The most, in my opinion, comical and even a little stupid hero of Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General” is Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov.
The author says that Khlestakov looks twenty-three years old, he is thin and “without a king in his head,” as the reader will be convinced of throughout the comedy. On the way from St. Petersburg to his native Saratov, Khlestakov loses all his money, so he stops in the province of N, where all the events of the comedy unfold.
Local officials and merchants perceive Khlestakov as a strict inspector; they formed an opinion about him even before their personal communication; this is one of the main moments of the comedy, because if people themselves have invented the ruler of their destinies, then it will be very difficult to convince them, even if they behave so stupid and tactless as Khlestakov behaved.
Due to the fact that everyone perceives Ivan Aleksandrovich as the judge of their future, people simply do not notice that his habits, speech and the stories that he tells about himself are at odds with reality. And even if they do notice, it’s not a beam in their eye, but a small speck of dust. An example of this is the conversation of the Governor, who, after Khlestakov’s boasting about his position in St. Petersburg and his short communication with the emperor himself, says that even if half of what Khlestakov said is true, then this is already a collapse, because such a respected person saw everything the shortcomings of the city governed by the Mayor.
Khlestakov, being a man of not the most honest breed, takes advantage of the moment and gets the maximum benefit from the current situation. Although he has no idea that he is perceived as an auditor who can put everyone in prison, he understands that his position among these stupid residents seems very high to them, his connections in St. Petersburg are extremely powerful, so he uses the power that he has : allegedly borrows money from all officials, which he will never return, although he promises; eats plenty wherever possible; accepts payment for himself at a hotel, where he has debts for two weeks of accommodation and food.
He listens to all the merchants’ complaints about his Governor, promises to look into it and, of course, punish the culprit. He takes money from the workers for this, listens to the problems of two women, but in the end he simply forgets everything he heard, because it doesn’t matter to him.
He is greedy for women and tries to achieve success with both the Mayor’s daughter and his wife. Even at this already absurd moment, no one realizes what Khlestakov is, and when they understand, it’s too late.
Essay about Khlestakov
Gogol's comedy "The Inspector General" was written a long time ago, but it is still relevant today. And there are many reasons for this. The magnificent style that distinguishes every work of Nikolai Vasilyevich, the subtle, almost jewel-like irony that few will not make a smile, topical social problems that have made more than one generation of readers think, and, of course, the heroes: bright, original, very recognizable. One of these characters is the main character of Gogol’s immortal comedy “The Inspector General,” a swindler and rogue named Khlestakov. This is an arrogant and self-confident young man who knows human psychology well and knows how to take advantage of human weaknesses to achieve success in his plans.
One of the main character traits of Khlestakov is that this impudent young man believes that for some reason everyone should please him in every possible way and help him. That is why he willingly accepts bribes and gifts from others and happily begins to play the role of an imaginary auditor. Khlestakov loves when they pay a lot of attention to him, when they bow to him and fawn on him. He likes to feel omnipotent, although in reality he is absolutely nothing.
Khlestakov is one of those people who are used to taking everything from life. When he is mistaken for an auditor, he revels in his power and impunity, without thinking at all about the future, about where this one-man show will lead him. This person has no moral and ethical principles; he is used to living by the principle “after me, no grass will grow.” Khlestakov considers himself the king of life, and the rest - pathetic, absolutely worthless people. But then life puts everything in its place, at the end of the performance, when the real auditor arrives.
In his comedy, Gogol meant that Khlestakov’s traits live in many people contemporary to him, and it is no coincidence that he chose the Russian folk proverb “There is no need to blame the mirror if your face is crooked” as the epigraph to the work. By this he wanted to tell readers not to be offended if they inadvertently find their own traits in the image of Khlestakov.
Khlestakov is just a minor official, but, nevertheless, he is sure that all the best in life should go to him. He simply does not notice other people, is indifferent to their needs and desires. Other people for him are just pawns with the help of which he carries out his plans. Gogol also portrays Khlestakov as a good psychologist: He easily gains trust in a variety of people, finds a common language with people, uses people’s weaknesses in order to profit from them. Gogol portrays him as completely unprincipled and callous, deaf to the feelings and experiences of other people.
Gogol's comedy "The Inspector General" is still relevant due to the fact that in it Gogol paints very bright types of human characters, in particular, vivid images of the arrogant swindler Khlestakov and cowardly people who are afraid of the auditor and in every possible way curry favor with him, losing their own dignity. But the image of Khlestakov is painted most clearly. Khlestakov is an arrogant, self-confident swindler who is confident that his fraud will go unpunished, and does not care about the people around him. Such people have existed at all times, they existed in the time of Gogol, and they still exist now. And they will.
