Undoubtedly, the comedy "The Inspector General" is one of the brightest works of not only Gogol, but of the entire 19th century, and the main meaning of this comedy is still relevant today. In “The Inspector” it is clearly possible to trace how much the government is sinful, corrupt and, most importantly, how much it tries to “hush up” these sins as much as possible, it is not surprising that the governor and all his entourage were so afraid of the visit of the inspector who could cross out their entire past. life. It was this fear that played a cruel joke with the city's “elite”, since they took the first “strange” visitor for the very same inspector, and this very person turned out to be a certain Khlestakov.
Khlestakov is a person who dreams of a good and carefree life, and for his part he does not want to do anything, which is why he spends his whole life playing card games and lying in bed, as a result of which he has constant financial problems, at this very moment and attention is drawn in the work when Khlestakov, being passing through a small town where the inspector is expected, cannot even eat because of his debts, moreover, the hotel owner wants to hand over to the authorities for non-payment. And when the governor learns that a man from St. Petersburg has been living in the hotel for some time, he takes him for the very same inspector and goes to him with his retinue. Yes, initially both Khlestakov and the mayor himself do not understand each other, for Khlestakov himself initially thought that he would now be sent to prison for his debts, but this does not happen and the very climax begins when he realizes that he is being mistaken for an auditor.
It was at that moment that his "drawing" begins, which makes such an impression on those who were afraid of his "elite" of the city that they are almost ready to bow at his feet, and the famous phrase that he is with Pushkin on a short leg and with the emperor became a cult sign, therefore the governor and his entourage try in every possible way to bribe him so that he does not report “upward” about the sins of the authorities.
However, who is Khlestakov? In fact, this is an ordinary person who, in essence, is nothing, he has a lot of debts and he himself is lazy in life, he dreams of a good life, so he begins to use this moment in his own way, fantasizing and elevating himself in the eyes of the mayor and his entourage , thanks to which his authority rises and rises, moreover, Khlestakov himself found a way to solve some of his financial problems ... Personally, in my opinion, at the present time the image of Khlestakov can be seen in many people, no less people have certain features of this hero, in my opinion occasionally Khlestakov can manifest itself in almost all people, but when this is within the normal range, it is not at all bad, Gogol simply portrayed an extreme case and did not lose at all on this. To some extent, I would even compare “Khlestakovism” with the blogosphere, since it is in this world that so many people create a similar image of themselves, although in life they may be completely different ...
However, the main point of this comedy, I would call the very end, when Khlestakov had already left and a real auditor arrived, and it was then that Gogol reflected the “silent scene” on which the curtain was closing, but there is a separate topic of the composition on this topic, so I will not talk about it now ...
Option 1:
Khlestakov ... It is customary to consider him a swindler and a deceiver. But is it really so? A person all his life is late somewhere, does not have time, everything is awkward for him, he doesn’t know how to do anything, in everything he is a failure ... At the same time he dreams. And in his dreams he is strong, smart, rich, domineering and irresistible for women.
The reality is sad - Khlestakov lost to smithereens. Only a miracle will save our dreamer from starvation and debt trap.
And a miracle happens. Circumstances are so favorable that Ivan Alexandrovich cannot resist the temptation. And the powers that be fawn at him, and the first beauties of N-ska are ready to fall into his arms - or provide their daughters. And there is no strength and desire to stop and think about the consequences - it carries, carries the whirlwind of flattering and venal ...
Khlestakov himself, however, is stupid and cowardly. And the only thing that justifies him in our eyes is even greater stupidity and cowardice of the characters around him. However, he knows how to deftly adjust to the situation, wishful thinking. If you want to see an important official, you will be an important official. If you want to give bribes, he will accept them. If you want a profitable marriage or an influential lover, he will promise you that. It is impossible to stop in the stream of lies, only to leave, which Khlestakov does. Very timely.
Khlestakov is not the main character of the play. Rather, it is a natural phenomenon, like a blizzard or drought. He simply by his existence allows others to show themselves in all their glory. Expose your vices and passions on display. Turn inside out under the light of the ramp.
Khlestakov is passive throughout the entire action, he goes with the flow. It does not work - it just encourages others to throw off their masks. By its very existence here and now.
Khlestakov is just a catalyst.
