essay on literature
"Inspector" is one of the best works N.V. Gogol. Speaking about the idea of the comedy, the author stated that in it he decided
This is how the city N arose, to which the auditor comes. His arrival - complete surprise for all officials, since each of them has something to hide from the state inspector.
The main official in the city is, of course, the mayor. This is not a stupid person, "already grown old in the service", therefore, he knows all the subtleties of bureaucratic treatment, cunning, rude and, most importantly, a bribe-taker. For him, the worst thing is the denunciation:
To find out if there was any complaint against him, the mayor asks the postmaster Shpekin to open every letter that comes to the city.
The mayor considers himself the rightful owner of the city, enjoys his position and is very afraid of losing his position, therefore he categorically forbids showing petitioners and those wishing to complain about harassment from the head of the city to the imaginary auditor. The habit of taking and giving bribes is so ingrained in his mind that he confidently declares:
The mayor showed himself in full measure in last scene comedy, when it turns out that Khlestakov is no auditor. The hero screams, calls himself an old fool, does not understand how he, who managed to deceive more than one merchant and governor, was tricked by some scoundrel from Petersburg. But, in order to exonerate himself for such a miscalculation, he, following the rest of the officials, lashes out at Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky with abuse.
All the charitable institutions of the city are under the command of Artemy Filippovich Strawberry. But only the surname turned out to be sweet for this person. This official is stupid, greedy and cowardly. But in the intricacies of the state "service", like the mayor, he understands perfectly, because it is Strawberry that proposes, under a "plausible pretext", to give Khlestakov money and teaches how to do it "correctly". The hero himself takes bribes and does not hide it: for example, he directly tells Lyapkin-Tyapkin that it is prescribed to feed the sick with oatmeal soup, while in his hospitals it smells of nothing but cabbage. The official does not care at all that people in his institutions are constantly dying (“They are recovering like flies,” he says, not embarrassed, to Khlestakov). He lives with firm conviction that if it pleases, the person will recover, and if not, then he will die anyway. At the same time, Strawberry is a mean person. So, when meeting with an imaginary auditor, he is talking about local officials speaks about the caretaker educational institutions as a freethinker and offers to write a denunciation against him.
Quite speaking surname and from the private bailiff Stepan Ilyich Ukhovertov, as well as the policeman Derzhimorda. Only by the names of these characters it is already possible to judge what methods they prefer to use in the service.
The name of Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin also speaks quite eloquently about him. Litigation and documents for him - a dark matter. Ammos Fedorovich bluntly states that even if any auditor looks into the papers, he will not understand anything in them, since he has been in this position for so many years, and still does not understand everything. Lyapkin-Tyapkin, like all city officials, is a bribe taker. But, being a lover of dog hunting, he takes bribes with greyhound puppies, and therefore does not consider this a bribe.
Postmaster Ivan Kuzmich Shpekin is a very stupid and naive person. He calls his position "a pleasant pastime." This character without a twinge of conscience opens the letters of the townspeople, and collects the most interesting ones. Therefore, Gogol, with great irony, depicts his embarrassment when the mayor invites him to read letters in order to find a report, and also at the moment when Shpekin brings Khlestakov's exposing letter.
Thus, the differences between officials are negligible. They all take bribes, not considering it a crime, they are all indifferent to their official duties, rude to subordinates, curry favor with superiors in rank. All of them consider themselves the masters of the city, who can decide its fate and the fate of its inhabitants at their own discretion.
In his comedy N.V. Gogol paints a picture of the degradation of the Russian bureaucracy. With amazing subtlety and skill, the author managed to depict each image, which, without losing individual originality, at the same time was typical phenomenon of that era.
satirical image officials in Gogol's comedy "The Government Inspector"
Gogol's comedy "The Government Inspector" is one of the most striking dramatic works Russian literature of the X|X century. The author continued the traditions of the Russian satirical drama, the foundations of which were laid in the famous comedies Fonvizin "Undergrowth" and Griboyedov "Woe from Wit". Comedy is deep realistic work, showing the world of small and medium-sized provincial bureaucracy in Russia in the second quarter of the nineteenth century.
