/ / / “The present century” and the “past century” in Griboyedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit”

The famous comedy is nothing more than a ridicule of the morals of the noble class of the early nineteenth century.

Its author, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov, vividly and masterfully showed the conflict between landowners entrenched in the old order and the young advanced generation. The two sides were called “the present century” and “the past century.” And that’s what the young man called them, main character comedy - Alexander Andreevich Chatsky. Leafing through the pages of our favorite work, we inevitably encounter a dispute between these two opposing camps. Let's see what their views are, what each person's concept is based on.

So, the “past century” has a much wider number of representatives than its opponents. The most prominent and large-scale figure representing this side is the manager of the state house, Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov. All the events described in the play take place in his house. The conflict between fathers and children can already be traced in his relationship with his daughter Sophia. The girl is 17 years old, a widower, and raised her alone.

Finding his daughter alone with Molchalin, the father begins to conduct moralizing conversations. The fault, he believes, is education and those books that she is so passionate about. He sees no benefit in learning. Foreign teachers are valued by their numbers, not by the knowledge they can provide. Famusov offers himself as a role model for his daughter, emphasizing that he is distinguished by the behavior of a monk. But a few minutes before this, he openly flirts with the maid.

For Pavel Afanasyevich, public opinion comes first; he only worries about what they will say in the world. For him, it is more important to look worthy, to create an image, and not to actually be one. And what’s worst is that the entire noble society of Moscow at that time was like that, because the main character is a typical representative of it.

The representative of the “current” modern century is Alexander Andreevich Chatsky. At the time of the events described, the hero had not been in the Famusovs’ house for 3 years, as he was traveling around the world. He has been in love with Sophia since his youth and still retains tender feelings. But the girl is cold. Everything has changed. Chatsky is an unwanted guest who speaks out against the established life of this house and the people living in it.

Alexander Andreevich expresses a completely opposite opinion on all the topics raised. He is happy to serve, but is not ready to be served for the sake of profit. Chatsky will not put on the mask of a jester and say what is expected. He is disgusted by that society where a person with his qualities and merits has lost all value. Only ranks matter.

He is defeated, but only because his camp is small in number. A split among the nobility has already emerged, and it will inevitably continue. Declaring Alexander Andreevich crazy will not avoid changes. The Famus society only temporarily limited itself from them, it only moved the dates of the inevitable onset “ this century”, which they are so afraid of.

The comedy “Woe from Wit” was written by A.S. Griboedov in 1824. The work reflects the struggle between two eras of Russian life - the “present century” and the “past century.” The border between them is the War of 1812, after which came a time of social upsurge. However, the old Moscow nobility is hostile to new trends and ideas. In the comedy, representatives of each era defend their life principles.

Representatives of the “past century” in comedy are Famusov and his entourage. Famusov's Moscow does not accept changes and innovations; the ideas of the last century dominate there. In such a society, a person is valued only by his wealth and position. These people view service as a means of obtaining money and ranks, for which they must be prepared to humiliate themselves and be courteous. The ideal for them is a person like Maxim Petrovich, whom Famusov praises so much. Maxim Petrovich achieved honor at the court of Catherine II not for his personal merits, but for his ability to please his superiors: “When you need to curry favor, he bent over backwards.” People of Famusov's circle preserve serfdom, they are calm about the cruelty of landowners towards their serfs and treat them the same as animals.

Khlestova, for example, having arrived at the ball, asks to feed her “blackamoor girl” with the leftovers from dinner, as well as the dog. Famusov considers education unnecessary, because the main thing for him is that a person should be in rank and have money. These people considered education and intelligence to be the cause of madness. So, the society of the “past century” preserves the old foundations, serfdom, and the main values ​​for it are wealth and rank.

