The history of the creation of the comedy The Inspector General is interesting information. “Gogol’s “auditor’s situation”

The history of the creation of Gogol's The Inspector General begins in the 1830s. During this period, the author worked on the poem “Dead Souls”, and in the process of describing the exaggerated features of Russian reality, he had the idea to display these features in comedy; “my hand is shaking to write... a comedy.” Previously, Gogol had already made a successful debut in this genre with the play “Marriage,” in which the author’s characteristics had already been outlined. comic devices, and the realistic orientation characteristic of subsequent works. In 1835, he wrote to Pushkin: “Do me a favor, give me a plot, the spirit will be a comedy of five acts and, I swear, it will be funnier than the devil.”

The plot suggested by Pushkin

The story proposed by Pushkin to Gogol as a plot actually happened to the publisher of the journal “Otechestvennye zapiski” P.P. Svinin in Bessarabia: in one of the district towns he was mistaken for a government official. There was a similar incident with Pushkin himself: he was mistaken for an auditor in Nizhny Novgorod, where he went to collect material about the Pugachev rebellion. In a word, this was the very “purely Russian anecdote” that Gogol needed to realize his plan.

Work on the play took only two months - October and November 1835. In January 1836, the author read out the finished comedy at an evening with V. Zhukovsky in the presence of many famous writers, including Pushkin, who suggested the idea. Almost everyone present was delighted with the play. However, the story of “The Inspector General” was still far from over.

“In The Inspector General, I decided to collect 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 required from a person, and at one time laugh at everything.” - this is how Gogol spoke about his play; This is exactly the purpose he saw for it - merciless ridicule, cleansing satire, a weapon in the fight against the abominations and injustices that reign in society. However, almost no one, even among his fellow writers, saw in “The Inspector General” anything more than a solid, high-quality “situation comedy.” The play was not allowed to be staged immediately and only after V. Zhukovsky personally had to convince the emperor of the comedy’s reliability.

First premiere of "The Inspector General"

The premiere of the play in its first edition took place in 1836 at the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. Gogol was disappointed with the production: the actors either did not understand the satirical orientation of the comedy, or were afraid to play in accordance with it; the performance turned out to be too vaudeville, primitively comic. Only I.I. Sosnitsky, who played the role of the Mayor, managed to convey the author's intention and introduce satirical notes into the image. However, performed even in such a form, which was very far from the author’s desire, the comedy caused a stormy and controversial reaction. The “tops” of society, denounced by Gogol, still felt ridicule; the comedy was declared “impossibility, slander and farce”; According to unconfirmed reports, Nicholas I himself, who was present at the premiere, said: “Well, what a play!

Everyone got it, and I got it the most.” Even if these words were not actually spoken, it reflects well how the public perceived Gogol's bold creation.

And yet, the autocrat liked the play: the risky comedy was allowed for further productions. Taking into account his own observations of the game, as well as the comments of the actors, the author repeatedly made edits to the text; creation of the play “The Inspector General” by Gogol in its final version continued for many years after the first production. Latest edition The play dates back to 1842 - this is the version that is known to the modern reader.

Author's commentary on the comedy

The long and difficult history of the creation of the comedy “The Inspector General” is inseparable from Gogol’s numerous articles and comments on his play. The misunderstanding of the idea by the public and the actors forced him to write again and again in an attempt to clarify his idea: in 1842, after staging the comedy in its final version, he published “A warning for those who would like to play “The Inspector General” properly,” then “Theater Road Trip.” after the presentation of the new comedy,” later, in 1856, “The denouement of The Inspector General.”

Conclusion

As we can see, the history of the creation of the play “The Inspector General” indicates that writing this work was not so easy for the author, taking away a lot of both his strength and time. And, nevertheless, comedy found its connoisseurs among enlightened and thinking people. The Inspector General received very high marks from many leading critics; Thus, V. Belinsky writes in his article: “In The Inspector General there are no better scenes, because there are no worse ones, but all are excellent, as necessary parts that artistically form a single whole...”. Many other representatives of enlightened society shared a similar opinion, despite the flow of criticism against the comedy and the author himself. Today, the play “The Inspector General” occupies a well-deserved place among the masterpieces of Russian classical literature and is a brilliant example of social satire.

