Short Fiction · Chapter
What Took Place After Ivan Ivanovitch’s Quarrel with Ivan Nikiforovitch explained
After their quarrel over a goose, both Ivan Ivanovitch and Ivan Nikiforovitch initially feel regret and consider reconciliation.
What happens
After their quarrel over a goose, both Ivan Ivanovitch and Ivan Nikiforovitch initially feel regret and consider reconciliation. However, the arrival of Agafya Fedosyevna at Ivan Nikiforovitch's house poisons the atmosphere, leading to further provocations. Ivan Nikiforovitch builds a goose-shed right against the fence, enraging Ivan Ivanovitch, who sneaks out at night and saws through the shed's supports, causing it to collapse. Terrified of retaliation, Ivan Ivanovitch decides to file a complaint with the district judge.
Themes in this chapter
Absurdity and Satire
The quarrel over a goose and the subsequent escalation—sawing down a shed, filing a lawsuit—satirizes the triviality and pettiness of human conflicts.
Social Class and Bureaucracy
The decision to file a complaint with the district judge highlights the bureaucratic and legalistic turn the feud takes, mocking the formalities of provincial justice.
Characters to notice
- Ivan Ivanovitch
After the quarrel, he initially considers making peace but is provoked by the new goose-shed. He secretly saws through its supports at night, then fears revenge and resolves to file a complaint.
- Ivan Nikiforovitch
Under the influence of Agafya Fedosyevna, he refuses reconciliation and builds a goose-shed as an insult to Ivan Ivanovitch.
- Agafya Fedosyevna
Arrives at Ivan Nikiforovitch's house and takes control, persuading him not to make peace and escalating the conflict.
- Gapka
Ivan Ivanovitch's serving-maid; he scolds her after the quarrel and later orders her to watch for possible arson.
Key passages
“And thus two respectable men, the pride and honour of Mirgorod, had quarrelled, and about what? About a bit of nonsense—a goose.”
Two esteemed men of Mirgorod have fallen out over something trivial: a goose.
Highlights the absurdity of the conflict.
“Agafya Fedosyevna was not Ivan Nikiforovitch's relative, nor his sister-in-law, nor even his fellow-godparent. There seemed to be no reason why she should come to him, and he was not particularly glad of her company; still, she came, and lived on him for weeks at a time, and even longer.”
Agafya Fedosyevna, though unrelated and unwelcome, imposes herself on Ivan Nikiforovitch for extended stays.
Introduces the meddlesome character who exacerbates the feud.
“Creeping up to the nearest post he applied his saw and began to cut. The noise produced by the saw caused him to glance about him every moment, but the recollection of the insult restored his courage.”
Ivan Ivanovitch stealthily saws at the shed's post, his fear overcome by the memory of the insult.
Depicts his clandestine act of revenge.