The Viy by Nikolai Gogol: literary analysis and themes

¶ … Viy" by Nikolai Gogol

"The Viy" by Russian author Nikolai Gogol is a short, Russian horror story whose underlying themes transcend the genre. The story shows how students and members of the middle classes are at the mercy of the wealthy, upper-crust Cossacks, not simply in a realistic environment, but even when elements of the supernatural become involved. The title character, a student of philosophy named Thomas Brutus means a strange, demonic old woman who forces him to let her ride him like a horse at night and subjugates him to her will. To stop his torment, the philosophy student chants exorcisms, which finally enables him to break free. But when the demon rolls off his back, it is revealed she is a beautiful and young. Thomas Brutus does not know what to make of this, and leaves, shaken and uncertain of how to interpret this strange experience.

Later, when he is back at school, he is asked by a rich Cossack to say prayers over the body of his dead daughter, saying that she specifically requested this before she died. The student protests, first by saying he did not know her, then by saying he is not fit and says that the duty would be best performed by a holy man and a deacon "What?...I and sanctity!...God help us, gracious sir! What are you saying? It was only last Holy Thursday that I paid a visit to the tart-shop." However, the Cossack persists, and when the student complies he finds that the dead young girl is the 'witch' he killed through his exorcism.

The student learns from the servants and other poor people in the village that the young woman is reputed to have consorted with demons. Everyone was terrified of her, but they could do nothing -- because, it is implied, not only because she is supernaturally powerful, but also because of her high-born status. Gradually, it becomes clear why the girl 'requested' Thomas to pray -- to get revenge upon him. Under the pressures of the other Cossacks, Thomas eventually has to perform another exorcism. He goes to the church where the body is laid and draws a circle of protection around himself. The monsters which pour forth from the girl's body after it comes to life are so horrifying that the student grows grey after the terrible night. For several nights Thomas attempts this, and each day is more terrible than the last. The Cossacks who asked him to perform the exorcism will not allow him to stop, and during the final night, the witch summons up the viy of the title, a horrible creature with eyelids so long it has to ask for assistance to peel them up, so he can see the student. Eventually, at the end of the story, the student dies from fright and the church remains forever desecrated by the demons.

The end of the story is somewhat unsatisfying. Over the course of the tale, the reader comes to identify with the student, who seems like a nice, well-intentioned person. He is not an arrogant victim like some of the stereotypical characters from horror films who go deliberately seeking evil and the unknown, and he has a realistic view of his own spirituality and power against that of the witch. When he first casts out a demon from the witch, he is merely trying to protect himself. However, because he is poor and powerless, the rich Cossack can compel him to do whatever 'dirty' work needs to be done, even spiritual dirty work. In Russia, the class system and the power of the aristocracy is evident even in the horror stories produced by 19th century authors like Gogol.