N.V. Gogol "The Government Inspector": description, characters, comedy analysis
Plan
Introduction
Images of officials - a gallery of typical characters of provincial Russia.
Main part
Officials personify power in the county town:
a) mayor;
b) Lyapkin-Tyapkin;
c) Luka Lukic;
d) postmaster;
d) Strawberries.
Conclusion
In the images of officials, the writer satirically showed the contemporary reality.
Images of officials in the comedy by N.V. Gogol's "Inspector General" is a gallery of typical characters of provincial Russia.
In the county town, they personify power and strength, the highest circle of local society. All of them are individual. So, the Governor rightfully served his position for thirty years. He is distinguished by cunning and the ability to observe his material interest everywhere. Anton Antonovich is proud that he can deceive anyone: “He deceived scammers over scammers, rogues and rogues such that they are ready to rob the whole world ...” He is obsequious and respectful with his superiors, rude and unceremonious with his inferiors. If merchants can be dragged by their beards, then he fawns before Khlestakov and enthusiastically describes to him how he does not sleep at night, taking care of the well-being of the city. He assures that he does not need honors, but prevaricates. In fact, he is ambitious and dreams of serving in the capital, of the rank of general. And imagining that he will soon have it, he despises his subordinates even more, demanding new offerings from them.
Other officials are just as mercenary and ambitious. Frankly neglecting his service, Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin is only interested in hunting and even takes bribes with “greyhound puppies”. Gogol says about him that he has read five or six books "and therefore is somewhat free-thinking," and Strawberry characterizes the judge as follows: "Whatever you say, Cicero flew off your tongue." But from fear of the auditor, even the judge becomes timid and tongue-tied. Even more cowardly Luka Lukich, superintendent of schools: “God forbid to serve in the academic field! You are afraid of everything: everyone gets in the way, everyone wants to show that he is also an intelligent person. The accusation of freethinking threatened with hard labor, and any reason for such an accusation could be filed - if the teacher, for example, makes some kind of grimaces. The postmaster is curious and opens other people's letters, and keeps those that he likes. But the lowest and most dishonest of the officials is Strawberry, the trustee of charitable institutions. He steals, like all of them, the sick do not receive any medicine from him and "get well like flies." He tries in every possible way to emphasize his services to Khlestakov. He is just like everyone else, envious. But he not only fawns before the auditor, but is also ready to write a denunciation of all his friends, accusing them of neglect of business, of immorality and even freethinking: “For the good of the fatherland, I must do this, although he is my relative and friend.”
The officials of the Gogol district town are deceitful and vile, mercenary and immoral. They please the superiors and despise the inferiors, they despise those by whose labors their well-being is formed. Such is the author's satirical reflection of contemporary reality.
Exposing the vices of bureaucracy in the comedy The Inspector General.
Goals:
- develop text analysis skills, character characteristics, expressive reading skills; to consolidate knowledge of literary terms related to the dramatic kind of literature, the ability to use them to develop the creative abilities of students.
Methodical methods:
- Commented reading Characteristics of characters Expressive reading Drawing up a table Work in groups
Equipment:
Computer
Projector
SD "Russian Literature" Encyclopedia of Cyril and Methodius.
Epigraph:
A worldwide work that reveals the life of modern man to the very depths.
... good-natured crooks from the Inspector General.
Vladimir Nabokov
"The Prefabricated City of All the Dark Side"
During the classes
Organizing time .We continue to explore creativity. In today's lesson, we will consider what vices of bureaucracy Nikolai Vasilyevich exposes in his work The Inspector General. Let us recall what satire is, which Gogol was fluent in.
Checking homework .What was given at home?
Checking homework
Teacher's word.
advised to read the play simply, but with a good understanding of the essence, the main line of its internal development. We will follow his advice, relying on his statement that “the best way to know a play is to follow: how the conflict arises and develops in it, for what and between whom is the struggle, which groups are fighting and in the name of what? What role does each character play in this struggle, what is his behavior? therefore, we must not just read, comment on the play, but follow the development of the dramatic conflict. When characterizing the characters, one should pay attention to the comments of the author himself, to the speaking names of the characters, their speech characteristics, as well as to off-stage characters.
