The history of the creation of the comedy "The Inspector General". Introduction to Comedy

Lesson objectives:

To acquaint students with the history of comedy.
consolidate knowledge about dramatic kind literature.
explain the nature of Gogol's laughter.
cultivate interest in the works of the writer.
develop presentation creation skills.
develop skills expressive reading, text analysis.

Equipment: Multimedia projector, theatrical masks, posters, illustrations for the play, textbook, portrait of N.V. Gogol.

During the classes

The teacher's word about Gogol's comedy "The Inspector General". The history of comedy.
About the comedy genre.
Literary commentary (working with terms).
Composition of the play.
Commented reading of the poster, “Notes for Gentlemen Actors.”
Checking homework.
The nature of Gogol's humor. Laughter is “the only honest, noble face in comedy.”
Homework(compiling a table).

The progress of the lesson is projected on the screen.

Teacher's word:

1. In the 30s of the 19th century, Gogol seriously thought about the future of Russian comedy.

The writer believes that comedy will fulfill its purpose only when the idea of the work is revealed in the system of images, in the composition, in the plot, and not in direct verbal edifications, with the punishment of vices in front of the audience.

Gogol turned to Pushkin: “Do me a favor, give me some kind of story, at least some kind, funny or unfunny, but a purely Russian joke. My hand is trembling to write a comedy in the meantime.”

In response to Gogol's request, Pushkin told him a story about an imaginary auditor, about a funny mistake that entailed the most unexpected consequences. Based on this story, Gogol wrote his comedy “The Inspector General.” The writer worked on the text of the comedy for 17 years. The story was typical for its time. It is known that in Bessarabia they mistook the publisher of the magazine for an auditor. Domestic notes» Pork. In the city of Ustyuzhna, at the other end of Russia, a certain gentleman, posing as an auditor, robbed the entire city. There were other similar stories told by Gogol's contemporaries. The fact that Pushkin's anecdote turned out to be so characteristic of Russian life made it especially attractive to Gogol. He wrote in “Petersburg Notes of 1836”: “For God’s sake, give us Russian characters, give us ourselves, our rogues, our eccentrics on their stage, for everyone’s laughter!” The plot of the comedy is based on the commotion among officials, their desire to hide their “sins” from the auditor. The hero of the comedy was the mass of bureaucrats. Gogol ridiculed the dark sides of Russian reality: arbitrariness of power, bribery, ignorance, rudeness, embezzlement.

The comedy also ridiculed the everyday side of life of the city's inhabitants: the insignificance of interests, hypocrisy and lies, vulgarity, arrogance, superstition and gossip. At the center of the comedy is a person who is least capable of leading intrigues and games. It is not the hero who leads the action, but the action that leads the hero.

2. Performing creative groups : (students select the material independently).

Comedy genre was thought by Gogol as a genre social comedy touching on the most fundamental issues of the people, public life. From this point of view, Pushkin's anecdote was very suitable for Gogol. After all, the characters in the story about the pseudo-auditor are not private people, but government officials. Events associated with them inevitably involve many people: both those in power and those under power. The anecdote told by Pushkin easily lent itself to such an artistic development, in which it became the basis of a truly social comedy. Gogol wrote in “The Author's Confession”: “In “The Inspector General” I decided to collect in one pile everything bad in Russia that I knew then, all the injustices that are done in those places and in those cases where justice is most required from a person, and laugh at everything at once.”

Gogol was accused of distorting reality. But that was not the case. The events depicted in the comedy took place in St. Petersburg, and in Kazan, and in Siberia, and in Saratov, and in Penza. Khlestakov was everywhere, everywhere.

The Inspector General was completed by Gogol on December 4, 1835. Completed in the first edition, then there were more alterations. In April 1936, the comedy was staged. Few true connoisseurs - educated and honest people - were delighted. The majority did not understand the comedy and reacted to it with hostility.

“Everyone is against me...” Gogol complained in a letter to famous actor Shchepkin. “The police are against me, the merchants are against me, the writers are against me.” And a few days later, in a letter to the historian M.P. After a while, he bitterly notes: “And what would be accepted by enlightened people with loud laughter and sympathy, is what the bile of ignorance outrages; and this is general ignorance..."

After the production of "The Inspector General" on stage, Gogol is full dark thoughts. He was not entirely satisfied with the acting. He is depressed by the general misunderstanding. In these circumstances it is difficult for him to write, it is difficult for him to live. He decides to go abroad, to Italy. Reporting this to Pogodin. He writes with pain: “A modern writer, a comic writer, a writer of morals should be away from his homeland.” The Prophet has no glory in the Fatherland.” But as soon as he leaves his homeland, the thought of her great love to her with new strength and sharpness arises in him: “Now there is a foreign land in front of me, a foreign land around me, but in my heart there is Rus', not nasty Rus', but only beautiful Rus'.”

3. Literary commentary.(teacher speaking)

In order to understand the work “The Inspector General,” we will talk about what the features are literary work, intended for the theater, for production on stage (this work is called play).

In the stage directions, explanations for the directors of the play and actors, it is reported which characters are participating in the play, what their age, appearance, position, family relations are connected (these author's remarks are called posters); the location of the action is indicated (a room in the mayor’s house), it is indicated what the hero of the play is doing and how he pronounces the words of the role (“looking around”, “to the side”).

Gogol was very attentive to his reader. With comments on the play, he sought to help perceive the comedy .

4. Composition of the play:

The action in the play develops through the following stages:

Definitions on screen. (write in notebook)

Exposition- the action of the play, depicting characters and situations characters before the action begins.
The beginning– an event from which the active development of an action begins.

Development of the play's action.

Climax– moment highest voltage in the play.
Denouement– an event that completes an action.

As students analyze the play, they work on these concepts.

In terms of volume, the play cannot be large, since it is designed for stage performance (lasting 2-4 hours). Therefore, the plays depict the most significant events that develop quickly, energetically, pitting characters who are engaged in a struggle, hidden or overt.

5. Reading the poster and notes for actors.

Notes for gentlemen actors give a detailed description of the characters.

After reading the list of characters, we will find that there is no auditor there. Does the title character turn out to be an off-stage character?

We will answer this question during the comedy analysis.

6. Checking homework.

Students give a presentation ( playbill), submit illustrations for the play.

7. The nature of Gogol's laughter.

Laughter is the only “honest, noble face in comedy.”

Creative group performing.

Gogol ridiculed the dark sides of Russian reality: the arbitrariness of the authorities, bribery, embezzlement. ignorance, rudeness. And the exposure of negative heroes has long been in comedy not through a noble face, but through the actions, actions, and dialogues of themselves. Negative heroes Gogol themselves expose themselves in the eyes of the viewer.”

But... the heroes of N.V. Gogol is exposed not with the help of morality and teachings, but through ridicule. “Vice is struck here only by laughter.” (Gogol).

The author chose high, noble laughter to combat everything bad that was in Tsarist Russia, because he was deeply convinced that “even those who are not afraid of anything are afraid of laughter.” With faith in the healing power of laughter, he created his comedy.

