All three texts are having a conversation with one another about the essence of the Russian identity, and the hope or lack thereof that accompanies it. Could the Madman in both Gogol and Chaadev’s writings be in essence the same person or idea? In my mind, although written before Diary of a Madman, Apology of a Madman seems to be giving a defense for the reason behind the Madman’s insanity. The Madman can be read as your standard Russian state official (most likely in Petersburg) who has been exposed to European customs and represents the group of people that find themselves caught in the gray area between being European but at the same time not being it fully. In The Apology, this Russian identity is superficially tied to that of European culture, and is therefore devoid of all meaning. The European customs that Russia adopts to make itself more European have evolved naturally in Europe’s culture and traditions are therefore full of historical significance and meaning. When Russia merely assimilates those customs they lose their contextual significance and are then devoid of all meaning and are ultimately empty. This therefore leads Russia to chase after superficiality and emptiness to keep up appearances that they are a modern European nation, again making the idea of uncertainty in Russian identity resurface.

Not only is the uncertainty of Russian identity in relation to Europe revisited, but this feeling of inferiority starts to emerge. The contrast is quite stark when Ivanov believes that he only needs to look the part to become it. If he dressed like a man of higher rank he would then ascend the ranks purely based on his appearance, this superficiality is emblematic then of the true nature of the ranks in state service. The ranks were created by Peter the Great in an attempt to modernize Russia by imitating Europe’s state service structures, it did not come from a natural development through the ideas within the country as a whole. The ranks are not authentic but vapid, their only significance in its appearance. One might analyse this constant chase for the superficial to represent the stupidity of the Russian mindset. This stupidity, or in lighter terms, this tendency to find value in appearances only can be seen as a lack of education, an education  which would instruct in things that truly mattered. This is depicted through the books in the director’s study, that whoever possesses them is considered to be a “wise man”. The books however are all in either French or German, books way “above your average civil servant.” It is also depicted through the dogs that are able to write to one another, although one can clearly see the  dogs as being representative of French, or more generally of European culture, with the incorporations of “ma chère” throughout the text. The dogs here are depicted as being more intelligent than humans, however one can make the argument that Gogol is trying to depict the Russians as being less educated than dogs, and thus here comes the feeling of inferiority, echoing the statements made in The Apology.

The response to these ideas of Russian inferiority is then answered by Pushkin with the optimism that Russia will be able to shake off the chains that prevents it from achieving its God given potential.