Woe from Wit | Moscow Nobility

The fourth act takes place late in the evening, when the ball at Famusov's house ends. The guests gradually leave, and Chatsky remains among the people who already consider him insane. He meets Repetilov, who talks a lot about secret societies, conversations and acquaintances, but he himself is not distinguished by consistency and seriousness.

Chatsky gradually realizes that the rumor of his madness has spread among all the guests. He is shocked at how easily society believed in the accusation and turned away from it. The hero feels like a stranger among people he used to know.

Later, Chatsky accidentally witnesses a conversation between Molchalin and Liza. It turns out that Molchalin does not feel true love for Sofia. He confesses his sympathy to Lisa and shows his true attitude towards Sophia. His modesty and devotion turn out to be only a convenient mask. Molchalin explains his behavior by the desire to please influential people and not go beyond his position.

Sofia also learns the truth. She witnesses what is happening and realizes that the man she considered sincere and noble was deceiving her. Molchalin tries to justify himself, but his true intentions have already been revealed.

Soon Famusov appears. He finds his daughter in an awkward position and is indignant. For him, what happened becomes, first of all, a threat to the family reputation. He is going to punish the guilty and declares that he will send Sofia to live with her aunt in Saratov.

Chatsky understands that Sofia loved Molchalin, and he himself was deceived in his hopes. He is shocked by her choice and the fact that she did not protect him from the rumor of insanity. The hero pronounces bitter words about Moscow society and decides to leave Moscow forever.

The play ends with Chatsky's departure. Famusov, on the other hand, thinks not so much about his daughter's experiences or the truth of what happened, but about what Princess Marya Alexevna will say. The finale emphasizes the main idea of the work: a society built on ranks, hypocrisy and fear of other people's opinions.

In the third act, Chatsky tries to find out whom Sofia loves. He is directly interested in her attitude towards Molchalin, but Sofia evades a frank answer. She describes Molchalin as a modest, quiet and kind person who is alien to arrogance and the desire to show off. Chatsky does not share her admiration and notes that Molchalin's outward modesty may hide a lack of independent convictions.

Sofia is irritated by Chatsky's ridicule of the man she loves. In a conversation with Mr. N, she says in her heart that Chatsky is out of his mind. At first, it is only an emotional remark, but soon it turns into a real rumor.

In the evening, guests gather at Famusov's house for a ball. Among them were Prince and Princess Tugoukhovsky with their daughters, Countess Khryumina, Anfisa Nilovna Khlyostova, Platon Mikhailovich and Natalia Dmitrievna Gorich, Anton Antonovich Zagoretsky and other representatives of the Moscow nobility.

Guests discuss news, family affairs, acquaintances, ranks and social status. Many of them adhere to Famusov's views: they value wealth, connections and high status, do not like independent judgments and are afraid of people who violate the usual rules.

The rumor about Chatsky's madness quickly spreads throughout the hall. Each subsequent guest passes it on, adding their own assumptions and details. No one is trying to verify the veracity of the accusation. Gradually, those gathered begin to perceive Chatsky as a dangerous and strange person.

Chatsky himself does not immediately understand what is happening. He continues to speak out about Moscow society, its hypocrisy, admiration for foreigners and fear of free thought. His speeches only strengthen the guests' prejudice.

The third action shows how easily society turns a random phrase into an accusation if a person is different from the majority. Chatsky finds himself isolated among people who do not want to hear his thoughts.

In the second act, the conflict between Alexander Chatsky and Pavel Famusov becomes open. Famusov discusses service, ranks and correct behavior in society. He cites the example of his uncle Maxim Petrovich, who managed to achieve a high position thanks to his obsequiousness to the Empress and the ability to adapt to the court order. For Famusov, such behavior is a model of a successful life.

Chatsky does not share his admiration. He considers it humiliating to achieve success through flattery, humiliation and denial of self-dignity. The hero opposes the blind worship of ranks and the habit of evaluating a person by his position. His views irritate Famusov, who is afraid of such reasoning.

Then Skalozub appears. Famusov continues to praise his military career and hopes that he will become Sofia's husband. In the conversation, it turns out that Skalozub had a cousin who left the service and took up reading books and other activities. Skalozub does not understand such a choice, and Chatsky perceives his story as an example of the limitations of noble society.

