Genre "Woe from Wit". Comedy in verse A

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When analyzing the comedy "Woe from Wit", the genre of the work and its definition causes a lot of difficulties. Being innovative, the comedy "Woe from Wit" by A.S. Griboyedova destroyed and rejected many of the principles of classicism. Like the traditional classicist play, Woe From Wit is based on a love affair. However, in parallel with it, a social conflict is developing. It raises questions of bribery, honor, hypocrisy, contempt for intelligence and education, careerism. Therefore, it is not possible to clearly identify the kind of comedy "Woe from Wit". It intertwines traits and comedies of characters, and everyday comedy, and public satire.

Often there are even disputes about whether the comedy "Woe from Wit". How does the creator define the genre of the play "Woe from Wit"? Griboyedov called his creation a comedy in verse. But her main character is by no means comical. Nevertheless, Woe From Wit has all the hallmarks of a comedy: there are comic characters and comic situations in which they find themselves. For example, Sophia, caught by her father in a room with Molchalin, says that Famusov's secretary happened to be there: “I went into a room, ended up in another”.

Skalozub's silly jokes demonstrate his inner limitation, despite the outward solidity: "We did not serve together with her." Comic is the discrepancy between the characters' opinion of themselves and what they really are. For example, already in the first act, Sophia calls Skalozub stupid, declares that in a conversation he cannot connect two words. Skalozub himself says this about himself: "Yes, in order to get ranks, there are many channels, as a true philosopher I judge about them."

Contemporaries called the play "Woe from Wit" a high comedy, because it raises serious moral and social problems.

However, the traditional possibilities of this genre were not able to fully solve the creative concept of the writer. Therefore, Griboyedov makes significant adjustments to the traditional understanding of comedy.

First, Griboyedov violates the unity of action. In his play, for the first time, two equal conflicts appear: love and social. In addition, in classicism, in the denouement, vice must be defeated by virtue. This does not happen in the play Woe from Wit. Chatsky, if not defeated, is forced to retreat, since he is in the minority and has no chance of winning.

Secondly, the approach to the characters of the comedy is changing. Griboyedov makes them more realistic, abandoning the traditional division into positive and negative characters. Each character here, as in life, is endowed with both positive and negative qualities.

You can also talk about the presence of elements of the dramatic genre in the play. Chatsky is not only not funny, he is also going through a spiritual drama. Being abroad for three years, he dreamed of meeting Sophia, in his dreams he built a happy future with her. But Sophia coldly meets her former lover. She is fascinated by Molchalin. Not only did Chatsky's hopes in love not come true, he also feels superfluous in Famus society, where only money and ranks are valued. Now he is forced to realize that he is forever cut off from the people among whom he was brought up, from the house in which he grew up.

Sophia is also experiencing personal drama. She was sincerely in love with Molchalin, zealously defended him in front of Chatsky, found positive traits in him, but turned out to be cruelly devoted to her lover. Molchalin was with her only out of respect for her father.

Thus, the genre peculiarity of Woe from Wit lies in the fact that the play is a mixture of several genres, the leading of which is the genre of public comedy.

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Griboyedov's comedy "Woe from Wit" has been known to us since childhood, since it has long been included in the school curriculum. In this article, we will talk in more detail about the genre of the work, its main themes and idea, consider the plot, images of the main characters, and also give some of the most popular aphorisms.

About the work

The genre ("Woe from Wit") will be discussed below, but for now let's talk about the history of creation. It is known that Griboyedov began writing the play in 1821. During these years, the writer served in Tiflis, but nevertheless found time to work. In 1823 Griboyedov returned to Moscow, where he completed work on the comedy. Here he read the work for the first time in a circle of friends.

genre

It is rather difficult to define what its genre is. Woe from Wit is an innovative work and violates many of the canonical principles of classicism. Like any traditional play, Woe from Wit is based on a love intrigue, but the main thing is the social conflict developing in parallel. In addition, the play combines everyday comedy, character comedy and social satire, which is unacceptable for classicism.

There are also doubts about whether the work can be called a comedy, as the author described it. After all, the main character is completely atypical and does not cause laughter. On the other hand, there are all the signs of the declared genre - satirical characters and situations.

As a result, modern critics called the work a high comedy, since Griboyedov raises serious social and moral problems in it. And the changes made to the genre by the author are due to the fact that the realization of the idea required more opportunities than the classical tradition allowed.

What's new?

