The main characters of Griboyedov's comedy are grief of mind. Characteristics of the main characters of the work Woe from Wit, Griboyedov. Their images and descriptions. Woe from Wit: Brief Description of the Main Characters

One of the main features of the comedy “Woe from Wit” by A.S. Griboedov is the presence in the play of two conflicts that are closely related to each other. One of them is love, the other is social. This determines the arrangement of the heroes of the comedy “Woe from Wit”. The love line is represented by Chatsky, Sophia and Molchalin. The social line is expressed by the opposition between the conservative nobility, the main exponent of which is Famusov, and the progressive views on the structure of society, which Chatsky preaches. Molchalin, Sophia’s lover, also belongs to the Famus society. Love and social conflicts are united by the image of Chatsky, the main character of “Woe from Wit”.

Alexander Andreevich Chatsky returned from abroad and immediately went to Famusov’s house, where he had once been brought up and where he had been absent for three years. Chatsky dreams of meeting his beloved Sophia, Famusov’s daughter. But Sophia greets him with extreme restraint, because she is in love with Molchalin. The hero does not understand the reasons for the girl’s cooling towards him. He begins to ask her, her father, about this. And in the verbal battles between these heroes, serious contradictions appear on issues of morality, culture, education, and the structure of society.

Famusov in comedy it represents the “past century”. The main feature of the worldview of the conservative nobility is that they do not want any changes, because changes threaten their well-being. In the noble society, at which Griboyedov’s satire is directed, only rank and money are valued. And Famusov is no exception. He speaks with pride of his uncle, Maxim Petrovich, who knew how to “curry favor” and therefore “knew honor before everyone.” The only thing that Famusov really cares about is society’s opinion of him.

On behalf of the “past century” also speaks Molchalin. Its main virtues are “moderation and accuracy.” He is a worthy successor to the views of Moscow high society. He knows how to curry favor and strives to make and maintain useful contacts. Even his relationship with Sophia is nothing more than serving her father.

Chatsky is sharply opposed to these heroes. Their views on the structure of society are alien to him. Chatsky is the owner of an active, creative mind. He wants to serve “the cause, not individuals,” because he highly values individual freedom, honor and dignity. Chatsky is the only comedy hero who represents the “present century.” It expresses the ideas of the author himself - ideas of morality and enlightenment that conservative nobles are not ready to accept.

When characterizing the characters in “Woe from Wit,” the most difficult thing to interpret is the image Sofia Famusova.

It cannot be attributed either to the “present century” or “to the past century.” Unlike her father and Molchalin, Sophia is not afraid of the opinions of society. She tells Molchalin as much when he asks her to be careful and not show her feelings in public. She plays music and reads books, which Famusov considers unnecessary and even harmful. But Sophia is not on Chatsky’s side, since his accusatory monologues threaten not only the comfortable life of the nobles, but also her personal happiness. That is why Sophia starts a rumor that Chatsky is crazy, and society is so actively spreading this gossip.

The list of characters in “Woe from Wit” is not limited to the main characters. To understand the issues, the secondary characters of “Woe from Wit” are also important. For example, it is impossible to imagine the development of a love affair in a comedy without Lisa's maids, who helps Sofya and Molchalin keep their dates secret. Also, the image of Lisa participates in a more complete disclosure of other characters in Griboyedov’s “Woe from Wit”. Molchalin shows her signs of attention, and the reader immediately understands that he has no feelings for Sophia.

Colonel Skalozub also participates in the development of the love line. He is tipped to be Sophia's groom because he has money. The only pity is that I have no mind at all. But this helps to portray the army in a satirical way.

Off-stage characters carry a special meaning. They do not participate in the actions of the comedy, but other characters talk about them, which allows us to more fully imagine the mores of the noble society of that time. The most famous off-stage character is Maxim Petrovich, Uncle Famusov, who deliberately fell several times at the empress’s reception in order to amuse her and earn respect at court.

