Diary of a Madman Is a farcical short story by NIkolaI Gogol. Along with ihe Overcoat and The Nose Diary of a Madman is considered to be one of Gogol' s greatest short stories The tale centers on the life of a minor civil servant during the repressive era of Nicholas l Following the format of a diary. the story shows the descent of the protagonist, Poprishchin into insa'"V Diaw of a Madman, the only one of Gogol' s works written in first person, follows diaryentryformat