The image of Sophia in Griboyedov's comedy “Woe from Wit. The image of Sophia (A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit") Author's assessment of Sophia Woe from Wit
Sophia Famustova is the daughter of a wealthy landowner, Pavel. A young beauty "of marriageable age", not just entering the light of high society, but originally born in it. To be more precise: in a family holding a secular society. Sophia is young and beautiful - these are her main distinguishing features. She is trained in all proper manners and conducts the standard girlish duties around the house: she reads French writers aloud, plays the piano, and receives guests with a smile and kindly in her father's house. The young lady was raised without maternal warmth (Pavel was widowed early), however, she is not deprived of care and attention. From childhood, a magnificent nanny was assigned to her, replacing her native person.
Sophia loves her father and named brother, Chatsky. By blood, they are not related to each other, but Famusov raised Chatsky at his home, replacing his untimely departed parents. The fact that Chatsky is crazy about Sofia and his feelings are far from related, the reader will learn from the comedy a little later. As for Sophia herself, it is worth noting that the girl is far from being stupid, not a coward, however, with self-determination, the young lady is really not going smoothly. Although, such behavior can be easily justified by adolescence and, of course, the influence of society, which gave Sophia a comfortable life that does not know real experiences.
Characteristics of the heroine
(Sophia. Artist P. Sokolov, 1866)
Sophia, in spite of her direct relation to the secular society, living in “famustovism”, has her own personal opinion and does not want to merge with the public. The first opposition to everything that happens around is seen in her stubborn love for self-improvement. Sofia Pavlovna - loves to read, which incredibly irritates her father. He is indignant at Sonechka's craving to re-read French literature, he considers this an incomprehensible, empty occupation, especially for a young lady.
Further, the defense against the general opinion goes much deeper: “What is the rumor to me?” Sophia speaks about their secret relationship with Molchalin. At a time when a young man frantically weighs all the pros and cons, young Famustova shamelessly spends evenings and nights with him on secret dates, knowing full well that such relationships put a stigma on her reputation. In the century described in a comedy by Griboyedov himself, such communication between a man and a woman was considered tantamount to a rash, riotous life on the part of a girl from a family with a loud last name.
(The role of Sophia, artist of the USSR Vera Ershova "Woe from Wit", 1939)
However, no matter how her soul strives for isolation and liberation from human opinion, Sophia rationally stops her heartfelt choice. Molchalin - not because she is in love, but because it is calmer and more profitable than with the blackened Chatsky, who loves her from an early age. Sympathy - sympathy, and the rank was originally to her face, and that was used for its intended purpose.
The image of the heroine in the work
(Anna Snatkina as Sofia Famusova, One Actor Theater - project by E. Rozhdestvenskaya)
Sophia is not an evil character. Moderately open, moderately naive and oh, how good. At 18, she became an almost perfect wife and woman, not deprived of intelligence and quick wits.
Its main role in Griboyedov's work is to show that it is difficult to get away from the general opinion in a small circle. And it doesn't matter: 10 people - neighbors in your house make up this very "public opinion" or, defending your personal opinion, you will have to go against the established iron system of those who need rank, money and the mask of the most ideal person.
Sophia herself, a “front-line comrade” and beloved girlfriend of Chatsky, could not overcome the desire to live in comfort. There is no certainty that Sophia was afraid of rumors or difficulties with gossip. Most likely, this is not fuss and fear, but a thoughtful choice, with an application for a long and happy future, concerning, first of all, herself, and then everyone who stood closer.
Grade 9 students are often asked to write an essay on the topic “The image of Sophia in the comedy “Woe from Wit” by A.S Griboyedov.” Before you - a sample essay on the specified topic. However, before proceeding to write an essay, let's recall the main characteristics of Sophia's image.
The text of the composition.
