N.V. Gogol "The Government Inspector": description, characters, comedy analysis
"The Government Inspector" is a comedy that every schoolchild, as well as an adult, is familiar with. According to Gogol, he wanted to collect in this work "everything bad" that was happening in Russia at that time. The author wanted to show what kind of injustice reigns in those places where justice is most needed. The characterization of the characters will help to fully understand the theme of comedy. The Inspector General is a comedy that showed the true face of bureaucracy in the early 19th century.
The main idea of the "Inspector". What did the author want to show?
It is the characterization of the characters that will help to understand the main idea and idea of the work. The Inspector General reflects the bureaucracy of that time, and each hero of the work helps the reader understand what the author wanted to say with this comedy.
It must be said that every action that takes place in the comedy reflects the entire administrative-bureaucratic system. The image of officials in the comedy "The Inspector General" clearly shows the readers of the 21st century the true face of the bureaucracy of that time. Gogol wanted to show what was always carefully hidden from society.
The history of the creation of the "Inspector"
It is known that Gogol began working on the play in 1835. There are several versions about what was the reason for writing the "Inspector". However, it is worth noting that the version that the plot of the future comedy was suggested to the author by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin is considered traditional. There is confirmation of this, which was found in the memoirs of Vladimir Sollogub. He wrote that Pushkin met Gogol, after which he told him about the incident that occurred in the city of Ustyuzhna: some passerby, an unknown gentleman, robbed all the inhabitants, posing as a ministry official.
Pushkin's participation in the creation of comedy
There is another version, also based on the words of Sollogub, which suggests that Pushkin himself was once mistaken for an official when he was in Nizhny Novgorod in order to collect materials about the Pugachev rebellion.
While writing the play, Gogol communicated with Pushkin and informed him about the progress of work on The Inspector General. It is worth noting that the author several times tried to quit working on the comedy, and it was Alexander Sergeevich who insisted that Gogol finish the work.
The image of officials in the comedy "The Government Inspector" reflects the bureaucracy of that time. It is worth saying that the story underlying the work reveals the whole essence of the administrative-bureaucratic system of Russia at the beginning of the 19th century.
The image of the main characters in the comedy "The Government Inspector". Table of officials
In order to understand the main idea and theme of the work, it is necessary to understand the images of the main characters in the comedy. All of them reflect the bureaucracy of that time and show the reader what injustice reigned where justice should have been first of all.
The main characters of the comedy "The Government Inspector". Table of officials. A brief description of.
| Official's name | Brief description of the official |
Governor Anton Antonovich Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky | Head of the county town. This person always takes bribes and doesn't think it's wrong. The mayor is sure that "everyone takes bribes, and the higher the rank, the greater the bribe." Anton Antonovich is not afraid of the auditor, but he is worried that he does not know who will carry out the check in his city. It should be noted that the mayor is a self-confident, arrogant and dishonest person. For him there are no such concepts as "justice" and "honesty". He is sure that bribes are not a crime. |
Ammos Fedorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin | Judge. He considers himself quite an intelligent person, because he has read about five or six books in his life. It is worth noting that all the criminal cases that he handled are not in the best condition: sometimes even he himself cannot figure out and understand where the truth is and where it is not. |
Artemy Filippovich Strawberry | Artemy is a trustee of charitable institutions. It must be said that only filth reigns in hospitals, as well as a terrible mess. The sick walk around in dirty clothes, which makes it look like they were just at work in the forge, and cooks cook in dirty hats. In addition to all the negative aspects, it must be added that patients constantly smoke. Strawberry is sure that you should not burden yourself with finding out the diagnosis of the disease of your patients, because "a simple person: if he dies, then he will die anyway, if he recovers, then he will recover anyway." From his words, we can conclude that Artemy Filippovich does not care at all about the health of patients. |
Ivan Kuzmich Shpekin | |
Luka Lukich Khlopov | Luka Lukic is the caretaker of the schools. It is worth noting that he is a very cowardly person. |
The image of officials in the comedy "The Government Inspector" shows what kind of injustice prevailed at that time. It would seem that there should be justice and honesty in courts, hospitals and other institutions, but the images of officials in Gogol's work clearly show that at the beginning of the 19th century things were completely different throughout Russia.
