“Diary of a Madman” is an absurdist comedy about its protagonist’s descent into “madness,” as he is increasingly unable to reconcile his own inflated opinion of himself with his real social position and other people’s understanding of the place he occupies in the world. The story uses the form of a diary to document Poprishchin’s state of mind as he reports his daily activities, his fantasies, and his anxieties, while also indicating to the reader how his society actually views him. The story is more broadly a satire about people’s Obsession with Class Distinctions and Anxieties and their vain sense of importance about themselves.

The “madness” readers witness primarily has to do with social class. Poprishchin, a low-ranking nobleman, is extremely touchy about his sense of self-worth. He bottles up his resentments and vents his anger in his diaries. While the section head’s insults and rebukes sting him when they first occur, he only takes his revenge in his diaries, where he dismisses the man as envious. He does the same for servants who he believes do not show him the proper deference. While he makes no mention of saying anything to them in person, he insults them and inflates himself in his diaries.