The genre ("Woe from Wit") is considered innovative for a reason. To begin with, the author violated the unity of action in the work. That is, instead of one conflict, as was customary in classicism, Griboyedov depicts two - social and love. Also in the classic comedy, vice is inevitably defeated by virtue, but this does not happen here either. Chatsky is outnumbered and forced to flee.

He also portrays the characters of the Griboyedov in a different way. They are not divided into negative and positive, and are endowed with more realistic features: they have both impartial and positive qualities. For example, Sophia is going through a personal drama, despite the fact that it is difficult to call her a negative character. The girl was sincerely in love with Molchalin.

From all of the above, we can conclude that the originality of the work lies in the fact that it includes several genres, of which public comedy is the leading one.

The meaning of the name

When analyzing the play, it is impossible not to reveal the meaning of the title. "Woe from Wit" is a title that helps the reader understand the main topic that the author wanted to reveal. Namely, he focused on the categories of the mind. To begin with, the name refers us to a Russian folk proverb, which describes the clash between the smart and the stupid, ending with the victory of the latter. Thus, without having read the text yet, we can already predict the outcome.

This conflict between stupidity and intelligence has always been important for classicism. But Griboyedov rethought it. It was not for nothing that contemporaries immediately had a question: who is smart in comedy? Critics agree that two are endowed with this quality - Molchalin and Chatsky. However, he helps the first one to live, and the second one destroys. The point is that we have two types of mind. For Molchalin, he is moderate, worldly, while for Chatsky he is ardent and unadapted to reality. Thus, the meaning of the name ("Woe from Wit") takes on a slightly different meaning. We see that it is not just intelligence that brings unhappiness, but a certain type of mind.

The main character of the work is Alexander Andreevich Chatsky, a nobleman who, after a three-year journey, returns to his beloved Sophia. Thus, first we see the usual love story.

"Woe from Wit" begins with the awakening of Lizonka, who did not get enough sleep because of the night meetings between Sofia and Molchalin, because she had to keep the date a secret. On the same day, the girl recalls her longtime hobby for Chatsky, calling him an intelligent and extraordinary person. However, this was all just a childish hobby, besides, he offended her with his unexpected departure. At this moment, they report on the return of Chatsky.

The young man is glad to meet him and intends to marry Sophia, but she meets him very coldly. Famusov also does not want to give his daughter to a nobleman without a high rank. A controversy flares up about "old" and "new" people.

Gradually, Chatsky begins to suspect that Sophia has another lover. He becomes cold, for which the girl is accused of insensitivity.

Left alone with Lisa, Molchalin flirted with her.

Third and fourth acts: climax and denouement

Griboyedov's comedy Woe from Wit does not give the reader an ideal hero: even Chatsky is portrayed as an imperfect person with his own shortcomings.

So, the main character cannot understand who is sweet to Sophia. He cannot consider Molchalin a candidate, since he is a "miserable creature", incapable of ardent feelings and selflessness. When it turns out that it was he who became the chosen ones of Sophia, Chatsky is disappointed in his beloved.

The protagonist delivers an accusatory monologue about modern society. At the same time, a rumor started up by Sophia that Chatsky is insane is spreading in the world. As a result, the hero is forced to flee from Moscow.

Woe from Wit: Characters

First, let's list the main characters of the comedy.

Let's start, of course, with Alexander Chatsky. He knew Sophia from childhood and was in love with her. But 3 years before the beginning of the action of the comedy, he went on a journey. It is with his return that the beginning of the play and the outset of all conflicts are connected. Chatsky opposes himself to society with all the ardor of youth. But in the end, he is defeated and he has to flee the house he has known since childhood.
Sofya Famusova is a 17-year-old girl who grew up without a mother and was raised by her father. She is selflessly in love with Molchalin and is ready to defend him to the last. Sophia is not stupid, Griboyedov also endowed her with courage and the ability to resist the opinions of others.
Alexey Molchalin - serves as a secretary for Famusov and lives in his house. He is very careful and circumspect, he remembers his low origin. Molchalin knows that Sophia loves him. He does not reciprocate and is willing to pretend for the sake of a good relationship with his employer.
And, finally, Pavel Afanasevich Famusov - Sophia's father, who serves as a manager in a state house. For him, two things are important - rank and opinion of the world. He is very afraid of enlightenment and educated people.