The main idea of the comedy "The Government Inspector". Theme of the work
Gogol said that in his work he wanted to collect all the "stupidity" that was observed at that time. The theme of the play is to ridicule human vices: hypocrisy, fraud, self-interest, etc. The image of officials in the comedy "The Government Inspector" is a reflection of the true essence of officials. The author of the work wanted to convey that they were unfair, dishonest and stupid. The bureaucracy had absolutely nothing to do with ordinary people.
The comedy of the "Inspector"
The comicality of the work lies in the fact that instead of the auditor, whom everyone in the city was afraid of, an ordinary person arrived who deceived all the officials.
The Inspector General is a comedy that shows the true face of Russian officials in the early 19th century. The author wanted to show that they were so unfair, miserable and stupid that they could not distinguish an ordinary person from a real auditor.
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 the 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 at least three years, you won’t reach any state.” (1 action, 1 appearance)
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 Inspector General, officials, city landowners, philistines, policemen, merchants and serfs pass before readers and viewers... 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 the 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 rogue 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)
- (Officials 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 have no 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 together with 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 of 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 serviceman, “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 The Government Inspector, I decided to put together everything that was bad in Russia, which I then knew ...
N.V. Gogol
Lesson Objectives: to analyze how the county town of Russia in the first half of the 19th century was seen, its inhabitants and officials N.V. Gogol.
Visibility:
- Portrait of N.V. Gogol
- Portraits of the mayor, judge, superintendent of schools, postmaster.
- Presentation “County town in the comedy by N.V. Gogol "Inspector"
During the classes.
Vocabulary work.
Explain verbally the meaning of the following words: drama, comedy, poster, monologue, dialogue, replica, charitable institution, superintendent of schools, public places, particular, road, private, allocate, garniza, fintit, elistratishka, pentyukh, labardan, department, equivok, Jacobin , courier, wait, amber, silkworm, incognito.
Teacher's word.
The topic of our lesson is “County town in the comedy N.V. Gogol's "Inspector". Now watch the presentation “County town in N.V. Gogol's "Inspector". (Watch application)
Complete the description of the city with examples from the text.
Here is such a gloomy picture of the city. Let's summarize what has been said and write down in the table what this town is like. (The table is filled in during the lesson.)
How do people live in the county town?
Which of the inhabitants was shown by the writer in the play?
Checking homework.
Students were given individual homework assignments. Write out quotes from the text that characterize the life of citizens and city officials. Write quotes on album sheets and hang the sheets on the board during the story about the heroes.
| Sick “make it so that everything is decent: the caps are clean, and the sick would not look like blacksmiths”, “they smoke such strong tobacco that you always sneeze when you enter”, “A simple man: if he dies, he will die; if he recovers, he will recover anyway”, Dr. Gibner “does not know a word of Russian” |
soldiers “don’t let the soldiers out without everything: this crappy garrison will put on only a uniform over the shirt, and there is nothing below” |
Merchants “Let’s wait, he’s completely frozen, at least climb into the noose” “we always follow the order: what follows on the dresses of his wife and daughter.” Merchants complain about the mayor, although they steal the city treasury with him. |
locksmith Fevronya Poshlepkina “I ordered my husband to shave his forehead into soldiers ... According to the law it is impossible: he is married” |
non-commissioned officer "Carved" "could not sit for two days" |
We draw a conclusion about the situation of the inhabitants of the county town and write it down in the table.
Conclusion: city residents have no rights before officials, they can solve their affairs only with the help of bribes to officials. There is no concern on the part of the authorities, they don’t care “if he dies, he will die; if he recovers, he will recover.” Even merchants have a hard time, let alone poor people.
Question to the class: “Who lives well in the city?”
Student reports about officials. The guys make entries in the table, supplementing the column about the county town and the column about officials. (Student posts have been edited by the teacher.)