Characteristics of Khlestakov in Gogol's comedy The Inspector General
One of the main characters in Gogol's comedy "The Inspector General" is Khlestakov. Gogol specifically chose this surname for him. The root of the word is to whip, to whip after someone. An inconspicuous, thin man, twenty-three years old. A petty official, a gambler, lost all his money along the way and is now sitting in a hotel in a provincial town, hungry. That's why he looks into everyone's plates. He wants to eat, but the mayor takes him for an auditor.
Likes to dream and likes to lie a little about himself. And he enjoys it. It’s as if everyone was paying attention to him and even mistook him for an important general.
His lies are like the lies of a child, he himself believes in them. Wishful thinking. Residents of the city unwittingly help him in this - they believe all his stories. No one, including the mayor, bothered to check him and look at his documents. Everyone was waiting for the auditor, afraid of his inspection, but here the newcomer does not pay money and sticks his nose everywhere. Why not an auditor? Therefore, no one paid attention to some inconsistency of facts in his speeches. Where has it been seen that ambassadors of foreign powers play cards with the first person they meet? And a person who did not have any military rank was promised to be awarded the highest military rank of field marshal.
Khlestakov managed to deceive even the mayor, who boasts that during the thirty years of his service he has been deceiving people. He still didn’t understand who he was confused with. If I had been a little smarter, I would have benefited from the current situation. As it was, he just wanted to eat and borrow some money to move on. After all, he did not plan to stay in this city for a long time. He never plans anything at all, does not live by reason, but takes advantage of the current situation.
Khlestakov is a man without moral principles, stupid, lazy. He prefers not to work, but to spend time at the card table. He borrows money from people, knowing in advance that he will not pay it back. He deceives two women at once - the mayor's wife and daughter. The daughter is attracted by the prospect of marrying a man from the capital. He doesn’t feel sorry for anyone and doesn’t see anyone except himself, he’s a cynic and an egoist.
In the person of Khlestakov, Gogol shows how one can be deceived by a person who only wants to appear to be what he really is not.
Essay 4
Gogol’s work “The Inspector General” is an excellent example of Russian phantasmagoria and humor within the framework of literary prose and work. This work differs from the rest of his creations in that it has its own unique atmosphere and identity, again, within the framework of his creativity, and his vision of problems and their solutions. The work is also unique in its special style of narration and style, although these are more technical aspects of the work. One way or another, the work is a wonderful example of Gogol’s literary genius. This work is “The Inspector General”.
The work tells the story of a very cunning and talented swindler Khlestakov, who, thanks to his knowledge of human psychology and his assertiveness, and partly, self-confidence, gets everything he needs. Also in the work there are many different aspects that I would like to discuss, but for now we will only discuss the image and character of the swindler Khlestakov.
Khlestakov is essentially a person who does not care about the state of his surroundings, because he can always find benefit for himself from any situation. He doesn't care about anything other than his safety and his well-being, which is why the reader sometimes has conflicting feelings about this image. He is a hidden person who does not have, or at least does not show them, real friends. He only pretends that his supposed friends are important to him, but in reality he is thinking through how he can squeeze benefits out of them for his loved one. That's just the way he is and there's nothing he can do about it. He also tries to deceive as many people as possible, most likely to improve his skills.
It was Gogol’s image of Khlestakov that turned out to be the most vivid and powerful, which, undoubtedly, should be remembered by the reader, at least for his bitingness and self-confidence. I believe that this is exactly what the author tried to focus on when he wrote the work, because this is what helps the reader remember the image, and keep it in his head, comprehending and, scrolling through everything, and, accordingly, return to this work again. This is my subjective opinion, and therefore, it cannot be regarded as objective.
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Who is Khlestakov
“The Inspector General” is one of the first theatrical plays written by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. One of the central characters of the work is Khlestakov, a young man who found himself in the city of N on his way from St. Petersburg to the village to visit his father.
A brief description of Khlestakov from Gogol’s “The Inspector General” can be composed of just two words: frivolous and irresponsible. He squandered all the money his father sent him and lost it at cards. In the tavern where Khlestakov lives with his servant Osip, he owes money for housing and food. Moreover, he is indignant that they don’t want to feed him for free, as if everyone around him is obliged to support him.
