Woe from mind is the meaning of the work. The idea and meaning of the comedy "Woe from Wit"
I didn't choose this topic by accident. The problem that it touches interests me not only as a reader, but also as a person who lives by the interests of his time and his generation. In our time, happiness also does not always fall to the lot of smart, thinking people, and often “fools are lucky”. The remarkable philosopher Helvetius wrote: “Common sense is almost everyone’s agreement with what is recognized as fools, and a person who seeks only the truth and therefore usually deviates from accepted truths is considered a fool.” In comedy, there is a clash of the mind as a moral and philosophical category, a pragmatic, everyday mind. This statement can be revealed on the example of the confrontation between Chatsky and the Famus society, and the same idea is well illustrated by Sophia's statement:
Of course, he does not have this mind,
What a genius for others, and for others a plague,
Which is quick, brilliant and soon opposes,
Which light scolds on the spot,
So that the world at least says something about him,
Will such a mind make a family happy?
This is the essence of the opposition: the mind is a “genius”, which is “swift, brilliant”, the mind is critical, sharp, inquisitive, “which the world scolds on the spot”, - the mind is “for itself”, the mind is selfish, capable of “making the family happy”. Sophia accepted the morality of the Famus society, according to which the second type of mind is valuable, honorable: the mind of Molchaliv, Famusov, Kuzma Petrovich and Maxim Petrovich, and not the mind of Chatsky and Prince Fyodor. From the point of view of the Famus world, a critical, quick, brilliant genius is a “plague”. The mind “for the family” brings high dividends: its owner knows how to “take awards and live happily.” Comfortable, profitable mind. And up the career ladder for ranks - please, and make profitable acquaintances. What about genius? “Mind hungry for knowledge”, striving for eternal improvement and bitterly suffering from the imperfection of the world, looking for new ways and not finding them, like Chatsky, with his high mind, striving for high moral ideals. The entire Famus society, which has a “worldly, everyday mind”, strives for its ideals: Maxim Petrovich and Kuzma Petrovich. Famusov strives for their lifestyle, and therefore, to have a fairly high rank, and money, and material wealth. That's what gives the "worldly mind", and what does the mind of "genius"? Woe from such a mind, it is strange and terrible to society. The protagonist Alexander Andreyevich Chatsky, who arrived after a long absence, cannot understand why Sophia, with whom he grew up, whom he fell in love with and strived for, has changed so much. He does not see that Sophia has fallen in love with another. Such "blindness" can be misinterpreted, meanwhile, Chatsky is not blind and not stupid. He is “not only smarter than all other people, but also positively smart. His speech boils with intelligence, wit. He also has a heart, and, moreover, he is impeccably honest ... Only his personal grief did not come from one mind, but more from other reasons, where the mind played a suffering role ... ”The fate of such a person as Chatsky cannot but be tragic in famous world. Society rejects such a genius, feeling him alien. Sophia does not accidentally spread a rumor about the “madness of Chatsky”: a person with the mind of a “genius” is dangerous in society. Chatsky was condemned as a madman. But is there a lot of slander in this from the point of view of the Famus society? By what laws does it live? According to the laws of the “Table of Ranks”, “Maxim Petrovich and Kuzma Petrovich”, according to the laws of “Famusov and Marya Aleksevna”, the life of the Famus society is a life in which everything happens according to the laws established once and for all by grandfathers and great-grandfathers:
They would ask how the fathers did,
They would learn by looking at their elders.