Option 2:
It is this invincible confidence in his right to take care of other people that leads to the fact that Khlestakov is easily drawn into the game offered to him and does not deceive other participants in this game. He so naturally carries himself in the form of a pompous chatterbox that officials have no doubt: this role was invented on purpose to disguise the revision.
At the same time, the model of behavior of all bribe-takers is approximately the same - they also pretend to be silly. Therefore, the events of the play unfold very predictably. The combination of fear with the hope of quick success leads to a loss of vigilance, including among women.
Khlestakov is not a good guy, although he had no bad intentions. This image is especially relevant in our time, when society is focused on consumption, and not on personal development.
Option 3:
Gogol is one of the most ruthless critics of the moral principles and foundations of the then public. It is noteworthy that everything described by the author, all the characteristics and life stories are relevant to this day. As the saying goes: "we all came out of the Gogol greatcoat." The same can be said about the comedy "The Inspector General", in particular about Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov, whose character is central to the work. The traits of his character, demeanor, the adventures in which he got involved are so vital and natural that a collective name for such incidents appeared - "Khlestakovism".
If you figure out who Khlestakov is, it will become obvious that this is, in fact, not an evil character, but an extremely cunning, cunning and skillful deceiver. He is even close to acting. Upon arrival in a small town, it was hard for him to make ends meet. Left alone in the room and sending the servant to beg for lunch from the innkeeper, these are the thoughts that come to him: “It's awful how you want to eat! So I walked a little, wondered if the appetite would go away - no, damn it, it doesn't go away. Yes, if I hadn't taken a drink in Penza, it would have been money to get home. " Obviously, sometimes, very rarely, Khlestakov's thoughts of common sense slip through, remorse appears. This happens not because of high morality, but because of the horrors of want. The hero squandered almost all of his father's money into cards. It remains for him to look for ways to earn money, but our character is not so prudent. Instead, he simply took advantage of the situation, pretended to be an important official and wooed the residents of the small town. "After all, you live to pick flowers of pleasure."
Khlestakov is intoxicated by the situation, the imaginary power and the role he has played. Such a person does not have a rod, he floats wherever the current carries him. He cunning to get out, slips dust in his eyes, wants to appear, not be. Unfortunately, both before and nowadays, a person who has received a high post, not having achieved this by his own labor, but by chance, behaves this way. He imagines himself to be a great man, deciding the fate of people, covers his eyes with false achievements, is exalted to heaven, not noticing that there is nothing to support his flight. And we need to answer honestly to each of us, to ourselves, would we not be tempted to hit a big jackpot when he goes into his own hands? How would they act when each of the residents would hurry to please us, to honor and “kiss the hand”. Wouldn't you? “There is no reason to blame the mirror if the face is crooked,” the proverb to the work tells us.
Option 4:
The key figure in Nikolai Gogol's comedy "The Inspector General" is Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov.
The writer characterizes the main character of his work negatively. Why? Because Khlestakov behaves so arrogantly and irresponsibly that even the reader has a feeling of dislike for this character.
When we meet Khlestakov, we learn that he managed to spend all his money because of his love of gambling. Now he is in the county town N, unable to pay for the hotel where he is staying. The mayor, who took this rogue for an auditor, creates all conditions for Khlestakov where an imaginary auditor can show his "talents" - lies, ambition, money-grubbing. All this leads to the fact that the number of people deceived by Khlestakov is increasing every day, and the anti-hero himself shamelessly uses what could never belong to him by right.
The image of this negative hero has become a household name, and today we can observe a considerable number of such "Khlestakovs" surrounding us in everyday life.
Option 5:
One of the main characters, as well as the most striking image of the comedy of N.V. Gogol "The Inspector General" is Ivan Khlestakov, he is young, thin and stupid. They often say about such people: "without a king in the head."
Khlestakov serves in the office, receiving a meager salary and dreaming of incredible heights that are inaccessible to him from birth. He fantasizes about how he will lead a luxurious life and become a favorite of the ladies, although this, of course, will never happen.
By chance, he, having lost everything he had, ends up in a hotel in the district town of N, where he runs into the mayor. He takes him for an auditor, and for the dreamer and liar Khlestakov, previously unavailable opportunities open up. He begins to feel his significance, even if it is imaginary, and uncontrollably lies about himself, his achievements and position in society. At the same time, he does not even know who exactly he was confused with, the hero lacks the ingenuity to use his temporary position for his own benefit. Albeit unconsciously, but Khlestakov, playing the role that was imposed on him, managed to feed the general fear of the "big man." During his service in the chancellery, he repeatedly tried on the role of serious officials, observing their behavior. And then he had the opportunity to feel significant and important, and the hero, of course, took advantage of it, because his superficiality does not allow him to predict the troubles that might follow. It is worth noting that Khlestakov was not a swindler by nature, he simply accepted other people's honors and was sure that he deserved them, already starting to believe in his own lies.