As Gogol writes in a brief description in “Notes for Gentlemen Actors,” Khlestakov is an empty person.
The role of Khlestakov in the play
As the play progresses, Khlestakov finds himself in a situation where he is mistaken for an inspector. Khlestakov was scared at first, thinking that the mayor was going to put him in prison, but then, quickly getting his bearings, he used the situation to his advantage. Realizing that he is not yet in danger and using the respect for rank on the part of the mayor and other characters, Khlestakov extracts money from them and disappears in an unknown direction. Without knowing it, Khlestakov plays the role of a scalpel, opening an abscess on the patient’s body. All the dirty deeds that officials in the city of N are doing suddenly come out. People who consider themselves the “elite” of the city begin to throw mud at each other. Although before the scene where everyone brings offerings to Khlestakov, everyone smiled sweetly and pretended that everything was fine.
Khlestakov's surname and his role in the play - is there a connection?
The surname Khlestakov suits his role in the play well, because with his deception it was as if he “whipped” all the characters on the cheeks. It is difficult to say whether Gogol connected the character of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General” with his surname. But the meaning is very similar to this. Moreover, Khlestakov simply accepted the role imposed on him by those around him and took advantage of the opportunity.
Khlestakov's relationship with the characters of the play
Depending on who he was with and under what circumstances, his attitude towards the heroes also changed. For example, with Osip Khlestakov is a gentleman, capricious, a little rude, and behaves like a little unreasonable child. Although he scolds him at times, Khlestakov still listens to his opinion, and it is thanks to the servant’s ingenuity and caution that Khlestakov manages to leave before being exposed.
With women, Khlestakov is a metropolitan dandy, whispering compliments to any lady, regardless of age.
With the Mayor and city officials - at first, frightened, and then insolent, a visiting liar, pretending to be an important bird.
Khlestakov easily adapts to any situation and finds benefits for himself, as a result getting away with it.
Khlestakov and modernity
The plot of the play surprisingly resonates with today. And now you can find the ceremonial worship described in the work. And the characterization of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General” is quite suitable for many people. After all, it often happens when a person, trying to seem more significant, boasts of meeting celebrities or, adapting to the situation, lies and dodges.
Gogol seems to describe events taking place at the present time. But when he wrote “The Inspector General” he was only twenty-seven years old. And this once again confirms that genius does not depend on age.
Work test
Option 1:
Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov is the main character of N.V.’s comedy. Gogol "The Inspector General". A thin young dandy of twenty-three years old from St. Petersburg finds himself in a set of circumstances in which his true essence is revealed more than ever.
Returning home to his father in Saratov, Khlestakov loses all his money at cards. By chance, at the same time, in a small county town N, the city authorities receive a letter about an auditor who has come to conduct an inspection. Khlestakov is mistaken for an auditor and they begin to curry favor with him in every possible way and give bribes, and he, in turn, gets used to the new role, taking what is happening for granted.
“He speaks and acts without any consideration,” the author writes about Khlestakov. The character's remarkableness lies in his obvious love of showing off and showing off, thanks to which he manages to show off everyone around him. Praising himself to the mayor and the ladies, he himself believes in his own lies. He already imagines himself almost as a director of a department and an outstanding artist.
At the same time, Khlestakov is not a malicious intriguer. At first, he naively believes in the kindness and benevolence of those around him who give him “loans,” remaining polite with them, but still greedy. Ivan Alexandrovich is so flattered by himself and the location of the mayor that he dares to ask for the hand of Marya Antonovna, the mayor’s daughter, and receives consent. Only thanks to his more perceptive servant Osip does he manage to reverse in time and get out of the water unscathed.
It is not without reason that thanks to the bright character of Khlestakov, the concept of “Khlestakovism” appeared, characterizing shameless self-praise and lies, when emptiness and stupidity are hidden under a flashy pompous appearance. Nikolai Vasilyevich himself wrote that every person becomes Khlestakov at least once in his life. These words tell us about the relevance of the character in our time.
Option 2:
One of the main characters of the famous comedy work by N.V. Gogol “The Inspector General” is a slightly stupid, but cunning guy who will not miss any good opportunity - Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov.
When local officials became worried and mistakenly mistook him for a visiting auditor traveling incognito, Khlestakov supported this convenient situation and began to desperately lie and play along. For his own benefit, he either appears to everyone as an absolute loser as a reveler asking for lunch, or adds considerable importance to himself by pretending that he has good connections with dukes and counts, or even a real womanizer and ladies' man. One can only envy Khlestakov’s artistry.