When describing this world, N.V. Gogol made extensive use of the literary devices at his disposal, allowing him to characterize his characters most fully, doing this in an entertaining and easily accessible form for the viewer and reader.
Having opened the very first page of the comedy and found out that, for example, the name of a private bailiff is Ukhovertov, and county doctor- 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 a bribe taker, he behaves very respectably”, Anna Andreevna: “Half brought up on novels and albums, half on chores in her pantry and maiden room”, Khlestakov: “Without a king in his head. He speaks and acts without any consideration” , Osip: "Servant, such as servants of a few older years usually are", Lyapkin-Tyapkin: "A person who has read five or six books, and therefore is somewhat freethinking." Postmaster: "A simple-minded man to the point of naivety."
Speech portraits are also given in Khlestakov's letters to St. Petersburg to his friend Tryapichkin. For example, Strawberry, in the words of Khlestakov, is "a perfect pig in a yarmulke."
These portraits are revealed more fully in the speech characteristics of the characters. A respectable mayor and the conversation is solid and measured: "right", "so this is the circumstance", "complete, complete you!". The provincial coquette Anna Andreevna is fussy and unrestrained; her speech is abrupt and expressive: "Who is this? This, however, is annoying! Who would it be?" Khlestakov, by the way, in his manner of speaking is somewhat similar to Anna Andreevna: the same abundance of exclamations, chaotic, abrupt speech: "I, brother, am not of that kind! I advise you ..."; the same drawing: "And your eyes are better than important things ...".
Main literary device. which is used by N.V. Gogol's comic portrayal of an official is a hyperbole. As an example of the application of this technique, the author can also 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 with 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 plot action develops, starting with the scene of Khlestakov's story about his life in St. Petersburg, the hyperbole is replaced by the grotesque. Blinded by fear for their future, the officials clutch at Khlestakov like a straw, the city merchants and the townsfolk are not able to appreciate all the absurdity of what is happening, and the absurdities pile up one on top of the other: here is the non-commissioned officer who "whipped herself", and Bobchinsky asking to be brought to his attention imperial majesty that "Pyotr Ivanovich Bobchinsky lives in such and such a city," and much more.
The climax and the denouement immediately following it come abruptly, cruelly. Khlestakov's letter gives such a simple and even banal explanation that at this moment it looks to Gorodnichy, for example, much more implausible than all Khlestakov's fantasies. A few words should be said about the image of the Governor. 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 kind of pig snouts instead of faces, but nothing else ...” “What are you laughing at? laughing at yourself! .." - he throws in the face of officials and into the hall. Endowing the Governor with sarcasm. Gogol makes him more human and thus elevates him above the rest of the comedy characters.
A silent scene: the inhabitants of a provincial town, mired in bribes, drunkenness, and gossip, stand as if struck by thunder. But here comes a cleansing thunderstorm that will wash away the dirt, punish vice and reward virtue. In this scene, Gogol reflected his belief in the justice of the highest authority, thereby scourging, in the words of Nekrasov, "little thieves for the pleasure of big ones." It must be said that the pathos of the silent scene does not fit in with the general spirit of a brilliant comedy.
The comedy "Inspector General" immediately became one of the most popular dramatic works of that time and was a harbinger of Ostrovsky's dramatic works. Tsar Nicholas 1 said this about her: "Everyone here got it, but I - most of all."
N. V. Gogol's comedy "The Government Inspector" is one of the most striking dramatic works Russian literature XIX century. The author continued the traditions of Russian satirical drama, the foundations of which were laid in the comedies of Fonvizin "Undergrowth" and Griboedov's "Woe from Wit".
The comedy "Inspector General" is a deeply realistic work, which reflects the vices of the landowner-bureaucratic system of Russia in the thirties of the XIX century. important place in the system of comedy characters, officials occupy the county town. This is a collective, generalized image, deduced satirically, because it includes everything negative in political system Russia of that time. In the "Author's Confession" the writer pointed out that he "decided to collect in one heap all the bad things in Russia, which he then knew, all the injustices." Gogol decided to generalize in the planned comedy the most striking vices of contemporary state government.
