The comedy "Woe from Wit" depicts the morals of the Moscow nobles of the early 19th century. Griboedov shows the clash of views of the serf-owner landowners (a conservative segment of the population) with the progressive ideas of the younger generation of nobles. This conflict is shown as a struggle between two camps. The “present century” seeks to transform society through true citizenship, while the “past century” tries to protect its personal comfort and mercantile interests.

However, there are also characters who cannot be clearly attributed to one or another opposing side. This, for example, is the image of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit". We'll talk about it today.

The controversial image of the heroine

The image of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit" is one of the most complex in the characterization of this heroine is contradictory. On the one hand, she is the only person who is close in spirit to Alexander Chatsky. On the other hand, Sophia is the cause of the protagonist's suffering. It is because of her that he is expelled from

No wonder Chatsky fell in love with this girl. Even though she now calls their youthful love childish, Sofya Pavlovna once attracted the main character with her strong character, natural intelligence, and independence from the opinions of others. For the same reasons, Chatsky was dear to her.

Sophia's education

From the first pages of the work we learn that the heroine is well educated and loves to read books. This is evidenced by many quotes from Sophia from “Woe from Wit”. Her passion for books displeases her father. After all, this person believes that “learning is a plague,” that it “is of little use.” This is the first discrepancy between the heroine’s views and the views of the nobles of the “past century.”

Why did Sophia become interested in Molchalin?

This girl’s passion for Molchalin is natural. The image of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit" should be complemented by the fact that the girl is a fan of French novels. That is why the heroine discerned her lover in the taciturnity and modesty. The girl does not realize that she has become a victim of Molchalin’s deception. This one was with her only for his own personal gain.

The influence of the Famusov society

Sofya Famusova, in her relationship with Molchalin, displays those character traits that representatives of the “past century,” including her father, would never dare to show. If Molchalin is afraid to reveal his relationship to society, because, as he believes, “evil tongues are worse than a pistol,” then the heroine we are interested in is not afraid of the opinion of the world. The girl follows the dictates of her own heart in her actions. This position, of course, makes the heroine similar to Chatsky.

However, the image of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit" should be supplemented by the fact that this girl is the daughter of her father. She was raised in a society that values ​​only money and rank. The atmosphere in which the heroine grew up could not help but influence her.

The girl decided to choose Molchalin not only because of the positive qualities that she saw in him. The fact is that in the society to which the heroine belongs, women rule - both in the family and in society. Suffice it to recall the Gorich couple (pictured above), whom we meet at the Famusovs’ ball. Chatsky knew Platon Mikhailovich as an active, active military man. However, under the influence of his wife, he turned into some kind of weak-willed creature. Now Natalya Dmitrievna makes all decisions for him. She disposes of her husband like a thing, gives answers for him.

It is obvious that Sofya Famusova, wanting to dominate her husband, decided to choose Molchalin for the role of her future husband. This character corresponds to the ideal of a spouse in the world of Moscow nobles of that time.

The tragic image of the heroine

Sophia in the work "Woe from Wit" is the most tragic character. This heroine suffered more than Chatsky himself. First of all, this girl, naturally possessing intelligence, courage, and determination, is forced to become a hostage of the society to which she belongs. She cannot afford to give free rein to her feelings, to free herself from the influence of the opinions of others. Sofya Pavlovna ("Woe from Wit") was raised as a representative of the conservative nobility and is forced to live by the laws that it dictates.

In addition, the unexpected appearance of Chatsky threatens to destroy her personal happiness, which she is trying to build with Molchalin. The heroine is always in suspense after the arrival of Alexander Andreevich. She has to protect her lover from Chatsky’s attacks. The desire to preserve love, to protect Molchalin from ridicule forces her to spread gossip about Alexander Andreevich’s madness. However, the girl turns out to be capable of this act only because of the great pressure of the society of which she is a member. And Sophia gradually merges with her circle.

This heroine is also unhappy because she has to endure the destruction of the ideal image of Molchalin that has formed in her head. The girl witnesses a conversation between her lover and the maid Lisa. The main tragedy of Sophia is that this heroine fell in love with a scoundrel. Molchalin played the role of Sofia Famusova’s lover only because thanks to this he could receive another award or rank. On top of everything else, the exposure of her lover takes place in the presence of Alexander Chatsky. This hurts the girl even more.

