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.