The author, with his comedy, approved a new idea in Russian literature - not the performers, but the laws themselves, the whole way of the existing system, are to blame for what the work of the great master told about.
So, the Mayor justifies his sins with the words: "I'm not the first, I'm not the last, everyone does this."
The main place among the officials of the county town is given to Gorodnichiy - Anton Antonovich Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky. Gogol in "Remarks for gentlemen actors" gave essential characteristics of each of the main actors of the comedy. So, the author characterizes Gorodnichiy: “Although he is a bribe-taker, he behaves respectably.” This image is revealed more fully in the speech characteristics of the character himself. A solid hero and the conversation is solid, measured. He is generated by the environment, and brought up by it. Mayor - the image of the whole state power contemporary Gogol Russia. He knows that he is a sinner, he goes to church, he thinks that he is firm in the faith, he is thinking of repenting someday. But the temptation is great for him not to miss that "what floats in his hands." With the arrival of the auditor, deceiving himself, he hopes to become a general. By endowing the hero with natural weaknesses, the author makes him more human and thus elevates him above the rest of the characters in the play. At the moment of insight, he throws in the face of officials and into the hall: “I don’t see anything: I see some kind of pig snouts instead of faces, but nothing else ...”, “What are you laughing at? Laugh at yourself!”
Judge Ammos Fedorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin is no less sinful in bribes. He is preoccupied with himself and his mind, and is an atheist only because in this field there is scope to "show himself." He has a great passion for canine hunting. We can judge the cultural level of the character by the author's remark: "A person who has read five or six books and therefore is somewhat freethinking." The collegiate assessor says, "like an old clock that first hisses and then strikes."
The main characters include the court adviser Strawberry. For greater typification, Gogol violates the usual structure of the government of a county town. The position of Strawberry - the trustee of charitable institutions - was only in the provincial cities, and not in the district town described by the author. This is a fat man, "but a thin rogue." He thinks only of how to show himself.
Thus, Luka Lukich Khlopov, superintendent of schools, a titular adviser, “is frightened by frequent revisions and reprimands for no one knows why,” “is very helpful and fussy.” The post of court adviser and postmaster is Ivan Kuzmich Shpekin. This is a simple-minded person to the point of naivety and stupidity, looking at life as a collection of interesting stories which he reads in the letters he prints.
Among the officials of the county town, a prominent place is occupied by Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov, a petty official from St. Petersburg, who follows his father's call to his village. This is a stupid, frivolous collegiate registrar, "about twenty-three years old", "as they say, without a king in his head." Words from this mouth young man"take off completely unexpectedly."
He became a significant person thanks to the universal force of fear that gripped officials before retribution for their sins. He lies skillfully and believes in his own lies, wanting to show off in front of the complacently listening to him county officials. Gogol himself considered the role of Khlestakov the most difficult in comedy.
The minor characters of the comedy can also be attributed to the number of officials of the county town. These are honorary citizens, retired officials: Korobkin, Lyulyukov, Rastakovskiy.
The number of officials in the "Inspector" is not limited only actors. They also include minor characters. Real Auditor from St. Petersburg, an assessor in court, Andrei Ivanovich Chmykhov, Kostroma and Saratov officials complete the portraits of stage heroes.
The images of officials satirically depicted in The Government Inspector are characterized by common, typical features. This is both the spirit of nepotism (all officials are bound by mutual responsibility), and bribery (“Look, you take it out of order”), in relation to which there is strict subordination, and the attitude towards public service as an opportunity to profit at someone else's expense, and failure to fulfill their direct duties. All officials are characterized by idle pastime, ignorance, low cultural level, a sense of fear of superiors, dismissive attitude to the people. The position of a person in society is determined by rank.
When describing the world of bribe takers and embezzlers of public funds, Gogol used various means of creating images of officials. For example, author's remarks, speech characteristic characters, the actions of heroes, letters from Andrei Ivanovich Chmykhov, in which the image of Gorodnichiy is fully revealed, Khlestakov's letters to Tryapichkin. The semantic characteristics are also contained by the names of the characters in the play: Khlestakov, Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky, Strawberry, Gibner.