Work test

In 1935, he wrote to Pushkin: “Do me a favor, give me a plot, the spirit will be a comedy of five acts and, I swear, it will be funnier than the devil.” The history of the comedy “The Inspector General” dates back to 1934. Gogol was sure that comedy genre– this is the future of Russian literature.

The idea of ​​writing a comedy based on a “purely Russian joke” arose from Gogol while working on “ Dead souls" Obviously, work on Dead Souls influenced the direction in which Gogol began to develop the plot of the comedy. It took Gogol only two months to complete his creative plan (October–November 1835), but work on the comedy continued.

About N. V. Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General”

The comedy premiered on April 19, 1836. The emperor himself, Nicholas I, was present. Gogol was depressed by what he saw: the idea of ​​the comedy was not understood by either the actors or the audience. During the performance of the comedy, Gogol noted that “the beginning of the fourth act is pale and bears a sign of some kind of fatigue.” Gogol listened to the remark of one of the actors that “it is not so clever that Khlestakov begins to be the first to ask for a loan and that it would be better if the officials themselves offered it to him.”

The final edition of the comedy dates back to 1842. “The Inspector General,” staged on stage and published in print, evoked numerous and contradictory responses. Gogol felt the need to explain the meaning of his comedy. In a word, this was the very “purely Russian anecdote” that Gogol needed to realize his plan.

The play was not allowed to be staged immediately and only after V. Zhukovsky personally had to convince the emperor of the comedy’s reliability. Everyone got it, and I got it the most.” Even if these words were not actually spoken, it reflects well how the public perceived Gogol's bold creation.

As we can see, the history of the creation of the play “The Inspector General” indicates that writing this work was not so easy for the author, taking away a lot of both his strength and time. Gogol began work on the play in the fall of 1835. It is traditionally believed that the plot was suggested to him by A.S. Pushkin. It seemed that Gogol was only concerned with how to delve into the subject, which was new to him, and how to more accurately convey his own impression. Gogol's own drawing for the last scene of the Inspector General.

In the comedy "The Inspector General" goodies No. They are not even outside the scene and outside the plot. The relief depiction of the image of city officials and, above all, the mayor, complements the satirical meaning of the comedy. But Nicholas I decided to fight comedy in his own way. Gogol was disappointed by public opinion and the unsuccessful St. Petersburg production of the comedy and refused to take part in the preparation of the Moscow premiere.

Perhaps for the first time in all those eight decades that count stage history“The Inspector General” has finally appeared on the Russian stage! The inserts were borrowed not only from the original editions of the play, but also from other works by Gogol.

The images of Avdotya and Parashka, servants in the mayor’s house, were expanded. The comedy had significant influence on Russian literature in general and drama in particular. Gogol's contemporaries noted her innovative style, depth of generalization and prominence of images. Gogol’s work was immediately admired by Pushkin, Belinsky, Annenkov, Herzen, and Shchepkin after its first readings and publications. The history of the creation of this play is connected with the name of Pushkin. And, according to Gogol, Pushkin really suggested a new plot, telling the story of a certain gentleman who in the provinces pretended to be an important St. Petersburg official.

But for all its typicality and comical nature, the story with the imaginary auditor, in essence, did not contain anything remarkable. But under Gogol’s pen it unfolded into a wide “laughable panorama” that embraced almost the entire society of that time. One of literary critics of that time wrote: “...those who think that this comedy is funny and nothing more are mistaken. Despite the obvious success of the premiere of “The Inspector General” on stage Alexandrinsky Theater, Gogol was dissatisfied with his play.

Researchers cannot give an exact answer about when the writer began working on creating a comedy, and they do not agree on any opinion. We invite the reader to get acquainted with the birth of the imperishable classics and plunge into the world of the brilliant writer Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol.

It was the father who instilled to young Nikolai love of literature, and partly the story of the creation of “The Inspector General” and other brilliant works of Gogol began precisely when Nikolai was a child. Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol's mother, Maria Ivanovna, was half the age of her husband. He decides to discuss this with Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, and he, in turn, tells him an anecdote about a false auditor who arrived in the city of Ustyuzhna and famously robbed all its inhabitants.

Significant changes to the text of the comedy were made in 1836, during the production of “The Inspector General” on the stage of the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg. Nothing was extracted from the deep meaning embedded in the play. The comedy was mistaken for ordinary vaudeville2. When preparing the second edition of the comedy “The Inspector General,” the first four scenes of this act were redone. Almost everyone present was delighted with the play. However, the story of “The Inspector General” was still far from over.