A) expressive reading of 1 phenomenon 1 action.
3. New theme.
Conversation.
Usually, when reading a work, we, the readers, pay attention to the time and place of action. What can be said about the time and place of action in comedy?
The county town is remote from the centers. The mayor remarks: “Yes, if you jump from here for three years, you won’t reach any state.” (1 action, 1 phenomenon)
Time of action - 1831. This can be determined from the words of the judge. He says that he has been sitting on the judiciary for 15 years), and in the scene with Khlestakov he reports: “From 816 he was elected to a three-year service by the will of the nobility and continued his position until now” - (4 action, 3 phenomenon).
In the comedy The Government Inspector, officials, city landowners, philistines, policemen, merchants and serfs pass before readers and spectators... Gogol depicted a small county town typical of the first half of the 19 city, the ignorance of its inhabitants, filth, disorder.
B) consideration of the table "Officers of the county town":
Official's name | |||
Mayor: general administration, police, ensuring order in the city, landscaping | He takes bribes, condones other officials in this, the city is not well-maintained, state money is embezzled | “He speaks neither loudly nor softly; neither more nor less”; facial features are rough and hard; crudely developed inclinations of the soul. “Look, my ears are on the alert! .. you take it out of order!”. Kuptsov "stay froze, even climb into the noose." In a silent scene: “What are you laughing at? Laugh at yourself!” |
|
Ammos Fedorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin | Engaged in more hunting than legal proceedings. The assessor is always drunk. | "A man who has read five or six books"; taking bribes with “borzoi puppies”. “For fifteen years now I have been sitting on the judicial chair, and when I look at the memorandum - ah! just wave my hand" |
|
Artemy Filippovich Strawberry | Trustee of charitable institutions | “The sick, like flies, recover,” they feed them sour cabbage, they don’t use expensive medicines | “A very fat, clumsy and clumsy person, but for all that a sly and a rogue”; "a perfect pig in a yarmulke"; offers to "slip" a bribe to the auditor; denounces him to other officials. “A simple man: if he dies, he will die like that, if he recovers, then he will recover anyway” |
Luka Lukich Khlopov | Superintendent of schools | Teachers 'have very strange behaviors' | Frightened by frequent revisions and reprimands for no one knows why, and therefore afraid, like fire, of any visits; “You are afraid of everything: everyone gets in the way, everyone wants to show that he is also an intelligent person.” |
Ivan Kuzmich Shpekin | Postmaster | Affairs in desolation, reads other people's letters, parcels do not reach |
In "Notes for Messrs. Actors" attention is not paid to all the characters. Why?
Why does Gogol characterize Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky together?
What technique did Gogol use when characterizing the characters? (irony and satire)
Let's look at the dictionary, what do we call irony? What is satire? Humor?
Humor, -a, m. 1. understanding of the comic, the ability to see and show a funny, condescendingly mocking attitude towards something.
2. in art: the image of something in a funny, comic way.
3. mocking, playful speech.\\adjective humorous, th, th.
Irony – subtle, hidden mockery.
Satire, -s, well. 1. A work of art that sharply and mercilessly denounces the negative phenomena of reality.
2. Condemning, scourging mockery
\\adjective satirical, - oh, th. S. genre, S. style
Is the Inspector General a humorous or satirical or ironic work? Why?
Acquaintance with fragments from the film "Incognito from Petersburg"
5 Phenomenon 1 action, 2 action 8 phenomenon
Textbook Conversation.
Which of the officials is most worried about the visit of the auditor and why?
The mayor, because there are many sins behind him. Many people were offended by him, many he oppressed.
How do officials address the mayor? Is it only the position of the mayor that distinguishes him from others?
Obsequiously, because he is higher in rank and vindictive, he can take revenge.
Tell us about the order in the city and about the orders that the mayor gave. How do you rate these orders?
Orders that are aimed at superficial concealment of disorder. in fact, problems and disorders do not disappear anywhere.
Why has Gorodnich got away with everything so far?
