Essay: Why were officials afraid of the arrival of the auditor. Why is each of the officials gathered at the mayor’s, and most of all the mayor himself, afraid of the auditor? News of the imminent arrival of the auditor

Gogol's play “The Inspector General” is the best social comedy of its time. “The Inspector General” played an important role in the development of public self-awareness. High realism closely merged in “The Inspector General” with satire, satire - with the embodiment of social ideas. The writer set himself the goal of “laughing hard” at what is “worthy of universal ridicule.” Gogol saw laughter as a powerful means of influencing society. According to Gogol in the play, he decided to “gather in one pile everything bad in Russia that I knew then, all the injustices that are being done in those places and in those cases where justice is most needed, and at once laugh at everything.”

The city in the play is depicted through the eyes of the city owners themselves. And therefore we know about real streets where there are “taverns, uncleanliness.” Officials are not trying to change anything even before the arrival of the auditor: it is enough to just decorate the city and its public places, put a straw pole near the garbage dump so that it looks like a “layout,” and put clean caps on the unfortunate patients. The only sad thing is that the common misfortune is the arrival of the auditor. The city is united by a feeling of fear; it is fear that makes city officials almost brothers. There is complete chaos going on in the county town.

But life is not easy for people in this city. Especially merchants, whom officials rob in every possible way. The mayors take everything they see. And he also “completely killed the merchants by standing around.” But not only the mayor was unfair to the merchants, but also to many others. For example, the mayor ordered a married man to be turned into a soldier (and this is not according to the law) and to deprive his wife of her husband. Although the man should have taken the tailor’s son instead, his parents bribed the mayor. Or a completely innocent person, namely a non-commissioned officer, was flogged, and, moreover, for a mistake they were also forced to pay a fine. This is the image of a county town.

For example, in charitable institutions there is complete chaos: the city hospital, court, schools. There is dirt and theft everywhere. In the hospital they treat there “closer to nature”, they do not use expensive medicines, “a simple person, if he dies, then he will die anyway, and if he recovers, then he will recover anyway.” Patients wear dirty gowns. Shpekin calmly admits that he reads other people's letters. The postmaster stays at his place to read the most “playful” passages to the city society. In the educational institution, teachers behave strangely, making grimaces. And the history teacher explains “with such fervor.” The guards at the court brought in geese.

The officials were similar to each other. They had common features: ignorance, narrow-mindedness, superstition, envy, embezzlement, bribery. They also loved to gossip, especially Dobchinsky and Bobchinsky. It can be noted that none of them can be called an honest person who works for the good of his homeland, which, in fact, is the goal of public service.

Gogol managed to show each image in such a way without losing his individual originality and typical way of life. It shows that such a city has no future.

answer the questions grimly(("The Inspector General" N.V. Gogol 1 act 1. Why each of the officials gathered at the mayor's, and most of all himself

mayor, is he afraid of the auditor?

2. Why did Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky mistake Khlestakov for an auditor? What finally convinced their listeners that the visiting official was really an auditor?

3. What causes laughter in the behavior and speech of the characters (using the example of the mayor, Ammos Fedorovich, the postmaster, Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky)?

4. In “Notes for Gentlemen Actors,” Gogol characterizes the mayor as “a very intelligent person in his own way.” Is it possible to draw such a conclusion based on the first act of the comedy?

5. How does the mayor’s speech change when he addresses the quarterly and private bailiff? Why?

6. Prepare a written or oral report on the topic “What kind of order prevails in the county town”?

In Gogol's comedy there is no name of the district town in which the events take place. By this the writer wanted to show that such a position of power, officials,

The order in the city was typical for most cities of that time. Describe the city to which the auditor came: its location relative to the capital, the border, how comfortable the city is, what problems the author draws our attention to. (D.1)
Why did the mayor believe that the young man, greedily looking at what the hotel visitors eat and not paying money for housing and food for two weeks, is the auditor? (D.1)
Khlestakov can’t decide with whom to flirt: with the mayor’s wife Anna Andreevna or his daughter Marya Antonovna. But how did the heroines themselves react to the “auditor” Khlestakov? (D.4)
How did each of the officials behave when they visited Khlestakov in the mayor’s house with petitions and gifts of money?
Officials, reflecting on Khlestakov’s rank, assume that “a general will not hold a candle to him! And when he is a general, then perhaps he is a generalissimo himself.” Meanwhile, out of fear of an “important” person, they did not notice that Khlestakov himself let slip about his true rank: “They even wanted to make him a collegiate assessor, but yes, I think why.” That is, the young man’s rank was even lower than that. What was the actual rank of Khlestakov? (D 2)
Once again, carefully re-read the “Silent Scene” at the end of the comedy. What is its significance in your opinion?
This official is a passionate hunter. Even in the institution under his jurisdiction there is “a hunting arapnik right above the cabinet with papers.” Name the hero, what does he manage in the city? (D.1)
It was this hero who began to report to the “auditor” Khlestakov about how things really were in city institutions when he visited him in the mayor’s house along with other officials. Name it. (D.4)
One of the employees of this institution has such a violent temper that he is ready not only to smash furniture, but to lose his life - “for science.” Name the institution and the official who runs it. (D.1)
This hero asked Khlestakov: “When you go to St. Petersburg, tell all the different nobles there: senators and admirals, that your Excellency or Excellency lives in such and such a city:.” Who wanted to inform all the capital's nobles about themselves? (D.4)

answer the questions grimly(("The Inspector General" N.V. Gogol 1 act 1. Why each of the officials gathered at the mayor's, and most of all himself

mayor, is he afraid of the auditor?

