The comedy of Alexander Griboyedov brought huge success and celebrity to the author himself, and his main character, Chatsky, became a prominent representative of the revolutionary-minded youth of that time, who could no longer live the way the older generation lived, mired in bribes and servility. Many critics of that time noted that if there were no Chatsky in Griboedov's work, then it would be empty and meaningless, and few people could be interested in the content of such a work.
Alexander Andreevich does not appear in Griboyedov's story right away, but the author first introduces the reader to the Famusovs' house, where the rest of the important events of the comedy will unfold in the future. The first to remember him was a maid in the Famusovs' house, who only spoke well of him. She noted his qualities of character: smart, educated, cheerful, honest and sharp. When Chatsky, who spent a long time abroad, studying there and traveling, learning about the world, first appears in the Famusovs' house, a great commotion is caused. It turns out that they have a long acquaintance with Sofia Famusova, because they practically grew up together. While he traveled, he hoped that she was waiting for him and now he was even going to marry her.
But Chatsky is shown by the author as a brave and open person who has a negative attitude to any injustice, and, of course, to lies. He understands that with his mind and education, he can and should benefit his Fatherland, so prepare for a serious service, where all his knowledge will come in handy. But the Russian reality disappoints him, as secular society rejects him, and his knowledge turns out to be superfluous, and modern high society even frightens this.
The justification for this behavior of the society, which is ruled by Famusov and others like him, lies in the fact that Alexander Andreevich adheres to advanced ideas, he is against those traditions that have long been formed in the secular society of the nineteenth century. For example, he absolutely does not accept and speaks negatively about cringing, because, in his opinion, it is necessary to serve not individuals, but the common cause. Therefore, with great indignation, he speaks of the Famus society, which is simply mired in a multitude of vices. It is sickening for him to serve in front of people who do nothing for the development of their country, but only dream of moving up the career ladder and lining their pockets. Alexander Andreevich is not only young, but hot, and open, so he is ready to sacrifice everything to serve for the good of the country's development, and the Famus society, where he ends up after returning to his homeland and places familiar from childhood, he is called scoundrels, although noble .
Chatsky boldly and openly opposes the order that prevails in the country. For example, serfdom, which enslaves the people, makes you think that a person, even a poor one, can be mocked like that. The young hero Alexander Griboyedov is presented by the author as a true patriot of his Motherland, who is ready to fight for order and justice to finally reign in his country.
Therefore, he also comes into conflict with a society that does not want to accept his new advanced ideas, which frighten him. He also speaks against the tsar, who cannot in any way stop this lawlessness against the peasants. He has a conflict not only with high society, with Famusov, the father of his bride, Molchalin, who is slowly moving up the career ladder and is ready to humiliate himself and become vile for this. But it is striking that it is Sophia, Chatsky's bride, who also comes into conflict with him when she is the first to spread a rumor about him that he is crazy.
Yes, Alexander Chatsky's speeches are too open, straightforward and bold. He is not afraid to tell the whole truth, and in this he is close to the Decembrists. Believe that he will not stumble from the work he has begun. He knows exactly the goal and will go to it. And he will definitely be the winner, because he is always a warrior, a righteous and angry denouncer of meanness and sycophancy.
Chatsky is not in Moscow for long, as he does not find support in anyone. Even Sofya, a young and educated girl, turned out to be weak and easily succumbed to the influence of a society in which the Famusovs and Molchalins thrive. But she also betrayed her friend and fiancé, chose Molchalin, who loves not her at all, but the state and position in society of her father.
Chatsky is depicted by the author as a real fighter, a warrior who has noble features, dignity and honor. All this was manifested not only in his passionate speeches, but also in actions in which he did not allow himself to become like Sophia's father and become one of them. It was people like the young and noble hero Alexander Griboyedov who made the life of the serfs change, and the common people finally became free.
- Compositions
- On literature
- Griboyedov
Alexander Ivanovich Chatsky is one of the central characters in the work “Woe from Wit” by A.S. Griboyedov. Through the image of Chatsky, the author appeared as an innovator who tried to influence others and change their worldview, through him he conveys his main message. In his work, A.S. Griboedov describes in the literature a new socio-psychological type of the “superfluous person” - someone whom no one hears, who is alone with his unspoken thoughts and beliefs.