The governor could not recognize the forgery, because Ivan impersonated an official unintentionally, without the purpose of profit, he innocently considered himself what those around him considered him. But all the same, chance saved him, he left the city on time and thanks to this he avoided retribution for his lies.
The image of Khlestakov illustrates an empty and worthless person who, without giving anything to society, wants to receive all kinds of benefits and honors just like that.
Option 6:
Khlestakov Ivan Aleksandrovich is one of the key characters in Gogol's comedy "The Inspector General". By himself, he is the most mediocre person, who does not stand out from the crowd with any positive qualities, a typical “little man”. By the will of fate, he finds himself on the crest of a wave of life - by pure chance, the inhabitants of the county town of N take him for an important person - a capital inspector. And here our hero begins a real life - the life he has dreamed of for so long: the first persons of the town invite him to dinner parties, the best women pay attention to him, and the officials tremble before the “significant person”.
And then, when Khlestakov reaches for the life he dreamed of, his true face begins to manifest itself clearly. Khlestakov unrestrainedly lies, introducing himself as a great writer and public figure, shamelessly taking bribes, fooling two women at the same time. In the middle of the work, we see him no longer as a faceless "little man", but as a truly immoral person. In his character we see frivolity and deceit, irresponsibility and stupidity, superficiality and simply a lack of decency. It is not for nothing that all these qualities in the complex were dubbed Khlestakovism.
It is also interesting that as the action of the work develops, the character of the main character also develops - the negative traits of his character are manifested more and more. It is not known what Khlestakov would have gotten if it were not for a happy accident - just before the hero's deception was revealed, he leaves the city. Probably, it is luck that is the only valuable natural gift that nature has endowed with Khlestakov.
Khlestakov
KHLESTAKOV is the hero of Nikolai Gogol's comedy "The Inspector General" (late 1835 - early 1836; final edition - 1842). Ivan Aleksandrovich X., a petty St. Petersburg official, in the words of his servant Osip, "a simple elist" (that is, he has the rank of collegiate registrar, the lowest in the table of ranks), heading from the northern capital "to the Saratov province, to his own village ", Was taken in the county town for an auditor," nobleman ", holder of a high rank (according to Bobchinsky, he is" the generalissimo himself "). Having received a substantial amount of money as bribes, being treated kindly, announced by the fiancé of Marya Antonovna, the daughter of the Governor, X. safely goes home. X was exposed only after his departure with the help of his letter to his friend Tryapichkin, perlisted by officials. The novelty of this stage plot, and at the same time of X. as an artistic character, is determined by their relationship with real cases and persons.
There were three main variants of official misunderstanding, qui pro quo: in the place of the "auditor" there was either a deceiver, deliberately, with a mercenary purpose, posing as someone else; or a person who, although he did not seek to deceive, but completely entered his new position and even tried to derive benefit from it; or, finally, an outsider, accidentally mistaken for a tall persona, but did not take advantage of this mistake. The first case took place in Ustyuzhin, where a certain adventurer pretended to be "a ministry official" and robbed "all city residents" (from the memoirs of VA Sollogub). The second case happened with the writer P.P. Svinin when he was in Bessarabia, which, by the way, was reflected in Pushkin's sketch of the work, very reminiscent of the scheme of the future "Inspector General": (Svinin) Crispin comes to Gubernia N for a fair - he is mistaken for (nrzb ) ... The governor / ator / honest fool - Gub / ernator's wife / flirts with him - Crispin is wooing his daughter "(Crispin is the role of a rogue and a braggart in a French comedy). Finally, the third incident happened to Pushkin himself, who on his way to Uralsk (1833) was mistaken in Nizhny Novgorod for a person who had “a secret mission to collect information about faults” (the story of the memoirist and historian PI Bartenev); learning about this later, already in Orenburg, Pushkin laughed to his heart at the unexpected hoax.