This is the main commandment for the existence of the Upper Light. This is a society where what is profitable is moral. Here are the ideals of “all Moscow men”. Their ideals are grossly material, pragmatic - all for themselves, all for their own sake: "a hundred people at the service, all in orders, a century at court." Not a person is important, but the degree of his need, ability to serve. That is why Molchalin, the “Tver guy”, was easily accepted into the Famus society. The same Molchalin, who understood all the rules of the Famus circle and did not become an “enemy of searches”. He did not cloud his head with "sciences and creative arts, lofty and beautiful." For the same reason, the gambler, the thief, the scammer Zagoretsky, although cursed, is accepted everywhere: after all, “the master of service.” Here relations do not reign between people, but between ranks and titles. The world simply cannot consider Chatsky a sane person, because this would mean that his beliefs are reasonable and quite normal. Chatsky for Moscow society is either a criminal or a madman. And it is much more convenient for the world itself to see a madman in him: after all, then all Chatsky's denunciations are only the fruit of a sick imagination. “An intelligent person,” Helvetius noted, “is often considered crazy by the one who listens to him, because the one who listens has the alternative of considering either himself a fool or an intelligent person crazy, it is much easier to decide on the latter.” In comedy, the “distorting mirror” technique is used: those who look not directly at the interlocutor, but at his reflection in a distorted mirror, cannot understand each other. Chatsky the madman is not afraid of society - that's the main thing, that's why Sophia's slander hit the target, she was so quickly, so sincerely and easily believed by the world. Two worlds collided. Chatsky confronts a whole crowd of enemies. Of course, somewhere there are people like him, he speaks on behalf of “young people”, and Chatsky’s opponents also remember Skalozub’s cousin, who “got some new rules”, then Tugoukhovskaya’s nephew, who “does not want officials know". But at the moment he is alone, wounded by the coldness of his girlfriend. And from that moment on, a soundproof wall stands between Chatsky and those around him.
Chatsky's education, his high intellect are offended by other comedy characters. These people consider themselves far from stupid, taking cunning and dexterity for a genuine mind.
Puffer, for example, with his poor mind knows "many channels" to get ranks. “About them (about the ranks), as a true philosopher, I judge,” he proudly declares. Famusov, although he “draws his opinions from forgotten newspapers,” nevertheless gave his daughter an education, took teachers so as not to be considered a near retrograde. But he did all this in order to successfully marry Sophia, although in words he is already ready to recognize the mind as a real value. Natalya Dmitrievna Gorich rejoices in a successful marriage, her husband suits her “to her liking, according to her mind”, but the quieter and meek Molchalin, who has developed for himself a whole system of views on life, is more cunning and dexterous than all. He has his own philosophy, but his thoughts are shallow, his mind is materialistic.
A person with a deep mind, as a rule, is unsophisticated, straightforward. A little cunning wouldn't hurt Chatsky. But in our eyes, he would have lost. We are impressed by Chatsky with his impudent mind, his cheerfulness and witticisms.
Thus, in the very title of Griboyedov's comedy "Woe from Wit" lies the significance of interpretation. The playwright poses a riddle to his contemporaries and future generations. Many smart people "puzzled" over the meaning of the title of the play. Indeed, is grief from the mind possible? The more smart, the better. The happier should be the bearer of the mind and the society in which he lives. In our case, the hero experiences the bitterness of disappointment and “a million torments”, and society rejoices at the imminent departure of Chatsky from Moscow. Woe to Chatsky from his mind because society did not understand him, did not recognize him and considered his mind dangerous, generating new ideas that are unacceptable to the world, as unnecessary, inconvenient, impractical and even dangerous for this society. A big mind needs a big understanding and recognition. And then there will be happiness from the mind and peace, and not suffering or, in the words of Goncharov, torment. Chatsky is unhappy because he is not understood.
Griboyedov's comedy called "Woe from Wit" is a work that does not need much effort to revive it and make it modern. On the one hand, his characters can often be found in everyday life, and on the other hand, their experiences are sometimes present in the reality of many readers.
What is the uniqueness of the work "Woe from Wit"? The meaning of this comedy is not killed by time! And this is one of the unique cases of its kind in the history of not only Russian, but also world literature. Years have no power over this creation. Over the past two hundred years, several generations, succeeding each other, were able to discover a new meaning for the comedy "Woe from Wit".
The unique creation of Alexander Sergeevich
The very name of the comedy touches on those life circumstances that almost every reader has to experience from time to time. The opposition of mind and stupidity is very important for any person. Indeed, at each stage of their growing up, people constantly gain experience, become wiser, and develop. What is the meaning of the name? "Woe from Wit" relies precisely on those events that happen to any person in reality.
