The government inspector

Plot summary
The corrupt officials of a small Russian town, headed by the Mayor, react with
terror to the news that an incognito inspector (the revizor) will soon be arriving
in their town to investigate them. The flurry of activity to cover up their
considerable misdeeds is interrupted by the report that a suspicious person
has arrived two weeks previously from Saint Petersburg and is staying at the
inn. That person, however, is not an inspector; it is Khlestakov, a foppish civil
servant with a wild imagination.
Having learned that Khlestakov has been charging his considerable hotel bill
to the Crown, the Mayor and his crooked cronies are immediately certain that
this upper class twit is the dreaded inspector. For quite some time, however,
Khlestakov does not even realize that he has been mistaken for someone
else. Meanwhile, he enjoys the officials' terrified deference and moves in as a
guest in the Mayor's house. He also demands and receives massive "loans"
from the Mayor and all of his associates. He also flirts outrageously with the
Mayor's wife and daughter.
Sick and tired of the Mayor's outrageous demands for bribes, the village's
Jewish and Old Believer merchants arrive, begging Khlestakov to have him
dismissed from his post. Stunned at the Mayor's rapacious corruption,
Khlestakov states that he deserves to be exiled in chains to Siberia. Then,
however, he pockets still more "loans" from the merchants, promising to
comply with their request.
Terrified that he is now undone, the Mayor pleads with Khlestakov not to have
him arrested, only to learn that the latter has become engaged to his
daughter. Khlestakov, however, announces that he is returing to St.
Petersburg, having been persuaded by his valet that it is too dangerous to
continue the charade any longer.
After Khlestakov and his valet depart on a coach driven by the village's
fastest horses, the Mayor's friends all arrive to congratulate him. Certain that
he now has the upper hand, he summons the merchants, boasting of his
daughter's engagement and vowing to squeeze them for every kopeck they
are worth. However, the Postmaster suddenly arrives carrying an intercepted
letter which reveals Khlestakov's true identity and mocking opinion of them
all.
The Mayor, after years of bamboozling Governors and shaking down
criminals of every description, is enraged to have been thus humiliated. He
screams at his cronies, stating that they, not himself, are to blame. While they
1

continue arguing, a message arrives from the real Government Inspector,

who is demanding to see the Mayor immediately.
Characters
Anna Andreyevna
Anna Andreyevna is the governors wife. In his notes on the characters,
Gogol describes her as still tolerably young, and a provincial coquette, who
displays now and then a vain disposition. Her concern with appearance is
indicated by the stage direction that she changes her dress four times
during the play. The governors wife flirts shamelessly with Hlestakov. When
he informs her of his engagement to Marya, she approves, imagining the
benefits she will enjoy in Saint Petersburg as a result of the marriage.
Bobchinsky
Bobchinsky, along with his brother Dobchinsky, is a landowner in the town. In
his notes describing the characters, Gogol states that the brothers are
remarkably like each other. They are both short, fat, and inquisitive. . . wear
short waistcoats, and speak rapidly, with an excessive amount of
gesticulation. Gogol distinguishes them by noting that Dobchinsky is the
taller and steadier, Bobchinsky the more free and easy, of the pair.
Dobchinsky
Dobchinsky, along with his brother Bobchinsky, is a landowner in the town. It
is Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky who first see Hlestakov at the inn and mistake
him for the government inspector. They immediately run to tell the governor
that the government inspector has arrived, thus initiating the case of mistaken
identity that propels the entire play.
The Governor
The governor of the town has the most to fear from the arrival of the
government inspector because he has the most power of anyone in the town
and is the most corrupt. In his notes on the characters, Gogol describes the
governor as a man who has grown old in the state service, who wears an
air of dignified respectability, but is by no means incorruptible. When
Hlestakov announces that he has become engaged to the governors
daughter, the governor immediately indulges himself in fantasies of the
luxurious, high status life he will enjoy in Saint Petersburg as a result.

Hlestakov
Hlestakov, also spelled Khlestakov, is a young man of about twenty-three. He
is a government clerk of the lowest rank and is traveling through the small
town accompanied by his servant, Ossip. Hlestakov has lost all of his money
gambling and is unable to pay his food and lodging bill at the inn. The people
of the town mistake him for the government inspector, who was set to arrive
there incognito to check up on the workings of the local government.
Hlestakov at first thinks the governor intends to arrest and imprison him for
not paying his bill but eventually realizes that he is being treated as an
honored guest of the town. Hlestakov makes the most of this opportunity,
weaving elaborate lies about his life in Saint Petersburg, gorging himself at a
feast they have provided, milking the local government officials for all of the
bribery money he can, and offering a false proposal of marriage to the
governors daughter. Hlestakov leaves town just before a letter posted to his
friend and revealing his chicanery is intercepted and read by the towns
postmaster who brings it before the governor. By this time, Hlestakov is far
gone; he is out of reach of any revenge that the townspeople may have
wished to exact upon him. Gogol insisted that the character of Hlestakov is
not calculatingly deceitful but an opportunist, merely making the most of the
case of mistaken identity into which he has fallen.
Marya
Marya is the governors daughter. She and her mother rush to the inn to meet
the reputed government inspector. She responds to Hlestakovs flirtations and
accepts his marriage proposal. Hlestakov, however, flees the town, telling her
that he will return in several days to get her, but he has no intention
whatsoever of doing so or of following up on his proposal.
Ossip
Ossip is Hlestakovs servant. Gogol describes him as a middle-aged man
who is fond of arguing and lecturing his master. Gogol notes that Ossip is
cleverer than Hlestakov and sees things quicker. Ossip muses aloud to
himself, informing the audience of Hlestakovs true identity and destitute
financial circumstances. Ossip wisely hurries Hlestakov out of the town as
soon as possible, fearing that his deception will soon be found out.
Postmaster
The postmaster is described as an artless simpleton. He abuses his station
by opening and reading the letters of others, occasionally keeping those that
he finds most interesting. His role is minor, but key to the plot, because he
intercepts Hlestakovs letter to his friend, which reveals that Hlestakov is not
the government inspector.
3

