The Overcoat(1842)

For the first time in Russian literature, this story brought the “little man”, an ordinary townsman, to the forefront. Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin is a miserable official, who gives all of himself in the service of… rewriting papers. He spends all his money on a new overcoat, which, however, immediately gets stolen. But, he does not rebel, instead quietly suffers and goes mad…

A ballet based on ‘The Overcoat’ (1841) was twice staged in Russia, as well as several theater performances. It is also popular in the West – for example, its modern version was performed by famous French mime Marcel Marceau.

Translated by Constance Garnett, Publisher Knopf, 1923