It should be noted that all the images of the comedy heroes acquire a deeper sound than was customary before the appearance of the play “Woe from Wit.” There are no absolute villains here, no heroes without flaws. Griboyedov refuses the traditional division of characters into good and bad. So Famusov is a caring father for his daughter, and Chatsky in some moments shows excessive ardor and unceremoniousness.

The characters created by Griboyedov do not lose their relevance today. After all, the problem of replacing old views with new ones is always topical. At all times there are people who bring progressive ideas to society, and those who refuse to accept the new, defending their outdated views.

This article describes the main characters of Griboedov's comedy. A description of the heroes and their characters will be useful to 9th grade students when preparing a report or essay on the topic “The main characters of the comedy “Woe from Wit”.”

Work test

Sirvint-Sherman Z.M. Sketch of a theatrical production for the play by A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit"

Famusov's image
Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov is an elderly man, self-confident and domineering. A wealthy nobleman, a widower, the father of his only seventeen-year-old daughter, whom he loves very much and raises in his own way, in the spirit of old times. Famusov is a major official, although he approaches his service formally, it does not interest him (... it’s signed, off his shoulders). Always strives for his own benefit. This is evident from the way he talks about his daughter's marriage. Famusov loves to brag. He even boasts about what he does not have, for example: monastic behavior, although he himself flirts with the maid Lisa. In the image of Famusov, the author portrays an ordinary person for that time, with his views on life and upbringing.

Image of Sophia
Sophia is Famusov’s daughter, she is seventeen years old. From the words of her father, we learn that she lost her mother early, so Madame Rosier and visiting teachers were involved in her upbringing. As a child, she was very friendly with Chatsky, possibly in love with him. Likes to read French novels. He treats his maid Lisa well and considers her the only devoted person. She sincerely loves Molchalin, considers him smart, handsome and similar to the hero of her favorite French novels. He does not hesitate, on occasion, to deceive his father, and has absolutely no sympathy for Chatsky.

The image of Chatsky
Chatsky is a young man, Sofia’s childhood friend. He is very smart and well read. His speech is literate and colorful. Arriving from abroad in Moscow, he rushes to meet Sofia and rejoices at the upcoming date. He is animated, inspired, eloquent (even talkative), witty, full of life, and jokes a lot. But the strange cold reception offends him, he is upset and puzzled by Sofia’s inattention, because, rushing to his homeland, Chatsky hoped that she was waiting for him.
Chatsky mocks and condemns the life of the Moscow nobles. He doesn’t like the fact that Russian children are taught to read and write by foreign teachers, and the children do not know pure Russian. Chatsky came to Russia with the hope of changing the old order, but these hopes were not realized.

Image of Molchalin
Molchalin is a young man in the service of Famusov. He is his secretary and lives at his home. Before meeting Famusov, Molchalin was either a minor nobleman or a commoner; after meeting him, he began to quickly move up the career ladder.
Molchalin’s characteristic features are the desire for a career, the ability to fawn, and hypocrisy. He is a man of few words. This is explained by his fear of expressing his judgment. Molchalin knows that if he wants to make a career, then he needs to please his bosses in everything. In an effort to rise in rank, Molchalin fawns and fawns on influential people. He talks to different people differently. He addresses Famusov with respect, and Sophia with particular modesty; with Liza he does not mince words; with Chatsky he speaks outwardly politely, but behind this lies complacency, mockery and a desire to teach. The manner of talking to people reveals all of Molchalin’s hypocrisy. His father bequeathed to him to please all the people who could be of some use to him. And he largely follows this advice.
Chatsky, who knows the type of officials such as Molchalin, predicts for him the possibility of a brilliant career.

Characteristics of the Moscow nobility
About life, way of life and morals of Moscow in the 20s of the 19th century. and its individuals, we learn from the words of Chatsky and Famusov. We see before us a sleepy, ossified life, where nothing changes for many years. Blind worship of everything foreign is shown, whether it concerns fashion, education or language. The empty pastime of many is to attend numerous balls and festivities in order to pursue ladies there. Mention is made of a serf-theater - a cruel tyrant, an obscurantist - a member of the academic council.

