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Themes and Colors
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Government Inspector, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Government Inspector, a play set in a provincial Russian town in the 1830s, satirizes the rampant political corruption of local government officials and petty bureaucrats. The play does so by presenting all the town officials as inept and self-serving. The mayor takes bribes and steals from townspeople without scruple. The judge also takes bribes; the Warden of Charities doesn’t feed charity hospital patients properly or treat them with medicine; and the police are often drunk and violent. The local officials know their crookedness is wrong, but they feel no guilt about their misconduct because they benefit from how unjustly they run the town. The mayor himself excuses his misdeeds with the lighthearted claim that every man has “some little indiscretion on his conscience.” Overall, the town officials’ foolish antics throughout the play as they try to hide their blatant corruption showcase the total incompetence of the town’s governance. Additionally, Khlestakov, a visitor to the town who is presumed to be the government inspector, represents the bureaucracy’s inefficacy. Irresponsible and light-minded, he has no real governmental power, and he doesn’t take his work seriously. Nevertheless, even his minor clerical position in St. Petersburg inflates his ego, and Khlestakov is happy to let the ignorant town officials treat him like a magnificent lord. Through Khlestakov, the play mocks bureaucrats whose only importance lies superficially in their titles and who are otherwise self-indulgent simpletons. By portraying the comical absurdity of the officials’ maladministration, stupidity, and self-importance, the play ridicules and criticizes the bureaucratic system of 19th-century Russia.
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Corruption and Bureaucracy ThemeTracker
The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Corruption and Bureaucracy appears in each act of The Government Inspector. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Analysis.
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Corruption and Bureaucracy Quotes in The Government Inspector
Below you will find the important quotes in The Government Inspector related to the theme of Corruption and Bureaucracy.
Act 1 Quotes
I had a kind of premonition about this. All last night I dreamt about a couple of extraordinary rats—they were black and absolutely enormous. They came in, took a few sniffs and off they went.
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At the beginning of the play, the mayor informs the other town officials that a government inspector is coming to investigate them. This news reminds the mayor of a dream he had the previous night, which he believes was actually a premonition about the inspector. While the mayor’s mention of his dream seems comically odd and out of place, it offers useful insight into what the mayor thinks of the inspector. The mayor identifies the inspector with the rats from his dream, which were “extraordinary” and “absolutely enormous.” This suggests that the mayor likewise views the inspector as an “extraordinary” 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 neq
I don’t need to tell you that there isn’t a man alive who hasn’t some little indiscretion on his conscience.
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Having been warned about a government inspector’s imminent arrival, the mayor defends his many misdeeds by claiming that every man has “some little indiscretion on his conscience.” The mayor implies that if everyone is guilty in some way, then it should be understandable and acceptable for him to have committed small sins too. Such reasoning illustrates how morally corrupt the mayor is. First, he downplays his crimes—which include stealing from townspeople and taking bribes—by calling them “little indiscretion[s].” This understatement suggests that the mayor has made minor mistakes in the past, when in reality the mayor continually chooses to abuse 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. Perfere
Hell! My sword’s scratched all over. That damned shopkeeper Abdulin knows very well the mayor’s sword’s in poor condition and still he doesn’t send me a new one.
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After the mayor decides to speak to the supposed government inspector, he asks for his sword to be brought to him. The mayor’s sword is part of his formal uniform. And it visually represents his authority, which is why he wants to wear it when he meets the inspector. However, the mayor’s sword doesn’t look impressive. It’s “scratched all over” and “in poor condition,” as the mayor complains. In its damaged state, the sword signifies that the mayor’s authority is tainted by corruption. Just like the mayor has taken poor care of his sword, he has neglected his duties and 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 tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Delenit
You watch it! You can’t pull the wool over my eyes. What did you do to that draper Chernayev, eh? He gave you two yards of cloth for a new uniform and you swiped the whole roll! You watch out! You’re taking bribes above your rank!
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While the mayor prepares to meet Khlestakov, the supposed government inspector, he orders the constable Svistunov to help clean up the town. As he does so, he also admonishes Svistunov for stealing a “whole roll” of cloth from a townsperson. The mayor’s reproach reveals that the town’s police are also corrupt. Like the town officials—such as the mayor and the judge—the constables also abuse their authority by stealing and taking bribes. However, the mayor isn’t angry simply because Svistunov accepted a bribe. Rather, the mayor is upset that Svistunov is taking bribes “above [his] rank.” First, these words suggest that 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 consequatu
Now you listen, this is what you must do. Constable Pugovitsyn is very tall, so station him on the bridge to create a good impression. And tell them to pull down that old fence by the shoemaker’s and stick up some poles to make it look like a building site. The more we pull down the busier the mayor will appear.