This opposition is one of the most important dramatic collisions that exists in world literature. And the idea that the mind is a dangerous property of the human body is mentioned by many authors in their works. But only Griboedov conveys the meaning of the work "Woe from Wit" in a comedic form.
Theatrical art in the time of Alexander Sergeevich
Comedy during the time of this outstanding writer was a rather important part of life, since the entertainment of most nobles was centered around theatrical art. In Moscow at that time there were more than twenty home temples of Melpomene.
Tickets were not sold there, and only close friends and relatives came. And along with balls and holidays, such home performances were an important part of the life and daily life of all educated people in Russia.
The combination of funny and serious is a technique that helps to reveal the meaning of the work "Woe from Wit" in a completely special light. Firstly, Alexander Sergeevich wanted to create a work that was supposed to diversify the leisure and free pastime of the people of his society, and secondly, he wanted to show what worried everyone individually.
Bitterness mixed with joy. Laughter filled with tears. It is this paradoxical combination that gives rise not only to the moment of insight, but also conveys the meaning of the comedy "Woe from Wit". This happens when the main character realizes that many people around him perceive his mind as madness.
Balagan language used in the book
How did the readers and contemporaries of Alexander Sergeevich perceive the meaning of the title - "Woe from Wit"? To represent this, you need to take into account historical factors and the very style of writing this creation.
At the time of writing Griboyedov's comedy, farce or fair performances were very popular, where the border between the stage of the theater and the auditorium in which the audience was located became conditional. And the actor, who was on the stage, often performed improvised actions.
It was in this language of street performances that Alexander Sergeevich tried to convey the meaning of the work "Woe from Wit". Behind each character in his creation, the reader could recognize the person he met in life. Several conjectures and legends about the prototypes of heroes are connected with this.
Legends about the creation of a unique creation
There is a legend that the author began to write his work after he ran into the public in one of the salons of secular society. And Chatsky's monologues are, in essence, his own speeches when he came into conflict with others.
Another version says that the source is the story of Chaadaev, who was declared insane. And many more speculations have the right to exist. The thing is that in comedy the plot is built in such a way that any projection on existing life will be confirmed in real facts.
On stage, everyone can find out what happens to him or his acquaintances in everyday life, and even draw a parallel with some characters. This is the power of the comedy "Woe from Wit".
The meaning of the story about Famusov's life is to show a typical representative of the nobility of his time. He obeys public opinion, and does not express his own point of view.
Chatsky, on the contrary, is constantly trying to fight the surrounding mores. Many other characters also often resemble the people around them. This constant possibility of transition from stage circumstances to real ones is an integral property of the comedy of Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov.
The history of the creation of comedy
Not only the meaning of the title is important - "Woe from Wit" - but also the main task of the work, which is to reveal the causes of human stupidity through laughter. The goal of Alexander Sergeevich is not the depiction of characters, but the direct expression of the feelings that his stage characters carry with them.
Griboyedov's comedy has been remade countless times. This was done so that one person could read the work, depicting all the characters in their faces. This form of the play was preserved until the year 1833, that is, until the moment the comedy was staged on the theater stage.
Contents "Woe from Wit" (brief). The meaning of the work
Why did censorship fight so stubbornly with comedy for several decades, not allowing it to be staged not only in the imperial theater, but also as a home performance. The editors saw too much seditious and reprehensible in Chatsky's ridicule and did not allow the creation of Alexander Sergeevich to be published. Very easily, the characters judged what was happening at that time in the country.
As a result, a rather paradoxical situation has arisen. The comedy was banned from full print publication by censors. Therefore, today there are a huge number of handwritten copies.
Almost every noble family had the text of this work, rewritten by hand. It was used for home performances or simple reading. And the censorship was well aware of this state of affairs. But comedy still continued to be banned.
At first glance, the content of the work is rather unpretentious. The whole action takes place in Famusov's house, where the main character Chatsky appears, who has been absent from the city for a long time. His visit immediately caused a lot of negative emotions, both from his longtime girlfriend Sophia and her father.