Composition

Let us remember when the comedy “The Inspector General” was written: the dark era of Nicholas I, a system of denunciations and investigations was in place, and frequent “incognito” inspector visits were common. Gogol himself defined the concept of the work as follows: “In The Inspector General, I decided to gather in one pile everything bad in Russia that I knew then... and laugh at everything at once.” “The Inspector General” became a comedy in which truly Russian characters were brought to the stage and social vices were revealed. Bribery, embezzlement, extortion, common among government officials, were shown with such force and convincingness by Gogol that his “The Inspector General” acquired the force of a historical document. So, before us is a provincial town, from where “even if you ride for three years, you won’t reach any state.” In this city, which the writer once called “the combined city of all dark side", there is everything - just like in a small state. Here we have justice, education, post office, health care, a kind of social security (in the person of the trustee of charitable institutions) and, of course, the police. Gogol’s city is a “pyramid”: on top of it, like a little king, sits the mayor. The city has its own beau monde, its own ladies' society, and its own public opinion, and their news providers in the person of landowners Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky. And below, under the heel of officials and police, life flows common people.

The city lives an unprecedentedly tense life, it is excited by an extraordinary event. This event is the waiting, receiving and seeing off the auditor. All the characters in the comedy are placed in relation to the auditor.

The concern of the alarmed authorities is aimed at maintaining external decency, external decency. None of the recommendations that the mayor gives to officials regarding precautionary measures in connection with waiting for the auditor relates to the essence of the matter entrusted to them: we are talking only about taking measures to maintain decorum.
Gogol emphasizes that the main and only morality of the ruling regime was only external decency: any disease, any ulcer can be “in your boot - and no one will see.” Only one thing is important: put on clean caps for all diseases and ulcers. Indifference, contempt for people, for human lives and suffering are the basis of such morality. If decency demands that there be fewer sick people in the hospital, let them “recover like flies.”

The rulers of the city do not even think about worrying about the internal essence of affairs: the “order” in which robbery and violence flourish will not be subject to any revision. Both the mayor and the officials know exactly what needs to be done in connection with the arrival of the auditor. You need to bribe, cajole, show off.

City officials are hastily making some external improvements (such as removing the arapnik hanging in the presence, or cleaning the street along which the auditor will travel). “As for the internal regulations,” explains the mayor, “and what Andrei Ivanovich calls sins in the letter, I can’t say anything. Yes, and it’s strange to say: there is no person who does not have any sins behind him. This is how God himself arranged it.”

Gogol’s “auditor’s situation” reveals the entire depth of a person’s nature, the entire structure of his feelings. In emergency circumstances, when, in the words of the mayor, “it’s about a person’s life,” each character is revealed deeply.

Thus, the mayor is a person “created by circumstances,” the embodiment of common sense, dexterity, cunning calculation in all matters, in all scams and frauds. According to Gogol, he is “most concerned about not missing what is floating in his hands.” He is entrusted with the city, and he has complete control over it, heading an entire “corporation of various official thieves and robbers.” He considers bribery to be a completely natural phenomenon, limited only by the rank and social position of the bribe-taker. "Look! You’re not taking it according to rank!” - he says to the policeman.

Not disdaining anything, the mayor prefers, however, to hide big sums: he calmly puts in his pocket the money allocated for the construction of the church, presenting a report that it “began to be built, but burned down.” Disdainful of the people, “merchants and citizens,” he behaves completely differently with the “auditor” Khlestakov, currying favor with him, trying to win his favor. At the same time, the mayor reveals extraordinary “diplomatic abilities”: by flattering the “state person,” he cleverly “screws” Khlestakov into four hundred rubles instead of two hundred, and then solders him on at breakfast in order to find out the truth.
Bound by mutual responsibility, city officials are unique in their individual characteristics. For example, Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin is known for his “Voltairianism.” Over the course of his entire life, he has read five or six books and “therefore is somewhat freethinking,” allowing himself to be independent even with the mayor. He provides an “ideological justification” for his bribery: “I tell everyone openly that I take bribes, but with what?.. with greyhound puppies. This is a completely different matter."

