Main Themes

Self-Preservation
All of the characters in this place are concerned above all else with preserving—or improving—their own status, reputation, and, if applicable, fortune. They engage in lies, accept bribes, mock and criticize others, exhibit vanity, and neglect their duties. For them, the welfare of the town and the townspeople comes second to making sure that they've feathered their own nests. This may work in the short-term, Gogol suggests, but eventually, such people will receive their comeuppance.

Moral Corruption
The focus of the play’s satire is the corruption of petty bureaucrats, but within that focus is a much larger target. The bureaucratic system becomes a symbol of all systems upon which societies depend to meet their needs. That those needs must be met lends those who can meet them tremendous power and with the power to give always comes the power to corrupt. The intricacies of bureaucratic tyranny are thus extrapolated to apply even beyond the specific target of Russian society under the yoke of a corrupt Tsar.