Imperialistic Russia In Shakespeare's The Government Inspector
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Section A: The play, its context and the ideas presented.
My initial reaction to ‘The Government Inspector’
‘The Government Inspector’ exposes imperialistic Russia in the most satiric and comical way possible. For me, the play kickstarted when Khlestakov, a minor St Petersburg clerk, is mistaken for the government inspector. Everything from the high energy buzz of all the characters (Dobchinsky and Bobchinsky appealed to me the most with their constant bickering and humorous conversations) to the brilliantly planned out plot made this play into the masterpiece it is.
Historical Context:
Gogol’s Life and Inspiration for The Government Inspector
Nikolai Gogol was boring in Sorochyntsi, Ukraine in 1809 and passed away in 1852. From 1820 to 1828, Gogol developed a deep…show more content… the Governor’s office, the drawing room of the Governor’s house, the Inn) but all in a small provincial town.
Characters:
The characters in ‘The Government Inspector’ highlight the comical aspect of the play as they introduce the illogicality and the logic of the plot to the audience. Neoclassicism played a major role in how Gogol portrayed these characters; as a result, the characters are traditional. They are also “grotesque, but not completely without hope.”
The Governor
Character Analysis: Has considerable power. Though he is a man who accepts bribes (shows the corruption of the government), he takes it with dignity. Gogol portrays him as a dynamic character as “his expression changes rapidly from fear to joy, for he’s a rough-edged character,” as said in the director’s notes.
Costume: (Taken from Director’s notes) He is normally dressed in a frock-coat with button-holes, wears spurred jack-boots. His hair is short and grizzled.
Anna (Governor’s