Analysis of the work “Woe from Wit. Question: What is your general impression after reading the comedy “Woe from Wit”

This question is as controversial as the word “comedy” itself. The word “comedy” can be interpreted in different ways; it has two lexical meanings. Comedy usually means dramatic action with a frivolous plot and jokes. But there is a second meaning - “hypocrisy, pretense.”

Since the first meaning of the word is still the main and most frequently used, the reader or viewer may initially be perplexed. What's so comical about this? After all, everything that happens to Chatsky is rather sad and tragic. However, one should not rush to conclusions. After all, it is not by chance that the author chooses this genre and calls his work that way. If you look closely, the image of Moscow's high society is comical, and this comedy consists of details invisible to the eye.

The second meaning of the word is no longer surprising. After all, the people surrounding Chatsky are deceitful, hypocritical, and unreal. What to expect from people whose life principle is “sin is not a problem - rumor is not good”?

The tragic and the comedic are fused together here. Chatsky's fate is tragic. He faces unhappy love, betrayal of his own chosen one. By the end of the work, he learns that Sophia chose Molchalin over him. But before that, he will face other tests - clashes with representatives of Famusov’s Moscow.

As a result, the tragic hero Chatsky will be surrounded by comic characters. They are representatives of Famusov's society - a kind of caricature of Griboedov's contemporaries.

Let us recall, for example, the dialogue between Chatsky and Famusov (when Famusov talks about Maxim Petrovich, who fell in front of the empress). Everyone in this scene is funny. And Maxim Petrovich himself, and Chatsky and Famusov, who do not hear each other. But through the comic, the tragic is clearly visible here.

Molchalin is a man who continues the traditions of Catherine’s time, the time in which Maxim Petrovich lived. Is Molchalin funny? To some extent, yes. He is absurd, timid (in appearance), overly openly admits his insignificance, values ​​rank too much and fawns on those above him.

Each person invited to the ball is funny in his own way. Let us remember, for example, Gorich, wrapping himself in a warm scarf. Or his wife, who doesn't care for him as if he were a small child.

The Khryumins, arriving at the ball, exclaim “We are first!”, not noticing that about eleven people had already gathered. Khlestova is literally eager to show everyone her blackamoor.

In every scene in the play, something happens that causes laughter. Here Repetilov comes running and shouts “The most secret union!” Here Molchalin praises Khlestova’s dog (remembering that she can provide protection).

Thus, Chatsky turned out to be the heroes of two comedies. Firstly, Famus’s society is comical. Secondly, the society in which Chatsky finds himself “plays a comedy”; it is hypocritical and false.

Essay on the topic: “Woe from Wit”: Comedy or drama? Why? 4.30 /5 (86.00%) 10 votes

“Woe from Wit”: comedy or drama? Why?

Play by A.S. and “Woe from Wit” is one of the greatest works in Russian literature of the first half of the 19th century. And to this day there are discussions about why the author called his creation a comedy. After all, the play reveals many serious problems: the personal drama of the main character, Chatsky, who does not find his place in Moscow noble society, and in the end loses his beloved, the problems of serfdom, true and false patriotism, military service, culture and education, relationships between landowners and serf peasantry, which gives the work a socio-political character.
To understand this, you need to carefully analyze the author's main idea. The comedy genre of the work includes a comedy of situations, a comedy of characters and a comedy of manners. All this is present in abundance in the play “Woe from Wit”.

One of the main characters, Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov, who boasts of his noble origins, declares that he is a support for the state. But this “support” is terribly afraid of women’s gossip. Even Famusov’s last phrase in the play becomes the words:
Oh! My God! What will he say?
Princess Marya Aleksevna!
Truly a true nobleman!
In general, the theme of the enormous influence of Moscow young ladies in the work is very comical. This is especially noticeable in the third act, at Famusov’s ball. Well, isn’t Platon Mikhailovich Gorich funny, having fallen under his wife’s heel? Or Princess Tugoukhovskaya with her daughters, thinking only about a successful marriage? “Angel,” “darling,” “priceless,” Natalya Dmitrievna calls her husband, and the author’s wonderful remark immediately follows: “Kisses her husband on the forehead.”