Minor heroes

There are other characters in the play Woe from Wit. The supporting characters can be said to be divided into two groups - they are representatives of the local society and servants. The first are a reflection of social trends. By them one can judge what is going on in the minds of representatives of high society. Griboyedov portrays them as narrow-minded, ossified, stupid conservatives. These include Skalozub, Tugoukhovsky, Khryuminy, Gorichi, and Famusov, the head of the house. The genre ("Woe from Wit") presupposes the presence of a comic beginning, which was embodied in this society.

Servants do not occupy such a significant place. They, as is customary in Russian literature, reflect the character of the people. Among this group, two stand out - Lizonka, Sophia's servant, who helps her to secretly see Molchalin, and Petrushka, who plays the role of a mocker.

Themes of the work

The play has more than one theme. Woe from Wit has a wide range of problems. Griboyedov managed to touch on almost all the problems of his time. That is why the play has been censored for a long time. So, let's list the main themes of the comedy: education and upbringing of the nobles, the cruelty of the landowners, serfdom, senseless bureaucracy, the pursuit of ranks, the struggle of the "old" and "new", Arakcheevism, Frenchmania, liberalism, love for everything foreign. Also, the writer turns to such eternal topics as love, marriage, family, relations between a woman and a man, etc.

Aphorisms from "Woe from Wit"

Quotes from the play have long been loved by readers and "went to the people." Now we can not always even understand that these are words from the work of Griboyedov, we are so used to these expressions.

Here are the most famous ones:

"And the smoke of the Fatherland is sweet and pleasant to us!"
"Happy hours are not observed."
“A little light is already on my feet! And I am at your feet. "
"Carriage to me, carriage!"

Aphorisms from "Woe from Wit" are so popular due to their accuracy and amazing topicality, which has survived to this day.

Contemporaries called the play "Woe from Wit" a high comedy, because it raises serious moral and social problems.

Thus, the genre peculiarity of Woe from Wit lies in the fact that the play is a mixture of several genres, the leading of which is the genre of public comedy.

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The main idea of the work "Woe from Wit" is an illustration of meanness, ignorance and servility before the ranks and traditions, which were opposed by new ideas, genuine culture, freedom and reason. The main character Chatsky appeared in the play as a representative of the very democratic society of young people who threw down an open challenge to conservatives and serf-owners. All these subtleties that raged in social and political life, Griboyedov managed to reflect on the example of the classic comedic love triangle. It is noteworthy that the main part of the work described by the creator takes place within just one day, and the characters themselves by Griboyedov are displayed very vividly.

Many of the writer's contemporaries honored his manuscript with sincere praise and stood up to the tsar for permission to publish the comedy.

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 secular receptions. He was deeply indignant at the attraction of the Russian people to the foreign, after he noticed that the nobility of the city bows before 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 convictions, retorted that Griboyedov was crazy.

The events of that evening formed the basis of the comedy, and Griboyedov 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 Ermolov, 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 sold in the form of lists among the reading population, but it was first published only in 1833, after the petition of the 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's official Famusov. His young daughter Sophia is in love with Famusov's secretary, Molchalin. He is a calculating person, not rich, occupying a small rank.

Knowing about Sophia's passions, he meets with her of convenience. One day, a young nobleman Chatsky, a family friend who has not been to 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 and views. He subservience to the ranks and believes that the young should please the authorities in everything, not express their opinion 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, the invited guests gather in Famusov's house. During the evening, Sophia spreads the rumor that Chatsky has gone mad. Guests, who also do not share his views, actively embrace this idea and unanimously recognize the hero as crazy.

Finding himself a black sheep at the evening, Chatsky is going to leave the Famusovs' house. While waiting for the carriage, he hears the secretary of Famusov confess his feelings to the servant of the masters. Sophia hears this and immediately drives Molchalin out of the house.

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

Heroes of the comedy "Woe from Wit"

This is the main character of Griboyedov's comedy. He is a hereditary nobleman, who owns 300 - 400 souls. Chatsky was left an orphan early, and since his father was a close friend of Famusov, from childhood he was brought up with Sophia in the Famusovs' house. Later he became bored with them, and at first he settled separately, and after that he left to wander around the world altogether.

Since childhood, Chatsky and Sophia were friends, but he had not only friendly feelings for her.

The main character in Griboyedov's comedy is not stupid, witty, eloquent. A lover of ridicule of the stupid, Chatsky was a liberal who did not want to bow before the authorities and serve the higher ranks. That is why he did not serve in the army and was not an official, which is a rarity for the era of that time and his genealogy.