Chatsky had a lively mind, and the entire work of the author is built on the confrontation between the protagonist and high society, his representatives were Molchalin, Skalozub and Famusov. Alexander is constantly in a dispute with these heroes, from where his well-known monologues appear, in which he puts forward his ideas, his point of view, not even caring about whether he was heard.
In the very first monologue, “And the world just started to grow stupid,” Alexander Chatsky compares the past and the present. He refuses to serve anyone, opposes the emerging bureaucracy, as a result of which he refuses public service. In the dialogue called “Who are the judges”, the main character is indignant that people are too passionate about military affairs, because this does not give development to creativity, kills any desire to develop spiritually. The hero says that military affairs do not allow the personality to grow, as a result, people are deprived of the ability to make any decisions.
However, little by little, Chatsky realizes that his views are not accepted and the philosophy of other heroes is strikingly different from his own. He understands that he will no longer be heard, from which he calms down, but only from the outside, while inside Alexander retains all his fuse and hope for a brighter future.
At the end of the comedy, Chatsky appears before us in the form of a man who has become disillusioned with everything. However, Alexander did not give up his beliefs. He still respected the right to choose any person, valued freedom.
As a result, we can say that Chatsky is a strong and unshakable person who is able to hold on to his foundations. And he believed that someday the world would be better than the one in which he lived.
Option 2
1822. In Russia, the time of serfdom. The population is divided on different sides: on the one hand, the "celestials" are aristocrats who own wealth and people, and on the other, a enslaved people suffering from a lack of freedom, which is still very far from being gained.
In that year, the talented diplomat and publicist Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov wrote his most famous work, the comedy Woe from Wit, which stirred up contemporary society and forced thinking people to take a fresh look at the structure of life in Russia.
The protagonist of the play, Alexander Andreyich Chatsky, contributed a lot to this. It does not appear from the first lines. The reader learns about him from the witty servant girl Liza, the maid of Famusov's daughter Sophia. “Who is as sensitive, and cheerful, and sharp as Alexander Andreyich Chatsky!” she says to her mistress.
Chatsky, who lost his parents early, was brought up in Famusov's house with his daughter and loved her from childhood. He is still a young man, but he already takes life seriously and at some point, feeling that he lacks a home education, he sets off to travel abroad. He is drawn to the sciences, he wants to know the world better. He spends three years traveling, but the "smoke of the fatherland" calls him home, where, as he hopes, his beloved girl is waiting. He himself is true to his love and romantically full of good intentions. He returns suddenly. » Three years did not write two words! And suddenly it struck like from the clouds, ”Famusov tells him when they meet. And what is he destined to find in his Fatherland? He feels a change in Sophia, but still cannot understand what is the matter, but for now he remembers mutual acquaintances and, as he believes, harmlessly makes fun of them. He's just mocking and smart, he sees people for who they really are, but the girl doesn't like it. “Not a man, a snake!” she says of him.
Unlike many young people of his time, Chatsky is an independent independent person, he believes that everyone is free to choose their own business, without looking back at anyone's opinion. Leaving a military career, although military service was honorable for every nobleman at that time, he did not want to become an official either, because he saw that for a successful career in this field it was necessary to humiliate himself in front of his superiors. “I would be glad to serve, it’s sickening to serve,” he answers Famusov to his teachings. He is annoyed that nothing has changed while he was away. » Houses are new, but prejudices are old. Rejoice, neither their years, nor fashion, nor fires will destroy them, ”he remarks in a conversation with Famusov and Skalozub.
An observant and caustic person, he gives very accurate characteristics to Moscow aristocrats. A very limited martinet Skalozub - “a constellation of maneuvers and mazurkas”, “Nestor of noble scoundrels”, - a landowner who sold his serf children for debts. He ridicules the education system of the nobility, which was given at the mercy of visiting foreigners, and they cannot teach anything worthwhile. And, of course, a society in which people are judged not by their merit, but by their ability to bow low and please, hostilely accepts this incomprehensible person. The old proven way of dealing with such people is used: Chatsky is declared crazy. He cannot fight this estate monolith alone. He is forced to flee from Moscow.
His time has not yet come, and one in the field is not a warrior. But there is always the first one who will set an example of love for freedom and justice to others. So the first was Chatsky, the hero who was created by the smartest Russian diplomat and writer Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov.