Chatsky is an opponent of the outdated views of the Moscow nobility. He criticizes them and rejects their foundations. Chatsky has sharp mind and is not afraid to tell people what he thinks about them. He hates serfdom, he stands for people's rights. With indignation, he talks about how one landowner sold off the serf ballet for debts, and another exchanged his faithful servants for greyhounds. Chatsky would be ready to serve, but the cause of the country, and not to please his superiors. He says: “I would be glad to serve, but being served is sickening.” Civil service for Chatsky it is not as important as education. The ideal for him is creative person thirsty for knowledge. He ridicules the old Moscow nobility. As a result, Famus society, afraid of any changes that could disrupt their calm and carefree existence, deals with smart person, declaring him insane. Gossip about Chatsky's madness is the only thing these people could oppose to the hero's accusatory speeches.

In his work A.S. Griboyedov showed the split in Russian society, expressed in the confrontation between Chatsky and Famusov’s Moscow. In the words of Chatsky, the author denounces all the vices of the nobility of that time. It is not for nothing that the comedy “Woe from Wit” is called immortal, because the themes revealed in it remain relevant to this day.

Updated: 2017-02-06

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“THE PRESENT CENTURY” AND “THE PAST CENTURY” IN GRIBOEDOV’S COMEDY “WOE FROM MIND”
Plan.
1. Introduction.
“Woe from Wit” is one of the most topical works in Russian literature.
2. Main part.
2.1 The collision of the “present century” and the “past century”.
2.2. Famusov is a representative of the old Moscow nobility.
2.3 Colonel Skalozub is a representative of the Arakcheevo army environment.
2.4 Chatsky is a representative of the “present century”.
3. Conclusion.

The collision of two eras gives rise to change. Chatsky is broken by quantity old power, dealing her, in turn, a fatal blow with the quality of fresh power.

I. Goncharov

The comedy “Woe from Wit” by Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov can be called one of the most topical works in Russian literature. Here the author touches on the pressing issues of that time, many of which continue to occupy the minds of the public even many years after the creation of the play. The content of the comedy is revealed through the collision and change of two eras - “the present century” and the “past century”.

After Patriotic War 1812 in Russian noble society a split occurred: two public camps formed. The camp of feudal reaction in the person of Famusov, Skalozub, and other people in their circle embodies the “past century.” New times, new beliefs and advanced positions noble youth represented by Chatsky. Griboedov expressed the clash of “centuries” in the struggle of these two groups of heroes.

“The Past Century” is presented by the author by people of different positions and ages. These are Famusov, Molchalin, Skalozub, Countess Khlestova, guests at the ball. The worldview of all these characters was formed in the “golden” age of Catherine and has not changed in any way since then. It is this conservatism, the desire to preserve everything “the way the fathers did it,” that unites them.

Representatives of the “past century” do not accept novelty, and see enlightenment as the cause of all the problems of the present:

Learning is the plague, learning is the reason,
What is now, more than ever,
There were crazy people, deeds, and opinions.

Famusov is usually called a typical representative of the old Moscow nobility. He is a convinced serf owner and sees nothing reprehensible in young people learning to “bend over backward” and serve in order to achieve success in their careers. Pavel Afanasyevich categorically does not accept new trends. He bows to his uncle, who “ate on gold,” and the reader understands perfectly well how his numerous ranks and awards were received - of course, not thanks to his faithful service to the Motherland.

Next to Famusov, Colonel Skalozub is “a golden bag and aims to become a general.” At first glance, his image is caricatured. But Griboyedov created a completely truthful historical portrait representative of the Arakcheevo army environment. Skalozub, like Famusov, is guided in life by the ideals of the “past century,” but only in a rougher form. The purpose of his life is not to serve the Fatherland, but to achieve ranks and awards.

All representatives Famusov society- egoists, hypocrites and self-interested people. They are only interested in their own well-being, social entertainment, intrigue and gossip, and their ideals are wealth and power. Griboyedov exposes these people in Chatsky's passionate monologues. Alexander Andreevich Chatsky - humanist; it protects the freedom and independence of the individual. In the angry monologue “Who are the judges?” the hero denounces what he hates serfdom, highly appreciates the Russian people, their intelligence, love of freedom. Chatsky’s groveling before everything foreign evokes a sharp protest.