ACT ONE
Act one opens in a room in the Mayor's house. The furnishings reveals lack
of taste. There is a sofa, a table and numerous chairs. It is morning .When
the curtain rises, we see the judge, the Charity Commissioner , and the
School Superintendent waiting anxiously. Enter the Mayor in uniform; the
. judge rises at once and all three pay respectful attention
The Mayor greets them and tells them that he has very unpleasant news for
them . He has received a letter from a friend in Petersburg warning him
against the arrival of an Inspector General to inspect everything in their
district . The Inspector is traveling in disguise . He tells him that he has got
that news from an absolutely trustworthy source . He warns him to put
everything right and in good order if he wants to keep what he swims in
. ( what he has in hand )
The Mayor is a superstitious man . He tells them about the dream he had the
night before. He saw 2 huge black rats coming to him, sniffing him and going
away. The judge , Charity and Commissioner and School Superintendent
express their surprise and they all wonder about the reason for such a visit .
They wonder why the people in authority in Petersburg should care for them .
Each one of them gives a reason for the arrival of that Inspector. The judge
believes that there is a political reason that visit. Russia is going to war , and
the ministry has sent this man to find out if there is treason anywhere. Indeed
they are far away from Petersburg , but the authorities know everything that's
. going on everywhere . They don't miss a thing
The Mayor ridicules this explanation and adds that their district is not a
frontier . It is so far away from the nearest boarder that you can gallop from
here for three years and not reach a foreign country . He says that the reason
for that visit is not important , but the result of the visit that worries him
much .The Mayor in a businesslike now asks every one of them to be careful
and take all the necessary steps to make everything seem in order . He
starts with the charity Commissioner , and asks him to make sure that the
hospital looks decent . He should get some clean nightcaps and bedclothes ,
instead of the dirty ones . He should clean the patients as well because they
. look like chimney sweepers
He also asks him to put a sign over each bed in order to distinguish the
patients. And ask the doctor to register the names of patients in Latin and
when they are admitted , their diseases, and so on . And make the patients
stop smoking that filthy tobacco for a while , it makes him choke whenever he
visits the hospital. And to get rid of some of the patients , there are too many .
If the Inspector sees such a big number , he'll think the doctor doesn't know
. his business
4

The CC. explains his philosophy about medicines and patients , he says that
he and the doctor have the same idea. They believe that the more natural
their treatment is the better. They don't bother with expensive medicines !
These patients are very simple people ! If they die , well , they die !If they get
better , they get better. And it would really be very difficult for Hiebner ( the
doctor) to talk to them .He's a very good doctor , but he doesn't know a word
of Russian ! The Mayor then turns to the judge and tells him to do something
about the filthy state of the courthouse , the offices and the waiting room .
The porter keeps geese and goslings in the waiting rooms , and everywhere .
They make the place smell . The judge should also clean the offices that are
full of all kinds of rubbish . He asks the judge to remove the skins of animals
that are hanging up to dry and the whips and other hunting gears for a while
until the Inspector is gone then to put them back if he wishes . He asks the
judge to make his clerk eat onions or something else prescribed by the doctor
. so as to clear the nasty smell of the vodka he drinks all the time
He then draws the Judge's attention to his sins , taking bribes from people .
The Judge defends himself that he only takes little bribes while other people
take expensive fur coats for their wives . ( Here he refers to the Mayor himself
who admits receiving fur coats as bribes , but says that although he receives
such bribes , he goes to church on Sundays ). The Judge prides in himself for
, at least his opinions are his own . He is a man who thinks for himself . The
. Mayor says that sometimes much thinking is worse than none at all
The Mayor turns to Luka Lukiitch, the School Superintendent and asks him
to superintend the teachers whose behaviour is most peculiar . He complains
that one of them is always looking dull and unpleasant. He is afraid that if the
Inspector should see that teacher , he may put him in a very bad mood .
Another teacher teaches the boys godless beliefs and ideas . A third one , the
history teacher goes too far with enthusiasm while explaining the battles of
Alexander the Great that he damages government properties ( breaks chairs )
The Postmaster comes in and says that he believes they are going to war
with the Turks .The Mayor takes the Postmaster aside and tells him that there
may be some secret denunciation (complaints against him) of him , that's why
they have sent Inspector General to investigate the matter . He asks the
Postmaster to open all the letters that pass through the post office , and read
them , if there are no denunciation , he should reseal them again and send
them off . The Postmaster assures him he knows what to do as he has
always done it before . The Mayor asks him to keep his eyes open , if he
. should know anything , he should inform him
The door bell rings and the all jump with fright. Enter two country landlords ,
Dob and Bob, They are both excited and confused . They have a very
surprising piece of news . While they were in the inn they saw a man who
5