Composition The image and characteristics of Chatsky
For me, Chatsky is a very eccentric type, a dreamer in some ways ... Of course, he himself suffers because of his frankness. He can tell the truth, but because of this, everyone turns away from him.
He traveled a lot. I think that he saw different countries, communicated with different people. Now he has a new way of looking at everything. And the people he left at home haven't changed much. On the contrary, it may have worsened.
Here Sophia got in touch with this Molchalin, who flatters everyone, deceives everyone. She is no exception. And Chatsky simply does not understand how she could be carried away by such an empty and dangerous person ... But he cannot do anything. All his attempts to establish contact with Sophia only make things worse. He begins to annoy her with his behavior.
Chatsky sees everything: all the vices of this society are evident to Chatsky. At the same time, he does not notice his own ardor, does not take into account that it is not good to offend people like that.
I think it's right if everyone attacked Chatsky in the final so that he would run away. This society, so disgusting for him, told him just that - leave. He would still not be able to remake all these people, it would be hard for him to suffer at the sight of them. That's why it's a real gift that everyone ganged up on him.
Of course, Chatsky and romantic. He came up with something for himself… What people should be like.
It is clear that this same Alexander Andreevich is very smart (he knows a lot), but he is not wise. Chatsky created a recipe for how to make society take up arms against you faster. You have to blame everyone, you have to laugh at everyone, point out shortcomings. At the same time, be caustic and alien to everyone. He reminds me a little of Don Quixote. Also trying to fight...
I hope that in that very wilderness he will come to his senses a little. He will not hate his aunt either for being narrow-minded or for reading the “wrong” books. You can always find something to hate. There must have been some good in them. Such stupid and disgusting traditions have developed, but it cannot be that people are completely disgusting.
I'm not saying that Chatsky had to love everyone with their sins. It was better for him to leave immediately. Or stay, accepting people like this. He could also help them with his example of a right life ...
If such a person came to our class, then I would try to point out to him the good features of his classmates. And if he continued to "grimacing", then we would have beaten him.
Chatsky and his history
Griboyedov's comedy reflects the clash of two worldviews, namely the representatives of the new people, reflected in the image of Chatsky, and the conservative representatives, represented by Famusov and his friends. One of the personalities showing new trends is Chatsky. We see that the character, after long wanderings around the world, returned to his native place. He is obsessed with thoughts of individual freedom, equality and brotherhood.
However, having arrived in Moscow, he sees that everything has remained at the same level. And his appearance did not please either Famusov or his daughter. Basically, representatives of this society always do nothing but have fun. Chatsky even refused to serve, because in the army everyone flatters and serves each other. And he returned to Famusov's house because of his love for Sophia. Immediately from the road, he arrives at her house and confesses his feelings to her, which characterizes him as a hot young man. Neither separation nor travel cooled his ardor for the girl. He sacredly honors these relationships. Upon learning that Sophia chose Molchalin, he becomes bitter and offended. But Chatsky is smart, but no one notices this. Only Liza, who works in this house as a servant, says that he is enlightened, resourceful and honest.
The protagonist opposes serfdom, as he considers it a source of evil and misfortune. He also condemns wealthy Moscow gentlemen who value only luxury and high positions, who are afraid of enlightenment and truth. In a dispute with Famusov, he says that the older generation does not know how to express their opinion, condemning them all, and saying that it is disgusting for him to be among such people.
When he comes to the ball, there is a conflict between him and representatives of secular society. All those gathered opposed Chatsky, ridiculing him and insulting him, Chatsky with his trends is alone. After all, there was no one among them who would hold the same opinion. And so he leaves, ending all struggle. However, he still surpasses Molchalin and similar representatives. Chatsky in the comedy represents the young thinking generation of the Russian nobility, its very best part. And if he is among the high society in complete solitude, then among young people of his age there are like-minded people.
For grade 9
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Chatsky, the protagonist of Woe from Wit (see summary, analysis and full text), belongs to the best part of the then Russian young generation. Many literary critics have argued that Chatsky is a reasoner. This is completely false! You can call him a reasoner only insofar as the author expresses his thoughts and feelings through his mouth; but Chatsky is a living, real face; He, like every person, has his own qualities and shortcomings. (See also Image of Chatsky.)