Soon an unexpected event occurs: Molchalin falls from his horse. Sofia, seeing what happened, loses consciousness. Her reaction betrays strong concern for Molchalin. When she comes to, she tries to hide her feelings and explains her anxiety by fear for another person.

Chatsky begins to suspect that Sofia has more than just a friendly affection for Molchalin. He notices her special attitude to Famusov's secretary, but he cannot yet fully understand what is happening.

The second act intensifies the confrontation between Chatsky and Famusov's society. The hero openly criticizes the old order, while Famusov and Skalozub consider his reasoning dangerous and unacceptable. At the same time, the love line becomes more and more tense: Chatsky gradually realizes that he can lose Sofia.

The first act begins early in the morning in the house of Pavel Afanasievich Famusov. The maid Lisa tries to wake up Sofia, who spent the night in the room with Alexei Molchalin. Sophia and Molchalin secretly met while the rest of the inhabitants of the house slept. Lisa warns Sofia that Famusov may discover their relationship.

When Famusov appears in his daughter's room, Molchalin tries to explain his presence by the fact that he was nearby on official business. Famusov suspects something is wrong, but does not receive evidence. After he leaves, it turns out that Sofia is in love with Molchalin and does not want her father to know about their feelings.

Unexpectedly, Alexander Andreevich Chatsky, who has been absent from Moscow for a long time, arrives at the house. He is glad to meet Sofia, recalls their childhood and tries to understand why she has become so cold. Chatsky animatedly talks about his journey, jokes and remembers his acquaintances, but Sofia perceives his words without the same warmth as before.

Famusov meets Chatsky warily. He is interested in his plans, position and service, since he considers his career and social position to be the most important virtues of a man. Chatsky does not hide his independence of views and does not seek to please influential people.

Colonel Sergei Sergeevich Skalozub appears in the house. Famusov highly appreciates his military rank and sees him as a suitable suitor for Sophia. Skalozub is rich, has a high rank and counts on further promotion. His views are close to Famusov.

Chatsky notes that the owner of the house evaluates people mainly by their position and connections. Tension gradually arises between the characters. Sofia is moving further and further away from Chatsky, and he does not yet understand that her heart belongs to Molchalin.

The first act introduces the reader to the main characters, their relationships and the circumstances in which the conflict begins. Chatsky's return becomes an unexpected event for the entire Famusov house.

The action of the comedy by Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov "Woe from Wit" takes place in Moscow, in the house of a rich and influential nobleman Pavel Afanasievich Famusov. Famusov belongs to the old Moscow nobility, respects ranks, connections, wealth and social status. He believes that young people should follow the habits of the older generation, not argue with their superiors and, above all, take care of their careers.

His daughter Sofia Pavlovna grew up in this house. As a child, she was closely acquainted with Alexander Andreevich Chatsky. They spent time together, but later Chatsky left Moscow and traveled for a long time. During his absence, Sophia became close to Alexei Stepanovich Molchalin, her father's secretary. She fell in love with him, considering him a modest, kind and reserved person. Molchalin, on the other hand, hides his real intentions behind politeness and obsequiousness.

Chatsky returns to Moscow, hoping to see Sofia again and resume his former intimacy. He does not know how much her feelings have changed. His return becomes the beginning of a conflict: Chatsky notices the hypocrisy of Moscow society, ridicules the veneration of rank, the worship of wealth and the habit of judging a person by his position.

Sofia greets him coldly, and Famusov is wary of the young man's independent views. Two worlds gradually collide in the house: the old noble order and Chatsky's desire for freedom of thought. At the same time, a love conflict develops between Sophia, Chatsky and Molchalin.

All the main events of the play take place during one day and night in Famusov's house. It is the return of Chatsky that disrupts the usual order of life of this house and sets off a chain of events that will lead to the exposure of Molchalin, the spread of rumors about Chatsky's madness and his final departure from Moscow.

Anfisa Nilovna Khlyostova is an elderly relative of Famusov, a wealthy Moscow noblewoman. The woman is domineering, straightforward, self-loving and used to saying what she thinks. She does not like change, adheres to the old order and is distrustful of new views. He appears at the ball with his Arab girl and dog. She is well acquainted with Famusov and is respected in his house. He is suspicious of Zagoretsky, he directly calls him a swindler, although he accepts services from him. He has known Chatsky for a long time and at first treats him without much hostility.