Chatsky is a representative of the progressive noble youth and the only hero in the comedy who embodies the “present century.” Everything says that Chatsky is a bearer of new views: his behavior, lifestyle, speech. He is confident that the “age of submission and fear” must become a thing of the past, along with its morals, ideals and values.

However, traditions days gone by are still strong - Chatsky is convinced of this very quickly. Society sharply puts the hero in his place for his straightforwardness and audacity. The conflict between Chatsky and Famusov only at first glance appears to be an ordinary conflict between fathers and children. In fact, this is a struggle of minds, views, ideas.

So, along with Famusov, Chatsky’s peers, Molchalin and Sophia, also belong to the “past century.” Sophia is not stupid and, perhaps, in the future her views could still change, but she was raised in the company of her father, on his philosophy and morality. Both Sophia and Famusov favor Molchalin, and let him “not have this mind, / What a genius is for others, but for others a plague.”..

He, as expected, is modest, helpful, silent and will not offend anyone. They don't notice what's behind the mask perfect groom deceit and pretense aimed at achieving the goal are hidden. Molchalin, continuing the traditions of the “past century,” is meekly ready to “please all people without exception” in order to achieve benefits. But it is him, and not Chatsky, that Sophia chooses. The smoke of the Fatherland is “sweet and pleasant” to Chatsky.

After three years he returns to home and at first he was very friendly. But his hopes and joys are not justified - at every step he runs into a wall of misunderstanding. Chatsky is alone in his opposition to Famus society; Even the girl he loves rejects him. Moreover, the conflict with society is closely intertwined with Chatsky’s personal tragedy: after all, it is with Sophia’s suggestion that conversations about his madness begin in society.

The "present" century and the "past" century in Griboedov's comedy "Woe from Wit"

