Comedy "Woe from Wit" - realistic work
The dramatic writer must be judged according to the laws that he himself has recognized over himself.
Creation of Russian original comedy was a topical issue at the beginning of the 19th century. Although the comedy "Woe from Wit" was the only play that expressed the ideas of the time, it was born not in an airless space in the sense of a literary atmosphere, but on the wave of aspirations of the best of poets. Attempts to subvert genre conventions in dramaturgy were obvious. You can recall the theater of Kuchelbeker, Katenin, but Griboedov became a real pioneer in the theater.
The comedy "Woe from Wit" occupies an exceptional place in the history of Russian drama. A sharp plot, a smooth development of the action, a beautiful poetic form, an apt Russian word - all this makes Griboyedov's comedy one of the most interesting works.
The dramatic kind of literature requires a special art from the writer - practically without the author's word, with the exception of brief remarks, to achieve great artistic truth. In a lyric or epic, a variety of means can be used to create an artistic image, including author's description. The writer-playwright has a more difficult task - the image is built from the words and replicas of the characters.
In his comedy, Griboyedov does not strive for the classical scheme, although he retains some of the indispensable features of classic dramaturgy: first of all, the unity of place and time. But these unities, as well as the unity of action, cannot squeeze Griboedov's masterpiece into the patterns of classicism. These three unities in the play coexist perfectly with elements of romanticism and realism. The signs of the romantic school are confirmed by Griboedov himself when he correlates Woe from Wit with the genre characteristic of romanticism, calling his work a "stage comedy".
Chatsky is a hero of a romantic plan. He is not understood by society, enters into conflict with it, travels a lot. The conflict between Chatsky and his opponents is an expression of the struggle between the crowd and the heroic personality who wants to change life, make it better, honest, just.
The main law, which was recognized by Griboedov, is the law of likelihood, the real, the law of living reality. He skillfully combined classicism with romanticism in his comedy, but ... he created a truly realistic work.
The characters of "Woe from Wit" are the result of deep observations on human feelings in their inconsistency. It is the inconsistency of features that makes the characters created by the playwright by no means classic.
The inconsistency of character is that unconditional sign of realism that distinguishes Chatsky from the "virtuous reasoners of didactic comedy." But Griboyedov put his thoughts and ideas into the mouth of the protagonist, so Chatsky is both the reasoner and the hero of the play.
Another protagonist of the comedy - Lisa resembles the servant of the comedy "The Marriage of Figaro" by Beaumarchais, who arranges love affairs for the mistress, and in the final of the play receives a reward for this. But in "Woe from Wit" it's not like that. Lisa fulfills the instructions of her young lady, does not sympathize with the love affair at all and even tries to reason with Sophia ("there will be no use in love in this"). The finale of the comedy is very realistic for feudal Russia: Liza is under the threat of being exiled to the countryside.
There is no denouement in the play, the fate of the characters is not determined, that is, from the point of view of classicism, a fifth act is necessary, where everything would be resolved. But the author violates this logic. It leaves the viewer and reader to think about future fate heroes. The final classic comedy cannot be tragic, and the finale of the comedy "Woe from Wit" is tragic, thus Griboedov "as if takes off the mask of a classic playwright."
One of the features of the realistic poetics of Griboyedov's comedy is the way of constructing the type of character. This method can be conditionally called voluminous in time. Griboyedov connects his hero not only with the time of the play.
The characters in Woe from Wit seem to be living people; primarily because there is no schematism in their depiction. In the comedies of Griboyedov's predecessors, each of the main actors as if it personified this or that quality, turning into hypocrisy, boasting or walking virtue. And Griboedov managed, even emphasizing certain properties of each, to show people from different angles, with many shades of aspirations and feelings.
As you know, realism "in addition to the veracity of details implies the truthful reproduction of typical characters in typical circumstances." This kind of requirement is fulfilled in full measure by Griboedov's comedy. The playwright does not force his characters to do things that are contrary to their psychology and the influence of circumstances on them, the logic of the development of the action. His characters are real people.
The plot and composition of the play, the speech of the characters are subordinate to Griboedov artistic laws, which he worked out himself, creating a comedy hitherto unknown in Russian literature. The freedom with which the picture of morals is drawn, the panorama of the old noble Moscow, is striking, as if we are not present in the theater, but we see life itself.
Griboyedov the realist brought to the stage a whole crowd of inhabitants of noble Moscow. The characters, according to the classical Russian tradition, have names-characteristics: Chatsky (in the first edition - Chadsky) the one who is in a daze; Molchalin - wordless; Famusov - familiar to everyone; Repetilov - repeating other people's words; Tugoukhovsky - hard of hearing; Khlestova - whipping, sharp. Sometimes the playwright highlights only one feature in the appearance of the character or in his character: Countess Khryumina is “remarkable” for her deafness, and Princess Tugoukhovskaya for her relentless search for suitors for her daughters. A depressing spiritual squalor unites everyone. But this crowd of nonentities does not merge into one gray mass.
In Famusov, perhaps, the originality of Griboyedov's satire was most clearly manifested. This image does not have that thickening of gloomy satirical colors, due to which the reader's attention is focused on any one quality of the hero. At first, it seems that he is not devoid of good nature, in his behavior, as if even some breadth of nature is visible: he not only scolds, but is able to regret, likes to order, but sometimes tries to convince. In addition, he expresses thoughts that are characteristic not only for Moscow bars, but also for the majority of those in power, from the Saratov landowner to the imperial courtier. Therefore, it is very important to take a closer look at his beliefs. In their socio-historical essence, they are very simple: these are the convictions of the feudal lord and bureaucrat of the Pavlovo-Arakcheev school. But Famusov's beliefs are interesting not only for this.
As a realist, Griboyedov knew that the main thing in a person's character is formed in certain circumstances and depends on them. But he was able to see in his heroes not only what was generated by the social conditions of his time, but also what was predetermined by the individual properties of people. We say that Famusov - typical representative lordly and bureaucratic Moscow at the beginning of the 19th century. But how do we know that it is typical? Belinsky gave the following definition of a typical character in literature: true talent every face is a type, and every type for a writer is a familiar stranger. Famusov is drawn as a rather complex character. It is no coincidence that he is perceived as the "leading force" of the camp hostile to Chatsky. Griboyedov found an expressive technique for creating a significant, capacious character of the hero. Surrounding him, more “simple” in their psychological and social essence, the characters, as it were, “enter” him as a kind of constituent parts, thereby helping to better understand the central image. This technique seems to be especially effective in creating satirical types. Griboyedov took typical life situations for his play, but under the playwright's pen they turned into broad generalizations.
The realistic features of comedy also include the construction of a play based on two plot lines. Moreover, both components - love and socio-political are manifested in the character of Chatsky. This image therefore evoked and still evokes ambiguous readings because, being romantic, it absorbed elements of classicism and romanticism.
The main achievement of Griboyedov is the reflection in the comedy of the main conflict of the era - the clash of the "current century" and the "past century".
Features of classicismand realism in comedy"Woe from Wit"
At the end of 1823, A. Pushkin wrote to P. Vyazemsky from Odessa: “What is Griboyedov? I was told that he wrote a comedy on Chaadaev. Under the present circumstances, this is very noble of him.” And already at the beginning of 1825, Pushkin received happy opportunity to get acquainted with the Griboedov comedy itself, which was brought to him by the lyceum comrade I. Pushchin. Probably, Griboyedov did not stop making some corrections to the original text, and different lists the works are somewhat different from each other, but, be that as it may, there is no doubt that in 1824 the work was completed and, without being published, began to rapidly disperse among the reading public. The first half of the twenties is, according to V. Belinsky, “the last period French classicism in Russian literature.
However, this judgment of Belinsky can hardly be considered absolutely exhaustive, and, of course, this definition is not accidental. literary era the great critic used it in the article about "Woe from Wit". The fact is that both prose and especially poetry by the twenties had already decisively overcome the dogmas of classicism, and romanticism became the dominant trend in art. By this time, the bright star of V. Zhukovsky had already risen, already a trendsetter in literary tastes in the prose of the flock of N. Karamzin, and Pushkin had not only created his southern poems and great lyric poems of the period of southern exile, but also began "Eugene Onegin". However, it was dramaturgy that was more difficult than other types of literature to overcome the rules and foundations of classicism. Griboedov responded very sensitively to the social and literary needs of the time. His aesthetic taste was impeccable. And, perhaps, his comedy, like no other work, combined in itself those features that were characteristic of both classicism that resisted new trends, and romanticism that was rapidly gaining strength, and realism taking its first steps. In this sense, Woe from Wit remains one of the most unique artistic creations of the early 19th century in Russian literature.