However, Gogol's concept of the image, who, apparently, was aware of all three cases, does not coincide with any of them. X. is not an adventurer, not a selfish deceiver; he does not set himself any conscious goal at all (in the draft version, X. said to himself when the Governor appeared: "... do not give in. Honestly, do not give in." plan is not peculiar to him). X. all within a given minute, acts and speaks almost reflexively, under the influence of circumstances. He never figured out what had happened; only in the fourth act does he vaguely imagine that he is being mistaken for someone else, but for whom exactly - has remained a mystery to him. X. is sincere both when he speaks the truth and when he lies, for his lies are akin to the fantasies of a child.
In the documents relating to The Inspector General and interpreting its content, Gogol in every possible way emphasized precisely this feature of X. - unintentionalness and naturalness: “X. does not inflate at all; he is not a liar by trade; he himself forgets that he is lying, and already he himself almost believes what he says "(" Excerpt from a letter written by the author shortly after the first presentation of The Inspector General "). “It’s all the surprise and surprise<...>He got into a conversation, not knowing at all from the beginning of the conversation where his speech would lead. The topics of conversation he are given are fervent. They themselves, as it were, put everything in his mouth and create a conversation "(" A warning for those who would like to play the "Inspector General" "). But it was precisely this sincerity that deceived the Governor and the company, who were expecting to meet a real auditor, who could also bring out some swindler, but who turned out to be powerless in the face of naivety and unintentionalness. We can say that the "prying" create not only a "conversation", but also the very appearance of a formidable auditor - with the participation of X., but without his initiative.
X. is also unusual in its position in the comedy intrigue, which was most often controlled by a person acting in the guise of another; such are (if you name the closest examples to the "Inspector") Semyon in "A Lesson for Daughters" by IA Krylov, Pustolobov in the comedy "A Newcomer from the Capital, or Turmoil in a Uyezd City" by G.F. Kvitki-Osnovyanenko, as well as numerous vaudeville heroes, these, as Gogol said, "vaudeville rascals." The role of X in the intrigue, although he wins, is passive; nevertheless, the author insisted on his status as the protagonist. This status gave the play a special, fantastic, flavor (X. - "a phantasmagoric face, a face that, like a deceitful, personified deception, was carried away along with the troika ..." - "Warning ..."), transformed the traditional comedy intrigue into mirage intrigue.
The first performers of the role of X. - N.O.Dur in the Alexandria Theater (premiered on April 19, 1836) and D.T. Lensky in the Moscow Maly Theater (premiered on May 25 of the same year) - could not separate their hero from the traditional role of a vaudeville liar, rogues. Only gradually did the comprehension of X. as an exclusively original character take place, and Gogol himself contributed to this process; so, on November 5, 1851, he read a comedy in the presence of writers and actors, including S.V. Shuisky, who played X., in order to show how this role should be played, especially a scene of lies: “... this is something like rapture, inspiration, composing delight - this is not a simple lie, not a simple boasting ”(from the memoirs of IS Turgenev, who was present at the reading). Among the subsequent remarkable interpreters of H.- S.V. Vasiliev (1858), M.P.Sadovsky (1877), P.V. Samoilov (1892). “Here, by the way, is one detail invented by Mr. Sa-moilov. When he tells how he plays whist with the mighty of this world, then with great aplomb he begins to count the partners: the foreign minister, the French envoy, the German envoy ... Then he suddenly thinks: “who else to invent” and suddenly remembers: - And I ... This is pronounced with an apologetic smile and causes obsequious laughter among those around him ”(New time. 1902. №9330). In later productions, the grotesque coloring of X's image intensified, this especially applies to the play of M.A. Chekhov (Khudozhestvenny Theater, 1921) and E.P. Garin (State Theater named after V.S. Meyerhold, 1926).
In the performance of Chekhov, X. appeared with a pale face, with an eyebrow bent by a sickle, - a visiting card of a clown, jester, madman; appeared as "an empty creature, sometimes impudent, sometimes cowardly, lying with rapture, all the time playing something - some kind of continuous improvisation ..." (Bulletin of the theater. 1921, No. 91-92, p. 11). In the interpretation of Meyerhold, carried out by Garin, X. is a "principled hoaxer and adventurer", "sharper" (VE Meyerhold. Articles, letters, speeches, conversations. M., 1968. 4.2. P.145); in his appearance there was something from a "werewolf", from a "petty demon" (D. Talnikov. New revision of the "Inspector". M .; L., 1927. P.49-51). Both concepts deviated markedly from the Gogolian interpretation, according to which in X. "nothing should be signified harshly," "he even holds up well sometimes" ("Excerpt from a letter ..."), not to mention the fact that Meyerhold gave it some purposefulness of actions; however, thanks to all this, the fan-tasmagoric character of the image and the entire play as a whole was enhanced. Among the following outstanding performers of the role of X. - I.V. Ilyinsky (Maly Theater, 1938), O.V. Basilashvili (Bolshoi Drama Theater, 1972), A.A. Mironov (Moscow Theater of Satire, 1972).
