25 fools to 1 sane person. The problem of the mind in the comedy "Woe from Wit

“In my comedy there are 25 fools for one sane person,” wrote A.S. Griboyedov Katenina. In this statement of the author, the main problem of "Woe from Wit" is clearly indicated - the problem of mind and stupidity. It is also placed in the title of the play, which should also be paid close attention. This problem is much deeper than it might seem at first glance, and therefore it requires a detailed analysis.

The comedy "Woe from Wit" was cutting edge for its time. It was accusatory, like all classic comedies. But the problems of the work "Woe from Wit", the problems of the noble society of that time are presented in a wider range. This became possible due to the use of several artistic methods by the author: classicism, realism and romanticism.

It is known that initially Griboyedov called his work "Woe to the Wit", but soon changed this title to "Woe from Wit". Why did this change take place? The fact is that the first name contained a moralizing note, emphasizing that in the noble society of the 19th century, every intelligent person would endure persecution. This did not quite correspond to the artistic intent of the playwright. Griboedov wanted to show that an extraordinary mind, progressive ideas of a particular person may be out of time and harm their owner. The second name was able to fully implement this task.

The main conflict of the play is the confrontation between the "current century" and the "past century", old and new. In the disputes between Chatsky and representatives of the old Moscow nobility, a system of views of one and the other side on education, culture, in particular on the problem of language (a mixture of “French and Nizhny Novgorod”), family values, questions of honor and conscience emerges. It turns out that Famusov, as a representative of the "past century", believes that the most valuable thing in a person is his money and position in society. Most of all, he admires the ability to "serve" for the sake of acquiring material benefits or respect for the world. A lot has been done by Famusov and people like him to create a good reputation among the nobles. Therefore, Famusov is only concerned about what will be said about him in the world.

Such is Molchalin, even though he is a representative of the younger generation. He blindly follows the outdated ideals of the feudal landlords. Having an opinion and defending it is an unaffordable luxury. After all, you can lose respect in society. “You shouldn’t dare to have your own judgment in mine,” is the life credo of this hero. He is a worthy student of Famusov. And with his daughter Sophia, he plays a love game only to curry favor with the girl's influential father.

Absolutely all the heroes of Woe from Wit, with the exception of Chatsky, have the same ailments: dependence on the opinions of others, passion for ranks and money. And these ideals are alien and disgusting to the protagonist of the comedy. He prefers to serve "the cause, not the persons." When Chatsky appears in Famusov's house and begins to angrily denounce the foundations of the noble society with his speeches, the Famusov society declares the accuser crazy, thereby disarming him. Chatsky expresses progressive ideas, pointing out to aristocrats the need to change their views. They see in the words of Chatsky a threat to their comfortable existence, their habits. A hero called insane ceases to be dangerous. Fortunately, he is alone, and therefore simply expelled from society, where he is not pleasing. It turns out that Chatsky, being in the wrong place at the wrong time, throws the seeds of reason into the soil, which is not ready to accept and nurture them. The mind of the hero, his thoughts and moral principles turn against him.

Here the question arises: did Chatsky lose in the fight for justice? It can be assumed that this is a lost battle, but not a lost war. Very soon, the ideas of Chatsky will be supported by the progressive youth of that time, and "the meanest traits of the past life" will be overthrown.

Reading Famusov's monologues, watching the intrigues carefully weaved by Molchalin, one cannot at all say that these heroes are stupid. But their mind is qualitatively different from the mind of Chatsky. Representatives of the Famus society are accustomed to dodge, adapt, curry favor. This is a practical, worldly mind. And Chatsky has a completely new mindset, forcing him to defend his ideals, sacrifice his personal well-being, and certainly not allowing him to gain any benefit through useful connections, as the nobles of that time used to do.

Among the criticism that fell upon the comedy "Woe from Wit" after it was written, there were opinions that Chatsky could not be called an intelligent person either. For example, Katenin believed that Chatsky "talks a lot, scolds everything and preaches inappropriately." Pushkin, after reading the list of the play brought to him at Mikhailovskoye, spoke of the main character as follows: “The first sign of an intelligent person is to know at first glance who you are dealing with and not to throw pearls in front of the Repetilovs ...”