Teacher's final words: What is depicted is a mirror in which Gogol shows society to society.

Fear of exposure is driving force plot.

8. Homework.

1. Prepare a message. Characteristics of one of the heroes.

Table “Image Characteristics”

Appearance
Character

Actions

2. How do you understand the epigraph: “There’s no point in blaming the mirror if your face is crooked”?

Answer the question in writing.

To understand Gogol’s intention, one should first of all turn to the most important thought formulated by him in his 1847 article “The Author’s Confession”: “I saw that in my writings I laugh for nothing, in vain, without knowing why. If you laugh, it’s better to laugh hard at something that is truly worthy of universal ridicule. In “The Inspector General,” I decided to put together everything bad in Russia that I knew then, all the injustices that are being done in those places and in those cases where justice is most required from a person, and at once laugh at everything. But "This, as you know, had an amazing effect. Through the laughter, which had never before appeared in me with such force, the reader heard sadness. I myself felt that my laughter was not the same as it was before."

For Gogol, who highly revered the genius of Pushkin, Pushkin’s assessments and advice were always important. And the point is not that when Gogol took his first timid steps in literature, Pushkin was in the prime of his creative powers and lifetime fame. The fact is that Gogol realized the “simplicity, greatness and strength” of Pushkin’s work, saw in him not just a writer, but an original and inimitable national Russian writer. Gogol said this in his wonderful article “A few words about Pushkin.” Begun in 1832, it was printed in 1835. Gogol perceived the death of Pushkin as his personal tragedy. From that time on, the feeling of creative loneliness did not leave the writer, intensifying over the years.

N.V. Gogol. Artist Goryunov. 1835

Gogol claimed that the plot of The Inspector General was suggested to him by Pushkin. In a letter dated October 7, 1835, he addressed Pushkin: “Do me a favor, give me some kind of story, at least something funny or not funny, but a purely Russian joke. My hand is trembling to write a comedy in the meantime.” In his “Author’s Confession,” Gogol pointed out: “The idea of The Inspector General belongs to... Pushkin.”

The comedy began in October and was completed on December 4, 1835, in less than two months. In the spring of 1836 it was published separate edition"Inspector". Gogol repeatedly revised the text. In 1841, the comedy was published in a second edition with some changes. And only in 1842 “The Inspector General” appeared in its final form. In this edition, the text was significantly revised (Khlestakov’s lies were given an inspired hyperbolic character, redone final scene, the mayor’s address to the public is inserted: “Why are you laughing? “You’re laughing at yourself!..”, etc.). The text of the latest edition, published in all editions of Gogol, was heard on stage only in 1870.

"Inspector". Title page first edition of the comedy. 1836

For you, curious ones

Not all researchers of The Inspector General unconditionally recognize Pushkin’s role in the creation of this comedy. This is how I.P. presents this problem in the book “Gogol”. Zolotussky: “Of course, Pushkin could remember the anecdote written in his diary, which talks about a certain Crispin, who comes to the province for a fair and is mistaken for an important person. Such an incident happened with Svinin, and he himself told Pushkin about it. And Pushkin himself once found himself in a similar story when while traveling to Nizhny Novgorod and Orenburg took him for a man sent to inspect the province.

But by the time Pushkin could offer this plot to Gogol, Kvitka’s comedy “A Visitor from the Capital, or Turmoil in a District Town” already existed, where exactly the same story was played out. And in 1835, in the “Library for Reading”, which Gogol diligently read, A. Veltman’s story “Provincial Actors” appeared, where again everything resembled the same plot. Actor Zaretsky, not having time to change into an ordinary dress, arrives in the district town in the costume of the Marquis Lafaste. Being very drunk, he falls out of chaise on the outskirts of the city, and the people who picked him up take him for a real general. By that time, the city is waiting for the governor general. Deciding that this is him, officials and ordinary people are horrified.

Zaretsky's arrival is preceded by a description of the name day in the mayor's house. The fire brigade singers have been singing to the father of the city for many summers, and merchants present his wife with little bags to replenish the household economy. At the height of the celebration, the district treasurer, who was the first to discover Zaretsky, bursts into the rooms and announces that the governor-general is already in the city. Panic breaks out. “In an instant, the sleep-deprived police team was brought to its feet; the blue-nosed clerk sat down to draw up a report on the well-being of the city and a list of convicts held in prison, others ran to catch carts and working people in the market to cleanse the streets." The city doctor, wearing a uniform and a sword, appears to the still drunk Zaretsky. The mayor, who accompanied him, respectfully remains at the door. Not understanding what is happening around, Zaretsky spews monologues from the play “The Virtuous Criminal, or the Criminal from Love.” Since the names of the characters in the play and the names of those present are the same, this produces a stunning effect. Everyone is amazed that the “Governor General” knows everyone by sight. The sublime tone of his speeches, their accusatory and frantic intonations leave everyone in awe. And only the exposure of the imaginary Governor General, associated with the arrival of the rest of the actors in the city, saves the situation.

Zaretsky, in his suit with foil stars, is taken to a madhouse. He sits there on the bed and recites, now “imagining himself to be the ambitious Fiesco,” now “the Marquis of Lafaste.” The unfortunate drunkard, mistaken for significant person, and then for the rebel, and really goes crazy. From now on, his stage is a camera in a yellow house, and the audience is crazy. They “forget their mania... and... carefully, silently, with their mouths open, marvel at Zaretsky’s frenzied art.”

Let the respectable public, as they say, judge where and from whom Gogol got the plot for the comedy. Was it Pushkin’s thought, so happily played out by him, a reworking and transformation of what he had already read and heard, or reality itself threw this “Russian anecdote” to Gogol.

The situation described by Kvitka and Veltman, contained in Pushkin’s plot, was repeated hourly on Russian roads, in district and provincial cities, as well as in the capital itself, where before the appearance of the auditor of auditors - the emperor - everything came into splendor and awe.”

In 1935, he wrote to Pushkin: “Do me a favor, give me a plot, the spirit will be a comedy of five acts and, I swear, it will be funnier than the devil.” The history of the comedy “The Inspector General” dates back to 1934. Gogol was sure that the comedy genre was the future of Russian literature.

The idea of writing a comedy based on a “purely Russian joke” arose from Gogol while working on “ Dead souls" Obviously, work on Dead Souls influenced the direction in which Gogol began to develop the plot of the comedy. It took Gogol only two months to complete his creative plan (October–November 1835), but work on the comedy continued.

About N. V. Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General”

The comedy premiered on April 19, 1836. The emperor himself, Nicholas I, was present. Gogol was depressed by what he saw: the idea of the comedy was not understood by either the actors or the audience. During the performance of the comedy, Gogol noted that “the beginning of the fourth act is pale and bears a sign of some kind of fatigue.” Gogol listened to the remark of one of the actors that “it is not so clever that Khlestakov begins to be the first to ask for a loan and that it would be better if the officials themselves offered it to him.”

The final edition of the comedy dates back to 1842. “The Inspector General,” staged on stage and published in print, evoked numerous and contradictory responses. Gogol felt the need to explain the meaning of his comedy. In a word, this was the very “purely Russian anecdote” that Gogol needed to realize his plan.