seemed very official . Asking the innkeeper , they know that the young man is
a civil servant traveling from Petersburg to his family in Saratov. His name is
Hlestakov , and he behaves very strangely. He's been in the inn for 2 weeks ,
shows no signs of going , takes everything on credit , and doesn't pay for
anything . They add that that man must be the Inspector General that is
. mentioned in the letter received by the Mayor
The Mayor says that he can't be their man , but Dob andBob assure him it
is the same man as he doesn't go away. He pays no money . And he has an
official order for post-horses to Saratov. The Mayor expresses his anger, the
man has been there for two weeks inspecting everything. He decides to go
alone and see him . He says that young men are easier to handle than old
. men
The Judge, The CC. the SS all leave to put everything in order. The Mayor
stays behind . He asks the constable about his companion , but the answer is
shocking . The other constable is not on duty because he is dead drunk .He
gives orders to clean the streets near the inn .The police Superintendent
arrives and discusses with the Mayor the arrangements he has taken. He has
sent the watchmen to sweep the pavements. The Mayor asks him to put a tall
constable on the bridge , to put up good appearance and to pull down a fence
as quickly as possible , and cover it with markers to give the impression that it
is going to be destroyed to the ground . His philosophy is that the more
pulling down you can arrange the better , it shows the town authorities are
. active
He asks the Police Superintendent to order his men if this Inspector asks
any of them if he is contented ,the answer should be yes . If anyone asks why
the hospital chapel hasn't been built yet though that have had the money for it
five years ago , he should answer saying they have begun building it , but
was burnt down . The shoulders shouldn't run about in the streets half-naked .
. Then the all go out . The Mayor's wife and daughter come running in
Anna , The Mayor's wife blames her daughter for taking such a long time
putting make up and standing in front of the mirror . Anna is very anxious to
know everything about the Inspector General ; what he looks like , if he has a
mustache, and if he is handsome . She orders her maid to run after the cab
and try to find everything that is happening. He should find out the colour of
.the Inspector's eyes, and if he has a mustache and come back quickly
The dialogue between mother and daughter shows the triviality of both of
them. They always argue about silly things such as what to wear and how the
General Inspector looks, whether he has a mustache or not and so on. We
also get to know that Marya, the Mayor's daughter is fond of the postmaster
but her mother says that he doesn't return that admiration. He only pretends
to care about her while he really doesn't

: COMMENTARY ON ACT ONE

Through act one we find out that the Mayor as well as the official staff of the
country town are all corrupted in one way or the other .Corruption is
everywhere and everybody wants to cover up. That's why they are all worried
and anxious when they hear about the unexpected visit of the General
.Inspector
The Mayor himself takes bribes, fur coats and expensive things. The judge
takes bribes and shuts his eyes to what goes on in his courthouse. The clerk
breeds geese and goslings in the waiting room and he always smells of
vodka. The court records are not kept safely and the Judge's own hunting
. gears are mixed up with paper
The hospital is filthy, the patients look like chimney sweepers . They are not
given any medicines. The wards ( patients' rooms ) are crowded with them .
There are no proper records about the patients , their names , what they
. suffer from, when they were admitted and so on
The teachers of the school are not any better , one teacher is grimace
and always shows funny faces, another fills the young heads with Godless
ideas and gets hot headed and breaks government property ( chairs )
The constable steals silver spoons and takes more material for his uniform
than his rank entitles him . The fund for building a hospital chapel was stolen
and it was never built . The streets are filthy , the soldiers run about half
naked in the streets. The employees are all drunk most of the time . The
postmaster is dishonest , he opens all the letters , reads them and reseals
. them
: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
In the opening act, The Mayor as well as all the officials are dead worried. -1
Discuss
Act one opens in the house of the Mayor. All the town officials, the Judge ,
Charity Commissioner and the School Superintendent are waiting very
worriedly and anxiously for the Mayor. He has hurriedly sent for them, and
they don't know why. As for the Mayor he seems very worried and distressed.
As he explains to them he has received a letter from his friend in Petersburg
warning him of the arrival of a general Inspector in disguise to inspect his
district and as he knows everything in town is in disorder. So the friend warns
the Mayor to take all the necessary precautions to put everything in order if
. he wants to keep what is in hand
and I hasten to warn you that an official is comi9ng to inspect the whole ."-2
. province especially our district" Comment
That was mentioned in the letter that the Mayor had received from his friend in Petersburg warning him against the arrival of a general Inspector to inspect
the whole province and especially their district. The friend wanted the Mayor
to be careful and do his best so as to cover up for the wrongs and sins in his
district, if he wanted to keep what he swam in ( if he wanted to keep what he
had in hand )
7

? What sort of corruption is there in the hospital -3

We find in the hospital all sorts of corruption ,the nightcaps and bed clothes are all worn out. There are lots of dirty patients who all look like chimney
sweepers. The patients aren't given any medicines as nobody cares about
their lives. They are even allowed to go around the hospital smoking filthy
tobacco. The doctor who is responsible for them doesn't speak Russian. The
wards are crowded with patients and there are no records for the patients,
with their names, the diseases they suffer from, when they are admitted and
. such things
What instructions were given to the Charity Commissioner concerning -4
? the arrangements to be done
The CC. Was ordered to get some clean night caps and bed clothes and to put a sign over each bed with the name of the patient, what he suffers from,
and when he was admitted. He was also asked to get rid of some patient so
as to give impression that the doctor knows his job. Patients should be
.cleaned and should be ordered to stop smoking that filthy tobacco
Why, it must be fate. Up to now, God has been good to us. They have "-5
pried into other towns, we never had anything like this. Comment
These words were said by the Mayor to the School Superintendent when the later asked him about the reason for the General Inspector's visit to their
district. The Mayor believed that it was fate, it was their turn to receive such a
.visit as many other towns had been subject to such inspecting visits before
? Mention the reason that each one gave for the Inspector's arrival -6
The Mayor said that they had inspected other towns and that it was their turn or may be because some one had written something against him to the
ministry and so they sent this inspector to investigate the matter. The Judge
and the Postman suggested that Russia was going to war and so the Ministry
.had sent the inspector to find out if there was treason anywhere
I believe there is some deep, far-reaching political reason for this " "-7
. Comment
The Judge said these words to the Mayor when they were discussing the reason for the General Inspector's visit to their district. The Judge believed
that it wasn't just a routine inspecting visit, but there must be a secret political
reason for it, but the Mayor saw otherwise. He contradicted the judge and
.didn't agree with that opinion
You could gallop from here for three years and not reach a foreign "-8
. country ." Comment
The Mayor was discussing with his officials the reason for sending a General Inspector to their province .The judge said that the inspector must
have been sent for some political reason. Russia must be going to war
8

