Gogol’s “The Government Inspector” as a Сomedy-Tragedy: On the Problem of Genre
The article examines Gogol’s apology for laughter in “Theatrical Travel After the Presentation of a New Comedy” (1836–1842). Gogol’s paradigmatic words that the only “honest, noble face” in “The Government Inspector” is laughter are considered in the context of the author’s intention. The play about...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Russian Academy of Sciences, A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Два века русской классики |
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| Online Access: | https://rusklassika.ru/images/2024-6-1/03_vinogradov_74-101.pdf |
| _version_ | 1797236888816320512 |
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| author | Igor A. Vinogradov |
| author_facet | Igor A. Vinogradov |
| author_sort | Igor A. Vinogradov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The article examines Gogol’s apology for laughter in “Theatrical Travel After the Presentation of a New Comedy” (1836–1842). Gogol’s paradigmatic words that the only “honest, noble face” in “The Government Inspector” is laughter are considered in the context of the author’s intention. The play about the imaginary auditor appears as a component of two “revisions”: on the one hand, government revision, although obviously profaned in the course of the play, but inevitably implied by its ending; on the other hand, an “audit” of a “vulgar” society through laughter. The satirist writer and the official authorities, who equally carry out the task of persecuting vice, represent one-order phenomena that equally serve the spiritual improvement of society. The opinions of Gogol’s contemporaries regarding the definition of the picture depicted in the play and the genre of “The Government Inspector” itself as “comedy-tragedy” are in agreement. The article summarizes well-known and little-known reviews of the play by Stepan Shevyrev, Prince Pyotr Vyazemsky, Vasily Mezhevich, Konstantin Aksakov, Vissarion Belinsky, Konstantin Masalsky, and Ivan Ilyin, along with the opinions of the author himself. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:11:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d22d51e4837f49bebdf87a8944276469 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2686-7494 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:11:01Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Russian Academy of Sciences, A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Два века русской классики |
| spelling | doaj.art-d22d51e4837f49bebdf87a89442764692024-03-28T11:55:21ZengRussian Academy of Sciences, A.M. Gorky Institute of World LiteratureДва века русской классики2686-74942024-03-01617410110.22455/2686-7494-2024-6-1-74-101Gogol’s “The Government Inspector” as a Сomedy-Tragedy: On the Problem of GenreIgor A. Vinogradov0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9151-4554A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the Russian Academy of SciencesThe article examines Gogol’s apology for laughter in “Theatrical Travel After the Presentation of a New Comedy” (1836–1842). Gogol’s paradigmatic words that the only “honest, noble face” in “The Government Inspector” is laughter are considered in the context of the author’s intention. The play about the imaginary auditor appears as a component of two “revisions”: on the one hand, government revision, although obviously profaned in the course of the play, but inevitably implied by its ending; on the other hand, an “audit” of a “vulgar” society through laughter. The satirist writer and the official authorities, who equally carry out the task of persecuting vice, represent one-order phenomena that equally serve the spiritual improvement of society. The opinions of Gogol’s contemporaries regarding the definition of the picture depicted in the play and the genre of “The Government Inspector” itself as “comedy-tragedy” are in agreement. The article summarizes well-known and little-known reviews of the play by Stepan Shevyrev, Prince Pyotr Vyazemsky, Vasily Mezhevich, Konstantin Aksakov, Vissarion Belinsky, Konstantin Masalsky, and Ivan Ilyin, along with the opinions of the author himself.https://rusklassika.ru/images/2024-6-1/03_vinogradov_74-101.pdfnikolai gogolbiographycreativity“the government inspector” laughtertragedyauthor’s intentioninterpretationspiritual heritage |
| spellingShingle | Igor A. Vinogradov Gogol’s “The Government Inspector” as a Сomedy-Tragedy: On the Problem of Genre Два века русской классики nikolai gogol biography creativity “the government inspector ” laughter tragedy author’s intention interpretation spiritual heritage |
| title | Gogol’s “The Government Inspector” as a Сomedy-Tragedy: On the Problem of Genre |
| title_full | Gogol’s “The Government Inspector” as a Сomedy-Tragedy: On the Problem of Genre |
| title_fullStr | Gogol’s “The Government Inspector” as a Сomedy-Tragedy: On the Problem of Genre |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gogol’s “The Government Inspector” as a Сomedy-Tragedy: On the Problem of Genre |
| title_short | Gogol’s “The Government Inspector” as a Сomedy-Tragedy: On the Problem of Genre |
| title_sort | gogol s the government inspector as a сomedy tragedy on the problem of genre |
| topic | nikolai gogol biography creativity “the government inspector ” laughter tragedy author’s intention interpretation spiritual heritage |
| url | https://rusklassika.ru/images/2024-6-1/03_vinogradov_74-101.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT igoravinogradov gogolsthegovernmentinspectorasasomedytragedyontheproblemofgenre |