Khlestakov is one of the most striking characters in the comedy “The Inspector General”. He is the culprit of all the events that take place, which the writer reports immediately during Osip’s story about him. However, the whole meaning of the presence of this hero in the work does not immediately become clear to the reader.

general characteristics

In the essay “The Image of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General,” the student can point out the fact that this character is not at all contrasted with other heroes of the work. After all, he, just like them, belongs to the class of officials. His rank is the lowest, he is a collegiate registrar. The writer gives his hero the following description: “A young man, 23 years old, thin...”. Gogol also calls him “stupid.” This character is unable to concentrate on one thought for a long time. In addition, a certain mysticism is also associated with the image of Khlestakov. Isn’t this mistake an obsession, as a result of which an ordinary “wimp” is mistaken for a high-ranking official? Khlestakov disappears at the end of the work also mysteriously.

Events in which the character's image is revealed

While working on the essay “The Image of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General,” you can briefly describe the main points of the plot of the work, which reveal the whole nature of this character. According to the plot, Khlestakov moves from the capital to the Saratov province. He is losing, he has absolutely no money. He lives on credit in a tavern in the city of N. The authorities are expecting the arrival of the auditor and mistakenly mistake Khlestakov for him. The latter mistakenly believes that the hosts’ hospitality is due to their humanity, and not a mistake. Representatives of the bureaucratic caste and merchant class begin to come to Khlestakov, who gradually becomes impudent and begins to borrow money from everyone. Only as time passes does he begin to vaguely understand that he is being mistaken for another person.

In the essay “The Image of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General,” a student can emphasize that the main character is firmly accustomed to the role of an official, he feels quite comfortable. After all, it is very pleasant to be someone towards whom you have always felt envy and whom you are unlikely to become someday in your life. The main character begins to invent various fantastic images for himself and remains in the city, without any fear of being exposed.

Essay “The Image of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General”: opportunism as a character trait

Khlestakov is ready to lie left and right, not even remembering what was told to them a minute ago. He is a “dummy person” who has the ability to very quickly adapt to the social situation in which he finds himself. Khlestakov is not capable of making independent decisions. This is an empty darling and a spender of money.

The worst qualities in one person

You can also use quotes in the essay “The Image of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General.” For example, this is how N.V. Gogol characterizes the hero: “He has extraordinary lightness in his thoughts.” With all his actions he shows off, his main motive is vanity. He is “a liar, a scoundrel, and a coward...”. Khlestakov lacks any understanding of what good and evil are. He is ready to humiliate himself and adapt in any circumstances, easily moving from arrogance to people-pleasing, from narcissism to cowardice. Gogol writes about a man “who has become all lies, without even noticing it.” His goals and aspirations are also low - all he does is squander his father's money on cards and carousing.

Claim to intelligence

At the same time, with all his behavior, Khlestakov strives to pretend to be educated. However, he speaks without awareness and consideration, since he is not able to concentrate on his thoughts for a long time. In his lies, he gives himself enormous freedom, which demonstrates the poverty of his nature. Khlestakov is a gambling spender, a vulgar red tape and, on top of that, a bribe-taker. In his character he carries within himself everything that serfdom could instill in a person.

Attitude towards inferiors

Khlestakov communicates with other people who are lower in rank than him with obvious contempt and pride. For example, he calls Osip the most abusive words: “fool”, “rude animal”. Khlestakov also calls the tavern servant with the rude phrase “bad pig.” He calls the poor swindlers and slackers.

The paradox of the work

In the short essay “The Image of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General,” the student can also emphasize the comic nature of this whole story. It is as follows: the more Khlestakov invents false information about himself, the less worthy he behaves, the more others perceive him as a real auditor. The main idea that N.V. Gogol wanted to convey in his work is the following: his character is not just a “wizard” whom people mistakenly mistook for a high-ranking official. It is a product of the bureaucratic machine, as well as the decline of the serf system.

The phenomenon of “Khlestakovism”

Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General” is one of the writer’s favorite characters. It was in him that Gogol’s passion for hyperbolism was reflected. The writer talks about a character whom you don’t feed with bread - let him play a role a little higher than what is actually intended for him. Unfortunately, many “khlestakovs” can be found in our time. Now the name of the hero Nikolai Vasilyevich has become a household name. Khlestakovism is constant lies, lies, boasting combined with a lack of profundity.