When characterizing the characters in “Woe from Wit,” the most difficult thing to interpret is the image Sofia Famusova.

Work test

The main idea of the work “Woe from Wit” is to illustrate meanness, ignorance and servility before ranks and traditions, which were opposed by new ideas, genuine culture, freedom and reason. The main character Chatsky acted in the play as a representative of that same democratic-minded society of young people who openly challenged conservatives and serf owners. Griboedov managed to reflect all these subtleties that were raging in social and political life using the example of a classic comedic love triangle. It is noteworthy that the main part of the work described by the creator takes place over the course of just one day, and the characters themselves are depicted by Griboyedov very vividly.

Many of the writer's contemporaries awarded his manuscript with sincere praise and advocated for permission to publish the comedy to the Tsar.

The history of writing the comedy "Woe from Wit"

The idea of writing the comedy “Woe from Wit” came to Griboyedov during his stay in St. Petersburg. In 1816, he returned to the city from abroad and found himself at one of the social receptions. He was deeply indignant at the Russian people’s craving for foreign things, after he noticed that the city’s nobility worshiped one of the foreign guests. The writer could not restrain himself and showed his negative attitude. Meanwhile, one of the invitees, who did not share his beliefs, retorted that Griboedov was crazy.

The events of that evening formed the basis of the comedy, and Griboedov himself became the prototype of the main character Chatsky. The writer began work on the work in 1821. He worked on comedy in Tiflis, where he served under General Yermolov, and in Moscow.

In 1823, work on the play was completed, and the writer began to read it in Moscow literary circles, receiving rave reviews along the way. The comedy was successfully distributed in the form of lists among the reading population, but it was first published only in 1833, after the request of Minister Uvarov to the Tsar. The writer himself was no longer alive by that time.

Analysis of the work

The main plot of the comedy

The events described in the comedy take place at the beginning of the 19th century, in the house of the capital official Famusov. His young daughter Sophia is in love with Famusov's secretary, Molchalin. He is a prudent man, not rich, and holds a minor rank.

Knowing about Sophia's passions, he meets with her for convenience. One day, a young nobleman, Chatsky, a family friend who has not been in Russia for three years, comes to the Famusovs’ house. The purpose of his return is to marry Sophia, for whom he has feelings. Sophia herself hides her love for Molchalin from the main character of the comedy.

Sophia's father is a man of the old way of life and views. He is subservient to the ranks and believes that young people should please their superiors in everything, not show their opinions and serve their superiors selflessly. Chatsky, in contrast, is a witty young man with a sense of pride and a good education. He condemns such views, considers them stupid, hypocritical and empty. Heated disputes arise between Famusov and Chatsky.

On the day of Chatsky’s arrival, invited guests gather at Famusov’s house. During the evening, Sophia spreads a rumor that Chatsky has gone crazy. The guests, who also do not share his views, actively pick up this idea and unanimously recognize the hero as crazy.

Finding himself the black sheep of the evening, Chatsky is about to leave the Famusovs’ house. While waiting for the carriage, he hears Famusov’s secretary confessing his feelings to the master’s maid. Sophia also hears this and immediately drives Molchalin out of the house.

The denouement of the love scene ends with Chatsky's disappointment in Sophia and secular society. The hero leaves Moscow forever.

Heroes of the comedy "Woe from Wit"

This is the main character of Griboedov's comedy. He is a hereditary nobleman, in whose possession there are 300 - 400 souls. Chatsky was left an orphan early on, and since his father was a close friend of Famusov, from childhood he was raised with Sophia in the Famusovs’ house. Later he became bored with them, and at first he settled separately, and then left to wander the world.

Since childhood, Chatsky and Sophia were friends, but he had more than just friendly feelings for her.

