The Double

Yakob Petrovich Golyadkin is the second character of that name to appear in The Double. He shares the name and the exact physical appearance of the protagonist of the novel, though their personality is markedly different. Becoming the eponymous double, this version of Golyadkin is referred to either by a denotation of narrative status—referring to him as Golyadkin junior—or with an attached pejorative. The narrator joins in Golyadkin’s persistent use of insults against the double, to the point where nearly every reference to the double in later chapters has some form of insult attached. The reason for this aggression is closely tied to the similarities and differences between Golyadkin and his double. The double inspires so much fascination in Golyadkin because of their close physical resemblance. At the same time, however, this close resemblance makes each of the double’s successes all the more painful for Golyadkin. The double is charming, proactive, assertive, and confident; in terms of personality, he is everything that Golyadkin is not. These divergences pain Golyadkin as much as the similarities fascinate him. The double embodies everything that Golyadkin wishes he could be and which, as the result of his particular personality, he knows that he can never achieve.

The role of the double in the narrative begs the question of whether or not the double is simply a figment of Golyadkin’s imagination. This is not specifically stated, though many of the double’s actions seem to occur only in Golyadkin’s world, while the double also explicitly interacts with other people. His existence is acknowledged, even if other characters fail to immediately notice the striking physical resemblance between the double and Golyadkin. Even when Golyadkin points this out, the other characters are more amused than concerned. Whether or not the double exists becomes a moot point, as either side of the discussion only serves to remind the audience of Golyadkin’s alienation and the distance between himself and everyone around him.

Each time Golyadkin interacts with his double, he becomes sympathetic to the man’s plight. The double’s backstory garners sympathy, as does his willingness to work with Golyadkin during their private discussions. When they are together in public, however, Golyadkin is infuriated by the patronizing and insulting attitude that the double directs at him. Even though Golyadkin allows the poor, desperate double to sleep in his apartment, he is largely ignored (and then insulted) when they are together in the office. At the end of the novel, in an ironic turnaround, the double offers his sympathies to the struggling Golyadkin. He ushers Golyadkin from the cold outside into the party, where he leads him through the crowd of his social superiors. As Golyadkin is led away by his doctor, the ease and grace with which the double moves through the crowd suggests that he is fully ready to usurp the place in society that should have belonged to Golyadkin. He becomes the man Golyadkin wanted to be. 

Petrushka is Golyadkin’s manservant. According to Golyadkin, he is disreputable, lazy, and foolish. From the opening chapters, Golyadkin showers his servant with insults. This aggressive attitude, however, belies a deeper affection which is registered more subtly. Golyadkin shares a small apartment with Petrushka, suggesting that he is hiring a servant even though he cannot really afford to do so. Petrushka understands this. He is rude and blunt with his employer, not showing the deference toward Golyadkin that he might show toward someone wealthy or powerful. That Petrushka tolerates his employer’s behavior while also criticizing him suggests that he pities Golyadkin to some extent. He understands his strange, confused employer and tries to guide him, though he refuses to play the role that Golyadkin truly demands of him. Through his insolence, Petrushka illustrates the limits of Golyadkin’s authority. Through his continued—though reluctant—devotion to Golyadkin, he suggests that there is a sympathetic side to his employer’s personality which is not seen by many people.

As Golyadkin is increasingly haunted by his double, however, Petrushka’s attitude changes. The more time that Golyadkin seems to be spending with his double, the more abrasive and distant Petrushka becomes. When Petrushka is sent on an errand with a letter, he returns drunk. In his drunkenness, he alludes to the immorality of his employer. At this moment, fueled by alcohol, the social barriers of decorum are abandoned, and Petrushka hints that Golyadkin may be acting somehow immorally. He does not explicitly acknowledge the existence of the double; his words could mean that meeting with a doppelgänger is somehow wrong. In their last interaction, Golyadkin passes Petrushka on the stairs as he scuttles out the door, heading to the last party he will attend. The moment is representative of their relationship as a whole: They are bound together and drift apart, concerned for one another but fixated on the performance of social decorum that seems to elude them as much as they elude each other.