Selfless lie

In the essay “The Image of Khlestakov in Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General,” the student can note that Khlestakov turns out to be well prepared for the role that he plays with such pleasure. In the capital's offices, he accumulated the necessary stock of ideas about how a high-ranking official should behave. In the city, it was as if he was not going to deceive anyone - no, he only accepted the offerings that the residents gave him.

The deceived mayor

The mayor could not have foreseen this case. After all, the strategy that he developed was designed specifically for a real auditor. For the mayor, the situation in which cunning deals with cunning was quite familiar. However, Khlestakov, who himself forgot about his lies, bribed him with his sincerity. He turned out to be an auditor who in fact was not one, and even moreover, he did not plan to impersonate him. However, his role was successfully played.

/V.G. Belinsky about Gogol/

The scene of Khlestakov’s appearance in the mayor’s house, accompanied by a retinue of city officials and Skvoznik-Dmukhanovsky himself; presentation of Anna Andreevna and Marya Antonovna; Khlestakov's politeness and lies; - every word, every feature in all this, the generality and character of all this is a triumph of art, a wonderful picture written by a great master, never expected, no one suspected, an image of what was seen by everyone, familiar to everyone and, despite that, surprised everyone and amazed everyone with its news and unprecedented!.. Here the character of Khlestakov - this second face of the comedy - is fully developed, revealed to the last semblance of its microscopic pettiness and gigantic vulgarity.<...>

To many, Khlestakov's character seems harsh, exaggerated, so to speak, his chatter, reminiscent of - don't like it, don't listen - don't bother lying, - exquisitely implausible. But this is because everyone wants to see and, therefore, sees in Khlestakov his own concept of him, and not the one that is essentially contained in him. Khlestakov comes to the mayor’s house after a sudden change in his fate: do not forget that he was preparing to go to prison, and meanwhile he found money, honor, treats, that after an involuntary and painful hunger he ate his fill, which is why even without wine you can come to what It was half-drunk relaxation, and he also got drunk. How and why this sudden change in his position occurred, why everyone is standing at attention in front of him - he doesn’t care about it; to understand this, you need to think, but he doesn’t know how to think, he is drawn to where and how circumstances push him.

In his half-drunk head, with a burdened stomach, everything was rearranged, everything was mixed up - Smirdin with Brambeus, and the “Library” with “Sumbeka”, and Mavrushka with the envoys. The words come out of him with inspiration; finishing the last word of a sentence, he does not remember its first word. When he spoke about his importance, about his connections with the envoys, he did not know that he was lying, and did not at all think of deceiving: having said the first phrase, he continued, as if against his will, like a stone pushed from a mountain, rolling no longer through force , but by its own gravity. “They even wanted to make me vice-chancellor (yawns loudly). What the hell was I talking about?” If they told him that he was talking about how his father flogged him with rods, he would probably cling to this thought and begin not to speak, but as if to continue, that it was very painful, that he always screamed, but what " With the current education you won’t get anything from it.”

Many consider Khlestakov to be the hero of the comedy, its main face. It's not fair. Khlestakov appears in the comedy not as himself, but completely by chance, in passing, and, moreover, not as himself, but as an auditor. But who made him an auditor? the mayor’s fear, therefore, he is the creation of the mayor’s frightened imagination, a ghost, a shadow of his conscience. Therefore, he appears in the second act and disappears in the fourth - and no one needs to know where he went and what happened to him: the viewer’s interest is focused on those whom fear created this phantom, and the comedy would not be over if it ended in the fourth act. The hero of the comedy is the mayor, as a representative of this world of ghosts.

<...>Let’s dwell only on the mayor’s stupor, as if someone had hit him on the head with a butt: “So completely stunned! Such fear attacked: I’ve never seen such an important person before (thinks); he plays with ministers and goes to the palace... so, really, the more you think... the devil knows, you don’t know what’s going on in your head, as if you were standing on some bell tower or they wanted to hang you..." This is said by a district official, a servant, who began the service in the old way, what was called "pull the strap"; and here is the voice of a modern official, who is always more educated than her husband: “But I didn’t feel any timidity at all, I just saw in him an educated, secular, high-class person, and I don’t even need to talk about his ranks.” This outburst of the philosophizing mayor is also incomparable: “Everything has turned out wonderfully in the world now: the people are all thin, so crispy. You will never recognize that he is an important person.” This is the voice of an old official, taken by surprise by the new time: he had heard it before, and now he has seen with his own eyes that nowadays it is by the head, not the belly, that people become important people.