Indeed, Chatsky is presented as very quick-tempered and somewhat tactless. He appears in a society where he was not invited, and begins to denounce and teach everyone, not embarrassed in expressions. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that “his speech boils with wit,” as I.A. wrote. Goncharov.

Such a variety of opinions, up to the presence of diametrically opposed ones, is explained by the complexity and diversity of the problems of Griboedov's Woe from Wit. It should also be noted that Chatsky is a spokesman for the ideas of the Decembrists, he is a true citizen of his country, opposing serfdom, cringing, the dominance of everything foreign. It is known that the Decembrists were faced with the task of expressing their ideas directly, wherever they were. Therefore, Chatsky acts in accordance with the principles of the advanced man of his time.

It turns out that there are no outright fools in comedy. It's just that two opposing sides are fighting for their understanding of the mind. However, the mind can be opposed not only to stupidity. The opposite of mind can be madness. Why does society declare Chatsky crazy?

The assessment of critics and readers can be anything, but the author himself shares the position of Chatsky. This is important to consider when trying to understand the artistic intent of the play. Chatsky's worldview is the views of Griboedov himself. Therefore, a society that rejects the ideas of enlightenment, individual freedom, service to the cause, and not subservience, is a society of fools. Being afraid of a smart person, calling him crazy, the nobility characterizes itself, demonstrating its fear of the new.

The problem of the mind, brought out by Griboedov in the title of the play, is the key one. All clashes that take place between the obsolete foundations of life and the progressive ideas of Chatsky should be considered from the point of view of opposing intelligence and stupidity, intelligence and madness.

Thus, Chatsky is not at all insane, and the society in which he finds himself is not so stupid. It's just that the time of people like Chatsky, spokesmen for new views on life, has not yet come. They are in the minority, so they are forced to suffer defeat.

Artwork test

A.S. Comedy Test Griboyedov "Woe from Wit"

1.A. S. Griboyedov wrote: “In my comedy, there are 25 fools for one sane person, and this person, of course, is at odds with the society that surrounds him” . Who did the writer mean: a. Skalozuba b) Molchalin c) Chatsky d) Sophia

2. "Signed, so off your shoulders" a). Sofia b). Chatsky c). Molchalin d). Famusov e). Gorich j). Skalozub h). Repetilov

3. Each image of a comedy reflects the concrete historical essence of the real social types of its era. Match the actors of the comedy and the speech samples: “... To give ranks - there are many channels ».

a).

4. Each image of a comedy reflects the concrete historical essence of the real social types of its era. Match the actors of the comedy and the speech samples: “What about our old people? Not that novelties were introduced - never, God save us! No. And they will find fault with this, that, and more often nothing, they will argue, make some noise, and ... disperse.

a).

5. Each image of a comedy reflects the concrete historical essence of the real social types of its era. Match the actors of the comedy and the speech samples: “He didn’t utter a smart word.”

a). Sofia b). Chatsky c). Molchalin d). Famusov e).Gorich g).Skalozub h).Repetilov

6. Each image of a comedy reflects the concrete historical essence of the real social types of its era. Match the actors of the comedy and the speech samples: “Tell me to the fire: I’ll go as if for dinner” . a). Sofia b) Chatsky c) Molchalin d) Famusov e) Gorich g) Skalozub h) Repetilov

7. Each image of a comedy reflects the concrete historical essence of the real social types of its era. Match the actors of the comedy and the speech samples: “Out of boredom, you will whistle the same ».

a). Sofia b) Chatsky c) Molchalin d) Famusov e) Gorich g) Skalozub h) Repetilov

8. Each image of a comedy reflects the concrete historical essence of the real social types of its era. Match the actors of the comedy and the speech samples: "Yes, a smart person cannot but be a rogue."

a). Sofia b) Chatsky c) Molchalin d) Famusov e) Gorich g) Skalozub h) Repetilov

9. Each image of a comedy reflects the concrete historical essence of the real social types of its era. Match the actors of the comedy and the speech patterns:"What is my rumor?" a). Sofia b) Chatsky c) Molchalin d) Famusov e) Gorich g) Skalozub h) Repetilov

10. Aphorism is: a) artistic justification of the actions of the heroes. b). a short saying containing a complete philosophical thought, worldly wisdom or moralizing. c) part of the vocabulary, words and phrases used in the past to refer to any objects, to create historical flavor.

