Gogol the auditor figurative system of heroes of the work. Images and characters of the comedy "The Inspector General" by Gogol (characteristics, groups of characters)

The famous comedy by N.V. Gogol was created by him at the beginning of the 19th century. Readers were surprised and shocked by the characteristics of the heroes of the comedy "The Government Inspector". Gogol described all those negative traits that he observed among officials at that time. The description of the characters causes laughter and sadness at the same time.

Ivan Alexandrovich Khlestakov - stupid, empty, distracted young man of about twenty-three, who works as an official in St. Petersburg. He likes to brag, his words are thoughtless. But, despite this, Khlestakov is very cunning. Once he was in the city of N, whose statesmen mistook him for an auditor. Khlestakov does an excellent job with his role. Ivan simultaneously looks after the mayor's wife and his daughter. Taking advantage of the situation, he borrows money from officials, and he leaves, deceiving everyone and leaving him with nothing. ()

Anton Antonovich Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky - an aged man, a respectable, rude bribe taker, works as a mayor. He is dressed as befits a real official: in a tailcoat and over the knee boots. He is absolutely not afraid of auditors, as he can easily negotiate with them. But this time he is afraid of the inspector, because no one has ever seen the auditor. Constantly hides his bad management through deceit and bribery. ()

Anna Andreevna - the mayor's wife, a provincial beauty, a woman in her prime. A curious, a little stupid young lady, but she manages her husband well.

Maria Antonovna- the daughter of Anton Antonovich, a pretty girl of 18 years old, beautiful and naive. She is not indifferent to Khlestakov, who also shows feelings for her and even makes an offer. After the matchmaking, he leaves the city once and for all and leaves the girl "at nothing".

Osip- an aged man, serves Khlestakov. He is balanced and smarter than his young master.

Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky - landowners, short in stature, with small tummies. They do not enjoy authority among the townspeople, everyone despise them, as they always spread gossip. Friends talk very quickly, while constantly gesticulating.

Ammos Fedorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin - the referee is a loser, works poorly, does everything “bluff”, that’s why he was nicknamed that. He has been in this position for about 15 years, but he has not done anything sensible. He loves hunting, so he prefers to take bribes in puppies, and not pennies, as all high-ranking officials do.

Artemy Filippovich Strawberries - hospital manager. The hospitals are dirty and not cleaned. Patients smoke right in the wards, while they are dressed in dirty clothes. Medical staff can make the wrong diagnosis and prescribe the wrong treatment. "All the will of God" so they think.

Christian Ivanovich Gibner - the chief doctor of the city N, a German by origin, he absolutely does not speak Russian and therefore cannot fulfill his official duties.

Ivan Kuzmich Shpekin - postman. He has one bad habit, he enjoys reading other people's letters.

Comedy is relevant to this day, as in modern times you can meet people in high positions, reminiscent of the heroes of the work.

Some interesting essays

• Analysis of Bunin's story Figures Grade 7

  The story "Numbers" describes two main characters, an uncle and his nephew. Bunin shows in it not a simple relationship between adults and children, but adults do not always understand that children also have self-esteem

• Analysis of Platonov's story Doubting Makar Grade 11

  Many of Platonov's works, one way or another, touch upon the topic of human relations, revealing its very essence, showing human nature, and creating from it a very unpleasant image for perception.

• Mayakovsky's love lyrics (Love in creativity) composition Grade 11

  Almost every Russian poet in his works first of all tried to convey his feelings, emotions, love. That is why often each poem of poets is precisely their story. One of the famous Russian poets

• Composition Secrets of the inhabitants of the forest Grade 4

  The forest is a living miracle of nature. Trees not only decorate the earth, but also bring great benefits. It is very pleasant to walk through the forest at any time of the year, but do not forget that the forest is a home for many animals.

• Composition based on the painting by Reshetnikov Again deuce (description)

  F.P. Reshetnikov is a famous artist. He painted many wonderful pictures, but the most favorite for many people is "Again deuce"

In Gogol's comedy The Inspector General, who ridicule the stupidity of officials, there are actually no positive characters. The satirical play tells about the life of a small town, where literally the entire society is mired in bribery and corruption. The main characters of The Inspector General are individual in their own way, but on the whole they reflect the general picture of bureaucracy and servility. Gogol cruelly ridicules the main vices of society, giving them to all the heroes of the work. The plot of the play was Pushkin's story about an incident that occurred in the city of Ustyuzhin. Below is a list with a brief description of the characters in the work.