The play was not allowed to be staged immediately and only after V. Zhukovsky personally had to convince the emperor of the comedy’s reliability. Everyone got it, and I got it the most.” Even if these words were not actually spoken, it reflects well how the public perceived Gogol's bold creation.

As we can see, the history of the creation of the play “The Inspector General” indicates that writing this work was not so easy for the author, taking him a lot of both strength and time. Gogol began work on the play in the fall of 1835. It is traditionally believed that the plot was suggested to him by A.S. Pushkin. It seemed that Gogol was only concerned with how to delve into the subject, which was new to him, and how to more accurately convey his own impression. Gogol's own drawing for the last scene of the Inspector General.

In the comedy “The Inspector General” there are actually no positive characters. They are not even outside the scene and outside the plot. The relief depiction of the image of city officials and, above all, the mayor, complements the satirical meaning of the comedy. But Nicholas I decided to fight comedy in his own way. Gogol was disappointed by public opinion and the unsuccessful St. Petersburg production of the comedy and refused to take part in the preparation of the Moscow premiere.

Perhaps for the first time in all those eight decades that count stage history“The Inspector General” has finally appeared on the Russian stage! The inserts were borrowed not only from the original editions of the play, but also from other works by Gogol.

The images of Avdotya and Parashka, servants in the mayor’s house, were expanded. Comedy had a significant influence on Russian literature in general and drama in particular. Gogol's contemporaries noted her innovative style, depth of generalization and prominence of images. Right after the first readings and publications, Gogol’s work was admired by Pushkin, Belinsky, Annenkov, Herzen, and Shchepkin. The history of the creation of this play is connected with the name of Pushkin. And, according to Gogol, Pushkin really suggested a new plot, telling the story of a certain gentleman who in the provinces pretended to be an important St. Petersburg official.

But for all its typicality and comical nature, the story with the imaginary auditor, in essence, did not contain anything remarkable. But under Gogol’s pen it unfolded into a wide “laughable panorama” that embraced almost the entire society of that time. One of literary critics of that time wrote: “...those who think that this comedy is funny and nothing more are mistaken. Despite the obvious success of the premiere of “The Inspector General” on stage Alexandrinsky Theater, Gogol was dissatisfied with his play.

Researchers cannot give an exact answer about when the writer began working on creating a comedy, and they do not agree on any opinion. We invite the reader to get acquainted with the birth of the imperishable classics and plunge into the world brilliant writer Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol.

It was the father who instilled to young Nikolai love of literature, and partly the history of the creation of “The Inspector General” and others brilliant works Gogol's work began precisely when Nikolai was a child. Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol's mother, Maria Ivanovna, was half the age of her husband. He decides to discuss this with Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, and he, in turn, tells him an anecdote about a false auditor who arrived in the city of Ustyuzhna and famously robbed all its inhabitants.

Significant changes to the text of the comedy were made in 1836, during the production of “The Inspector General” on the stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. From deep meaning, embedded in the play, nothing was extracted. The comedy was mistaken for ordinary vaudeville2. When preparing the second edition of the comedy “The Inspector General,” the first four scenes of this act were redone. Almost everyone present was delighted with the play. However, the story of “The Inspector General” was still far from over.

Comedy in five acts

There is no point in blaming the mirror if your face is crooked.

Popular proverb

Characters

Anton Antonovich Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky, mayor. Anna Andreevna, his wife. Marya Antonovna, his daughter. Luka Lukich Khlopov, superintendent of schools. His wife. Ammos Fedorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin, judge. Artemy Filippovich Strawberry, trustee charitable institutions. Ivan Kuzmich Shpekin, postmaster.

Petr Ivanovich Dobchinsky Petr Ivanovich Bobchinsky

city landowners.

Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov, an official from St. Petersburg. Osip, his servant. Christian Ivanovich Gibner, district doctor.

Fedor Andreevich Lyulyukov Ivan Lazarevich Rastakovsky Stepan Ivanovich Korobkin

retired officials, honored persons in the city.

Stepan Ilyich Ukhovertov, private bailiff.

Svistunov Pugovitsyn Derzhimorda

police officers.

Abdulin, merchant. Fevronya Petrovna Poshlepkina, locksmith. Non-commissioned officer's wife. Mishka, the mayor's servant. Inn servant. Guests and guests, merchants, townspeople, petitioners.

Characters and costumes

Notes for gentlemen actors

The mayor, already old in the service and a very intelligent person in his own way. Although he is a bribe-taker, he behaves very respectably; quite serious; a few are even resonant; speaks neither loudly nor quietly, neither more nor less. His every word is significant. His facial features are coarse and hard, like those of anyone who began hard service from the lower ranks. The transition from fear to joy, from baseness to arrogance is quite rapid, as in a person with crudely developed inclinations of the soul. He is dressed, as usual, in his uniform with buttonholes and boots with spurs. His hair is cropped and streaked with gray. Anna Andreevna, his wife, a provincial coquette, not yet quite old, brought up half on novels and albums, half on chores in her pantry and maiden room. She is very curious and shows vanity on occasion. Sometimes she takes power over her husband only because he is unable to answer her; but this power extends only to trifles and consists of reprimands and ridicule. She changes into different dresses four times throughout the play. Khlestakov, 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 offices. He speaks and acts without any consideration. He is unable to stop constant attention on any thought. His speech is abrupt, and words fly out of his mouth completely unexpectedly. The more the person playing this role shows sincerity and simplicity, the more he will win. Dressed in fashion. Osip, the servant, is like servants who are several years old usually are. He speaks seriously, looks somewhat downward, is a reasoner, and likes to lecture himself to his master. His voice is always almost even, and in conversation with the master it takes on a stern, abrupt and even somewhat rude expression. He is smarter than his master and therefore guesses more quickly, but he does not like to talk much and is silently a rogue. His costume is a gray or blue shabby frock coat. Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky, both short, short, very curious; extremely similar to each other; both with small bellies; Both speak quickly and are extremely helpful with gestures and hands. Dobchinsky is a little taller and more serious than Bobchinsky, but Bobchinsky is more cheeky and lively than Dobchinsky. Lyapkin-Tyapkin, judge, a man who has read five or six books, and is therefore somewhat freethinking. The hunter is big on guesses, and therefore he gives weight to every word. The person representing him must always maintain a significant mien on his face. He speaks in a deep bass voice with an elongated drawl, a wheeze and a gulp - like an ancient clock that first hisses and then strikes. Strawberry, a trustee of charitable institutions, is a very fat, clumsy and clumsy man, but for all that he is a sneak and a rogue. Very helpful and fussy. The postmaster is a simple-minded person to the point of naivety. The other roles don't require much explanation. Their originals are almost always before your eyes. Gentlemen actors should especially pay attention to last scene. The last spoken word should produce an electric shock on everyone at once, suddenly. The entire group must change position in the blink of an eye. The sound of amazement should escape from all women at once, as if from one breast. If these notes are not observed, the entire effect may disappear.

Act one

A room in the mayor's house.