The present century and the past century
A. S. Griboyedov

"Woe from Wit" is one of the most topical works of Russian drama. The problems posed in the comedy continued to worry the Russian social thought and literature many years after its birth.
“Woe from Wit” is the fruit of Griboedov’s patriotic thoughts about the fate of Russia, about the ways of renewal and reconstruction of its life. From this point of view, the comedy illuminates the most important political, moral and cultural issues era.
The content of the comedy is revealed as a collision and change of two eras of Russian life - the “present” century and the “past” century. The border between them, in my opinion, is the War of 1812 - the fire of Moscow, the defeat of Napoleon, the return of the army from foreign campaigns. After the Patriotic War, two public camps emerged in Russian society. This is the camp of feudal reaction in the person of Famusov, Skalozub and others, and the camp of advanced noble youth in the person of Chatsky. The comedy clearly shows that the clash of centuries was an expression of the struggle between these two camps.
In the enthusiastic stories of Fvmusov and diatribes Chatsky, the author creates an image of the 18th, “past” century. The “past” century is the ideal of Famusov’s society, because Famusov is a convinced serf owner. He is ready to exile his peasants to Siberia for any trifle, hates education, grovels before his superiors, currying favor as best he can to receive a new rank. He bows to his uncle, who “ate on gold,” served at the court of Catherine herself, and walked “all in orders.” Of course, he received his numerous ranks and awards not through faithful service to the fatherland, but by currying favor with the empress. And he diligently teaches this vileness to young people:
That's it, you are all proud!
Would you ask what the fathers did?
We would learn by looking at our elders.
Famusov boasts of both his own semi-enlightenment and that of the entire class to which he belongs; boasting that Moscow girls “bring out the top notes”; that his door is open to everyone, both invited and uninvited, “especially from foreigners.”
In the next “ode” by Fvmusov there is praise to the nobility, a hymn to servile and selfish Moscow:
For example, we have been doing this since ancient times,
What honor for father and son:
Be bad, but if you get enough
Two thousand family showers - he and the groom!
Chatsky’s arrival alarmed Famusov: expect only trouble from him. Famusov turns to the calendar. This is a sacred rite for him. Having begun to list the upcoming tasks, he comes into a complacent mood. In fact, there will be a dinner with trout, the burial of the rich and respectable Kuzma Petrovich, and the doctor’s christening. Here it is, the life of the Russian nobility: sleep, food, entertainment, more food and more sleep.
Next to Famusov in the comedy stands Skalozub - “and a golden bag and aims to become a general” Colonel Skalozub typical representative Arakcheevskaya army environment. At first glance, his image is caricatured. But this is not so: historically it is quite true. Like Famusov, the colonel is guided in his life by the philosophy and ideals of the “past” century, but in a rougher form. He sees the purpose of his life not in serving the fatherland, but in achieving ranks and awards, which, in his opinion, are more accessible to a military man:
I am quite happy in my comrades,
Vacancies are currently open:
Then the old ones will be turned off,
The others, you see, have been killed.
Chatsky characterizes Skalozub as follows:
Khripun, strangled, bassoon,
A constellation of maneuvers and mazurkas.
Skalozub began to make his career from the moment when the heroes of 1812 began to be replaced by stupid martinets, slavishly loyal to the autocracy, led by Arakcheev.
In my opinion, Famusov and Skalozub take first place in the description of lordly Moscow. The people of Famusov's circle are selfish and selfish. They spend all their time in social entertainment, vulgar intrigues and stupid gossip. This special society has its own ideology, its own way of life, and views on life. They are sure that there is no other ideal than wealth, power and universal respect. “After all, only here they value the nobility,” says Famusov about lordly Moscow. Griboyedov exposes the reactionary nature of feudal society and thereby shows where the dominance of the Famus family is leading Russia.
He puts his revelations into the monologues of Chatsky, who has a sharp mind and quickly determines the essence of the subject. For friends and enemies, Chatsky was not just smart, but a “freethinker,” belonging to the progressive circle of people. The thoughts that worried him disturbed the minds of all progressive youth of that time. Chatsky arrives in St. Petersburg when the “liberalist” movement is born. In this environment, in my opinion, Chatsky’s views and aspirations take shape. He knows literature well. Famusov heard rumors that Chatsky “writes and translates well.” Such a passion for literature was typical of free-thinking noble youth. At the same time, Chatsky is also fascinated by social activities: we learn about his connection with the ministers. I believe he even managed to visit the village, because Famusov claims that he “made a fortune” there. One can assume that this whim meant good attitude to the peasants, perhaps some economic reforms. These high aspirations of Chatsky are an expression of his patriotic feelings, hostility towards lordly morals and serfdom in general. I think I won’t be mistaken in assuming that Griboyedov, for the first time in Russian literature, revealed the national historical origins of the Russian liberation movement of the 20s of the 19th century, the circumstances of the formation of Decembrism. It was the Decembrist understanding of honor and duty that public role people are opposed to the slave morality of the Famusovs. “I would be glad to serve, but it’s sickening to be served,” Chatsky declares, like Griboedov.
Just like Griboyedov, Chatsky is a humanist who defends the freedoms and independence of the individual. He sharply exposes the feudal basis in an angry speech “about judges.” Here Chatsky denounces the serfdom he hates. He highly evaluates the Russian people, speaks of their intelligence and love of freedom, and this, in my opinion, also echoes the ideology of the Decembrists.
It seems to me that comedy contains the idea of ​​independence of the Russian people. The groveling before everything foreign and the French upbringing, common among the nobility, provoke a sharp protest from Chatsky:
I sent wishes away
Humble, yet out loud,
So that the unclean Lord destroys this spirit
Empty, slavish, blind imitation;
So that he would plant a spark in someone with a soul;
Who could, by word and example
Hold us like a strong rein,
From the pitiful nausea on the stranger's side.
Obviously, Chatsky is not alone in comedy. He speaks on behalf of the entire generation. A natural question arises: who did the hero mean by the word “we”? Probably the younger generation taking a different path. Famusov also understands that Chatsky is not alone in his views. “Today there are more crazy people, deeds, and opinions than ever before!” he exclaims. Chatsky has a predominant optimistic idea of ​​the nature of his contemporary life. He believes in the offensive new era. Chatsky says to Famusov with satisfaction:
How to compare and see
The present century and the past:
The legend is fresh, but hard to believe.
Until quite recently, “it was an age of obedience and fear.” Today, a sense of personal dignity is awakening. Not everyone wants to be served, not everyone is looking for patrons. Public opinion arises. It seems to Chatsky that the time has come when it is possible to change and correct the existing serfdom through the development of advanced public opinion, the emergence of new humane ideas. The fight against the Famusovs in comedy has not ended, because in reality it has just begun. The Decembrists and Chatsky were representatives of the first stage of the Russian liberation movement. Goncharov noted very correctly: “Chatsky is inevitable when one century changes to another. The Chatskys live and are not transferred in Russian society, where the struggle between the fresh and the outdated, the sick and the healthy continues.”

