While “The Carriage” may seem a straightforward satire of class divisions, the story is actually critiquing the disastrous consequences of reckless, performative social climbing. As a Slavophile who vocally supported the ruling House of Romanov and did not believe that Russia should become a constitutional monarchy, Gogol often expressed surprise that readers interpreted his texts as indictments of the tsarist economic and political order. Rather, his stories use humor to discuss the potential perils of disrupting the status quo. In “The Carriage,” this is true for both locals living in the town of B— and the officers serving in the cavalry regiment: Each person has their designated place, and any attempt to move beyond that place can lead to catastrophic results.

Until the events of the story, Chertokutsky has behaved as “proper” landowner, which means that he has married a wealthy woman, purchased some lavish but unnecessary accouterments for their home, and demonstrated willingness to put the 400 peasants who belong to him “in hock for the sake of some commercial dealings” (185). In other words, he has completed the social, political, and economic rituals his class status requires of him. However, as his conversation with

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now