We know that in his youth Chatsky often visited Famusov's house, studied with foreign teachers together with Sophia. But such an education could not satisfy him, and he went abroad to wander. His journey lasted 3 years, and now we see Chatsky again at home, in Moscow, where he spent his childhood. Like any person who has returned home after a long absence, everything here is sweet to him, everything arouses pleasant memories associated with childhood; he gladly goes over in his memory acquaintances, in whom, by the nature of his sharp mind, he certainly sees funny, caricature features, but at first he does this without any malice and bile, and so, for laughter, to embellish his memories: “a Frenchman knocked out by a breeze ... ", and" this ... black-haired, on the legs of cranes ... "
Woe from the mind. Performance by the Maly Theatre, 1977
Going through the typical, sometimes caricatured aspects of Moscow life, Chatsky says passionately that when
“... you wander, you return home,
And the smoke of the fatherland is sweet and pleasant to us!
In this, Chatsky is completely different from those young people who, returning from abroad to Russia, treated everything Russian with contempt and praised only everything that they saw in foreign countries. It was thanks to this external comparison of native Russian with a foreign one that developed in that era to a very strong extent gallomania, which so outrages Chatsky. His separation from his homeland, the comparison of Russian life with European life, caused only an even stronger, deeper love for Russia, for the Russian people. That is why, having found himself again after a three-year absence in the environment of Moscow society, he sees under a fresh impression all the exaggeration, all the ridiculous aspects of this gallomania.
But the naturally hot Chatsky no longer laughs, he is deeply indignant at the sight of how the “Frenchman from Bordeaux” reigns among Moscow society only because he is a foreigner; resents the fact that everything Russian, national causes ridicule in society:
“How to put the European in parallel
With the national - something strange! -
someone says, arousing general laughter of approval. In turn, reaching the point of exaggeration, Chatsky, in contrast to the general opinion, says with indignation:
“If only we could borrow some money from the Chinese
Wise they have ignorance of foreigners.
………………………
“Will we ever rise from the foreign power of fashion,
So that our smart, kind people
Although by language he did not consider us Germans? -
meaning by "Germans" foreigners and alluding to the fact that in society in that era everyone spoke foreign languages among themselves; Chatsky suffers, realizing what an abyss separates millions of the Russian people from the ruling class of nobles.
I recall Griboedov's article, "Out-of-town travel"; he describes a secular picnic, during which a merry company, having accidentally fallen on a village holiday, listens with curiosity to Russian songs, admires the round dance of peasant girls. “Leaning against a tree,” writes Griboedov, “I involuntarily turned my eyes from the vociferous singers to the listeners-observers themselves, that damaged class of semi-Europeans to which I belong. Everything they heard and saw seemed wild to them; these sounds are indistinct to their hearts, these outfits are strange to them. By what black magic have we become strangers among our own? - "The people of the same blood, our people, are separated from us and forever!"
In these words of Griboyedov, the words of Chatsky sound. From this way of thinking of Chatsky-Griboedov, Slavophilism subsequently emerged.
From an early age, children were given a foreign upbringing, which gradually alienated secular youth from everything native, national. Chatsky casually sneers at these "shelves" of foreign teachers, "more in number, at a cheaper price," who were entrusted with the education of noble youth. Hence the ignorance of their people, hence the misunderstanding of the plight in which the Russian people found themselves, thanks to serfdom. Through the mouth of Chatsky, Griboedov expresses the thoughts and feelings of the best part of the then nobility, who were indignant at the injustices that serfdom entailed, and who fought against the arbitrariness of inveterate serf-owners. Chatsky depicts pictures of such arbitrariness in bright colors, recalling one gentleman, “Nestor noble scoundrels,” who exchanged several of his faithful servants for three greyhounds; another, a theater lover, who
“I drove to the fortress ballet on many wagons
From mothers, fathers of rejected children”; -
he made "all of Moscow marvel at their beauty." But then, in order to pay off creditors, he sold these children one by one, who portrayed “cupids and marshmallows” on stage, separating them forever from their parents ...
Chatsky cannot calmly talk about this, his soul is indignant, his heart aches for the Russian people, for Russia, which he dearly loves, which he would like to serve. But how to serve?