Repetilov is a Moscow nobleman, an acquaintance of Chatsky. A talkative, fussy, noisy and inconsistent person. He loves to talk about freedom, enlightenment and social change, talks about secret meetings and meeting people who discuss important ideas. However, his speeches are often superficial, and his own beliefs are not consistent enough. He strives to appear educated and progressive, but gives the impression of a person who talks more than he thinks.

Mr. N and Mr. D are Famusov's guests, who did not receive their own names in the work. It is in the conversations of high society that the rumor about Chatsky's madness appears. These characters pick up and pass on other people's words, gradually turning Sophia's casual remark into widespread gossip.

Petrushka is Famusov's servant, performing household errands. He is mentioned at the beginning of the work, when Famusov dictates notes and orders to him. Like the rest of the servants, he occupies a subordinate position and is obliged to follow the instructions of the master.

Other servants and domestic workers ensure the daily life of the wealthy noble household: serving food, helping guests, looking after the rooms, and preparing the premises for receptions. Their work remains almost invisible to the owners, but without it it is impossible to imagine the usual way of life of the Famusov house.

Prince Tugoukhovsky was an elderly Moscow nobleman, the husband of Princess Tugoukhovskaya. Together with his wife, he visits the house of Famusov. Due to poor hearing, he almost does not participate in conversations on his own and often does not understand what is happening around him. His wife usually speaks for him and makes decisions on behalf of the family. The prince has several daughters who need to be successfully married.

Princess Tugoukhovskaya is a domineering, energetic and calculating noblewoman, the mother of six unmarried daughters. The main concern of the princess is to find wealthy and suitable suitors with a good position for her daughters. She carefully looks at men at balls and social evenings, assessing their titles, fortune and prospects. Having learned about Chatsky's presence, at first he becomes interested in him as a possible suitor, but after the spread of the rumor about his madness, he loses all interest in him.

The six princesses of Tugoukhovsky are young unmarried noblewomen, daughters of the prince and princess. In comedy, they do not receive separate names and detailed characters. All six accompany their parents to social events, participate in conversations and dances, hoping to attract the attention of suitable suitors. Their mother is actively engaged in the arrangement of their future.

Countess Khryumina the grandmother is an elderly noblewoman who attends Moscow meetings with her granddaughter. She is hard of hearing and often cannot fully participate in conversations. Her image complements the picture of the older generation of the Moscow nobility.

Countess Khryumina the granddaughter is a young society girl, the granddaughter of an elderly countess. He has social manners, loves to observe others and discuss what is happening. She is quite sarcastic and arrogant, inclined to judge people by their appearance and position. During the ball, he participates in the dissemination and discussion of rumors about Chatsky.

All these characters show different sides of Moscow noble society: concern for profitable marriages, dependence on position, social prejudices and the desire to meet the expectations of others.

Sergey Sergeyevich Skalozub is a colonel, a wealthy military man and one of the most desirable suitors in the eyes of Pavel Afanasievich Famusov. A person is self-confident, straightforward and limited in interests. He considers the main achievement to be a military career, ranks and the opportunity to get a high rank of general. He talks a lot about service, promotions and military appointments. He is not distinguished by deep reasoning, but he enjoys the respect of Famusov's society. Famusov dreams of seeing him as Sofia's husband, but the girl herself does not feel sympathy for him.

Platon Mikhailovich Gorich is an old acquaintance of Chatsky, a former military man, now retired. Once he was an energetic, cheerful and active person, he loved military service and comradely entertainment. After his marriage to Natalia Dmitrievna, his way of life changed a lot. He became more compliant, dependent on his wife and lost his former independence. When he meets Chatsky, he recalls the past and admits with some sadness how much he has changed.

Natalia Dmitrievna Gorich is a young society lady, the wife of Platon Mikhailovich. He has good manners, loves social acquaintances, attention and entertainment. She takes care of her husband's appearance, but at the same time strives to fully control his daily life. He often treats him like a child, deciding what to do and with whom to communicate. He considers such care to be a natural part of family life.