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

The official is in the civil service, he is rich, but at the same time windy. Famusov does not hesitate to stick to his own maids. His character is explosive, restless. Pavel Afanasevich is grumpy, but with the right people, he knows how to show due 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 for anything. Submission, subservience to the ranks and servility are characteristic of him. He also values the opinion of society about himself and his family. The official does not like reading and does not consider education to be something very important.

Sophia is the daughter of a wealthy official. Nice and educated in the best rules of the Moscow nobility. Left early without a mother, but under the care of Madame Rosier's governess, she reads French books, dances and plays the piano. Sophia is a fickle girl, windy and easily carried away by young men. At the same time, she is gullible and very naive.

In 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 her own benefits. Her father calls her a shameless woman, while 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 title of nobility only during the service, which was considered acceptable at that time. For this, Famusov periodically calls him rootless.

The hero's surname, as well as possible, corresponds to his character and temperament. He doesn't like to talk. Molchalin is a narrow-minded and very stupid person. He behaves modestly and quietly, honors ranks and tries to please everyone who is around him. It does it solely for profit.

Alexey Stepanovich never expresses his opinion, due to which those around him consider him to be quite a handsome young man. In fact, he is sneaky, unprincipled and cowardly. At the end of the comedy, it becomes clear that Molchalin is in love with the servant Lisa. Admitting 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 character in the comedy, he is an inactive colonel who wants to become a general.

Pavel Afanasevich refers Skalozub to the category of enviable Moscow suitors. According to Famusov, a wealthy officer who has weight and status in society is a good game 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 ignorance.

The maid Lisa

Lizanka is an ordinary servant in the Famus house, but at the same time she occupies a rather high place among other literary characters, and she has been assigned a lot of different episodes and descriptions. The author describes in detail what Lisa does and what and how she speaks. She makes the other heroes of the play 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 piece. This is a minor, but vivid character of the comedy, invited to the ball to Famusov on the occasion of the birthday of his daughter Sophia. His image characterizes a person who chooses an easy path in life.

Zagoretsky

Anton Antonovich Zagoretsky is a secular revelry without ranks and honors, but who knows how, and loves to be invited to all receptions. At the expense of his gift - to be pleasing to the court.

Hurrying to visit the center of events, "as if" from the outside, the secondary hero A.S. Griboyedov, Anton Antonovich, his own person, is invited to an evening at the Faustuvs' house. From the very first seconds of the action, it becomes clear with his persona - Zagoretsky is still a "shot".

Madame Khlestova is also one of the minor characters in the comedy, but her role is still very colorful. This is a woman of advanced years. She is 65 years old. She has a Pomeranian dog and a dark-skinned maid - arap. Khlestova is aware of the latest gossip of the court and willingly shares her own stories from life, 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 storyline where two men compete 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 character of the heroes in a slightly different way, making it attractive for that society, namely Molchalin, and not Chatsky.

For several chapters of the play, there is a background description of life in the Famusovs' house, and only in the seventh phenomenon does the plot of a love story begin. A rather detailed long description in the course of the play tells only about one day. Long-term development of events is not described here. There are two plot lines in the comedy. These are conflicts: love and social.

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

In the play, despite taking the fundamental constructions, there are certain deviations for building the plot, and it can be clearly seen that the comedy was written at the junction of three literary eras at once: flourishing romanticism, nascent realism and dying classicism.

Griboyedov's comedy "Woe from Wit" gained its popularity not only for the use of classical plotting techniques in a non-standard framework for them, it reflected the obvious changes in society, which were then just emerging and sprouting.

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

Comedy is the color of civilization, the fruit of a developed public. To understand the comic, one must be at a high level of education.
V. G. Belinsky

According to the genre "Woe from Wit" is a social (ideological) satirical comedy. The theme of this work is an image of a socially significant collision of the "present century", which wants to replace the old social order, to correct the mores of society, and the "past century", afraid of any social changes, because these changes really threaten its well-being. That is, the comedy describes the clash of the progressive and reactionary nobility. The named social contradiction is fundamental for the era that followed the Patriotic War of 1812, which exposed many of the fundamental vices of Russian society. First of all, these were, of course, absolutism, serfdom, bureaucracy, cosmopolitanism.