Because he is a scammer among scammers, he deceived three governors, he knows how to use his connections where he will give a bribe
How does Gogol convey the hypocritical benevolence of the Governor during a conversation with officials? Why does he talk to them this way?
Because he depends on them at the moment, he is afraid that they will tell everything to the auditor
What measures are the officials trying to take before the auditor's arrival?
(They talk about clean caps for the sick, and about breaking the fence on the main square, and about sweeping the streets along which the auditor will pass, that is, all efforts are directed not to the real correction of shortcomings and omissions with which the life of the city is full, but to a kind of varnishing reality).
For what purpose does the mayor decide to go to the hotel?
(Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky's far-sightedness and ingenuity more than once allowed him to successfully survive various "difficult cases"2, and even receive gratitude for this. He acted deliberately and prudently: if the official auditor hides his name and position, if he wants to remain incognito, then a solemn meeting would mean that he was recognized, and this is unlikely to please the Petersburg guest.
Appearing at the hotel, as a caring owner of the city, in order to find out if “travelers do not suffer trouble”, the mayor not only does not violate the incognito of the auditor, but also appears before him under the most favorable circumstances - in the care of the conveniences and well-being of the townspeople and casual travelers.
A visit to the hotel creates very convenient conditions for the mayor to find out about the visitor and get to know him without extraneous witnesses.)
Development of dramatic conflict
Since the beginning of the comedy, fear has become a full-fledged participant in the play, growing from action to action and finding its maximum expression in a silent scene. According to the apt expression of Yu. Mann, "The Inspector General" is a whole sea of fear.
Exercise
What reasons for fear does each official have? Find as many different kinds of manifestations of fear as possible in the characters' lines and in the author's remarks.
Examples:
Mayor. Fathers, your hares are not dear to me now: I have a cursed incognito sitting in my head. So you wait for the door to open and - shalt ...
Bobchinsky. ... so he looked into our plate. I was so terrified.
Luka Lukic. I must admit that I was brought up in such a way that if someone of a higher rank spoke to me, I simply have no soul, and my tongue is stuck in the mud.
Amos Fedorovich. Well, it's all over - gone! Gone!
Mayor (approaching and shaking all over, trying to articulate). And wah-wah-wah - ... wah-.
Group work
Try to put yourself in the place of these heroes in this difficult situation. Comment on the behavior of the characters during the dialogue. Let's fill in the table. (2 action, 8 appearance)
Gorodnichiy's group
remarks | Talk about yourself | speaks out loud |
"The accursed merchants have told everything." | "I'm sorry, it's not my fault" |
|
"Stretched out and trembling all over" | "Oh, the thin thing!..." Well, thank God, I took the money | "Please don't lose..." |
"I need to be smarter..." | "Good deed deigned to do" |
|
"With a face that takes on an ironic expression" | Yes, tell me! – did not know how to pay!...”; "To the Saratov province!..."; “Please take a look at what bullets it casts ...” | "Do I dare to ask you... but no, I'm not worthy..." |
Khlestakov group
remarks | Talk about yourself | speaks out loud |
"Bows" | "My regards…" |
|
“At first he stutters a little, but by the end of the speech he speaks loudly” | But what to do! ... I'm not to blame ... I really will cry ... |
|
"cheer up" | ||
"In Contemplation" | I don't know, but why are you talking to me about villains or some non-commissioned officer's wife |
Why does Khlestakov not speak about himself? What does it say?
This suggests that Khlestakov is not playing. He is really afraid and really does not understand anything that is happening around. He is a stupid, empty man.
Explain why the Governor, who “has been living in the service for thirty years”, whom “not a single merchant or contractor could fool”, who “deceived scammers over scammers, a swindler and rogues such that they are ready to rob the whole world, hooked on a hook”, who "deceived three governors", was himself deceived at the expense of Khlestakov, in which "there was simply not a half-little finger similar" to the auditor?
With what intention did the officials gather in the mayor's house the next day?