As new comedy characters appear, the reader not only sees their diverse characters, but also constantly hears young Chatsky's sharp judgments regarding each of the guests of Famusov's home. Visitors to this house try to exalt the owner of the estate and the customs that reign around.
The young man is full of modern views and not only tries to defend his own point of view, but also to reach out to the rest of the comedy characters. Unfortunately, he remains misunderstood, and all his judgments are perceived by Famusov's society very categorically, which leads to a grandiose scandal at the end of the play.
The protagonist of the work of Alexander Sergeevich
In order to understand not only the meaning of the title - "Woe from Wit" - but also its entire storyline, it is enough to pay attention to the monologues of the main character - Chatsky - and evaluate them. It is in them that there are those plastic images that Alexander Sergeevich wanted to convey. He expresses those feelings and views that interest his generation.
All phrases in Griboyedov's comedy are constructed in such a way that they create the appearance of a dialogue between the actor and the audience. And the main meaning does not come from what the character says, but how exactly he does it. This is of great importance for understanding any dramatic plot. In any dialogue or monologue of "Woe from Wit" you can find both signs of the character's mind and signs of stupidity. And even the greatness of the mind, which is characteristic of the sages.
And it is quite obvious that Chatsky is not the mouthpiece of the author's idea, but an independent hero. And Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov is the person who nourished him with thoughts and feelings. Author and character are not unity. Therefore, the meaning of comedy for each reader will be different, depending on his perception of the surrounding reality.
The collapse of hopes and illusions
What is the meaning of the finale? "Woe from Wit" consists of unexpected discoveries of the main characters. For some, this is a drama in personal relationships, while for others it is the collapse of their own illusions and ideals. For example, for Chatsky, who tried to enter into a struggle with the outside world, a tragic discovery was the conservatism of a society that is not going to accept the new political and social views of the character.
And, despite the fact that Chatsky was expelled from this circle, who did not want to change anything in his usual way, this man, with his innovative ideas, was still able to make a significant gap in the minds of society. But, unfortunately, like all pioneers, he was not understood, rejected and expelled.
The most remarkable work created by Alexander Griboyedov is "Woe from Wit". The meaning of this comedy is to describe to the reader living and real types of people with their real problems, conflicts, not only personal, but also social. Thanks to this, comedy not only became popular among the author's contemporaries, but also continues to be relevant for many generations.
The main idea that Alexander Griboyedov put into his comedy is to show the way of life, the customs of his contemporary society, his contemporary Moscow. In the work, two camps collide, two worldviews - old conservative conformist aristocrats worshiping rank, wealth, trying with all their might to maintain the existing habitual way of life and advanced people striving for change, wanting a better life than they have.
In the work, there is a confrontation between Chatsky and Famusov, and this clash is completely predictable. This conflict should have been, because the old townsfolk like Famusov, accustomed to caring only for their personal welfare, and indifferent to the aspirations of others, cannot stand people like Chatsky, who "sow confusion", violate the established order for everyone, striving to establish justice. In people like Chatsky, Famusov sees a real enemy, a threat to his high position, his comfortable, idle, stupefying life. The spirit of pride and arrogance reigns at Famusov's balls. Chatsky, having got to one of the balls, fell into unbearable boredom because of that host living there (even falling in love did not save him from boredom, everything was so depressing). And all because their interests are limited only by banknotes and titles. In addition, all the guests are wary of each other, an atmosphere of hostility and arrogance hovers among them.
What did Griboedov want to tell us with this work? What is the meaning of comedy? It lies in Chatsky's loyalty to his convictions, despite mental anguish and multiple failures. In the vile house of Famusov, he plays the role of a detractor of ignorant inhabitants, retrogrades making every effort to maintain the existing order, not striving for a more honest and just life, thinking about themselves. Such subjects hinder our time, the development of the world, and the likes of Chatsky make our planet spin and progress. People like him are trying to free the common people from unbearable oppression.
In the play Woe from Wit, the essence lies in the conflict between a gifted, progressive personality (prone to Decembristism) and the Famus society (reverence for money, ranks, vanity and hypocrisy), which appears as a struggle for human rights and dignity. Through the lips of Chatsky, the author's position was expressed in relation to his contemporary society. A lot of images from the work have become common nouns, and some passages have become aphorisms.
