The Old World Landowners

"The Old World Landowners" is a short story written in 1835. It is the first tale in the "Mirgorod" collection by Nikolai Gogol. The story is a vivid representation of the old-fashioned way of life in early nineteenth century rural Ukraine, portrayal of the quiet life and the touching story of an elderly couple and their love for each other. With its dialogues and characters of Classical Russian literature, the story attempts to tell its readers how insignificant things can create a chain of unfortunate events that affect the stability of the strongest realities and completely change one's life. The story is believed to be an ironic reworking of the Baucis and Philemon legend from Ovid's "Metamorphoses".