“Griboyedov belongs to the most powerful manifestations of the Russian spirit,” Belinsky once said. Having tragically died at the age of thirty-four, Griboyedov did not create, undoubtedly, everything that he could accomplish according to his creative powers. He was not destined to realize numerous creative ideas, striking in their wide scope and depth. A brilliant poet and thinker, he remained in history as the author of one famous work. But Pushkin said: “Griboedov has done his own: he has already written “Woe from Wit” . These words contain recognition of Griboedov's great historical service to Russian literature.
In "Woe from Wit" Griboedov put forward the main social and ideological theme of his turning point - the theme of irreconcilable enmity between the defenders of the old, inert way of life and the supporters of a new worldview, a new free life.
The protagonist of the comedy, Chatsky, is considered both in his relationship with representatives of the Famus society, and with Sophia, whom he loves. That's why Sophia plays an important role in the comedy and her attitude not only to Chatsky, but also to Molchalin. The image of Sophia Pavlovna is complex. By nature, she is endowed with good qualities: a strong mind and an independent character. She is able to deeply experience and sincerely love. For a girl of the noble circle, she received a good education and upbringing. The heroine is fond of reading French literature. Famusov, Sophia's father, says:
She has no sleep from French books,
And it hurts me to sleep from the Russians.
This girl is neither good nor bad. So, for example, when Pushkin first got acquainted with Griboedov's play, the image of Sophia seemed to him "It's not clearly written."
I want to try to understand her character. It is very complex in itself. In Sophia, “good instincts with lies” are complexly intertwined. She has to dodge and lie in order not to give out her love to her close-minded father. She is forced to hide her feelings not only because of her fear of her father; it hurts her when in things that are poetic and beautiful for her they see only harsh prose. Chatsky's love for Sophia will help us understand one truth: the character of the heroine is in some important way to match the main positive character of the whole comedy. At seventeen, she not only “bloomed charmingly,” as Chatsky says about her, but also shows an enviable will, unthinkable for people like Molchalin, Skalozub, or even her father. It is enough to compare Famusov’s “what will Princess Marya Aleksevna say”, Molhollin’s “independence, I need to depend on others” and Sophia’s remark: “What is rumor to me? Whoever wants, so judges. This statement is not just "words". The heroine is guided by them literally at every step: both when she receives Molchalin in her room, and when, in front of Skalozub and Chatsky, she runs shouting to Osip: “Ah! My God! fell, killed! - and she herself falls unconscious, not thinking about the impression of others.
But, unfortunately, all these positive character traits could not be developed in the Famus society. Here is how I. A. Goncharov wrote about this in his critical study “A Million of Torments”: “It is difficult to treat Sofya Pavlovna not sympathetically: she has strong inclinations of a remarkable nature, a lively mind, passion and feminine gentleness. It is ruined in stuffiness, where not a single ray of light, not a single stream of fresh air penetrates. At the same time, Sophia is a child of her society. She drew ideas about people and about life from French sentimental novels, and it was this sentimental literature that developed dreaminess and sensitivity in Sophia. She says about Molchalin:
He takes his hand, shakes his heart,
Breathe from the depths of your soul
Not a free word, and so the whole night passes,
Hand in hand, and the eye does not take my eyes off me.
Therefore, it was not by chance that she paid attention to Molchalin, who, in his words and his behavior, reminded her of her favorite heroes. However, it cannot be said that the heroine is blinded: she is able to evaluate the chosen one sensibly and critically:
Of course, he does not have this mind,
What a genius for others, about a plague for others,
Which is fast, brilliant and soon against it ...
Sophia is absolutely confident in herself, in her actions, in her feelings. Although in all this, perhaps, that immediacy, not the depravity of her nature, which allows us to compare her with Pushkin's Tatyana Larina, plays a significant role. But there is also a significant difference between them. Tatyana embodies the ideal character of a Russian woman, as Pushkin imagines her. Possessing the most positive qualities of her soul, she loves an outstanding person, worthy of her in a number of qualities. Sophia's chosen one, unfortunately, is different, but this is only visible to us and Chatsky. Sophia, blinded by Molchalin's courtship, sees only the good in him.