Option 2
A satirical comedy written by one of the famous Russian authors of the 19th century - Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov. Initially, Griboyedov conceived of writing a comedy about the rather strange and cruel living conditions of ordinary peasants during the serfdom.
Since comedy touches on satire, this work makes the reader understand that even the most intelligent person who has not done anything wrong can also become the object of various gossip, discussions, and so on. The main theme of the comedy is the vices of humanity, which both ridicule and try to hide. Hypocrisy and servility makes the reader think about how these two main vices can affect the outcome of the work.
The name of the work, "Woe from Wit" hides a small meaning, which is revealed in the work itself. After all, it is easier to accuse another person of illiteracy or insanity than to change yourself and try to live in accordance with the new directions and styles of life itself that have come with the advent of the new century.
The comedy also touches on serfdom, court customs and much more, which affects the very meaning of the work and its essence. When reading this work, one can notice its connection with Decembrism, however, Griboedov himself was not part of the Decembrist societies and did not share the main directions of Decembrism with friends or in literature.
Not the deepest meaning of the comedy is manifested in the fact that Chatsky, with all his efforts, despite his failures throughout the comedy and despite moral principles and torment, did not retreat, but remained true to his inner ideals.
Griboedov did not hesitate to add some kind of confrontation to this work, on the one hand, aristocrats who did not want to leave the brightness of life spoke, and on the other hand, a society of progressive-minded people came forward who wanted to fill their lives with vivid emotions and unforgettable memories. In other words, two generations clashed in this comedy - the new generation of the then 19th century and the generation of the past, the 18th century. This disagreement between the two generations has not disappeared even now, in the 21st century.
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You can't go through life without making mistakes. Every person and every generation that lives on earth makes a mistake. It is impossible to gain experience without making mistakes.
Evgenia Komelkova is one of the key figures in the story "The Dawns Here Are Quiet...". Her life story is tragic. An anti-aircraft gunner who entered with her battalion into the care of Fedot Evgrafych, along with the same young girls as herself.
Although there are hunters to scoff everywhere,
Yes, laughter is scary now
And keep the shame in check.
A. Griboyedov
The meaning of the comedy "Woe from Wit", I believe, is to show the spirit of Moscow at that time, its customs. The comedy unfolds a confrontation between two forces: the old world of aristocrats, who do not want to leave the stage of life, and the new generation of progressively minded people in Russia.
Chatsky's clash with Famusov is inevitable, because the old aristocrats do not like change, they are accustomed to live and live out as they please. The life of society in this sense is of little interest to them.
Famusov immediately felt that with the arrival of Chatsky, various troubles and violations of order would begin, although he did not yet know about his views. A young, strong, flowering beginning in a person already in itself gives people like Famusov a reason for concern. And what can we say about the reaction to the bold judgments of Chatsky.
The world that Famusov so diligently protects from external influences is a complete lie of relationships and depressing immorality. Sophia hides her poetic feelings for Molchalin, fearing that they will not be understood. And Molchalin, in turn, pretends to be in love.
At Famusov's balls, the spirit of swagger and arrogance reigns. The Tugoukhovsky princes, for example, are deaf to everything in the world, except for wealth and titles.
There is a chill of caution and hostility towards each other in the relations between the guests.
Naturally, Chatsky, once in such an environment, fell into the blues and boredom. Even falling in love with Sophia did not help him to cheer up in any way. He leaves, but love for Sophia and for his homeland still returns him to Moscow already energetic, full of creative aspirations. But new disappointments await him: no one needs his energy and noble impulses in Famusov's Moscow. Love also fails: after a conversation with Famusov, Chatsky suspected that he was dreaming of giving Sophia for General Skalozub. Yes, Chatsky himself, gradually recognizing Sophia, is disappointed in her. He notices that she sees the world distorted. Hearing how admiringly she speaks of Molchalin, Chatsky is convinced that she does not understand his true essence at all. He asks her, “But does he have that passion? That feeling? Is that ardor? So that, besides you, the whole world would seem to him as dust and vanity?” Then he adds: “And Skalozub! Here is a sight!..”
