Nikolai Gogol's "The Nose" is a masterful foray into the absurd that critiques societal norms and the nature of identity. Set in 19th-century St. Petersburg, the narrative follows the surreal misadventures of Collegiate Assessor Kovalyov, who wakes to find his nose inexplicably missing. Through a blend of fantastical elements and satirical prose, Gogol exposes the absurdities of social hierarchy a...