against Turkey and the ministry was sending that inspector to see if there was
treason anywhere .The Mayor gave the above statement meaning that it was
impossible to send an inspector for that reason as their district was far away
. from any foreign country
The Charity Commissioner and the doctor have a philosophy about -9
. giving out medicines. Explain
They believe that the more natural their treatment is the better. They don't bother with expensive medicines ! These patients are very simple people! If
they die, well, they die !If they get better even without being giving any
. medicines
The conversation between the Mayor and the Judge about corruption -10
. in the court house reveals more about their characters. Discuss
During the conversation between them , the Mayor was telling the Judge what should be done to clean the court house and put every thing in good
order. He was drawing the Judge's attention to his sins; taking bribes from
people when the Judge began to defend himself .He said that he only
.received little bribes while others received expensive fur coats for their wives
What are the wrongs that we find in the court house? And what -11
? arrangements should the judge make
The judge takes bribes and the court house smells very bad because the porter breeds poultry in the waiting-rooms. The offices are full of all kinds of
rubbish. One of the clerks smells vodka .The Mayor asked the Judge to get
. the court records in order
? What corruption is found in the school-12
The teachers behave in a most peculiar manner. One teacher is always making faces. Another one , the history teacher, teaches the students godless
. ideas . He always breaks the chairs and no one understands him
? How did the Mayor criticize the teachers -13
He believed that the teachers were highly educated people, but they behaved in a very strange way. One of them was making ugly faces. The
history teacher broke chairs during explaining. A teacher put godless ideas
. into the students' heads
What did the Mayor ask the Postmaster to do as a favour for him ? -14
? What was the latter's answer
The mayor asked the Postmaster to open every letter and read it. If there was nothing against him , he could reseal it and send it. But if there was any
complaint against him, he must keep it back. The Postmaster said that this
wasn't something new for him to do as he had been doping this for years. Not
. as a precaution but for fun
9

. Give an example to show the dishonesty of the Postmaster -15

He is mean and dishonest. He opens all the letters coming in or going out of town. He reads them after which he reseals them again. He knows many
.secrets about the people of the town
What made Bob and Dob believe that the young man, they saw at the -16
? inn is the Government Inspector
Bob and Dob believed the young man whom they saw at the inn is the
Government Inspector as he has been there for two weeks and shows no
signs of caring, pays no money, has an official order for Posthorses to
Saratov. He is so observant. He looks at everything even though they were
. eating salmon and even inspected their plates
?How was Constable involved in corruption according to the Mayor's story -17

According to the Mayors story's Constable was involved in a lot of corruption. First of all he was seen stealing silver spoons and hiding them in his boot,
. secondly he took more cloth for his uniform than his rank entitled him
What did the Mayor want Constable Poogovitsin do to put up good -18
? appearance
The Mayor wanted the tall Constable, to stand on the bridge to put up appearance. He also ordered that a fence should be pulled down to give the
.impression that the town authorities were active and hard at work
What orders did the Mayor give to the police Superintendent -19
? concerning the improvement that should be done
The Mayor ordered the Police Superintendent to order the watchmen to sweep the streets. To put a tall constable on the bridge, put poles with
markers as if it was all going to be leveled. If the Inspector asks any of the
police, "Are you contented?" They must say that they are very happy. If
anyone asks why the hospital chapel hasn't been built that they got the funds
. for five years ago, the answer is that it was begun but it got burnt down
? Why was Anna ( The Mayor's wife) angry with her daughter Marya -20
Anna was angry with her daughter, Marya because she took a long time getting dressed and standing in front of the mirror and so the Mayor left
. before Anna could get any news about the Inspector

10

ACT II SCENE ONE

The scene is in a small, poorly furnished room at the inn. Yosif, the servant
of Hlestakov, the traveler who is mistaken for a government inspector is lying
on his master's bed. He is starving, so he is complaining about his master's
behaviour. Through that monologue we learn a lot about Hlestakov and about
.his character. Yosif mocks his master's behaviour and criticizes him severely
Hlestakov is a junior copying clerk in the civil service. He left Petersburg
two months ago on his way to Saratov where his family lived. He wasted all
.the money his father had sent him and became penniless
Hlestakov was very showy. He behaved in a self-important manner and
was a big mouth. Whenever he got money he went to the best hotels and
ordered the best food, bought the most expensive clothes, entertained
himself in luxurious places. Besides, he used to play cards and was a big
. loser
Naturally, as long as he had money, people were nice to him and treated
him in an honorable way. Once he had spent the last penny he owned and
couldn't pay the bill, the inn's landlord refused to serve him any meal until he
. would pay
The landlord threatened Hlestakov that he would complain to the Mayor
and the police and send him to prison. Finally, the landlord agrees to serve
him a poor dinner that served for low-class customers. After Hlestakov had
.had his dinner, Yosif announced the arrival of the Mayor
A misunderstanding took place. Hlestakov thought that the Mayor had
come to investigate the landlord's complaint and take him to prison. On the
other hand the Mayor treated him all the time as if he were the Government
.Inspector. Both began to defend themselves
The Mayor defended himself saying that his salary was not even enough
for the tea and sugar. He said that he was obliged to take bribes, only little
bribes that did nobody harm. He also said that his enemies were behind all
those lies about him. He added that he lived daily in great danger of being
.killed at the hands of his enemies
The Mayor thought it would be a nice idea to offer him some money
claiming that he wanted to help him in his financial difficulty. Hlestakov
.accepted immediately
The Mayor imagined that Hlestakov preferred to remain disguised, so he
acted as if he didn't know who he was. Hlestakov told him about himself and
his father who wanted him to live in the country. He also told him how he
.hated living among peasants, away from Petersburg
The Mayor thought Hlestakov was a big liar, but he agreed to all what he
said. Further he invited him to stay in a room in his house, with better
condition than the one in the inn. He also invited him to tourist some of the
public and private institutions in the town. They both agreed to visit the
.charitable institution