“The present century” and “the past century” according to the following characteristics: 1. Attitude to wealth, to ranks 2. Attitude to service 3. Attitude to foreign 4. Attitude to education 5. Attitude to serfdom 6. Attitude to Moscow morals and pastime 7.attitude towards nepotism, patronage 8.attitude towards freedom of judgment 9.attitude towards love 10.ideals.

Current century:
1. “They found protection from court in friends, in kinship, building magnificent chambers where they indulge in feasts and extravagance, and where the foreign clients of their past lives do not resurrect the meanest traits,” “And for those who are higher, flattery, like weaving lace... »
2. “I would be glad to serve, it’s sickening to be served,” “Uniform! one uniform! In their former life, he once covered, embroidered and beautiful, their weakness, their poverty of mind; And we follow them on a happy journey! And in wives and daughters there is the same passion for the uniform! How long ago did I renounce tenderness towards him?! Now I can’t fall into this childish behavior...”
3. “And where the foreign clients of their past lives will not resurrect the meanest traits.” “As from an early time we were accustomed to believe that without the Germans there was no salvation for us.”
4. “What, now, just like in ancient times, are they bothering to recruit more teachers from regiments, at a cheaper price?...we are ordered to recognize everyone as a historian and geographer.”
5. “That Nestor is a noble scoundrel, surrounded by a crowd of servants; zealous, they saved his honor and life more than once in the hours of wine and fights: suddenly, he exchanged three greyhounds for them!!!”
6. “And who in Moscow didn’t have their mouths clamped during lunches, dinners and dances?”
7. “Who are the judges?” - In ancient times free life their enmity is irreconcilable..."
8. “For mercy, you and I are not guys, why are other people’s opinions only sacred?”
9. Sincerity of feeling
10. Chatsky’s ideal is a free independent person, alien to slavish humiliation.
Past century:
1. “Be poor, but if you get enough, two thousand family souls, that’s the groom.”
2 “And with me, no matter what it is, my custom is this: it’s signed, off your shoulders.”
3. “The door is open for those invited and uninvited, especially for foreigners.”
4. “They would take away all the books and burn them,” “Learning is a plague, learning is the reason that today, more than ever, there are more crazy people, deeds, and opinions.”
5. Famusov is a defender of the old century, the heyday of serfdom.
6. “I’m called to Praskovya Fedorovna’s house on Tuesday for trout,” “On Thursday I’m called to a funeral,” “Or maybe on Friday, or maybe on Saturday, I have to baptize at the widow’s, at the doctor’s.”
7. “When I have employees, strangers are very rare, more and more sisters, sisters-in-law and children.”
8. Learning is the plague, learning is the reason. What is worse now than before, crazy people and affairs and opinions
9. “Be bad, but if there are two thousand family souls, that’s the groom.”
10. Famusov’s ideal is a nobleman of the Catherine century, “hunters of indecency.”