Phenomenon I

Mayor, trustee of charitable institutions, superintendent of schools, judge, private bailiff, doctor, two policemen.

Mayor. I invited you, gentlemen, in order to tell you some very unpleasant news: an auditor is coming to visit us. Ammos Fedorovich. How's the auditor? Artemy Filippovich. How's the auditor? Mayor. Inspector from St. Petersburg, incognito. And with a secret order. Ammos Fedorovich. Here you go! Artemy Filippovich. There was no concern, so give it up! Luka Lukic. Lord God! also with a secret prescription! Mayor. It was as if I had a presentiment: today I dreamed all night about two extraordinary rats. Really, I’ve never seen anything like this: black, of unnatural size! they came, smelled it and walked away. Here I will read to you a letter that I received from Andrei Ivanovich Chmykhov, whom you, Artemy Filippovich, know. This is what he writes: “Dear friend, godfather and benefactor (mutters in a low voice, quickly running his eyes)... and notify you." A! here: “I hasten, by the way, to notify you that an official has arrived with orders to inspect the entire province and especially our district (thumbs up significantly). I learned this from the most reliable people, although he represents himself as a private person. Since I know that you, like everyone else, have sins, because you are a smart person and don’t like to miss what comes into your hands...” (stopping), well, here are my own... “then I advise you take precautions, because he can arrive at any hour, unless he has already arrived and lives somewhere incognito... Yesterday I..." Well, then family matters began to go: "...sister Anna Kirilovna came to my husband and I; Ivan Kirilovich has gained a lot of weight and keeps playing the violin...” and so on and so forth. So this is the circumstance! Ammos Fedorovich. Yes, this circumstance is... extraordinary, simply extraordinary. Something for nothing. Luka Lukic. Why, Anton Antonovich, why is this? Why do we need an auditor? Mayor. For what! So, apparently, it’s fate! (Sighing.) Until now, thank God, we have been approaching other cities; Now it's our turn. Ammos Fedorovich. I think, Anton Antonovich, that there is a subtle and more political reason here. This means this: Russia... yes... wants to wage war, and the ministry, you see, sent an official to find out if there is any treason. Mayor. Eh, where have you had enough! More clever man! There is treason in the county town! What is he, borderline, or what? Yes, from here, even if you ride for three years, you won’t reach any state. Ammos Fedorovich. No, I’ll tell you, you’re not that... you’re not... The authorities have subtle views: even though they are far away, they are shaking their heads. Mayor. It shakes or doesn’t shake, but I, gentlemen, warned you. Look, I have made some orders for my part, and I advise you to do the same. Especially you, Artemy Filippovich! Without a doubt, a passing official will want, first of all, to inspect the charitable institutions under your jurisdiction, and therefore you should make sure that everything is decent: the caps would be clean, and the sick would not look like blacksmiths, as they usually do at home. Artemy Filippovich. Well, that's nothing yet. The caps, perhaps, can be put on clean. Mayor. Yes, and also above each bed write in Latin or some other language... this is your thing, Christian Ivanovich, every illness: when someone got sick, what day and date... It’s not good that you have such patients They smoke strong tobacco that you always sneeze when you enter. And it would be better if there were fewer of them: they would immediately be attributed to poor judgment or the lack of skill of the doctor. Artemy Filippovich. ABOUT! As for healing, Christian Ivanovich and I took our own measures: the closer to nature, the better; we do not use expensive medicines. The man is simple: if he dies, he will die anyway; if he recovers, then he will recover. And it would be difficult for Christian Ivanovich to communicate with them: he doesn’t know a word of Russian.

Christian Ivanovich makes a sound somewhat similar to a letter And and several on e.

Mayor. I would also advise you, Ammos Fedorovich, to pay attention to public places. In your front hall, where petitioners usually come, the guards have kept domestic geese with little goslings that are scurrying around under your feet. It is, of course, commendable for anyone to start a household chore, and why shouldn’t the watchman start one? only, you know, it’s indecent in such a place... I wanted to point this out to you before, but somehow I forgot everything. Ammos Fedorovich. But today I’ll order them all to be taken to the kitchen. If you want, come and have lunch. Mayor. Besides, it’s bad that you have all sorts of rubbish dried in your very presence and a hunting rifle right above the cupboard with papers. I know you love hunting, but it’s better to accept him for a while, and then, when the inspector passes, perhaps you can hang him again. Also, your assessor... he, of course, is a knowledgeable person, but he smells as if he had just come out of a distillery; this is also not good. I wanted to tell you about this for a long time, but I don’t remember, I was distracted by something. There is a remedy against this, if it really is, as he says, it has a natural smell: you can advise him to eat onions, or garlic, or something else. In this case, Christian Ivanovich can help with various medications.

Christian Ivanovich makes the same sound.

Ammos Fedorovich. No, it’s no longer possible to get rid of this: he says that his mother hurt him as a child, and since then he’s been giving him a little vodka. Mayor. Yes, I just noticed that to you. As for the internal regulations and what Andrei Ivanovich calls sins in his letter, I cannot say anything. Yes, and it’s strange to say: there is no person who does not have some sins behind him. This is already arranged this way by God Himself, and the Voltairians are in vain speaking against it. Ammos Fedorovich. What do you think, Anton Antonovich, are sins? Sins to sins discord. I tell everyone openly that I take bribes, but with what bribes? Greyhound puppies. This is a completely different matter. Mayor. Well, puppies or something else - all bribes. Ammos Fedorovich. Well, no, Anton Antonovich. But, for example, if someone’s fur coat costs five hundred rubles, and his wife’s shawl... Mayor. Well, what if you take bribes with greyhound puppies? But you don’t believe in God; you never go to church; but at least I am firm in my faith and go to church every Sunday. And you... Oh, I know you: if you start talking about the creation of the world, your hair will just stand on end. Ammos Fedorovich. But I came to it on my own, with my own mind. Mayor. Well, otherwise a lot of intelligence is worse than not having it at all. However, I only mentioned the district court; but to tell the truth, it is unlikely that anyone will ever look there: it is such an enviable place, God himself patronizes it. But for you, Luka Lukic, as a caretaker educational institutions, you need to take care especially about teachers. They are people, of course, scientists and were brought up in different colleges, but they have very strange actions, naturally inseparable from an academic title. One of them, for example, this one, who has a fat face... I don’t remember his last name, can’t get by without making a grimace when he ascends to the pulpit, like this (makes a grimace), and then he starts with his hand - iron your beard under the tie. Of course, if he makes such a face on a student, then it’s nothing: maybe it’s what’s needed there, I can’t judge that; but judge for yourself, if he does this to a visitor, it could be very bad: Mr. Inspector or someone else who may take it personally. God knows what could happen from this. Luka Lukic. What should I really do with him? I've already told him several times. Just the other day, when our leader came into the classroom, he made such a face as I had never seen before. He made it from kind heart, and I am reprimanded: why are free-thinking thoughts being instilled in young people? Mayor. I must note the same thing about the historical teacher. He’s a scientist, it’s obvious, and he’s picked up a ton of information, but he just explains it with such fervor that he doesn’t remember himself. I listened to him once: well, for now I talked about the Assyrians and Babylonians - nothing yet, but when I got to Alexander the Great, I cannot tell you what happened to him. I thought it was a fire, by God! He ran away from the pulpit and with all the strength he had, he slammed the chair on the floor. It is, of course, Alexander the Great, a hero, but why break the chairs? This results in a loss to the treasury. Luka Lukic. Yes, he's hot! I have already noticed this to him several times... He says: “As you wish, I will not spare my life for science.” Mayor. Yes, this is the inexplicable law of fate: an intelligent person is either a drunkard, or he will make such a face that he can even endure the saints. Luka Lukic. God forbid you serve in an academic capacity! You are afraid of everything: everyone gets in the way, everyone wants to show that he is also an intelligent person. Mayor. That would be nothing, damn it incognito! Suddenly he’ll look in: “Oh, you’re here, my dears! And who, say, is the judge here? "Lyapkin-Tyapkin". “And bring Lyapkin-Tyapkin here! Who is the trustee of charitable institutions?” "Strawberry". “And serve strawberries here!” That's what's bad!

