NON-AFRICAN DRAMA
NIKOLAI GOGOL: The Government Inspector
Examine three comic scenes in the play.
Explanation
There are many comic scenes in the play. One such scene occurs where Hlestakov has no money to pay for his accumulated bills in the inn, but still threatens the Landlord and the waiter for refusing his demand for more food and not being properly attended to by the inn keeper. When food is eventually served, though he has not paid a single Rouble for it, he still complains about its quality. The comic element in this scene emanates from the absurdity of Hlestakov’s behaviour.
The scene where Bob and Dob attempt to report the arrival of the expected Government Inspector is equally comic. Both are at their comic best competing to announce the arrival. In their foolish eagerness they misrepresent Hlestakov as the expected Government Inspector, thus setting the stage for the action of the play.
Gogol also creates another comic scene when Yosif, thinking that the Landlord of the inn has reported them to the Mayor for their debts, quickly informs Hlestakov that the Mayor has come to arrest and put them in prison. Ironically, it is the Mayor who believes Hlestakov is the Government Inspector being expected from Petersburg and has come to meet him.
It is also funny and ridiculous that the Mayor should bribe Hlestakov with a “loan” of 400 Roubles fearing that he is the Government Inspector, while, in fact, Hlestakov is a spendrift and no Government Inspector.
Yet another comic scene is created where mother and daughter compete for Hlestakov’s attention under the full glare of the Mayor. They dress to kill and fantasize about him and even quarrel about who is best qualified to woo him.
Also comic is the scene where the Mayor fantasizes about when his daughter Marya, would get married to Hiestakov. He boasts about it in the province and all the officials go to the Mayor’s house with their wives to congratulate him on his soon becoming the father-in-law of the Government Inspector. The Mayor cuts a very ridiculous figure as he struts around, gloating on his own imagined position and importance.
The last scene in the play after the interception of Hlestakov’s letter by the Postmaster is as comic as all the others. Here all the characters lick their wounds and count their losses as they confess their stupidity in allowing Hiestakov to dupe them.