NON-AFRICAN DRAMA; Nikolai Gogol: The Government Inspector
Examine the satire in the play. Robert Bolt
Explanation
The Satire in the play
The play ridicules the corrupt nature of Russian society during the period of Nicholas I. The inadequacies of the Mayor, the highest government officials and those of his officials in the province are exposed through satire and irony.
The general uneasiness, guilt and fear of all the stakeholders (the Mayor, the Judge, the Charity Commissioner, the School Superintendent) when they receive the news of the inspector’s visit proves that they are very corrupt.
The following illustrations bring out the satire in the play:
The established institutions, represented by the Mayor.
The following are his words: • know you are like the rest us… you don’t like to lose what swims into your hands”.
His advice to his official is that they should hide their corrupt ways.
I warn you to take precautions”.
We also find the Mayor telling the supposed Government Inspector, Hlestakov not to listen to the complaints of the traders against him.
e further invites him to his home and is ready to give him his daughter’s hand in marriage, if that will make him more powerful in the Province. In all these, the Mayor’s utterances and actions are a far cry from what he is expected :j do for his people. The role of the Charity Commissioner who is not after the people’s welfare. ….we don’t bother with expensive medicines! …. If they get better, they get better! ….”. He directs that patient’s records of ailments and admission be taken just for the purpose of the inspector’s visit.
The playwright does not spare his satire on the Mayor’s instructions to the other officials like the judge who is to keep the Courthouse clean and the postmaster, to open people’s letters. These expose and ridicule the laxity of these officials who handle official matter.
The bribes given in the form of loans to the supposed Government Inspector to keep him away from prying into the conduct of good business – proof that corruption is endemic in the society. The roles of Hlestakov and his servant Yosif, the Mayor’s wife and daughter, all add to the satire of the play. Everyone believes that Hlestakov is the Government Inspector. They realize their mistake too late to recover their gifts or loans and even their honour.