In this comedy work, on the one hand, our hero is a simple-minded guy, a talkative joker who does not have much knowledge, but only superficial ones, and always walks around on his own. He plays what the local environment wants to see in him, any role, as long as no one suspects that he is not an auditor. His speech is quite primitive, in which literary cliches and the incorrect use of beautiful French words he heard are clearly audible.
One can characterize Khlestakov as a home-grown rogue, the kind you just need to look for, a lazy and uneducated person who does not hesitate to brag and skillfully lie. Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov never took the words he said seriously and was not going to answer for them.
Thanks to the main character of N. V. Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General,” a new word for everyone has appeared in everyday life - “Khlestakovism,” which is defined as lies, boasting and irresponsibility all rolled into one.
Option 3:
Ivan Andreevich Khlestakov is the main character of N.V. Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General.” He is presented as a contradictory and ambiguous personality. The young man is constantly dissatisfied with his life and never has money. Khlestakov does absolutely nothing to change his life, but only hopes that the day will come and everything will be decided by itself.
His position is fully consistent with his character. The character is by nature an adventurous person and partly a swindler. If he were an honest person, he would not turn to practically strangers (Dopchinsky and Bobchinsky) with a request to borrow money without being able to give it back. Moreover, he would not have shown interest in both his daughter and her mother at the same time.
Khlestakov is an inveterate liar and deceives people very easily and naturally, as little children do when they invent some kind of fable. His stories bring him pleasure. During conversations, the hero behaves irresponsibly and does not talk about anything specifically or seriously. Even Gogol himself emphasizes the spiritual emptiness and lack of morality in him. He, as a narrow-minded person, believes that to achieve success you do not need to make efforts, have certain knowledge and talent. Khlestakov is confident that a simple chance is enough to achieve a goal; everything can be decided, for example, luck during the card games that he loves so much.
Gogol managed to create an image that demonstrates to readers many human vices. In the modern world, corrupt officials would hardly mistake Khlestakov for an auditor, but, nevertheless, many of us have his traits.
Option 4:
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol creates the image of a young man who, due to circumstances, becomes the center of attention of a small county town. The heroes of the comedy take him for an auditor, and he, in turn, brilliantly plays his role. His name is Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov.
In notes for actors, the author describes the hero’s appearance as follows: “a young man of about twenty-three, thin, thin; somewhat stupid “...” - one of those people who in the offices are called empty-headed. He speaks and acts without any consideration. "..." Dressed in fashion."
The development of the plot introduces the reader even closer to Khlestakov. In addition to the listed characteristics, others will be added to it. Ivan Alexandrovich is a dreamer. He tries to realize his dreams in conversation with the townspeople, especially the ladies. He assures them that he personally knows A.S. Pushkin, that he is part of the high society of society, that it was he who owned the famous works: “Frigate of Hope”, “Moscow Telegraph”, “Yuri Miloslavsky”.
Despite the stupidity noted by Gogol, Khlestakov is not without resourcefulness and cunning. Understanding his position, he robs frightened officials under the guise of a monetary debt and manages to “get away with it” from the love triangle. Moreover, he sends a letter to his St. Petersburg friend Tryapichkin about all the adventures that happened to him. In it, Khlestakov mocked deceived people, not skimping on insults: “The mayor is stupid, like a gray gelding...”, “The overseer of the charitable establishment, Strawberry, is a perfect pig in a skull cap,” etc.
N.V. Gogol portrayed a “little man” who is not distinguished by outstanding qualities, but strongly wants to have wealth and fame. Khlestakov laughs not only at the officials and the mayor, but also at himself, because he is no better than them. Unless he’s “dressed in fashion.”
Who is Khlestakov
“The Inspector General” is one of the first theatrical plays written by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. One of the central characters of the work is Khlestakov, a young man who found himself in the city of N on his way from St. Petersburg to the village to visit his father.
A brief description of Khlestakov from Gogol’s “The Inspector General” can be composed of just two words: frivolous and irresponsible. He squandered all the money his father sent him and lost it at cards. In the tavern where Khlestakov lives with his servant Osip, he owes money for housing and food. Moreover, he is indignant that they don’t want to feed him for free, as if everyone around him is obliged to support him.
As Gogol writes in a brief description in “Notes for Gentlemen Actors,” Khlestakov is an empty person.