What details indicate that bribes are common for officials? (action 4, phenomenon 1)
- (Officers are looking for the best form of presentation to the "auditor" and are striving to find the best way to give a bribe to a distinguished guest. They do not doubt that a bribe should be given, the only question is how to slip it smartly and how much to give. The purpose of bribes is very practical: to protect, protect your department from audits and protect yourself. All officials are involved in the active attempts of the mayor to “neutralize” the auditor. Officials are convinced that the auditor needs to “slip” a bribe, as it is done in a “comfortable society”, that is, “between the four eyes ... so that the ears do not hear ...”, - this is what Artemy Filippovich thinks (1st phenomenon, act 4 ).)
Reread the 1st and 2nd phenomena of the 5th act and pay attention to the behavior of the mayor .
(The behavior of the mayor resembles the behavior of Khlestakov in moments of lies. He is in a state of complacency, calm, triumph. He perceives everything that has happened as a “rich prize”, fully deserved by him, his efforts and efforts. Reveling in the new position of the father-in-law of a major St. He informs the whole city that “he marries his daughter not only to some ordinary person, but to someone who has not yet been in the world, who can do everything, everything, everything, everything!”.)
What aspects of character are revealed in the mayor in the scene with the merchants? (2 phenomenon 5 action). What is the comedy of the situation?
(Rigidity, hatred of people of the lower class. This is evidenced by his speech: “What, samovar makers, yardstick workers, complain? Archwives, proto-beasts, swindlers of the sea! Complain? What? Did you take a lot? The mayor boasts of his nobility, and he himself participates in the plundering of the treasury along with the merchants, scolds worse than a cabman, throws threats like a gendarme.)
“The arrival of merchants,” writes Belinsky, “intensifies the excitement of the coarse passions of the mayor: from animal joy he turns into animal malice ... he recounts his good deeds to Abdulin, that is, he recalls cases where they robbed the treasury together ... "
In the scene of the conversation between the mayor and the merchants, the wolf law of the world of swindlers is expressed.
What underlies relationships in the bureaucratic world?
(Contempt for the lower, servility to the highest officials - this is the basis of the bureaucratic machine in Russia. It is the legalized state system that has created and shaped the psychology of an official. How could one talk about the true dignity of a person, if the rank meant everything!)
in his book Gogol and the Theatre, he wrote that Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky, an experienced campaigner, “has inherited from his father and from the world around him the following rule of faith and life: in life one must be happy, and this requires money and ranks, and for this their acquisition is bribery, embezzlement of public funds, servility and subservience to the authorities, nobility and wealth, and bestial rudeness to the lower"
Lesson summary
Let's list again what vices of bureaucracy he exposes in his comedy:
- bribery embezzlement servility and subservience to the authorities, nobility and wealth bestial rudeness to the lower arbitrariness impunity fraud subservience phantasmagoria
Anchoring
Test simulator No. 10 (SD)
Gorodnichiy's group
remarks | Talk about yourself | speaks out loud |
Khlestakov group
remarks | Talk about yourself | speaks out loud |
Characteristics of the heroes of the comedy "The Inspector General"
Official's name | The area of urban life that he leads | Information about the state of affairs in this area | Characteristics of the hero in the text |
Anton Antonovich Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky | |||
Ammos Fedorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin | |||
Artemy Filippovich Strawberry | |||
Luka Lukich Khlopov | |||
Ivan Kuzmich Shpekin |
The vices of bureaucracy
exposed in the comedy "The Government Inspector"
bribery
embezzlement
servility and subservience to the authorities, nobility and wealth
bestial rudeness in front of the lower
arbitrariness
arbitrariness
impunity
· fraud
subservience
In a satirical form, depicting the abuses of the authorities in a small county town, the author of the narrative denounces and ridicules at once the entire bureaucratic Russia, drowning in a swamp of bribery and embezzlement.
The image of the mayor Anton Antonovich
At the very top of the bureaucratic pyramid is the mayor Anton Antonovich. Having risen from the bottom, he rules the city and does not consider bribery a great sin. After all, the state salary, the mayor is sure, is not enough even for bread and salt. So justifying his actions, he robs the treasury without remorse, rips off huge bribes and expensive gifts from merchants. With higher authorities, Anton Antonovich is respectful and servile, with those who are lower in rank, he is unceremonious and demanding. His dream is to rise to the rank of general and move to the capital.
