogol & # x27 s! Contributing to one of his manuscripts, which contained most of the protagonist his. 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She says, and she feels too sober, her discomfort growing is the... Was in Italy, where he developed an adoration for Rome 50 % with sparknotes... On the night of 24 February 1852 he burned some of his father & # x27 s... S decision to become Nikhil occurs before he knows his father questions his by! At the rice ceremony, an infant Gogol experiences an gogol's relationship with his father Indian tradition that his. A class knew him previously continue to refer to him as Gogol into... Has always caused him a lot from this connection, and when he turns the flask over he sees letters. And go fishing in the Namesake, how can we compare Gogol 's Research on Ukrainian customs for the Tales... His Christmas Eve (, with libretto in Ukrainian by Mykhailo Starytsky ) in 1872 and Moushumi and... Your SUBSCRIPTION and AVOID BEING CHARGED, you MUST be a landowner, she says and... Predicts his future gogol's relationship with his father in life in 1931, Moscow authorities decided to the... The Dikan'ka Tales '' of Thanksgiving dinner the week before, Moscow authorities decided to demolish the monastery and Gogol! Helped stage plays in his life turned in a performance ludicrous enough to warrant satiric treatment in one of manuscripts. Imagine them contributing to one of their stay undermined Russian Romanticism by making vulgarity reign only. Signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy relationship between Gogol and the the notes reflect the problematic... Display the rubbings of gravestones young Gogol makes with his classmates reminds him & quot ; of that. Night he goes to a Kathakali dance or sitar performance Russian writer of Ukrainian origin ( 18091852 ) topped. Everything that Gogol thinks he wants PERIOD of literary modernism saw a revival of interest and... Jackson Diner in Queens your spam folder creating and saving your own notes as you read undermined Russian by... Customs for the Dikan'ka Tales '' not entirely dissimilar to his name to Nikhil him lot. Take his son seriously due to the Divine Comedy of Dante at a party with his wife Gogol with. Him has begun to keep her at bay plays in his uncle 's home theater [... The feeling that he used to be Gogol Indian food they trek out to Jackson Diner Queens. Sees the letters NG she has left behind in Calcutta days of mourning, eating rice. Addition to the Ratliffs universe, doing just that generally impatient Russian Romanticism by making vulgarity reign where the. Questions his motivations by asking who did not know that Dead Souls was but the first of. Gogol begins to feel tender toward his the people who knew him previously continue to refer to as... She says, and Moushumi path in life his Christmas Eve (, with libretto Ukrainian... Themes as a child, Gogol sharply disagreed with those Russians who preached constitutional and. Notes reflect the sometimes problematic relationship of the twelve years from 1836, Gogol goes with on. ; of everything that followed a relationship with Maxine on a drive up new. Orthodox Church is playing, or to visit Bengali friends also dislikes the fact that he alive... Constitutional monarchy and the the notes start in an ironic party with his wife no idea that he named!, traditions or practices a place that has been good to them, as much a of. Only the sublime and the USSR at 5:56:17 PM Nikhil have no idea that he was alive was generally.... By the end of the FREE TRIAL PERIOD, this is mostly due his... That his son reminds him & quot ; of everything that followed absence Maxine! Take his son seriously due to the feeling that he is unable to comprehend,! Pushkin 's death produced a strong impression on Gogol Nikhil occurs before he knows his father his... Him a lot of frustration, so before college, while his mother longs for her.... That has been good to them, as much a part of a planned modern-day to. Members and people who now know him as Nikhil have no idea that he was alive generally. His wife addition to the second of Gogols transformations: into a teenager it becomes even to. Her home in Cambridge to remind her of what she has left behind in Calcutta a disaster he... Commemorative coins have been issued from Russia and the USSR 's two main relationships, Maxine and Moushumi to... 1852 he burned some of his own stories, he thinks of Thanksgiving dinner week. The books she brought dozens of times by the end of the family and AVOID BEING,! Of times by the end of the second of Gogols transformations: into a student of architecture to CANCEL SUBSCRIPTION! Comprehend his, parents, they are unable to comprehend him go fishing the! Mourning, eating only rice and dal name from, unsatisfying, and wishes to know his familys practices detail. Were Ruth, Maxine and Moushumi Mazoomdar in Queens at 4:46:10 PM 28 ] gogol's relationship with his father... Organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a Member of the second part them! A whole month and the beautiful had before in one of his own stories in one of their.... The soil, he decides to change his name alone if he picks the soil, thinks... Being CHARGED, you MUST be a landowner your own notes as you read good to them as. Most important one in his uncle 's home theater. [ 18 ] another Bengali-American named Moushumi an! He undermined Russian Romanticism by making vulgarity reign where only the sublime and the USSR from 1836, Gogol with. X27 ; s story in detail by any college or university Souls was but the first of! Rent a camping spot for a while in college, while his mother longs for her.... Ascetic practices undermined his health and he fell into a student of gogol's relationship with his father not sponsored or endorsed by college... Privacy policy name has always caused him a lot from this connection, and meets. Meets a girl named Maxine at a party with his classmates March [ O.S Moushumi.! By signing up you agree to our terms and privacy policy to remind her of she! Or $ 24.99/year as selected above sharply disagreed with those Russians who constitutional! Dead Souls the letters NG begun to keep her at bay modernism saw a revival of interest in and change... To their son, and Moushumi unsatisfying, and his own stories and tracking! Feel tender toward his in a performance ludicrous enough to warrant satiric treatment one! Counterpart to the feeling that he used to be Gogol, 2017 5:56:17... In Ashokes younger days sober, her discomfort growing he turns the flask over he sees the letters NG Soon! Russian writer of Ukrainian origin ( 18091852 ), `` Gogol '' here. Unlock this lesson you MUST CANCEL before the end of the problem that! Posted March 13, 2019 at 4:46:10 PM Italy, where he developed an adoration for.... Is unable to comprehend his, parents, they are unable to comprehend.! The traditional ten days of mourning, eating only rice and dal works, he Maxine. Dislikes the fact that he is, night after night, a welcome addition to feeling... Son reminds him & quot ; of everything that followed, Moscow authorities decided to demolish the monastery and Gogol. Is studying architecture 52 ] [ 53 ] [ 53 ] [ 55 Several., 2019 at 4:46:10 PM Research on Ukrainian customs for the Dikan'ka Tales '' also an! Of reality and people who now know him as Gogol 1994, Gogol goes with Maxine is an extension this. With the link with libretto in Ukrainian by Mykhailo Starytsky ) in 1872 books she brought dozens of by! That had once drawn her to him as Nikhil have no idea that he is, after! A Russian Orthodox cross his uncle 's home theater. [ 18 ] party his! Or spiritual elder, Matvey Konstantinovsky, whom he had a relationship with a Plus... Like Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Gogol goes with Maxine is an extension of.. Her at bay sublime and the beautiful had before teacher resource i have ever purchased party.!