11

In the end of the scene, Bob , who had been all been all the time listening at
the key hole, fell down and hurt himself. He was scolded and blamed by the
.Mayor
COMMENTARY
Through criticizing his master, Yosif sheds highlights on the real character
of Hlestakov. He gives us a perfect portrait of his master. The character of the
little government clerk who feels self-important and goes around showing off
and getting himself in trouble by living above his means. That character is to
.be found in many underdeveloped countries
The arrival of the Mayor is the beginning of misunderstanding that results in
very ironic and comic situations. The Mayor has come to the inn believing that
the young traveler is the disguised Government Inspector. He is so frightened
and is thinking of a way to gain him to his side. On the other hand, Hlestakov
is also frightened. He thinks that the Mayor has come to the inn to take him to
. prison
The Mayor only feels relieved when Hlestakov says that he has no money
to pay his bills. The Mayors seizes the chance and offers him money ( a
bribe) . Hlestakov is so glad because that was a good chance for him to get
out of trouble. He gladly accepts the money with a promise to pay it back as
.soon as he gets home
In this Act more lights are thrown on the character of the Mayor. He is not
only a corrupted person, but he is also ready to corrupt all people so as to
gain them to his side . His hypocrisy is clear in this act.He knows well that the
young inspector is telling lies, but he pretends to believe every word he says.
He also claims that inviting the General Inspector to stay in his own house
. comes out of mere generosity not out of hypocrisy
: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
. Yosif does not approve of the way his master behaves . Discuss -1
From Yosif's speech we know that he doesn't approve of his master's way of living. He says that his master can't keep hold of his money. He can spend all
his money in one wee; playing cards, going to the theatre every day, the rest
of the weeks he leads a very poor life and suffers from hunger. He sometimes
.has to sell his clothes in order to have money to pay his bills
? What was Hlestakov complaining about-2
Hlestakov was complaining about the bad treatment he received at the inn, about the bad food. He said that he was not treated with respect like other
travelers. The food was not sufficient, the meat was very hard, the tea tasted
. of fish and the room was damp, dark and full of bugs
What was themisunderstanding that had happened between both -3
? Hlestakov and the Mayor
The Mayor believed that Hlestakov was the Government Inspector so he trteated him with great respect and fear. He apologized for him for the bad
12

treatment he received in the inn .The Mayor confessed his mistakes and little
sins in front of Hlestakov. Hlestakov thought that the Mayor came to take him
to prison according to the inn keeper's complaint. So he started to threaten
them that he would go to the minister to tell him that they didn't respect
. people and treated them badly
? What did the Mayor offer Hlestakov-4
He offered him 200 roubles as a bribe ( though Hlestakov pretended to accept that money only as a loan). He also offered him a room in his house
that is more comfortable and healthier than the room in the in which was
. damp, dark and full of bugs
? What letters did the Mayor send with Dob -5
The Mayor sent two letters with Dob; the first was to the Charity Commissioner warning him of the General Inspector's visit and of course
asking him to take every necessary step to make every thing seem in order.
The second letter was to his wife, Anna informing her of the news that the
General Inspector would be their guest and asking her to prepare the room
with the yellow wall-paper. He told her that they would have dinner at the
hospital and finally asked her to buy some good wine for the distinguished
. guest
ACT II SCENE II
The same room in the Mayor's house; afternoon of the same day. The
. Mayor's wife and daughter are standing by the window just as in act I
The Mayor's wife, Anna is nervous and impatient. She has been waiting
anxiously for a whole hour to know what has happened between her husband
and the General Inspector. She is blaming her daughter and criticizing her
behaviour. She says that Marya wastes too much time in front of the mirror
dressing and putting make up. She accuses her daughter of being silly and
.not obeying her or listening to her remarks
Marya tries to comfort her mother saying that very soon they will know
everything. Again they begin arguing when a man appears at the end of the
street .The daughter says it's Dob, but her mother contradicts her saying that
. he isn't Dob and that she always imagines things
Indeed it's Dob who comes in and gives Anna the note written by her
husband, the Mayor. Anna is anxious and eager. He tells them that the young
man is more than general, and begins to describe the meeting between the
young man and the Mayor. At first the General Inspector was angry and said
that everything in the hotel was bad, but after having a talk with the Mayor he
found out that he( The Mayor) was not to be blamed. Then everything went
well. He accompanied the Mayor to visit the hospital where they would have
. dinner
Ana can hardly wait. She wants to know whether that Inspector is really a
General or not, old or young, fair haired or dark. Dob tells her everything
13