11. Analyzing the speech characteristics of the heroes of the comedy "Woe from Wit", determine which "words and phrases" correspond to the characters of A. S. Griboyedov: servility, prejudice, to a free life, the smoke of the fatherland a).

12. Analyzing the speech characteristics of the heroes of the comedy "Woe from Wit", determine which "words and phrases" correspond to the characters of A. S. Griboyedov: cracked, headlong, faint, gave a blunder, sergeant major, bruised. a).Lisa b) Chatsky c) Molchalin d) Khlestova e) Skalozub

13. Analyzing the speech characteristics of the heroes of the comedy "Woe from Wit", determine which "words and phrases" correspond to the characters of A. S. Griboyedov: two-s; still-with; sorry, for God's sake; face, angel

14. Analyzing the speech characteristics of the heroes of the comedy "Woe from Wit", determine which "words and phrases" correspond to the characters of A. S. Griboyedov:Passed by, pokudova, they call, repose, I will report to me, sir.

a) Lisa b) Chatsky c) Molchalin d) Khlestova e) Skalozub

15. Analyzing the speech characteristics of the heroes of the comedy "Woe from Wit", determine which "words and phrases" correspond to the characters of A. S. Griboyedov: trudge, beaten hour, tore by the ears, it's time to go crazy.

a) Lisa b) Chatsky c) Molchalin d) Khlestova e) Skalozub Answers:

1.in; 2.g; 3.d; 4.g; 5.a; 6.b; 7.d; 8.h; 9.a; 10.b; 11.b; 12.d; 13.c; 14.a; 15.g;


Everyone who has read the work of A.S. Griboyedov should understand it and conduct a little analysis, because few people are able to answer the question unambiguously ...

What is stupidity? Stupidity is an act, and an act is born from a goal, and in the work of A.S. Griboyedov. Each hero is driven by his own goal, his own dream, and everyone has his own purpose, but these “25 fools” must be united by something, but they are united by their love for money, the desire for rank and mutual responsibility. And how can I call these people stupid? No, they are corrupt, careerists, greedy people to the point of horror, but they are not stupid.

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It is possible that they do not have a soul and there, in the soul, they are completely empty and uneducated than, like the main character - Chatsky, who is smart and constantly "hungry for knowledge." All of them, although they did not build this terrible system, where everything rests on assent and money, but they settled down perfectly there, and that means something.

The author's position is clear. The author believes that a person should be guided by intangible benefits, and he should not strive for rank or honor, as only the only character in the poetic comedy, Chatsky, did. He went against this society and that is why he became the first "superfluous person" in Russian literature. The author points out that everyone around him is stupid. I fully agree with the author’s position that true goals should not be material, but exactly “25 fools” don’t think so, Famusov says: “God bless you and the rank of general”, each of the characters is so crazy about money and ranks that perhaps they can be called fools, but stupidity is a multifaceted word. I'm not afraid to call Chatsky stupid, he could have guessed that it was completely pointless to retrain the Famus society. He only throws pearls in front of the pigs, but still tries, Chatsky says: “I would be glad to serve, it’s sickening to serve.” It can be called naive or stupid, there are no more facets. Emotions, goals, dreams, money, love… everything is mixed up in this work. Someone is stupid in soul, someone in their head, and someone is simply naive, like Chatsky.

In that little world of Griboyedov. Everyone took up arms against Chatsky and shamed him for not being like everyone else. He does not believe in all these riches and ranks, he believes in love. We are used to judging people by their actions, by the result, although he did not achieve his love - Sophia, he left with dignity, he left with a phrase that future generations will remember, Chatsky exclaimed: “Carriage for me, carriage!”. In conclusion, I would like to say that

Chatsky is the only character who was smart, but as a paradox, he really didn't understand what was going on and how to deal with it all.