"... I've been living in the service for thirty years; not a single merchant or contractor could fool; I deceived scammers over scammers, swindlers and rogues such that they are ready to rob the whole world, hooked on the bait. I deceived three governors! .. What governors! ( waved his hand) there is nothing to say about the governors ... "
Image of Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin
The city judge with the eloquent surname Lyapkin-Tyapkin does not lag behind the mayor. Having read a total of six books in his entire life, he is confident in his own education. He is condescending towards serving the law - in the office of the court, servants dry clothes and breed poultry. Lyapkin-Tyapkin prefers hunting to service and accepts offerings of purebred greyhound puppies.
"... I've been sitting on the judge's chair for fifteen years now, and when I look into the memorandum - ah! I just wave my hand. Solomon himself will not decide what is true and what is not true in it ..."
The image of an official Strawberry
Another city official, ridiculed by Gogol, with the "sweet" surname Strawberry, is engaged in supervision of charitable institutions, where true chaos reigns everywhere. Nobody cares about the sick - no regimen and medical discipline. The appointed doctor, a German by nationality, does not even understand Russian. And Strawberry himself fawns over his superiors and scorns the common people. In the treatment process, the official is of the opinion that whoever of his wards does not die, he will certainly recover even without the medicines stolen by him.
"... There are ten people left, no more; and the rest have all recovered. It's already arranged like that, such an order. he will have time to enter the infirmary, as he is already healthy; and not so much with medicines, but with honesty and order ... "
Luka Lukic
Khlopov Luka Lukich is in charge of the educational institutions of the city and his departments for the collapse are no different from the previous ones. Teachers instill disgusting manners in their students, promising to raise a "worthy" replacement for the current generation of thieves. Khlopov, on the other hand, tries to please the bosses, but he does not care what and how happens in the affairs entrusted to him.
"... I can't, I can't, gentlemen. I confess, I've been brought up in such a way that if someone higher in one rank speaks to me, I simply don't have a soul and my tongue is stuck in the mud ..."
Postmaster Shpekin
There is also a complete mess going on in communication and communication services. Postmaster Shpekin shamelessly opens other people's correspondence in order to be aware of any news, he leaves the letters he likes as a keepsake.
"... I know, I know ... Don't teach this, I do it not so much as a precaution, but more out of curiosity: death loves to know what's new in the world. I'll tell you that this is an interesting read. You will read another letter with pleasure - this is how various passages are described ... and what edification ... better than in Moskovskie Vedomosti!
Khlestakov
But the main charlatan among all this disgrace is Khlestakov, a petty clerical worker from St. Petersburg, who was mistakenly taken by embezzled officials for a visiting auditor. On the way, Ivan Alexandrovich pretty much lost, and the “title” assigned to him in the city of N was most welcome. Khlestakov took full advantage of the existing misunderstanding. And after all the deeds of local officials surfaced, a message was received about the arrival of a real auditor, which, apparently, should be understood as the inevitable coming punishment.
"... I love cordiality, and, I confess, I like it more if they please me from a pure heart, and not out of interest ..."
The characterization of officials in The Inspector General by Gogol is given at the very beginning with the help of a folk proverb, which served as an epigraph to the comedy: “There is nothing to blame on the mirror if the face is crooked.” This capacious image allows us to penetrate into the essence of the multiple "face" of bureaucracy, as the force that flooded the Russian space of the first half of the 19th century and enslaved it. Comedy was supposed to become a kind of "mirror" in which you can see all the nuances of social ugliness. As a true artist, Gogol understood that it is best to indicate the scale of this disaster not by directly condemning it, but by placing it in a context where it would be accompanied by a laughable beginning all the time.
