Aphorisms from "Woe from Wit" by Griboedov

1824 for Russia was quite tense. Complications with Georgia are complicated, the Caucasus does not want to go into the status of "peaceful". In November, St. Petersburg is in the captivity of the elements - one of the strongest in the 19th century floods that killed human lives and hit hard on the poorest layers of the population. In different parts of the empire there are foci of popular unrest. Southern and Northern Decembrist societies intensify their activities, preparing an uprising. Philosophical and political life is the key, the country is raging like a stormy sea. And it is not accidental that it was in 1824 that the audience got acquainted with a terrific work that was destined not only to survive its creator, but to find immortality. It's about the comedy of A. Griboedov "Woe from Wit".

A few words about the history of creation

The author worked on the text for about two years, from 1822 to 1824. When Griboyedov tried to print a comedy, censorship was imposed on the work by an unequivocal and unconditional ban. Light saw only a few fragments, and then with large bills. However, the comedy instantly dispersed across St. Petersburg in the lists and stepped far beyond the capital. The text was memorized by heart, the popularity of "Woe from Wit" grew day by day. The obstacles to autocracy could not prevent this. One of the main explanations for the phenomenon of mass popularity and love of readers for comedy is its language and style. Literally immediately the work was divided into quotations. It is not for nothing that Pushkin's diaries contain a note that half the text will go into proverbs. He was right. The aphorisms from "Woe from Wit" not only became an integral part of the speech of the educated layers of society of the time, but still help us to express our thoughts brightly, juicyly, accurately and figuratively.

Classification of aphorisms

For what purpose does the author resort to winged expressions so often? Where does the language for education come from? Aphorisms from "Woe from Wit" perform several functions in the work. First, they are necessary for Griboyedov to individualize the speech of the characters. And in fact, every comedy character speaks his own language, and the remarks of Famusov are as different from Chatsky's words as Molchalin from Skalozub. Secondly, the aphorisms from "Woe from Wit" are required by Griboyedov to give a precise assessment, an accurate description of the characters in the comedy. Thanks to their expressiveness and capacity, the author reveals the essence of the image in several words, whereas by ordinary speech he would have to say a single sentence. Thirdly, the aphorisms from "Woe from Wit" allow you to give an emotional-imaginative assessment of the events that are mentioned in the comedy. And, finally, this is a wonderful way through the expressive means of the language to show its attitude to something or someone.

The origins of comedy aphorisms

On the outward appearance of the aphorisms from the "Woe from Wit" remind proverbs and sayings. They are close to the works of oral folklore and the internal structure, according to the models of construction. Linguists, who studied the language of comedy, have long paid attention to this fact. Griboyedov, who sharply criticized the foreign effort in the nobility culture, actively struggled to ensure that the primordial culture and the Russian language came to the forefront. The aphorisms from "Woe from Wit" prove that the playwright not only knew remarkable folklore, but also saw in him an invaluable source of linguistic brightness and expressiveness. In addition, the content of proverbs and sayings is familiar to all native speakers regardless of their origin and social level. Their meaning is clear to the nobleman, to the philistine, to the merchant, and to the peasant. Thus, the writer put deep philosophical ideas into aphoristic forms, made them close and accessible to his readers from all walks of life.

Turning to the text: action 1, phenomenon 2

Let's try to remember some aphorisms from "Woe from Wit" on the actions, having analyzed them. In Act 1 of Act 2, Liza, the servant and confidante of Sophia, utters a phrase that we now often recall in a suitable situation. This is an expression that the anger and love of the barbarians are equally dangerous and let them better avoid what are poured out on us. "Why is that?" - you ask. It's clear about anger, but what are the "good feelings" that are dangerous and bad? Let us recall Famusov: in public, especially with his daughter, he hypocritically praises his virtues and "monastic modesty." And with the subordinates behaves like a true serf-owner: Molchanin rigidly curses, scolds, on what the light stands, Petrushka. And so to someone, and Liza is well known for the changeability of the mood of the bar. Therefore, she will get rid of Famusov's caress and his displeasure. Applicable to the present time, we can say that the aphorism of any situation corresponds to the situation when the chief abuses his official position. Subordinates, as a rule, are extreme and suffer.

