Summary “Inspector”
“Inspector” – a comedy in five acts, written by N. V. Gogol in 1835. It tells how in the county town of an occasional traveler is mistaken for an inspector from the capital. There is a version according to which the story of the comedy “The Inspector General” Gogol was prompted by Pushkin. And the story of Gogol’s friend, AS Danilevsky, about how they played the auditors on their way to Petersburg, was preserved, and everywhere they were received with great honor.
Main characters
Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov – “official” from St. Petersburg. A nondescript young man of 23 years, dressed in fashion and somewhat rustic. He is interested in playing cards, loves a rich life and strives to “show oneself”.
Osip is Khlestakov’s servant, already at an age. A crooked man. He considers himself smarter than the master and likes to teach him.
The governor is an elderly arrogant man, a bribe taker.
Anna
Marya Antonovna is the daughter of the mayor, a naive provincial girl.
Other characters
Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky are two extremely urban landlords, who talk a lot and always walk together.
Ammos Fedorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin – a judge, considers himself enlightened, in fact, he only read a few books.
Artemy Filippovich Strawberry is a trustee of charitable institutions, a wily and a rogue.
Ivan Kuzmich Shpekin is a postmaster, to the point of naivety is simple-minded.
Luka Lukich Khlopov is the curator of colleges.
Summary
Action first
Occurs in one of the rooms of the house of the governess
Phenomenon I
The governor gathers officials and informs them of “unpleasant news” – an auditor with a “secret order” will soon arrive in the city. Everyone is excited, Ammos Fedorovich even suggests that soon there will be war, and the inspector is sent to find
Phenomenon II
The postmaster enters. He also heard about the arrival of the inspector in the city, and I am sure that this is not just happening, but because the war with the Turks is approaching. “It’s all fucking French,” he says. The governor assures the postmaster that there will be no war, and then shares his experiences with him. He is “embarrassed by merchants and citizenship”, which he does not like – there would not have been any denunciation on him. The governor asks the postmaster, “for our common good”, to print out and read the letters that are delivered, he agrees, adding that he reads other people’s letters – out of curiosity.
Phenomenon III
Enter, breathless, Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky. They had just seen the expected auditor in the hotel. This is a young man, “not bad appearance, in a particular dress,” he “walks this way around the room, and in the face this sort of reasoning…”. This young man has been living in a tavern for the second week, he does not pay money and does not move out. All unanimously decide that this is none other than an auditor. The governor is extremely agitated – in these two weeks there were many unpleasant incidents: “A non-commissioned officer’s wife was carved!” The prisoners were not given provisions! In the streets there is a tavern, uncleanness! “. He decides to go urgently to the hotel and demands the bailiff, officials disagree on their institutions.
Phenomenon IV
The governor remains alone in his room.
The governor needs a new hat and a sword. Behind him Bobchinsky, he is ready to run after the droshky “cockerel, cockerel”, just to look “in check” on the auditor. The governor tells the quarterly to sweep out the whole street leading to the tavern.
The phenomenon V
Finally there is a private police officer. The governor hurriesly gives directions for the improvement of the city: on the bridge for beauty put a high quarterly, sweep the old fence, because “the more breaking, the more activity of the governor.” And if someone asks why the church is not built – so to say that it was starting to be built, but burned. Already in the doorway he orders not to let out half-naked soldiers on the street.
Phenomenon VI
The wife and daughter of the governor run in, they quarrel. Anna Andreevna tells her daughters to run after the droshky for a moment, peek, find out everything, and in particular – what color the eyes of the inspector, and right now, go back.
The second action
A small room in the hotel.
Phenomenon I
Osip is lying on a lordly bed and angry with the master, who all the money “profiled” in the cards. And now for the second month they can not get home from St. Petersburg. I want to eat Osip, but they do not give me a loan anymore. In general, in St. Petersburg he really liked: everything is “delicate,” life is “subtle and political.” Only here the master and there did not do business, and all money from the father lowered. “Right, the village is better: it does not have any publicity, and there are fewer concerns,” says Osip.
Phenomenon II
Khlestakov enters, scolding Osip because he was again lying on the bed. Then hesitantly requires the servant to go downstairs for dinner. Osip refuses, saying that they will no longer be liable for debt, but then agrees to go down and call the master to Khlestakov.