At the first meeting of Sophia with Chatsky, she does not show the same interest in him, she is cold and unkind. This puzzled and even upset Chatsky a little. In vain did he try to insert into the conversation the witticisms that had previously amused Sophia so much. They only led to an even more indifferent and slightly spiteful answer from Sophia: “Did it happen by mistake, in sadness, that you said good things about someone?”. Sophia keeps her proud opinion of Chatsky until the end of the play: "Not a man - a snake." The next meetings of Sophia and Chatsky differ little from each other. But in act 3, Chatsky decides to "pretend once in a lifetime" and begins to praise Molchalin in front of Sophia. Sophia managed to get rid of Chatsky's obsessive questions, but she herself gets carried away and completely withdraws into her feelings, again completely without thinking about the consequences, which once again proves to us the firmness of her character. To Chatsky’s question: “Why did you recognize him so briefly?”, She replies: “I didn’t try! God brought us together." This is enough for Chatsky to finally understand who Sophia is in love with.
The heroine draws a full-length portrait of Molchalin, giving it the most iridescent color, perhaps hoping in her soul to reconcile not only herself, but also others with this love. Sofya loves Molchalin, but hides this 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 things in her father's secretary:
... compliant, modest, quiet,
Not a shadow of worry on your face
And there are no misdeeds in my soul,
Strangers and at random does not cut, -
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 manage.
“The attraction to patronize a loved one, poor, modest, who does not dare to raise his eyes to her, to elevate him to himself, to his circle, to give him family rights” -
this is its goal, according to I. A. Goncharov. Chatsky naturally does not want * to listen to Sophia. For him, Molchalin is a person who is not worthy of respect, and even more so the love of a girl like Sophia.
We involuntarily think: what attracted Sophia to Molchalin? Perhaps his appearance or a deep way of thinking? Of course not. The boredom that reigns in the Famusovs' house is primarily reflected in the girl's young quivering heart. The soul of a young and beautiful Sophia is filled with a romantic expectation of love, she, like all girls of her age, wants to be loved and love herself. Having unraveled Sophia's secret aspirations, Molchalin is nearby, he lives in the house. A young man of not bad appearance, moderately educated, vividly enters into the role of a lover and enchanted. Compliments, courtship, the constant presence of Molchalin gladly do their job. A girl falls in love without being able to choose or compare.
Sophia involuntarily hears Molchalin's conversation with Lisa and suddenly sees her chosen one in a different light. She realized that in fact Molchalin took the form of a lover only "to please the daughter of such a person." He needed Sophia only in order to take advantage of her influence at the right time. His goal was also to get a higher rank, so he, according to the precepts of his father, catered to "all people without exception." Perhaps someday Sophia would have found out about the true intentions of Molchalin and she would not have been so hurt. But now she had 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. And if Sophia had grown up in a different environment, she might have chosen Chatsky. But she chooses a person who suits her better, because she does not think of another hero. And in the end, according to Goncharov, “heaviest of all, even harder than Chatsky” is Sofya.
Griboedov introduced us to the heroine of the comedy as a dramatic person. This is the only character that is conceived and executed as close to Chatsky.
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" is kept apart in literature and differs from other works in its youthfulness, freshness and stronger vitality.
A few more ideas for an essay on the topic “The image of Sophia in the comedy “Woe from Wit”
One of the central characters of Griboedov's comedy "Woe from Wit" is the image of Sophia. The author himself characterized his heroine as follows: "the girl herself is not stupid." And the author gave the corresponding name to his heroine - Sofia, which means "wisdom". But the reader still feels the ambiguous attitude of the author to the heroine. And so our perception of Sophia is also ambiguous. "Who will guess you?" - to this question, asked by Chatsky, we must find the answer.
Chatsky loves Sophia, she is not like other Moscow young ladies. And the heroine of Chatsky loved, the young man left a significant mark on her soul, until now he is not indifferent to her.