In the first scenes of the fourth act, Khlestakov talks with himself and is still the same, still himself, and does not betray himself with a single word or a single movement. After the wonderful scenes with the city officials from whom he collected money, he realizes for the first time that he is being accepted not for what he is, but for a great statesman. The cause of this phenomenon and the consequences that can emerge from it are not able to stop his attention. This is one of those heads that are unable to digest the simplest concept and swallow without chewing. He is very glad that he was taken for an important person: “I love it. I like it if I am revered as an important person. There is definitely something so inspiring in my physiognomy...” - and did not finish, how much because it the phrase was heard, and not his own, so much because he suddenly jumped to another subject: “It is also a noble trait on their part that they are ready to lend money.”

You see: he was mistaken for an important person because “he has something suggestive in his physiognomy”; this is a due tribute to his personal merits, and not another reason that is more important for officials; that they gave him money, it was not a bribe, but a loan, and at that moment, as he says, he was completely convinced that he would repay his debt to them. But Osip is smarter than his master: he understands everything and affectionately, also as if in passing, advises him to leave, saying: “We walked here for two days, well, that’s enough; why mess with them! Spit on them! It’s not even an hour: some another one will come," and seduces him with a trio of dashing horses with a bell. This bait, as well as the casual warning that “father will be angry for being so slow,” and Khlestakova decided to follow the prudent advice.

There follows a scene with the merchants, in which you see in plain sight these merchants of a provincial town, who have learned to somehow make money, but have not yet shaved or washed their face so that their beards do not smell like cabbage; who doesn’t know how to read and write well and lives on a “perhaps” basis, that is, where he bargained and where he cheated, and with whom, due to all this, the mayor dispenses with ranks<...>Khlestakov again does not betray himself - he takes loans, does not want to hear about bribes, and if he gets into a little bewilderment somewhere, Osip pushes him and forces him not to be without action.

But then Marya Antonovna enters: she is in the room of a strange young man looking for his mother... Her arrival pushes Khlestakov, that is, forces him to do something that he did not think of doing. He is a dandy, she is a “young lady”: therefore, he should pursue her. What will come of this - such a thought cannot come into his empty and light head, which acts under the influence of external circumstances, under the impression of the present moment. The “young lady” is stupid, empty and vulgar, but she has already read several novels, and she has an album in which Khlestakov should write some kind of brand new “poems”. Oh, it doesn’t cost him anything - he knows a lot of poetry by heart; for example: “O you, that sorrow is in vain,” and so on. And here he is on his knees in front of her. If she had left, he would have forgotten about this scene in a minute, as completely unprecedented; but his mother comes in and pushes him to “ask for Marya Antonovna’s hand.” He leaves in full confidence that he is the groom and that everything has been done as it should; but the cab driver shouted, the bell rang - and Khlestakov is ready to ask himself: “Where the hell did I stop?”

N. V. Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General” has long been widely circulated with quotes and sharp comparisons, as they very aptly reflect human nature. This work, which the great writer wrote in 1835, is still relevant today. Because it describes with the clearest accuracy the most diverse traits of human character, in particular its main character. A coward, a braggart, a self-confident person - this is a short image of Khlestakov. In the comedy “The Inspector General” these features are revealed richly and vividly.

Hoax of the century

This work begins with the fact that in one county town they are waiting for a very important person - an auditor who is going on an important inspection. And then a gentleman arrives, very modest and businesslike. The author paints a brief image of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General” with very positive colors. Ivan Vladimirovich, that’s the name of the newcomer, of a very “pleasant appearance.” It does not make a stunning impression and is not even remarkable in any way. But if you look closely at the hero, he is very worthy of attention.

The circumstances were such that Khlestakov was mistaken for an important person. And he, instead of immediately correcting the misunderstanding, instantly gets into character. This is where the most hidden qualities of his character appear.