For example, about Anton Antonovich Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky, mayor. “The mayor, already aged in the service and a very intelligent person in his own way. Although he is a bribe-taker, he behaves very respectably; rather serious ... His features are rough and hard, like those of anyone who began his service from the lower ranks. The transition from fear to joy, from meanness to arrogance is quite quick, like a person with a crudely developed inclination of the soul. Before us is an experienced person with his life experience, grasp. He is proud of the fact that he used to "deceive scammers over scammers, rogues and rogues such that they are ready to rob the whole world." Behind him, as well as for other officials, "sins" are found. He knows about the bribes of his subordinates and says: “You don’t take according to your rank.” He himself does not disdain anything: neither cloth, nor wax, nor prunes "that have been in a barrel for seven years." Over the years of service, the mayor learned to cheat masterfully. “And who helped you (the merchant) to cheat when you were building a bridge and painted a tree for twenty thousand, when there wasn’t even a hundred rubles worth of it?” He appropriated the money allocated for the church, and reported to the authorities that the church had burned down. His orders are superficial, again to deceive the auditor. “The more it breaks, the more it means the activity of the city governor.”
Artemy Filippovich Strawberry- Trustee of charitable institutions. He, in modern terms, is responsible for hospitals, shelters. Funds are stolen, he himself admits: “The patients are ordered to give habersup, but I have such cabbage along all the corridors that you only take care of your nose.” “We don’t use expensive drugs.” His phrase that his patients "are getting better like flies", a doctor named Gibner characterizes the state of affairs in the hospital. During the "audience" of Khlestakov, Artemy Filippovich gossips, talking about the affairs and personal lives of officials, ready to write a denunciation of everyone. “Will you order me to put all this better on paper?”
Ammos Fedorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin- judge. The mayor calls him a smart man, because he has read five or six books. The mayor’s remarks about government places: “In your front, where petitioners usually come, the watchmen brought domestic geese with small goslings that dart under their feet.” “In your very presence, all sorts of rubbish is dried, and above the cupboard with papers is a hunting rapnik ... From him (the assessor) there is such a smell, as if he had just left the distillery.” Confession of Ammos Fedorovich “I tell everyone openly that I take bribes, but why bribes? Greyhound puppies ”says that a bribe is the norm for city officials, only everyone takes what he needs. The judge does not understand anything in his work: “I have been sitting on the judicial chair for fifteen years now, but when I look at the memorandum - ah! I just wave my hand. Solomon himself will not decide what is true and what is not true in it.
Khlopov Luka Lukich- superintendent of schools The most dangerous position, because scholarship has never been valued in Russia. “God forbid to serve in the scientific department, you are afraid of everything. Everyone gets in the way, everyone wants to show that he is also an intelligent person. Khlopov was reprimanded for the fact that in an educational institution “free-spirited thoughts are instilled in young people,” and this is one of the teachers “making faces” while explaining the material, and the other breaking chairs.
Shpekin Ivan Kuzmich- postmaster. The postmaster does not even hide the fact that he opens and reads letters, does not see this as a crime. He does this “out of curiosity: death loves to know what is new in the world. I can tell you that this is an interesting read. You will read another letter with pleasure ... ”He keeps interesting letters for himself. This is not only a pleasant pastime, it is also the fulfillment of the instructions of the mayor, who advises reading letters. “Listen, Ivan Kuzmich, can you, for our common benefit, every letter that arrives at your post office, incoming and outgoing, you know, print it out a little and read: does it contain any report or just correspondence ... "He intercepted Khlestakov's letter to his friend Tryapichkin.
Policemen. In the fourth appearance of the first act, we learn that the policeman Prokhorov is dead drunk, sleeping on the site. The playbill contains the names of three policemen: Derzhimorda, Svistunov, and Pugovitsyn. Already the names themselves say how they put things in order in the city. The mayor gives an order about Pugovitsyn: "Quarterly Buttons ... he is tall, so let him stand on the bridge for landscaping." As for Derzhimorda, he remarks to a private bailiff: “Yes, tell Derzhimorda not to give too much free rein to his fists; for the sake of order, he puts lanterns under the eyes of everyone: both the right and the guilty. Further, Derzhimorda stands at the door of the "auditor" Khlestakov and does not let the townspeople into him. The policemen of the town are completely subordinate to the mayor and, I think, they act not according to the laws of the state, but at the whim of the chief official of the city.
Generalization of what has been said about officials.
Name the traits characteristic of officials. Fill in the column of the table about officials.
