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Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov is a low-ranking government official who lives in St. Petersburg. Around 23 years old, he’s slim and fashionably dressed. He’s sincere but not very intelligent, and he often speaks and acts without thinking. Khlestakov is also irresponsible and self-indulgent, with a weakness for good food, cigars, and women. His selfish pleasure-seeking leads him and his servant Osip to be stranded without travel funds in the provincial Russian town in which the play takes place. Seeing Khlestakov at the inn, town residents Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky assume he is a government inspector. When the town officials begin to bribe him so that he won’t report their corruption to higher authorities, Khlestakov happily accepts their generosity. Unknowingly, Khlestakov confirms the officials’ false belief that he’s the inspector by exaggerating his rank and status, which he does simply because he wants their admiration. He flirts with both Anna Andreyevna, the mayor’s wife, and Marya Antonovna, the mayor’s daughter, and he even becomes engaged to Marya. Before he leaves, Khlestakov finally realizes that the town officials have mistaken him for someone more important than he is, and he laughs at their foolishness.
Khlestakov Quotes in The Government Inspector
The The Government Inspector quotes below are all either spoken by Khlestakov or refer to Khlestakov. 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:
).
Act 1
Quotes
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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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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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.
Act 3
Quotes
No, not a general, but he’s as good as one. So cultured, so dignified.
Now, Mashenka, we have to decide what to wear. He’s a Petersburg man-about-town, so I hope he won’t laugh at us.
I’m mad about good food. But what else is life for except to pluck the blossoms of pleasure…
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Once I was even taken for the Commander-in-Chief himself. The soldiers leapt out of the guardroom and presented arms. Afterwards an officer—a great friend of mine—told me: “Well, old man, we really did think you were the Commander-in-Chief!”
Well, the more I think about it…hell!…my head’s going round! I feel as if I were perched on top of a steeple or as if I had a noose round my neck.
The whole world’s gone topsy-turvy.
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.
After all, what does one really need? Only to be respected and genuinely liked.
She’s quite a tasty dish too—not at all bad looking.
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What a dunderhead you are! Even when everything’s been explained to you, you still don’t believe it!
Act 5
Quotes
Fish! I suppose that’s all you can think of! But I do want to have the very best house in the Capital. There’ll be such an exquisite odour when you enter my boudoir that it will make you close your eyes! Oh, how wonderful!
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What are you laughing at? You’re laughing at yourselves, that’s what!
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!
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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Khlestakov Quotes in The Government Inspector
The The Government Inspector quotes below are all either spoken by Khlestakov or refer to Khlestakov. 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:
).
Act 1
Quotes
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!
Related Characters:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
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.
Act 3
Quotes
No, not a general, but he’s as good as one. So cultured, so dignified.
Now, Mashenka, we have to decide what to wear. He’s a Petersburg man-about-town, so I hope he won’t laugh at us.
I’m mad about good food. But what else is life for except to pluck the blossoms of pleasure…
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Once I was even taken for the Commander-in-Chief himself. The soldiers leapt out of the guardroom and presented arms. Afterwards an officer—a great friend of mine—told me: “Well, old man, we really did think you were the Commander-in-Chief!”
Well, the more I think about it…hell!…my head’s going round! I feel as if I were perched on top of a steeple or as if I had a noose round my neck.
The whole world’s gone topsy-turvy.
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.
After all, what does one really need? Only to be respected and genuinely liked.
She’s quite a tasty dish too—not at all bad looking.
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
What a dunderhead you are! Even when everything’s been explained to you, you still don’t believe it!
Act 5
Quotes
Fish! I suppose that’s all you can think of! But I do want to have the very best house in the Capital. There’ll be such an exquisite odour when you enter my boudoir that it will make you close your eyes! Oh, how wonderful!
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
What are you laughing at? You’re laughing at yourselves, that’s what!
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!
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!