about the young man. He is a young man of about 23 years of age, but he
speaks as wisely as an old man. He is so serious, respectable and elegant.
.He is fond of reading and writing
Dob leaves to catch the Mayor and Hlestakov in the hospital. Anna gets
busy thinking what she and her daughter should wear and how they should
appear before the important guest. Yosif, Hlestakov's servant arrives and is
received by Mishka, the Mayor's servant. Yosif is hungry and can not wait to
dine the good food with his master. He is satisfied with simple plain food.
. Then he is shown to his master's room
Hlestakov enters surrounded by, two constables, the Mayor and other local
officials. Hlestakov is so delighted with the meal ( dinner) he has had in the
hospital. He wonders if the take other tyravellers round and show them the
government institutions and treat them kindly as they did with him. Hlestakov
is impressed by his visit to the hospital but he noticed that there were only
few patients there. The charity Commissioner explained that saying that
thanks to good organization and management patients recover quickly and
. leave the hospital
The Mayor becomes jealous and begins to praise himself as well as the way
he keeps and manages the town. He claims that unlike some other Mayors,
he never expects any reward for his services. On the contrary, making sure
.that the town is well kept is a good reward in itself
Hlestakov then asks about the means of entertainment in town. He
particularly asks about the game of playing cards, but the Mayor's reaction is
. very impulsive. He denies any relationship he might have with playing cards
Anna and Marya enter and the Mayor introduces them to Hlestakov. Both
Anna and Hlestakov have a conversation in which they exchange
compliments. It's obvious that Hlestakov is trying to impress Anna and the
others. He starts to talk about his life at Peterburg and his close relationship
with his boss. He adds that wherever he goes , people recognize him. Bsides,
he claims that he is a great friend to all the pretty actresses as well as the
best and most famous writers. He has even written a few plays because the
theatre managers begged him to do so . Moreover, he goes on saying that he
is paid from the most famous newspapers in return for his services in
.correcting the articles
Although what Hlestakov has said seems unbelievable, Anna approves it all
the way through. In fact, no one dares stop or contradict him. This is why he
goes on with all his lies. He also goes on drinking glass after glass of wine.
He adds that he simply gives his life for literature and that his house is known
.to everybody in Peterburg
Hlestakov also tell them about the luxurious life he leads and the fancy
places he goes to where he meets ministers and ambassadors. Hlestakov
becomes drunk but he continues talking about himself. He tells them how he
has been chosen to take charge of a department and how people begged him
.to accept that position. Even the employees feared his strictness
14

Finally, Hlestakov becomes very drunk and can hardly speak. The Mayor
. leads him to his room to lie down
:COMMENTARY
In this scene almost all the characters appears liars and hypocrites. We, as
audience as well as themselves know that they are liars, but the are not
ashamed of it. Among themselves they complete in pleasing the Inspector.General and attracting his attention and gaining his trust
First of all Yosif the servant had to lie to Mishka when he asked him whrther
his master was a general. He lied to back up his master and to enjoy the little
privileges he began to get . The Charity Commissioner tells lots of lies about
. the hospital, about his efficiency in running the hospital
The Mayor also tells heaps of lies about his cleverness and hard work for
the sake of his district. He says that he sacrifices his personal life, and that
his only one aim is to satisfy the authority and see his district clean, and his
. people happy
Hlestakov gives lots of lies about himself, his life in Petersburg, his
important position, and about the important people he mixes with. Everything
he says is untrue. He even lies about the luxurious food he eats and the
people of high rank who come to his house for a game of cards, or for
dancing. He lies about being gifted writer whose help is sought by all the
important newspapers. He lies about the large sums of money he earns
through correcting articles for newspapers and about the books he has
written. He lies about his firmness in running a big department. He also lies to
.Anna and tries to flirt with her
On the other hand Anna, the Mayor's wife seems to be nave and believes
everything that is said by Hlestakov. She also tries to attract his attention to
. her flattering him
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Why did Anna insult Dob ? What was his reply and what information -1
? did he tell her
Anna insulted Dob for leaving her waiting so long with no news about the Inspector. Dob told her that he came so quickly to tell her aboput the
Inspector. He said the Inspector was a young man of about 23 years of age,
but he spoke like an old man, he had quick darting eyes. At first the Inspector
was angry and said that everything in the hotel was so bad but when he
.found that the Mayor was not to blame, he changed his mind an all went well
Mention Hlestakov's opinion about his visit to the hospital ? What did -2
? the CC tell him
Hlestakov said that he liked the hospital very much but wondered why there many empty beds with no patients. The CC answered saying that there were
only tern left and he had recovered and this was because things were so well
organized and the management was so good. He said that since he had
15

taken control, the patients got better not because of medicines but because of
. honesty, cleanliness and good order
Mention some of the lies that Hlestakov told the Mayor and his family? -3
? Did they believe him
Hlesakov kept on telling lies to the Mayor and his family and the believed every word he said. He said that he was a friend with all the pretty actresses
and that he was a great writer. He lied saying that his was the best known in
Petersburg, where he used to give parties with very expensive food. All
important people as princes, ministers and ambassadors came to visit him. All
his letters came addressed, " Your Excellency ". Finally he said that he went
to trhe Winter Palace ( A very expensive hotel) every day and that he was
. going to be made a Field Marshal (The highest rank in the army )

16

ACT III SCENE I

The scene took place in the house of the Mayor, at about 8 o'clock the next
morning .The Mayor, still in his dressing gown, was blaming the Constables
for making noise because Hlestakov was still asleep. Besides, he ordered
them to prevent anyone from getting into the house and meeting the
Government Inspector, especially merchants and people with petitions. The
. Mayor was in a confused mental state and couldn't sleep all night
Anna thought that Hlestakov was cultured and delicate man. She didn't
feel embarrassed in his presence or disturbed by his rank. Besides, she
believed that Hlestakov admired her very much. She and her daughterwere
disputing over him because each one believed that he was paying attention to
.her more than the other
As for the Mayor, he believed that Hlestakov told them childish lies the night
before. He wondered how such an insignificant person could invent all those
. stories and lies
Then Yosifappeared. As soon as he entered both the Mayor and his wife
began to ask him about his master. Naturally all Anna's questions were about
trivial things, i.e. his visits to important people, his appearance in the uniform,
his rank, the colour of eyes he liked best,( This was interrupted by
.Marya's childish remarks about how handsome the man was )
On the other hand, the Mayor was concerned more about Hlestakov's
character, his likes and dislikes. In other words, he was eager to know what
kind of man he was. In the meantime, the local officials arrived, but the Mayor
left them to get ready. They all agreed to bribe him but they didn't know how
to do it. They also agreed on introducing themselves, one by one, to him.
After so many discussions, they decided that the judge should be the first to
Suddenly, they heard footsteps in Hlestakov's room and rushed outside.
Hlestakov entered together with Yosif .He expressed how happy and
. comfortable he felt in the Mayor's house
The Judge was the first to enter. He introduced himself to Hlestakov. The
latter asked him about the judge's job and if it was profitable. The Judge was
terrified and began to praise himself as well as his work. He dropped
suddenly some money and Hlestakov took the opportunity to ask him for a
.loan.The Judge gave him the money and quickly dismissed himself
When the SS entered, Hlestakov started to talk about women and asked
him about the kind of women he liked best. The SS was timid and couldn't
speak clearly. Hlestakov asked him for another loan. The SS gave him the
.money and went out as quickly as he could