Mentioning about last period French classicism in our literature", Belinsky immediately energetically and passionately lists everything that Griboedov did in refutation of classicism: firstly, his comedy was written "not with six-legged iambs with piitistic liberties, but in free verse, as only fables were written before »; secondly, it was written "not bookish language, to whom no one spoke, but in a lively, easy spoken Russian language"; thirdly, "every word of Griboedov's comedy struck with the speed of the mind, and almost every verse in it turned into a proverb or saying"; fourthly, Griboedov's comedy "rejected artificial love, reasoners, razluchnikov and all the vulgar, worn out mechanism of the old drama." Under the ancient drama, Belinsky, of course, means the drama of classicism.
Indeed, the rhythmic flexibility of Griboyedov's text, combined with the naturalness of colloquial speech, has become the clearest example of poetic realism and largely determined the further development of Russian realistic drama. "Characters and a sharp picture of morals," in the words of Pushkin, were sometimes frighteningly reliable. Classicism demanded from the playwright that each character be the bearer of some one bright pronounced trait: stupidity or deceit, stinginess or hypocrisy, fearlessness or gullibility, etc. The heroes of Griboedov's comedy are multifaceted, contradictory, they combine so many human features that their authenticity is beyond doubt. Chatsky is “sensitive, and cheerful, and sharp,” but he also amazes with the absurdity of behavior, the inappropriateness of some verbal escapades, which Pushkin was the first to pay attention to: “Everything he says is very clever, but to whom does he say this?” Famusov, on the one hand, is almost the personification of the conservatism of the “times of Ochakov and the conquest of the Crimea”, but he is also a hospitable, hospitable Muscovite, a witty and bright interlocutor, brilliantly parrying the attacks of the young Chatsky, and at the same time a caring father and a kind gentleman. Sophia, on the one hand, does not see Chatsky’s suffering and may seem like a heartless Moscow young lady, but on the other hand, she is capable of a selfless feeling for the rootless Molchalin and is not afraid of either her father’s anger or the judgments of society: “What do I care about them, about all universe?"
Griboyedov did not need any razluchnikov, let alone reasoners (an indispensable attribute of the comedy of classicism), because his characters were so expressive, so bright that they did not require any comments on their words and deeds. It is up to the reader or viewer to judge and comment.
To briefly summarize what Belinsky said, we can formulate his thesis as follows: Griboedov overcame classicism in everything that made Woe from Wit a literary phenomenon: in language, in verse, in color and capacity of characters, in the rejection of the "mechanism of the old drama." However, "Woe from Wit" was conceived and written not only for reading, but also for staging on stage. Griboyedov was a man of the theater and, realizing the danger of his work, nevertheless could not help but dream of staging it in the theater. And the theater of the Griboedov era was much more conservative than literature, and the playwright had to reckon with the requirements of classicism that continued to dominate the Russian stage. Chief among these requirements was the observance of the principle of three unities: action, place and time.
Griboyedov preserved the unity of time (the action of the comedy takes place within one day) and place (the whole action takes place in Famusov's house). However, the requirement of unity of action turned out to be not so essential for the author, and this led to P. Katenin's famous reproaches against Griboyedov: as you know, Katenin, a consistent adherent of classicism, saw the "main error" of Griboedov's comedy "in the plan." Obviously, what was meant was the non-observance of the principle of through action, based on a clearly defined plot without any digressions. And Griboyedov miraculously managed to combine "public comedy" with a love drama, and in addition, he strengthened the plot tension with an invention about Chatsky's madness, which Yu. Tynyanov would later call the most powerful place in the plot "Woe from Wit".
There are other external signs of classicism in the Griboedov comedy: meaningful names(Famusov - noble, famous, Sofya - wise, Molchalin, Skalozub, Tugoukhovsky, and Chatsky, who involuntarily reminded readers of the fate of Chaadaev), monologues addressed not so much to partners in stage action as directly to the audience.
Willingly or unwittingly, consciously or unconsciously, Griboedov did not neglect the requirements of the theatrical aesthetics of his time, but with his characteristic grace he managed to partially overcome them, introducing into his work a huge number of off-stage characters. It is they, the heroes of whole monologues, such as, for example, Maxim Petrovich or the Frenchman from Bordeaux, or the persons mentioned in passing, such as Chatsky's parents, the black-haired girl, Skalozub's cousin, Prince Fyodor, Marya Alekseevna and many other ladies, Madame Rosier, Levon and Borinka, Tatyana Yurievna - it was they who helped the author to expand the spatio-temporal boundaries of the action. With the help of off-stage characters, Moscow also becomes the scene of action outside famus house, and Petersburg, and the unnamed place of joint service of Chatsky and Platon Mikhailovich Gorich. They, off-stage characters, create the effect of a long historical time - from the Catherine era to the early twenties.
"Characters and a sharp picture of morals," according to Pushkin, did not lose their realistic sound even if certain external requirements of classicism were observed. And the overall tone of the work, in addition, was enhanced by the romantic nature of the protagonist. And, perhaps, in no other work of Russian literature can one find such an amazing fusion, such an organic combination of aesthetic elements of not even two, but three artistic trends: classicism, romanticism and realism.
Genre issue.The basic techniques of the comic
Griboyedov created a comedy with a wide range of issues. It touches not only topical social problems, but also the most important moral issues that are contemporary in any era; comprehends those social and moral-psychological conflicts that make his play a truly artistic work. And yet he addressed "Woe from Wit" primarily to his contemporaries. In the traditions of classicism, he considered the theater not as an entertainment institution, but as a pulpit, a platform from which he could pronounce the most important thoughts so that Russia would hear them, so that modern society would see its vices - petty, vulgar, comical - and be horrified by them, and laugh at them. . Therefore, Griboedov sought to show Moscow first of all funny.
According to the rules of decency (how often the protagonist forgets about them!), Let us first turn to the owner of the house - Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov. He never for a moment can forget that he is the father of his daughter-bride. She must be married. But, of course, not just "get away with it." A worthy son-in-law is the main problem that torments him. "What a commission, creator, to be adult daughter father!" he sighs. His hopes for a good game are connected with Skalozub: after all, he is "a bag of gold and aims for generals." How shamelessly Famusov fawns over the future general, flatters him, noisily admires every word of this frankly stupid "warrior", who sat out "in the trench" during the fighting! Skalozub himself is also comical - his mind is not even enough to learn the basic rules of decent behavior. He constantly loudly jokes and laughs, talks about the "many channels" of obtaining ranks, about happiness in partnership - this is when comrades are killed and he gets titles. But here's an interesting one: Skalozub, a purely farcical character, is always funny equally. The image of Famusov is much more complex: he is more deeply worked out psychologically, he interesting author as a type. And Griboedov makes him funny differently He is simply comical when he fawns on the brave colonel, flirts with Liza, or pretends to be a saint, reading moralizing to Sophia. But his reasoning about the service: “signed, so off his shoulders”, his admiration for Uncle Maxim Petrovich, his anger at Chatsky and humiliated fear of the court of “Princess Marya Aleksevna” are no longer only ridiculous. They are terrible, terrible because of their deep immorality, unscrupulousness. They are terrible in that they are by no means characteristic only of Famusov - these are the vital attitudes of the entire Famusov world, of the entire “past century”. That is why it was important for Griboedov that his characters, first of all, cause laughter - the laughter of the audience over those shortcomings and vices that are characteristic of themselves. And "Woe from Wit" is truly funny comedy is a constellation of comedic types.
Here, for example, is the Tugoukhovsky family: a swaggering wife, a husband on parcels, who did not utter a single articulate remark during his stage presence, and six daughters. Poor Famusov, before our very eyes, is climbing out of his skin in order to attach a single daughter, and here are six princesses, and besides, they certainly do not shine with beauty. And it is no coincidence that when they saw a new face at the ball - and he, of course, turned out to be Chatsky (always inopportunely!) - they immediately set about matchmaking. True, having learned that he was not rich, they immediately retreated.
And Gorichi? Aren't they playing comedy? Natalya Dmitrievna turned her husband, a young military man who recently retired, into an unreasonable child, who simply needs to be constantly and persistently taken care of. Platon Mikhailovich sometimes falls into some irritation, but, in general, he stoically endures this supervision, having long ago come to terms with his humiliating position.
So, before us is a comedy of the social life of Griboedov's contemporary Moscow. What trait, characteristic feature does the author constantly emphasize? Men are strangely dependent on women. They voluntarily gave up their male privilege - to be in charge - and are quite content with a miserable role. Chatsky puts it wonderfully:
Husband-boy, husband-servant of the wife's pages -
The lofty ideal of all Moscow men.