2. Why did Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky mistake Khlestakov for an auditor? What finally convinced their listeners that the visiting official was really an auditor?

3. What causes laughter in the behavior and speech of the characters (using the example of the mayor, Ammos Fedorovich, the postmaster, Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky)?

4. In “Notes for Gentlemen Actors,” Gogol characterizes the mayor as “a very intelligent person in his own way.” Is it possible to draw such a conclusion based on the first act of the comedy?

5. How does the mayor’s speech change when he addresses the quarterly and private bailiff? Why?

6. Prepare a written or oral report on the topic “What kind of order prevails in the county town”?

In Gogol's comedy there is no name of the district town in which the events take place. By this the writer wanted to show that such a position of power, officials,

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol needs no introduction. He is known, in particular, for fighting the shortcomings of his contemporary society with the help of laughter. In 1835, Gogol decided to compose a play that would present truly Russian vices and characters. Thus, in 1836, the comedy “The Inspector General” was born. Its main character is Khlestakov Ivan Aleksandrovich. Today we will talk about why Khlestakov was mistaken for an auditor, a big official from St. Petersburg. After all, it would seem that his true position in society was not difficult to unravel.

News of the imminent arrival of the auditor

In order to answer the question of why Khlestakov was mistaken for an auditor, it is necessary to turn to the very beginning of the work. Gogol's comedy begins with Anton Antonovich, the mayor, gathering officials together and saying that he has “very unpleasant news” for everyone. It turns out that an auditor is due to arrive from St. Petersburg soon with an inspection. At the same time, it is unknown what he will look like and when exactly he is going to arrive. This news, naturally, shocked the officials of the city of N. It brought some confusion into their measured and lazy life.

State of affairs in the city N

It should be said that the officials were bribe takers. Each of them is only concerned with how to get more money. It seems that at that time in the city of N, officials spending the city treasury and accepting bribes were common things. Even the law was powerless against this.

The mayor, for example, justified himself by saying that his salary was insufficient. It was allegedly not enough even for tea with sugar. As for the city judge, he did not at all consider that he was a bribe-taker, since he took not money, but puppies. The postmaster of the city of N also distinguished himself. To obtain information, he opened other people's letters.

Of course, such an irresponsible attitude of officials towards official duties ultimately led to the fact that the city fell into disrepair. It is clear that the news of the upcoming inspection alarmed the local authorities. It is not surprising why Khlestakov was mistaken for an auditor in this turmoil.

Preparing for the arrival of the auditor

While waiting for the authorities to arrive with an inspection, each of the officials began to frantically remember what needed to be done. Finally, they all began to make attempts to restore order in their departments. There was a lot of work. Servants in the courthouse were drying clothes and raising geese. Patients in the local hospital smoked tobacco and wore dirty clothes. The church should have been built a long time ago, 5 years ago, but its opening did not take place. The mayor ordered everyone to say that the fire destroyed this building. It was ordered to demolish the old fence located near the shoemaker. In its place it was ordered to put a model made of straw. Mayor Anton Antonovich himself, looking at such a deplorable state of affairs, self-critically admitted that this was a “bad city.”

Arrival of Khlestakov

City officials, of course, were afraid of their superiors. Therefore, they were ready to see an inspector from the capital in any visitor. That's why Khlestakov's officials mistook him for an auditor. When a rumor spread that some unknown person had been living in the hotel in city N for a long time, everyone decided that this stranger must certainly be an auditor. In addition, Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov (that was the guest’s name) arrived from St. Petersburg and was dressed in the latest metropolitan fashion. Indeed, why should a resident of the capital come to a county town? There can be only one answer: to carry out verification! We hope it is now clear to you why officials mistook Khlestakov for an auditor.

Meeting of the "auditor" with the mayor

The meeting between Ivan Alexandrovich and the mayor is very interesting. The latter, in a panic, put a box on his head instead of a hat. The mayor was handing out the last instructions to his subordinates on the move before meeting with an important guest.