Characteristics of the heroes "Inspector"

main characters

Minor characters

Gogol's comedy remains a topical work even in our time, since the originals of his characters are ubiquitous in our environment. In The Inspector General, the characters, bureaucratic officials, are believable and recognizable. The characteristics of the heroes given in the table may be useful for the reader's diary.

Artwork test

The image of the mayor in the comedy "The Government Inspector" plays one of the key roles. To understand it better, you can read this article.

Actor groups

Before proceeding to the analysis of the image of the Governor in the comedy "The Government Inspector", it should be noted that all the heroes of the work are divided into groups according to their social status.

Officials occupy the leading role in this hierarchy. The mayor belongs to them. They are followed by non-serving nobles, who have recently turned into ordinary gossips. A vivid example is Dobchinsky and Bobchinsky. The third group consists of philistines, merchants and serf servants, who are treated as people of the lowest class.

Gogol gives a special place in the social structure of the society of the county town to the police. As a result, the writer manages to depict the whole of Russia using the example of one city, to show all existing classes and groups.

Gogol is especially interested in portraying the social mores and characters of domestic bureaucrats and officials.

The image of the mayor in the comedy "The Government Inspector"

In the mayor, Gogol summarized the worst features that he managed to identify in the major civil servants of his time. Often the fate of many people depended on their mercy or arbitrariness, which they used. Hence sycophancy, bribes and servility.

The comedy begins with the news that an auditor is to come to the county town. As soon as he finds out about this, the mayor gathers his subordinates to organize everything in the best possible way so that the inspector does not have any suspicions.

Their conversation is very frank. He is demanding and picky about everyone, he knows who steals and from where.

The nature of the mayor

But, besides the impression that the rest of the officials will make, Anton Antonovich Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky, that is the name of the mayor, is even more worried about his own fate. He, like no one else, knows what he can be held accountable for. In the image of the mayor in the comedy "The Government Inspector" (you can write an essay on this topic if you read this article), his great anxiety is manifested.

The hero begins to overwhelm with fear and anxiety. Especially when it turns out that the auditor has been living in the city for several days. In the image of the mayor in the comedy "The Government Inspector", one of his main talents is manifested - the ability to establish contacts with higher authorities.

Caring for others

In Gogol's comedy The Inspector General, the image of the mayor changes dramatically in the second and third acts. Before Khlestakov, he appears as a person who only does what he cares about the public good. Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky gives the guest of the capital the impression that he is of great public benefit. He tries to appear to the auditor as a person who cares for the good of others.

It looks especially funny that the mayor all the time hints to Khlestakov that such a virtue should be appreciated, meaning that it deserves some kind of reward.

Act without mayor

Interestingly, throughout almost the entire fourth act, the mayor does not appear on the stage, appearing only at the very end. But at the same time, he remains one of the main characters that everyone around is talking about.

Leaving Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky behind the scenes, Gogol vividly portrays the image of the mayor in the comedy The Government Inspector. Briefly, he can be described as a rude, greedy and cynical person. The author gives this assessment through the words of other characters who were influenced by such management.

A string of petitioners comes to Khlestakov with complaints, who complain about the atrocities that the mayor is doing. A large number of representatives of various segments of the population appear before the false auditor. This is a merchant, non-commissioned officer's widow. Through their stories, a real image of the mayor is drawn. In the scene in which Khlestakov receives all these appeals, the viewer can independently draw up a picture of the life of the county town, based on swindle, selfishness, bribery and self-interest.

Switching principle

The principle of abrupt switching Gogol uses in the fifth act to complete the formation of the image of the mayor. He moves from the defeat of the hero to triumph, and then immediately to his dethronement.

At first, Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky, feeling on the verge of death, not only understands that he can get away with it, but also believes that he is becoming a relative of a high-ranking St. Petersburg official, for whom he took Khlestakov. In general, it is worth noting that the images of the mayor and Khlestakov in the comedy "The Inspector General" are in many ways similar. Both of them are characterized by greed and insincerity.

The fear that had just raged in the official is replaced by violent joy and happiness. He feels like a triumphant, from which he begins to behave more and more impudently. All this happens after Khlestakov asks for his daughter's hand in marriage. The prospect of moving to the capital is clearly beginning to loom before him. The mayor already sees himself as a general.

His greatest pleasure is to fantasize about how people bow before him and envy him in everything. In these moments, he formulates his life philosophy. This is the suppression of all those who are below you on the social ladder.

The collapse of dreams

Already imagining that he has become related to a high-ranking official, the mayor begins to feel ahead of time that he is a particularly important person. Even his tone in communication with others changes. He turns into an important, arrogant and contemptuous person.