Do they think this state of affairs is abnormal? No, they are quite happy. Moreover, pay attention to how consistently Griboedov pursues this idea: after all, women rule not only on stage, but also behind the scenes. Let us recall Tatyana Yurievna, whose patronage is so dear to Molchalin; Let's remember Famusov's final remark:
Oh! Oh my God! what will he say
For him - a man, a gentleman, a state official not from small ones - the court of some Marya Aleksevna is more terrible than God's court, for her word will determine the opinion of the world. She and those like her - Tatyana Yuryevna, Khlestova, countess grandmother and granddaughter - create public opinion.
Women's power is, perhaps, the main comic theme of the entire play.
Comedy invariably appeals not to some abstract notion of the viewer or reader about how it should be. She appeals to our common sense that's why we laugh when we read Woe from Wit. What's funny is that it's unnatural. But what then separates cheerful, joyful laughter from bitter, bilious, sarcastic laughter? After all, the same society that we just laughed at brought our hero to the brink of madness: “Can I beware of madness?” - he says before leaving Famusov's house forever and setting off around the world. The fact is that the author freely uses within the framework of one play different kinds of comic, or, as we said, laughs in different ways.
From action to action, the comedy of "Woe from Wit" acquires an increasingly tangible shade of sarcasm, bitter irony. All the characters - not only Chatsky - joke less and less as the play progresses. The atmosphere of the house, once so close to the hero, became stuffy and unbearable. By the end, Chatsky is no longer a joker who makes fun of everyone and everything. But how, it would seem, it is characteristic of him to laugh. Having lost this ability, the hero simply ceases to be himself. "Blind!" he cries out in despair. Irony is a way of life and attitude to what is not in your power to change. Therefore, the ability to joke, the ability to see something funny in every situation, to ridicule the most sacred rituals of life, is not just a feature of character, it is the most important feature of consciousness and worldview. And the only way to fight Chatsky and, above all, his evil tongue, ironic and sarcastic, is to make him a laughing stock, to repay him with the same coin: now he is a buffoon and a clown, although he does not suspect it. Chatsky changes in the course of the play: he moves from a rather harmless laugh at the immutability of Moscow orders and ideas to a caustic and fiery satire, in which he denounces the morals of those who "draw their judgments from the forgotten newspapers of the Ochakovsky Times and the conquest of the Crimea." The role of Chatsky is a passive one, and there is no doubt about it. The dramatic motif grows more and more toward the finale, and the comic motif gradually gives way to its supremacy. And this is also Griboyedov's innovation.
From the point of view of classical aesthetics, this is an unacceptable mixture of the genres of satire and high comedy. From the point of view of the reader of the new time, this is luck. talented playwright and a step towards a new aesthetic, where there is no hierarchy of genres and one genre is not separated from another by a blank fence. So, according to Goncharov, "Woe from Wit" is "a picture of morals, and a gallery of living types - and an eternally sharp, burning satire, and at the same time a comedy, ... which is hardly found in other literature."
Precisely defined the essence of comedy in his dissertation "The Aesthetic Relations of Art to Reality": comic "... the inner emptiness and insignificance of human life, which at the same time is covered by an appearance that has a claim to content and real meaning."
What are the techniques of the comic in Woe from Wit?
Throughout the comedy, the technique of “talk of the deaf” runs through. Here is the first phenomenon of the second act, Famusov's meeting with Chatsky. The interlocutors do not hear each other, each shouts about his own, interrupting the other:
Famusov Oh! Oh my God! He is a carbonari!
Chatsky No, today the world is not like that.
Famusov A dangerous person!
Chatsky Who travels, who lives in the village.
Famusov Yes, he does not recognize the authorities!
Chatsky Who serves a cause, not individuals...
In fact, this is not a dialogue, but two independent monologues. And even if we agree with the words and ideas of Chatsky, even if we sincerely condemn the dense egoism of Famusov, it is still impossible not to see how absurd and comical this dispute is. “Truth is born in a dispute,” the ancients said. Yes, but in a productive dispute, where the opponents are interested in the truth, and not in the desire to defend their point of view while a priori denying someone else's opinion. What, besides mutual irritation, can be born in the dispute between Famusov and Chatsky?
In the third manifestation of the third act, Chatsky again comes face to face with a man of "famus" convictions - with Molchalin. Pay attention to the fundamental difference between this scene and the previous one. Chatsky argued with Famusov, not even wanting to listen to his interlocutor. He enters into a conversation with Molchalin, trying to understand his role in Sophia's life: “... Is Molchalin really chosen by her! .. What kind of divination did he manage to get into her heart?”
So, wants to understand him wants hear. AND - can not. So strong in Chatsky is self-confidence, in his mind, in his strength, in his own - and this is the main thing! - the right to judge the hated "age of the past", "the meanest features of the past life", that he cannot objectively assess the environment. And even the previous conversation with Sophia did not cool him off: I am strange; but who is not strange? The one who looks like all the fools...
After all, Chatsky was deaf with Sophia, deaf and blind: “That's why I love him,” Sophia says about Molchalin. What is our hero? Did you hear, understand? No, nothing like: "Naughty, she does not love him."
Now, trying to get to know Molchalin better, Chatsky starts a conversation with him. But about life, about Molchalin's thoughts in this conversation - only the first remarks. Almost immediately, Molchalin turns the conversation to Chatsky himself. And he, confident in the stupidity of Mololinsky, obeys, without even noticing that he is no longer he, but the opponent is talking, asking questions, commenting.
Molchalin. You were not given ranks, failure in the service?
Chatsky. Ranks are given by people,
And people can be deceived.
Molchalin. How surprised we were!.. We felt sorry for you.
Molchalin mockingly recommends that Chatsky seek the patronage of the powerful Tatyana Yuryevna, serve in Moscow, where it is easy "to take awards and live happily"; advises to hold your tongue: "In the ranks we are small." But Chatsky does not hear this mockery, he once again convinces himself that his interlocutor is stupid and petty.
The technique of "talking the deaf" will work brilliantly in the farcical scene of the conversation between the barely hearing Countess grandmother and the completely deaf Prince Tugoukhovsky (Act IV, Appearance 20).
And again, he will respond with tragedy in the scene of Chatsky's monologue in the 22nd phenomenon - a monologue of the most passionate, about the most painful. Chatsky is no longer the sweet, cheerful young man he arrived in Moscow that morning. Before us is an exhausted, confused person:
Yes, no urine: a million torments
Breasts from a friendly vice,
Legs from shuffling, mind from exclamations,
And more than a head from all sorts of trifles.
My soul here is somehow compressed by grief ...
What is his monologue about? About the main thing - about Russia, about him Russia, where “not a sound of a Russian, not a Russian face”, where pompous monkeying is revered for intelligence and good breeding, and sincere pain for the people is ridiculed. Where there is no place for the mind, or the heart, or the soul ... He screaming about this - and ... “He looks around, everyone is circling in a waltz with the greatest zeal. The old men wandered off to the card tables." Again no one heard him, he addressed to the deaf.
The second main method of the comic, brilliantly found by Griboyedov, is the “distorting mirror” technique. Let's look at the scene of Repetilov's appearance (IV act, 4 appearance). How unexpectedly: "it suddenly struck, as from clouds," Chatsky arrived at Famusov's house, just as suddenly, Repetilov appears swiftly. And - just like Chatsky - in pursuit of a chimera, for someone who will listen to him and understand ... Repetilov is certainly stupid, absurd, truly "out of his mind." But - take a look! - how parodic he repeats Chatsky. From the threshold, without understanding anything, he shouts about the most important thing for him, openly, without hiding. The very name of this character speaks of his secondary nature, of the subordination of his image to the figure of the protagonist (Repetilov from the French word repeter - to repeat.)
Chatsky recognizes himself as special: “I am strange ...”, “I myself? isn't it funny?" Repetilov echoes him: "I am pathetic, I am a laugh, I am an ignoramus, I am a fool." Chatsky talks about the “current century”, which opposes the “past century”, - and Repetilov: about secret societies, where they talk about “... about cameras, jurymen, about Byron, well, about important mothers ...” - that is, about signs new time, social transformations. And just like Chatsky, no one takes Repetilov seriously, no one listens.
Repetilov is a caricature of Chatsky, a merciless parody. But false mirror, distorting, nevertheless reflects exactly the one to whom it is directed, revealing, exaggerating, leading to absurdity him features, him shortcomings and weaknesses. No matter how much the author sympathizes with the main character, no matter how much he loves him, Griboyedov's gaze is merciless. Before us is not perfect image, not a sample - but a real person, with his strength and weakness. This is the main feature, the essence of realistic comedy. This genre is defined by the author's point of view on the events described, his desire not to idealize the heroes and their ideas, but to reflect them objectively, to see their advantages and disadvantages. In a realistic comedy, there cannot be an ideal positive hero; all of its characters are comical to one degree or another.