Anton Antonovich Zagoretsky is a Moscow nobleman known for his dubious reputation. A cunning, talkative, helpful and extremely adaptable person. He loves gossip, card games and dubious acquaintances. He has been repeatedly caught in dishonesty, but he continues to appear in polite society thanks to his ability to please and be useful. Even those who do not trust Zagoretsky willingly use his services, if it is convenient. Khlyostova openly calls him a swindler, but still accepts gifts and information from him.

All four are representatives of the Moscow noble society.

Liza is a young maid in the house of Pavel Afanasievich Famusov, a chambermaid of Sofia Pavlovna. She occupies a low position in the noble household, performs daily duties, helps the hostess dress, monitors her routine and tries to protect her secrets. The exact origin and age of Lisa are not disclosed in the comedy.

Lisa is distinguished by a lively mind, observation, resourcefulness and common sense. She is quick-witted, witty, has a good sense of humor and is not afraid to notice the shortcomings of others. Unlike many noble characters, Lisa looks at people in a practical way and evaluates their actions, not their position or beautiful words.

She is devoted to Sofia and tries to help her, although she does not always approve of her decisions. Liza understands that a secret relationship with Molchalin can end in trouble, especially if Famusov finds out about it. Therefore, she repeatedly tries to warn the hostess of the danger.

Lisa is well versed in love affairs and human weaknesses. She notices that Molchalin is not as noble and sincere as Sofia thinks him. Moreover, Molchalin himself is attracted to Lisa and tries to win her favor. However, the girl does not reciprocate his feelings and treats his courtship with distrust.

Lisa is cautious about Famusov, because she knows his temper and inclination to love flirting. She understands that her position as a servant does not allow her to openly confront her master, so she often uses cunning and dexterity.

Lisa also knows Chatsky and understands that Sofia was once attached to him. She notices the contradictions in the relationship of the main characters and sometimes turns out to be more reasonable than the nobles themselves.

In the finale, it is Lisa who witnesses the exposure of Molchalin and his real feelings. Her image is the image of a simple, but intelligent and observant girl who understands human nature better than many representatives of high society.

Alexei Stepanovich Molchalin is a young poor nobleman, originally from Tver. Thanks to the patronage of Pavel Afanasievich Famusov, he moved to Moscow and received the post of secretary under him. He lives in the house of his boss, enjoys his trust and expects to achieve a higher position over time. The exact age and detailed appearance are not indicated in the work.

Molchalin is a quiet, cautious, restrained and extremely calculating person. He rarely says too much, tries not to annoy anyone and knows how to adapt to other people's interests. His main life goals are career, well-being, patronage of influential people and public recognition. He is not used to openly arguing with his superiors or expressing his own beliefs, because he considers it unprofitable.

The main principle of Molchalin is expressed in the need to please all people, especially those on whom his position depends. He is convinced that in society it is necessary to be modest, compliant and careful. That is why Famusov considers him an obedient, polite and dignified young man.

Sofia Pavlovna is in love with Molchalin, admires his modesty and takes his behavior for a manifestation of nobility. He supports her feelings, but does not feel the same sincere love for her. Relations with the boss's daughter for him are also associated with the opportunity to strengthen his position.

In fact, Molchalin is infatuated with Liza, Sophia's maid. In communication with her, he shows a completely different side of his character: he becomes more persistent, talkative and frank. Lisa does not share his interest and understands his hypocrisy.

With Chatsky, Molchalin keeps a cautious distance. He does not approve of the independence of Alexander Andreevich and believes that it is better not to have your own opinion in society if it interferes with your career.

In the finale, his double game is revealed. Sofia learns about his real attitude towards her, and Molchalin is exposed.

Alexander Andreevich Chatsky is a young nobleman, the main character of A. S. Griboyedov's comedy "Woe from Wit". He comes from a noble family, was left without parents at an early age and was brought up under the patronage of Pavel Afanasievich Famusov. Since childhood, he has known Sofia Pavlovna, with whom he spent his youth. He received a good education, has a sharp mind, a broad outlook and independent thinking. The exact age is not named in the work.

Chatsky is smart, educated, eloquent, witty and conceited. He has a lively temperament, does not like pretense, hypocrisy and empty small talk. He is not afraid to openly express his own opinion, even if it contradicts the views of influential people. Sometimes he is harsh, mocking and impatient, especially when faced with stupidity, injustice or ignorance.