"A Million Torments" by Sophia

Of course, the role of Sophia is great ("Woe from Wit"). It is no coincidence that the author introduced it into his work. Sophia is in many ways opposed to her father and noble society as a whole. The girl is not afraid to go against the opinion of the world, defending love. However, her feelings for Molchalin force her to defend herself from Chatsky. But she is very close in spirit with this hero. Chatsky is denigrated in society precisely by Sophia’s words. He has to leave Famus society.

If all the other heroes, except Chatsky, take part only in social conflict, trying to protect their usual way of life and comfort, then this girl has to fight for her love. Goncharov wrote about Sophia that it is harder for her than anyone, that she suffers “a million torments.” Unfortunately, it turns out that this girl's struggle for her feelings was in vain. Molchalin is an unworthy person, as it turns out in the finale of the work “Woe from Wit.”

Chatsky and Sophia: is their happiness possible?

Sophia would not be happy with someone like Chatsky. Most likely, she will choose as her wife a person who corresponds to the ideals of Famus society. Sophia's character is strong, and it requires implementation, and this will only be possible with a husband who will allow her to lead and command himself.

God be with you, I am left again with my riddle.
A. Griboyedov

The comedy “Woe from Wit” occupies an exceptional place in Russian literature. The intense plot, the poetic form and the poems themselves, which instantly scattered into catchphrases - all this makes Griboedov’s comedy a most interesting work. Created almost 180 years ago, it still continues to amaze us with its “eternal” characters - be it the fierce opponent of education Famusov, the insignificant opportunist Molchalin or the fiery denouncer of morals Chatsky.

The comedy “Woe from Wit” has two storylines: the protagonist’s conflict with the “past century” and Chatsky’s personal story, the collapse of his love. Among the comedy characters, Chatsky is, of course, the most attractive. He is witty and eloquent, kind and gentle, proud and sincere, he “writes and translates well,” his love for Sophia is deep and constant. But why did Sophia choose Molchalin over him, this, according to Chatsky, “the most pitiful creature”?

The image of Sophia is quite contradictory. She is endowed with both positive traits that attracted such an extraordinary person as Chatsky, and negative ones that pushed her to Molchalin. What made Sophia stand out in the world of the Famusovs? First of all, independence, independence. Having fallen in love with Molchalin, that is, a man outside her circle, she acted against the rules. And it’s not Sophia’s fault that Molchalin is not at all the way she sees him. Sophia is smart in her own way, she reads a lot. But he reads mostly sentimental novels, far from real life. Under their influence, she gets the impression of some ideal hero whom she would like to love. She sees Molchalin as such an ideal hero.

And this is her fault - her spiritual blindness. During her separation from Chatsky, Sophia did not grow spiritually. Moreover, she was so influenced by Famus’s environment that she was unable to critically comprehend what was happening. Chatsky cannot believe that such an intelligent, extraordinary girl like Sophia fell in love with the flatterer and sycophant Molchalin. He still thinks that Sophia is the same as she was in childhood, when they laughed together at people like Molchalin. But, unfortunately, Sophia takes Molchalin very seriously. Chatsky’s independent, mocking and sharp mind frightens Sophia: “Will such a mind make the family happy?” - she directly declares to Chatsky. Let's not forget that Sophia is Famusova. She rejects Chatsky for the same reasons as her father along with “Princess Marya Aleksevna.” Chatsky is a stranger, “not one of us,” he is incomprehensible, and therefore dangerous. It is Sophia who deals the strongest blow to Chatsky - she announces his madness. Material from the site

Sophia elevates Molchalin's hypocrisy, sycophancy and servility almost to the level of his virtues. What's strange here? In the society in which she lives, everyone survives as best they can. You will be considered crazy if you stand out from the crowd. Sophia is quite selfish, she wants the world to revolve around her, so she mistakes the servility and pretense of Molchalin, who is ready to become a “servant husband,” for love. At the end of the comedy, Sophia comes to sobering up, but it’s not for nothing that Chatsky says that for her this is not a disaster yet, that “after mature reflection” she will make peace with Molchalin, because he will please her in everything, he is “a high ideal of a wife’s pages.” all Moscow men."