Raising the hero to such a peak, Gogol destroys all his hopes in one fell swoop. The final monologue of Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky, which he utters when he learns that a real auditor has arrived in the city, expresses his state. The mayor is shocked, first of all, by the fact that he, a noble swindler, was able to be tricked. He himself is beginning to admit how many people he has deceived in his career. Among them are governors, merchants and other chiefs.

It becomes clear his true essence and the magnitude of his deeds. This monologue finally puts all the points, the audience is convinced that in front of them is a fraudster, and a very serious one at that.

Paphos of comedy

The famous words of the mayor, which he utters at the end of the comedy, reflect the inner pathos of The Inspector General. Turning to the audience with the question of what you are laughing at, the author sums up all the meanings and images that he sought to develop in his work.

The mayor is crushed by the fact that he was so brazenly deceived, moreover, such a petty and insignificant person. But in reality this nothingness is the best part of him. Khlestakov became a kind of auditor of the social system, which gives rise to such self-confident and dishonest officials.

At the end of the comedy, the mayor appears as a funny and miserable person, in his image he emphasizes the typicality of an official of this type, arguing that this type of civil servant is widespread throughout the country.

Appearance of the mayor

The appearance of the hero completes the image of the mayor in the comedy "The Government Inspector". Gogol describes him as a man with hard and rough features, who went through a difficult path to the bosses from the lowest ranks.

During this time, he masterfully mastered the instantaneous transition from joy to fear, and from arrogance to meanness. All this formed him as a man with a rough soul.

The writer describes Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky as a thick-nosed, overweight man who has been in the service for at least thirty years. His hair is gray and cropped.

Consider the famous play, which Nikolai Vasilyevich created in 1836, we will analyze it. (work) appreciated as the accumulation of all the injustices that were constantly happening in places, especially at a time when justice was urgently needed. The author described all the bad things that he observed in society (in the bureaucratic sphere) and laughed at it. In addition to laughter, however, the reader also sees that Gogol (The Inspector General) bitterly describes the events taking place.

Let's start our analysis of the play by pointing out the main conflict.

Conflict in the play

The construction of the conflict of this work is based on a funny coincidence. It is accompanied by the panic of officials who are afraid that their scams may be exposed. The city will soon visit the auditor, so the best option for them is to identify and bribe this person. The action of the work revolves around deceit, which is so familiar to officials, as analysis shows.

Gogol created "The Inspector General" in order to reveal the vices of those in power, typical of that time. The main conflict in the work is between the bureaucratic world, which embodies the autocratic system, and the people oppressed by it. The hostility of officials to the masses of the people is felt from the very first lines. The people are subjected to violence and oppressed, although this conflict was not directly shown in the comedy by Gogol ("The Government Inspector"). The analysis of it develops latently. In the play, this conflict is complicated by another one - between the "auditor" and the bureaucracy. The disclosure of this conflict allowed Gogol to sharply expose and vividly describe both the representatives of the local district authorities and the petty metropolitan official who came to the city, and also to show at the same time their anti-people nature.

Bribery and corruption in the work

All the heroes of comedy have their sins, as its analysis allows us to verify. Gogol ("Inspector") notes that each of them, due to the unfair performance of their official duties, is afraid of the upcoming arrival of the auditor. Officials from fear are not able to reason sensibly. They believe that it is the self-confident and arrogant Khlestakov who is the auditor. A progressive dangerous disease - a lie - is demonstrated by Gogol ("The Government Inspector"). cannot be carried out without focusing on this characteristic feature of it.

The author ironically and accurately denounces the issue of bribes. Blame for bribery and corruption, in his opinion, lies on both sides. However, this is so habitual for society that when officials mention money by an imaginary auditor, they sigh with relief: he can be bribed, which means that everything will be settled. Bribery is thus taken for granted and natural. The absence of positive officials in a play is very familiar to readers of any time. After all, "auditorism" in Russia has not yet stopped, despite all the upheavals.

Many visitors are rushing to Khlestakov with requests. There are so many of them that they have to fight their way through the windows. Requests and complaints are doomed to go unanswered. Officials, in turn, are not embarrassed by the need to humiliate themselves. Before the authorities, they are ready to fawn, because retribution will begin with his departure - they can recoup their subordinates, humiliating them. Society is destroyed by low morality, says Gogol ("Inspector"). An analysis of the work allows us to note that in the play she accompanies anyone who has achieved at least some kind of power.

Stupidity and ignorance of officials

Khlestakov understands that the officials who met him are not educated and stupid. This allows the protagonist of the play not even bother to remember the lies he told. Officials always echo him, presenting Khlestakov's deceit in a truthful form. This is beneficial to everyone, no one is embarrassed by lies. The main thing is that Khlestakov can get money, and officials can take a breath.

