In a remote Russian provincial town, the mayor and local officials learn that an inspector from St. Petersburg is arriving incognito to check on them. Panicking, since each of them is corrupt, they mistake a penniless young clerk named Khlestakov, who is stuck at the inn, for the inspector. Khlestakov quickly realizes the error and plays along, accepting bribes and flirting with the mayor's wife and daughter. Gogol's five-act comedy of 1836 satirizes bureaucracy, greed, and the fear of authority, and ends with a famous twist.
Readers who enjoy classic satire and farce will find a fast, funny play that remains easy to stage. It is a good starting point for Russian literature, with a plot simple enough to follow without background knowledge.
Outward-looking and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Evidence Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1835
- Language
- EN