Updated: 2018-05-07

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A.S.Griboyedov. "Woe from Wit". Grade 9

1. Which ideological and aesthetic direction, artistic method can be attributed to the comedy of A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit":

1. enlightenment realism 2. romanticism

3. critical realism 4. classicism

2. A.S. Griboyedov wrote: “In my comedy there are 25 fools per sane person, and this person, of course, is in contradiction with the society surrounding him.” Who did the writer mean?

1. Skalozub 2. Molchalin 3. Chatsky 4. Sofia

3. Each image of a comedy reflects the concrete historical essence of the real social types of its era. Match existing Comedy Faces and Speech Samples:

1. “Well, ball! .. Some freaks from the next world. And there’s no one to talk to, and no one to dance with”, “Signed, so off my shoulders”, “No rest, I’m rushing around like crazy”, “On Tuesday I’m called for trout”

2. “Three sazhens daring”, “... To give ranks - there are many channels”, “I am the prince - Grigory and you will give the Feldwebel in Voltaire ...”, “He did not utter a clever word from his birth”

3. “And our old men?? Not that novelties were introduced - never, God save us! No. And they will find fault with this, that, and more often nothing, they will argue, make some noise, and ... disperse "

4. “Huh? hm? And - hmm?

5. “What is rumor to me?”, “You know that I don’t value myself”

6. “Tell me into the fire: I’ll go like for dinner”, “Sobered up ... in full”

1. Chatsky 2. Repetilov 3. Skalozub

4. Sophia 5. Prince Tugoukhovsky 6. Famusov

4. Aphorism is:

1. Artistic rationale for the actions of the characters.

2. A short saying containing a complete philosophical thought, worldly wisdom or moralizing.

3. Part of the vocabulary, words and phrases used in the past to refer to any objects, to create a historical flavor.

5. Which of the characters owns the following expressions, which have become aphorisms:

1. “The legend is fresh, but hard to believe”, “The houses are new, but the prejudices are old”, “And who are the judges?”

2. “I don’t dare to advise you”, “I scared you, forgive me, for God’s sake”

3. “Happy hours are not observed”, “Walked into the room, got into another”, “Not a man, a snake”, “The hero is not my novel”

1. Chatsky 2. Sofia 3. Molchalin

6. Determine which words and phrases correspond to the characters of the comedy:

1. "Slavery", "prejudices", "towards a free life", "tea", "colitis", "smoke of the fatherland"

2. “Cracked”, “reckless”, “faint”, “gave a blunder”, “fedfebel”, “bruised”.

3. “Two-s”, “still-s”, “forgive me, for God's sake”, “face”, “angel”.

4. “Passed”, “pokudova”, “they call”, “rested”, “I will report”, “to me”.

5. "To drag", "the hour is broken", "by the ears diral", "it's time to go crazy."

1. Skalozub 2. Chatsky 3. Liza 4. Khlestova 5. Molchalin

7. Composition is:

1. An episode of a literary work.

2. Organization of individual elements, parts and images of a work of art.

3. The main question posed in a literary work.

4. Collision, confrontation of characters.

8. Genre originality of the work of A.S. Griboedov expressed in the definition of the genre:

1. Comedy 2. Tragedy 3. Tragicomedy

9. Critical article "Million of torment" wrote:

1. D.I. Pisarev 2. V.G. Belinsky

3. I.A. Goncharov 4. N.A. Dobrolyubov

A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit". Key.

    1 - Famusov, 2 - Skalozub, 3 - Repetilov, 4 - Prince Tugoukhovsky, 5 - Sophia, 6 - Chatsky.

    1 - Chatsky, 2 - Molchalin, 3 - Sophia.

    1 - Chatsky, 2 - Skalozub, 3 - Molchalin, 4 - Liza, 5 - Khlestova.

Clash of Minds


... in my comedy 25 fools to one sane person;
and this person is, of course, in conflict with the society around him,
no one understands him, no one wants to forgive him, why is he a little higher than the others.