Phenomenon II

The same goes for the postmaster.

Postmaster. Explain, gentlemen, what official is coming? Mayor. Haven't you heard? Postmaster. I heard from Pyotr Ivanovich Bobchinsky. It just arrived at my post office. Mayor. Well? What do you think about this? Postmaster. What do I think? there will be a war with the Turks. Ammos Fedorovich. In one word! I thought the same thing myself. Mayor. Yes, both of them hit the mark! Postmaster. Right, war with the Turks. It's all the Frenchman crap. Mayor. What a war with the Turks! It will just be bad for us, not for the Turks. This is already known: I have a letter. Postmaster. And if so, then there will be no war with the Turks. Mayor. Well, how are you, Ivan Kuzmich? Postmaster. What am I? How are you, Anton Antonovich? Mayor. What am I? There is no fear, but just a little... Merchants and citizenship confuse me. They say that they had a hard time with me, but by God, even if I took it from someone else, it was truly without any hatred. I even think (takes him by the arm and takes him aside), I even wonder if there was some kind of denunciation against me. Why do we really need an auditor? Listen, Ivan Kuzmich, could you, for our common benefit, print out every letter that arrives at your post office, incoming and outgoing, you know, a little bit and read it: does it contain some kind of report or just correspondence? If not, then you can seal it again; however, you can even give the letter printed out. Postmaster. I know, I know... Don’t teach me this, I do this not so much out of precaution, but more out of curiosity: I love to know what’s new in the world. Let me tell you, this is a very interesting read. You will read this letter with pleasure - this is how various passages are described... and what edification... better than in the Moskovskie Vedomosti! Mayor. Well, tell me, have you read anything about some official from St. Petersburg? Postmaster. No, there is nothing about the St. Petersburg ones, but a lot is said about the Kostroma and Saratov ones. It’s a pity, however, that you don’t read letters: there are wonderful places. Recently, one lieutenant wrote to a friend and described the ball in the most playful way... very, very well: “My life, dear friend, flows, he says, in the empyrean: there are many young ladies, music is playing, the standard is jumping...” with great , described with great feeling. I left it with me on purpose. Do you want me to read it? Mayor. Well, now there's no time for that. So do me a favor, Ivan Kuzmich: if by chance you come across a complaint or report, then detain him without any reasoning. Postmaster. With great pleasure. Ammos Fedorovich. Look, you will get it someday for this. Postmaster. Ah, fathers! Mayor. Nothing, nothing. It would be a different matter if you made something public out of this, but this is a family matter. Ammos Fedorovich. Yes, something bad is brewing! And I confess, I was coming to you, Anton Antonovich, in order to treat you to a little dog. Full sister to the male you know. After all, you heard that Cheptovich and Varkhovinsky started a lawsuit, and now I have the luxury of hunting hares on the lands of both. Mayor. Fathers, your hares are not dear to me now: the damned incognito sits in my head. You just wait for the door to open and walk...

Scene III

The same ones, Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky, both enter out of breath.

Bobchinsky. Emergency! Dobchinsky. Unexpected news! All . What, what is it? Dobchinsky. Unforeseen event: we arrive at the hotel... Bobchinsky (interrupting). We arrive with Pyotr Ivanovich at the hotel... Dobchinsky (interrupting). Eh, let me, Pyotr Ivanovich, I’ll tell you. Bobchinsky. Eh, no, let me... let me, let me... you don’t even have such a syllable... Dobchinsky. And you will get confused and not remember everything. Bobchinsky. I remember, by God, I remember. Don't bother me, let me tell you, don't bother me! Tell me, gentlemen, please don’t let Pyotr Ivanovich interfere. Mayor. Yes, tell me, for God's sake, what is it? My heart is not in the right place. Sit down, gentlemen! Take the chairs! Pyotr Ivanovich, here's a chair for you.

Everyone sits down around both Petrov Ivanovichs.

Well, what, what is it?