In his comedy, Gogol did not bring out a single positive face. the only goodie comedy is laughter, with the help of which the author denounces and ridicules the world of embezzlers, devoid of conscience and any responsibility.
The images of officials presented in the comedy by N.V. Gogol play important role in the disclosure of the ideological and artistic intent of the author. With their help, the playwright denounces not only the officials of the county town, but the entire bureaucratic system of Russia.
IMAGE OF OFFICIALS. Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, loving Russia with all his heart, could not stand aside, seeing that she was mired in a swamp of corrupt officials, and therefore creates two works that reflect the actual state of the country. One of these works is the comedy The Inspector General, in which Gogol decided to laugh at what is "really worthy of ridicule of the universal." Gogol admitted that in the play he decided to "collect into one heap all the bad things in Russia, all the injustices."
In 1836, the comedy was staged on the St. Petersburg stage and was a huge success. Gogol's play, which touched upon all the living questions of our time, evoked the most contradictory responses. Reactionary circles were afraid of the influence of the work on public opinion. She had political sense. The advanced circles perceived the "Inspector General" as a formidable accusation of Nikolaev Russia. Gogol created a deeply truthful comedy, imbued with sharp humor, denouncing the bureaucratic system of imperial Russia.
A small, provincial town, where arbitrariness reigns and there is not even a police order, where the authorities form a corporation of swindlers and robbers, is perceived as a symbol of the entire Nikolaev system. The epigraph - “There is nothing to blame on the mirror if the face is crooked” - is a generalizing, accusatory meaning of the “Inspector General”. The whole structure of the play made it clear that the provincial town, from which, as the mayor said, “even if you ride for three years, you won’t reach any state,” is only part of a huge bureaucratic whole. The reactionaries shouted that the plot was implausible, considering it unrealistic that such a grated kalach as a mayor could mistake a squandered tavern dandy, "icicle", "rag" for an auditor. But such cases were not uncommon. Pushkin was also mistaken for an auditor in Nizhny Novgorod.
The development of the plot is repelled by the intimidation of officials. Khlestakov is taken for a high rank because he "does not pay and does not go." The mayor gives Khlestakov a bribe and rejoices that he was able to give, which means that he is “his own”, that is, the same bribe-taker. The picture of general fraud, bribery and arbitrariness is visible through the remarks of officials (the sick are starved, the soldiers under uniforms do not have not only underwear, but even shirts, they drank and ate the money collected for the church. They decided to announce that the church was built, but it burned down). All officials are the offspring of an age-old bureaucratic system, none of them feel their civic duty, each is busy with his own insignificant interests, their spiritual and moral level is extremely low. Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin does not look at the papers, because he cannot make out what is true and what is false. Years of red tape and bribes - such is the court in this city. The rogue and rogue Strawberry is also a scammer, he denounces his colleagues to the imaginary auditor (denunciations under Nicholas I were in great use). Khlopov, the superintendent of schools, is a frightened creature: he believed that stupid teachers are more useful, because they are harmless and will not allow free thought. In the background are merchants, artisans, police officers - all of county Russia.
The typicality of Gogol's characters is that there will be city governors and lords under any regime. In depicting the characters, the playwright develops the traditions of Griboyedov and Pushkin. The Inspector General still does not leave the stages of our theaters.
The plot of Dead Souls, like the plot of The Inspector General, was suggested to Gogol by Pushkin. The initial desire “... to show at least one side of all Russia” gradually develops into the idea of “complete composition”, “where there would be more than one thing to laugh at”. And, following the plan, in the center of the poem is not a hero, but an "anti-hero" swindler Chichikov.
Gogol's Chichikov is an unusual image, most likely not an image, but some kind of super-magical power. For almost the entirety of the first volume, he is elusive, both to the police and to the people he has to deal with.
In Gogol's feelings for Chichikov, the attitude of the writer to Russia of that time is embedded. The question is where Russia is coming, which occupied Gogol, all the time forces Chichikov to be immersed in comparative situations, to push the hero against " dead souls". The author builds the poem in two comparative, developing perspectives, depicting dead Russia, the Russia of landowners and officials provincial city, and explores the Russia of the Chichikovs that will replace it.