The main character in Griboyedov's comedy is not stupid, witty, eloquent. A lover of ridicule of stupid people, Chatsky was a liberal who did not want to bend to his superiors and serve the highest ranks. That is why he did not serve in the army and was not an official, which was rare for the era of that time and his pedigree.

Famusov is an older man with gray hair at the temples, a nobleman. For his age he is very cheerful and fresh. Pavel Afanasyevich is a widower, his only child is Sophia, 17 years old.

The official is in the civil service, he is rich, but at the same time flighty. Famusov without hesitation pesters his own maids. His character is explosive and restless. Pavel Afanasyevich is grumpy, but with the right people, he knows how to show proper politeness. An example of this is his communication with the colonel, to whom Famusov wants to marry his daughter. For the sake of his goal, he is ready to do anything. Submission, servility before ranks and servility are characteristic of him. He also values society’s opinion of himself and his family. The official does not like to read and does not consider education to be something very important.

Sophia is the daughter of a wealthy official. Pretty and educated in the best rules of the Moscow nobility. Left early without her mother, but under the care of the governess Madame Rosier, she reads French books, dances and plays the piano. Sophia is a fickle girl, flighty and easily attracted to young men. At the same time, she is gullible and very naive.

During the course of the play, it is clear that she does not notice that Molchalin does not love her and is with her because of his own benefits. Her father calls her a disgrace and a shameless woman, but Sophia herself considers herself an intelligent and not a cowardly young lady.

Famusov's secretary, who lives in their house, is a single young man from a very poor family. Molchalin received his noble title only during his service, which was considered acceptable in those days. For this, Famusov periodically calls him rootless.

The hero's surname perfectly matches his character and temperament. He doesn't like to talk. Molchalin is a limited and very stupid person. He behaves modestly and quietly, respects rank and tries to please everyone around him. He does this solely for profit.

Alexey Stepanovich never expresses his opinion, due to which those around him consider him quite a handsome young man. In fact, he is vile, unprincipled and cowardly. At the end of the comedy, it becomes clear that Molchalin is in love with the maid Liza. Having confessed this to her, he receives a portion of righteous anger from Sophia, but his characteristic sycophancy allows him to remain in the service of her father further.

Skalozub is a minor hero of the comedy; he is a lack of initiative colonel who wants to become a general.

Pavel Afanasyevich classifies Skalozub as one of the eligible Moscow bachelors. In Famusov’s opinion, a rich officer with weight and status in society is a good match for his daughter. Sophia herself did not like him. In the work, the image of Skalozub is collected in separate phrases. Sergei Sergeevich joins Chatsky’s speech with absurd reasoning. They betray his ignorance and lack of education.

Maid Lisa

Lizanka is an ordinary servant in Famus’s house, but at the same time she occupies a fairly high place among other literary characters, and she is given quite a lot of different episodes and descriptions. The author describes in detail what Lisa does and what and how she says. She forces other characters in the play to confess their feelings, provokes them to certain actions, pushes them to various decisions that are important for their lives.

Mr. Repetilov appears in the fourth act of the work. This is a minor but bright character in the comedy, invited to Famusov’s ball on the occasion of his daughter Sophia’s name day. His image characterizes a person who chooses the easy path in life.

Zagoretsky

Anton Antonovich Zagoretsky is a secular reveler without ranks and honors, but he knows how and loves to be invited to all receptions. Due to your gift - to be pleasing to the court.

Hurrying to be in the center of events, “as if” from the outside, the secondary hero A.S. Griboedov, Anton Antonovich, himself, finds himself invited to an evening at the Faustuvs’ house. From the very first seconds of the action with his person, it becomes clear that Zagoretsky is still a “frame”.

Madame Khlestova is also one of the minor characters in the comedy, but still her role is very colorful. This is a woman of advanced years. She is 65 years old. She has a Spitz dog and a dark-skinned maid - a blackamoor. Khlestova is aware of the latest gossip of the court and willingly shares her own life stories, in which she easily talks about other characters in the work.