Turning to the text: action 1, phenomenon 4

Do you know what feature brought in the work Griboedov? "Woe from Wit", the aphorisms from which we analyze, can enter into synonymous and antonymous language relations. Lisa calls Famusov "a jerk" and an "asshole." And he in the 4th phenomenon tells Sophia about himself completely the opposite: "There is no need for another sample", when there is himself, Famusov, - a worthy example for imitation. In this phenomenon, the hero owns another remark that reveals him as an ardent hater of foreigners and those pseudo-cultural trends dictated by fashion. Famusov is a representative of the ancient Moscow bar, living according to the laws of the past century. He cherishes all the patriarchal, starting from feudal relations, the laws of serfdom. The destroyers of "pockets and hearts" he calls not only sellers in fashion stores in Kuznetsk, but also publishers of books, newspapers and magazines, in general, all those who are connected with foreign countries. Outraged against "capes and ribbons", "authors and muses," Pavel Afanasyevich hates everything new as a blood enemy, which, in one way or another, can shake the habitual and seemingly unshakable way of life. If you write out the entire aphorisms of Griboyedov ("Woe from Wit"), which are uttered on behalf of Famusov, you can see how retrograde and far from social progress is the worldview of the hero. However, we admit that many of his postulates are not without reason! And statements about the imitation of Russian noblemen to all foreign people are quite applicable to our time!

Turning to the text: action 1, phenomenon 6

In 1 action, 6 phenomenon on the scene appears the protagonist of the work - Alexander Andreevich Chatsky. The aphorisms of the comedy "Woe from Wit", embedded in his mouth, and associated with proverbs and sayings. The famous remark about the "smoke of the Fatherland" is synonymous with the saying that no matter how good it is everywhere, at home it is still better. No less accurate is another saying, based on the proverb: "it's better where we are not." Or this remark: "in whom you will not find the spots." You can immediately recall the saying that they are even in the sun. Or the biblical statement of Jesus that anyone who is sinless himself can throw stones at him.

Characteristic and self-characteristic

As already noted, the aphorisms from Griboedov's "Woe from Wit" are a magnificent means of the author's characterization of heroes and at the same time act as a means of their self-disclosure. What does the famous "serve nice" Chatsky say about? That he is ready to give his mind and knowledge, talents and strength to the cause. But it is precisely the cause that he is ready to serve, and not to curry favor with someone, as was customary in the 19th century and what many already sin in our century, the 21st. Careerism, chino-worship, and, in contrast to them, conscientiousness and responsible approach to what you are doing, were at the time of Griboedov and are very often encountered now.

Internal conflict

Another interesting feature of Chatsky about the house, which are new, and prejudices that have remained the same, is interesting. Indeed he is a progressive man who has far outstripped his time, he appears in monologues, where serfdom is criticized, Fatherland Fathers, depravity, criminality and cruelty of the feudal system are deduced to clean water. The life and customs of the Moscow gentry, from the language that is a monstrous mixture of "French with Nizhny Novgorod", and ending with persecutions for education, enlightenment and freedom are exposed. And when Famusov in horror calls the hero a carbonar, who does not recognize the authorities and preaches liberty, we understand: this is the most faithful and important Griboyedov characterization of a spirit close to him in spirit and the self-disclosure of Famusov with his boundless inertia and conservatism.

Classicism, Romanticism, Realism

Comedy Griboyedov organically combines all three literary trends. The language of the work is an obvious example. Comedy was considered a low genre, and it should be written in the language of the common people, that is, colloquial. The playwright used this to a certain extent, achieving the effect of living colloquial speech. And in his aphorisms there are a lot of dialectisms, common speech. However, his heroes belong to the Moscow nobility, that is, to sufficiently educated sections of society. Hence the closest closeness of the language of characters to the Russian literary language. There are rarely foreign borrowings or archaisms, words from the Old Slavonic language. It also applies to aphorisms. Each of them is simple and understandable and decorates the comedy like a jewel.