After a long journey, Chatsky returns to Moscow, hoping to see Sofia and restore his former intimacy. He still has strong feelings for her, but notices her coldness and incomprehensible affection for Molchalin. This becomes a painful disappointment for him.

Chatsky opposes blind admiration for foreigners, reverence for rank, careerism, serfdom and dependence on the opinion of society. He believes that a person should be valued for intelligence, dignity and abilities, and not for origin and connections. He advocates free thought, enlightenment and service to the cause, not personal gain.

Chatsky is especially harsh in his criticism of Famusov's society, where wealth and rank are placed above human qualities. His famous arguments about service, serfdom and imitation of foreigners irritate others.

He constantly argues with Famusov because of opposing views. Molchalina considers a person without her own opinion and principles. Despite his education and beliefs, Chatsky is not always able to restrain emotions and understand the feelings of other people.

In the finale, he learns about the real relationship between Sofia and Molchalin.

Sofia Pavlovna Famusova is a young noblewoman, the only daughter of Pavel Afanasievich Famusov. He was brought up in a rich Moscow house, received home education, got acquainted with French literature, music and social manners. After the death of her mother, she lives under the care of her father, surrounded by domestic servants and tutors. Her age is not specified exactly, but she is represented as a young girl who has reached marriageable age.

Sofia has a strong character, independence, pride and a lively mind. She does not always follow her father's wishes and is able to hide her real feelings from him. At the same time, Sofia is quite conceited, stubborn and sometimes acts under the influence of emotions. She understands others well, knows how to defend her own opinion, but in matters of love she turns out to be trusting and not always objective.

As a child, Sofia was close to Alexander Chatsky. They grew up together, communicated a lot, but after his departure, their relationship changed. Chatsky retained his former affection and returned to Moscow with the hope of reciprocity. Sophia, on the other hand, has cooled off towards him and perceives his ridicule of others as an unpleasant feature of her character.

Currently, she is secretly in love with Alexei Molchalin, her father's secretary. Sophia idealizes his modesty, restraint and quiet disposition, taking caution and obsequiousness for sincere virtue. She does not suspect his real attitude towards her and his infatuation with Lisa.

She has a difficult relationship with her father: Sofia respects his position, but does not share all his beliefs and does not want to completely subordinate her life to his plans. She is especially not interested in marrying Skalozub, whom her father considers a suitable match.

Sofia knows how to behave in society, has good manners, loves reading and music. However, her main weakness is her unwillingness to admit her own mistakes in love. It is she who becomes the source of the rumor about Chatsky's madness, pronounced in a conversation with Mr. N.

Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov was a wealthy Moscow nobleman, widower, father of Sofia Pavlovna. He holds the position of manager in a government place, has numerous acquaintances among influential people in Moscow and is respected in his circle. He is a wealthy man, accustomed to comfort, domestic order and respect for his own person.

By nature, Famusov is conservative, authoritative, conceited and very dependent on public opinion. He is convinced that success in life is determined by wealth, rank, connections and the ability to please influential people. He highly appreciates the old noble order, condemns freethinking and does not trust new ideas. For him, the authority of elders and social status are much more important than personal beliefs.

Famusov has special admiration for his late uncle Maxim Petrovich, who managed to achieve a high position at court thanks to his obsequiousness and ability to adapt. Famusov considers such behavior worthy of imitation and cites his uncle as an example to young people.

He treats his subordinates and servants demandingly, sometimes hot-tempered. He likes to receive guests, arrange dinners and maintain acquaintances with the Moscow nobility. At the same time, he himself is not averse to flirting with women, although he strictly monitors the morality of his own daughter.

He loves Sophia, but his ideas about his daughter's happiness are very limited. He dreams of marrying her to a rich and influential person, preferably with a high rank. Therefore, the candidacy of Colonel Skalozub seems to him especially attractive. Famusov does not approve of Chatsky because of his independent views, ridicule of social conventions and unwillingness to adapt to the established order.

Molchalina also considers the executive secretary useful, unaware of his real relationship with Sofia. Famusov's main fear is to lose the respect of society and become the subject of Moscow gossip. That is why rumors, scandals and other people's opinions are of great importance to him.