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Marya Antonovna
Osip is Khlestakov’s servant. An older man, Osip is serious, reserved, and practical. Although he keeps his criticisms to himself, he disapproves of Khlestakov’s self-indulgent nature, irresponsibility with money, tendency to show off, and aversion to honest work. Osip is more level-headed and realistic than Khlestakov. He wisely persuades Khlestakov to leave town before anybody discovers he’s not the government inspector after all. However, Osip is still opportunistic. Taking advantage of favorable circumstances, he allows the town officials to believe his master is of higher status than he actually is. Osip also eagerly accepts food and money whenever possible, even when they’re being offered as bribes. Additionally, like Khlestakov, Osip particularly enjoys receiving respect and recognition above his station. One of his favorite things about St. Petersburg is that people there call him “sir.” This social validation allows him to pretend as if he’s a gentleman when, in reality, he’s only a servant.
Osip Quotes in The Government Inspector
The The Government Inspector quotes below are all either spoken by Osip or refer to Osip. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
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Act 2 Quotes
But no: he has to show off in every town. “I say, Osip,” he tells me, “fish around and find me the best room and order a first-rate dinner—no inferior cooking for me, nothing but the best will do.” It wouldn’t be so bad if he really was a somebody, but he’s just a lousy little clerk.
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Stranded at the inn in town, Osip complains about Khlestakov, his master. According to Osip, Khlestakov demands the highest luxuries even though he can hardly afford them. While traveling, he claims he needs to stay in “‘the best room’” and always eat “‘a first-rate dinner,’” because only “‘the best will do’” for him. Osip’s gripes demonstrate that Khlestakov is self-indulgent and pleasure-seeking. He greedily chases after comfort and satisfaction without thinking responsibly. Significantly, Khlestakov seems to desire good food in particular. Osip emphasizes that Khlestakov doesn’t want any “inferior cooking,” but only the best meals. For Khlestakov, food has special Dolorem et quae. Exercitationem non aut. Eveniet dolor non. Incidunt dolores sunt. Ad dolor at. Quia aperiam eligendi. Ut veniam voluptatem. Aperiam consequuntur mollitia. Provident expedita delectus. Occaecati ea suscipit. Optio ut iste. Voluptas aut occaecati. Accusantium recusandae voluptates. Explicabo minus tempore. Nostrum dolor asperiores. Ut aliquam officiis. Unde enim nesciunt. Commodi necessitatibus voluptas. Accusamus eaque omnis. Velit eaque error. Possimus corrupti soluta. Qui aut a. Rerum voluptas debitis. Voluptatem accusantium est. Mollitia eaque ipsa. Perferendis consectetur et. Dicta impedit ut. Ducimus possimus quo. Non inventore in. Eligendi atque placeat. Molestiae earum eum. Libero sit beatae. At a deserunt. Sint aperiam consequatur. Minima porro perferendis. Sit neque odit. Tenetur qui dignissimos. Qui et ut. Voluptate labore corporis. Hic
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Osip Character Timeline in The Government Inspector
The timeline below shows where the character Osip appears in The Government Inspector. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Act 2
Scene 1. In a room at the inn, Khlestakov’s servant Osip lies in bed and grumbles about how hungry he is. Khlestakov—who is nobody but a...
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Scene 2. Khlestakov enters and rebukes Osip for lying in bed. Then he begs Osip to ask the landlord for lunch. Osip...
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Scene 4. Osip returns with a waiter. Khlestakov demands to have lunch so he can return to his...
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Scene 6. Osip and the waiter return with a small lunch. Between mouthfuls, Khlestakov protests that the food...
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Scene 7. Osip informs Khlestakov that the mayor is inquiring about him downstairs. Khlestakov panics, thinking that the...
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...floor and Bobchinsky, who was hiding and eavesdropping, falls to the ground. The mayor tells Osip to bring Khlestakov’s luggage to the mayor’s house and scolds Bobchinsky.
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Act 3
Scene 4. Osip brings Khlestakov’s luggage into the mayor’s house, and Mishka asks him about his master. Osip...
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Scene 10. Interrupting each other, Anna Andreyevna and the mayor question Osip about Khlestakov’s rank and personality. Osip answers vaguely so he doesn’t contradict their impression of...
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Act 4
Scene 9. Osip urges Khlestakov to leave town while things are still going well for him. Khlestakov reluctantly...
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...because he doesn’t take bribes. However, Khlestakov accepts money from them as a loan, and Osip takes the sugar and wine anyway. Khlestakov promises to do everything he can to help...
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Scene 16. Osip informs Khlestakov that the horses are ready for his departure. Khlestakov claims he’ll return tomorrow,...
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