Composition and storylines of the comedy "Woe from Wit"

When writing the comedy “Woe from Wit,” Griboyedov used a technique characteristic of this genre. Here we can see a classic plot where two men are vying for the hand of one girl at once. Their images are also classic: one is modest and respectful, the second is educated, proud and confident in his own superiority. True, in the play Griboyedov placed accents in the characters’ characters a little differently, making Molchalin, and not Chatsky, sympathetic to that society.

For several chapters of the play there is a background description of life in the Famusovs’ house, and only in the seventh scene does the beginning of the love plot begin. A fairly detailed long description during the play tells about just one day. The long-term development of events is not described here. There are two storylines in the comedy. These are conflicts: love and social.

Each of the images described by Griboyedov is multifaceted. Even Molchalin is interesting, towards whom the reader already develops an unpleasant attitude, but he does not cause obvious disgust. It's interesting to watch him in various episodes.

In the play, despite the adoption of fundamental structures, there are certain deviations to construct the plot, and it is clearly evident that the comedy was written at the junction of three literary eras: flourishing romanticism, emerging realism and dying classicism.

Griboedov's comedy "Woe from Wit" gained its popularity not only for the use of classical plot techniques in a non-standard framework, it reflected obvious changes in society, which were then just emerging and taking their first sprouts.

The work is also interesting because it is strikingly different from all other works written by Griboyedov.

The main characters of Griboyedov's play "Woe from Wit":

Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov - manager in a government place. Not averse to being dragged along by young, pretty maids. “Grumpy, restless, quick.” He makes it clear to his daughter that poor people are not a match for her, he intends to marry her to a rich man. He is “an old English club, a faithful member to the grave.” He does not welcome education, he sees everything evil in it.

Learning is the plague, learning is the reason,

What is now, more than ever,

There were crazy people, deeds, and opinions.

Sofya Pavlovna - his daughter. In love with Molchalin. She even worries about him when he fell off his horse. An ordinary Moscow young lady, educated at home. Reads books in French, plays the piano.

Lizanka – a maid, a lively girl, capable of finding a way out of a sensitive, difficult situation. He loves Famusov's servant Petrusha. He tries not to let the gentlemen near him, although he is not rude.

Alexey Stepanovich Molchalin, Famusov's secretary is a nobleman from an impoverished family, a young man living in Famusov's house. He pretends to be in love with Sophia, hoping to marry her and receive a rich dowry. His surname characterizes him fully. He realized long ago that in order to survive and achieve something

At my age I shouldn't dare

Have your own judgment.

Naive Sophia endows Molchalin with qualities that he does not have. Chatsky sneers at him:

Have you not yet broken the silence of the seal?

There were songs where there were new notebooks

He sees and pesters: please write it off.

However, he will reach the known degrees,

After all, nowadays they love the dumb.

Molchalin confesses to the maid Liza that he loves her. But there is little truth in this either. He harasses a serf girl at the call of nature, knowing that nothing will happen to him for this sin. Quiet Molchalin is cunning. As they say, there are devils in still waters. He doesn't love anyone, but only pretends to be in love in front of the girls.

When Sophia characterizes Molchalin in front of Chatsky, he sees this characterization as a caricature and comes to the conclusion that Sophia does not love Molchalin

He served under his father for three years,

He is often pointlessly angry,

And he will disarm him with silence,

From the kindness of his soul he will forgive;

He is finally: compliant, modest, quiet,

Not a shadow of worry in his face

And there are no wrongdoings in my soul.

Everyone who characterizes Molchalin notes his silence and ability to find an approach to everyone. Chatsky compares Molchalin with Zagoretsky, a famous swindler.

Alexander Andreevich Chatsky returned from a trip and immediately came to Famusov’s house, where Sophia lives - the object of his love and long dreams. His credo is “I would be glad to serve, but being served is sickening.” Sophia notes his wit, turning into sarcasm:

He's nice

He knows how to make everyone laugh;

He chats and jokes.

