What is wrong with the work of a judge from an auditor. Essay “The Image of Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin in Gogol’s play “The Inspector General”

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About Judge Ammos Fedorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin. Judicial positions in Russia were elective: the nobles elected district judges, as well as assessors for three years. Usually the district court consisted of a judge and two assessors who had the right to deal with relatively minor criminal and civil cases, but here there was complete confusion in matters. It is no coincidence that people reflected this position in proverbs and sayings. Let us remember: “Where there is justice, there is untruth”; “If you go to court, you won’t find the truth”; “Don’t be afraid of the court - be afraid of the judge,” etc.

What can be said about Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin? Tyapkin-Tyapkin is “a person who has read five or six books, and is therefore somewhat free-thinking. The hunter is big on guesses and therefore gives weight to every word he says.” Having learned that an auditor was due to arrive, the reason for his appearance in county town he explains that “Russia... Yes.. . wants to wage war, and the ministry, you see, sent an official to find out if there was any treason.” Such a guess is far from the truth, from the cases that officials are busy with, but the judge is trying to show that he does not feel guilty. This is one of the characteristic techniques of the comic - alogism. Lyapkin-Tyapkin is more busy with hunting than with legal proceedings, which is why he takes bribes with greyhound puppies. He also uses the quarrels of neighboring landowners for personal purposes.
“After all, you heard that Cheptovich and Varkhovinsky started a lawsuit,” he says to the mayor, “and now I have the luxury of hunting hares on the lands of both.” And baiting hares, as is known, caused great losses, because crops were destroyed.

The court is in disarray. The guards brought domestic geese into public places (but this is also a hint from the mayor: bribes!), in the presence, that is, where visitors are received, hangs an arapnik - a long belt whip attached to a short stick. It belongs to the hunter, but there is also a hint here that corporal punishment was used in court. The assessor was constantly drunk. The cases were conducted somehow, bungledly (the name of the judge also hints at this). Despite this, Lyapkin-Tyapkin is not afraid of the auditor.
“Really,” he admits, “who will go to the district court? And even if he looks at some paper, he won’t be happy with life. I’ve been sitting on the judge’s chair for fifteen years now, and when I look at the memorandum - ah! I’ll just wave my hand. Solomon himself will not decide what is true and what is not true in it.”

Thus, we are confronted with a type of tsarist official who thought least of all about protecting the rule of law. Above all for him was his own own person, although he has a reputation as a “freethinker.” In fact, this is a practical person who wants to live his life easily and comfortably

The characterization of Lyapkin-Tyapkin helps us better understand Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General,” of which he is one of the characters. This judge, like all other officials of the district city, is far from sinless.

Judicial device

Ammos Fedorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin, whose characteristics are given in this article, served as a judge. It is worth immediately noting that in the times that Gogol describes, this was an elected position. District judges were elected by local nobles, and assessors were appointed for three years. So it turns out that the judges were actually dependent on them, because who would decide various disputes depended on the decisions of those in power. Often verdicts were made not in accordance with the letter of the law, but out of personal, most often selfish, preferences.

As a rule, the average one consisted of a judge and two assessors. They had the right to deal with civil and minor criminal cases. At the same time, it was often difficult to understand their real powers. Folklore serves as clear proof of this. Numerous proverbs and sayings clearly reflect the attitude ordinary person to the judiciary. It was widely believed that it would be impossible to achieve the truth there; they advised to fear not the court, but the judge himself.

Characteristics of Lyapkin-Tyapkin

Giving a characterization of this character in Gogol's comedy "The Inspector General", it is worth emphasizing that he was a poorly educated person. On the pages of the work it was separately noted that in his entire life he had read only five or six books. At the same time, he was distinguished by freethinking. He intervened in all conversations, trying to be sure to explain own point vision.

The quotes below characterize his personality well. Lyapkin-Tyapkin, when he learns that an auditor is coming to the city, immediately volunteers to explain this visit to those around him by saying that Russia plans to wage war, which is why “the ministry, you see, sent an official to find out if there is any treason” . Most of his conclusions are based on such absurd and unfounded guesses.

Obviously, all this is far from the truth, and moreover, it has nothing to do with what the minor officials of the county town do. But Lyapkin-Tyapkin in The Inspector General seeks to demonstrate that he does not feel any guilt, he has nothing to fear.

Comic techniques

Describing this character, Gogol uses an effective comic device called "alogism". The author constantly demonstrates that in reality the judge is more concerned about issues related to hunting than about the cases that come before the court. That is why he takes bribes like greyhound puppies, and makes decisions accordingly. For purely personal purposes, he uses connections and acquaintances with the surrounding landowners.