Of course, the technique of "speaking names" can also be attributed to the methods of the comic. This is one of the traditional methods of world literature, consigned to oblivion in our time. Until the middle of the last century, it was very popular. The name of the character suggested his character, became, as it were, an epigraph to the image, determined the author's attitude towards the hero and set the reader in the appropriate mood. Griboyedov skillfully uses this technique in comedy. His Tugoukhovsky is really deaf; Molchalin is secretive and emphatically laconic; The puffer to the place and out of place wisecracks and laughs - "grins his teeth." Famusova is correlated with the Latin word fama - rumor. Thus, the author emphasizes one of the most important features of this hero: his dependence on rumors and his passion to spread rumors. In Repetilov's surname, as we have already said, the French word repeter is hidden - to repeat. Repetilov - repeating, speaking not his own words, a carrier of other people's opinions, judgments and thoughts.
Artistic features of the comedy "Woe from Wit"
1. The public nature of the conflict (preference is not for love, but for public conflict: Chatsky is a Famus society).
2. Griboyedov's innovation in the development of realism (overcoming the "three unities" of classicism; a faithful display of Russian life in the first quarter of the 19th century).
3. Showing the characters of the heroes in development; creating "typical characters in typical circumstances".
4. Features of the composition (simplicity, clarity of composition, originality of the ending).
5. Features of the verse ("free verse").
6. A bold introduction to the play of the living spoken language and skillful combination of it with the literary.
7. Features speech characteristics heroes.
8. The famous "conversation of the deaf" between Chatsky and Famusov, during which they do not hear each other.
9. "Talking surnames" of characters, grouping of images according to the principle of "crooked mirror" (Chatsky - Repetilov).
Skill and innovation of Griboyedov the playwright
1. The genre of comedy and its tasks in the era of Griboyedov. Connection with the classic genre-stylistic theory.
2. The main plot schemes of comedies in the era of Griboyedov. Comedies of intrigue and sitcoms.
3. The beginning of "Woe from Wit" as a comedy of intrigue: an application for the traditional plot of the struggle of applicants for the girl's hand.
4. Griboedov's skill in using traditional comedic intrigue to reveal the main conflict.
5. Griboyedov's departure from the traditions of comedy as a low genre and the filling of comedy with problems related to ideological, philosophical and political issues.
6. Griboyedov's departure from the classic principles of depicting a person and the creation of realistic characters in Woe from Wit.
7. Partial preservation by Griboyedov of the classic principles in the creation of characters-role (Liza) and characters - personifications of vices (Skalozub, etc.).
8. Griboedov's rejection of the fifth act as a sign of a successful denouement, that is, a departure from the traditional comedy composition in order to aggravate the main conflict.
9. Griboedov's skill in creating psychological portraits characters with artistic details.
10. Griboyedov's innovation in the issue of the language of the characters and the poetic organization of comedy: the rejection of the traditional Alexandrian verse and the use of free iambic, which creates an image of live colloquial speech.
The plot and composition of the comedy "Woe from Wit"
A detailed letter from A. Griboyedov to P. Katenin is widely known, in which great playwright explains his plan in detail: “You find the main error in the plan. It seems to me that it is simple and clear in purpose and execution: a girl, herself not stupid, prefers a fool to a smart person, and this person, of course, is in contradiction with society, no one understands him, no one wants to forgive him, why he is a little taller, others ... Someone spread a rumor about him that he was crazy. No one believed, and everyone repeats ... "So, Griboedov himself outlined the main, from his point of view, plot points in" Woe, from Wit ": misunderstanding by society smart person, his defeat in love and the fiction of his madness. According to the author, all these key moments are inextricably linked in the plot, however, the historical fate of Griboedov's comedy and the disputes around it, which do not stop in our time, in fact, concern the question of what is the main plot-forming element in this amazing work.
A. Pushkin wrote: “A dramatic writer should be judged according to the laws that he himself recognized over himself, therefore I do not judge either decency or the plot of Griboedov's comedy. Its goal is characters and a sharp picture of morals. Therefore, Pushkin saw in Woe from Wit, first of all, a social, political comedy, the plot of which is based on the confrontation between Chatsky and a society hostile to him. Pushkin’s understanding of the plot of “Woe from Wit” is also confirmed by his further words from the same letter to A. Bestuzhev: “Chatsky’s distrust of Sophia’s love for Molchalin is natural, and how charming. This is what the whole comedy was supposed to rest on, but Griboyedov, apparently, did not want to, - his will. In other words, Pushkin considers the love affair in comedy to be much less significant than the social one.
This opinion should not seem strange: many contemporaries perceived the comedy in this or almost this way, and no one was surprised that Woe from Wit diverges in the lists and can neither be published nor staged. Of course, so difficult fate comedy was directly and directly connected with a sharp satire of public morals, criticism of slavery and lack of enlightenment, the assertion of moral ideals close to the ideology of Decembrism. Griboedov's contemporaries memorized the famous monologues of Chatsky, repeated catchphrases that immediately became proverbs, saw in the author of the comedy a great like-minded, moral and political ally. Of course, in the context of time, the meaning of "Woe from Wit", the content and the plot itself were directly associated with the concept political satire, and for many this side of comedy became the main, and sometimes the only one. But in this case, the question naturally arises: where is the beginning of the social conflict, where is its culmination? In fact, all Chatsky's monologues turn out to be equally tense in thought and passion, and already one of the first monologues, “Who are the judges?” could be regarded as a culminating one, if a multi-act and multi-faceted action did not unfold behind it. Without denying the enormous social power of Griboyedov's comedy, one cannot fail to notice that its accusatory, satirical intonation is harmoniously woven into the natural plot movement, where the love affair still becomes decisive. With this understanding of the plot, the interpretation of Belinsky is not surprising, who believed that the classic exposition of comedy (according to Belinsky, introduction) ends at the moment the main character appears: “Alexander Andreyich Chatsky is here for you.” By this time, the reader has already met Famusov, Sofya, Molchalin, Lisa, and even got some idea about Chatsky, and now all the main characters are brought together to enter into those relationships that will determine the plot movement of the comedy. With this interpretation of the plot, the last scene turns out to be a natural climax, during which Chatsky, Famusov, and Sophia see their sight, and after which the denouement follows: “I’m running, I won’t look back, I’ll go looking around the world where there is a corner for the offended feeling” (Chatsky) and “Oh, my God, what will Princess Marya Aleksevna say?” (Famusov).
Griboedov's art consisted precisely in that, having based the plot on a love affair, he managed to create not a sentimental drama, in the center of which is a rejected and suffering hero, but a truly social comedy, where this rejected and misunderstood lover becomes the main accuser and exposer of inert and obsolete social rules.
But in this reading of the plot, again, one mystery remains. Griboyedov wrote to Katenin: "Someone spread a rumor about him that he was crazy." In the article “The plot of “Woe from Wit”, Yu. Tynyanov sharply emphasizes the non-randomness of the fact that this “someone” is Sophia. She is not named, but presented as an impersonal representative of society, "someone". Of the four replicas cited by Griboedov, condemning Chatsky, only one belongs to Famusov, and three to Sofya. A remarkable connoisseur and researcher of Griboyedov's work, Y. Tynyanov claims that the strongest point in the plot of the comedy is "the growth and development of the fiction about Chatsky's madness." Having reached the famous remark in the analysis of the text: “He is just a Jacobin, your Chatsky!” - Tynyanov states: "Fiction turns into a denunciation." Of course, such an interpretation of the plot is extremely interesting and helps to understand how difficult the famous Griboedov's work is, which has become a textbook and sometimes seems quite simple.
It seems that when analyzing the plot of Woe from Wit, it is important to take into account all those elements that are not separated, not cut off from each other, but exist in inseparable connection and together they form a wonderful plot drawing "Woe from Wit".
In the composition of comedy, it is important to note not only those obvious moments that are classical: the division of the play into actions and phenomena, flexibility and intonation diversity. poetic text, many off-stage characters that expand the spatio-temporal boundaries of the comedy, but also a peculiar arrangement of characters, which allows us to speak about Griboyedov's interest in romantic art. In Woe from Wit, there are no opposing groups of characters, but there is Chatsky and the society opposing him. This society is represented by very colorful and very different figures: Famusov and Molchalin, Khlestova and Skalozub, Tugoukhovsky and Gorichi, Repetilov and gentlemen N. and D. But they are all antipodes of the main character. As is known, romantic hero always alone, and Chatsky is the most consistent with this model of the hero. One might think that it was I. Turgenev who recalled him when he wrote his review of the translation of Faust: “He does not indulge in anything - he forces himself to indulge everything; he lives with his heart, but with a lonely heart, even in love, of which he dreams so much. He is a romantic - romanticism is nothing but the apotheosis of personality.