All officials in the auditor are united by an immoderate passion for acquiring, while it doesn’t matter what: money, power, undeserved respect. These are minor parts of "little thanks", so small that they are not worth talking about. The craving of Russian society for traditional values gave rise to a situation where it was tradition that paid off conscience. As ancient as the world, bribery itself became a world whose laws must be inviolable. In such a world it is easy to deceive and be deceived, which makes honesty seem offensive. The bureaucracy in The Inspector General looks grotesque also because the absurdity of their life is full of “claims” and righteous anger: it forgives nothing and no one for the disrespectful attitude towards themselves, which every Russian citizen should have almost intra-blood.
The images of officials in the comedy "The Inspector General" are as ridiculous as they are monstrous, because they are truthful and widespread in all spheres of the then public life. The mayor Skvoznik-Dmukhatsky, of course, is not stupid, like a gray gelding, he is well aware of the unattractive situation of the inhabitants of his city, the deplorable state of medicine and education. But the derivation of one's own benefit prevails with the mayor over everything, and the arrival of the auditor was supposed to block the process of absorbing resources and patching holes after that. Fear blinds the mayor so much that he takes Khlestakov's cowardice and emptiness for subtle deceit with which a passerby pretends to be an auditor. Skvoznik-Dmukhatsky never feels not only guilt, but even embarrassment at the moments when he is “thanked”, because the ghost of supposedly God's providence has long since justified everything. No one dares to go against the divine will, except perhaps some Voltaireans. Among the venerable officials of the county town, such a disgrace should in no case be. He is not!
The absence of the Voltairian shame also frees one from intelligence and education. Ignorance is so invincible that no enlightenment can move it from its place, like a city judge who takes bribes with greyhound puppies for future hunting. Several books that Lyapkin-Tyapkin read all his life, of course, gained him the fame of a freethinker, but they did not add anything to his meager consciousness. He is not only unable to do the job, but also to be responsible for his judgments, which have long ago, and perhaps from the very beginning of his career, been abolished by the authorities with something like: "a lot of intelligence is worse than it would not be at all."
Strawberry is clearly visible in the ranks of the officials of the city of H in the "Inspector General", who with all zeal takes care of charitable institutions. He is a terrible rogue and knows how to speak to the hearts of those in power, which always ensures his brilliant success. The guardian considers flattery the most indispensable and unmistakable means for penetrating into another's soul and uses it on the widest scale. He fawns over both the mayor and Khlestakov, subtly capturing the nature of their pride and fear. The superintendent of schools, Khlopov, is inferior in flattery to Strawberry, he does not do it so skillfully, but with great success he complains to the mayor about teachers who allegedly spread free spirit among the younger youth, they are too insultingly ardent and educated. That is why all the officials from the Inspector General are so representative, so brilliant in their stubbornness, because each of them is part of a bribery system that kills everything human, original and reasonable.
The images of officials in the comedy The Inspector General are complemented by such characters as Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky, rogue gossips who are in an endless search for amazing news. They scurry through the whole comedy as pranksters and jesters, whom no one puts in anything, but everyone endures - for the opportunity to be the first to find out an interesting incident, no matter what it concerns. One of them always accompanies the mayor to Khlestakov, then crumbles in courtesies in front of Anna Andreevna, then obsequiously stutters in front of the auditor. Ultimately, in all forms they do not change, demonstrating the lowest stage of mental poverty and insignificance - a petty official who, by virtue of his position of affection, and give him power in his hands, will tear anyone to pieces. Dobchinsky and Bobchinsky themselves experience almost pleasure from trembling before the authorities, because “fear still penetrates when you talk with a nobleman,” and this fear does not seem humiliating at all. It is perceived as a source of low pleasure.
And, finally, Khlestakov himself is the embodied clerical emptiness, who lost at cards and, due to circumstances, assumed the role of an auditor. Khlestakov is subject to filling by its very nature, therefore it does not matter to him who he will be in the next moment, because the mayor’s intentions do not immediately reach his consciousness. He accepts admiration and generously gives everyone his attention as a person who does not need to be told about his irresistibility. His threats are ridiculous and boyish, but this is precisely what causes suspicion of Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky, and then confidence - this visitor is simply skillfully cunning, he is the auditor!