“I would be glad to serve - it’s sickening to serve,”
he says, hinting that among the many government officials he sees only the Molchalins or such nobles as Famusov's uncle Maxim Petrovich.
In the Famus society, Chatsky is alone: all public opinion is against him. Everyone around him thinks serving, necessary serve; no one sees evil in serfdom; everyone thinks that the Russian, “national” cannot be put in parallel with the European, everyone is fascinated by gallomania ... That's where it comes from grief Chatsky, his grief from the mind. He feels the whole difficulty of the noble struggle with the whole society, the eternal struggle of "fathers and children." His soul experiences "a million torments" because of the ardent love for the motherland, which he wants, but cannot help. He does not understand that his words, his noble impulses cannot remain without fruit in the future. No wonder Goncharov said that the words of Chatsky were the thunder at which a Russian person is baptized (“Million Torments”). Chatsky sees only the present and understandably suffers. To this "grief" of his mind, heartfelt grief is added - the betrayal of Sophia, whom he "without memory" loves. Disappointment in love is mixed with the bitter and humiliating consciousness of the one who is preferred to him! A person who embodies everything that is so disgusting to Chatsky. “The silent ones are blissful in the world,” he says bitterly. It may seem strange that Chatsky, with his sharp mind and insight, does not see Sophia's coldness at first glance, does not understand her barbs. This once again proves that Chatsky is a living person, and not a reasoner, a person who can get carried away and make mistakes. In the last act, he reproaches Sophia:
“Why have I been lured with hope?
Why didn't they tell me directly?" -
while Sofya did not even think of "lure him with hope" and did not hide her coldness. Chatsky falls into violent despair when he learns about Sophia's love for Molchalin. His heartfelt grief merges with the suffering and grief of the mind, he boils with indignation and is ready
“... for the whole world
Pour out all life and all annoyance.
…………………
“Get out of Moscow!
he exclaims
Over here, I don't ride anymore.
I'm running, I won't look back, I'll go looking around the world,
Where there is a corner for the offended feeling!
Carriage for me, carriage!”
In this stormy outburst of despair, the entire ardent, unbalanced, noble soul of Chatsky is visible.
Comedy A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit" provided the author, without any doubt, true immortality through the ages. The protagonist of the work, Alexander Andreyevich Chatsky, became one of the most controversial and famous literary figures of the "Golden Age" of Russian literature. It was about him, who opens a whole gallery of images of the so-called "superfluous people", the brightest representative of which will be Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, that criticism was extremely ambiguous.
The story of a progressive young man told on the pages of the play, who faced misunderstanding on the part of the conservative aristocracy, is imprisoned by Griboedov in a traditional interpersonal love conflict, which, however, is only one of the most superficial problems in comedy.
The main conflict, as already mentioned, is the confrontation between the “current century” and the “past century”. It is worth referring to a well-known fact to confirm this assumption: the initially skillful diplomat A.S. Griboedov, who created his landmark work during the years of the deployment of various kinds of secret organizations that united the progressive people of his time, called the comedy "Woe to the mind."
Later, in his diaries, he would write: "In my comedy there are twenty-five fools for one sane person." So, here the conflict becomes obvious, which the author himself put, as they say, at the forefront: the protagonist of "Woe from Wit" is opposed to a traditional society, whose life is completely saturated with falsehood, stupidity; its values are scanty and empty, it rejects everything new, rational.
Alexander Andreevich turns out to be a foreign body in Famusov's house. His fault lies in the fact that he boldly and directly expresses his own opinion, which runs counter to the orders of the conservative aristocracy. “I would be glad to serve, it’s sickening to serve,” he remarks in response to the monologue of Famusov Sr., advising Chatsky to earn a rank. The hero is alien to the morals of the insincere and stupid "high society", where dubious etiquette rules the ball.
Chatsky is amazingly smart; his speech is witty, sharp and frank. And if at first it arouses interest, then later, realizing that it will not be possible to come to an agreement with this most educated fighter for justice, for honesty, for the mind, the society rejects the hero, declaring him crazy. This is the amazing drama of this immortal comedy.
For Alexander Andreevich, who returned to Moscow after three years of wandering around Europe and having been nourished by the progressive ideas of that time, the picture of the life of the Moscow world becomes especially transparent. He frankly opposes servility, bribery, protectionism that prevails in the public service.