This loneliness of the hero, which determines the composition, was especially emphasized by Griboedov himself: “No one understands him, no one wants to forgive him, why is he a little taller than the others.” By placing a lonely, misunderstood young man at the center of the comedy, putting into his mouth not only ardent declarations of love, but also sharp denunciations of society, Griboedov achieved that harmony, that unity, which, according to Belinsky, "in the world of art is the highest dignity work of art."
Method and hero
Griboyedov was one of the first Russian playwrights who turned to the realistic method. This allowed him to analytically explore the situation in modern society. And the seemingly easy comedy genre made it possible for the realist artist to touch upon the deepest problems of social life and reveal them without the excessive pathos inherent in tragedies, but preserving the true drama of the real life of the modern world.
As material for the play, Griboyedov took the most ordinary life: an ordinary Moscow noble house, with its usual way of life, with all its problems and worries. But in order to show the hidden springs of this routine life, its true face, an explosion is needed, the appearance of a hero “from another world”, with other life principles, is necessary. And then in the house where life is calculated according to the calendar, Chatsky appears - with his irreverence, insolence, passionate sincerity, trampling all the shrines of the Famus world. In his vehemence, he will touch everyone, affect the interests of everyone - and cause a "scandal in a noble family", provoke an explosion necessary for the author, make the other heroes of the play drop their masks. Chatsky turns out to be both a participant in the drama and a judge, because he not only condemns the foundations of the Famus world, but also proclaims the ideology of the new time, the “current century”. Therefore, the main character of Griboedov's comedy, in addition to the role of a lover and a noble hero, also plays the role of a reasoner. This is an indispensable role of classical theater: one of the positive characters, an honest and kind person, must express the author's ideas, his civil position. Chatsky, in addition to all his other duties, had to take on this one. Hence the tedious length of his accusatory monologues, which hinder the development of the dramatic plot. The classic reasoning hero had to come to the fore and "broadcast", but he did not take an active part in the plot. Chatsky is both a reasoner and an active "figure" of the plot (that's why Chatsky is often made up to look like Griboyedov). So, the contradictions in the image of the protagonist are not only the contradictions of his nature, but also feature of the manifestation of the new method in the literature.
But all this did not prevent the author from reflecting new type personality, which revealed the most important trends in Russian society at the beginning of the 19th century. Griboyedov showed the most urgent conflict, this was also affected by his special social instinct: the old does not give up its positions, while the new actively invades life, wanting to dispose of it, to establish its own laws. This frontal conflict of the Russian life of that time and, as it later turned out, of the entire 19th and early 20th centuries.
So - modern material, modern conflict and modern hero, expressing the most relevant at that time - the freedom-loving - trend of Russian society. In addition to these signs of realism in Griboedov's comedy, the following can be distinguished; building a play based on two storylines; the absence of major turning points that determine the development of the action; lack of plot denouement and a happy ending.
In order to better understand what the realist innovation is here, let's talk a little about the classicism that reigned in the Russian theater at the beginning of the last century.
First of all, classicism demanded the observance of the "three unities": the unity of time, place and action. Griboedov in "Woe from Wit" violates the main requirement - the requirement of unity of action. It was the main one, because classicism was based on the conviction that above all else in a person his citizenship is valued. Chatsky, being a hero-citizen, is not limited to this, he - passionate, sincere, in love - does not in any way resemble stilted goodies classical drama. There are two storylines in Woe from Wit: love and socio-political, they are absolutely equivalent, and central character both is Chatsky.
AT classic the action developed due to external causes: major turning points. In Woe from Wit, such an event is the return of Chatsky to Moscow, which gave impetus to action, but did not determine its course. All the attention of the author, therefore, is focused on the inner life of the characters. Exactly spiritual world characters, their thoughts and feelings create a system of comedy relationships and determine the course of action.
Griboyedov's refusal from the traditional plot denouement and a happy ending, where virtue triumphs and vice is punished, is the most important feature of his comedy. Realism does not recognize unambiguous endings: after all, everything in life is too complicated, each situation can have many unpredictable endings and continuations. Therefore, “Woe from Wit” is not logically finished, the comedy, as it were, breaks off at the most dramatic moment, when the whole truth was revealed, the “veil fell off” and all the main characters were faced with a difficult choice of a new path.
The nature of the main conflict in Griboyedov's comedy "Woe from Wit"
Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was one of the smartest people of his time. He received an excellent education, knew several oriental languages, was a subtle politician and diplomat. Griboedov died a painful death at the age of 34, torn to pieces by fanatics, leaving two wonderful waltzes and the comedy "Woe from Wit" to posterity.
"Woe from Wit" is a socio-political comedy. Griboedov gave in it a true picture of Russian life after the Patriotic War of 1812. The comedy shows the process of the withdrawal of the advanced part of the nobility from the inert environment and the struggle with their class. The reader can trace the development of the conflict between the two socio-political camps: serf-owners (Famus society) and anti-serf-owners (Chatsky).
Famus society is traditional. His life foundations are such that “you need to learn by looking at your elders”, destroy free-thinking thoughts, serve with humility to persons who are a step higher, and most importantly, be rich. Uncle Kuzma Petrovich is also a peculiar ideal of this society in monologues:
Here is an example:
The deceased was a respectable chamberlain,
With the key, he was able to deliver the key to his son;
He was rich and was married to a rich woman;
Married children, grandchildren;
He passed away and everyone remembers him sadly.
Kuzma Petrovich! Peace be upon him! -
What aces live and die in Moscow!..
The image of Chatsky, on the contrary, is something new, fresh, bursting into life, bringing change. This is a realistic image, a spokesman for the advanced ideas of his time. Chatsky could be called a hero of his time. A whole political program can be traced in Chatsky's monologues. He exposes serfdom and its offspring, inhumanity, hypocrisy, stupid militarism, ignorance, false patriotism. He gives a merciless characterization of the Famus society.
The dialogues between Famusov and Chatsky are a struggle. At the beginning of the comedy, it does not yet appear in an acute form. After all, Famusov is Chatsky's tutor. At the beginning of the comedy, Famusov is favorable to Chatsky, he is even ready to give in to Sophia's hand, but at the same time he sets his own conditions:
I would say, firstly: do not be blissful,
Name, brother, do not manage by mistake,
And, most importantly, go and serve.
To which Chatsky throws:
I would be glad to serve, it is sickening to serve.
But gradually another struggle begins, an important and serious one, a whole battle. Both Famusov and Chatsky threw down the gauntlet to each other.
See what fathers did
Would learn by looking at the elders! -
Famusov's war cry rang out. And in response - Chatsky's monologue "Who are the judges?". In this monologue, Chatsky stigmatizes "the meanest traits of the past life."
Each new face that appears in the course of the development of the plot becomes in opposition to Chatsky. Anonymous characters slander him: Mr. N., Mr. D., the 1st princess, the 2nd princess, etc.
Gossip grows like a "snowball". In a collision with this world, the social intrigue of the play is shown.
But in comedy there is another conflict, another intrigue - love. wrote: "Every step of Chatsky, almost every word of his in the play is closely connected with the play of his feelings for Sophia." It was Sophia's behavior, incomprehensible to Chatsky, that served as a motive, a reason for irritation, for that "million of torments", under the influence of which he could only play the role indicated to him by Griboyedov. Chatsky is tormented, not understanding who his rival is: Skalozub, or Molchalin? Therefore, he becomes irritable, unbearable, caustic in relation to Famusov's guests. Sofya, irritated by Chatsky's remarks, insulting not only the guests, but also her lover, in a conversation with Mr. N., mentions Chatsky's madness: "He is out of his mind." And the rumor about Chatsky's madness rushes through the halls, spreads among the guests, acquiring fantastic, grotesque forms. And he himself, still not knowing anything, confirms this rumor with a heated monologue "The Frenchman from Bordeaux", which he utters in an empty hall. In the fourth act of the comedy, the outcome of both conflicts comes: Chatsky finds out who Sophia's chosen one is. This is Molchalin. The secret is revealed, the heart is empty, there is no end to the torment.
Oh! How to comprehend the game of fate?
A persecutor of people with a soul, a scourge! -
Silencers are blissful in the world! -
says heartbroken Chatsky. His hurt pride, escaping resentment burns. He breaks with Sophia:
Enough! With you I am proud of my break.
And before leaving forever, Chatsky in anger throws to the entire Famus society:
He will come out of the fire unharmed,
Who will have time to spend the day with you,
Breathe the air alone
And his mind will survive...