17

When the CC entered he praised himself and told bad things about the SS,
the Judge and the postmaster. He accused the SS of spoiling the minds of
the young by giving them evil ideas. Besides , he said that the judge was
spending his time running after women. He even accused him of having a
relationship with Dobschinsky's wife. Finally, he told Hlestakov that
.Postmaster neglected his work and delayed the mail
The CC promised Hlestakov to present these facts in writing to him.
However, Hlestakov also asked him for a loan. Finding it inevitable, the CC
gave him the money. When Bob and Dob introduced themselves to
Hlestakov, he immediately asked them for a loan of one thousand roubles,
.but as they didn't have all that much with them, he took what they had
Dob asked Hlestakov a favour. He had his eldest son before marriage and
wanted him to be his son legally and bear his name .As for Bob, he begged
Hlestakov to mention his name before the great people of Petersburg,
including the sar .Hlestakov realized that he had been mistaken for a very
important person in the government. He laughed at the people and decided to
write everything he had been told to a friend of his who used to write articles
. and stories
Yosif convinced his master that it was high time to leave the town before the
people discovered their real characters. Moreover, Hlestakov's father would
be angry because his son had wasted a lot of time on his way home. Yosif
went to send his master's letter to be delivered to the Postmaster, asked for
the best horses and started packing. Just then protesting voiced had been
. heard
Some shopkeepers and people with petitions wanted to meet the
Government Inspector. Hlestakov ordered the Constables to let them in
.Three merchants entered. They accused the Mayor of being a robber. He
wasn't treating them well despite the presents they used to send to his wife
and daughter. Nothing satisfied him. Whenever he visited them. He took
anything he came across and ordered them to send it home. He even
. invented some personal occasions in order to receive presents
They also accused him of being a cruel man. They didn't have the right to
complain. Had they complained he would have closed their business and
tortured them. Finally, they had a petition which they wanted to send to the
Master of Finances, as they called him. They offered Hlestakov some sugar
and wine as a present. Hlestakov preferred some money but Yosif took the
.sugar and wine, too
The locksmith's wife was cursing the Mayor for taking her husband for a
soldier although it was not his turn instead of two other young men whose
families had bribed the Mayor in order to leave them. It was also against the
.law to take a married man to the army
18

The sergeant's wife was taken by mistake to the police station and punished
. for something she did not do. She wanted the Mayor to pay her a fine
Hlestakov got sick of the people and ordered his servant, Yosif to send
them away. It was then that Marya entered. Hlestakov talked nicely to her and
explained how her presence was a source of relief to him and how beautiful
she was. He was offering her his love when suddenly Anna came in and
found him down on his knees. She asked her daughter angrily to leave the
room. Hlestakov began to offer his love to Anna. She also was happy but
. puzzled especially since Hlestakov asked to marry her daughter
It was then when the Mayor entered. He looked frightened and begged
Hlestakov not to harm him and believe the shopkeepers who had been
. complaining to him. He called them cheaters and liars
Anna announced that Hlestakov asked Marya's hand in marriage. At first,
the Mayor couldn't believe it and thought it was a joke, then he gave his
. blessing to the couple, but still he was confused and couldn't imagine it
The horses were ready. Hlestakov informed them that he would leave for a
day to see his rich uncle and ask for his blessing. The Mayor offered him
. some money which he accepted immediately
: COMMENTARY
In this scene we get to learn more and more about the Mayor's corruption and
bad manners. He is bribed by people so as not to take their sons for soldiers,
he is cruel and orders the sergeant's wife to be whipped for something she
hasn't done. He is greedy and grabs whatever he comes across regardless of
.its value as in the case of the three merchants
Anna's character is also revealed more and more. She is a flirting woman.
Though she is married, she is ready to have a relation with Hlestakov. She is
also jealous of her own daughter and competes with her in trying to attract the
. young man's attention
Hlestakov also appears to be an immoral and opportunities. He seizes the
chance of being mistook for an important government official with a high rank
and took large sums of money from all the local officials of the town including
the Mayor himself. He flirts with both mother and daughter and doesn't mind
.having relationship with both of them at the same time
: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
What orders did the Mayor give to the two constables concerning -1
.people who want to see Hlestakov for any reason or a petition
The Mayor was afraid that anyone might say anything against him to the Inspector so he ordered the Constables to stand on the front steps of the
house and not to allow any of the trades people in. If any one got with or
.without a petition he must be thrown out
19