The verbose Repetilov, who visits the English Club, where “secret meetings” and “the most secret union” are held, is comical. Considering himself an intelligent and educated person, who sometimes expresses philosophical thoughts, he is in fact an empty person who hears only himself. The obsequious Molchalin, the careerist colonel Skalozub, and the “master of service”—the original Zagoretsky—are comical.

The play uses the technique of comic incongruity, which is a distinctive feature of the comedy genre. For example, in the scene when Famusov talks about the dangers of gluttony, he immediately lists to Petrushka all the dinners to which he is invited in the coming week.

Towards the end, the comedy of the play develops into bitter irony and sarcasm, which also indicates the comic genre of the work. Satire plays a leading role in comedy. But through the mouth of Chatsky, the author ridicules not so much human shortcomings as representatives of various social movements of the Moscow nobility. The play, which began with everyday pictures, develops into social satirical pathos.

A. S. Griboedov belonged, according to the critic V. G. Belinsky, “to the most powerful manifestations of the Russian spirit.” And with his immortal comedy “Woe from Wit” he marked the beginning of the flowering of realistic drama and introduced a new stream into Russian national literature.

Pointing to the originality of his work, P. A. Vyazemsky wrote: “The very oddities of Griboedov’s comedy are worthy of attention: by expanding the stage, populating it with a people of characters, he, without a doubt, expanded the boundaries of art itself.” The main motive of “Woe from Wit” was the opposition of the educated, progressive-minded Chatsky to the rest of society. The author brought together such different characters in one place and at one time, and this helped him in the best possible way to reveal the intent of his work. He showed the meeting of these antipodes with that extraordinary courage, the greatness of poetic thought, a completely new look at reality, which Russian literature did not know before Griboyedov.

“Woe from Wit” is called a comedy, but the comedy in it is created not by artificial situations, but by a truthful depiction of the vulgar sides of life, ridicule of everything low and vile. In this work, with amazing skill, the true essence of a society of insignificant, pathetic people who live according to immoral rules that have long become obsolete is revealed. All their aspirations are aimed only at enrichment, acquiring ranks and other personal benefits, spreading gossip, humiliating the human dignity of other people, destroying any bright impulse, everything reasonable and new.

"Woe from Wit" completely destroyed the established division of genres. This work was neither a domestic comedy nor a comedy based only on a love affair. Social satire, comedy of characters and morals, and psychological drama are organically combined here. V. G. Belinsky defined the originality of Griboyedov’s work as follows: “Comedy, in my opinion, is the same drama as what is usually called tragedy, its subject is the representation of life in contradiction with the idea of ​​life, its element is not innocent wit, which good-naturedly mocks everyone out of the sole desire to sneer, no: its element is the same bilious humor, this formidable indignation, which does not smile jokingly, but laughs furiously, which persecutes insignificance and selfishness not with epigrams, but with sarcasms.” The genre originality of “Woe from Wit” was also pointed out by A. I. Goncharov, who saw in the work both a “picture of morals”, and a “gallery of living types”, and “an ever-burning satire”, and at the same time a “brilliant comedy”.

Griboyedov's innovation was also manifested in the inexhaustible wealth of the bright satirical language of comedy, in which all shades of lively colloquial speech are widely used. At the same time, the speech characteristics of the heroes most accurately and completely reflect their inner essence, revealing all their base, vulgar sides.

As a talented historian, artist and psychologist, Griboyedov was able to reveal all the typical aspects of Russian reality of that time, to identify the main conflict of that era: the opposition of an intelligent, honest, freedom-loving person to all the vices of society. He strove to reveal in the particular, individual, the general, inherent in all time and all society. Scenes from the life of a small group of people gathered in Famusov’s house reflect the typical features of the entire noble circle. And in the character and fate of one progressive thinking young man - Chatsky - is the character and fate of the entire generation of freedom-loving youth. At the same time, the conflict reflected in the comedy manifests itself in sharp clashes, constant, ever-increasing struggle. The author follows some traditions of Russian comedy of the 18th - early 19th centuries, namely three famous unities: the action takes place over the course of one day, in one place, around one main character. However, at the same time, he shows how realistic a comedy, even a classic one, can be if it recreates the truth of life. Unlike the traditional comedy of those times, in which vice was always punished in the finale and virtue was rewarded, Griboyedov did not give a specific moralizing ending, abandoning everything that hindered the development of Russian literature.