"Woe from Wit" is an ideological comedy, since Griboyedov pays much attention to the heroes' disputes on the most pressing social and moral issues of their time. At the same time, the playwright cites the statements of both Chatsky, who expresses progressive views, and Famusov, Skalozub, Molchalin and guests defending a conservative point of view.

The most important issue in contemporary Russia for Griboyedov was the issue of serfdom, which was the basis of the economic and political structure of the state. Chatsky, it must be admitted, does not oppose the serf system, but boldly condemns the abuses of the serf-owners, as evidenced by the famous monologue "Who are the judges?" The hero mentions “Nestor of the noble scoundrels,” who exchanged his serf servants for three greyhounds, although Zealous, they saved his honor and his life more than once during the hours of wine and fights ... (II, 5) Chatsky also speaks about the owner serf theater: bankrupt, he sold his serf artists one by one.

All arguments about the cruelty of serfdom do not touch the representatives of the Famus society - after all, all the current well-being of the nobility is built on serfdom. And how easy it is to manage and push around completely powerless people! This can be seen in the house of Famusov, who sticks to Liza, scolds the servants, is free to punish them all, when and how he pleases. This is also evidenced by the behavior of Khlestova: she orders her dog and, at the same time, the little arap girl to be fed in the kitchen. Therefore, Famusov simply does not answer to the angry attacks of Chatsky against the serf-owners and leaves the room, while Skalozub from the monologue "Who are the judges?" caught only the condemnation of the guards uniform, embroidered with gold (!) and agreed with this.

Chatsky, like Griboyedov, believes that the dignity of a nobleman is not to be a serf, but to be a faithful servant of the Fatherland. Therefore, Chatsky is convinced that it is necessary to serve “the cause, not the persons” (II, 2). To Famusov's advice to serve, he reasonably replies: "I would be glad to serve, it is sickening to serve" (ibid.). Representatives of Famus society have a completely different attitude to service - for them it is a means of achieving personal well-being, and the ideal is an idle life for their pleasure. Therefore, Pavel Afanasyevich with such enthusiasm talks about his uncle Maxim Petrovich, who rose to the rank of chamberlain, entertaining Catherine with jester's numbers. "A? How do you think? In our opinion, he's smart, ”exclaims Famusov. Skalozub echoes him:

Yes, to get ranks, there are many channels;
As a true philosopher, I judge about them:
I just wanted to be a general. (II, 5)

Molchalin advises Chatsky:

Well, really, what would you like to serve with us in Moscow?
And take awards and have fun? (III, 3)

Chatsky respects smart, efficient people, he himself is not afraid to commit bold deeds. This can be judged by Molchalin's vague hints about Chatsky's Petersburg activities:

Tatyana Yurievna told something,
Returning from Petersburg,
With the ministers about your connection,
Then a break ... (III, 3)

In Famus society, people are valued not for personal qualities, but for wealth and family ties. Famusov proudly speaks about this in his monologue about Moscow:

For example, we have been doing it from time immemorial,
What honor is there for father and son;
Be inferior, but if you have enough
There are two thousand generic souls, -
He and the groom. (II, 5)

People of this circle admire foreigners and foreign culture. However, the low level of education allows the Countess-granddaughter of Khryumina, the princesses Tugoukhovsky to understand only French fashion - they excitedly discuss folds and fringes on new outfits at the ball. Chatsky in his statements (especially in the monologue "In that room is an insignificant meeting ..." III, 22) very sharply condemns servility before abroad. On the contrary, he acts as a patriot of Russia and believes that Russian history is in no way inferior to, for example, French history, that the Russian people are "smart, vigorous" (ibid.), That, respecting someone else's culture, one should not neglect his own.

Famus society has a fear of genuine enlightenment. It connects all the troubles with books and "learning." This opinion is formulated very clearly by Pavel Afanasevich himself:

Learning is the plague, learning is the reason
What's more important now than when,
Insane divorced people, and deeds, and opinions. (III, 21)

All the guests are in a hurry to agree with Famusov on this issue, here they all have words: Princess Tugouhovskaya, old woman Khlestova, even Skalozub. Chatsky, as the spokesman for the advanced ideas of his time, cannot agree with such views of Famusov and his guests. On the contrary, he respects those

Who is the enemy of discharged persons, pretentious, curly words,
In whose, unfortunately, head
Five, six, there are healthy thoughts,

And he will dare to publicly declare them ... (III, 22) A frivolous attitude to the education and upbringing of noble children naturally follows from the neglect on the part of Famus society for education and sciences. Loving parents