Literary criticism and journalism contributed to the deep understanding of Khlestakovism as a phenomenon. A.A. Grigoriev wrote that the degree of the satirical effect is directly proportional to the shallowness of X. as a person: “The more empty, smoother, more colorless X will be. On stage<...>, the more severely Nemesis will appear over the city's lawlessness ”(A.A. Grigoriev. Theatrical criticism. L., 1985. p. 120). V.G.Korolenko, examining the image of X., analyzed the phenomenon of imposture: the history of X. “in thousands of live photographs is repeated annually, monthly, almost every day throughout the entire face of the Russian land” (V.G. Korolenko. Pol. Sobr. Op. SPb.T.Z. P.363). N.A. Berdyaev extended the analysis of Khlestakovism to Russia of the Soviet period: “There is no longer autocracy, but still X. is playing an important official, everyone is still in awe of him<...>... Khlestakov's courage makes itself felt at every step in the Russian revolution "(N. Berdyaev. Spirits of the Russian Revolution
// Russian thought. 1918, May-June; see also: Literary studies. 1990, March-April. P. 123 ff). IA Ilyin, saying that “X. reminds us<...>about the numerous impostors appearing in Russian history who have generated so much misfortune ", emphasized the international significance of this character:" But after all, it is not only about Russia that should be discussed ... "(quoted from the book: N. Poltoratsky. Ivan Alexandrovich Ilyin. . Hermitage, 1989. p. 89).
Lit .: Gippius V.V. Comic Writer Mission
// Gippius V.V. Gogol. L., 1924; Danilov S.S. Gogol and theater. L., 1936; Mann Yu.V. "Inspector". General situation. Mirage intrigue
// Mann Yu.V. Poetics of Gogol. M., 1988; Makogonenko G.P. Pushkin's beginning in Gogol's comedy "The Inspector General"
// Makogonenko G.P. Gogol and Pushkin. L., 1985; Matskin A.P. Mikhail Chekhov - Khlestakov. Meyerhold. How the "Inspector" was created
// Matskin A.P. On the themes of Gogol. M., 1984; Lotman Yu.M. About Khlestakov
// Lotman Yu.M. At the school of the poetic word. Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol. M., 1988.
Yu.V. Mann
Literary heroes. - Academician. 2009 .
Synonyms:See what "Khlestakov" is in other dictionaries:
See bahwal ... Dictionary of Russian synonyms and expressions similar in meaning. under. ed. N. Abramova, M .: Russian dictionaries, 1999. Khlestakov bouncer, bouncer; in one fell swoop, seven kills, fanfaron Dictionary of Russian synonyms ... Synonym dictionary
The protagonist of the comedy "The Inspector General" (1836) by N. V. Gogol (1809 1852), braggart and dreamer. A common noun for people of this type. Hence the "Khlestakovism" shameless, boastful lies and narcissism (humiliating, ironic). Encyclopedic ... ... Dictionary of winged words and expressions
Khlestakov- Hero of the comedy N.V. Gogol "The Inspector General" *. Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov was a petty metropolitan official who, on his way from Petersburg * to his village * in the Saratov province, was mistaken for an inspector by officials of a small district town. Having received a large ... Linguistic and Cultural Dictionary
A; m. [with capital letter] Inappropriate. About a frivolous, empty person, distinguished by unbridled boasting and lies. Real Khlestakov! Khlestakovs are and will always be. ● By the name of the comedy hero N.V. Gogol Inspector General (1836). ◁ Khlestakovsky, oh ... encyclopedic Dictionary
Khlestakov- a; m .; disapproved see also. Khlestakovsky, in Khlestakovsky By the name of the hero of the comedy N.V. Gogol Inspector General (1836). About a frivolous, empty person, distinguished by unrestrained boasting and lies. Real Khlestakov! Khlestakovs are and will always be ... Dictionary of many expressions
Khlestakov (Khlestakovism, Khlestakov). A braggart who reported a liar. Wed He's all gone ... into a stupid, ridiculous drawing, into the Khlestakovschina of the last-day sort. P. Boborykin. Three posters. 5. Wed It fell off the hinges and a little bit ... ... Michelson's Big Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary (original spelling)
Nikolai Gogol's comedy "The Inspector General" has long been sold out by quotations and sharp comparisons, since they very aptly reflect human nature. This work, which the great writer wrote in 1835, is relevant to this day. Because it describes with the brightest accuracy the most diverse traits of the human character, in particular its protagonist. A coward, a braggart, a self-confident person - this is a short image of Khlestakov. In the comedy "The Inspector General" these features are revealed succulently and vividly.