He accepts only service "to the cause, not to persons" - and this contradicts the beliefs of the representatives of the "past century." In addition, the hero opposes serfdom and even talks about an advanced landowner who freed the peasants from the burden of slave labor. This off-stage hero, who is only once mentioned in the narrative, turns out to be a kind of “double” of Chatsky - and, alas, in the story about his fate, Griboedov anticipates the outcome of the main character’s activities: he is considered an eccentric and shunned.
Chatsky has his own opinion on everything and - he is ready to defend it. This open, sincere and self-confident character evaluates people not by their position in society, but by their actions, inner qualities.
In a society in which the main character sees absolutely nothing positive and pleasant, he is kept only by love for Sofya Famusova. At the same time, it is interesting that Chatsky himself behaves selfishly in many respects: he leaves his beloved alone for several years, without leaving a warning about his departure, and then returns completely unexpectedly - and behaves with the heroine as if there were no three years of separation.
Chatsky mistakenly considers Sophia's worldview close to his own, not realizing that she, unlike him, was not trained in the same way as he was, was not imbued with freedom-loving ideas. On the contrary, this girl, who had every chance of becoming close to Chatsky in spirit, is not for nothing that she is Sophia, i.e. "wise" - mired in the life of the Moscow world more than anyone else. Therefore, the heroine with a speaking name bears a "conservative" surname - Famusova. It is she who dooms Alexander Andreevich to the reputation of a madman.
Thus, Chatsky is defeated both on the public and on the love front. The drama, grief of the character lies not only in the conflict of his beliefs with the life order of the traditional aristocracy, but also in his absolute inability to accept the differences in the worldview of other people, in the misunderstanding of the motives of other people's actions and the rejection of the awareness of his own mistakes.
Russian classical literature knows many heroes around whom controversy never ceases for a moment. These include Raskolnikov from "Crime and Punishment" by F. M. Dostoevsky, Bazarov from "Fathers and Sons" by I. S. Turgenev, Eugene Onegin from the novel of the same name in verse by A. S. Pushkin. All these characters are united by the fact that it is impossible to characterize them in only one way: they are neither positive nor negative, because they are truly alive, and therefore combine both one and the other. Today we will talk about such a hero as Chatsky. Defeated or winner - who is he, the main character of the comedy A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit"
Briefly about the history of the creation of the work
The great comedy in verse was born back in 1825. This is the time it was first published. Its direct writing fell on the year 1822-1824. The reason for the creation of this work, in the style of classicism with the addition of elements of realism and romanticism then new to literature, turned out to be significant, and today can be clearly traced in the plot.
The fact is that Griboyedov, who returned from abroad in 1816 to St. Petersburg, was struck by the admiration of Russian society for the French. At one of the social events, Alexander Sergeevich could not stand it and burst into a fiery diatribe, which is why he was known as crazy. It was this rumor that served as an impetus for the creation of "Woe from Wit", the author of which wished to take revenge on the high society.
Initially, the comedy was called "Woe to the Wit", it did not yet have a scene with an explanation of Molchalin and Lisa, as well as a number of other episodes. In 1825, the first fragment was published in the almanac "Russian Thalia" - 7-10 acts of the first phenomenon, which were censored. The main text left to posterity is the one left by Griboyedov in 1828 before his trip to the Caucasus in St. Petersburg with a friend F.V. Bulgarin.
Today this authorized manuscript is called Bulgarinskaya. A.S. Griboyedov died tragically in 1829 in Tehran. This means that the author's manuscript of the work has not been preserved. Attempts to find her in Georgia in the 1940s and 60s ended in failure. By the way, the full publication of the work, without abbreviations and exceptions, appeared in Russia, according to some sources, in 1862, according to others - in 1875.
Plot
In order to answer the question, who is Chatsky, the defeated or the winner, it is necessary to recall the plot of the comedy, its characters and the main turning points. The summary of the four acts of the comedy is as follows: first, the reader gets acquainted with the house of Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov, an official who manages a government place. Here is the maid Liza, with whom Pavel Afanasyevich flirts, Famusov's daughter Sofya and Molchalin, his secretary. There is a connection between the last two, which the father does not approve of: he tells the secretary to know his place, walk away from the young girl's chambers and be grateful for the place and rank provided.