Chatsky leaves. But who is he - the winner or the vanquished? Goncharov most accurately answered this question in the article “A Million of Torments”: “Chatsky is broken by the amount of old strength, inflicting on it in turn death blow fresh power quality. He is the eternal denouncer of lies, hiding in the proverb: "One man in the field is not a warrior." No, a warrior, if he is Chatsky, and, moreover, a winner, but an advanced warrior, a skirmisher and always a victim.
SOCIO-POLITICAL AND LITERARY SIGNIFICANCE OF THE COMEDY "Woe From Wit"
What is the socio-political and literary significance of a work of art?
Why does an artist create a work? Is it only to mirror accurately life, social struggle? Of course not. He himself belongs to a certain socio-political group of society. Consciously or unconsciously, willing or unwilling, the writer is a participant in the social struggle. His weapon is an artistic word. The author wants his works to affirm certain ideas, to expose the ideology of opponents.
To reveal social and political significance work of art,
a) briefly describe the historical environment in which the work was created, i.e. indicate the years of its creation, the main political groups of that time and the issues on which the struggle was going on, determine the worldview and social position of the author;
b) to show how public life, its main issues were reflected in the work under study, i.e. what social and political groups the heroes of the work belong to, what assessment the author gives them, to whom and in what way the work helped.
Solving the question of the socio-political significance of "Woe from Wit", we can outline rough plan themes:
1. Two political camps in Russian life in the 20s of the XIX century:
a) the reactionary nobility - the defenders of the autocratic-feudal system;
b) Decembrists - an advanced, revolutionary group of society.
2. Proximity to the Decembrists.
3. Progressive meaning of "Woe from Wit":
a) a broad and truthful picture of life in the 20s of the 19th century;
b) a sharp denunciation of the "past century";
c) Chatsky's Decembrist program.
Genuinely piece of art continues to live and influence subsequent generations. Belinsky, Herzen, Dobrolyubov, Chernyshevsky highly appreciated Griboedov's comedy. Belinsky wrote: “Together with Pushkin’s Onegin, Woe from Wit was the first example of a poetic depiction of Russian reality in the broad sense of the word. In this regard, both of these works laid the foundation for subsequent literature, were the school from which Lermontov and Gogol came out. Herzen in mid-nineteenth century emphasized the revolutionary meaning of comedy. For Chernyshevsky "Woe from Wit" was one of his favorite books. M. Gorky pointed out that the images of Griboedov's comedy went far beyond the era depicted by the author.
Famusovs and taciturns, skalozubs and repetilovs have long disappeared from the face of the Russian land, but there is also a soulless bureaucratic attitude to people and deeds, and cowardice, and servility, and careerism, and idle talk. This means that comedy is interesting not only because it allows you to see the life of people in the past, but also because it helped and helps generations of readers to recognize the negative qualities that live in contemporaries. And if it helps to recognize, then it helps to fight!
To determine literary significance work, you need to answer the following questions:
1. Features of what literary direction are the main determinants in the work? To what extent, broadly and truthfully, is life reflected in it, are the characters lifelike?
2. What are the role and features of the language of the work, its characters?
3. What impact did the work have on contemporary literature?
Home artistic feature The play "Woe from Wit" is a combination in one work of features of classicism and critical realism.
From classicism in Woe from Wit, a high civic content is preserved. The idea of comedy can be formulated as follows: in Russian society at the beginning of the 19th century, two social forces- “the current century” and “the past century”. "The Past Century" is presented in a very diverse way: these are almost all the characters, except for Chatsky. “The current century” is Chatsky and several off-stage heroes, which are known from the conversations of the characters (cousin Skalozub, nephew of Princess Tugoukhovskaya, Prince Fedor, several friends of Chatsky, whom he casually mentions). In the play, in the ideological clash, at first glance, the “past century” wins: Chatsky is forced to leave Moscow, where he was declared crazy because of his bold speeches and behavior. However, it is easy to see that all Chatsky's critical remarks about modern life representatives of the Famusov camp (“the century of the past”) cannot essentially answer anything. They are either horrified by the courage of a young man, or, like Famusov, they simply plug their ears, or pretend that they do not hear anything at all. Therefore, following I.A. Goncharov, we can say that Chatsky and his ideas were defeated only by the overwhelming mass of the Famusov camp, this is a temporary victory, and the optimism of the play, despite its sad end, lies in the fact that the "past century" with its old-fashioned views will soon have to give way to the more progressive convictions of the "present age".
In the aesthetics of classicism, a rational list of necessary characters was developed for plays, and Griboyedov uses it: the hero is a young man in love (Chatsky), the heroine is a girl in love (Sofya), the simpleton is a rival or friend of the hero (Molchalin), the noble parents of the hero and heroine (Famusov), reasoner - a character who, in his remarks, expresses the author's attitude to the event depicted, (Chatsky), confidante - a friend or maid, in conversations with which the heroine reveals her heart secrets, (Liza).
Griboyedov also uses the formal techniques of classicism: the comedy is written in verse, the characters have "speaking" surnames and first names, utter remarks "to the side" (a conditional device for conveying the hero's thoughts). The main characters - especially Famusov and Chatsky - utter long monologues. Finally, the comedy implements the “rule of three unities”: the action takes place on the same day (unity of time), in different rooms of Famusov’s house (unity of place), Chatsky, without a doubt, is the main character both in a love affair and in a public conflict ( unity of action). Striving for the unity of action, Griboyedov only outlines, but does not develop, side storylines, for example, Lisa's love, the relationship of the Gorich couple, etc.
At the same time, there are many violations of the principles of classicism in favor of the realistic and critical image Russian reality in the first quarter of the 19th century.
First of all, Griboyedov took as the subject of the image in his comedy contemporary Russian life, and not ancient myth or a semi-legendary story (the latter is often found in classic plays). The author made the heroes of his comedy middle-class nobles, that is, the most ordinary people, and not prominent historical figures or kings (the latter is typical of classic drama). Through the set household parts the lifestyle of an average noble house is described: how the owners are preparing for the ball, how Famusov scolds the servants or flirts with Lisa, how Prince Tugoukhovsky tries to marry off his numerous daughters, etc.
Secondly, Griboyedov, while maintaining the classic set of characters, endowed his heroes with complex and multifaceted characters. In this regard, the playwright also violates the aesthetic norm of classicism, where the characters are depicted schematically, as the embodiment of one main passion. For example, the image of Liza, who is a classic confidante, combines liveliness of character, sincere affection for the young lady, the ability not only to love the barman Petrusha, but also to rebuff the advances of Molchalin and Famusov's flirtations in order to preserve her human dignity. Being a serf, she expresses a deep thought about the position of a servant and any dependent person: Bypass us more than all sorrows And master's wrath, and lordly love. (I, 2) In the final scene, the justice of these words is clear, because Famusov, having caught Sophia with Chatsky in the hallway, became extremely angry, and his anger fell primarily on Lisa.
Famusov is also endowed with a completely realistic character, who is presented in the play as a loving and caring father, a hospitable host, a hospitable Russian gentleman with the manners of a serf-owner, a middle-class official and an ideologist of the "past century".
Thirdly, an important feature of realism in Griboedov's comedy is the speech of the characters. If the classic heroes - from the servant to the king - speak in similar solemn phrases, rhyming Alexandrian verse, then for realistic heroes speech becomes one of important characteristics. Skalozub's speech is masterfully written, illogical and overflowing with military terms; the cutesy speech of the Tugoukhovsky princesses, the verbose chatter of Repetilov. Famusov's speech is especially expressive, he speaks differently with each character. With Skalozub (Sophia's possible fiancé), he speaks politely, affectionately, even ingratiatingly; with Sophia (beloved daughter) - simply, but his love and admiration for her are noticeable; with his secretary Petrushka - rudely, grouchily; at Lisa at the end of the play he yells and stamps his feet. The speech of all the characters is individualized, lively, only Chatsky speaks in the comedy as a classic hero (“What he says! And he says how he writes” (II, 2), Famusov characterizes him). The fact that Griboyedov rhymes various lines in various ways creates the impression that the characters communicate with each other not in verse, but with the help of ordinary colloquial language.
Fourth, the denouement of "Woe from Wit" differs significantly from the traditional one in the classic play, since it does not have an instructive character. At the end of Griboyedov's play, Chatsky, a noble and disinterested fighter for progressive social ideals, is forced to leave Moscow. And the impeccable hero of a classic play should not run away from his opponents - he must either defeat them or die, otherwise what a hero he is! Thus, in Woe from Wit, it is not the evil slanderers-guests of Famusov who suffer, but the victim of this slander. Contrary to the classic tradition, a love storyline also develops: the heroine's chosen one is not a virtuous lover, but an unworthy hypocrite Molchalin.
Fifth, in classicism it is completely unacceptable to mix high and low genres in one work. In "Woe from Wit" connects satirical image Famus Society and high tragedy - the suffering of the noble Chatsky from unjust persecution.