A. Griboedov, “Letter to P. A. Katenin”


The term "antithesis" comes from the Greek antithesis - opposition. This is a stylistic figure based on a sharp opposition of images and concepts. For the writers of the 19th century, the very fact of replacing one antithesis with another was significant, signifying a shift in the consciousness of the writer, although the semantic contrast itself is not eliminated: “We are shamefully indifferent to good and evil”; “And we hate, and we love by chance” (“Duma”, M. Lermontov).

Already in the title: "Woe from Wit", there is a hint of antithesis 'because sound thinking does not allow the mind, intelligence to bring grief. In the artistic images of "Woe from Wit" Griboyedov reflected the objective truth of life, created a typical image of a "new man" - a public Protestant and a fighter, in the typical circumstances of his controversial historical time. The success of Woe from Wit, which appeared on the eve of the Decembrist uprising, was extremely great. “There is no end to the thunder, noise, admiration, curiosity,” Griboyedov himself described the atmosphere of friendly attention, love and support that surrounded the comedy and its author by advanced Russian people of the twenties.

According to Pushkin, the comedy "produced an indescribable effect and suddenly put Griboyedov along with our first poets." In world literature, one can not find many works that, like "Woe from Wit", in a short time would gain such undoubted nationwide fame. At the same time, contemporaries fully felt the socio-political relevance of comedy, perceiving it as a topical work of new literature that was emerging in Russia, which set as its main task the development of “own wealth” (that is, the material of national history and modern Russian life) with its own original, not borrowed means.

The plot of "Woe from Wit" was based on the dramatic conflict between the stormy collision of the intelligent, noble and freedom-loving hero with the inert environment of reactionaries surrounding him. This conflict depicted by Griboyedov was vitally truthful, historically reliable. From a young age, moving in the circle of advanced Russian people who embarked on the path of struggle against the world of autocracy and serfdom, living in the interests of these people, sharing their views and beliefs, Griboedov had the opportunity to closely and daily observe the most important, characteristic and exciting phenomenon of the social life of his time. - the struggle of two worldviews, two ideologies, two ways of life, two generations. Using the diverse possibilities of antithesis, he solved political, social, and purely human problems, typical of that time, with a work of art. After the Patriotic War of 1812, during the years of the formation and rise of the socio-political and general cultural movement of the noble Decembrist revolutionaries, the struggle of the new - emerging and developing, with the old - obsolete and hindering progress, was most sharply expressed in the form of just such an open clash between young heralds of "free life" and militant guardians of the Old Testament, reactionary orders, which are depicted in "Woe from Wit". Griboyedov himself in a widely known, constantly quoted letter to P. A. Katenin (January 1825) with the utmost clarity revealed the content and ideological meaning of the dramatic conflict underlying Woe from Wit: “... in my comedy there are 25 fools on one sane person; and this person, of course, is in contradiction with the society surrounding him, no one understands him, no one wants to forgive him, why is he a little higher than the others.

And further, Griboedov shows how systematically and uncontrollably, more and more aggravated, the “contradiction” between Chatsky and the Famus society is growing; how this society anathematizes Chatsky, which is in the nature of a political denunciation - Chatsky is publicly declared a troublemaker, carbonarius, a person who encroaches on the "legitimate" state and social system; how, finally, the voice of universal hatred spreads vile gossip about Chatsky's madness. “At first he is cheerful, and this is a vice: “Joke and joke for a century, how will you become!” - Slightly goes over the oddities of former acquaintances, what to do if they do not have the noblest noticeable feature! His mockery is not caustic until he is enraged, but still: “I am glad to humiliate, prick, envious! proud and angry!" Does not tolerate meanness: “ah! oh my god, he's a carbonari." Someone out of malice invented about him that he was crazy, no one believed him and everyone repeats, the voice of general unkindness even reaches him, moreover, the dislike for him of that girl for whom he was the only one who came to Moscow is completely explained to him, he tells her and spat in the eyes of all, and was like that.” Griboyedov told in his comedy about what happened in a Moscow house in one day. But what breadth in this story! It has the spirit of the time, the spirit of history. Griboyedov, as it were, pushed apart the walls of the Famusov house and showed the whole life of the noble society of his era - with the contradictions that torn this society, the boiling of passions, the enmity of generations, the struggle of ideas. Within the framework of the dramatic picture of the hero’s encounter with the environment, Griboedov included the huge socio-historical theme of a turning point that has become apparent in life, the theme of the boundary of two eras - the “current century” and the “past century”.

