Gogol's The Tale of How Ivan Ivanovich Quarelled with Ivan Nikifovorich is considered a satirical and comical Russian masterpiece that explores the absurdity of our society. These two men, coincidentally having the same first name, were known as the greatest of friends before a quarrel arises between them and ultimately destroys their friendship forever. These two men represent the over prideful, self-glorifying, and pretentious men of Society (specifically set in Ukraine) who care only for the stability of their rank and position. Additionally, the quarrel which arises out of something completely meaningless and absurd (specifically calling someone a goose) also reveals how fake and artificial their friendship was. In high society, Gogol shows that real relationships and friendships are rare and most are just shows and facades in order to fit in. A friendship that ends forever in this manner was never real in the first place.
The two Ivans both end up going to court and filing ridiculous and pointless plaints against each other. Here Gogol is making a wicked parody of the legal officialese of his day and also intentionally making certain parts completely meaningless to accentuate his objective. Later on, the other members of Society attempt to reconcile the two friends at a luxurious dinner party filled with multiple high officials containing long names that the narrator ultimately gives up enumerating. Similar to all of his other works, this tale also features lots of typical Gogolian descriptions such as the outrageously contrasting descriptions of the two Ivan's, "Ivan Ivanovich's head is like a radish with the tail pointing downwards; Ivan Nikiforovich's like a radish with the tail sticking up."
Ultimately, this goes on for another ten years, while every day the court announces that the case was going to be decided the next day. This comic story ends with a rather dismal and famous quote, "It's a depressing world, gentlemen!". The end of this story aims to point out how meaningless our conflicts and troubles in this world are. An issue easily resolved turned into a century of a waste of time for something completely meaningless and nonsensical. Gogol, while picking fun at lots of traditions and legal jargon also shows us this important message, through a comical tragedy.
