The Government Inspector

Summary

The Government Inspector is a comedy by Nikolai Gogol, first published in 1836. The action takes place in a provincial Russian town, where an important government official, an inspector from St. Petersburg, unexpectedly arrives, much to the surprise of the local authorities. Due to a misunderstanding, a young idler named Khlestakov, who has come to the town and is staying at a local inn, is mistaken for the inspector. The town officials, eager to appease the supposed inspector, begin showering him with gifts and money to cover up their own corruption and misconduct. Khlestakov, taking advantage of their mistake, accepts all the offerings and even becomes engaged to the mayor's daughter. By the time Khlestakov leaves, it becomes clear that he is not the inspector. The real inspector arrives in town after Khlestakov has already left, causing shock and panic among the town's officials.

Main Ideas

• Highlighting the theme of bribery and corruption in provincial Russia
• Critique of bureaucracy and officialdom
• Depiction of moral emptiness and societal vices
• The issue of personal responsibility to society
• Exposure of hypocrisy and duplicity among townspeople
• The idea of social justice and its unattainability in a corrupt society
• The influence of rumors and prejudices on public opinion
• Use of comedy as a means to critique societal flaws

Main Characters and Their Development

• Anton Antonovich Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky - the mayor, the main character of the play. He represents a typical official concerned only with his position and wealth. At the beginning of the play, he is alarmed by the news of the inspector's arrival and tries to hide his misconduct. By the end of the play, his exposure becomes inevitable.
• Ivan Alexandrovich Khlestakov - a young official from St. Petersburg, mistaken for the inspector. He is a frivolous and irresponsible person who accidentally finds himself in the spotlight. Taking advantage of the situation, he deceives everyone and receives numerous bribes, but in the end, his deception is uncovered.
• Anna Andreyevna Skvoznik-Dmukhanovskaya - the mayor's wife. She is a vain and curious woman who dreams of a high society life. At the beginning of the play, she is concerned about the inspector's arrival but quickly becomes infatuated with Khlestakov, mistaking him for an important official.
• Marya Antonovna Skvoznik-Dmukhanovskaya - the mayor's daughter. A young and naive girl who also falls under Khlestakov's charm. She dreams of marriage and a high society life, but by the end of the play, her illusions are shattered.
• Ammos Fyodorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin - the judge. He is a corrupt and lazy official more interested in hunting than his work. At the beginning of the play, he tries to hide his misconduct from the inspector.
• Artemy Filippovich Zemlyanika - the warden of charitable institutions. He is a hypocritical and sly person who only cares about his own benefit. At the beginning of the play, he also tries to hide his misconduct from the inspector.
• Luka Lukich Khlopov - the school superintendent. He is a cowardly and indecisive person who fears losing his position. At the beginning of the play, he is also worried about the inspector's arrival and tries to hide his shortcomings.

Style and Technique

The Government Inspector by Nikolai Gogol is a comedy in five acts. This work is characterized by the use of satire and irony aimed at exposing the morals of minor government officials and the issues in Russian society of that time. Gogol employs exaggerated, typified characters and caricatured images to achieve a comedic effect. The author's specific techniques include wordplay, witty dialogues, and situational comedy. The literary structure of the work is distinguished by the rhythm and dynamism of the plot, driven by the sequential escalation of comedic situations that reach a climax before the final resolution. Gogol skillfully uses language not only as a means of creating comedic situations but also as a tool for social and psychological analysis.

Quotes

• What are you laughing at? You're laughing at yourselves!
• You're taking more than your rank allows!
• I invited you, gentlemen, to inform you of an extremely unpleasant piece of news: an inspector is coming to visit us.
• A simple man: if he dies, he dies, and if he recovers, he recovers.
• What a lousy little town!
• And who among us is without sin?
• The official coming to us is from St. Petersburg, incognito. And with a secret directive.

Interesting Facts

• The comedy The Government Inspector was written at the insistence of Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, who told Gogol an anecdotal story about how an unknown person was mistaken for an inspector in one of the towns.
• The premiere of The Government Inspector took place on April 19, 1836, at the Alexandrinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg and caused a significant public reaction.
• Gogol himself admitted that The Government Inspector is a work in which he wanted to showcase all the vices of Russian society, and therefore there are no positive characters in the play.
• One of the most famous lines from the play is the mayor's remark: «What are you laughing at? You're laughing at yourselves!» — which is still frequently quoted today.
• The character Khlestakov, who is mistaken for the inspector, has become a byword for someone who deceives others by pretending to be someone else.

Book Review

The Government Inspector by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol is a brilliant comedy that exposes the vices and shortcomings of 19th-century Russian society. Gogol masterfully uses satire to highlight the corruption, hypocrisy, and foolishness of officials. The central plot, where provincial officials mistake an ordinary swindler for an inspector from St. Petersburg, allows the author to create vivid and memorable characters. Critics note that Gogol not only mocks specific individuals but also raises questions about the moral and ethical standards of society as a whole. His characters, such as the mayor and Khlestakov, have become archetypes, symbolizing human weaknesses and vices. The Government Inspector remains relevant today due to its sharp social critique and deep understanding of human nature.