NON-AFRICAN DRAMA
NIKOLAI GOGOL: The Government Inspector
Examine the use of mistaken identity in the play.
Explanation
The entire play revolves around the use of mistaken identity. Panic is caused among the officials on hearing that the Inspector-General is coming incognito from St Petersburg. They are so terrified that they mistake a smartly-dressed windbag like Hlestakov for their nemesis. It is this mistaken identity which creates the humour in the play. Hlestakov, having spent his last penny in a game of cards, is practically starving at the local inn. He is approached by the Mayor who thinking that he is the Government Inspector trembles with anxiety to find out whether and how it would be possible to bribe him.
The supposed Government Inspector is bribed. He is elevated in status, shown the institutions in the town and is later 'betrothed' to Marya, the Mayor's daughter. Lvapkin- Tyapkin, the judge who does not want to be exposed by the so called Government Inspector is the first to drop some money to cover his guilt and is later followed by the other officials. Hlestakov becomes so comfortable in the Mayor's house that he forgets himself.
It is his old servant, Yosif who reminds him that they have to leave quickly before it is discovered that he is being mistaken for another person: "To-morrow! Now's the time to be off! They're making a great fuss over us now, but we ought to get away! They've mistaken you for somebody else." They are delayed by protesters who come to complain about the Mayor's corruption-how he collects illegal levy from them: "We have to hide everything in the shop when we see him coming." Hlestakov later collects bribes from the officials in the name of loans: "No! Don't think of it! I never take bribes! But if you could offer me a loan, say, 300 roubles, that would be all right." After Hlestakov has left with his pockets full of money, the real Government Inspector arrives and the Mayor is summoned to the hotel where the Government Inspector is
Apart from the humour in the use of mistaken identity to expose the inherent corruption in the system, it also highlights the weaknesses in the system which can be easily exploited for selfish gains.