However, characterizing Chatsky Skalozuba, Famusov notes:

But if you wanted, it would be businesslike,

It's a pity, it's a pity, he's small in the head;

And he writes and translates well.

Colonel Skalozub, Sergei Sergeevich -“And a golden bag, and aims to become a general.” A typical soldier, talking only about military topics.

Famous person, respectable,

And he picked up signs of darkness;

Beyond his years and enviable rank,

Not today, tomorrow General.

Famusov wriggles like a snake in front of Skalozub, tries to please him, dreams in the depths of his soul to marry his daughter to him.

Natalya Dmitrievna, young lady loves her husband. Not stupid. She has her husband firmly in her hands, decides everything and even answers for him in conversations.

Platon Mikhailovich - her husband is a retired officer. “Now, brother, I’m not the same...”. Submitting to his wife's cares, he gets bored.

Chatsky remarks to him:

Certainly, you became not the same in a short time;

Wasn't it last year, at the end,

Did I know you in the regiment? only morning: foot in the stirrup

And you rush around on a greyhound stallion;

The autumn wind blows, either from the front or from the rear.

Parsley - Famusov's servant. Judging by the words of Famusov himself:

Parsley, you are always with new clothes,

With a torn elbow, -

Petrushka is a clumsy and slow-witted fellow.

Prince Tugoukhovsky - Moreover, he is still deaf. Uses a hearing aid.

The princess, his wife, with six daughters - they go to receptions to find grooms for their daughters. Having learned that Chatsky is poor and does not serve, they refuse to invite him to dinner.

Countess grandmother - speaks with a German accent.

Countess granddaughter - Evil, the girls have been around for a century, God will forgive her.

Anton Antonovich Zagoretsky - he serves as a continuation of Molchalin. Through him, Griboedov shows that sooner or later Molchalin will become the same. He will try to please his superiors on the career ladder, but if possible, he will try to deceive.

With it, beware: endure too much,

And don’t play cards: he’ll sell you.

He is a liar, a gambler, a thief.

But people tolerate him, knowing his deceitful nature, because Zagoretsky is a master of service and is sometimes very useful.

Old woman Khlestova, sister-in-law of Famusov.

And auntie? all girl, Minerva?

All maid of honor to Catherine the First?

Is the house full of pupils and mosquitoes?

Sticks to the old ways. Typical Moscow lady.

city N*. and city D* – local gossip. The casual phrase Sophia threw out was picked up and spread.

Repetilov — positions himself with future revolutionaries, but he himself only knows how to chat. The poem was written in 1822-1824, when revolutionary sentiments were ripening in the minds of the progressive nobility. Repetilov makes it clear to Chatsky that he participates in such meetings. Repetilov’s remarks expressed Griboedov’s attitude towards such meetings. “In 1824-1825, he was spiritually completely alien to political interests...” He did not support the desire of the Decembrists to overthrow the existing system, and did not believe in the possibility of such an overthrow of the autocracy.

Please be silent, I gave my word to be silent.

We have a society and secret meetings,

On Thursdays. The most secret alliance...

Repetilov clearly does not shine with intelligence, talking left and right about secret meetings at which he happens to be present and inviting people to them, who are essentially random. And there were quite a few such random people, loudmouths who only knew how to argue over a bottle of champagne, in Russian secret societies on the eve of the December uprising.

Chatsky’s responses to Repetilov express Griboyedov’s attitude towards these meetings:

These are emergency measures,

To drive away both you and your secrets.

At the end of the play, all the secrets and all the intrigues of the work are revealed. Chatsky finds out who Sophia is in love with. The baseness of Molchalin’s soul is revealed to Sophia, who, taking advantage of the darkness, quietly slipped away to his room. Chatsky finds out who he should thank for the fact that everyone declared him crazy. Upset and disappointed, he leaves Moscow.

Minor characters in the play “Woe from Wit”:

Gorichi.

Khryumins.

several talking servants.

Lots of guests of all sorts and their lackeys on their way out.

Famusov's waiters.