Phenomenon III
Khlestakov is one. He talks to himself about how he wants to eat. In what “nasty little town” it has brought – here even in shops do not give in a loan. And the infantry captain is to blame for everything, which robbed him of cards. And yet Khlestakov would like to fight him again.
Phenomenon IV
The tavern servant enters. Khlestakov crouched in front of him, persuading him to bring dinner and “reason” the owner: that man can not eat a day, and Khlestakov, like a master, it is impossible.
The phenomenon V
Khlestakov reflects on what to do if he does not bring dinner. “Pah, even sick, so you want to.” Then he starts dreaming about how he will return home in Petersburg clothes and will recommend himself as an official from St. Petersburg.
Phenomenon VI
Bring lunch, it is not good and consists of only two dishes. Khlestakov dissatisfied, but eats everything. The servant tells him that this is the last time – the owner will not allow more to lend.
Phenomenon VII
Osip reports that Khlestakova wants to see the governor. Khlestakov is frightened: what if the innkeeper has already complained and is now being taken to prison?
Phenomenon VIII
The governor and Dobchinsky enter. Khlestakov and the governor look at each other in fright for a while. Then the governor explains that he came to see how Khlestakov lives, because his duty is to take care that the visitors are well. Khlestakov is frightened, he is justified that he will pay everything, he will be sent from the village. ” Then he declares that the innkeeper himself is to blame, he feeds him badly, threatens to go to the minister. The governor in turn is frightened, promises to understand and asks him not to ruin – he has a wife and children. He calls Khlestakov to another, better apartment, but Khlestakov, thinking that he is going to be taken to prison, refuses. The governor offers him money to pay off with the innkeeper, Khlestakov willingly takes, and the governor contrives to put him four hundred rubles instead of the required two hundred. Khlestakov’s attitude to the governor changes: “I see you are a noble man.” He agrees to go to the governor to live. The governor also decides that the auditor wishes to keep the incognito, and that you need to keep an eye on him.
Phenomenon IX
A tavern servant comes in with an account, the mayor chases him, promising to send money.
Phenomenon X
Khlestakov, the governor and Dobchinsky are going to inspect city facilities, and Khlestakov categorically refuses to inspect the prisons, but the charity institution attracts his attention. The governor sends Dobchinsky with a note to his wife, so she prepares to receive the guest, and to Strawberries, responsible for charitable institutions. Dobchinsky opens the door from Khlestakov’s room, intending to leave. Bobcinsky eavesdrops outside – he flies to the floor and brushes his nose. In the meantime, Osip was ordered to transfer Khlestakov’s belongings to the governor.
Action third
First Action Room
Phenomenon I
The wife and daughter of the governor are waiting for the news standing by the window. Finally appears Dobchinsky.
Phenomenon II
Anna Andreevna reproaches Dobchinsky for the fact that he came so soon, he questions him about the inspector. Dobchinsky gives the note and stresses that he was the first to “discover” that this is a real auditor.
Phenomenon III
The governor’s wife and daughter are getting ready to receive the inspector and smarten up. Noticeably the rivalry between them – each tries to make the second put on a dress that is not suitable for her.
Phenomenon IV
Osip enters with a suitcase on his head. He is escorted by the servant of the governor. Osip asks to eat, but they do not give him, explaining this by saying that all the dishes are simple, and he, like the servant of the inspector, is not such. Osip agrees to any food.
The phenomenon V
Quarterly open both parts of the doors. Khlestakov enters: behind him is the governor, then the guardian of the charitable institutions, the inspector of the schools, Dobchinsky and Bobchinsky with the plaster on his nose.
Khlestakov talks with the governor. He is very pleased with how everything is arranged in the city – he fed him well and showed “good places.” In other cities this was not. The governor says that this is because in other cities the governors are more concerned about their own benefit, and here – how to please their superiors. Khlestakov wondered where one could play cards. The governor is afraid that he himself does not take any cards, although he did not spend a hundred rubles a day “fiddling” with the official.
Phenomenon VI
Anna Andreevna and Marya Antonovna come in. The governor presents them to Khlestakov.