The Loser and the Little Man

An ordinary ordinary person of that time - this is a brief image of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General,” which the author draws to us at the beginning. He lives in a world that is full of various temptations and enticements. But the Northern capital refuses to accept him into its ranks. After all, Khlestakov does not have a high enough position, but he does not shine with a special mind, does not possess any sparkling talents. He can safely be classified as one of the banal losers who came to conquer St. Petersburg. But the hero clearly overestimated his strength - both financial and moral. He is an ordinary little man in a big capital.

But here fate gives you such a chance - to demonstrate that you are an outstanding person. And Khlestakov enthusiastically rushes into

County nobility

What society does the main character fall into? This is an environment of small landed nobility, whose representatives are only concerned with emphasizing their importance and greatness. Each resident of the county town tries to highlight the shortcomings of the other in order to prove that he is the best. The characters in Gogol's The Inspector General are swaggering, sometimes stupid, but consider themselves to be the local aristocracy.

And so Khlestakov, an ordinary little clerk, finds himself in such a society, as the author writes about him - “neither this nor that.”

A reasonable question arises: why didn’t the main character immediately admit that he was not who they thought he was? But the author does not answer this question - maybe he just wanted to play at being an important person?

The brief image of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General” can be described as follows: he is a man who is too far from ideal, he is a player, he is a petty reveler. Khlestakov believes that comfort should dominate, and worldly pleasures should come first. He sees nothing wrong with fooling scammers. Moreover, he is sure that he is doing a “holy work.”

Gogol created a wonderful image of a braggart and a coward who does not strive for anything and simply wastes his life. He is “one of those people who are called empty-headed in the offices.”

By the way, Khlestakov’s quotes from “The Inspector General” very aptly and vividly characterize a certain circle of people. The exact characteristics given to the heroes in a few words quite accurately reflect their inner essence.

It is interesting that, in addition to the real person, there is a certain ghost in the hero who takes revenge on him with fantastic self-affirmation. He tries his best to not be who he really is, but it desperately fails. But even Khlestakov’s own lackey openly despises the master. This is how he speaks of his master: “It would be nice if there was really something worthwhile, otherwise he’s just a simple little elistrat.”

Both a braggart and a scoundrel

Khlestakov has a good pedigree. He was born into the family of an old-world landowner, in the outback of Russia. But for some reason he was unable to maintain connections with his family, people, or land. He does not remember his kinship and from this he becomes, as it were, an artificial person who jumped out of the “Petrine table of ranks.” He speaks quite disparagingly about his father: “They, the idiots, don’t even know what it means to ‘order to accept’.” Such quotes from Khlestakov from “The Inspector General” once again emphasize that the hero does not honor, and even tries to make fun of, his old father.

But this does not prevent him from taking money from his “uneducated father” and spending it at his own discretion.

Narcissistic, gambling, boastful - this is a brief image of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General”. He arrived at the hotel and immediately demanded the most delicious lunch, because he was allegedly not used to anything else. He loses all his money, but cannot stop. He insults the servant and yells at him, but at some points he warmly listens to his advice.

And what a lot of boasting! Without blinking an eye, he declares that he has an excellent command of the pen, and he personally wrote such famous works as “Robert the Devil” and “Fenella” in one evening. He doesn’t even suspect that these are not books, but operas!

And even when the mayor’s daughter catches him in a lie and remembers the real author of the work - “Yuri Miloslavsky”, Khlestakov immediately declares that he has exactly the same composition.

One can only envy such an ability to instantly adapt and not get discouraged! To impress ordinary people, he constantly spouts French words, which he knows only a few. It seems to him that this makes his speech secular, but in fact his flow of words causes laughter. He does not know how to finish his thought, so he quickly changes topics, jumping from one to another. When he needs something, he can be affectionate and polite. But as soon as Khlestakov gets his way, he immediately begins to be rude and rude.

There is no morality, there is only profit

There are no moral restrictions for Khlestakov. He is an empty and frivolous person who is concerned only with his own well-being. And when officials come to him to give him a basic bribe, he takes it for granted. At first, when they give money for the first time, he is unusually embarrassed and even drops it out of excitement. But when the postmaster comes in, Khlestakov accepts the money more confidently. At Strawberry's, he simply demands them with vigor. For now, he is confident in his soul that he is borrowing these funds and will certainly pay them back. But as soon as he realizes that he has been confused with an important person, Khlestakov instantly adapts to the situation and decides to take advantage of such a great chance.