Also interesting is Strawberry, a trustee of charitable institutions. He is cynical about the work entrusted to him, despises the poor people, not at all embarrassed by the mayor’s remarks about the shortcomings in the hospital: “The closer to nature, the better - we do not use expensive medicines. The man is simple: if he dies, he will die anyway; If he gets well, he’ll get well.” These words contain cruelty, indifference to the fate of people, and a ready justification for the fact that he is simply robbing the sick. According to Gogol, Strawberry is “a fat man, but a subtle rogue.”
The caretaker of the schools, Luka Lukich Khlopov, is the embodiment of complete spiritual insignificance, timidity and humility. His character expresses typical features of Nikolaev bureaucracy: constant trepidation and fear at the mere name of his superiors. He himself admits this: “If someone of a higher rank spoke to me, I simply don’t have a soul, and my tongue is stuck in the mud.”
Another official is the postmaster Shpekin, who draws his ideas about the world from other people's letters, which he opens. However, his lexicon still poor. Here, for example, is a passage from a letter that seems especially beautiful to him: “My life, dear friend, flows... in the empyrean: there are many young ladies, music is playing, the standard is jumping...”.
Each of the images created by Gogol is unique and individual, but together they create the image of the bureaucracy as the apparatus that governs the country. And now all these provincial officials completely reveal themselves to the imaginary auditor.
Khlestakov is Gogol's brilliant discovery. He has a desire to appear “of a higher rank” and the ability to “shine among his own kind in complete mental and spiritual emptiness.” According to V.G. Belinsky, “microscopic pettiness and gigantic vulgarity” are traits that express the essence of “Khlestakovism” and are characteristic of the Russian bureaucracy of that time.

At the beginning, Khlestakov doesn’t even know who he is being mistaken for. He lives for the present moment and devotes himself entirely to the “pleasantness” of the new situation. And his main quality - the desire to show off, to show off - is fully manifested. He inspiredly composes fables about his situation in St. Petersburg. According to Gogol, Khlestakov “is not a liar by trade; he himself forgets that he is lying, and he himself almost believes what he says.” A little official, he feels special pleasure in portraying a strict boss, “scolding” others.

Everything that Khlestakov tells about St. Petersburg high society, all the pictures of a brilliant life that he unfolds - everything corresponds to the most cherished dreams and the aspirations of the mayors, strawberries, Shpekins, Dobchinskys, their ideas about “real” life. Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov is the very soul of all bureaucratic Nikolaev lackeys and the ideal person in this society.

Thus, Khlestakovism is the flip side of a social system based on bribes, embezzlement, veneration of rank, its inevitable consequence.
In the finale of the comedy, the famous silent scene, Gogol’s thought about future retribution, hope for the triumph of justice and law in the person of a real auditor are expressed.
Gogol hopes that the voice of satire, the power of ridicule, the nobility of humor will be able to make people out of the mayor and the lords. The seemingly evil lines of his comedy were dictated by his love for Russia and faith in it. Laughing at the negative phenomena of life, Gogol makes the reader think about them, understand the reasons, all the horror of these phenomena and try to get rid of them. That is why Gogol's works are relevant to this day.

In “The Inspector General,” Gogol skillfully combines “truth” and “anger,” that is, realism and bold, merciless criticism of reality. With the help of laughter and merciless satire, Gogol exposes such vices of Russian reality as veneration for rank, corruption, arbitrariness of the authorities, ignorance and bad Education. In \"Theatrical Travel\" Gogol wrote that in modern drama the action is driven not by love, but by money capital and \"electricity rank\". \"Electricity rank\" and gave rise to a tragicomic situation of general fear of the false inspector.

The comedy "The Inspector General" presents a whole "corporation of various official thieves and robbers" blissfully existing in the provincial town of N.
When describing the world of bribe takers and embezzlers, Gogol used a number of artistic techniques, which enhance the characteristics of the characters.

Having opened the very first page of the comedy and learned that, for example, the name of the private bailiff is Ukhovertov, and district doctor- Gibner, we get, in general, a fairly complete picture of these characters and the author’s attitude towards them. In addition, Gogol gave critical characteristics of each of the main characters. These characteristics help to better understand the essence of each character. Mayor: \"Although he is a bribe-taker, he behaves very respectably\", Anna Andreevna: \"Raised half on novels and albums, half on the troubles in her pantry and maiden room\", Khlestakov: \"Without a king in her head. He says and acts without any consideration." Osip: \"The servant is like servants who are several years old usually are,\" Lyapkin-Tyapkin: \"A man who has read five or six books, and therefore is somewhat free-thinking.\" Postmaster: \"A man who is simple-minded to the point of naivety.\"
Bright portrait characteristics are also given in Khlestakov’s letters to his friend in St. Petersburg. So, speaking about Strawberry, Khlestakov calls the trustee of charitable institutions "a perfect pig in a yarmulke."