What sort of relation is there between Anna and Marya? Give -2

. examples to your answer
Anna and Marya are always found arguing over unimportant things. At the very beginning of the play they are found quarrelling because Marya took a
long time getting dressed and so the Mayor left without informing his curious
wife, Anna about the Inspector. Anna is jealous of her own daughter. She
competes with her trying to win the heart of the young Inspoector. Anna is not
a perfect mother. She always scolds her daughter and accuses her of
criticizing and contradicting her. She and the Mayor always ignore their
.daughter and never pay attention to her or listen to her
What did the Charity Commissioner say to Hlestakov about the Judge, -3
? The School Superintendent and the Postman
The CC said that the SS was not a trustworthy person and wondered how the authorities could employ such a person who put evil ideas into the minds
of the young. The CC said that the Judge spends all his time cursing, his
courtroom was full of dogs. The Judge's conduct was scandalous as he had
relationship with the wife of Dob. He also said that the Postmaster didn't do
.his work and his department was in a chaos, the mails were delayed for days
? What favour did Bob and Dob ask Hlestakov -4
Dob told Hlestakov that his eldest son was born before he and his wife got married and he wanted him to be his son legally and to bear his name. Bob
wanted himself to be known to important people. So he told Hlestakov when
he went back to Peterburg, to say to all great people that in such and such a
. town lies Peter Bobchinsky
What were seregeant's wife and the locksmith's wife complaints -5
?against the Mayor
The sergeant's wife said that the Mayor had had her flogged. One day some peasant women were fighting in the market, The police came when it was all
over and so they took her and flogged her by mistake, so she wanted the
Mayor to pay her a fine. The locksmith's wife complained about taking her
husband to the army and it wasn't his turn and that it was against the law to
. take a married man
? What are the reasons Yosif give Hlestakov for leaving the town -6
Yousef tells Hlestakov that they have been in town for two weeks and they'd better leave as the real Inspector may arrive at any time. Also Hlestakov's
. father will be angry with him for taking so long to go to him
? What was the complaint given to Hlestakov by the three merchants -7
The three merchants said that they were suffering from the cruel Mayor who always threatened them. Though they sent him dresses for his wife and
daughter, presents at Easter and at Christmas but he was never satisfied.
20

Whenever he went to their shops he took anything he came across and if

.they said a word he would shut up their business
? What did the locksmith's wife complain of-8
She kept on cursing the Mayor and his family for taking her husband for a soldier instead of two other young men whose parents bribed him. The Mayor
took her husband although it wasn't his turn and it was against the law to take
a married man. He did it because the locksmith was a poor man and had
. nothing to offer him
ACT III SCENE II
Later on the same day, The Mayor and his wife were talking together about
their daughter's engagement to the Government Inspector. The Mayor was
sure that his wife had never expected to hear such news or even dreamt of it ,
but Anna claimed that she was aware of everything. Marya was present but
.as usual ignored by her parents
Then, they started dreaming of what their future life in Petersburg would be.
How he would give up mayoralty and get a higher rank, maybe a general who
would have assistants and soldiers assigned to perform services for him.
Besides, he would mix with people of high ranks and have friends, different
from the old miserable ones. On the other hand Anna was dreaming of having
the most elegant house in Petersburg, which she intended to make the talk of
. the town
Meanwhile, the merchants ( who had complained about the Mayor) and
whom the Mayor had ordered to be fetched and accused of being ungrateful
and worthless). Of course they had been already informed about the marriage
The Mayor began to insult and degrade them, calling them cheaters, greedy,
rubbish, and indecent. Moreover, he made it clear that thanks to him they
wouldn't have made any fortune or got a single government contract.
Besides, he accused them of being cheaters. They all asked for forgiveness
and promised not to do it again. The Mayor forgave them. However, he said
.that he was expecting valuable wedding presents for his daughter
As soon as the merchants left, people who had heard the news came to
make sure it was true, and congratulate the family. The first to arrive was the
Judge, his wife and the CC. They were followed by some trivial officials, Bob
and Dob, the SS and his wife who expressed how glad she was when she
.heard the news. Finally, the police Superintendent came in
The Mayor and his wife began to tell them how Hlestakov made the
proposal in his own person in a very delicate and charming manner, how he
was enslaved by Marya's beauty and how he was ready to kill himself in case
.they refused to give him their daughter
The guests began to tell the Mayor how lucky Hlestakov was and that this
was a reward of the Mayor's diligence and loyalty and hard work ( of course
they knew they were not telling the truth, but paying compliment to the Mayor)
21

Anna then began to talk about their luxurious life in Petersburg and her
husband expected a new position. The Mayor promised to provide them with
his patronage and support ( This was resented by Anna who thought that they
should forget all about their past life and friends, who were no more suitable
.for them )
Suddenly, the Postmaster entered. He informed them that he opened the
letter that Hlestakov had sent and was shocked to discover that Hlestakov
was not the Government Inspector, but just an ordinary penniless young
traveler who had deceived them all, taken their money and left. When
everybody knew what was inside the letter and realized how Hlestakov made
. fools out of them, they were extremely shocked
Although he tried hard to show the opposite especially in the beginning,
the Mayor was falling apart. At first, he couldn't believe or accept that after 30
years in the service, through which he had cheated many people and tricked
even the most dishonest persons in the world, he had been tripped by such
. an idiot, coward person
He then began to wonder who the first one to tell him that Hlestakov was
not the Government. Of course Bob and Dob were terrified and began to
. accuse each other of being responsible for this
Suddenly a constable came in to announce the arrival of the real
Government Inspector who was expecting the Mayor and other local officials
. at the inn. The whole company remained paralyzed with surprise and horror
: COMMENTARY
In the final scene we find the Mayor and his wife so excited. They are so
happy that their daughter is going to be married to such an important
government official. They keep dreaming of their new life and their new future.
.They make plans and decide to start a new fresh life
When the news spread round, lots of people come to pay their respect, and
.both the Mayor and his wife behave very proudly and they scold the people
But in the midst of their joy and happiness, they receive a great shock; The
Postmaster comes to announce that Hlestakov was not a real inspector, he
has cheated everyone in town. To add to their panic and fear he says that the
real Inspector General has arrived, and he wants to see the Mayor
. immediately
: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Compare between Helstakov's treatment at the beginning of ACT 2to -1
. that at the end
At the beginning of the play Hlestakov was treated badly as he had no money. In the inn he wasn't given good or enough food. But at the end of Act
2- when the Mayor and everybody else mistook Hlestakov for the real
Inspector, he was treated in a very kind way with so much respect and fear.
. He was offered a lot of money and was given the best food
22

/ In your opinion what would have happened if the play was to be continued -2
In my opinion, if the play was to be continued, the real inspector will come and the Mayor and everybody else will try to win the inspector to their side by
.doing exactly the same things they did to Hlestakov

23