Inspector of Schools Character Analysis in The Government Inspector

Luka Lukich Khlopov is the Inspector of Schools. Like the other town officials, the Inspector of Schools doesn’t perform his duty well. In fact, the Inspector of Schools has trouble controlling the teachers, who spread subversive ideas and misbehave in classrooms. The Inspector of Schools is nervous about the government inspector’s arrival, and he’s so afraid to talk to people of higher rank than him that during his one-on-one meeting with Khlestakov, he drops a cigar out of fright and becomes too shy to answer Khlestakov’s questions. He timidly gives Khlestakov a loan and hopes that Khlestakov won’t investigate the schools. When the mayor announces his daughter’s engagement to Khlestakov and boasts about his good fortune, the Inspector of Schools congratulates the mayor out loud; however, to himself, he spitefully calls the mayor a pig. At the end of the play, the Inspector of Schools is innocently bewildered by the announcement that the real government inspector has arrived after all.

Inspector of Schools Character Timeline in The Government Inspector

The timeline below shows where the character Inspector of Schools appears in The Government Inspector. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...the judge—who openly admits to taking bribes—to clean up the courthouse, and he tells the Inspector of Schools to better control the teachers, who might offend the inspector with subversive ideas. The mayor... (full context)

Scene 5. The Inspector of Schools is pushed into the room and introduces himself nervously. Khlestakov offers him a cigar, but... (full context)

...terrible morals, and is carrying on an affair with Dobchinsky’s wife. He adds that the Inspector of Schools teaches subversive ideas. Khlestakov asks for this information to be put into writing for light... (full context)

Scene 6. The Inspector of Schools starts to congratulate the mayor, but his wife interrupts him to congratulate Anna Andreyevna effusively. (full context)

...gave her. The mayor’s guests offer more well wishes to him; however, in asides, the Inspector of Schools , Warden of Charities, and the judge mock the mayor’s aspirations of living in St.... (full context)

...and daughter reach out for him. The postmaster is “transformed into a question mark,” the Inspector of Schools appears bewildered, and the Warden of Charities tilts his head as if to listen to... (full context)