One can only be amazed at Griboedov’s insight, his ability to foresee the behavior of people connected not by sincere love, but by selfish aspirations.

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Oh! if someone loves someone,

Why search for the mind and

travel that far?

A. S. Griboyedov.

Among the riches of Russian classical literature, A. S. Griboyedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit” occupies a special place. The vivid images of this comedy tell about the distant past, exciting the modern reader as well. In the center of the image is lordly Moscow, but in the remarks of Griboyedov’s heroes there are also words about St. Petersburg, that is, the vast spaces of Russia are touched upon. The comedy represents all layers of Russian society, from the Moscow nobility, whose representatives are Famusov and Khlestova, to serf servants.

In my opinion, the comedy is very interesting for its compositional originality. Here, love and socio-political lines are intricately intertwined, which develop the ideological concept.

The comedy lasts a little less than a day. The plot of the story is of a love nature. The play begins with Chatsky's arrival in Moscow to his beloved girl Sophia. In the Famusovs' house he is cheerful, blinded by the beauty of his beloved. While talking with her, Chatsky draws apt, caustic caricatures of all his mutual acquaintances, but when it comes to Molchalin, Sophia cannot stand it and exclaims: “Not a man, a snake!” This was the last straw that filled the girl’s soul.

From the first act, the relationship between Molchalin and Sophia is shown before Chatsky’s arrival, and from the beginning the author ironically points out the insincerity of Molchalin’s love for Sophia.

So, Sophia is a typical Moscow young lady, not stupid, brought up on French novels. She is often witty and surpasses Chatsky himself in the accuracy of her characteristics.

Rootless Molchalin is obsequious and modest. He lives by his father’s behest: “to please all people without exception”, never to express his opinion. Molchalin is sensitive to any changes and, although narrow-minded, is well oriented in the social structure. He is very cunning and resourceful, always able to find the “key” to every influential person.

There he will stroke the pug in time,

It’s time to rub the card...

Molchalin’s goal in life is to climb the career ladder, slowly but surely. He dreams of becoming rich and powerful. He is not even ashamed of the fact that he will humiliate himself a lot in order to achieve his goal. Molchalin is the embodiment of the ideal of all Moscow gossips.

Sophia, on the contrary, always expresses her opinion. She easily spreads rumors about Chatsky's madness. But Chatsky not only does not reject the rumors, but with all his might, without knowing it, he confirms them, setting up a scene at the ball, then a scene of farewell to Sophia and the exposure of Molchalin. The love line of the play ends with a scene behind a column, of which Sophia becomes an accidental witness. Here Molchalin confesses his love to Lisa. Sophia is deceived, she suffers “a million torments,” especially since Chatsky becomes another random witness. The love conflict and the socio-political conflict are resolved simultaneously. The love fight ends with Chatsky’s rejection, and the socio-political one ends with his flight from Moscow: “Get out of Moscow! I don’t go here anymore!”

In Griboyedov, all the heroes who set a goal in life fail. Woe from the mind, if we understand the mind as a developed plan of action, the desire to “make life” from someone, will befall Famusov, and Molchalin, and Sofya, and Chatsky.

Molchalin, of course, greatly complicated his career by acting very much according to calculation: he courted Sophia, she fell seriously in love, considering Molchalin, not Chatsky, her ideal husband.

So, Sophia, who “cannot sleep from French books,” is trying to live her life like a novel. She dreams of finding herself a “husband-boy”, “husband-servant”, so that he will obey her in everything. However, Sophia's novel is in the Russian style. The story of her love for Molchalin is pure and spiritual, but still it is just a book fiction. There is no agreement in Sophia’s soul either. Maybe that’s why she is shown in the play as Sophia, which means “wise,” and Pavlovna, Famusov’s daughter, means in some way similar to him. Molchalin does not love Sophia, but uses her as a means to achieve his goals.