Can the images of comedy heroes be considered as an exact reproduction of the characters of people who really lived?
What role did fiction play in the depiction of the characters in the play?
City officials are “experienced” people, that is, they can easily trick anyone, but why are they so afraid of the auditor?
Why did officials take Khlestakov for an auditor?
Nicholas 1 said after the first performance of The Government Inspector: “What a play! Everyone got it, but me more than anyone! In Perm, the police demanded that the performance be stopped, and the mayor in Rostov-on-Don threatened to put the actors in jail. Gogol wrote about the staging of the comedy: “The action produced by it was great and noisy. Everything is against me. The elderly and respectable officials shout that nothing is sacred to me when I dared to speak like that about the people who serve. The policemen are against me, the merchants are against me…” Why were the tsar, officials and merchants so indignant and why were they so frightened?
Do you think the play is relevant today?
Homework.
Write a presentation at home with elements of the essay “County town in the comedy N.V. Gogol's "Inspector". At the end of the presentation, answer the question: “How do you understand the epigraph to the play?”
Lesson results.
Pay attention to the epigraph to the lesson. For what purpose did the writer show in the comedy "everything bad in Russia"?
The people portrayed by Gogol in the comedy "The Inspector General" with surprisingly unprincipled views and ignorance of any reader amaze and seem absolutely fictional. But in fact, these are not random images. These are faces typical of the Russian provinces of the thirties of the XIX century, which can be found even in historical documents.
In his comedy, Gogol touches on several very important issues of the public. This is the attitude of officials to their duties and the implementation of the law. Oddly enough, but the meaning of comedy is relevant in modern realities.
The history of writing "The Inspector"
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol describes in his works rather exaggerated images of Russian reality of that time. At the moment the idea of a new comedy appeared, the writer was actively working on the poem Dead Souls.
In 1835, he turned to Pushkin on the issue of an idea for a comedy, in a letter outlining a request for help to him. The poet responds to requests and tells a story when the publisher of one of the magazines in one of the southern cities was mistaken for a visiting official. A similar situation, oddly enough, happened to Pushkin himself at the time when he was collecting materials to describe the Pugachev rebellion in Nizhny Novgorod. He was also mistaken for the capital auditor. The idea seemed interesting to Gogol, and the very desire to write a comedy captured him so much that the work on the play went on for only 2 months.
During October and November 1835, Gogol completely wrote the comedy and a few months later he read it to other writers. Colleagues were delighted.
Gogol himself wrote that he wanted to collect everything bad that is in Russia into a single heap, and laugh at it. He saw his play as a cleansing satire and a tool to combat the injustice that existed at that time in society. By the way, the play based on the works of Gogol was allowed to be staged only after Zhukovsky personally addressed the emperor with a request.
Analysis
Description of the artwork
The events described in the comedy "The Inspector General" take place in the first half of the 19th century, in one of the provincial towns, which Gogol simply refers to as "N".
The mayor informs all city officials that he has heard the news of the arrival of the capital auditor. Officials are afraid of checks, because they all take bribes, work poorly, and there is a mess in the institutions under their control.
Almost immediately after the news, the second appears. It dawns on them that a well-dressed man who looks like an auditor has stopped at a local hotel. In fact, the unknown is a petty official Khlestakov. Young, windy and stupid. Gorodnichiy personally showed up at his hotel to get to know him and offer to move to his house, in conditions much better than the hotel. Khlestakov happily agrees. He loves this kind of hospitality. At this stage, he does not suspect that he was not accepted for who he is.
Khlestakov is also introduced to other officials, each of whom gives him a large sum of money, allegedly in debt. They do everything to check was not so thorough. At this moment, Khlestakov understands who they took him for and, having received a round sum, is silent that this is a mistake.
After that, he decides to leave the city of N, having previously made an offer to the daughter of the Governor himself. Joyfully blessing the future marriage, the official rejoices at such a relationship and calmly says goodbye to Khlestakov, who leaves the city and, of course, is not going to return to it anymore.
