ANALYSIS OF CARNIVALIZATION POETICS IN N.V. GOGOL'S WORKS: A CASE STUDY OF "THE NOSE"

Abstract

The article analyzes the poetics of carnivalization in N.V. Gogol’s “The Nose” through M.M. Bakhtin’s carnival theory. Using literary analysis methods, the author identifies key carnival elements: hierarchy inversions, blurred social boundaries, grotesque corporeality, and buffoonery motifs. The research shows how “the nose” becomes a multivalent symbol that embodies carnival culture principles within Saint Petersburg’s urban space. The analysis reveals complex interconnections between corporeality, social status, and identity, with the nose functioning as both a social position marker and a male sexuality symbol. Particularly significant is the identified transformation of traditional carnival forms within bureaucratic Saint Petersburg, offering new insights into Gogol’s innovation in developing the carnival tradition. The study illuminates how Gogol masterfully adapted carnival elements to critique social structures and explore human identity through the absurd journey of a displaced nose in the rigid hierarchical world of imperial Russia.