For example, he tells the mayor that two neighbors have started a lawsuit. He also takes the opportunity to obtain permission to hunt hares on the ground, first from one and then from another participant in the matter.

Disorder in court

In the court, which is headed by Lyapkin-Tyapkin, complete chaos is visible to the naked eye. The guards are kept in geese, and in the room where visitors are received there is an arapnik hanging, that is, long whip, attached to a short wooden stick. This is a hunting paraphernalia, hinting at the practice of corporal punishment in this court.

It also helps to characterize Lyapkin-Tyapkin by the fact that the assessor is almost always drunk, and business is conducted very badly, simply a blunder. This contains a transparent hint at the “speaking” name of the judge. But at the same time, the hero himself does not experience any fear or excitement before the upcoming visit of the auditor.

Using the example of this official, Gogol paints before us a portrait of a classic tsarist official who is not at all concerned about protecting the rule of law. First of all, he is concerned about his own person.

Judicial positions in Russia were elective: the nobles elected district judges, as well as assessors for three years. Usually the district court consisted of a judge and two assessors who had the right to deal with relatively minor criminal and civil cases, but here there was complete confusion in matters. It is no coincidence that people reflected this position in proverbs and sayings. Let us remember: “Where there is justice, there is untruth”; “If you go to court, you won’t find the truth”; “Don’t be afraid of the court - be afraid of the judge,” etc.
What can be said about Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin? Tyapkin-Tyapkin is “a person who has read five or six books, and is therefore somewhat free-thinking. The hunter is big on guesses and therefore gives weight to every word.” Having learned that an auditor is supposed to come, he explains the reason for his appearance in the district town by saying that “Russia... yes... wants to wage war, and the ministry, you see, sent an official to find out if where is the betrayal? Such a guess is far from the truth, from the cases that officials are busy with, but the judge is trying to show that he does not feel guilty. This is one of the characteristic techniques of the comic - alogism. Lyapkin-Tyapkin is more busy with hunting than with legal proceedings, which is why he takes bribes with greyhound puppies. He also uses the quarrels of neighboring landowners for personal purposes.
“After all, you heard that Cheptovich and Varkhovinsky started a lawsuit,” he says to the mayor, “and now I have the luxury of hunting hares on the lands of both.” And baiting hares, as is known, caused great losses, because crops were destroyed.
The court is in disarray. The guards brought domestic geese into public places (but this is also a hint from the mayor: bribes!), in the presence, that is, where visitors are received, hangs an arapnik - a long belt whip attached to a short stick. It belongs to the hunter, but there is also a hint here that corporal punishment was used in court. The assessor was constantly drunk. The cases were conducted somehow, bungledly (the name of the judge also hints at this). Despite this, Lyapkin-Tyapkin is not afraid of the auditor.
“Really,” he admits, “who will go to the district court? And even if he looks at some paper, he won’t be happy with life. I’ve been sitting on the judge’s chair for fifteen years now, and when I look at the memorandum - ah! I’ll just wave my hand. Solomon himself will not decide what is true and what is not true in it.”
Thus, we are confronted with a type of tsarist official who thought least of all about protecting the rule of law. Above all for him was his own person, although he is known as a “freethinker.” In fact, he is a practical person who wants to live his life easily and comfortably.

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A strange event occurred in one of the county towns. Local officials managed to mistake an ordinary scoundrel for an auditor. Our hero was among them.

The image and characterization of Lyapkin-Tyapkin in the comedy “The Inspector General” are a typical portrait of a Russian official, who tends to fawn over his superiors. At any moment, he will readily inform on his comrade if a benefit or a desire to receive another reward looms before him.

Image and characteristics

Surname this character completely matches the way he approaches his work. Ammos Fedorovich works as a judge. He holds the rank of collegiate adviser. Exactly fifteen years were devoted to work.

“...I’ve been sitting on the judge’s chair for fifteen years now.”


So many years, but there’s no point. He doesn't care about his responsibilities. It creates the appearance that it works, but in reality it does nothing.

“...as soon as I look at the memo - ah! I’ll just wave my hand..."


For such a careless attitude towards official duties, he still manages to receive awards. The question is, for what kind of merit?

There is absolutely no order in the institutions under his control. In court they keep geese, as if in a collective farm barn.

“...the guards have kept domestic geese with little goslings that scurry around under their feet. It is, of course, commendable for anyone to start a household, and why shouldn’t the watchman start it? But, you know, it’s indecent in such a place...”


