“Woe from Wit” is one of the most famous and quoted works of Russian literature. Dozens of articles and monographs have been written about him, a huge number of productions have been carried out.
"Immortal" aphorisms
However, the prediction of I. A. Goncharov, made one and a half centuries ago, came true: “Woe from Wit”, the summary of which is known, perhaps, to any citizen of Russia, withstood not only the test of the ban, but also the test of glory. To a large extent, this aphorism and accuracy of expressions contributed to this. The winged expressions from "Woe from Wit" have become an integral part of Russian culture. Actually, even before Goncharov, the penetrating Pushkin noted that “half of the verses should go into the proverb”, referring to the amazing aphorism of the comedy style.
Indeed, the text of the play is literally “torn” into quotes. Many Russians today use Griboedov’s aphorisms without even realizing it. It seems that there have always been winged expressions in the Russian language from “Woe from Wit” such as “happy hours are not observed” or “the hero of not my novel”. This list goes on and on. In addition, the very expression “grief from the mind” is a short and expressive designation of a person’s psychological problem. There are so many sparkling winged expressions in the comedy that an illusion of lightness is created. And it seems that “Woe from Wit” Griboedov wrote in one breath, in a fit of inspiration.
Creative quest
And today it seems strange that Griboedov could doubt the name, select and cross out the names of the heroes, and the design of the work itself was noticeably different from the usual version.
At the same time, everything was just that. The theme of "evil mind" was one of the favorite in the drama of the turn of the XVIII-XIX centuries. First of all, it was characteristic of the French satirical comedy. It was from the French comedy that Griboedov learned brevity and aphorism. But here's the nuance: the object of ridicule in these comedies was not society, but just the accuser, who took upon himself the dubious mission of a judge and a prophet. Griboedov gave a tribute to this tradition. In the comedy “Student”, the hero also exposes society, and his monologues are strikingly reminiscent of Chatsky’s angry speeches, but the emphasis is completely different. And the point is not only that the winged expressions from "Woe from Wit" are more accurate and more successful. It's all about the position of the author. If in “Student” the author’s sympathies are clearly not on the hero’s side, then in the comedy “Woe from Wit” Griboedov treats the hero much more difficult. This circumstance is often not taken into account. Soviet literary criticism often allowed a reverse bias, underestimating the name of the hero Chatsky. “Woe from Wit” was interpreted so that Chatsky was the mouthpiece of the author’s ideas. But this is completely wrong. Wise by his life and diplomatic experience, the author of the comedy “Woe from Wit”, whose life credo can be formulated as “clever service to the Fatherland”, was well aware not only of Chatsky’s sincere impulse, but also of the potential dangers associated with the pathos of total denial of everything and everyone. The author, undoubtedly, is impressed by the position “to serve gladly, to be sick of sickness”, which became winged (he heard, by the way, from the composer Alexander Alyabyev), but not everyone in Chatsky is close to Griboedov.
Chatsky and his aphorisms
First of all, the hero lacks intelligence, in a sense, adulthood. It is no coincidence that Chatsky was listed as “Chadsky” in draft versions. And the point here, of course, is not only allusion to P.Ya. Chaadaeva. Griboedov was also attracted by associations with the very root of “children” - here, and “child”, that is, a child, and one who is “blinded” in a child, that is, is not able to think soberly. Later A.S. Griboedov softened the “transparency” of the hero’s surname, but rightly believed that he who had ears should hear.
Aphoristic character names
Such hints, of course, are not accidental, if we keep in mind that comedy is written "at the junction" of several directions, in particular, classicism and educational realism. In the tradition of these areas, especially classicism, the names of the heroes were “suggestive” in nature, they contained a characteristic.
“Woe from Wit” follows this tradition. A brief description of the characters indicates that the names of almost all the heroes are somehow related to the semantics of the conversation: Famusov (the one they are talking about), Skalozub (grins his teeth but says nothing), Molchalin (the one who is silent), Repetilov (one who can only repeat), etc. As a result, a picture is created of a deaf-mute society that is unable to hear and has nothing to say, a society where "sin is not trouble, rumor is not good." As a result, the winged expressions from "Woe from Wit" are supplemented by another one - "There is something to despair from!"
The winged expressions of heroes
In this context, the surname of the main character of the comedy, Chatsky, is not accidental. “Woe from Wit” begins with the fact that the hero rushes with angry accusations at almost all, but the outcome of the struggle is a foregone conclusion. The hero is too naive and quick-tempered to constitute any danger to the world of the Famusovs.
And the famous, who became winged words of Chatsky, addressed both to themselves and to Sophia (“Blessed is he who believes, he is warm in the world”) respond with a bitter echo in the plot. Chatsky is disappointed, humiliated, betrayed. He proved nothing to anyone and did not convince anyone. The only thing that worries Famusov is “Ah! Oh my God! What will Princess Marya Aleksevna say ”!
Aphoristic title
It is interesting that in the original version the comedy had a slightly different name, more clearly orienting the reader to the author's installations: "Woe to the mind." However, Griboedov changes its name. It would seem that the difference is small, but in fact it is huge. “Woe to the mind” is the tragedy of an intelligent person in a society where others are not so smart. And in the play of Griboedov this motive, of course, is present.
But “Woe from Wit” is a name with a broader meaning, which is why, perhaps, it has become a winged expression. Society is so unfair and absurd that the appearance of the “mind” is fatal not only for the “wearer of the mind”, but for everyone else. As a result of the appearance of Chatsky, everyone suffered: Famusov (he is concerned about the scandal), Sophia (she lost her beloved and faith in love), Molchalin (he is losing his prospects and career), Chatsky himself. “Woe from the mind” is built on a paradox: the mind, which must bear creation, carries only destruction. Who is to blame for this: is it only society or Chatsky's “evil mind” - the reader and viewer must decide for himself. And because of this, perhaps, Chatsky's most famous rhetorical question sounds: “Who are the judges?”