The Inspector General: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Inspector General: Analysis of Major Characters" focuses on the key figures in Nikolai Gogol's satirical play set in early nineteenth-century Russia. The narrative centers around Anton Antonovich Skvoznik-Dmokhanovsky, the prefect of a small provincial town, who is anxiously preparing for the visit of an inspector general, believing it to be a covert mission to uncover local corruption. Mistaken for the inspector is Ivan Alexandrovich Hlestakov, a cunning traveler who exploits this misunderstanding for his gain, accepting bribes and wooing the prefect's daughter.
Supporting characters include Osip, Hlestakov's insightful servant who assists in advancing the ruse, and Anna Andreyevna, the prefect's wife, who relishes the attention from Hlestakov. The play also features an assortment of town officials, such as the local judge and police inspector, who are portrayed as bumbling and inept in the face of the impending inspection. As the plot unfolds, the characters' interactions highlight themes of deception, authority, and social critique, culminating in the arrival of the true inspector general, which promises to expose the folly of the town's leaders. This overview provides insight into the complex character dynamics that drive the play's comedic exploration of human folly and societal corruption.
The Inspector General: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Nikolai Gogol
Genre: Play
Locale: Russia
Plot: Satire
Time: Early nineteenth century
Anton Antonovich Skvoznik-Dmokhanovsky (ahn-TOHN ahn-TOH-nuh-vihch SKVOHZ-nihk-dmew-hahn-OHF-skih), the prefect of a small provincial town in early nineteenth century Russia. He has received a warning letter from a friend that an inspector general is coming, traveling incognito, to visit the district in an attempt to find evidence of bribery and injudicious acts. The prefect calls a meeting of the citizens and orders them to mend their ways. He does not take kindly to their criticism that he has been taking bribes and recently had the wife of a noncommissioned officer beaten.
Ivan Alexandrovich Hlestakov (ih-VAHN ah-lehkSAHN-druh-vihch hlehs-tah-KOHF), a smartly dressed traveler who, taking lodgings at the local inn, is mistaken for the inspector. A shrewd opportunist, he accepts money and gifts, goes to stay at the prefect's house, and accepts an invitation to an official dinner at the hospital. He gets drunk and goes to sleep. When he awakes, he makes love to the prefect's daughter and asks to marry her. He then requests five hundred rubles from complaining shopkeepers, borrows a coach, and, after writing to a friend an account of his hoax, rides off with promises to return the next day.
Osip (OH-sihp) or Yosif (YOH-sihf), Ivan Alexandrovich's elderly and philosophical servant, who considers all gentle-folk peculiar. He is shrewd enough to capitalize on his master's mistaken identity and adds to the hoax by allowing himself to be bribed into revealing all sorts of imaginary details of Ivan Alexandrovich's high place in society. He then advises his master to leave town.
Anna Andreyevna (AHN-nuh ahn-DRAY-ehv-nuh), the prefect's wife, given to arguing about clothes. She enjoys having Ivan Alexandrovich ogle her and delightedly agrees to his proposal of marriage to her daughter.
Marya Antonovna (MAH-ryuh ahn-TOH-nuhv-nuh), the prefect's daughter.
Mishka (MIHSH-kuh), a servant of the mayor.
Piotr Ivanovich Bobchinsky (PYOH-tr ih-VAH-nuh-vihch bohb-CHIHN-skihy) and Piotr Ivanovich Dobchinsky (dohb-CHIHN-skihy), two squireens of the town who discover a mysterious stranger at the inn and declare him to be the expected inspector general.
Artemy Filippovitch Zemlyanika (ahr-TEH-mihy fihLIHP-peh-vihch zehm-lyah-NIH-kuh), the manager of the hospital. He believes that if a patient is going to die, he will die. To prepare for the arrival of the inspector general, he provides clean nightcaps for his patients and puts over each bed a Latin sign stating the patient's illness.
Ammos Fyodorovitch Lyapkin-Tyapkin (AHM-muhs FYOH-duh-ruh-vihch LYAHP-kihn-TYAHP-kihn), the local judge, a dedicated huntsman who keeps his guns and his whip in the courtroom.
Stepan Ilyitch Uhovyortov (steh-PAHN ih-lyihch ew-hohvyohr-TOHF), the police inspector.
Luka Lukich Hlopov (LEW-kuh LEW-kihch hloh-POHF), the head of the local school. He is ordered to curb the unprofessional actions of some of his teachers, such as those of the history teacher who leaps on his desk to describe the Macedonian Wars and the fat one who grimaces and pulls his beard under his necktie.
Shpyokin (SHPYOH-kihn), the postmaster, who reads all the mail. Told to be on the lookout for details about the visit of the inspector general, he opens Ivan Alexandrovich's letter and reads the rogue's description of the muddle-headed town officials and the hoax played on them.
The inspector general, who, at the end of the play, arrives at the inn and sends a policeman to summon the town officials to wait on him immediately.