But Sophia also has a “special imprint”, like all Moscow ones. She received the upbringing and education that society demanded. She developed a certain ideal of family life - Moscow. True, the formation of this ideal was also influenced by French novels about extraordinary love. For a long time, Chatsky was not near Sophia (he "did not write two words for three years"). But there was Molchalin, quite, from the point of view of the heroine, suitable for the role of a sweet, timid, timid lover.
The girl came up with a similar image for herself and "imposed it" on Molchalin. She did not like Molchalin as he really was, but Molchalin as she imagined him. I.A. Goncharov noted that this heroine "is not immoral: she sins with the sin of ignorance, blindness." Sophia is resolute, she is ready to fight for her happiness, which is why she invents her dream. The heroine is waiting for an opportunity to prepare her father for the thought of her marriage to Molchalin. What does her dream story remind us of? It feels the features of a ballad, so popular in the era of Griboedov: separation from a loved one, confrontation of the world, fantastic monsters ... “Everything is there, if there is no deception,” Famusov reacts to this dream.
Sophia is smart enough not to anger her father, she is cunning, deceiving, without feeling any remorse. She is sharp on the tongue, caustic.
I.A. Goncharov gave Sofya the following description: “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 and moral blindness - all this does not have the character of personal vices in her, but is, as common features of her circle. In her own, personal physiognomy, something of her own is hiding in the shadows, hot, tender, even dreamy. The rest belongs to education.
The image of Sophia plays a very significant role in the comedy. It is connected with the beginning of the conflict of love, as well as the beginning of the conflict between the individual and society, which occurs in the episode of the conversation between Chatsky and Famusov about matchmaking, which turned into a conversation about the service.
The climaxes of these two conflicts coincide, and the point of coincidence is Sophia, who said in anger for Molchalin - "He's out of his mind." The heroine deliberately confirms Chatsky's madness:
Ah, Chatsky! You love to dress up everyone in jesters,
Would you like to try on yourself?
And the denouement is connected with Sophia. The girl sends Liza for Molchalin, hears, like Chatsky, their conversation. The appearance of Famusov brings both conflicts to their logical conclusion.
Sophia is the only one of the leading characters in the play whose actions are absolutely independent and do not depend on anyone else. Molchalin takes on the role of a lover and resignedly plays it. Famusov is in a state of some not yet quite definite suspicions in relation to Molchalin, and then to Chatsky, since Sophia put him in these conditions. Chatsky is stunned by the cold meeting and, due to his deepening love drama, reacts inadequately to any appeals to him from the characters of the play. Gossip about Chatsky's madness is also spreading among Famusov's guests at the suggestion of Sophia. Sophia here acts as a puppeteer, in whose hands the strings that actuate the puppets.
Speaking of Sophia, Goncharov wrote: “She, of course, is harder than everyone else, even harder than Chatsky, and she gets her “million torments”.”
The drama of Sophia is that she fell in love with the unworthy. The appearance of Chatsky confuses all the cards for her, but becomes a catalyst for the development of her relationship with Molchalin. Sofya is angry with Chatsky, because in her soul there is a vague feeling of Molchalin's incomplete correspondence to her ideal. But feminine pride spoke in her: they dared to condemn the object of her love. In addition, Sophia internally understands that Chatsky is right. This makes her especially sad. Why did her relationship with Chatsky worsen? Because of love. For everyone else, this is a social conflict, and for her it is a love conflict.
Why does Griboyedov say that Sophia had the hardest time of all? Yes, because her idyll of Molchalin's romantic love collapsed. But something else is also significant: the heroine is humiliated not only by the realization that she does not attract Molchalin at all. It is terrible that this happened in front of Chatsky.
Meanwhile, Sophia behaves very dignified and courageous. She finds the strength to admit that Molchalin is a scoundrel, and admits she was wrong:
Don't go on, I blame myself all around.
But who would have thought that he could be so insidious!
Sophia attracts us with her naturalness and simplicity, free from prejudice. She is endowed with a mind and a strong character, dreaminess and ardor. At the same time, she is a child of the Famus society, and therefore unconsciously acts and lives according to the same laws. That is why the girl was able to slander Chatsky.