The role of Khlestakov in the play
As the play progresses, Khlestakov finds himself in a situation where he is mistaken for an inspector. Khlestakov was scared at first, thinking that the mayor was going to put him in prison, but then, quickly getting his bearings, he used the situation to his advantage. Realizing that he is not yet in danger and using the respect for rank on the part of the mayor and other characters, Khlestakov extracts money from them and disappears in an unknown direction. Without knowing it, Khlestakov plays the role of a scalpel, opening an abscess on the patient’s body. All the dirty deeds that officials in the city of N are doing suddenly come out. People who consider themselves the “elite” of the city begin to throw mud at each other. Although before the scene where everyone brings offerings to Khlestakov, everyone smiled sweetly and pretended that everything was fine.
Khlestakov's surname and his role in the play - is there a connection?
The surname Khlestakov suits his role in the play well, because with his deception it was as if he “whipped” all the characters on the cheeks. It is difficult to say whether Gogol connected the character of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General” with his surname. But the meaning is very similar to this. Moreover, Khlestakov simply accepted the role imposed on him by those around him and took advantage of the opportunity.
Khlestakov's relationship with the characters of the play
Depending on who he was with and under what circumstances, his attitude towards the heroes also changed. For example, with Osip Khlestakov is a gentleman, capricious, a little rude, and behaves like a little unreasonable child. Although he scolds him at times, Khlestakov still listens to his opinion, and it is thanks to the servant’s ingenuity and caution that Khlestakov manages to leave before being exposed.
With women, Khlestakov is a metropolitan dandy, whispering compliments to any lady, regardless of age.
With the Mayor and city officials - at first, frightened, and then insolent, a visiting liar, pretending to be an important bird.
Khlestakov easily adapts to any situation and finds benefits for himself, as a result getting away with it.
Khlestakov and modernity
The plot of the play surprisingly resonates with today. And now you can find the ceremonial worship described in the work. And the characterization of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General” is quite suitable for many people. After all, it often happens when a person, trying to seem more significant, boasts of meeting celebrities or, adapting to the situation, lies and dodges.
Gogol seems to describe events taking place at the present time. But when he wrote “The Inspector General” he was only twenty-seven years old. And this once again confirms that genius does not depend on age.
Work test
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We are already accustomed to the fact that, basically, life presents us with surprises in the form of troubles and difficulties. This is probably why stories with the reverse course of circumstances are perceived by us as something out of the ordinary. Such situations seem somewhat ironic. The story told in Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol’s story “The Inspector General,” in addition to being essentially a gift of fate, is also based on a dose of absurdity. This combination makes the work unique and attractive.
Biography of Khlestakov
Naturally, when reading a work, we first of all pay attention to the main character. So, Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov is a young landowner, a nobleman who once found himself in an awkward situation.
He had a chance to seriously lose at cards. In order to improve his situation a little, he goes to his parents on the estate.
Since his journey is long, he, despite the lack of finances, stops at a hotel in the city of N. This is where luck smiles on him.
He is mistaken for the long-awaited auditor from Moscow. The impudent behavior and demeanor in society leaves no doubt among officials - in their opinion, only an auditor can behave this way.
We invite you to read the story of the same name by N.V. Gogol
Since in the city of N. things were not ideal, and officials continually retreated from their duties, of course not for the benefit of the city residents, but for the benefit of their own pockets, it is impossible to avoid the problems associated with checking their work in an honest way. None of them want to lose their hot spot, so as one they all go to Khlestakov and give him bribes - a guarantee that they will remain in office and avoid problems.
At first Khlestakov was perplexed, but then decided to take full advantage of the situation. With money in his pocket, he successfully retreated from the city. News about his fictitiousness as an auditor became known too late - blaming Khlestakov and demanding the return of money from him is a stupid thing to do. In this case, the fact of bribery would have to be admitted, and this would be the ruin of the careers of officials.
Khlestakov's appearance
Like most rogues and scoundrels, Khlestakov has pleasant, trustworthy facial features. He has brown hair, a “cute nose” and quick eyes that make even determined people feel embarrassed. He is not tall. His build is far from that of graceful and physically developed young men - he is too thin.
Such physical characteristics significantly spoil the impression he makes. But the cunning Khlestakov finds a clever way to correct the situation - an expensive and well-groomed suit.