Deception of the century
This work begins with the fact that a very important person is awaiting in one district town - an inspector who is going with an important check. And here comes a gentleman, very modest and businesslike. The author draws a short image of Khlestakov in the comedy "The Inspector General" in very positive colors. Ivan Vladimirovich, that's the name of the visitor, very "nice looking". It does not make an overwhelming impression and is not even remarkable in any way. But if you look closely at the hero, he is very worthy of attention.
Circumstances developed in such a way that Khlestakov was mistaken for an important person. And he, instead of immediately correcting the misunderstanding, instantly enters the image. This is where the most secret qualities of his character appear.
Loser and the little man
An ordinary ordinary person of that time - this is a short image of Khlestakov in the comedy "The Inspector General", which the author draws to us at the beginning. He lives in which is full of different temptations and temptations. But the Northern capital refuses to accept him into its ranks. After all, Khlestakov's position is not high enough, but he does not shine with a special mind, does not possess some kind of sparkling talents. It can be safely attributed to the banal losers who came to conquer St. Petersburg. But the hero clearly overestimated his strengths - both financial and moral. He is an ordinary little man in a big capital.
But here fate gives such a chance - to demonstrate that you are an outstanding person. And Khlestakov rushes into
County nobility
What kind of society does the main character fall into? This is the milieu of the small landed nobility, whose representatives are concerned only to emphasize their importance and greatness. Each resident of the county town tries to highlight the shortcomings of the other in order to prove that he is the best. The characters of "The Inspector General" Gogol are arrogant, sometimes stupid, but consider themselves the local aristocracy.
And Khlestakov, the most ordinary little clerk, as the author writes about him - “neither this nor that,” finds himself in such a society.
A reasonable question arises - why did the main character not immediately admit that he is not who he is mistaken for? But the author does not give an answer to this question - maybe he just wanted to play an important person?
The short image of Khlestakov in the comedy "The Inspector General" can be described as follows - this is a man who is too far from ideal, he is a player, he is a petty boozer. Khlestakov believes that comfort should prevail, and worldly pleasures should come first. He sees nothing shameful in fooling swindlers. Moreover, he is sure that he is doing a "holy cause."
Gogol brought out a wonderful image of a braggart and a coward who does not strive for anything and simply burns out his life. He is "one of those people who are called empty in the office."
By the way, Khlestakov's quotes from The Inspector General very aptly and vividly characterize a certain circle of people. The exact characteristics given to the heroes in a few words, very faithfully reflect their inner essence.
It is interesting that, in addition to the real face, the hero has a certain ghost who takes revenge on him with a fantastic self-affirmation. He tries with might and main to be not who he really is, but this desperately fails. But even Khlestakov's own lackey openly despises the master. This is how he speaks of his master: "It would be good, in fact, something worthwhile, otherwise the little girl is simple."
And the braggart and the scoundrel
Khlestakov has a good pedigree. He was born into the family of an old-world landowner, in the outback of Russia. But for some reason he was unable to maintain contact with either his family, or with the people, or with the land. He does not remember his kinship and from this he becomes, as it were, an artificial person who jumped out of the "Peter's table of ranks." About his father, he speaks quite dismissively: "They, pentyuhi, and do not know what it means to" order to accept. " Such quotes from Khlestakov from The Inspector General once again emphasize that the hero does not honor, and even tries to make fun of his old father.
But this does not prevent him from taking money from his “uneducated father” and spending it at his own discretion.
