A short story of A. Griboyedov’s play “Woe from Wit”


The plot of the comedy “Woe from Wit” is based on events that take place during one day in the mansion of the Moscow landowner-nobleman Famusov. From the very morning, a certain Chatsky, a young man who shines with intelligence and wit, defends the advanced ideas of the new time and ruthlessly criticizes the morally obsolete orders of the landlord-serf Russia, suddenly comes from distant lands. In a house dominated by precisely such orders, Chatsky brings fervent love for the daughter of Famusov Sophia. However, the girl meets the guest from the past coldly: during his absence she started a “love story” with her father’s secretary, petty official Molchalin. Sophia carefully protects her heartfelt secrets from strangers, only devoted servant Lisa is dedicated to her.

Chatsky spends his day in conversations with the inhabitants and visitors of Famusov’s house, more and more irritating the hosts with daring judgments, kinky ridicule, unrestrained free-thinking. The conflict between the hero and the FAMUS society goes into a critical phase during the home ball, when the guests are happy to pick up words about Chatsky’s madness that have torn away from Sophia’s language. At the end of the evening, the hero drinks the cup of suffering to the bottom: after becoming an occasional witness of several secret scenes, he learns that Sophia exchanged it for Molchalin and it was she who dissolved the gossip about his insanity. Chatsky brings an angry speech to the Famusovs and leaves Moscow.


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A short story of A. Griboyedov’s play “Woe from Wit”