Ivan Aleksandrovich understands that the first impression of him is always based on his appearance, so he cannot afford to make a mistake here - clothes are made of expensive fabric, sewn based on fashion trends. Always cleaned to a shine - such an external factor significantly distracts society’s attention from the inner essence of a person.
Khlestakov family, education
How did you have to look and behave in order to pass for an auditor in the first half of the 19th century?
First of all, you had to be born an aristocrat. It is extremely difficult for a person of common origin to create the appearance of belonging to high society.
The manner of speaking, the plasticity of movements, gestures - this had to be learned for many years. For people of noble origin, this style was common; they adopted it from their parents, their friends who came to visit.
Ivan Alexandrovich was not a luminary of high society, but he was still a nobleman by birth. His parents own the Podkatilovka estate. Little is known about the state of affairs and the importance of the estate - the fact that the parents sent money to their son suggests that the estate was not unprofitable, it generated sufficient income to provide the life of the whole family with at least the most necessary things.
Nothing is known about Khlestakov’s education. It is likely that he received an “average” education. This conclusion can be drawn based on the position he holds. Khlestakov works as a collegiate registrar. This type of civil service was at the very end of the list of the Table of Ranks. If Khlestakov’s parents were wealthy people, they would have been able to provide their son with a better position with the help of connections or money. Since this did not happen, it is inappropriate to talk about the family’s large income or their importance against the backdrop of the aristocracy.
Now let’s summarize all the data: financial instability has always been inherent in the Khlestakovs, their income has never been high (if they had ever been rich, they would have been able to acquire connections or acquaintances during the period of their family’s material rise), which means sending their son to study abroad or they did not have the money to hire highly qualified teachers.
Attitude to service
Khlestakov’s exact age is not indicated. Gogol limits it to 23-24 years old. Mostly people of this age are full of enthusiasm and desire to realize themselves. But this is not the case of Khlestakov. Ivan Aleksandrovich is rather frivolous about his work; he is of little interest in promotions and the possibility of career growth. His work is not difficult and consists of copying papers, but Khlestakov is too lazy to be zealous in matters of service. Instead of working, he goes for a walk or plays cards.
Such carelessness of his is connected, first of all, with the fact that Khlestakov does not suffer from a lack of money. Yes, he lives in a poor apartment, which is located on the fourth floor, but, apparently, this state of affairs does not bother Ivan Alexandrovich. It is likely that he is not used to living in luxury apartments and therefore does not seek to improve the current housing situation. For Khlestakov, the values of life are contained in other things - leisure and clothing. But the situation changes dramatically when Khlestakov needs to stay in an unfamiliar city - here he stays only in the best apartments. It is likely that such a move is connected with Khlestakov’s desire to create the impression of a man so rich that everyone around him, who does not know the real state of affairs, begins to envy him. It is possible that the calculation is based not only on the feeling of envy, with the help of which Ivan Alexandrovich asserts himself, but also on the opportunity to receive some kind of bonuses from local officials or the hotel owner.
Added to this fact is the fact that Khlestakov is not able to compete with the rich people of St. Petersburg, where he lives most of the time and works. Renting cheap housing allows him to save money on those things that would set him apart from those of the same condition as himself - appearance attributes. He doesn’t have to invite everyone to his home or talk unnecessarily about the location of his home, but the condition and cheapness of the suit can give him a bad reputation. Since life for show is important to Khlestakov, in the manner of very wealthy aristocrats, he has no choice but to save on permanent housing.
Ivan Alexandrovich's parents are discouraged by the lack of promotion for their son. Apparently they were betting heavily on his abilities. The father periodically expresses his indignation at this expense, but the son always finds an excuse - not all at once. It takes a long time to earn a promotion. In fact, such an excuse is a lie that allows you to hide the true state of affairs.
Life in St. Petersburg
Ivan Alexandrovich cannot imagine his life without St. Petersburg. It is in this place that everything that is so dear to his heart is collected - the opportunity to spend time in a variety of pleasures. He eagerly goes to the theater every day and does not deny himself the pleasure of playing cards. By the way, he finds people who want to play always and everywhere, but not everyone and not always Khlestakov manages to win - staying on the nose is a common thing for him.
Ivan Aleksandrovich loves gourmet cuisine and does not deny himself the pleasure of a tasty and satisfying meal.
Personality characteristics
First of all, Khlestakov stands out in society for his ability to lie beautifully and smoothly - for a person who prefers to live in the illusion of wealth, creating the appearance of a significant person is a necessity.