In essential features, Griboyedov fundamentally violates the aesthetics of classicism and other previous literary trends. The playwright creates complex, versatile, socially motivated characters, in which positive and negative features are intertwined. The images of Chatsky and Sophia are shown even in development. Griboyedov chose not ancient times as the subject of the image, but contemporary Russian reality with its public problems and conflicts. The comedy is devoid of frank instructiveness, because in the finale the vice is not punished.
Thus, it can be convincingly argued that the comedy "Woe from Wit" was indeed written within the framework of critical realism, but it also has signs of classicism.
The comedy "Woe from Wit" was created in the early 20s of the XIX century. Main conflict, on which the play is built, is the confrontation between the “current century” and the “past century”. The classicism of the era of Catherine the Great still had power over the literature of that time. But the outdated canons limited the freedom of the playwright in describing real life, so Griboyedov, taking the classic comedy as a basis, neglected, as necessary, some laws of its construction.
Any classic work (drama) had to be built on the principles of the unity of time, place and action, the constancy of characters.
The first two principles are quite strictly observed in comedy. In the work, one can notice more than one, as was customary, love affair (Chatsky - Sophia, Sophia - Molchalin, Molchalin - Lisa, Lisa - Petrusha), but they all seem to line up “in one line”, without violating the unity of action. In classic works, the loving pair of masters corresponded to a pair of servants, parodying them. In "Woe from Wit" this picture is blurred: the master's daughter herself is in love with the "servant" (Molchalina). Thus, Griboyedov wanted to show real existing type people in the person of Molchalin, whom Famusov “warmed up the rootless and introduced into secretaries ...” (and now Molchalin is preparing to become a nobleman by marrying his daughter).
Most of the classic works were built on the principle: duty is higher than feelings. In the comedy "Woe from Wit" important role plays a love conflict that develops into a socio-political one.
All the heroes of classic works were clearly divided into positive and negative. This principle is observed only in in general terms: the so-called "famus society" is opposed to the hero, who expresses new, progressive views. But if we consider each representative of this society separately, it turns out that each of them is not so bad. For example, in the image of Famusov (the main antipode of Chatsky in the public conflict), quite understandable positive human features: ok loves his daughter, wishes her well (in his understanding), and Chatsky is a native person for him (after the death of Chatsky's father, Famusov became his guardian and educator) at the beginning of the comedy. Famusov gives Chatsky quite good advice:
… First of all, don’t be blissful,
Name, brother, do not manage by mistake,
And most importantly - come on, serve ...
The image of the positive hero, the progressive Chatsky, is marked by some negative features: irascibility, a tendency to demagogy (no wonder A. S. Pushkin was perplexed: why did the main character make fiery speeches in front of these aunts, grandmothers, repetitive ones), excessive irritability, even anger. (“Not a man is a snake” - this is Chatsky’s assessment ex-lover Sofia). This approach to the main characters testifies to the emergence of new, realistic tendencies in Russian literature.
A must in classic comedy happy end, that is, the victory of positive heroes and virtue over negative heroes, over vice. In “Woe from Wit” the number of negative characters is many times greater than the number of positive characters (Chatsky and two more off-stage characters can be attributed to positive characters - a relative of Skalozub, about whom he says: “The rank followed him, he suddenly left the service, in the village he began to write books read”; and the nephew of Princess Tugoukhovskaya, about whom she disdainfully reports: “... he is a chemist, he is a botanist, Prince Fyodor, my nephew”). And because of the mismatch of forces goodies in the play they fail, "they are broken by the strength of the old." In fact, Chatsky leaves the winner, as he is sure that he is right. By the way, the use of off-stage characters is also an innovative technique. These heroes help to comprehend what is happening in Famusov's house more widely, on a countrywide scale; they seem to expand, push the boundaries of the narrative.
According to the laws of classicism, the genre of a work strictly determined its content. Comedy had to be either humorous, farcical, or satirical. Griboyedov's comedy not only combines these two types, but also incorporates purely dramatic element. In comedy there are such heroes as Skalozub and Tugoukhovsky, funny in every word and action. Or such as the princesses, who were not even given names (a parody of all Moscow young ladies) Platon Go-rich, “husband-boy, husband-servant of the wife's pages, the high ideal of all Moscow men”; nameless gentlemen N and P, necessary to show the cruel mechanism of spreading gossip in secular society(elements of satire). The comedy also uses other techniques of comic portrayal: speaking surnames (Skalozub, Silent, Repetilov, Gorich, Tugoukhovsky, Famusov), “distorting mirror” (Chatsky-Repetilov).
Just like the whole work combines humor and satire, its main characters (Chatsky and Famusov) are ambiguous. We laugh merrily at the head of the family and the owner of the house, Famusov, when he flirts with Liza, goes out of his way to pass off his daughter as an absurd Skalozub, but we think about the structure of society at that time when he, an adult and respected by all people, fears , "what will Princess Marya Aleksevna say."
Chatsky is an even more ambiguous hero. He somewhat expresses the point of view of the author (acts as a reasoner), at first ironically over the Moscow residents, their way of life, but, tormented by unrequited love(hero-lover), becoming embittered, begins to expose everyone and everything (hero-denunciator).
So, Griboyedov wanted to ridicule the vices of contemporary society in a comedy built in accordance with the canons of classicism. But in order to more fully reflect the real situation, he had to deviate from the canons of classic comedy. As a result, we can say that in the comedy "Woe from Wit" through the classic form of the work, built on the principles of the "past century", the features of a new literary trend, realism, are visible, opening up new possibilities for the writer to depict real life.
The comedy "Woe from Wit" was created in the early 20s of the XIX century. The main conflict on which the play is built is the confrontation between the “present century” and the “past century”. The classicism of the era of Catherine the Great still had power over the literature of that time. But the outdated canons limited the freedom of the playwright in describing real life, so Griboyedov, taking the classic comedy as a basis, neglected, as necessary, some laws of its construction.
Any classic work (drama) had to be built on the principles of the unity of time, place and action, the constancy of characters.
The first two principles are quite strictly observed in comedy. In the work, one can notice more than one, as was customary, love affair (Chatsky - Sophia, Sophia - Molchalin, Molchalin - Lisa, Lisa - Petrusha), but they all seem to line up “in one line”, without violating the unity of action. In classic works, the loving pair of masters corresponded to a pair of servants, parodying them. In "Woe from Wit" this picture is blurred: the master's daughter herself is in love with the "servant" (Molchalina). Thus, Griboyedov wanted to show a real-life type of people in the face of Molchalin, whom Famusov “warmed up the rootless and introduced into secretaries ...” (and now Molchalin is preparing to become a nobleman by marrying his daughter).
Most of the classic works were built on the principle: duty is higher than feelings. In the comedy "Woe from Wit" an important role is played by a love conflict, which develops into a socio-political one.
All the heroes of classic works were clearly divided into positive and negative. This principle is observed only in general terms: the so-called "famus society" is opposed to the hero, who expresses new, progressive views. But if we consider each representative of this society separately, it turns out that each of them is not so bad. For example, in the image of Famusov (the main antipode of Chatsky in a social conflict), quite understandable positive human traits emerge: ok loves his daughter, wishes her well (in his understanding), and Chatsky is a native person for him (after the death of Chatsky's father, Famusov became his guardian I teacher) at the beginning of the comedy. Famusov gives Chatsky quite practical advice:
First of all, don't be silly
Name, brother, do not manage by mistake,
And most importantly - come on, serve ...
The image of the positive hero, the progressive Chatsky, is marked by some negative features: irascibility, a tendency to demagogy (no wonder A. S. Pushkin was perplexed: why did the main character make fiery speeches in front of these aunts, grandmothers, repetitive ones), excessive irritability, even anger. (“Not a man is a snake” is an assessment of Chatsky's former lover Sophia). This approach to the main characters testifies to the emergence of new, realistic tendencies in Russian literature.
In a classic comedy, a good ending is obligatory, that is, the victory of positive heroes and virtue over negative heroes, over vice. In “Woe from Wit” the number of negative characters is many times greater than the number of positive characters (Chatsky and two more off-stage characters can be attributed to positive characters - a relative of Skalozub, about whom he says: “The rank followed him, he suddenly left the service, in the village he began to write books read”; and the nephew of Princess Tugoukhovskaya, about whom she disdainfully reports: “... he is a chemist, he is a botanist, Prince Fyodor, my nephew”). And because of the mismatch of forces, the positive characters in the play are defeated, "they are broken by the strength of the old." In fact, Chatsky leaves the winner, as he is sure that he is right. By the way, the use of off-stage characters is also an innovative technique. These heroes help to comprehend what is happening in Famusov's house more widely, on a countrywide scale; they seem to expand, push the boundaries of the narrative.