The usual course of life is disrupted by the arrival of Alexander Andreyevich Chatsky, a young man who used to be in love with Sophia, but then left to wander. As it turned out, he still has feelings for Famusov's daughter and, not knowing that she is in love with Molchalin, constantly teases the latter. This love triangle will drive the action throughout the comedy. The girl will be the one who will spread the news of Chatsky's madness, and everyone will take it at face value, because throughout the comedy the main character will tell people the truth, reveal vices and expose the misbehavior of secular society.
As a result, Chatsky will understand that Sophia loves Molchalin - this unworthy, ready to do anything for promotion, scoundrel. And it was she, the one whom he loved, who spread the ridiculous rumor about him. Deceived in his expectations and as if suddenly seeing the light, Chatsky gets into the carriage and is carried away from the hypocritical Moscow society - in search of such a part of the world, "where there is a corner for the offended feeling."
The image of Chatsky
Who is Chatsky? Loser or winner? It is not possible to find out without analyzing all the characteristics of the protagonist. This is a person who is positively intelligent, sharp-tongued, observant, active, witty. But his ability to think broadly eventually played against him, as the very title of the work indicates. Regardless of what Chatsky is like in the final (loser or winner), one cannot take away from him that he is honest and knows how to sincerely love.
Alexander Andreevich saw the world, learned, read many books, even knew the ministers, but broke up with them. Famusov notices that he writes and translates well. Bold, open, truthful, Chatsky is a “new person” who is able to put all his strength and means on the altar of his struggle for an idea. In this, the hero's philosophy was very similar to the life position of his creator, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov.
Why is Chatsky a winner?
Because throughout all the episodes, the reader sees his sparkling, brilliant, full of justified caustic statements addressed to really unworthy, low people. Although Alexander Andreevich is alone and, in the face of Moscow society, opposes the whole world of lies, pretense, subservience to those in power, he still does not lose himself, does not step over his principles. The Molchalins, Skalozubs, Famusovs, Zagoretskys and others are not able to shake him. Because he is a priori higher and stronger than them due to the depth of his judgments, strength, freedom and independence of thought.
In fact, the reader becomes a witness of how a living passion, human honor and individuality in the conditions of a feudal system want to shake, break, correct. But the strong-willed character does not give in - he lives and, even if rejected, does not betray his convictions. So, in ideological and moral terms, it remains the winner.
This is one point of view. Is there a different position in Griboedov's comedy "Woe from Wit"? Chatsky: winner or loser? In fact, the answer has not yet been fully found.
Why is Chatsky defeated?
What will happen if you ask readers a question, who is Chatsky after all - the winner or the loser? The answer of one, the other and the third person will be completely different. The point of view according to which Chatsky lost as a result can be justified by the fact that he is still a victim by nature. The team, albeit unworthy, persecutes and does not accept him, the beloved girl does not see the high qualities of character - only arrogance, anger and swagger.
The ending can also be an argument: Chatsky leaves, literally runs to "nowhere". He does not expect a happy ending, and this is the tragedy of his story. It is not the Moscow elite that defeats him. He himself is not able to adapt to a non-ideal world. Chatsky is forced to wander forever in the unknown, as if fleeing from himself. As a result, his talents, his honed mind, are wasted in vain, uselessly: he only "casts pearls before swine." And if he were a winner from beginning to end, would he not immediately understand that this was a disastrous business?
Main character quotes
Thus, if you take up the essay “Chatsky: the winner or the vanquished?”, briefly or completely, you can reveal both one and the other point of view. There is no consensus here. That is why this article began with the fact that inconsistency and diversity are a characteristic feature of many heroes of Russian classics. The main thing to do is to correlate the behavior of the character with their own views on life and, in accordance with them, argue the chosen position.
Regardless of who Chatsky is, the winner or the loser, the quotes of this hero will remain winged for a long time. For example:
- Blessed is he who believes, he is warm in the world!
- I would be glad to serve, it is sickening to serve.
- And who are the judges?
It was they who fixed the memory of A.S. Griboyedov for centuries, as well as gave immortal life to the protagonist of his comedy.