Russia of the Chichikovs, represented in the poem by one hero, is much more important for understanding the author's condemning laughter. Chichikov's life was not easy. Left early without parental support, our hero was forced to make his way with his mind, manners, courtesy, especially since he did not shine with special talents. Forever remembering his father's testament: "and most of all, take care of a penny, you will break everything with a penny," Chichikov subordinates all his strength to service activities and folding a penny. From the very beginning, Gogol presents his hero in such a way that we cannot say anything concrete about him. “In the britzka sat a gentleman, not handsome, but not bad-looking, neither too fat nor too thin; one cannot say that he is old, but not so that he is young, ”writes Gogol. And in the future, Gogol draws Chichikov in such a way that we cannot understand what this person is. Gogol writes: “The newcomer, as it seemed, avoided talking a lot about himself, and if he spoke, then with some common places, and with marked modesty. The only way the author animates his hero is the feeling of fear inherent in every person. Perhaps only Nozdryov arbitrarily guesses about the essence of Chichikov, because he himself is a scoundrel. “After all, you are a big swindler, let me tell you this out of friendship. If I were your boss, then I would hang you on the first tree, ”Nozdryov shouts joyfully. Both Nozdrev and Chichikov are adventurers, only the scope is different.
Greed ruined Chichikov, and one day Pavel Ivanovich was left without a position, without a capital of five hundred thousand, without what already promised him success. good trait Chichikov is the ability not to lose heart. His life philosophy boils down to the principle: "Hooked - dragged, broke - do not ask." Already these small strokes of Chichikov's portrait indicate that he was an outstanding personality, broad in plans and sincere in adventure. Vast experience gained over for a long time services, especially experience in the knowledge of human souls, an irresistible passion for the accumulation of funds, did not allow the hero to fall into despair after the collapse, but, on the contrary, almost implement the “brilliant idea” that visited Chichikov in his days of despondency. Fraudulent operation with "dead souls" promised a solid capital.
Chichikov is an excellent psychologist, thanks to this he surpasses all the landlords of the city of N. in their essential features: Manilova - in projecting and courtesy, Nozdryova - in the sophistication of fantasy, Sobakevich - in stinginess and individualism, Plyushkin - in "bright greed". Chichikov, as it were, acts simultaneously as Manilov, Nozdrev, Sobakevich and Plyushkin in their general features.
The "stumbling block" of Chichikov was Korobochka, who surpassed Pal Ivanych in stupidity and "clubhead". Who would have guessed that - "the devil will pull her" to come to the city to inquire about the price of a dead soul!
Meanness "attracted" meanness and "choked" in meanness. Chichikov is defeated. One would like to notice: if I knew where you would stumble, you would lay a straw! Nevertheless, the hero's sociability, grasp and incredible instinct cannot always tell him "thin places", because in vast Russia it is often impossible to figure out where one ends and another begins. The bourgeois era, ripening in the depths of landlord Russia, helped Chichikov acquire features that were different from other heroes. Therefore, to the expression "Chichikov is a business owner", one could add - "in Russian conditions."
"Dear scoundrel" Chichikov still remains such, no matter how business qualities he neither possessed. And although many say that Chichikov is a nice fellow, he will not cease to be a businessman - a concept that has always been invested in Russia negative meaning. That is why, together with Gogol, we feel a slight sadness every time we meet Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, at the same time sympathizing with his optimism and condemning the subject of the hero’s passion - money, which makes him a scoundrel.
So, Gogol shows the world of social vices. But not only they excite the writer. Abuses of officials are most often ridiculous, insignificant and absurd. “You take it not according to your rank” - this is what is considered a sin in this world. But it is the “vulgarity of everything as a whole”, and not the size of the criminal acts, that horrifies readers. “The amazing mire of trifles,” as Gogol writes in the poem, has swallowed up modern man. Tragic is the denouement in The Inspector and Dead souls”, because the ghostly goals that the heroes strive for dissolve like smoke, like an obsession. The city of Gogol is a symbolic, "prefabricated city of the entire dark side". And yet there is a light here. This is laughter, laughter that should heal the soul.