Ivan Aleksandrovich is aware of his gaps in knowledge, but is in no hurry to eradicate them - the fictitious success created by his lies, arrogant and pompous appearance inspires him.
Still, from time to time he reads books and even tries to write something on his own, but judging by the fact that there are no reviews from other characters about his works, we can conclude that these attempts were not successful.
Khlestakov loves when he is praised and admired, this is another reason to invent something about his life. He loves to be the center of attention - such success is difficult to achieve in St. Petersburg, but in the provinces, where even his manner of speaking in a metropolitan manner evokes a storm of positive emotions - this is an easy matter.
Khlestakov is not brave, he is not ready to answer for his actions. When officials come to his hotel room, his heart is filled with fear of the possibility of being arrested. At his core, he is a wimp, but he is a good actor - he knows how to create the appearance of a significant and very smart person, although in fact neither the first nor the second corresponds to the true state of affairs.
Khlestakov's attitude towards women
Gogol is silent about Khlestakov’s relationships with women in St. Petersburg, but actively describes Ivan Alexandrovich’s behavior with female representatives in the provinces.
Khlestakov knows how to play to the public and evoke a feeling of sympathy in people - this applies not only to indicators of good manners and ostentatious aristocracy. Khlestakov is a skilled seducer and seducer. He enjoys the company of women and their attention.
It is unlikely that he sets himself the goal of getting a wife. For Khlestakov, love interests are a unique way of playing and manipulating people.
Arriving in the city of N and meeting the wife and daughter of the governor, he does not miss the opportunity to flirt with both women. At first he confesses his love to his daughter, but after a couple of minutes he swears his mother’s love. Khlestakov is not at all embarrassed by this fact. In addition, when Marya Antonovna (the governor’s daughter) becomes an accidental witness of Khlestakov’s tenderness towards his mother, Ivan Alexandrovich, taking advantage of the stupidity of women and the feeling of love that arose in them towards him, turns the whole situation in favor of a wedding with Marya Antonovna - at the same time Neither mother nor daughter understands their humiliating position and does not feel offended. Leaving the city, Khlestakov understands that his matchmaking was a game only for him; everyone else, including Marya Antonovna, takes everything at face value. He is not worried about the future fate of the young girl and the possibility of traumatizing her with his actions - he leaves the city with a calm soul.
Thus, Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov is a typical scoundrel, capable of bringing grief and trouble to other people for the sake of his pleasure. He does not appreciate the care his parents take for himself and is in no hurry to reciprocate the kindness shown to him by others in kind. Most likely, on the contrary - he cleverly takes advantage of the gullibility and innocence of those around him.
Characteristics of the image of Khlestakov in quotes
Gogol's character appears as the central character of the famous Gogol text. Moreover, Khlestakov has already become a household name, because the “father” of the character, Nikolai Gogol, managed to create one of the most successful, bright and succinct literary types. Here, for example, is how his creator describes Khlestakov:
Khlestakov, a young man of about twenty-three, thin and thin; somewhat stupid and, as they say, without a king in his head - one of those people who are called empty in the offices. 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...
Remark about the place of the image of Khlestakov in the plot of Gogol’s text
The hero ends up in one of the small, provincial towns of the Russian Empire by accident. And just by chance, Khlestakov creates a whirlwind of mistakes around himself. The man constantly stumbles and stumbles. However, at first events go well for Khlestakov. The hero's arrival almost coincides with the arrival in the city of an auditor - a strict Russian official who intended to check the affairs in the town. And so: the residents of the city are waiting for the arrival of the official, and mistake our hero for him.
Khlestakov manages to successfully mimic the guise of an auditor. Over time, Gogol's hero reveals his true essence. Our hero is a rake and a gambler, a spender of his parents’ money. A man loves female company, craves power, influence and money. Khlestakov treats lower-ranking serfs and servants with pointed disdain. The hero calls the peasants scoundrels, swindlers, slackers and fools. Khlestakov’s faithful servant also gets it.
At the same time, Khlestakov seems to be very naive. They bring money to the hero as a bribe, meanwhile, the man perceives these “offerings” as a loan, exclaiming:
Give me, lend me a loan, I’ll pay the innkeeper right away...
How to evaluate the image of Khlestakov?
Of course, literary scholars were puzzled by how to correctly evaluate the image of Khlestakov - in a positive or negative way. No, Gogol did not intend to present his character as an evil bandit, a swindler, a cunning schemer or a scoundrel. Moreover, our hero has so little cunning that Osip, the hero’s servant, sometimes shows much more wisdom in his actions than his master.