), belongs to the best part of the then Russian young generation. Many literary critics have argued that Chatsky is a reasoner. This is completely false! You can call him a reasoner only insofar as the author expresses his thoughts and feelings through his mouth; but Chatsky is a living, real face; He, like every person, has his own qualities and shortcomings. (See also Image of Chatsky.)
We know that in his youth Chatsky often visited Famusov's house, together with Sophia studied with foreign teachers. But such an education could not satisfy him, and he went abroad to wander. His journey lasted 3 years, and now we see Chatsky again at home, in Moscow, where he spent his childhood. Like any person who has returned home after a long absence, everything here is sweet to him, everything arouses pleasant memories associated with childhood; he gladly goes over in his memory acquaintances, in whom, by the nature of his sharp mind, he certainly sees funny, caricature features, but at first he does this without any malice and bile, and so, for laughter, to embellish his memories: “a Frenchman knocked out by a breeze ... ", and" this ... black-haired, on the legs of cranes ... "
Woe from the mind. Performance by the Maly Theatre, 1977
Going through the typical, sometimes caricatured aspects of Moscow life, Chatsky says passionately that when
“... you wander, you return home,
And the smoke of the fatherland is sweet and pleasant to us!
In this, Chatsky is completely different from those young people who, returning from abroad to Russia, treated everything Russian with contempt and praised only everything that they saw in foreign countries. It was thanks to this external comparison of native Russian with a foreign one that developed in that era to a very strong degree gallomania, which so outrages Chatsky. His separation from his homeland, the comparison of Russian life with European life, caused only an even stronger, deeper love for Russia, for the Russian people. That is why, having found himself again after a three-year absence in the environment of Moscow society, he sees under a fresh impression all the exaggeration, all the ridiculous aspects of this gallomania.
But the naturally hot Chatsky no longer laughs, he is deeply indignant at the sight of how the “Frenchman from Bordeaux” reigns among Moscow society only because he is a foreigner; resents the fact that everything Russian, national causes ridicule in society:
“How to put the European in parallel
With the national - something strange! -
someone says, arousing general laughter of approval. In turn, reaching the point of exaggeration, Chatsky, in contrast to the general opinion, says with indignation:
“If only we could borrow some money from the Chinese
Wise they have ignorance of foreigners.
………………………
“Will we ever rise from the foreign power of fashion,
So that our smart, kind people
Although by language he did not consider us Germans? -
meaning by "Germans" foreigners and alluding to the fact that in society in that era everyone spoke foreign languages among themselves; Chatsky suffers, realizing what an abyss separates millions of the Russian people from the ruling class of nobles.
From an early age, children were given a foreign upbringing, which gradually alienated secular youth from everything native, national. Chatsky casually sneers at these "shelves" of foreign teachers, "more in number, at a cheaper price," who were entrusted with the education of noble youth. Hence the ignorance of their people, hence the misunderstanding of the plight in which the Russian people found themselves, thanks to serfdom. Through the mouth of Chatsky, Griboedov expresses the thoughts and feelings of the best part of the then nobility, who were indignant at the injustices that serfdom entailed, and who fought against the arbitrariness of inveterate serf-owners. Chatsky (the monologue “And who are the judges? ..”) vividly depicts pictures of such arbitrariness, recalling one gentleman, “Nestor noble scoundrels,” who exchanged several of his faithful servants for three greyhounds; another, a theater lover, who
“I drove to the fortress ballet on many wagons
From mothers, fathers of rejected children”; -
he made "all of Moscow marvel at their beauty." But then, in order to pay off creditors, he sold these children one by one, who portrayed “cupids and marshmallows” on the stage, separating them forever from their parents ...
Chatsky cannot calmly talk about this, his soul is indignant, his heart aches for the Russian people, for Russia, which he dearly loves, which he would like to serve. But how to serve?
“I would be glad to serve - it’s sickening to serve,”
he says, hinting that among the many government officials he sees only the Molchalins or such nobles as Famusov's uncle Maxim Petrovich.
Over here, I don't ride anymore.
I'm running, I won't look back, I'll go looking around the world,
Where there is a corner for the offended feeling!
Carriage for me, carriage!”
In this stormy outburst of despair, the entire ardent, unbalanced, noble soul of Chatsky is visible.