The dinner begins. At dinner Khlestakov boasts: in St. Petersburg he is the most important person, everyone knows him. He “on a friendly foot” with Pushkin himself, and he himself wrote many good things, for example, “Yuri Miloslavsky.” The governor’s daughter remembers that this work has another author, but she is being pulled back. Every day Khlestakov in the palace and at balls, and once even managed the department. On packages, he writes “Your Excellency,” whist with him is played by foreign ambassadors, and a watermelon for seven hundred rubles is served on the table. In the antechamber, waiting for his awakening, “Counts and princes” are usually “pushed around” …
The governor and others respectfully listen to Khstestakov’s boasting, and then escort him to rest.
Phenomenon VII
The rest discuss Khlestakova and agree that he is a very important person. Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky argue that Khlestakov is probably the general himself, or even the generalissimo. Then officials disagree, and Strawberries tell Luka Lukich that he is afraid for some reason. “Well, how will the report drift to Petersburg?”
Phenomenon VIII
The wife and daughter of the governor argue over whom Khlestakov watched more during breakfast.
Phenomenon IX
The governor comes on tiptoe. He is no longer happy that he has given the guest a drink: even if half of what Khlestakov said is true, the mayor does not like it. Anna Andreyevna is sure that everything will be fine, because Khlestakov is an “educated, secular, higher-toned man.” The governor is surprised: how did Khlestakov get so much in those years? “It’s wonderful now in the world: if only the people were already prominent, and then thin, thin – how will you know who he is?”.
Phenomenon X
Osip enters. Everyone runs to him, wondering if Khlestakov is sleeping. The governor inquires what the gentleman pays most attention to. Gives Osipu money for tea and for the steering-wheel. The wife and daughter of the governor are interested in “what eyes are more like” Khlestakov. Then everyone disagrees, the mayor orders quarterly not to let strangers into the house, especially with requests.
Step Four
The same room in the house of the mayor
Phenomenon I
They enter cautiously, almost on tiptoe, officials, as well as Dobchinsky and Bobchinsky, in full parade and uniforms. All of them have gathered in order to give Khlestakov a bribe, but they can not think of a better way to arrange it. In the end, the decision is made to go one by one and talk face-to-face: “It is necessary to be introduced one by one, and between four eyes and that… as it follows – so that your ears are not heard.
Phenomenon II
Klistak comes out with sleepy eyes. He slept well and was glad to be received here: he likes hospitality. In addition, Khlestakov noted that the daughter of the mayor is “not very bad”, and even my mother is such that “you could still…”. He likes this life.
Phenomena III-VII
Ammos Fedorovich enters, drops money and is very frightened of this. Khlestakov, seeing bills, asks him to lend him. The judge willingly gives money and leaves. Then the postmaster, Luka Lukich, Strawberries, consistently enters. Each Khlestakov asks for a loan and receives certain amounts. The last appear Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky, who Khlestakov already directly requires money. They do not have much: for two, only sixty-five rubles. Khlestakov takes it, saying that “it’s all the same.” Dobchinsky has a request to the auditor: to recognize his son’s legitimate son. Khlestakov promises to help. In Bobchinsky, the request is even simpler: that Khlestakov, when he goes to Petersburg, would tell everyone there, including the sovereign, that “Peter Ivanovich Bobchinsky lives in such and such a city.”
Phenomenon VIII
Khlestakov is one. He starts to guess that he is mistaken for a “state man,” and writes a letter to his friend, a journalist, so that he thoroughly ridicules the officials.
Phenomenon IX
Osip persuades Khlestakov to leave soon. He agrees. At this time, noise comes from the street: the merchants came with petitions, but they are not let in by the quarterly. Khlestakov decides to take all.
Phenomenon X
The merchants bring wine and sugar heads to Khlestakov. They ask to intercede for them – the governor very much oppresses the merchant, deceives and steals. Khlestakov promises to understand and takes money from merchants; He does not disdain the silver tray, but Osip takes the remaining gifts, down to the rope: “and the rope on the road is useful.”
Phenomenon XI
To Khlestakova come women, metalworker and non-commissioned officer. They also complain about the governor: he never carved a non-commissioned officer. “Go, I’ll dispose of it!” – says Khlestakov, but his requests are tiresome, and he tells Osip not to let anyone else in.
