Comedy by A. S. Griboedov “Woe from Wit” refers to those works that do not lose their sharpness and relevance over time. Moreover, the more years they are separated from the moment of creation, the greater their value. This happens with precious wines, paintings, sculptures, buildings, etc.
Plot and plot
First, recall what the plot and plot are. These are the most important literary concepts, without the knowledge of which it is impossible to analyze a single
work of art. A plot is called a series of events that are replaced by one another in the course of content. In the comedy this morning at Famusov’s house, his accidental collision with his secretary in the apartments of Sophia. Then an even more unexpected arrival of Chatsky to Moscow, his visits, conversations with Athanasius Pavlovich, an attempt to find out who became a successful rival. Finally, the ball, the culmination of all intrigues and intricacies, rumors that Chatsky is crazy. Sophia’s disappointments, the horror of Famusov and the flight of the young “carbonary” out of Moscow. As for the plot and the conflict, they are essentially connected by two characters: Chatsky and Famusov. Their characteristic will help to determine the main parameters of the work. We will examine in more detail what the latter represents.
The personification of the lordly Moscow
In comedy, the first capital of Russia is the personification of an old way of life that has been formed over the centuries. Shine and luxury are associated primarily with the past times of Catherine II. This century is considered ideal Famusov. The characterization of the hero fits well with the meaning of his last name, which Griboedov chose for the character is not accidental. "Fama" in Latin means "rumor." Rumors, publicity, other people's idle conversations and is afraid of Pavel Afanasevich. He has two "horror stories": "no matter what happens" and "what Princess Marya Alekseevna will say." However, another meaning of the surname “Famusov” is important. The characterization of the character as a famous person, enjoying influence, respect in society, also corresponds to him. No wonder they seek out the hero, seek his patronage, and listen to the opinion. According to the plan of Griboedov, it was Famusov (the characterization of him in the comedy proves this) that personifies the old noble Moscow: a hospitable, fond of walking, gossiping, observing etiquette and external rules of decency, the keeper of house-building, patriarchal, autocratic and feudal traditions.
Main character traits
What role does Famusov play in “Woe from Wit”? The characteristic of Pavel Afanasevich is completely unambiguous. He is already a widower years old, but has excellent health, which allows him to drag around a pretty Lisa, exposing himself at the same time as an exemplary, modest, sedate family man and father in front of Sophia. For the sake of fashion and new times, he is forced to teach his daughter “in French”, dances and “all sciences”, to dress in foreign shops on the Kuznetsk bridge, and he speaks with righteous anger about sciences and education. In his opinion, scholarship is “this is the plague,” a source of dissent, revolutionary ideas, all new things that threaten to displace the usual and convenient hero’s course of things, the autocratic system, to break the way that Famusov’s power and wealth are based on. Clever, cunning and prudent, this “old Russian gentleman” yearns for the times of “Maxim Petrovich”, when high ranks and titles, awards and salaries were distributed not according to merit and merits, but on the basis of flattery, cringing, servility and earphone. An inveterate serfman and a retrograde looking down on those who are poor, he gladly acts as a benefactor, as is the case with Molchalin. He expresses his firm conviction to Sophia: "He who is poor, you are not a couple." This is also a very vivid characteristic of Famusov. “Woe from Wit”, in fact, is a portrait of two epochs: “the century of the past” and Skalozub rallied around it, Princess Marya Alekseevna, princes Tugoukhovsky, Famusov himself, as well as the “present century”, which Chatsky was a personification of.
According to critics, in the comedy, the victory remained with Chatsky. But very doubtful, reminiscent of more defeat. But the Famusov resonators, alas, were, are and continue to be, remaining the main, routine part of society.