Main literary device, which N.V. Gogol uses in his comic portrayal of an official, is hyperbole. As an example of the use of this technique, the author can also name Christian Ivanovich Gibner, who is not even able to communicate with his patients due to complete ignorance Russian language, and Ammos Fedorovich and the postmaster, who decided that the arrival of the auditor foreshadowed the coming war. At first, the plot of the comedy itself is hyperbolic, but as the action develops, starting with the scene of Khlestakov’s story about his life in St. Petersburg, the hyperbole gives way to the grotesque. The officials, blinded by fear for their future and clutching at Khlestakov like a straw, are unable to appreciate the absurdity of what is happening, and the absurdities pile on top of each other: here is the non-commissioned officer who “flogged herself,” and Bobchinsky, asking to bring to the attention of His Imperial Majesty that “Peter Ivanovich Bobchinsky lives in such and such a city,” etc.

The climax and the denouement that immediately follows it come sharply and cruelly. Khlestakov’s letter gives such a simple and even banal explanation that at this moment it seems to Gorodnichy, for example, much more implausible than all Khlestakov’s fantasies. A few words should be said about the image of the Mayor. Apparently, he will have to pay for the sins of his circle as a whole. Of course, he himself is not an angel, but the blow is so strong that the Governor has something like an epiphany: “I don’t see anything: I see some pig snouts instead of faces, but nothing else...”
Next, Gogol uses a technique that has become so popular in our time: The mayor, breaking the principle of the so-called “fourth wall,” addresses the audience directly: “Why are you laughing? Are you laughing at yourself.” With this remark, Gogol shows that the action of the comedy actually goes far beyond the theater stage, is transferred from county town to vast expanses. It is not without reason that some literary critics saw in this comedy an allegory for the life of the entire country. There is even a legend that Nicholas I, after watching the play, said: “Everyone got it, but I got it most of all!”

A silent scene: the inhabitants of a provincial town stand as if struck by thunder, mired in bribes, drunkenness, and gossip. But here comes a cleansing thunderstorm that will wash away the dirt, punish vice and reward virtue. In this scene Gogol reflected his belief in justice supreme authority, thereby scourging, in Nekrasov’s words, “little thieves for the pleasure of the big ones.” It must be said that the pathos of the silent scene does not fit with the general spirit of this brilliant comedy.

After the production, the comedy caused a storm of criticism, since in it Gogol broke all the canons of drama. But the main dissatisfaction of criticism was directed at the lack of a positive hero in the comedy. In response to this, Gogol will write in "Theater Travel": "...I'm sorry that no one noticed honest person, who was in my play. It's honest noble face there was laughter."

Target:

Continue introducing students to the works of N.V. Gogol, to reveal his role as a playwright and comedian; introduce him to his comedy “The Inspector General”; to uncover ideological plan comedies;

Develop thinking, memory, speech, sense of humor and irony;

Foster a culture of perception dramatic works; form a civic position.

During the classes

I . Organizational stage

II . Update

1. Student messages

Students make reports about the life and work of N.V. Gogol, the history of the creation of his comedy “The Inspector General”.

Material for teachers

Gogol began work on the play in the fall of 1835. It is traditionally believed that the plot was suggested to him by A.S. Pushkin. This is confirmed by the memoirs of the Russian writer Vladimir Sollogub: “Pushkin met Gogol and told him about an incident that happened in the city of Ustyuzhna, Novgorod province - about some passing gentleman who pretended to be a ministry official and robbed all the city residents.”

It is known that while working on the play, Gogol repeatedly wrote to A.S. Pushkin about the progress of its writing, sometimes wanting to abandon it, but Pushkin persistently asked him not to stop working on “The Inspector General”.

In January 1836, Gogol read a comedy at an evening with Vasily Zhukovsky in the presence of large group writers, among whom were A.S. Pushkin, P.A. Vyazemsky and many others. Turgenev recalled about that evening: “Gogol read superbly..., he struck me with his extreme simplicity and restraint of manner, with some important and at the same time naive sincerity, which seemed not to care whether there were listeners here and what they thought. It seemed that Gogol was only concerned with how to delve into a subject that was new to him and how to more accurately convey his own impression. The effect was extraordinary.”