The place of comedy in world literature

Gogol, “The Inspector General”, Khlestakov - these words have firmly entered world literature. The concept of “Khlestakovism” has become a common symbol of deception, trickery and narrow-mindedness.

The author managed to so accurately reflect the character of the main character in his work that deceitful and vicious people are still very often called in one word - Khlestakov. A rogue and a rogue, he never drew any conclusions from his situation, remaining in the vile confidence that next time he would certainly be lucky.

In his work, Gogol tried to focus public attention on the attitude of officials to their duties in the workplace. The image and characterization of Khlestakov in the comedy “The Inspector General” will make it possible to create a composite portrait of all officials in the person of the main character. Khlestakov managed to collect in himself all the universal vices, giving the name to the whole phenomenon - “Khlestakovism”, which hides stupidity, lies, frivolity and irresponsibility for one’s actions.

Image of Khlestakov

Gogol, at the very beginning of the work, described Khlestakov as follows:

“...a young man of about twenty-three, thin, thin; somewhat stupid and, as they say, without a king in his head, - one of those people who in the offices are called empty ... "

Full name Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov. Arrived from St. Petersburg. Originally from the Saratov province, where his parents live. Official. A short brown-haired man with shifty eyes. He had a pleasant appearance and made a special impression on women.

“...Oh, how nice!”

Khlestakov liked to dress according to fashion. It was his love for expensive clothes that played a cruel joke on him. Local officials mistook him for an auditor. The protagonist's speech is abrupt. The phrases fly out before he has time to think.

“His speech is abrupt, and words fly out of his mouth completely unexpectedly...”

Characteristic

Khlestakov found himself at the scene of the events described by chance. Having lost to smithereens at cards, he was forced to stay at a local hotel.

“...If I hadn’t had a party in Penza, I would have had enough money to get home...”

The road to his native village was postponed for some time due to the complete depletion of his pocket.

A small man, well aware of his position in society. The salary in the office is meager, but I want to live beautifully. Khlestakov, while working in St. Petersburg, saw enough of people who did not deny themselves pleasures, who were accustomed to living to the fullest. He wanted it too, but with his capabilities he could only dream about it.

The father regularly sent money to his unlucky son. With enviable regularity, Khlestakov lost cash at cards. The bad habit had become firmly entrenched in him.

Jonah. Even the servant treats him with slight disdain. Khlestakov’s talent lies in the ability to lie and show off. He deftly took advantage of the situation when he was mistaken for an auditor and began to be given money. The other one in his place burned with shame, but he did not. Audacity second happiness. It's about him.

Lover of women. He managed to set his sights on two people at once, the mayor’s wife and daughter.

“...The mayor’s daughter is very pretty, and her mother is such that it would still be possible...”

The women did not suspect a trick in the sweet speeches, immediately believing the rascal.

In addition to lies, Khlestakov loved to fantasize. Moreover, he believed in his fantasies, often imagining himself in the role of a general, a famous writer, or a public figure. Human "without a king in my head". Frivolous. Superficial When committing actions, he does not think at all about the consequences.

How could he borrow money, knowing that he couldn’t pay it back? In his opinion, success does not require much effort. A fool is the one who earns his living with hump and blood. Khlestakov believed that everything in life depends on chance. If you get a lucky ticket, as is the case with the role of auditor, why not take advantage of it.

He managed to fool all the city officials. As if under hypnosis, they succumbed to his charm and ability to speak beautifully. No one was even surprised how at his age one could achieve such heights.

This man's ego is off the charts. Considering himself an order of magnitude superior to others in intelligence, he looks at people as fools, over whom one can and should boast and mock.

His adventure could have resulted in imprisonment if he had not left the city in time. Soon after his departure, the mayor and other officials learned the truth from a letter left by Khlestakov for a journalist friend. One thought was spinning in the mayor’s head: how could he

“Take an icicle or a rag for an important person! Now he’s singing bells all over the road!”

These words contain the whole essence of Khlestakov. A dummy and a tyrant who knows how to pretend in time to be who he needs to be and take advantage of the situation for his own benefit.

Article menu:

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 Aleksandrovich, 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.