What happens? As soon as we begin to act according to plan, our life is not ordered, but destroyed.

This means that what emerges victorious from the love triangle (Molchalin, Sophia and Chatsky) is not intelligence, not even narrow-mindedness, but disappointment. The play takes on an unexpected ending; the mind turns out to be incompetent in love, that is, in what is inherent in living life.

He will take your hand and press it to your heart,
He will sigh from the depths of his soul,
Not a free word, and so the whole night passes,
Hand in hand, and doesn’t take his eyes off me.

Therefore, it was no coincidence that she paid attention to Molchalin, who, with his features and behavior, reminded her of her favorite heroes. However, it cannot be said that the heroine is blinded: she is able to evaluate her chosen one sensibly and critically:

Of course, he doesn’t have this mind,
What a genius is to some, and a plague to others,
Which is fast, brilliant and will soon disgust...

Sophia loves Molchalin, but hides it from her father, who, of course, would not recognize him as a son-in-law, knowing that he is poor. The heroine sees a lot of good in her father’s secretary:

Compliant, modest, quiet,
Not a shadow of worry in his face,
And there are no wrongdoings in my soul,
He doesn’t cut strangers at random, -
That's why I love him.

Sophia also fell in love with Molchalin because she, a girl with character, needed a person in her life whom she could control. “The desire to patronize a loved one, poor, modest, who does not dare raise his eyes to her, to elevate him to himself, to his circle, to give him family rights” - this is her goal, according to I. A. Goncharov.
Therefore, Chatsky, returning to Moscow and seeing how Sophia has changed under the influence of her environment, is very worried. It hurt him to see her like this after his three-year absence; it was hard to realize that his beloved had chosen Molchalin. Sophia is also very worried, but because of something else. She involuntarily hears Molchalin’s conversation with Liza and suddenly sees her chosen one in a different light. She realized that in fact Molchalin assumed the guise of a lover only “to please the daughter of such a man.” He needed Sophia only in order to take advantage of her influence at the right moment. His goal was also to get a higher rank, so he, according to the behests of his father, pleased “all people without exception.” Perhaps someday Sophia would have learned about Molchalin’s true intentions and she would not have been so hurt. But now she has lost a man who was very suitable for the role of a boy-husband, a servant-husband. It seems that she will be able to find such a person and repeat the fate of Natalya Dmitrievna Gorich and Princess Tugoukhovskaya. She didn’t need a person like Chatsky, but it was he who opened her eyes to everything that was happening. And if Sophia had grown up in a different environment, she might have chosen Chatsky. But she chooses the person who suits her best, since she cannot imagine any other hero. And in the end, according to Goncharov’s remark, “heaviest of all, even Chatsky” is Sophia.
Griboyedov introduced us to the heroine of the comedy as a dramatic person. This is the only character who is conceived and executed as close to Chatsky. But in the finale, when Sophia becomes an involuntary witness of Molchalin’s “courtship” of Liza, she is struck to the very heart, she is destroyed. And this is one of the most dramatic moments of the entire play.
So, in his comedy A. S. Griboedov managed to show not only the time in which he lived, but also created unforgettable images that are interesting to the modern reader and viewer. Therefore, as Goncharov says, “Woe from Wit” stands apart in literature and differs from other works of the word in its youthfulness, freshness and stronger vitality.

The story of Chatsky’s love for Sophia occupies not the main, but certainly important place in A. S. Griboyedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit”. This story introduces the reader to the world of the heartfelt experiences and feelings of the heroes, it gives a special liveliness to the development of the action and explains a lot, since the history of Chatsky’s conflict with the Moscow nobility and the story of his unhappy love are closely intertwined and combined into a single storyline.

Chatsky grew up in Famusov’s house; from childhood he was raised and studied together with his daughter, Sophia. He considers Sophia his like-minded person and is used to believing that she shares his views. This faith was not shaken in him by “neither distance,” “neither entertainment, nor a change of place” (we know that Chatsky was in military service and spent three years abroad). His feeling is so sincere and ardent that, having returned to Moscow, he hurries to meet his beloved girl, and on the first date he declares his love to her.