Phenomenon XII
Khlestakov talks with Marya Antonovna and kisses her. She fears that a visitor simply laughs at her, “provincial.” Khlestakov is convinced that he fell in love with her and, in order to prove this, kneels.
Phenomenon XIII
Anna Andreevna enters. Having seen Khlestakov on his knees, she comes into indignation and drives her daughter away. Khlestakov also decides that “she too is not bad” and again rushes to her knees. He assures Anna Andreevna of eternal love and even goes so far as to ask for her hand, not paying attention to the fact that she is already married: “There is no difference for love… We will retire under the shadow of the jets… Your hands, ! “
Phenomenon XIV
The daughter of the governor runs in, seeing Khlestakov on his knees, screams: “Oh, what a passage!”. Khlestakov, in order to avoid scandal, asks Anna Andreevna for the hands of her daughter.
Phenomenon XV
A breathless governor appears and begins to persuade Khlestakov not to believe the merchants: they are deceiving the people, and the non-commissioned officer “carved herself.” Anna Andreevna interrupts the mayor with joyful news. The governor is beside himself with joy, blesses Khlestakov and Mary Antonovna.
Phenomenon XVI
Osip says that the horses are ready, and Khlestakov hurries to leave. To the governor he says that he is going to the rich old uncle, and promises to come back tomorrow. At parting he kisses Marya Antonovna’s pen and again asks the mayor for money.
Step Five
The same room
Phenomenon I
The governor, Anna Andreevna and Marya Antonovna.
The family of the mayor rejoices, imagining a rich life in Petersburg. Anna Andreevna wants her “the house was the first in the capital and that… it was an ambre in the room so that it was impossible to
enter and it was only necessary to close your eyes”
Phenomena II-VII
Everyone congratulates the mayor. He bawls the merchants for the fact that they dared to complain. Now he has become an important person, and merchants can not get off so easily – everyone should bring rich gifts for the wedding. Officials ask the mayor not to forget them in St. Petersburg, he promises, but Anna Andreevna is unhappy: there her husband will not have time to think about “any small fry.”
Phenomenon VIII
The postmaster appears with a printed letter in his hands. He tells the amazing news – taken for the auditor Khlestakov was not at all such. The postmaster reads Khlestakov’s letter to a literary friend: “Firstly, the governor is stupid, like a gray gelding…”.
Here the mayor interrupts the postmaster: it can not be written there. The postmaster gives him a letter, then the writing goes on his hands, and everyone reads about himself an unflattering truth. The postmaster drinks bitter, Strawberries look like a “pig in a yarmulke,” the superintendent of schools all smelled of onions, and the judge “is very much a mauve ton.” “But,” Khlestakov concludes, “the people are hospitable and good-natured.”
Everyone is angry, especially the governor, who is afraid that he will be put in some comedy. “What are you laughing at? You’re laughing at yourself,” he says. But Khlestakova no longer catch up: he was given the best horses. They begin to find out how it was possible to accept “this helicopter” for the inspector – not otherwise, as God took away the mind. Everyone accuses Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky, because they brought news about the auditor.
The phenomenon of the last
The gendarme enters: the official who has arrived from Petersburg has stopped in hotel and demands all to itself.
Silent scene.
Conclusion
According to the writer himself, in the “Inspector General” he “decided to gather in one heap all the bad things in Russia, as I knew then, all the injustices that are being made in those places and in those cases where the most demanded from the person of justice, and for one thing at once make fun of everything. ” The action of the comedy “The Inspector General” occurs in the modern society of Gogol, and almost all the vices of this society are vividly reflected in this work. Indirect evidence of this can serve as the fact that the play for a long time did not want to be staged. It took Zhukovsky’s intervention, which personally persuaded the emperor that “there is nothing unreliable in the comedy, that this is only a merry mockery of the bad provincial officials.”
Comedy immediately liked the audience, many phrases from it broke up and became winged. And today’s reader will find the product interesting and relevant. After reading a brief retelling of the “Inspector” for the chapters, it is highly advisable to find time to get acquainted with the full text of the play.
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