Narcissistic, reckless, boastful - this is a short image of Khlestakov in the comedy "The Inspector General". He arrived at the hotel and immediately demands the most delicious lunch for himself, because he is supposedly not used to another. He loses all the money, but he cannot stop. He insults the servant and shouts at him, but in some moments he warmly listens to his advice.
And how much boasting! Without batting an eye, he declares that he is fluent in the pen, and such famous works as "Robert the Devil" and "Fenella", he personally wrote in one evening. He does not even suspect that these are not books, but operas!
And even when the mayor's daughter accuses him of lying and recalls the real author of the work - "Yuri Miloslavsky", Khlestakov immediately declares that he has exactly the same composition.
One can only envy such an ability to instantly rebuild and not shake things up! To impress ordinary people, he now and then sprinkles French words, which he knows only a few. It seems to him that his speech becomes secular from this, but in fact his stream of words causes laughter. He does not know how to finish his thought, so he quickly changes topics, jumping from one to another. When he needs something, he can be gentle and polite. But as soon as Khlestakov gets his own, he immediately begins to be rude and rude.
There is no morality, there is only benefit
There are no moral restrictions for Khlestakov. He is an empty and frivolous person who is concerned only with his own well-being. And when officials come to him to give him an elementary bribe, he takes it for granted. At first, when the money is given for the first time, he is unusually suppressed and even drops it with excitement. But when the postmaster comes in, Khlestakov takes the money more confidently. From Strawberries, he simply demands them with pressure. So far, he is confident in his soul that he borrows these funds and will certainly give them back. But as soon as he realizes that he was confused with an important person, Khlestakov instantly adjusts to the situation and decides to take advantage of such an excellent chance.
The place of comedy in world literature
Gogol, "The Inspector General", Khlestakov - these words have become firmly established in world literature. The concept of "Khlestakovism" has become a common symbol of deceit, deceit and closeness.
The author managed to reflect so accurately in his work the character of the main character that still very often deceitful and vicious people are called in one word - Khlestakov. A rogue and a rogue, he never drew conclusions from his situation, being in the vile confidence that next time he would certainly be lucky.
The Inspector General is one of the most staged plays in the world. The main character of the work is Ivan Khlestakov. He accidentally finds himself in a county town, where all the officials take him for an inspector.
Analyzing the description of the character, it is worth noting that the main features of the image were frivolity and irresponsibility. Mot and a spender, Khlestakov let go of his father's money and was in the position of a debtor to the innkeeper, in whose establishment he rented a room for himself and Osip's servant. Gogol called the hero an empty person, and the events described in the work confirm the author's characterization.
History of creation
The play has an interesting story. Gogol was inspired by another writer. It turned out to be. "The sun of Russian poetry" told his friend a funny anecdote about the arrival in the province of a false inspector who visited Ustyuzhna and received a large bribe by deceiving local officials. The character's artful deception inspired Gogol. Convinced that comedy has great prospects and can play an important role in literature, he decided to write a play, the topic of which was relevant at this time.
Everywhere in Russia, pseudo-inspectors were found who visited various volosts and robbed the officials there. The plot about resourceful Khlestakov does not lose its sharpness over time and remains in demand decades later.
It is noteworthy that the creation of a comedy was not easy for Gogol. Literary critics claim that the writer even thought about leaving the play unfinished. Pushkin supported the author's endeavors, insisting on the completion of the work. The Inspector General was written in 1835, and in 1836 the first public reading took place in the house. Subsequently, the play was staged on the stage, and the performance was enthusiastically received by the public.
In the center of the work is a nobleman, whose appearance and character do not command respect. About people like him, they say: "Without a king in the head." By the will of fate, he found himself in a district town, where he was mistaken for an inspector, Khlestakov uses the situation for his own benefit. The hero uses new acquaintances, takes bribes and escapes from the crime scene. His appearance in the provinces exposes the dirty deeds of local authorities, hypocrisy and sins, so the character's significance for this work is great.
The author gives the hero the name Ivan Khlestakov for a reason. Analysis of the name and surname shows that the simplest and most Russian beginning in them is combined with a "speaking" meaning. The hero literally "whipped" the characters of the work, accepting the imposed role and not contradicting the assumptions, allowing officials to deceive.
Gogol's book "The Inspector General" Khlestakov deftly manipulated everyone who met on the way. His demeanor changed. With the servant, the hero was capricious and rude, flirted with women, extolling his virtues. The governor and officials instilled fear in him, and then allowed him to invent fables, getting out of any situation with impunity.