But Sophia has changed a lot. She is cold with Chatsky. She is confused by his “quick questions and curious gaze”; she considers the general memories of her youth to be childish. What previously attracted and amused now no longer finds a response in her soul. In Chatsky, Sophia sees a man who is “happy to humiliate and stab” anyone, “envious, proud and angry”, who “abuses the world on the spot” with only one goal, “so that the world will say at least something about him...”. “Your gaiety is not modest, ... you are ready to pour out bile on everyone ...,” she accuses Chatsky. It is not surprising that, possessing such qualities, he becomes the cause of “... a terrible disorder” for Sophia.

However, Sophia’s character, complex and contradictory, in some important ways matches Chatsky himself. At seventeen years old, she not only “bloomed charmingly,” but also shows an enviable independence, unthinkable for people like Molchalin or even her father. She is not used to hiding her feelings. “What do I care about anyone? before them? to the entire Universe? It's funny - let them joke; annoying? “Let them scold,” she says. Molchalin reproaches Sophia for being too frank, but she is proud, she cannot stand pretense, it is impossible for her to “be nice through tears.”

Sophia received a good education, by nature she is endowed with a strong character and a lively mind, the ability to deeply experience and sincerely love, but all of the listed positive traits of her character could not properly develop in Famus’s society. Sophia drew her ideas about people from sentimental French literature, which instilled in her dreaminess and sensitivity. And she paid attention to Molchalin only because he reminded her of her favorite heroes in some of his features.

Sophia's dream is very helpful in understanding the inconsistency of her character; it seems to contain the formula of her soul and a unique program of action. He also gives us an idea of ​​the ideal of a young man suitable for the role of the chosen one of her heart, who should be “... and insinuating, and smart, “and timid...”, since “he was born in poverty.” Molchalin is exactly like that. He is poor and rootless, “ready to forget himself for others, the enemy of insolence,” always shy and timid, from “the depths of his soul” he sighs, “not a free word...”.

“Why did you know him so briefly?” - asks Chatsky. And Sophia sincerely answers: “I didn’t try, God brought us together. Look, he has gained the friendship of everyone in the house...", "yielding, modest, quiet", "not a shadow of anxiety in his face", "and no offenses in his soul," she lists the "wonderful properties" of her chosen one - "that's why I I love". Sophia fell in love with Molchalin also because she, a girl with character, needed a person in her life whom she could control. So she chooses the one who is most suitable for this role.

However, it cannot be said that Sophia is blinded. She is able to evaluate the chosen one sensibly and critically, she sees perfectly well that “he does not have this mind, that a genius is for others, but for others a plague...”. But “...will such a mind make a family happy?” - she argues further. Yes, Chatsky is smart, educated, capable of passionate, sincere feelings, has his own opinion on any subject and does not hesitate to express it. But what could this cost in the world of the Famusovs and the Molchalins? What benefit can such a lover bring to Sophia?

Sophia, for all her good spiritual inclinations, still entirely belongs to Famus’s world, and she cannot fall in love with Chatsky, who opposes him with the whole tenor of his soul. But Molchalin, who loves Sophia “by position”, “takes on the appearance of... a lover” “... to please the daughter of such a man... who feeds and waters, and sometimes gives rank,” is accepted in this world as mine. In his person, Griboyedov created an extremely expressive generalized image of a scoundrel and a cynic, a “low-worshipper and a businessman,” still a petty scoundrel who, however, will be able to reach “known degrees,” diligently using his image of a sycophant who does not dare to “have his own judgment.”

Sophia is still so young, so inexperienced, but “the makings of a remarkable nature” are ruined “in the stuffiness, where not a single ray of light, not a single stream of fresh air penetrates.” Her upbringing and environment have already left their mark on her views and actions. I. A. Goncharov said very well about it: “This is a mixture of good instincts with lies, a lively mind with the absence of any hint of ideas and beliefs - confusion of concepts, mental blindness... all this does not have the character of personal vices, but is like the general features of her circle.” Molchalin fits into this circle wonderfully, and therefore, no matter how bitter it is to admit it, it was Molchalin who chose this “most pitiful creature” that Sophia chose over Chatsky.