Listeners' opinions about new play were different. This was the time of the formation of realism in art, and adherents of the old theatrical traditions, high, “beautiful” spectacle, accused the play of “naturalism.”

It is known that Pushkin and Zhukovsky were in complete admiration. But many did not see or did not want to see behind the classical screen of the typical plot of the “comedy of errors,” a public farce in which the whole of Russia was depicted behind the provincial town.

Gogol himself spoke about his work like this: “In The Inspector General, I decided to collect in one pile everything bad in Russia that I knew then, all the injustices that are done in those places and in those cases where justice is most required from a person, and laugh at everything at once.”

This idea of ​​Gogol found brilliant implementation in his comedy, defining its genre as a satirical, socio-political comedy. The comedy examines not a love affair, not events in private life, but phenomena public order. The plot is based on the commotion among officials awaiting the auditor, and their desire to hide their “sins” from him. Thus, she was determined to have such compositional feature, like the absence of a central character in it; such a hero became, according to Belinsky, “a corporation of various official thieves and robbers,” the bureaucratic mass. Therefore, the comedy “The Inspector General” is a broad picture of the bureaucratic and bureaucratic rule of feudal Russia in the 30s of the 19th century.

The comedy ridiculed and household side life of the inhabitants of the city: mustiness and vulgarity, insignificance of interests, hypocrisy and lies, arrogance, complete lack of human dignity, superstition and gossip.

Brilliant writer, depicting this picture, managed to draw each image in such a way that, without losing its individual originality, at the same time it represented a typical phenomenon of life of that period. This became a statement of the principles of realism in drama, which not everyone could accept in those days. But it was precisely these discoveries of Gogol that determined further development all Russian drama.

Belinsky noted the continuity of Gogol’s satire, which takes its toll creativity in the works of Fonvizin and Moliere. Thus, Gogol, on the one hand, continues the dramatic tradition. For example, he uses “talking” surnames typical of classicism and the plot of a comedy of errors. But, on the other hand, he goes further, introducing into this classical genre a lot of new. As we have already said, there is no central character in the play; the main principle for realism is used of depicting typical characters in typical circumstances. The mayor Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky and Khlestakov are not carriers of abstract vices, as in classicism, but a living embodiment moral decay Russian society generally.

Before Gogol, in the tradition of Russian literature, in those works that could be called the forerunner of Russian satire of the 19th century (for example, “The Minor” by Fonvizin), it was typical to depict both negative and positive heroes. In the comedy of classicism, evil was invariably punished right there, immediately, or at the end of the play. In this way, the idea was instilled that a “good king” or a “good official” would always punish vices and eradicate evil.

But Gogol did not believe that in order to correct the situation one only needs to call a “good official.” That’s why there are no positive heroes in the comedy “The Inspector General”. They are not even outside the scene and outside the plot. And Gogol was often reproached for this, but he answered like this: “I’m sorry that no one noticed the honest face that was in my play... This is an honest, noble face that acted in the comedy... - laughter.”

Due to the originality of the play, its innovative character and satirical sharpness, its stage fate did not develop immediately. It was possible to obtain permission for the production only after Zhukovsky managed to personally convince the emperor that “there is nothing unreliable in the comedy, that it is only a cheerful mockery of bad provincial officials.”

2. Conversation

What can you say about the comedy “The Inspector General” just starting to study it? What does the word “comedy” suggest to you? What does the timing of the play indicate?

Which scenes and characters did you find most interesting and why? Which character would you like to “play” in class?

Why is the comedy called “The Inspector General”?

III . Formation of new concepts and methods of action

1. Conversation

Guys, look how many acts are in the play and how many phenomena does each act consist of?

Five actions, each from 6 to 16 phenomena.

Now look how many characters there are in the play?

25 specific characters of different ranks and positions. Many guests, merchants, townspeople, petitioners without a name. All this makes it possible to assume that the comedy provides a broad critical picture of life and a unique anatomy of a county town.

What exact words of the mayor alarmed all the officials and set the plot of the comedy in motion?

What do you consider the plot of a comedy (the event from which the action begins)?

Does the first act have exposition (a description of the situation before the action begins)? What makes it unique? What is she talking about?