Unfortunately, Sophia cannot marry a hero other than Molchalin. She needs a husband-boy, because she subconsciously strives for power. In a blind feeling of love, Sophia did not see that Molchalin needed her in order to use her influence.
Sophia is a magnificent female image in Russian literature. In the gallery of Russian female characters, she occupies a worthy place as an image of a strong person and a courageous, albeit naive girl.
In comedy A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit" presents the customs of the Moscow nobles of the early 19th century. The author shows the clash between the conservative views of the feudal landlords and the progressive views of the younger generation of nobles who began to appear in society. This clash is presented in the form of a struggle between two camps: the “past century”, protecting their mercantile interests and personal comfort, and the “present century”, striving to improve the structure of society through the manifestation of true citizenship. However, there are characters in the play who cannot be unambiguously attributed to any of the opposing sides. This is the image of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit".
Sophia's opposition to the Famus society
Sofya Famusova is one of the most complex characters in the work of A.S. Griboyedov. The characterization of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit" is contradictory, because on the one hand, she is the only person close in spirit to Chatsky, the main character of the comedy. On the other hand, it is Sophia who turns out to be the cause of Chatsky's suffering and his expulsion from Famus society.
The protagonist of the comedy is not without reason in love with this girl. Let Sofya now call their youthful love childish, nevertheless, she once attracted Chatsky with her natural mind, strong character, and independence from other people's opinions. And he was nice to her for the same reasons.
From the first pages of the comedy, we learn that Sophia received a good education, loves to spend time reading books, which causes the anger of her father. After all, he believes that “in reading, the use is not great,” and “learning is the plague.” And this is the first discrepancy in the comedy "Woe from Wit" of the image of Sophia with the images of the nobles of the "past century".
Sophia's passion for Molchalin is also natural. She, as a fan of French novels, saw in the modesty and laconicism of this man the features of a romantic hero. Sophia does not suspect that she has become a victim of deceit by a two-faced person who is next to her only for personal gain.
In her relationship with Molchalin, Sofya Famusova shows such character traits that none of the representatives of the "past century", including her father, would ever dare to show. If Molchalin is mortally afraid to make public this connection to society, since “evil tongues are worse than a gun,” then Sophia is not afraid of the opinion of the world. She follows the dictates of her heart: “What is the rumor to me? Whoever wants, so judges. This position makes her related to Chatsky.
Features that bring Sophia closer to the Famus society
However, Sophia is the daughter of her father. She was brought up in a society where only rank and money are valued. The atmosphere in which she grew up certainly had an impact on her.
Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit" chose Molchalin not only because she saw positive qualities in him. The fact is that in the Famus society, women rule not only in society, but also in the family. It is worth remembering a couple of Goriches at a ball in Famusov's house. Platon Mikhailovich, whom Chatsky knew as an active, active military man, under the influence of his wife, turned into a weak-willed creature. Natalya Dmitrievna decides everything for him, gives answers for him, disposing of him like a thing.
It is obvious that Sophia, wanting to dominate her husband, chose Molchalin as her future husband. This hero corresponds to the ideal of a husband in the society of the Moscow nobles: "A husband-boy, a husband-servant, from the wife's pages - the high ideal of all Moscow men."
The tragedy of Sofia Famusova
In the comedy Woe from Wit, Sophia is the most tragic character. More suffering falls to her lot than even Chatsky's.
Firstly, Sophia, possessing by nature determination, courage, intelligence, is forced to be a hostage to the society in which she was born. The heroine cannot afford to surrender to feelings, regardless of the opinions of others. She was brought up among the conservative nobility and will live according to the laws dictated by them.