Before that, the main character writes a letter to his friend in St. Petersburg, in which he talks about the embarrassment that happened. The postmaster, who opens all letters in the mail, also reads Khlestakov's message. The deceit is revealed and everyone who gave bribes is horrified to learn that the money will not be returned to them, and there has not yet been a check. At the same moment, a real auditor arrives in the city. Officials are horrified by the news.
Comedy heroes
Ivan Alexandrovich Khlestakov
Khlestakov's age is 23 - 24 years. A hereditary nobleman and landowner, he is thin, thin and stupid. Acts without thinking about the consequences, has a jerky speech.
Khlestakov works as a registrar. In those days it was an official of the lowest rank. He is rarely present at the service, more and more often he plays cards for money and walks, so his career is not moving anywhere. Khlestakov lives in St. Petersburg, in a modest apartment, and his parents regularly send him money, living in one of the villages of the Saratov province. Khlestakov does not know how to save money, he spends them on all sorts of pleasures, without denying himself anything.
He is very cowardly, likes to brag and lie. Khlestakov is not averse to hitting on women, especially pretty ones, but only stupid provincial ladies succumb to his charm.
Mayor
Anton Antonovich Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky. Aged in the service, in his own way a clever official, who makes quite a solid impression.
He speaks in a measured and measured way. His mood changes quickly, his facial features are hard and rough. He performs his duties poorly, is a fraudster with extensive experience. The Governor profits wherever possible, and among the same bribe-takers he is in good standing.
He is greedy and insatiable. He steals money, including from the treasury, and unprincipledly violates all laws. He does not even shy away from blackmail. A master of promises and an even greater master of not keeping them.
The mayor dreams of being a general. Ignoring the mass of his sins, he attends church weekly. A passionate card player, he loves his wife and treats her very tenderly. He also has a daughter, who at the end of the comedy, with his own blessing, becomes the bride of the crafty Khlestakov.
Postmaster Ivan Kuzmich Shpekin
It is this character, who is responsible for forwarding letters, who opens Khlestakov's letter and discovers the deception. However, he is engaged in opening letters and parcels on an ongoing basis. He does this not out of a precaution, but solely for the sake of curiosity and his own collection of interesting stories.
Sometimes he does not just read letters that he especially liked, Shpekin keeps for himself. In addition to forwarding letters, his duties include the management of post stations, caretakers, horses, etc. But he does not do this. He does almost nothing at all and therefore the local mail works extremely poorly.
Anna Andreevna Skvoznik-Dmukhanovskaya
Mayor's wife. A provincial coquette whose soul is inspired by novels. Curious, conceited, loves to get the better of her husband, but in reality it turns out only in small things.
An appetizing and attractive lady, impatient, stupid and capable of talking only about trifles, but about the weather. At the same time, he likes to chat non-stop. She is arrogant and dreams of a luxurious life in Petersburg. The mother is not important, because she competes with her daughter and boasts that Khlestakov paid more attention to her than Marya. Of the entertainments of the Gorodnichiy's wife - fortune-telling on cards.
The daughter of the Gorodnichiy is 18 years old. Attractive in appearance, cutesy and flirtatious. She is very windy. It is she who at the end of the comedy becomes Khlestakov's abandoned bride.
Quotes
« Here's more about the female sex, I just can not be indifferent. How are you? Which do you prefer - brunettes or blondes?
« I like to eat. After all, you live to pick flowers of pleasure. I - I confess, this is my weakness - I love good food ”
« There is no person who does not have some sins behind him. It is already so arranged by God himself.” mayor
"Big ship - big voyage." Lyapkin-Tyapkin
« On merit and honor ". strawberries
“I confess that I was brought up in such a way that, if someone higher in one rank spoke to me, I simply have no soul and my tongue is stuck in the mud.” Luka-Lukic
Composition and plot analysis
The basis of the play by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol "The Government Inspector" is a household anecdote, which was quite common in those days. All images of comedy are exaggerated and, at the same time, believable. The play is interesting in that here all its characters are knitted together and each of them, in fact, acts as a hero.
The plot of the comedy is the arrival of the auditor expected by the officials and their haste in conclusions, because of which Khlestakov is recognized as the inspector.