As his "rootless" secretary of Famusov, Molchalin, is accepted in this world. In his face, Griboyedov created an exceptionally expressive generalized image of a scoundrel and a cynic, "a low worshiper and a businessman", still a petty scoundrel, who, however, will be able to reach "known degrees". The whole lackey "philosophy of life" of this bureaucrat and sycophant, who does not dare to "have his own judgment", is revealed in his famous confession: My father bequeathed to me:

First, to please all people without exception -
The owner, where he happens to live,
The boss with whom I will serve,
To his servant who cleans dresses,
Doorman, janitor, to avoid evil,
The janitor's dog, so that it was affectionate.

Griboedov's gallery of typical images of old-noble, lordly Moscow created by Griboyedov also includes those who do not directly act in the comedy, but are only mentioned in the cursory descriptions given to them by the characters. Among them are such bright, embossed, finished images as the "black-faced" regular at all balls and dinners, and the theater serf-owner, and the obscurantist member of the "Scientific Committee", and the deceased chamberlain Kuzma Petrovich, and the influential old woman Tatyana Yuryevna, and the impudent "Frenchman from Bordeaux, and club friends of Repetilov, and many others - up to Princess Marya Aleksevna, the guardian of public opinion in the Famus world, whose name the comedy ends with. All these faces do not appear on the stage, but nevertheless they are very important for the disclosure of the content of "Woe from Wit" - and this is one of the innovative features of the comedy. By portraying Chatsky as a smart and noble man, a man of “lofty thoughts” and advanced convictions, a herald of “free life” and a zealot of Russian national identity, Griboedov solved the problem of creating the image of a positive hero that faced progressive Russian literature of the twenties. The tasks of civic, ideologically directed and socially effective literature, as the writer understood the Decembrist trend, were not at all reduced to a satirical denunciation of the orders and mores of serf society. This literature set itself other, no less important goals: to serve as a means of revolutionary social and political education, to arouse love for the "public good" and inspire the fight against despotism. This literature was supposed not only to stigmatize vices, but also to praise civic virtues. Griboyedov responded to both of these demands put forward by life itself and the course of the liberation struggle.

Returning to the remarkably correct thought of D. I. Pisarev that in Woe from Wit an almost scientific analysis of the Russian historical reality of the Decembrist era is given, it should be emphasized for complete clarity that Griboedov entered history and into our life, nevertheless, not as a scientific researcher and not as a thinker, though remarkable, but as a poet of genius. Studying reality as an inquisitive analyst, he reflected it as an artist, moreover, as a bold innovator. He painted his accurate and reliable picture, using the techniques, means and colors of the artistic image. He embodied the meaning of what he noticed and studied in artistic images. And because of this, the picture of ideological life he drew in the Decembrist era turned out to be much brighter, deeper, more voluminous than even the most attentive research scientist could do.

D. I. Pisarev argued that “Griboyedov, in his analysis of Russian life, reached that extreme limit beyond which a poet cannot go without ceasing to be a poet and without turning into a research scientist.” And in this regard, Pisarev quite rightly noted that in order for a writer, a poet to be able to draw such a reliable and accurate historical picture, he “needs to be not only an attentive observer, but also, in addition, a wonderful thinker; it is necessary to choose from the diversity of faces, thoughts, words, joys, sorrows, stupidities and meanness that surrounds you exactly what concentrates the whole meaning of this era, which leaves its mark on the whole mass of secondary phenomena, which squeezes into its framework and modifies with its influence all other branches of private and public life. Indeed, Griboedov fulfilled such an enormous task for Russia in the 1920s.

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