Line #16 Literature/DiaryOfAMadman

Context Literature / DiaryOfAMadman

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1	[[quoteright:230:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/13493729960x.jpg]]
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3	"Diary of a Madman" is short story by Russian author Creator/NikolaiGogol. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin It consists of entries from a madman]], the madman in this case being Poprishchin, a 40 year old titular counsellor who serves as an assistant to the director of his division, a job consisting mostly of sharpening quills. He entertains delusions of self-importance, holding great pride in being officially a nobleman. He has fallen in love with the director's daughter, and desires to be noticed by her.
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5	One day, while walking to work, he encounters the director's carriage, carrying his daughter to the store. While observing, he hears a voice, which he discovers to be [[SpeaksFluentAnimal that of the dogs]]. The rest of the story details his descent into madness, told through the entries of his diary.
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7	A planned AnimatedAdaptation in the 1970s never materialised, but the narration by Creator/KennethWilliams was later turned into a radio play by Creator/TheBBC.
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9	Absolutely no relation to the 1885 Creator/GuyDeMaupassant short story ''Literature/TheDiaryOfAMadman'', the 1963 Creator/VincentPrice horror film, or the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' fanfic ''Fanfic/DiariesOfAMadman''.
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11	!!This story provides examples of:
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13	* BedlamHouse: Poprishchin is eventually sent there, where he undergoes such wonderful therapies like being beaten with a stick or having cold water poured on him.
14	* ClassicalAntihero: Poprishchin's a complete failure in every regard.
15	* GlobalIgnorance: After going completely off the deep end, Poprishchin starts believing that Spain and China are one and the same.
16	* MoodWhiplash: Mostly funny. And then it ends with him sobbing in a heap.
17	* NapoleonDelusion: An early example-- [[spoiler: Poprishchin doesn't believe he's Napoleon, but he does think he's the King of Spain.]]
18	* RippedFromTheHeadlines: The crisis in Spain Poprishchin refers to appears to be the then-current [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Carlist_War First Carlist War]], a civil war waged over the legitimacy of the succession of Princess Isabella (who is indeed mentioned, but not by name) to the Spanish throne.
19	* SanitySlippage: The story details this, as Poprishchin's grip on reality continues to slip, eventually resulting in [[spoiler: him believing himself the heir to the Spanish throne.]]
20	* SmallNameBigEgo: Poprishchin, who thinks he is a person of some importance, when, well, he isn't.
21	* SpeaksFluentAnimal: Poprishchin's first delusion is that he can understand the talks of dogs, and later the letters they write each other.
22	* ThroughTheEyesOfMadness: It's the diary of a madman.
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Context Literature / DiaryOfAMadman