A. S. Griboedov created an amazing work, striking in its sharpness, typicality of accusatory images, vitality and truthfulness of the recreated situations, and inexhaustible wealth of bright satirical language. The time in which the comedy “Woe from Wit” was written is far from us, but the brave struggle of the patriotic forger Chatsky against everything that is backward, vulgar and base in man arouses the keen interest of readers even today.

"Woe from Wit" (1824) became the first Russian realistic comedy; this work became a landmark for the establishment of realism in Russian drama. However, precisely because it was the first realistic work, one can distinguish in it the influence of the aesthetics of romanticism (even the image of Chatsky, generally realistic, is very similar to the images of romantic heroes, contrasted with circumstances and other heroes), and even the influence of classicism - here is the observance the requirements of “three unities”, and the “speaking” names of the heroes. However, it can be said that Griboedov, in the comedy “Woe from Wit,” creatively reworked all the best that had been created in Russian literature before him, managing on the basis of this to create a qualitatively new work, and this novelty is determined primarily by new principles of creating characters, new approach to understanding the essence of images-characters.

Griboedov's heroes are heroes whose images are socially motivated; they are such because they belong to a certain time and certain strata of society, although this does not mean that they are schematic heroes. It’s just that in each of them the main character traits are formed by the environment, each of them expresses this environment, while remaining an individual.

The language of the comedy "Woe from Wit"

Also, the language of the comedy “Woe from Wit” has become fundamentally new for Russian literature; the linguistic characteristics of the characters are presented to the reader in such a way that, for example, Sophia’s speech cannot be confused with the speech of Princess Tugoukhovskaya, and Molchalin and Skalozub differ in both their characters and their speech . The extreme individualization of the speech characteristics of the characters, the brilliant command of the Russian language, the aphorism of the characters’ remarks, the sharpness of polemics in dialogues and monologues - all this makes the language of Griboedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit” a unique phenomenon in Russian literature of the 20s of the 19th century, and the fact that many phrases from it became “catchphrases”, confirming that it belonged not only to its time.

Comedy conflicts

The conflicts of comedy are very interesting. The external conflict is obvious: this is a confrontation between a leading man of his time (Chatsky) and a society living in the past and striving to keep this life unchanged. In other words, the conflict between old and new is, in general, a banal conflict. However, it is most closely connected with the internal conflict of comedy, with the contradiction of Chatsky’s image. How could he, the smartest man, not understand that Sophia loves another after she herself told him about it and named this person’s name? Why does he so passionately prove his point of view to people whose value he knows very well, just as he knows that they will not only disagree with him, but will not even be able to understand him? Here it is, the internal conflict of the comedy "Woe from Wit" by Griboyedov. Chatsky deeply and sincerely loves Sophia, and this feeling makes him so incomprehensible and even funny - although can someone who loves be funny, no matter how funny he may seem?.. In some ways, the internal and external conflicts of comedy coincide, although love Sophia’s relationship with Molchalin is not socially conditioned in terms of motivation, rather, on the contrary, but the romantic view of Famusov’s daughter on the latter is also characteristic of the society in which they live.

Famusov's image

Famusov’s world is the world of the Moscow nobility, who live according to the norms of the “Times of Ochakov and the conquest of the Crimea” and do not want to change anything in their lives. “A manager in a government place” Famusov deals with things carelessly (“It’s signed, off your shoulders”...), but he succeeds in organizing his life with all sorts of conveniences, not excluding “monastic behavior”... He knows for sure that for his daughter, “Whoever is poor is not a match for you,” he is well versed in secular gossip and everything that concerns other people’s estates, he can, on occasion, remind Molchalin to whom he owes his current position, and he is undisguisedly servile with Skalozub, seeing in him an advantageous suitor for his daughter... In a conversation with Chatsky, not understanding half of what the interlocutor is saying, he is mortally frightened, believing that he is talking with a “carbonari” (that is, a rebel) who “wants to preach freedom” and “does not recognize the authorities,” demands: “I would strictly forbid these gentlemen to approach the capitals for a shot.” He is not at all that stupid, Famusov, so he is ready to fight by any means to preserve his position and his way of life, he defends his right to see life this way and live exactly this way. His danger lies in the fact that he is ready for just about anything, or maybe he is still very much, for now he and others like him are the true masters of life, and only one person opposes them - Chatsky, who is very lonely in this society, that no matter what they talk about “nephews” and others who supposedly profess other ideals, in Famusov’s house Chatsky is truly alone.