But Sophia sensed neither caution nor irony in his words. She replies: "The hero is not my novel."
Chatsky is tormented by the thought of how such a smart girl could fall in love with the scoundrel Molchalin, a greedy man and a sycophant:
With such feelings, with such a soul, we love you!
Liar, laugh at me!
At the end, when everything is finally revealed, Chatsky admits to himself that he was bitterly deceived in Sophia;
Why am I lured into hope?
Why didn't they tell me directly
What did you turn all the past into laughter? ..
Here I am donated to whom!
But the sacrifice of love is not the biggest sacrifice in Chatsky's life. Him, with the light hand of Sophia, who dropped: “Ah, Chatsky! You love to dress up everyone in jesters. If you want to try on yourself, ”they declare them crazy, and this rumor quickly spreads throughout Moscow.
The meaning of the comedy, in my opinion, is that Chatsky, despite his defeats and moral torments, did not deviate from loyalty to his ideals.
In Famusov's house, he acts to the end as a detractor of its inhabitants, who are clinging to the past with all their might, trying to stop the passage of time.
The history of the creation of comedy
The comedy "Woe from Wit" is the main and most valuable result of A.S. Griboyedov. When studying the comedy Woe from Wit, one should analyze, first of all, the conditions in which the play was written. It touches upon the issue of the brewing confrontation between the progressive and conservative nobility. Griboyedov ridicules the mores of the secular society of the early 19th century. In this regard, the creation of such a work was a rather bold step in that period of the development of Russian history.
There is a known case when Griboyedov, returning from abroad, found himself at one of the aristocratic receptions in St. Petersburg. There he was outraged by the obsequious attitude of society towards one foreign guest. Griboyedov's progressive views prompted him to express his sharply negative opinion on this matter. The guests considered the young man crazy, and the news of this quickly spread throughout society. It was this incident that prompted the writer to create a comedy.
Theme and problems of the play
It is advisable to start the analysis of the comedy "Woe from Wit" by referring to its name. It reflects the idea of the play. Grief from his sanity is experienced by the main character of the comedy - Alexander Andreyevich Chatsky, who is rejected by society only because he is smarter than the people around him. Another problem follows from this: if a society rejects a person of an extraordinary mind, then how does this characterize society itself? Chatsky feels uncomfortable among people who consider him insane. This gives rise to numerous speech clashes between the protagonist and representatives of the society he hates. In these conversations, each side considers itself smarter than the interlocutor. Only the mind of the conservative nobility lies in the ability to adapt to existing circumstances in order to obtain maximum material benefits. Anyone who does not pursue ranks and money for them is a madman.
Accepting the views of Chatsky for the conservative nobility means starting to change their lives in accordance with the requirements of the time. Nobody finds this convenient. It's easier to declare Chatsky crazy, because then you can simply ignore his diatribes.
In the clash between Chatsky and representatives of aristocratic society, the author raises a number of philosophical, moral, national, cultural and everyday issues. Within the framework of these topics, the problems of serfdom, service to the state, education, and family life are discussed. All these problems are revealed in comedy through the prism of understanding the mind.
The conflict of a dramatic work and its originality
The peculiarity of the conflict in the play "Woe from Wit" lies in the fact that there are two of them: love and social. The social contradiction lies in the clash of interests and views of the representatives of the "current century" in the person of Chatsky and the "past century" in the person of Famusov and his supporters. Both conflicts are closely related to each other.
Love experiences force Chatsky to come to Famusov's house, where he has not been for three years. He finds his beloved Sophia in a confused state, she accepts him very coldly. Chatsky does not realize that he arrived at the wrong time. Sophia is busy going through a love story with Molchalin, her father's secretary, who lives in their house. Endless thoughts about the reasons for the cooling of Sophia's feelings make Chatsky ask questions of his beloved, her father, Molchalin. During the dialogues, it turns out that Chatsky's views differ from each of the interlocutors. They argue about service, about ideals, about the mores of secular society, about education, about the family. The views of Chatsky frighten the representatives of the "past century", because they threaten the usual way of life of the Famus society. Conservative nobles are not ready for change, so a rumor about Chatsky's madness, accidentally launched by Sophia, instantly spreads in society. The protagonist's lover is the source of unpleasant gossip because it interferes with her personal happiness. And this again sees the interweaving of love and social conflicts.