Everyone in the city knows that Tyapkin-Lyapkin is a lover of taking bribes. He does not hide his passion from others. And he takes it not with money, but with greyhound puppies. Sincerely believing that there is nothing illegal in his actions.

“...I tell everyone openly that I take bribes, but with what bribes? Greyhound puppies...

"He takes puppies because he is passionate fan hunting.

“The judge only goes after hares...”


Tyapkin-Lyapkin has inflated self-esteem. He is used to considering himself smarter than others. In reality, things are much different. All his knowledge consists of about six books he has read, but what conceit. Ordinary people for him empty place. After all, they don’t represent anything, so why take them into account.

“Lyapkin-Tyapkin, a judge, is a man who has read five or six books, and is therefore somewhat free-thinking. The hunter is big on guesses, and therefore he gives weight to every word.”


Big dog lover. Behind his back, those who know his destructive passion for four-legged friends nicknamed Tyapkin-Lyapkin among themselves

"dog judge"


Bad reputation. People are talking about a secret relationship between the judge and a married lady, the wife of the landowner Dobchinsky. It is no coincidence that her children are the spitting image of the judge.

“There is one landowner, Dobchinsky, whom you deigned to see; and as soon as Dobchinsky leaves the house somewhere, he’s already sitting there with his wife, I’m ready to swear allegiance... And deliberately look at his children: not one of them looks like Dobchinsky, but everyone, even the little girl, looks like the spitting image judge…"


A very ignorant person. Years of work could not teach him to distinguish between right and left.

In his spare time, the judge likes to indulge philosophical reflections to different life topics and not only. He is concerned with the theme of the creation of the world, the Babylonian pandemonium.

“...every word, Cicero rolled off his tongue...” “...you are not only talking about dogs, but also about pandemonium...”


Most best friend Judge Zemlyanika, who is also his relative.

“He is my relative and friend”


Not educated. Didn't bother to learn French, which all educated nobles should own.

Atheist. He does not believe in God and diligently avoids the church.

“But you don’t believe in God; you never go to church..."

The image of Tyapkin-Lyapkin is not positive. Occupying such a serious position and treating his own people this way job responsibilities the very last thing. Justice plays no role for him and stands on last place. The first places are taken by bribery and sycophancy to superiors. His image can be summed up by the majority of bureaucratic officials who sit in their offices and do not take any part in public life.

Judicial positions in Russia were elective: the nobles elected district judges, as well as assessors for three years. Usually the district court consisted of a judge and two assessors who had the right to deal with relatively minor criminal and civil cases, but here there was complete confusion in matters. It is no coincidence that people reflected this position in proverbs and sayings. Let us remember: “Where there is justice, there is untruth”; “If you go to court, you won’t find the truth”; “Don’t be afraid of the court - be afraid of the judge,” etc.
What can be said about Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin? Tyapkin-Tyapkin is “a person who has read five or six books, and is therefore somewhat free-thinking. The hunter is big on guesses and therefore gives weight to every word.” Having learned that an auditor is supposed to come, he explains the reason for his appearance in the district town by saying that “Russia... yes... wants to wage war, and the ministry, you see, sent an official to find out if where is the betrayal?

Such a guess is far from the truth, from the cases that officials are busy with, but the judge is trying to show that he does not feel guilty. This is one of the characteristic techniques of the comic - alogism. Lyapkin-Tyapkin is more busy with hunting than with legal proceedings, which is why he takes bribes with greyhound puppies. He also uses the quarrels of neighboring landowners for personal purposes.
“After all, you heard that Cheptovich and Varkhovinsky started a lawsuit,” he says to the mayor, “and now I have the luxury of hunting hares on the lands of both.” And baiting hares, as is known, caused great losses, because crops were destroyed.
The court is in disarray. The guards brought domestic geese into public places (but this is also a hint from the mayor: bribes!), in the presence, that is, where visitors are received, hangs an arapnik - a long belt whip attached to a short stick. It belongs to the hunter, but there is also a hint here that corporal punishment was used in court. The assessor was constantly drunk. The cases were conducted somehow, bungledly (the name of the judge also hints at this). Despite this, Lyapkin-Tyapkin is not afraid of the auditor.
“Really,” he admits, “who will go to the district court? And even if he looks at some paper, he won’t be happy with life. I’ve been sitting on the judge’s chair for fifteen years now, and when I look at the memorandum - ah! I’ll just wave my hand. Solomon himself will not decide what is true and what is not true in it.”
Thus, we are confronted with a type of tsarist official who thought least of all about protecting the rule of law. Above all for him was his own person, although he is known as a “freethinker.” In fact, he is a practical person who wants to live his life easily and comfortably.