The image of Chatsky in the comedy "Woe from Wit"

The image of Chatsky was perceived by contemporaries as the image of an advanced person defending the ideals of a new life, which was supposed to replace the dominance of “Famusism”. He was seen as a representative of the younger generation, an intelligent, educated, decent person, ardently defending the need to change life and, it seems, taking some steps in this direction, although the author talks about this in passing. What is indisputable is that Chatsky is a thoughtful and gifted person, it is not for nothing that his judgments about public service and duty frighten Famusov so much, they express ideas of government that undermine the foundations of the existence of Famusov and others like him: “To serve the cause, not individuals... ", "I'd be glad to serve, it's sickening to be served," "And sure enough, the world has begun to grow stupid."

There was a lot of debate about whether the image of Chatsky in “Woe from Wit” can be considered the image of the Decembrist in literature, but there is no doubt that the hero’s ideas are close to the ideas of the Decembrists, to whom the author of the comedy treated with great sympathy. However, Chatsky is not just an exponent of the advanced ideas of his time, in the opinion of the comedy author. This is a living person, he is sincere and deep in his experiences, his actions are determined by the feeling of great love that he feels for Sophia. He is in love, he remembers Sophia as a young girl who, judging by the fact that she makes excuses to Lisa, showed him unambiguous signs of attention, and now he wants to see the same Sophia in her, not wanting to see that dramatic changes have happened to her. Chatsky’s irritation and even some embitterment are caused by the fact that Sophia has changed her attitude towards him, and this prevents the hero from really perceiving circumstances, from seeing them as they are. The hero’s mind and feelings are too busy with love for him to control himself, for him now the whole world is concentrated in Sophia, so everything else and everyone else simply irritates him: Famusov irritates, to whom he still shows a certain respect as Sophia’s father; irritates Skalozub, in whom he is ready to see Sophia’s possible groom; Molchalin is annoyed, who, “with such a soul,” cannot (as he believes!) be loved by the same Sophia.

Chatsky's persistent attempts to find out the truth about Sophia's attitude towards himself border on pathology, and his stubborn reluctance to accept this truth could seem like blindness if it were not for love... However, the scene that he witnesses in the last act gives him the final answer to the most important question for him now is that he receives irrefutable evidence that Sophia not only does not love, but also betrays him, therefore Chatsky’s last monologue is the cry and pain of an insulted soul and an insulted feeling, but here Famus’ society is also murderously accurately described, which took away from the hero the most precious thing in his life - love. Chatsky leaves Moscow, and his departure seems to indicate that he is defeated. True, there is a well-known idea by I.A. Goncharov that “Chatsky is broken by the amount of old strength, inflicting a fatal blow on it with the quality of fresh strength,” but how can this undoubted victory of the hero help him when his heart is breaking with pain?.. Therefore, we can say that that the ending of the comedy is close to tragic - for him, the “eternal accuser”, for whom neither his brilliant mind nor the ability to “make everyone laugh” could help him find ordinary human happiness...

Molchalin

The comedy’s image system is constructed in such a way that the author gives us the opportunity to see Chatsky’s “anti-doubles”: these are the images of Molchalin and Repetilov. Molchalin is Chatsky’s happy rival in love; in his own way, he is a very strong personality who manages to achieve a lot in life. But - at what cost? He sacredly observes his father’s behest: “My father bequeathed to me: First, to please all people without exception...”. He pleases, even with “our deplorable krala” (he calls Sophia) his nights “respectfully”, because she is “the daughter of such a person”! Of course, we can say that for Molchalin such behavior is the only possible one from the point of view of achieving “known degrees,” but surely it’s not possible to achieve them at the cost of losing self-esteem?

