Arabesques by Nikolai Gogol

Author: Nikolai Gogol

Published: 1835

Genre: Short Stories Collection

Arabesques is an anthology by Nikolai Gogol, which was published in 1835. The anthology includes short stories and articles that share his perspective on art and literature. 

1. Synopsis

Arabesques refer to an Arabic style of design that comprises winding lines. It symbolizes the direction of the anthology, where Gogol’s thoughts and opinions on various topics are collated and come together to form a larger narrative. 

2. Summary

Some key works in Arabesques are “Nevsky Prospekt,” “The Mysterious Portrait,” “On Little Russian Songs,” and “Diary of a Madman.” For the articles in the anthology, we are given a glimpse of Gogol’s profound worldview on art and literature, from famous Russian poets to renowned paintings. 

Gogol is known for his absurdist yet romantic writing style, and through his discussion of art and literature, like the winding lines that the title references, we see Gogol’s opinions wind to form the foundation of his cynical, escapist, and romanticized worldview.