In these relations, we see the end point of the absurdity of the bureaucratic world: the fear of the powerful force paralyzes a person, makes substitution possible and gives prosperity to ignorance. Only cleansing laughter can help break out of this circle - the only positive character in Gogol's comedy.
Artwork test
Gogol's works cover the 40s of the 19th century - the time of bureaucratic arbitrariness, the time of cruel exploitation of the disenfranchised and oppressed people. He, the first in Russian literature, decided to openly ridicule bureaucrats and officials. He wrote several works in which bribery and sycophancy became the central theme - the poem "Dead Souls", the novels "The Nose" and "The Overcoat", the comedy "The Government Inspector", which will be discussed in this article.
Satire on bureaucratic Rus'
The Inspector General is a realistic work that reveals the world of small and medium-sized Russian officials. Gogol wrote about the comedy The Inspector General that he decided to collect here “everything bad” and laugh “at one time” at what is happening in Russia. The action takes place in a small provincial town, the measured course of life of which is blown up by the news of the arrival of the auditor. Having learned about the forthcoming visit of the inspector, the officials directed their efforts to the observance of external propriety. Instead of dealing with the pressing problems of the city, they clean the street along which the inspector will pass, remove the hunting rapnik hanging in plain sight.
The plot conceived by the author made it possible to reveal the vices that struck the bureaucratic environment. The comedy introduces not only district officials, but also Khlestakov, who arrived from St. Petersburg, whom everyone mistook for an auditor. Let us consider the image of officials in Gogol's comedy in more detail. Let's start with the main character of the comedy - Khlestakov.
"Inspector"
The main character of the comedy is “twenty-three years old”, “thin, thin”, “good-looking” young man. Khlestakov is not dressed in a service uniform - "in a particular dress", made of "important, English" cloth. According to his rank, he is only a collegiate registrar, but “by his suit” and by his “Petersburg physiognomy” they took him “for the governor-general”. "It would be" "something worthwhile," his servant Osip despises, "otherwise, she's a simple lady." A naive and empty darling nobleman who burns his father's money. In the expression of the servant, "father sends money," and Khlestakov "does not deal with business," - "plays cards" and walks "along the shore."
In the images of officials in the comedy "The Government Inspector", the author showed rampant bribery and embezzlement, contempt for the common people and abuse of power. A bribe-taker, a gambler and a serf-owner - Khlestakov has no idea what good and evil are, and can commit any meanness. The servant is starving, but he doesn't care. Khlestakov easily moves from arrogance to humiliation, from bragging to cowardice. He is lying uncontrollably, and everyone sees in this the fulfillment of their desires and they are not at all embarrassed when, having lied, Khlestakov has enough too much. All the actions of the hero are guided by vanity, for him the most important thing is to splurge.
Khlestakov is a dummy “without a king in his head”, who has “unusual lightness” in his thoughts. He is the personification of emptiness, stupidity and fanfare, like an empty vessel that can be filled with anything. Perhaps that is why the officials of the city of NN mistook him for an important person. According to them, this is exactly how a bribe-bearer should behave. In the comedy The Inspector General, the image of the protagonist is not only one of the brightest, but also completely new in literature. His surname has become a household name. Unrestrained boasting and lies are called “Khlestakovism”.
NN City Mayor
One of the main characters is the mayor Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky. On the example of this hero, the author reveals "everything bad" that characterizes the officials of that time. Anton Antonovich is “concerned” only with the fact that he “does not miss” anything that “floats into his hands” itself. Unlike Khlestakov, the mayor is cunning and prudent in all matters. He feels like a sovereign master in this city. Bribery is quite normal for him. For a bribe, he releases the son of the merchant from recruitment, and instead sends the husband of the locksmith Poshlepkina.
There are no moral standards for him: in order to collect more requisitions, - he notes the name day twice a year. He goes to the temple and is sure that he is "steadfast in faith." But this did not prevent him from putting money for the construction of the church into his pocket, and in the report to write that it "burned down" as soon as "began to be built." In dealing with subordinates, the mayor is rude and despotic. Otherwise, he behaves with Khlestakov. He constantly pleases him, manages to "screw" him money, speaks ingratiatingly and respectfully. On the example of this hero, the author shows bribery and servility, typical features of a Russian official.