The breadth of generalizations of characters, off-stage images

The play, which was created by N.V. Gogol ("The Government Inspector"), begins with a letter notifying about the upcoming inspection. Analyzing it, it can be noted that it also ends with it. The finale of the work becomes laconic - Khlestakov's letter reveals the truth. It remains only to wait for the real auditor. At the same time, there is no doubt that the officials will once again repeat the flattering bribery. The change of characters will not affect the outcome - immorality has reached that point. Officials will be replaced over time by their own kind, since the corruption of a person comes from personal uncontrollability, and not from power.

Analyzing Gogol's comedy "The Inspector General", we note that the breadth of the generalization of characters in the play is expressed in the fine finishing of the characters acting in the comedy. In addition, the introduction of off-stage images expands the gallery of actors. These are vivid life characters that contribute to the deepening of the characteristics of the faces displayed on the stage. For example, this is Khlestakov’s father, his St. Petersburg friend Tryapichkin, the housekeeper Avdotya, the son and wife of Dobchinsky, the innkeeper Vlas, the daughter of Strawberry, an infantry captain who beat Khlestakov in Penza, the visiting auditor, quarter Prokhorov and others.

Life phenomena typical for Nikolaev Russia

Various life phenomena are mentioned in the comedy, which were typical for Nikolaev Russia of that time. This creates a broad panorama of society. So, the merchant profits from the construction of the bridge, and the mayor helps him in this. The judge has been sitting on the judicial chair for 15 years, but still cannot figure out the next memorandum. The mayor celebrates name days twice a year, expecting gifts for them from merchants. The postmaster opens other people's letters. The county doctor does not speak Russian.

Abuses of officials

A lot of abuses of officials are mentioned in the comedy. All of them were characteristic of the era of cruel arbitrariness. A married locksmith had his forehead shaved illegally. The non-commissioned officer's wife was flogged. The prisoners are not given provisions. The amount allocated for the construction of a charitable institution of the church is spent at their own discretion, and the report says that the church burned down. The mayor locks the merchant in a room and forces him to eat herring. The patients have dirty caps, giving them a resemblance to blacksmiths.

Lack of a good character

It should be noted that readers learn about the criminal acts committed by officials from their own lips, and not from the actions shown on the stage of the work "The Government Inspector" (Gogol). Character analysis reveals some other interesting features. Confirmation of the fact that illegal acts are happening in the bureaucratic world are the complaints of people oppressed by officials, especially the mayor. The center of gravity is transferred to socio-political phenomena. Gogol did not introduce into his play a positive hero, a reasoner and a bearer of virtuous qualities, who is the mouthpiece of the author's thoughts. The most positive hero is laughter, which reeks of social vices and the foundations of the autocratic regime.

The image of Khlestakov

The image of Khlestakov is central in the work. Let's analyze it. Gogol portrayed the "auditor" as easily navigating the situation. For example, wanting to show off in front of his bride, Marya Antonovna, he attributes to himself the work "Yuri Miloslavsky" by Zagoskin, but the girl remembers its true author. A seemingly hopeless situation has arisen. However, Khlestakov quickly finds a way out here too. He says that there is another work with the same title that belongs to him.

Lack of memory

Lack of memory is an important feature of Khlestakov's image. For him there is no future and no past. He is focused only on the present. Khlestakov is therefore incapable of selfish and greedy calculations. The hero lives for only one minute. Its natural state is constant transformation. After conducting an effective analysis of Gogol's "Inspector General", you will see that Khlestakov, adopting one or another style of behavior, instantly reaches the highest point in it. However, what is easily gained is easily lost. Having fallen asleep as a field marshal or commander in chief, he wakes up as an insignificant person.

Khlestakov's speech

The speech of this hero characterizes him as a petty Petersburg official who claims to be highly educated. He likes to use intricate literary clichés for the beauty of the syllable. In his language, at the same time, there are vulgar and swear words, especially in relation to commoners. Khlestakov Osip, his servant, calls "fool" and "cattle", and shouts to the owner of the tavern "scoundrels!", "Rascals!", "Loafers!". The speech of this hero is jerky, which indicates his inability to focus on anything. She conveys his spiritual poverty.

The two centers of the piece

Khlestakov in the work is a drawn person. He acts and lives according to the logic of the development of relations in which the mayor put him. At the same time, the surprises manifested in the actions and speeches of this hero also determine the development of the action of the play. This, for example, is the "scene of lies", Khlestakov's explanation of the love of his daughter and mother at the same time, his proposal to Marya Antonovna, his irrevocable and unexpected departure. In Gogol's play there are two centers and two persons who direct and lead the development of the action: Khlestakov and the mayor. Let's continue the analysis of the play "Inspector General" by Gogol with a characterization of the image of the latter.

