48 pages 1 hour read

Nikolai Gogol

The Government Inspector

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1836

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Before You Read

Roundup icon

Super Short Summary

The comedy of errors plot in Nikolai Gogol's satirical stage play The Government Inspector revolves around Khlestakov, a young, dissolute government clerk mistaken for an awaited government inspector in a small Russian town; he exploits this misunderstanding to dupe the frantic and corrupt officials, exposing the moral decay and incompetence of government.

Reviews & Readership

Roundup icon

Review Roundup

Nikolai Gogol's The Government Inspector is celebrated for its sharp satire of bureaucratic corruption and human folly. You'll find its humor engaging, though some modern readers may struggle with its period-specific references and language. Many appreciate the universal themes that remain relevant, while others might find the pacing slow at times.

Who should read this

Who Should Read The Government Inspector?

Readers who enjoy sharp satire and social commentary, akin to George Orwell's Animal Farm or Molière's Tartuffe, will delight in Nikolai Gogol's The Government Inspector. This play humorously critiques bureaucracy and corruption, making it ideal for those who appreciate literary works that blend wit with incisive political critique.

Recommended

Reading Age

18+years

Book Details

Genre

Play: Comedy / Satire

Classic Fiction

Russian Literature

Themes

Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Emotions/Behavior: Guilt

Society: Community