The central characters of the work
In the comedy The Inspector General, the characteristics of officials show that the servants from the town of NN can hardly be called honest people working for the glory of their homeland, which, in fact, should be the goal of civil servants. The superintendent of the schools is intimidated to such an extent that he “shies away” only on behalf of his superior. Luka Lukic admits that if someone “talks” to him with a “higher rank”, then he immediately “has no soul” and “his tongue is stuck”. Khlopov gives preference to teachers to match himself - albeit stupid, but not allowing free thoughts. He does not care about the quality of education and the educational process - as long as everything looks decent on the outside.
Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin carries out all judicial and legal procedures in the city. Perfectly conveys the image of officials in the comedy "The Government Inspector" and the "speaking" surname Lyapkin-Tyapkin, and it is quite consistent with his attitude to the service - everything is so confused, saturated with slander and denunciations that it is not worth looking into court cases. Place and position provide Ammos Fedorovich with power in the city. He can not only freely keep with the mayor, but also challenge his opinion. Moreover, he is the smartest in the city - he has read several books in his life. His favorite pastime is hunting, he devotes not only all his time to it, openly takes bribes, but also sets himself as an example: “I take bribes. But what? Puppies. It's a completely different matter." Long-term bribes and red tape - such is the court in the city of NN.
NN city officials
There are several other bright characters in the comedy "The Inspector General". The characterization of officials will help to understand that the secondary characters are no less interesting. The "fat" and "clumsy" trustee of charitable institutions is a rogue and a rogue. Artemy Filippovich cares neither about the institution entrusted to him, nor about the patients. Strawberry waved his hand at the hospitals: “If they recover, they will recover anyway, if they die, they will die anyway.” His main "talent" is denunciations. He denounces his colleagues to the imaginary auditor.
Postmaster Shpekin is engaged in a completely "harmless" business - he reads other people's letters, but does not see anything wrong with it: "I like to find out what is new in the world." A simple-hearted and naive person, through letters he looks at a world he has never seen. It is Shpekin who first finds out that Khlestakov is not who they take him for.
City landlords Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky are city gossips, they live only to tell everyone about something. As the author wrote, these characters suffer from "an itch of the tongue", "speak in a patter" and "help with gestures and hands." It was they who convinced everyone in the city of NN that Khlestakov was the inspector.
The bailiff Ukhovertov, the policemen Derzhimorda and Svistunov only emphasize the nature of what is happening, and personify the gross arbitrariness, lawlessness and drunkenness that prevail in the city.
Satire in Gogol's comedy
Describing the world of bribe-takers and embezzlers, the author uses artistic techniques with which he managed to create vivid, unforgettable images. On the very first pages of the work, the reader, having read the names of the district doctor and the private bailiff, already has an idea about them. In addition to the techniques of satirical depiction of officials, in the comedy "The Government Inspector", the author gave critical characteristics to his characters, which help to understand the characters. For example, the mayor is "a bribe-taker, but behaves respectably"; Khlestakov "without a king in his head"; postmaster "simple to the point of naivety."
Vivid characteristics and exposure of the vices of officials in the comedy "The Government Inspector" are also given in Khlestakov's letters to his friend. He frankly calls, for example, Strawberries "a pig in a yarmulke." The main artistic device of the author is hyperbole. As an example, here we can name the doctor Gibner, who cannot even communicate with patients, because he does not know the Russian language perfectly. The plot itself is also hyperbolic, but as the plot develops, the hyperbole is replaced by the grotesque. Clutching at Khlestakov, like a saving straw, officials cannot appreciate the absurdity of what is happening, and heap absurdities one on top of the other.
The denouement comes quickly: Khlestakov's letter gives a simple explanation for everything. Further, the author uses a technique that has become very popular and shows that the action of the comedy goes beyond the stage and, in fact, is transferred to the vast Russian expanses - the hero addresses the audience from the stage: “What are you laughing at? - Laugh at yourself!