Khlestakov is a victim of circumstances, the cycle of random events. The hero evokes universal sympathy, because the image of Khlestakov is characterized by such features as good looks, courtesy, charm (especially the man’s smile fascinates everyone), as well as good manners. The hero belonged to an aristocratic family, but showed the same inability to live in a life where he had to earn his own living, like all nobles. The man's soul longed for St. Petersburg life.
Gogol evaluates Khlestakov as neutrally as possible. The writer presents the hero as a young man about “twenty-three to twenty-four years old.” The hero was distinguished by his affectation and thinness, the hero’s posture was beautiful, thin, slender. However, the young man was “somewhat stupid and, as they say, without a king in his head, one of those people who in the offices are called empty.”
"Hero's Passport", according to Gogol's text
1. The completely Gogolian hero was called Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov. The mayor emphasizes the “plainliness,” that is, the smallishness, short stature of the hero, who did not at all resemble a powerful auditor. However, Khlestakov’s very appearance is “not bad”; the young man clearly arouses the interest of ladies, the favor of mature beauties and young girls.
2. Before the hero arrived in the provincial regions, Khlestakov served in the St. Petersburg chancellery with the rank of collegiate registrar. This is the lowest rank, according to the Russian Table of Ranks:
It would be nice if there was really something worthwhile, otherwise he’s just a simple little elistrat!..
However, in the Saratov region, Khlestakov had his own village, which was called Podkatilovka. This is where Gogol's hero was heading until, due to a coincidence of circumstances, he stopped by the city of N. In St. Petersburg, Khlestakov occupies a small apartment located on the top floor. The top places were then occupied by people who did not boast of tight wallets:
...As you run up the stairs to your fourth floor...
3. The hero’s heart, it seemed, was not in the service. Therefore, instead of regular and honest work, the young man wastes his life in entertainment establishments:
...does not take care of business: instead of going to office, he goes for a walk along the avenue, plays cards<…>“No, father demands me. The old man was angry that he had still not achieved anything in St. Petersburg. He thinks that this is how he came and now they’ll give you Vladimir in your buttonhole...”
So, the Russian writer emphasizes that Khlestakov loved to lead a free lifestyle, indulge in various pleasures, spend money on trifles and amusements. Saving was never easy for Khlestakov, so the hero periodically found himself completely broke and begging for money from his parents’ savings:
“He squandered some expensive money, my dear, now he sits with his tail curled up and doesn’t get excited. And it would be, and there would be a lot of use for runs; no, you see, you need to show yourself in every city!..”<…>“...The priest will send money, something to hold it with - and where! .. he went on a spree: he drives a cab, every day you get a ticket to the key, and then a week later, lo and behold, he sends him to the flea market to sell a new tailcoat...”
4. Khlestakov is characterized by a love of luxury. Therefore, the hero does not deny himself anything, lives beyond his means, buys the most expensive things, prefers delicious cuisine, theatrical performances, and gambling, in which he lost more often than he won:
“And I admit, I don’t like to deny myself death on the road, and why? Is not it?.."<…>“... Hey, Osip, go look at the room, the best one, and ask for the best lunch: I can’t eat a bad lunch, I need the best lunch...”<…>"I like to eat. After all, you live to pick flowers of pleasure.”<…>“I—I admit, this is my weakness—love good cuisine.”<…>“Please tell me, do you have any entertainment, societies where you could, for example, play cards?..”<…>"...sometimes it's very tempting to play..."<…>“... He meets a person passing by, and then plays cards - now you’ve finished the game!..”<…>“Yes, if I hadn’t gone on a spree in Penza, I would have had enough money to get home. The infantry captain greatly deceived me: the stosi are amazing, beast, cutting off. I only sat for about a quarter of an hour and robbed everything. And with all that fear, I would like to fight it again. The case just didn’t lead..."
5. Khlestakov is prone to lies. The drama of the character lies in the fact that the hero sometimes invents an alternative reality in which he believes. For example, according to the pseudo-auditor, he loves writing, writes literary texts, publishing stories and articles of his own production in magazines. Khlestakov, as the hero says, often reads books. However, even the reader develops sympathy for Gogol’s careless character; after all, Khlestakov is a swindler. Even if the fraudulent nature of Gogol’s character is accidental, Gogol does not justify Khlestakov, but portrays the image of the young man objectively.