Plot
Ivan Khlestakov, accompanied by a servant Osip, is on his way from St. Petersburg to Saratov. On his way lies a county town, where the hero stops to rest and have fun playing a game of cards. Having lost everything that he had, and finding himself in debt, Khlestakov finds himself involved in an awkward situation. Local officials await the arrival of the capital's auditor and fear that the bribery and theft that flourish in the provinces will become common knowledge.
Illustration for the comedy "The Inspector General" The governor Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky is the first who becomes aware of the visit of the auditor. He gathers officials and reads a message from St. Petersburg. Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky, who accidentally learned about the lost guest of the tavern, suggest that he resembles the expected inspector. Fussing and panicking, officials begin to disguise their imperfections.
In distress, Khlestakov lives in the cheapest room and thinks about where to get food. The mayor pays a visit to him, confident that he has recognized the auditor. Khlestakov, in turn, decides that the mayor came because of debts for living. His surprise is hard to hide when the mayor offers a bribe. Ivan decides that he has met a good person and accepts help. Anton Antonovich believes that he managed to bribe the auditor, and he is unusually cunning.
A new acquaintance invites Khlestakov to visit charitable institutions, hoping to get the inspector drunk. The drunken guest, finding himself after the excursion in the mayor's house, gets to know his family, telling that he was in a rank significant in St. Petersburg. The hero ascribes to himself unprecedented achievements in literature and music, tells about gorgeous receptions and balls. Not many people realize that he is lying. Khlestakov goes into the bedroom without a shadow of shame. The next morning, he does not remember anything, and officials line up to pay tribute to him.
Khlestakov, confident that he lends money, accepts bribes, trampling on any ideals in life. The essence of what is happening comes to him at the time of the visit of the townspeople, who decided to complain about the managers. He does not accept bribes from the inhabitants of the town, but they become the prey of Osip's servant. Khlestakov asks for the hand of the mayor's daughter, and he answers with consent. The false auditor, along with the collected money and the bride, escapes.
The main characters of the play "The Inspector General" In the finale of the comedy, the mayor gathers officials who feel relieved after receiving a St. Petersburg guest. He is pleased with the successful marriage of his daughter and thinks that all his life goals will be realized after moving to the capital. The mayor sees a high position and honor. Suddenly, the postmaster hands over a letter announcing Khlestakov's trick and the arrival of a real inspector in the city.
Screen adaptations
The role of Khlestakov on the stage and on the big screen went to eminent artists. The first Soviet motion picture based on the plot of a classic play was released in 1951. Director Vladimir Petrov invited the famous artist of that era to play Ivan Khlestakov.
In 1977, the Soviet director released a tape called "Incognito from St. Petersburg". The role of the inspector in the film was played by Sergei Migitsko, whose career on stage and in the cinema was gaining momentum at that time.
He played Khlestakov in the film "The Inspector General" directed by the director. The tape was released on big screens in 1996.
Quotes
After the work was published, the concept of "Khlestakovism" became common. Even today, this common expression describes the situation of bribery and connivance on the part of the governing bodies and inspectors. In the person of Khlestakov, the most striking shortcomings and sins of people representing power are described. Quotes from the hero's monologues are appropriate in many modern situations, therefore they are often used by journalists.
“I walked around a little, thinking if my appetite wouldn't go away - no, damn it, it doesn't go away,” this phrase is indicative and describes the insatiability of a physical and material nature at the same time.
Arrogance and snobbery slip into the phrase: “Well, well, well ... leave it, you fool! You are used to treating others there: I, brother, are not of that kind! I do not advise you ... "
Khlestakov, arrogant, shows self-confidence and lifts his persona above others. He does not demand anything from the officials and, seeing that they themselves are ready to present him with whatever his heart desires, he declares with false modesty:
"... I would, I confess, would not have demanded anything more, as soon as you show me devotion and respect, respect and devotion."
Realizing how easy it is to use the situation to his advantage, Khlestakov lost his shame and embarrassment. He criticized the grace that surrounded him, swore without a twinge of conscience and began to borrow money from everyone he met:
“I have a strange case: I was completely spent on the road. Do you have a loan of money, four hundred rubles? " Having robbed the officials, Khlestakov leaves home with pockets full of bureaucratic savings, leaving his new acquaintances with nothing.