The comedy of the scene of the meeting of these heroes lies in the fact that both of them are afraid. The innkeeper threatened Khlestakov that he would hand him over to the mayor and he would be sent to prison. And then the mayor appears... Both heroes are afraid of each other. Ivan Alexandrovich also screams loudly and gets excited, which makes his guest shake with fear even more. The mayor tries to give him a bribe to appease him, invites the “auditor” to stay with him. Having met an unexpectedly warm welcome, Khlestakov calms down. At first, Ivan Alexandrovich does not even suspect who the mayor thinks he is. He does not immediately think about why he was received so warmly. Khlestakov is completely sincere and truthful. He turned out to be more simple-minded, not more cunning, because he did not intend to deceive at first. However, the mayor believes that the auditor is in this way trying to hide who he really is. If Ivan Aleksandrovich had been a conscious liar, he would have had a much greater chance of being unraveled and understood. The way Khlestakov was mistaken for an auditor is very significant. General fear did not allow the officials and the mayor to open their eyes.

How Khlestakov played his role in the comedy "The Inspector General"

Let us note that in the future Ivan Aleksandrovich was not at a loss. He performed the role imposed by circumstances superbly. At first, Khlestakov thought, when he saw the officials and the mayor, that they had arrived in order to put him in prison for failure to pay the debt for the hotel. However, then he realized that he had been mistaken for some high-ranking official. And Ivan Alexandrovich was not averse to taking advantage of this. At first, he easily borrowed money from each of the city officials.

Khlestakov in the comedy "The Inspector General" became a respected person and a welcome guest in any home. He charmed the mayor's daughter and wife, and even invited his daughter to marry him.

Scene of lies

The scene of Ivan Alexandrovich's lies is the climax of the work. Khlestakov, in the role of an auditor, having drunk a fair amount, talks about how he has an excellent position in the capital. He knows Pushkin, dines with the minister, and is an indispensable employee. And in his free time from work, Khlestakov allegedly writes musical and literary works.

It seems that because of his lies he is about to be exposed, but the local public hangs on his every word and believes in all sorts of absurdities. Osip, Ivan Alexandrovich's servant, turns out to be the only one who understood the mistake Khlestakov made. Fearing for his master, he takes him away from the city of N.

Deception Revealed

What was it like for city officials when they discovered that they had been deceived by some petty employee who had arrived from St. Petersburg! The play further ensues a fight between them. Each of them seeks to find out who failed to recognize the impostor and why Khlestakov was mistaken for an auditor. However, the misadventures of city N officials do not end there. After all, news arrives that a real auditor has arrived! This ends the play.

Positive hero of the play

Nikolai Vasilyevich was often reproached for the absence of positive characters in his work. Gogol responded to this that there is still one such character - this is laughter.

So, we answered the question: “Why was Khlestakov mistaken for an auditor?” Briefly summing up what was said above, we note that fear is the main cause of universal error. It is he who is the engine of the plot in Gogol’s work and creates a situation of delusion. It is the fear of losing a warm place and the fear of inspection that gives rise to which absolutely all the characters in the comedy find themselves in.

Why are officials afraid of the arrival of the auditor?

None of the city officials honestly performs their duties. Take, for example, the head of the city, Mayor Anton Antonovich. Due to his complete inaction in recent years, the city has literally fallen into disrepair: there is dirt and disorder everywhere (“forty carts of all sorts of rubbish are piled near each fence, the prisoners are not given provisions, there is a tavern on the streets, uncleanliness...”). But this is how he teaches his subordinates to answer a possible question from an auditor: “Why hasn’t the church been built, for which the amount was allocated five years ago?” - “Don’t forget to say that it started to be built, but burned down. Otherwise, perhaps, someone, having forgotten, will foolishly say that it never began.”

The mayor himself admits that he takes bribes “because he is a smart man and does not like to miss what is in his hands...”. Other city officials also carry out their service “carelessly.”

Artemy Filippovich Strawberry, a trustee of charitable institutions, does not care at all about the poor and sick people who live in shelters and are treated in hospitals. Their dirty appearance makes them "look like blacksmiths." And here’s how Artemy Filippovich talks about healing in the city: “We don’t use expensive medicines. A simple man: if he dies, he will die; if he recovers, then he will recover. And it would be difficult for Christian Ivanovich to communicate with them: he doesn’t know a word of Russian” (that is, the doctor in his hospital does not speak Russian!)

Ammos Fedorovich Lyapkin-Tyapkin, the city judge, has long forgotten all state laws and does not conduct court cases properly. “I’ve been sitting on the judge’s chair for fifteen years now, and as soon as 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.” This means that no legality is observed in the city.

Postmaster Ivan Kuzmich Shpekin, out of curiosity, opens all the letters “arriving at his post office.” He tells the mayor about his hobby like this: “... I do this not so much out of precaution, but more out of curiosity: I love to know what’s new in the world. I’ll tell you that this is a most interesting read.”

He “even deliberately kept one letter he liked.” The postmaster happily agrees to carry out the mayor’s illegal order to open all letters and, if necessary, even detain them.

This is how life goes on in the city: the judge takes bribes like greyhound puppies, the Derzhimord policeman, supposedly for the sake of order, “puts lights under the eyes of both the right and the wrong,” there is no order in educational institutions.

But these hapless officials, so vividly depicted by N.V. Gogol, are not a thing of the past. Unfortunately, many officials today can be called by the names of Gogol’s characters, whom the author so ridiculed in his comedy “The Inspector General”.