Interesting in the composition of the comedy is the absence of a love affair and a love line, as such. Here, vices are simply ridiculed, which, according to the classical literary genre, are punished. In part, they are already orders to the frivolous Khlestakov, but the reader understands at the end of the play that even greater punishment awaits them ahead, with the arrival of a real inspector from St. Petersburg.
Through a simple comedy with exaggerated images, Gogol teaches his reader honesty, kindness and responsibility. The fact that you need to respect your own service and obey the laws. Through the images of heroes, each reader can see his own shortcomings, if among them there are stupidity, greed, hypocrisy and selfishness.
The main characters are mired in corruption. They don't care about the people and their problems. The images and characteristics of officials in the comedy "The Government Inspector" are collective. Absolutely all officials of that time were similar to each other. They have a similar mindset and outlook. Gogol managed to ridicule their vices, to bring them to the judgment of the people. He sincerely believed that someday better times would come, and officials would be concerned not only with their own interests, but also with the interests of ordinary mortal people.
Lyapkin-Tyapkin
Judge. A person with a high opinion of himself. Talks to everyone as equals. Even with Gorodnichiy, who is an order of magnitude higher than him in social status. He considers himself very smart. At the same time, I have read six books in my entire life.
“Lyapkin-Tyapkin, a judge who has read five or six books, and therefore is somewhat free-thinking. The hunter is big on guesses, and therefore each word gives weight.
He spits at work from a large bell tower. Everything he has on tyap-blunder. Big fan of hunting. Briber. He takes not with money - with greyhound puppies.
“I tell everyone openly that I take bribes, but why bribes? Greyhound puppies. It's a completely different matter."
He believes that this is quite normal, because he does not rob anyone. A complete mess at work. The office of the court has turned into a barn, where not pigs but geese walk along the corridor, but this does not change the essence. There is a complete mess in the criminal cases handled by the judge. Sometimes he himself does not understand where, what and where he wrote down.
strawberries
Trustee of charitable institutions.
“A fat, clumsy and clumsy man, but with all that a sly and a rogue. Very helpful and fussy."
"... A perfect pig in a yarmulke."
In his department, chaos is similar to the office of Lyapkin-Tyapkin. Creepy weasel. Everywhere sticks his nose. He believes that with the help of flattery, you can easily get to the top of the career. He fawns and fawns over everyone except mere mortals. He definitely doesn't care about them. The patients are on their own. They walk the hospital corridors with cigarettes in their mouths. Nobody is going to treat them. Strawberry works on the principle:
“A simple man: if he dies, he will die anyway; if he recovers, then he will recover ... ".
A vile and low person. In achieving goals, he will do anything: set up colleagues, betray loved ones.
Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky
Mayor. Educated. He was able to rise from the bottom and break out into people. Briber from birth. I firmly believe that:
“everyone takes bribes, and the higher the rank, the greater the bribe.”
His conscience did not torment him at all that the city treasury with his help was practically devastated. He justified theft with low wages. Dreamed of becoming a general. He took on the role of a general when he communicated with his subordinates. I could afford to humiliate, yell, hit a person. Brash, cheeky guy. Confident enough.
Khlopov Luka Lukich
Superintendent of schools. Careless. Like all officials, he does not care about work.
“Here is the superintendent of the local school. I don’t know how the authorities could trust him with such a position: he is worse than a Jacobin, and inspires youth with such unintentional rules that it is even difficult to express.
Azarten. Cowardly. Goes numb before people above his rank.
Khlestakov Ivan Alexandrovich
“A young man of about twenty-three, thin, thin; somewhat stupid and, as they say, without a king in his head - one of those people who are called empty in the office.
Dissatisfied with life. At the same time, he does not make any attempts to change it for the better. He lives off his father's handouts. Rake. A dreamer who dreams of living beautifully. A small pawn that managed to get into kings. Excitement to the core. It was he who managed to fool the officials of the city of N, where he was mistaken for an auditor. The guy was not a blunder and managed to quickly get used to the role. Having borrowed money, he retired from the city in time, leaving everyone with a nose.
Shpekin Ivan Kuzmich
Postmaster. Overly curious. It gives him pleasure to study someone else's correspondence. There are all possibilities for this. So time at work quickly flies by opening postal envelopes. The first one learned the truth that Khlestakov was not an auditor, but only impersonating him.