Bobchinsky. Excuse me, excuse me: I’ll get everything in order. As soon as I had the pleasure of leaving you after you deigned to be embarrassed by the letter you received, yes, sir, then I ran in... please don’t interrupt, Pyotr Ivanovich! I already know everything, everything, everything, sir. So, if you please, I ran to Korobkin. And not finding Korobkin at home, he turned to Rastakovsky, and not finding Rastakovsky, he went to Ivan Kuzmich to tell him the news you had received, and, on his way from there, he met with Pyotr Ivanovich... Dobchinsky (interrupting). Near the booth where pies are sold. Bobchinsky. Near the booth where pies are sold. Yes, having met Pyotr Ivanovich, I say to him: “Have you heard about the news that Anton Antonovich received from a reliable letter?” And Pyotr Ivanovich already heard about this from your housekeeper Avdotya, who, I don’t know, was sent to Philip Antonovich Pochechuev for something. Dobchinsky (interrupting). For a keg of French vodka. Bobchinsky (moving his hands away). For a keg of French vodka. So Pyotr Ivanovich and I went to Pochechuev... You, Pyotr Ivanovich... that... don’t interrupt, please don’t interrupt!.. We went to Pochechuev, but on the road Pyotr Ivanovich said: “Let’s go in,” he says. , to the tavern. It’s in my stomach... I haven’t eaten anything since this morning, I’ve got stomach tremors..." yes, sir, it’s in Pyotr Ivanovich’s stomach... “And now they’ve brought fresh salmon to the tavern, he says, so we’ll have a bite.” We had just arrived at the hotel when suddenly a young man... Dobchinsky (interrupting). Not bad looking, in a private dress... Bobchinsky. Not bad-looking, in a particular dress, walks around the room like that, and in his face there’s a kind of reasoning... physiognomy... actions, and here (twirls his hand near his forehead) many, many things. It was as if I had a presentiment and said to Pyotr Ivanovich: “There’s something here for a reason, sir.” Yes. And Peter Ivanovich already blinked his finger and called the innkeeper, sir, the innkeeper Vlas: his wife gave birth to him three weeks ago, and such a lively boy will, just like his father, run the inn. Pyotr Ivanovich called Vlas and asked him quietly: “Who, he says, is this young man?” and Vlas answers this: “This,” says... Eh, don’t interrupt, Pyotr Ivanovich, please don’t interrupt; you won’t tell, by God you won’t tell: you whisper; you, I know, have one tooth whistling in your mouth... “This, he says, is a young man, an official, yes, sir, coming from St. Petersburg, and his last name, he says, is Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov, sir, but he’s coming, he says, to the Saratov province and, he says, he attests himself in a very strange way: he’s been living for another week, he’s not leaving the tavern, he’s taking everything into his account and doesn’t want to pay a penny.” As he told me this, and so it was brought to my senses from above. "Eh!" I say to Pyotr Ivanovich... Dobchinsky. No, Pyotr Ivanovich, it was I who said: “eh!” Bobchinsky. First you said it, and then I said it too. “Eh! “Pyotr Ivanovich and I said. “Why on earth should he sit here when his road lies to the Saratov province?” Yes, sir. But he is this official. Mayor. Who, what official? Bobchinsky. The official about whom you deigned to receive a lecture is an auditor. Mayor (in fear). What are you, the Lord is with you! It's not him. Dobchinsky. He! and he doesn’t pay money and doesn’t go. Who else should it be if not him? And the road ticket is registered in Saratov. Bobchinsky. He, he, by God he... So observant: he examined everything. He saw that Pyotr Ivanovich and I were eating salmon, more because Pyotr Ivanovich was talking about his stomach... yes, so he looked into our plates. I was filled with fear. Mayor. Lord, have mercy on us sinners! Where does he live there? Dobchinsky. In the fifth room, under the stairs. Bobchinsky. In the same room where passing officers fought last year. Mayor. How long has he been here? Dobchinsky. And it’s already two weeks. Came to see Vasily the Egyptian. Mayor. Two weeks! (To the side.) Fathers, matchmakers! Bring it out, holy saints! In these two weeks the non-commissioned officer's wife was flogged! The prisoners were not given provisions! There's a tavern on the streets, it's unclean! A shame! vilification! (He grabs his head.) Artemy Filippovich. Well, Anton Antonovich? Parade to the hotel. Ammos Fedorovich. No no! Put your head forward, the clergy, the merchants; here in the book “The Acts of John Mason”... Mayor. No no; let me do it myself. There have been difficult situations in life, we went, and even received thanks. Perhaps God will bear it now. (Addressing Bobchinsky.) You say he is a young man? Bobchinsky. Young, about twenty-three or four years old. Mayor. So much the better: you’ll get wind of the young man sooner. It’s a disaster if the old devil is the one who’s young and the one at the top. You, gentlemen, get ready for your part, and I will go on my own, or at least with Pyotr Ivanovich, privately, for a walk, to see if those passing by are in trouble. Hey Svistunov! Svistunov. Anything? Mayor. Go now for a private bailiff; or not, I need you. Tell someone there to send a private bailiff to me as soon as possible, and come here.

The quarterly runs in a hurry.

Artemy Filippovich. Let's go, let's go, Ammos Fedorovich! In fact, disaster can happen. Ammos Fedorovich. What do you have to be afraid of? I put clean caps on the sick, and the ends were in the water. Artemy Filippovich. What hubcaps! The patients were ordered to give gabersup, but I have such cabbage flying through all the corridors that you should only take care of your nose. Ammos Fedorovich. And I’m calm about this. In fact, who will go to the district court? And even if he looks at some paper, he won’t be happy with life. I’ve been sitting on the judge’s chair for fifteen years now, and when I look at the memorandum ah! I’ll just wave my hand. Solomon himself will not decide what is true and what is not true in it.

The judge, the trustee of charitable institutions, the superintendent of schools and the postmaster leave and at the door encounter the returning quarterly.

Phenomenon IV

Gorodnichy, Bobchinsky, Dobchinsky and quarterly.

Mayor. What, are there droshky parked there? Quarterly. They are standing. Mayor. Go outside... or no, wait! Go get it... But where are the others? are you really the only one? After all, I ordered that Prokhorov be here too. Where is Prokhorov? Quarterly. Prokhorov is in a private house, but it cannot be used for business. Mayor. How so? Quarterly. Yes, so: they brought him dead in the morning. Two buckets of water have already been poured out, and I still haven’t sobered up. Mayor (grabbing his head). Oh, my God, my God! Go outside quickly, or not - run into the room first, listen! and bring a sword and a new hat from there. Well, Pyotr Ivanovich, let's go! Bobchinsky. And I, and I... let me too, Anton Antonovich! Mayor. No, no, Pyotr Ivanovich, it’s impossible, it’s impossible! It’s awkward, and we won’t even fit on the droshky. Bobchinsky. Nothing, nothing, I’ll run like a cockerel, like a cockerel, after the droshky. I would just like to peek a little through the door and see how he behaves... Mayor (taking the sword to the policeman). Run now and take the tens, and let each of them take... Oh, the sword is so scratched! The damned merchant Abdulin sees that the mayor has an old sword, but did not send a new one. O wicked people! And so, scammers, I think they are preparing requests under the counter. Let everyone pick up a broom down the street... damn it, down the street a broom! and they would sweep the entire street that goes to the tavern, and sweep it clean... Do you hear! Look: you! You! I know you: you’re fooling around there and stealing silver spoons into your boots, look, I have a keen ear!.. What did you do with the merchant Chernyaev, huh? He gave you two arshins of cloth for your uniform, and you stole the whole thing. Look! You're not taking it according to rank! Go!

Phenomenon V

The same goes for a private bailiff.

Mayor. Ah, Stepan Ilyich! Tell me, for God's sake: where have you gone? What does it look like? Private bailiff. I was here just outside the gates. Mayor. Well, listen, Stepan Ilyich! An official came from St. Petersburg. What did you do there? Private bailiff. Yes, just as you ordered. I sent the quarterly Pugovitsyn with the tens to clean the sidewalk. Mayor. Where is Derzhimorda? Private bailiff. Derzhimorda rode on a fire pipe. Mayor. Is Prokhorov drunk? Private bailiff. Drunk. Mayor. How did you let this happen? Private bailiff. Yes, God knows. Yesterday there was a fight outside the city, I went there for order, but returned drunk. Mayor. Listen, you do this: quarterly Pugovitsyn... he’s tall, so let him stand on the bridge for improvement. Yes, quickly sweep up the old fence that is near the shoemaker, and put up a straw pole so that it looks like a layout. The more it breaks, the more it means the activity of the city ruler. Oh my god! I forgot that near that fence there were forty carts of all sorts of rubbish piled up. What a nasty city this is! just put up some kind of monument somewhere or just a fence God knows where they’ll come from and they’ll do all sorts of crap! (Sighs.) Yes, if a visiting official asks the service: are you satisfied? so that they say: “Everything is happy, your honor”; and whoever is dissatisfied, then I will give him such displeasure... Oh, oh, ho, ho, x! sinful, sinful in many ways. (Takes a case instead of a hat.) God, please just let it get away with it as soon as possible, and then I’ll put up a candle that no one has ever put up before: I’ll charge three pounds of wax for each of the merchant’s beasts. Oh my God, my God! Let's go, Pyotr Ivanovich! (Instead of a hat he wants to wear a paper case.) Private bailiff. Anton Antonovich, this is a box, not a hat. Mayor (throwing the box). A box is just a box. To hell with her! Yes, if they ask why a church was not built at a charitable institution, for which a sum was allocated five years ago, then do not forget to say that it began to be built, but burned down. I submitted a report about this. Otherwise, perhaps someone, having forgotten himself, will foolishly say that it never began. Yes, tell Derzhimorda not to give too much free rein to his fists; For the sake of order, he puts lights under everyone’s eyes, both those who are right and those who are guilty. Let's go, let's go, Pyotr Ivanovich! (Leaves and returns.) Don't let the soldiers go out into the street without everything: this crappy guard will only wear a uniform over their shirt, and nothing underneath.