Comedy character system
In the depiction of characters, Griboedov does not adhere to a clear division into positive and negative, which was mandatory for classicism. All heroes have both positive and negative traits. For example, Chatsky is smart, honest, brave, independent, but he is also quick-tempered, unceremonious. Famusov is the son of his age, but at the same time he is a wonderful father. Sophia, ruthless towards Chatsky, is smart, brave and determined.
But the use of "speaking" surnames in the play is a direct legacy of classicism. In the surname of the hero, Griboedov tries to put the leading feature of his personality. For example, the surname Famusov is derived from the Latin fama, which means "rumour". Consequently, Famusov is the person who is most concerned about public opinion. It is enough to recall his final remark to be convinced of this: “... What will Princess Marya Aleksevna say!”. Chatsky was originally Chadsky. This surname hints that the hero is in the midst of his struggle with the mores of an aristocratic society. The hero Repetilov is also interesting in this respect. His surname is connected with the French word repeto - I repeat. This character is a caricatured double of Chatsky. He does not have his own opinion, but only repeats other people's words, including the words of Chatsky.
It is important to pay attention to the placement of characters. Social conflict occurs mainly between Chatsky and Famusov. A love confrontation is built between Chatsky, Sofia and Molchalin. These are the main characters. The figure of Chatsky unites the love and social conflict.
The most difficult in the comedy "Woe from Wit" is the image of Sophia. It is difficult to attribute it to people who adhere to the views of the "gone century". In relations with Molchalin, she despises the opinion of society. Sophia reads a lot, loves art. She is disgusted by the stupid Puffer. But you can’t call her a supporter of Chatsky either, because in conversations with him she reproaches him for his causticity, ruthlessness in words. It was her word about Chatsky's madness that became decisive in the fate of the protagonist.
Both secondary and episodic characters are important in the play. For example, Lisa, Skalozub are directly involved in the development of a love conflict, complicating and deepening it. The episodic characters that appear on a visit to Famusov (the Tugoukhovskys, Khryumins, Zagoretsky) more fully reveal the mores of the Famusov society.
Development of dramatic action
An analysis of the actions of "Woe from Wit" will reveal the compositional features of the work and the features of the development of the dramatic action.
All the phenomena of the first act before the arrival of Chatsky can be considered an exposition of the comedy. Here the reader gets acquainted with the scene and learns not only about the love affair between Sophia and Molchalin, but also that Sophia used to have tender feelings for Chatsky, who left to wander around the world. The appearance of Chatsky in the seventh appearance of the first act is the plot. This is followed by a parallel development of social and love conflicts. Chatsky's conflict with the Famus society reaches its peak at the ball - this is the culmination of the action. The fourth act, 14th comedy phenomenon (Chatsky's final monologue) is the denouement of both the social and love lines.
In the denouement, Chatsky is forced to retreat before the Famus society, because he is in the minority. But he can hardly be considered defeated. It's just that Chatsky's time has not yet come, a split in the noble environment has only just begun.
The originality of the play
Research and analysis of the work "Woe from Wit" will reveal its bright originality. Traditionally, "Woe from Wit" is considered to be the first Russian realistic play. Despite this, the features inherent in classicism have been preserved in it: “speaking” surnames, the unity of time (the events of the comedy take place within one day), the unity of place (the play takes place in Famusov’s house). However, Griboyedov refuses the unity of action: two conflicts develop in parallel in comedy, which contradicts the traditions of classicism. In the image of the protagonist, the formula of romanticism is also clearly visible: an exceptional hero (Chatsky) in unusual circumstances.
Thus, the relevance of the play's problems, its unconditional innovation, the aphoristic language of comedy are not only of great importance in the history of Russian literature and dramaturgy, but also contribute to the popularity of comedy among modern readers.
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