Analyze the gender dynamics in the play. How are the female characters depicted? What does Gogol's depiction of them suggest about the roles and status of women in provincial Russian society?

How does the play use satire as a form of social critique? What other literary techniques does Gogol employ (e.g. dramatic irony) to shape the plot, characterization, and/or the themes?

Explore the allusions to gambling in the play. What is the significance of this motif? How does gambling function in both a literal and figurative sense?