Everyone leaves.

Scene VI

Anna Andreevna and Marya Antonovna run onto the stage.

Anna Andreevna. Where, where are they? Oh, my God!.. (Opening the door.) Husband! Antosha! Anton! (Speaks soon.) And everything is you, and everything is behind you. And she went digging: “I have a pin, I have a scarf.” (Runs up to the window and screams.) Anton, where, where? What, have you arrived? auditor? with a mustache! with what mustache? The mayor's voice. After, after, mother! Anna Andreevna. After? Here's the news after! I don’t want after... I have only one word: what is he, colonel? A? (With disdain.) Left! I'll remember this for you! And all this: “Mama, mamma, wait, I’ll pin the scarf at the back; me now." Here you go now! So you didn’t learn anything! And all the damned coquetry; I heard that the postmaster was here, and let’s pretend in front of the mirror; It will do from both that side and this side. She imagines that he is trailing after her, and he just makes a grimace at you when you turn away. Marya Antonovna. But what can we do, mummy? We'll know everything in two hours anyway. Anna Andreevna. In two hours! I humbly thank you. Here I lent you an answer! How did you not think to say that in a month we can find out even better! (Hangs out the window.) Hey Avdotya! A? What, Avdotya, did you hear that someone arrived there?.. Didn’t you hear? How stupid! Waving his arms? Let him wave, but you still would have asked him. I couldn't find out! There is nonsense in my head, the suitors are still sitting. A? We're leaving soon! Yes, you should run after the droshky. Go, go now! Do you hear the runaways, ask where they went; Yes, ask carefully: what kind of visitor is he, what is he like, do you hear? Look through the crack and find out everything, and whether the eyes are black or not, and come back this very minute, do you hear? Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry! (She screams until the curtain falls. So the curtain covers both of them standing at the window.)

Composition

Let us remember when the comedy “The Inspector General” was written: the dark era of Nicholas I, a system of denunciations and investigations was in place, and frequent “incognito” inspector visits were common. Gogol himself defined the concept of the work as follows: “In The Inspector General, I decided to gather in one pile everything bad in Russia that I knew then... and laugh at everything at once.” “The Inspector General” became a comedy in which truly Russian characters were brought to the stage and social vices were revealed. Bribery, embezzlement, extortion, widespread among government officials, were shown with such force and convincingness by Gogol that his “The Inspector General” acquired the force of a historical document. So, before us is a provincial town, from where “even if you ride for three years, you won’t reach any state.” In this city, which the writer once called “the combined city of all dark side", there is everything - just like in a small state. Here there is justice, education, post office, health care, and a kind of social Security(represented by the trustee of charitable institutions) and, of course, the police. Gogol’s city is a “pyramid”: on top of it, like a little king, sits the mayor. The city has its own beau monde, its own ladies' society, and its own public opinion, and their news providers in the person of landowners Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky. And below, under the heel of officials and police, life flows common people.

The city lives an unprecedentedly tense life, it is excited by an extraordinary event. This event is the waiting, receiving and seeing off the auditor. All the characters in the comedy are placed in relation to the auditor.

The concern of the alarmed authorities is aimed at maintaining external decency, external decency. None of the recommendations that the mayor gives to officials regarding precautionary measures in connection with waiting for the auditor relates to the essence of the matter entrusted to them: we're talking about only about taking measures to maintain decorum.
Gogol emphasizes that the main and only morality of the ruling regime was only external decency: any disease, any ulcer can be “in your boot - and no one will see.” Only one thing is important: put on clean caps for all diseases and ulcers. Indifference, contempt for people, for human lives and suffering are the basis of such morality. If decency demands that there be fewer sick people in the hospital, let them “recover like flies.”

The rulers of the city do not even think about worrying about the internal essence of affairs: the “order” in which robbery and violence flourish will not be subject to any revision. Both the mayor and the officials know exactly what needs to be done in connection with the arrival of the auditor. You need to bribe, cajole, show off.

City officials are hastily making some external improvements (such as removing the arapnik hanging in the presence, or cleaning the street along which the auditor will travel). “As for the internal regulations,” explains the mayor, “and what Andrei Ivanovich calls sins in the letter, I can’t say anything. Yes, and it’s strange to say: there is no person who does not have any sins behind him. This is how God himself arranged it.”

Gogol’s “auditor’s situation” reveals the entire depth of a person’s nature, the entire structure of his feelings. In emergency circumstances, when, in the words of the mayor, “it’s about a person’s life,” each character is revealed deeply.

Thus, the mayor is a person “created by circumstances,” the embodiment of common sense, dexterity, cunning calculation in all matters, in all scams and frauds. According to Gogol, he is “most concerned about not missing what is floating in his hands.” He is entrusted with the city, and he has complete control over it, heading an entire “corporation of various official thieves and robbers.” He considers bribery to be a completely natural phenomenon, limited only by the rank and social position of the bribe-taker. "Look! You’re not taking it according to rank!” - he says to the policeman.

Not disdaining anything, the mayor prefers, however, to hide big sums: he calmly puts in his pocket the money allocated for the construction of the church, presenting a report that it “began to be built, but burned down.” Disdainful of the people, “merchants and citizens,” he behaves completely differently with the “auditor” Khlestakov, currying favor with him, trying to win his favor. At the same time, the mayor reveals extraordinary “diplomatic abilities”: by flattering the “state person,” he cleverly “screws” Khlestakov into four hundred rubles instead of two hundred, and then solders him on at breakfast in order to find out the truth.
Bound by mutual responsibility, city officials are unique in their individual characteristics. For example, Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin is known for his “Voltairianism.” Over the course of his entire life, he has read five or six books and “therefore is somewhat free-thinking,” allowing himself to be independent even with the mayor. He provides an “ideological justification” for his bribery: “I tell everyone openly that I take bribes, but with what?.. with greyhound puppies. This is a completely different matter."