The image of the mayor

The mayor (Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky Anton Antonovich) - in which the action of the comedy we are interested in takes place. This is a "very intelligent", "aged in the service" person. His facial features are hard and rude, like those of anyone who has begun a hard service from the lower ranks. The mayor at the beginning of the play reads the letter to his subordinates. It informs about the arrival of the auditor. This news greatly frightened the officials. In fear, the mayor orders the city to be “equipped” for his arrival (to expel unnecessary patients from the hospital, to bring teachers in schools into proper form, to cover unfinished buildings with fences, etc.).

Anton Antonovich assumes that the auditor has already arrived and lives incognito somewhere. The landowners Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky find him in the person of Khlestakov, a petty official who does not suspect anything. The mayor, believing that Khlestakov is the same auditor, cannot dissuade himself from this. He believes in everything, even in the fantastic lies of the "auditor" - to such an extent is servility in the mayor.

When Khlestakov wooed his daughter, Marya Antonovna, the official began to think about what benefits his relationship with an "important person" promised him, and decided that "it's nice to be a general." To the depths of the soul, the unexpected revelation of Khlestakov offends the mayor. It finally dawns on him that he mistook the "rag", "icicle" for an important person. The mayor, having experienced a humiliating shock, spiritually begins to see clearly, for the first time in his life. He says that for the first time he sees "pig snouts" instead of faces.

Completing the analysis of the comedy N.V. Gogol's "Inspector General", we add that his comic figure in the finale of the comedy develops into a tragic one. The tragedy becomes most obvious in the silent scene, when it becomes known about the arrival of the real auditor.

/ / / Characteristics of officials in Gogol's comedy "The Government Inspector"

In the comedy "" Gogol showed us the collective image of a Russian official of the 30s of the 19th century. On the example of the officials of the city N, the author ridicules the life and customs of the then society. A society in which bribery, embezzlement, and hypocrisy rule. All these features are inherent in the main characters of the work. This is how Gogol saw Russian officials during the reign of Nicholas I.

At the top of this bureaucratic pyramid was Anton Antonovich. He was a smart enough man, rose from the bottom and now ruled the city. It is safe to say about the mayor that he was an avid bribe-taker. Unfortunately, he did not consider it illegal. In his defense, Anton Antonovich said that the state salary was not enough even for bread and salt. That is why, without a twinge of conscience, he appropriated the city treasury, demanded exorbitant bribes from merchants. The main goal of Anton Antonovich was the desire to become a general. He was a disgusting manager - he was rude to his subordinates, punished without understanding. With people of a higher rank, the mayor was polite and helpful.

Nothing good can be said about the city judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin either. His last name speaks eloquently about his attitude to his official duties. Mr. Judge admitted that in the office of the court the servants bred geese and dried wet linen. The position of judge was elective, so Lyapkin-Tyapkin could openly argue with the mayor. Having read five or six books in his entire life, the city judge considered himself a very learned man. Hunting was his main hobby. Therefore, he took bribes with greyhound puppies.

The next city official was the superintendent of charitable establishments Strawberry. His office was in total chaos. And no one looked sick, they looked like blacksmiths, constantly smoking tobacco. The doctor was generally a German by nationality and did not understand Russian at all. Strawberries lived according to the principle: if he dies, he dies like that, he recovers, he recovers like that. Like many city officials, Strawberry trembles in front of his superiors and treats the common man with disdain.

Luka Lukich Khlopov was the head of educational institutions. His office, like the rest of the city, was in disarray. Teachers taught students bad manners. Khlopov, like Strawberry, is in awe of the authorities.

But the postmaster Shpekin was fond of reading other people's letters. The ones he liked, he kept for himself. From the letters the postmaster learned the latest news and drew life wisdom.

Most likely, the collective image of the Russian official of the 30s of the 19th century will not be complete without such a hero as Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov. He was mistaken for the capital auditor, and he took full advantage of this. We know about Khlestakov that he was a petty employee in one of the offices of St. Petersburg. On the way home, Ivan Alexandrovich loses all his money in cards and therefore stops at one of the city hotels.

He was not a provincial official, he saw life in the capital. But unfortunately, he is no different from everyone else. He also takes bribes, listens to denunciations, and brazenly lies.

In my opinion, by this he wanted to show us that all the officials of that time were the same in their thinking and worldview. Nikolai Vasilievich laughed at this and believed that better times would come someday, and officials would hear ordinary people.