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Once the mayor believes the government inspector has already arrived, he rushes to make the town more presentable for the inspector. So, he instructs the Chief of Police to set up constables around town to make “a good impression.” The mayor’s own words show that he’s only interested in improving the town’s appearance superficially. It doesn’t matter to the mayor that the constables are known for incompetency and abuses of authority. Instead, the mayor simply cares that a tall constable standing on a bridge will look good. Similarly, the mayor orders the Chief of Police to create the illusion of 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
Act 2 Quotes
And I’m like you—I’ve no time for two-faced people. I find your frankness and cordiality most gratifying. I do confess that I ask for nothing more out of life than devotion and respect, respect and devotion.
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After the mayor invites Khlestakov to stay in his home, Khlestakov accepts gratefully and compliments the mayor’s sincerity. The irony of Khlestakov’s words is striking. Khlestakov claims he has “no time for two-faced people” without knowing how dishonest the mayor actually is. The mayor is lying to Khlestakov about not only his magnanimous spirit but also the reason for his generosity. The mayor’s hospitality isn’t motivated by “frankness” or “cordiality,” as Khlestakov believes, but instead by an ulterior motive. Through bribery, the mayor intends to win Khlestakov’s favor so that Khlestakov—as the supposed government inspector—won’t report the mayor’s corruption to 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 tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Inc
Act 3 Quotes
I’m mad about good food. But what else is life for except to pluck the blossoms of pleasure…
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After eating lunch at the charity hospital with some of the town officials, Khlestakov muses about how delicious the food was. He also expresses how significant food is to him in general, saying, “I’m mad about good food.” Furthermore, he reveals that in his mind food and pleasure are inextricably linked. When he says, “what else is life for except to pluck the blossoms of pleasure,” Khlestakov implies that the entire purpose of living is to experience pleasure—and, more specifically, to eat good food. This flowery statement indicates that Khlestakov is motivated wholly by his desire for pleasure, comfort, and 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 co
Act 4 Quotes
This just isn’t how things are done in a well-ordered community […]. We should pay our respects one by one—tête-à-tête so to speak, behind closed doors, so no one sees or hears. That’s how things are done in a well-ordered society.
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While the other town officials struggle to decide how to win Khlestakov’s favor, the Warden of Charities proposes they each meet individually with the supposed government inspector “behind closed doors, so no one sees or hears.” He justifies his idea by saying, “That’s how things are done in a well-ordered society.” According to the Warden of Charities, it’s good, orderly, and proper for governments to operate through sly, secretive, and underhanded means. In his view, bribes are perfectly acceptable. When he suggests they “pay [their] respects” to Khlestakov, he means that they should visit Khlestakov out of politeness but also 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
Act 5 Quotes
What are you laughing at? You’re laughing at yourselves, that’s what!
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After the mayor discovers that Khlestakov is only a nobody—not the visiting government inspector he feared—the mayor furiously rebukes himself for being stupid and gullible. In the middle of his tirade, the mayor suddenly exclaims, “What are you laughing at? You’re laughing at yourselves, that’s what!” This abrupt line is usually directed toward the audience. In this way, the mayor breaks the fourth wall, or the imaginary separation between actors on stage and a play’s viewers. When the mayor directly addresses the audience, he berates them for laughing at him. The mayor’s anger at being derided shows how much he 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 tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum e
Yes, they say those whom the gods want to punish they first drive insane. Was there anything like a government inspector about that whippersnapper? Absolutely damn all. Not by a long chalk!
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When the mayor realizes he has tricked himself into incorrectly believing Khlestakov is the government inspector, he reflects on his mistake. He says, “those whom the gods want to punish they first drive insane.” This means that his self-deception feels like insanity, which he must be suffering as godsent punishment for his crimes. With this declaration, the mayor expresses how powerfully self-deception distorted his sense of truth and reality—so much so that it feels as if he lost his sanity. Yet the mayor doesn’t deflect all blame for his own error of judgement onto “the gods” or his temporary insanity. 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 tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laborio
I can’t explain how it all came about, for the life of me. I feel as if a thick fog has blinded us. It’s the work of the devil!
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After the town officials learn that Khlestakov wasn’t the government inspector after all, the Warden of Charities expresses shock that they were mistaken. He says he “can’t explain how it all came about,” and he feels “as if a thick fog has blinded” them. Here, the Warden of Charities articulates how bewildering and disorienting their self-deception has been. Not only did the officials believe an incorrupt assumption about Khlestakov, but they also lost sight of the truth in a deeper way. By doubling down on their mistaken perceptions of Khlestakov, the officials distorted reality for themselves, until the figurative “thick 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 tempore laborum. Nisi quia ea. Quia soluta itaque. Deleniti nisi earum. Ad tenetur laboriosam. Eum accusamus harum. Accusantium iusto voluptas. Totam quae corporis. Impedit non ut. Incidunt rerum est. Aperiam doloremque eum. Animi soluta perspiciatis. Ut minima autem. Modi omnis iure. Sint qui qui. Qui similique praesentium. Ex consequatur magnam. Aliquid iste enim. Sequi aut maxime. Adipisci voluptate et. Voluptas suscipit alias. In et eveniet. Eaque et repellendus