Also interesting is Strawberry, a trustee of charitable institutions. He is cynical about the work entrusted to him, despises the poor people, not at all embarrassed by the mayor’s remarks about the shortcomings in the hospital: “The closer to nature, the better - we do not use expensive medicines. The man is simple: if he dies, he will die anyway; If he gets well, he’ll get well.” These words contain cruelty, indifference to the fate of people, and a ready justification for the fact that he is simply robbing the sick. According to Gogol, Strawberry is “a fat man, but a subtle rogue.”
The caretaker of the schools, Luka Lukich Khlopov, is the embodiment of complete spiritual insignificance, timidity and humility. His character expresses typical features of Nikolaev bureaucracy: constant trepidation and fear at the mere name of his superiors. He himself admits this: “If someone of a higher rank spoke to me, I simply don’t have a soul, and my tongue is stuck in the mud.”
Another official is the postmaster Shpekin, who draws his ideas about the world from other people's letters, which he opens. However, his vocabulary is still poor. Here, for example, is a passage from a letter that seems especially beautiful to him: “My life, dear friend, flows... in the empyrean: there are many young ladies, music is playing, the standard is jumping...”.
Each of the images created by Gogol is unique and individual, but together they create the image of the bureaucracy as the apparatus that governs the country. And now all these provincial officials completely reveal themselves to the imaginary auditor.
Khlestakov is Gogol's brilliant discovery. He has a desire to appear “of a higher rank” and the ability to “shine among his own kind in complete mental and spiritual emptiness.” According to V.G. Belinsky, “microscopic pettiness and gigantic vulgarity” are traits that express the essence of “Khlestakovism” and are characteristic of the Russian bureaucracy of that time.

At the beginning, Khlestakov doesn’t even know who he is being mistaken for. He lives for the present moment and devotes himself entirely to the “pleasantness” of the new situation. And his main quality - the desire to show off, to show off - is fully manifested. He inspiredly composes fables about his situation in St. Petersburg. According to Gogol, Khlestakov “is not a liar by trade; he himself forgets that he is lying, and he himself almost believes what he says.” A little official, he feels special pleasure in portraying a strict boss, “scolding” others.

Everything that Khlestakov tells about St. Petersburg high society, all the pictures brilliant life, unfolded by him - everything corresponds to the most cherished dreams and aspirations of the mayors, strawberries, Shpekins, Dobchinskys, their ideas about “real” life. Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov is the very soul of all bureaucratic Nikolaev lackeys and the ideal person in this society.

Thus, Khlestakovism is reverse side a social system based on bribes, embezzlement, veneration of rank, its inevitable consequence.
In the finale of the comedy, the famous silent scene, Gogol’s thought about future retribution, hope for the triumph of justice and law in the person of a real auditor are expressed.
Gogol hopes that the voice of satire, the power of ridicule, the nobility of humor will be able to make people out of the mayor and the lords. The seemingly evil lines of his comedy were dictated by his love for Russia and faith in it. Laughing at the negative phenomena of life, Gogol makes the reader think about them, understand the reasons, all the horror of these phenomena and try to get rid of them. That is why Gogol's works are relevant to this day.

In “The Inspector General,” Gogol skillfully combines “truth” and “anger,” that is, realism and bold, merciless criticism of reality. With the help of laughter and merciless satire, Gogol exposes such vices of Russian reality as veneration, corruption, arbitrariness of the authorities, ignorance and bad education. In \"Theatrical Travel\" Gogol wrote that in modern drama the action is driven not by love, but by money capital and \"electricity rank\". \"Electricity rank\" and gave rise to a tragicomic situation of universal fear of the false inspector.

The comedy "The Inspector General" presents a whole "corporation of various official thieves and robbers" blissfully existing in the provincial town of N.
When describing the world of bribe-takers and embezzlers, Gogol used a number of artistic techniques that enhance the characteristics of the characters.

Having opened the very first page of the comedy and learned that, for example, the name of the private bailiff is Ukhovertov, and the name of the district doctor is Gibner, we get, in general, a fairly complete picture of these characters and the author’s attitude towards them. In addition, Gogol gave critical characteristics of each of the main characters. These characteristics help to better understand the essence of each character. Mayor: \"Although he is a bribe-taker, he behaves very respectably\", Anna Andreevna: \"Raised half on novels and albums, half on the troubles in her pantry and maiden room\", Khlestakov: \"Without a king in her head. He says and acts without any consideration." Osip: \"The servant is like servants who are several years old usually are,\" Lyapkin-Tyapkin: \"A man who has read five or six books, and therefore is somewhat free-thinking.\" Postmaster: \"A man who is simple-minded to the point of naivety.\"
Bright portrait characteristics are also given in Khlestakov’s letters to his friend in St. Petersburg. So, speaking about Strawberry, Khlestakov calls the trustee of charitable institutions "a perfect pig in a yarmulke."

Main literary device, which N.V. Gogol uses in his comic portrayal of an official, is hyperbole. As an example of the use of this technique, the author can name Christian Ivanovich Gibner, who is not even able to communicate with his patients due to complete ignorance of the Russian language, and Ammos Fedorovich and the postmaster, who decided that the arrival of the auditor foreshadows the coming war. At first, the plot of the comedy itself is hyperbolic, but as the action develops, starting with the scene of Khlestakov’s story about his Petersburg life, hyperbole gives way to grotesque. The officials, blinded by fear for their future and clutching at Khlestakov like a straw, are unable to appreciate the absurdity of what is happening, and the absurdities pile on top of each other: here is the non-commissioned officer who “flogged herself,” and Bobchinsky, asking to be brought to his attention Imperial Majesty, that\"Peter Ivanovich Bobchinsky lives in such and such a city,\", etc.

The climax and the denouement that immediately follows it come sharply and cruelly. Khlestakov’s letter gives such a simple and even banal explanation that at this moment it seems to Gorodnichy, for example, much more implausible than all Khlestakov’s fantasies. A few words should be said about the image of the Mayor. Apparently, he will have to pay for the sins of his circle as a whole. Of course, he himself is not an angel, but the blow is so strong that the Governor has something like an epiphany: “I don’t see anything: I see some pig snouts instead of faces, but nothing else...”
Next, Gogol uses a technique that has become so popular in our time: The mayor, breaking the principle of the so-called “fourth wall,” addresses the audience directly: “Why are you laughing? Are you laughing at yourself.” With this remark, Gogol shows that the action of the comedy actually goes far beyond the theater stage, is transferred from county town to vast expanses. It is not without reason that some literary critics saw in this comedy an allegory for the life of the entire country. There is even a legend that Nicholas I, after watching the play, said: “Everyone got it, but I got it most of all!”

A silent scene: the inhabitants of a provincial town stand as if struck by thunder, mired in bribes, drunkenness, and gossip. But here comes a cleansing thunderstorm that will wash away the dirt, punish vice and reward virtue. In this scene, Gogol reflected his faith in the justice of the higher authorities, thereby castigating, as Nekrasov put it, “little thieves for the pleasure of big ones.” It must be said that the pathos of the silent scene does not fit with the general spirit of this brilliant comedy.

After the production, the comedy caused a storm of criticism, since in it Gogol broke all the canons of drama. But the main criticism of criticism was directed at the lack positive hero in comedy. In response to this, Gogol will write in "Theater Travel": "...I am sorry that no one noticed the honest face that was in my play. This honest, noble face was laughter."