Repetilov

The image of Repetilov was perceived by contemporaries as an obvious parody of the Decembrists, which may seem strange - if you remember the attitude of the comedy author towards them and their ideas. However, Repetilov is very similar to... Chatsky, only to Chatsky, deprived of his intelligence, his self-esteem, his ability to behave as his honor requires. The comic double of the main character helps to better understand the image of Chatsky in the comedy “Woe from Wit”, to see his strengths and appreciate them, while remaining an original and original artistic image, ridiculing those of the supporters of the Decembrists who preferred “words, words, words..."

Sophia

The image of Sophia in the comedy turned out to be complex and contradictory. She created for herself a romantic image of Molchalin and fell in love with her “creation”, ready to defend her loved one from the unfair, as she is convinced, attacks of Chatsky and succeeded a lot in this (remember, it was with her “suggestion” that gossip began to spread from Chatsky’s madness!), who became an unwitting witness to how the person she loves mocks her and her love - this is what the heroine of the comedy has to go through, and at the end of the work she cannot but evoke sympathy in the viewer. Sophia is both smart and knows people well - how brilliantly she gives a hint about Chatsky’s imaginary madness to the social gossip G.N., there is nothing to reproach her for on occasion! However, like Chatsky, she was blinded by love, and, bringing suffering to Chatsky, she herself suffers no less from the betrayal of a person whom she believed and for whose love she made certain sacrifices.

"Theme of the Mind"

The “theme of the mind” occupies a special place in comedy. The “grief” that his undoubted intelligence brought to Chatsky is aggravated by the fact that in Famusov’s world a different idea of ​​“intelligence” prevails: here, the one who knows how to achieve ranks and money is valued, so Famusov’s uncle, endlessly falling in front of those who “ranks” gives,” is revered as a model of wisdom, and the smart Chatsky is declared crazy... To be a thinking person in the circle of those who do not understand the difference between intelligence and cunning is Chatsky’s destiny.

Author's position

The image of the author, the author's position in the comedy "Woe from Wit" is manifested primarily in the creation of character images and the main conflict of the comedy. Chatsky is depicted with great sympathy, his moral superiority, his victory over the world of Famusov speak about whose side the author is on. The satirical depiction of the world of old Moscow and its moral condemnation also indicate the author’s position. Finally, the ending of a comedy, when it turns into a tragicomedy (this was discussed above), from the point of view of expressing the author’s position, also clearly tells the viewer which side the author is on. In Griboyedov's comedy, the author's principle is expressed both in the stage directions and in the speech characteristics of the characters; the unique personality of the author of one of the greatest comedies in Russian literature is visible in everything.

As already noted, the “catchphrases” from “Woe from Wit” have firmly entered both Russian literature and the Russian language. The work itself also took its place in Russian culture, which gives reason to talk about the folk character of Griboyedov’s comedy.

"Woe from Wit" Quotes.

Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov - a famous Russian writer, poet, playwright, brilliant diplomat, state councilor, author of the legendary play in verse "Woe from Wit", was a descendant of an old noble family. Born in Moscow on January 15) 1795

The comedy “Woe from Wit,” written by A. S. Griboedov at the beginning of the 19th century, is still relevant for today’s Russia. R quotes from his famous characters scattered around the world, becoming “catchphrases”. In this work, the author reveals in all depth the vices that afflicted Russian society at the beginning of the last century. However, reading this work, we also find in it heroes of the present day. It is no coincidence that the names of the comedy characters collected by Griboedov in the house of the Moscow master Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov became household names. Let's look at the owner of the house. Every replica of Famusov, every monologue of his is a zealous defense of the “century of obedience and fear.” This person is dependent primarily on traditions and public opinion. He teaches young people that they need to follow the example of their fathers:

-“We would learn by looking at our elders”.