They bother to recruit regiment teachers;
More in number, at a cheaper price ... (I, 7)

Foreigners with a dubious pedagogical reputation become educators of the noble ignoramuses. The sad result of such an upbringing system (admiration for Europe and contempt for the Fatherland) can be observed in the third act:

Oh! France! There is no better edge in the world!
Decided two princesses, sisters, repeating

The lesson that they have done from childhood. (III, 22) Since the love line is one of the two plot-forming ones, relations in noble families are also considered in the comedy. The Gorichey couple becomes an exemplary family for the Famus society. Gorich's "ideal husband" turns into a plaything of his capricious wife. Chatsky ridicules such a relationship, and Platon Mikhailovich himself complains about his life, boring, monotonous, empty (III, 6).

"Woe from Wit" is a satirical comedy, because in it the socially significant vices of the heroes are ridiculed in evil. Almost all the characters in the play are described satirically, that is, their outward good-looking appearance hides an inner emptiness and petty interests. Such is, for example, the image of Skalozub - an undeveloped man, a soldier, who, however, “marks the generals” (I, 5). This colonel is well versed only in uniforms, orders, cane discipline. His tongue-tied phrases indicate primitive thinking, but this "sage" is the hero of all living rooms, the desired fiancé of his daughter and a relative for Famusov. Molchalin is shown satirically - an outwardly quiet, modest young official, but in the last frank conversation with Lisa, he is revealed as a low hypocrite:

My father bequeathed to me:
First, to please all people without exception -
The owner, where he will live,
To the chief with whom I will serve,
To his servant who cleans dresses,
Swiss, janitor, to avoid evil,
To the janitor's dog, to be affectionate. (IV, 12)

Now all his talents get a different meaning: he appears before the characters of the play and the readers as a man without honor and conscience, ready for any baseness for the sake of a career. Repetilov has a satirical character as well. This one hints at a secret society, at some important state task, but it all comes down to the empty noise and shouting of his drinking companions, because so far an important "state matter: It, you see, has not matured" (IV, 4). Of course, Famusov's guests are also satirically presented: the gloomy old woman Khlestova, absolutely stupid princesses, faceless gentlemen N and D, the sly Zagoretsky. An exhaustive description is given to all of them by the Countess-granddaughter:

Well Famusov! I knew how to name the guests!
Some kind of freaks from the other world,

And there is no one to talk to, and no one to dance with. (IV, 1) Satirically depicts Griboyedov and Chatsky: this enthusiast preaches noble ideas in Famusov's living room in front of smug and empty people who are deaf to preaching goodness and justice. This unreasonable behavior of the protagonist was pointed out by A.S. Pushkin in his response to "Woe from Wit" (a letter to A.A. Bestuzhev at the end of January 1825).

However, the finale of the satirical work is not only not funny, but even dramatic: Chatsky lost his beloved girl, whom he dreamed of for three years in separation; he is declared insane, and he is forced to leave Moscow. Why did Griboyedov call his play a comedy? This question is still being discussed in literary criticism. It seems that the best interpretation of Griboyedov's idea is given by IA Goncharov in his article “A Million of Torments”: calling “Woe from Wit” a comedy, the playwright wanted to emphasize the optimism of his work. In the struggle between the “present century” and the “past century,” the Famusian society triumphs only outwardly. Chatsky, the only one defending progressive ideas, is broken by the "amount of the old force", while he himself dealt a mortal blow to it - after all, ideological opponents could not object to all his criticisms and reproaches on the merits and, without thinking twice, declared him crazy. Chatsky, according to Goncharov, refutes the Russian proverb: one in the field is not a warrior. A warrior, argues Goncharov, if he is Chatsky, and a winner, but at the same time a victim.

So, "Woe from Wit" is an extremely meaningful work of fiction. The comedy is saturated with the concrete vital material of the Griboyedov era, reflects the political struggle of its time, the struggle between the advanced part of the nobility and the inert majority. The playwright raised in a small play the most important social problems (about serfdom, about the appointment of the noble service, about patriotism, about upbringing, education, family relations among the nobility, etc.), presented opposing points of view on these problems.

Serious and multi-problem content determined the genre originality of the work - a public (ideological) satirical comedy, that is, a high comedy. The importance of the social problems raised in Woe from Wit becomes clear when comparing this work with other plays of the same time, for example, with the popular everyday comedies by IA Krylov “A Lesson for Daughters”, “French Shop”.