According to the laws of classicism, the genre of a work strictly determined its content. Comedy had to be either humorous, farcical, or satirical. Griboyedov's comedy not only combines these two types, but also incorporates a purely dramatic element. In comedy there are such heroes as Skalozub and Tugoukhovsky, funny in every word and action. Or such as the princesses, who were not even given names (a parody of all Moscow young ladies) Platon Go-rich, “husband-boy, husband-servant of the wife's pages, the high ideal of all Moscow men”; nameless gentlemen N and P, necessary to show the cruel mechanism of the spread of gossip in secular society (elements of satire). The comedy also uses other techniques of comic portrayal: speaking surnames (Skalozub, Silent, Repetilov, Gorich, Tugoukhovsky, Famusov), “distorting mirror” (Chatsky-Repetilov).
Just like the whole work combines humor and satire, its main characters (Chatsky and Famusov) are ambiguous. We laugh merrily at the head of the family and the owner of the house, Famusov, when he flirts with Liza, goes out of his way to pass off his daughter as an absurd Skalozub, but we think about the structure of society at that time when he, an adult and respected by all people, fears , "what will Princess Marya Aleksevna say."
Chatsky is an even more ambiguous hero. He somewhat expresses the point of view of the author (acts as a reasoner), at first he ironically over the Moscow residents, their way of life, but, tormented by unrequited love (hero-lover), becoming embittered, begins to expose everyone and everything (hero-denunciator).
So, Griboyedov wanted to ridicule the vices of contemporary society in a comedy built in accordance with the canons of classicism. But in order to more fully reflect the real situation, he had to deviate from the canons of classic comedy. As a result, we can say that in the comedy "Woe from Wit" through the classic form of the work, built on the principles of the "past century", the features of a new literary trend, realism, are visible, opening up new possibilities for the writer to depict real life.
"Woe from Wit" is one of the most topical works of Russian drama
"Woe from Wit" is one of the most topical works of Russian dramaturgy, a brilliant example of the close connection between literature and public life, an example of the writer's ability to respond in an artistically perfect form to the actual phenomena of our time. The problems posed in Woe from Wit continued to excite Russian social thought and Russian literature many years after the play appeared.
The comedy reflects the era that came after 1812. In artistic images, it gives a vivid idea of Russian social life in the late 10s and early 20s. 19th century
In the foreground in "Woe from Wit" shows aristocratic Moscow. But in conversations, replicas of characters, the appearance of the capital's ministerial Petersburg, and the Saratov wilderness, where Sophia's aunt lives, and the boundless plains, "all the same wilderness and steppe" of the vast expanses of Russia (cf. Lermontov's "Motherland"), which appear to Chatsky's imagination . People of the most diverse social status perform in the comedy: from Famusov and Khlestova - representatives of the Moscow noble environment - to serf servants. And in the accusatory speeches of Chatsky, the voice of all advanced Russia sounded, the image of the “smart, vigorous” of our people arose (cf. Griboedov’s note “Country trip”, 1826).
"Woe from Wit" is the fruit of Griboyedov's patriotic thoughts about the fate of Russia, about the ways of renewal, the reorganization of her life. From this lofty point of view, the most important political, moral, and cultural problems of the era are covered in the comedy: the question of serfdom, Fr. the fight against serf reaction, the relationship between the people and the noble intelligentsia, the activities of secret political societies, on the education of noble youth, on education and Russian national culture, about the role of reason and ideas in public life, the problems of duty, honor and dignity of a person, and so on.
The historical content of "Woe from Wit" is revealed primarily as a collision and change of two great epochs of Russian life - "the present century" and "the past century" (in the mind of advanced people of that time, the historical boundary between the 18th and XIX centuries was the Patriotic War of 1812 - the fire of Moscow, the defeat of Napoleon, the return of the army from foreign campaigns).
The comedy shows that the clash of the "current century" with the "past century" was an expression of the struggle of two social camps that developed in Russian society after the Patriotic War - the camp of feudal reaction, the defenders of serf antiquity in the person of Famusov, Skalozub and others, and the camp of the advanced noble youth, whose appearance is embodied by Griboedov in the image of Chatsky.
The clash of progressive forces with feudal-serf reaction was a fact not only of Russian but also of Western European reality of that time, a reflection of the socio-political struggle in Russia and in a number of Western European countries. “The social camps that collided in Griboedov’s play were a world-historical phenomenon,” M.V. Nechkina rightly notes. “They were created at the time of the revolutionary situation in Italy, and in Spain, and in Portugal, and in Greece, and in Prussia , and in others European countries. Everywhere they took on peculiar forms ... Figuratively speaking, Chatsky in Italy would have been a carbonari, in Spain - an “exaltado”, in Germany - a student. We add that the Famus society itself perceived Chatsky through the prism of the entire European liberation movement. For the Countess-grandmother, he is a “cursed Voltairian”, for Princess Tugoukhovskaya he is a Jacobin. Famusov calls him carbonarius with horror. As we can see, the main stages of the liberation movement in the West are the enlightenment of the 18th century, the Jacobin dictatorship of 1792-1794. and revolutionary movement The 20s are indicated in the comedy very accurately. How authentic great artist, Griboyedov reflected in Woe from Wit the essential aspects of the reality of his time, a whole great era of world-historical scale and significance. The main and important at that time was the contradiction and clash of the two indicated social camps, the struggle of which Griboedov reveals in its broad historical connections both contemporary and past.
Chatsky's accusatory speeches and Famusov's enthusiastic stories recreate the image of the eighteenth, "past century". This is the "age of humility and fear", the "age of Catherine" with its "nobles in the event", with flattering courtiers, with all the pomp and depraved morals, with insane extravagance and feasts in "magnificent chambers", with "luxurious amusements" and poverty serfs and with the “cursed Voltairians”, whom the countess-grandmother recalls with senile indignation.
"The past century" is the ideal of the lordly, Famus society. “And to take awards and live happily” - in these words of Molchalin, as well as in Famusov’s admiration for Catherine’s nobleman and rich man Maxim Petrovich, the whole ideal of Famusov’s society, his crudely egoistic philosophy of life, is expressed.
©2015-2019 site
All rights belong to their authors. This site does not claim authorship, but provides free use.
Page creation date: 2016-02-12
And the full text) is quite clear: first of all, life itself, illuminated from the point of view of the author's worldview, provided rich material for this work. Russian realistic Literature also gave him many examples. In fairy tales Dmitrieva, Izmailov, in Krylov's fables Griboyedov could find both a developed style and a number of satirical paintings from modern Russian life. It is possible, in addition to these works, to point out others, approaching, in content, to “Woe from Wit”. So, to characterize the Moscow society of the same era, the journal of Professor Strakhov "The Satirical Bulletin" (1790 - 1793) is very interesting.
Woe from the mind. Performance by the Maly Theatre, 1977
Thus, even before Griboyedov, Strakhov drew the whole of Griboyedov's Moscow in light sketches and hints - in his journal there are already the outlines of Famusov, Molchalin, Zagoretsky.
Curious for comparison with Griboedov's comedy are also some pages of A. Izmailov's novel "Eugene".
Here we are again in the atmosphere metropolitan life: before us are the “new” nobles from the clerks, ennobled by rank and money, before us are students of Moscow University, “Voltairians” and just libertines, guards youth of the capital, “light”, consisting of virtuous cheaters, gossips, Litsemerkins, Tysyachnikovs and others
Here, taken at random, is a description of Mr. Podlyankov: he is a titular adviser who goes to work "at the end of each month, and to his commanders every holiday." “He knows from his own experience that some bosses notice subordinates more in their front room than at their position during attendance hours. Not only to his superiors, but also to all those whose favor could be useful to him, he showed his respect, devotion and servility, even if it was a vile doorkeeper, or a valet of his patron and merciful (cf. Molchalin). Being a member of many houses, in many of them he dined and dined alternately. He looked every morning at a calendar of his own composition, in which the namesake days and births of persons he knew, their spouses and their children were entered (cf. Famusov's calendar). When someone accidentally drops something near him, he instantly fell to the floor with one knee and picked up the fallen thing with amazing agility (cf. Molchalin). Did anyone want to get something? It was necessary to tell Mr. Podlyankov about this - he will immediately find everything with joy, he will find everything (cf. Zagoretsky). Should anyone buy a horse? human? He will buy, and even good ones. Is it necessary to hire a carriage, a box, a house? He will hire, and the most convenient. Does anyone need to know internal state what family, his secrets? He will open even the most intimate ones…” etc.
This quote shows how in one typical image of Podlyankov, features were combined that later, in the work of Griboyedov, developed in several images - Famusov, Molchalin and Zagoretsky, this commissioner by vocation and persuasion ...