And what, in Famusov’s understanding, is the experience of older generations? This can be seen from his review of the late uncle Maxim Petrovich, who “not only lived on silver, but also on gold.” Maxim Petrovich, a nobleman from the time of “Mother Catherine,” is a role model for Famusov:

-“when he needed to help himself, he bent over.”

Flattery and sycophancy come at a price with this comedy character. Occupying a high post, Famusov admits that he serves in order to obtain ranks and other benefits.

-"But for me, whatever it is or not, my custom is this: Signed, off your shoulders".

A. S. Griboedov brilliantly reflected in the image of Famusov the trait of bureaucracy, which we call today “protectionism.” The comedy hero admits:

-"When I have employees, strangers are very rare, more and more sisters, sisters-in-law, children... How can you introduce yourself to a little baptism, to a small town, well, how can you not please your dear little one?”.

The measure of a person’s value for Famusov is rank and money. He says to his daughter Sophia:

-“Anyone who is poor is not a match for you.” Colonel Skalozub, according to Famusov, would be suitable for Sophia as a husband, because he“not today - tomorrow general”.

And the bureaucracy, which has already become a social phenomenon, rests on these same Famusovs. They are accustomed to “easy” bread, which they achieve by currying favor with their superiors. They love a beautiful life, which is rewarded for their sycophancy and sycophancy. So, Molchalin lives by the principle:

-"Firstly, to please all people without exception - the owner where I happen to live, the boss with whom I will serve, his servant who cleans dresses, the doorman, the janitor, to avoid evil, the janitor’s dog, so that he is affectionate".

It’s scary when there are Famusovs, Mollins, and Skalozubs in society. Because the silent people remain silent, innocent people suffer, even though they are right. Chatsky is also relevant for today. In him, the writer embodied many of the qualities of a leading man of his era. He does not accept careerism, veneration, ignorance, as the ideals of the “past century.” Chatsky - for respect for the common man, service to the cause, not to individuals, freedom of thought, affirms the progressive ideas of modernity, the prosperity of science and art, respect for the national language and culture, and education. After listening to Famusov’s enthusiastic story about Maxim Petrovich, Chatsky speaks with contempt about people who “not in war, but in peace, took their foreheads, knocked on the floor, did not regret,” about those “whose necks more often bent.” He despises people who are ready to yawn at the ceiling at their patrons, show up to be silent, shuffle around, have lunch. He does not accept the “past century”: “The century of obedience and fear was direct.” Critical of the dominance of foreigners:

-"Will we ever be resurrected from the alien power of fashion? So that our smart, cheerful people, even though by language, do not consider us Germans".

After reading the comedy, Pushkin said: “I’m not talking about poetry - half of it should be included in proverbs.” Pushkin's words quickly came true. Already in May 1825, the writer V.F. Odoevsky stated: “Almost all the verses of Griboyedov’s comedy became proverbs, and I often happened to hear entire conversations in society, most of which were verses from “Woe from Wit.”

Text from various sources.

“French books make her sleepless, but Russian books make it painful for me to sleep.”
- Pass us away from all sorrows and lordly anger and lordly love.
- Happy hours are not observed.
- Carriage for me! Carriage!
- Anyone who is poor is not a match for you.
- Signed, off your shoulders.
- Sin is not a problem, rumor is not good.
- I don’t care what goes into the water.
- Blessed is he who believes - he is warm in the world!
- And the smoke of the Fatherland is sweet and pleasant to us!
- Tell me to go to the fire: I’ll go to dinner.
- What a commission, Creator, to be a father to an adult daughter!
- I would be glad to serve, but being served is sickening.
- The legend is fresh, but hard to believe.
- The houses are new, but the prejudices are old.
- Who are the judges?
- Ah, evil tongues are worse than pistols.
- I'm strange; but who is not strange?
- Ranks are given by people, but people can be deceived.
- A certificate of commendation for you: you behave properly.
- Bah! All familiar faces!
- The women shouted “Hurray!” and they threw caps into the air.
- Read not like a panorama, but with feeling, with sense, with arrangement
-Where is better? Where we are not.
- More in number, cheaper in price.
- What does he say? And he speaks as he writes!
- If we were to stop evil, we would collect all the books and burn them.
- I don’t go here anymore