What significance does reading the letter to the mayor have for the development of the action? What exactly in this reading particularly characterizes the mayor?

What feeling motivates all officials?

How are the various institutions of the city characterized? What exactly in these descriptions justifies the fear of officials and the mayor of the auditor?

What scenes in Act I seem to slow down the development of the plot? Why does the author introduce a dispute about bribes between the mayor and the judge, and the postmaster’s story about other people’s letters? Describe the story of Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky about the “auditor”.

Why was Khlestakov mistaken for an auditor, although “in this helipad... there wasn’t even half a finger like” an auditor?

2. Independent work

Title each act of the comedy with quotes from it.

Act I - “Unpleasant news: an auditor is coming to us.”

Act II - “Oh, subtle thing!.. What a fog you have brought in!”

Act III- “After all, that’s what you live for, to pick flowers of pleasure.”

Act IV - “I have never had such a good reception anywhere.”

Act V - “Some pig snouts instead of faces.”

3. Expressive reading

Students expressively read the roles of Act I of the comedy.

IV . Application. Formation of skills and abilities

1. Work in groups

The class is divided into 3 groups, each of which receives the task of characterizing one of the officials depicted in the comedy. The observation results are entered into the table.

Fill out the table “Officials of the county city.”

2. Working with text

Select quotes from the text with which you could create a portrait of the county town.

For example: “Yes, even if you jump from here for three years, you won’t reach any state.”

V . Information stage homework

2. Answer questions 1 and 2 (to action II).

3. Complete the quotation portrait of the county town.

VI . Reflection stage

There's no point in blaming the mirror,
if the face is crooked.

Popular proverb.

Characters

Characters and costumes

Notes for gentlemen actors

The mayor, already old in the service and a very intelligent person in his own way. Although he is a bribe-taker, he behaves very respectably; quite serious; a few are even resonant; speaks neither loudly nor quietly, neither more nor less. His every word is significant. His facial features are coarse and hard, like those of anyone who began his service from the lower ranks. The transition from fear to joy, from rudeness to arrogance is quite rapid, as in a person with crudely developed inclinations of the soul. He is dressed, as usual, in his uniform with buttonholes and boots with spurs. His hair is cropped and streaked with gray.

Anna Andreevna, his wife, a provincial coquette, not yet quite old, brought up half on novels and albums, half on chores in her pantry and maid's room. She is very curious and shows vanity on occasion. Sometimes she takes power over her husband only because he is not able to answer her; but this power extends only to trifles and consists only of reprimands and ridicule. She changes her clothes four times different dresses in continuation of the play.

Khlestakov, a young man of about twenty-three, thin, thin; somewhat stupid and, as they say, without a king in his head - one of those people whom in the offices they call empty-headed. He speaks and acts without any consideration. He is unable to stop constant attention on any thought. His speech is abrupt, and words fly out of his mouth completely unexpectedly. The more the person playing this role shows sincerity and simplicity, the more he will win. Dressed in fashion.

Osip, the servant, is like servants who are several years old usually are. He speaks seriously, looks somewhat downward, is a reasoner, and likes to lecture himself to his master. His voice is always almost even, and in conversation with the master it takes on a stern, abrupt and even somewhat rude expression. He is smarter than his master and therefore guesses more quickly, but he does not like to talk much and is silently a rogue. His costume is a gray or blue shabby frock coat.

Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky, both short, short, very curious; extremely similar to each other; both with small bellies; Both speak quickly and are extremely helpful with gestures and hands. Dobchinsky is a little taller and more serious than Bobchinsky, but Bobchinsky is more cheeky and lively than Dobchinsky.

Lyapkin-Tyapkin, judge, 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. The person representing him must always maintain a significant mien on his face. He speaks in a deep bass voice with an elongated drawl, a wheeze and a gulp - like an ancient clock that first hisses and then strikes.

Strawberry, a trustee of charitable institutions, is a very fat, clumsy and clumsy man, but for all that he is a sneak and a rogue. Very helpful and fussy.

The postmaster is a simple-minded person to the point of naivety.

The other roles don't require much explanation. Their originals are almost always before your eyes.

Gentlemen actors should especially pay attention to last scene. The last spoken word should produce an electric shock on everyone at once, suddenly. The entire group must change position in the blink of an eye. The sound of amazement should escape from all women at once, as if from one breast. If these notes are not observed, the entire effect may disappear.