Secondly, the appearance of Chatsky threatens her personal happiness with Molchalin. After the arrival of Chatsky, the heroine is in constant tension and is forced to defend her lover from the caustic attacks of the protagonist. It is the desire to save your love, to protect Molchalin from ridicule, that pushes Sophia to spread gossip about Chatsky's madness: “Ah, Chatsky! Do you like to dress everyone up as jesters, would you like to try on yourself? However, Sophia turned out to be capable of such an act only because of the strong influence of the society in which she lives and with which she gradually merges.
Thirdly, in the comedy there is a cruel destruction of the image of Molchalin that has developed in Sophia's head when she hears his conversation with the maid Liza. Her main tragedy lies in the fact that she fell in love with a scoundrel who played the role of her lover only because it could be beneficial for him to receive the next rank or award. In addition, the exposure of Molchalin takes place in the presence of Chatsky, which hurts Sophia as a woman even more.
conclusions
Thus, the characterization of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit" shows that this girl is in many ways opposed to her father and the entire noble society. She is not afraid to stand against the light, protecting her love.
However, this same love makes Sophia defend herself from Chatsky, with whom she is so close in spirit. It is with the words of Sophia that Chatsky is blackened in society and expelled from it.
If all the other heroes of the play, with the exception of Chatsky, participate only in social conflict, protect their comfort and their usual way of life, then Sophia is forced to fight for her feelings. “She, of course, is harder than everyone else, even harder than Chatsky, and she gets her “million torments”,” wrote I.A. Goncharov about Sophia. Unfortunately, in the finale it turns out that the heroine's struggle for the right to love was in vain, because Molchalin turns out to be an unworthy person.
But even with someone like Chatsky, Sophia would not have found happiness. Most likely, she will choose as her husband a man who corresponds to the ideals of the Moscow nobility. The strong character of Sophia needs realization, which will become possible with her husband, who allows him to command and lead himself.
Sofya Famusova is the most complex and controversial character in Griboyedov's comedy Woe from Wit. The characteristics of Sophia, the disclosure of her image and the description of the role in the comedy will be useful to grade 9 when preparing materials for an essay on the theme of the image of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit"
Artwork test
The image of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit" is the most dramatic. Griboyedov, portraying the heroine, completely departs from satirical techniques. For him, a girl is a living person, and not a stereotyped image, like her father and other representatives of the world. Let's try to figure out why the writer, raising Sophia above the others, nevertheless made her unhappy.
Characteristics of Sophia ("Woe from Wit"). Opinions of critics
Sophia in her character and spiritual strength is very close to Chatsky. Griboyedov put a lot of effort into creating this female image, but the critics of that time had a different opinion. So, P. Vyazemsky called her “a khalda who has no female charm”, in addition, the publicist was also embarrassed by the morality of a girl who secretly meets a young man and even receives him in her bedroom. N. Nadezhdin agreed with the last statement: “Sofya is the ideal of a Moscow young lady ... with low feelings, but strong desires,” which “were barely restrained by secular decency.” Even Pushkin called Sophia Griboyedov's failure, the poet believed that she was "indistinctly drawn."
The role of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit" has long been underestimated. Only in 1871, Goncharov, in his article "A Million of Torments", wrote about the virtues of the heroine and her huge role in the play. The critic even compared her with Pushkin's Tatyana Larina. But the most valuable thing is that he was able to notice and appreciate the realism of Sophia's character. Even her negative traits became in some way virtues, as they made the girl more alive.
Drama heroine
Sophia is not a character in a social comedy, but the heroine of an everyday drama. Griboedov ("Woe from Wit") for his play was not just called an innovative playwright. He was one of the first to cross comedy and drama, and Sophia is a direct proof of this. She is a very passionate person who lives only with strong feelings. This is her similarity with Chatsky, who is also unable to restrain passion.
The wretchedness of Molchalin does not make the girl's love funny, on the contrary, this situation only adds drama to her appearance. Sophia's characterization ("Woe from Wit") is based precisely on her affection. Only the viewer sees the true face of Molchalin, for the heroine he is the ideal. She appears as a girl capable of real feelings, who cannot pretend and does not want to.
Sofia and Molchalin - grief from love
We decided that the image of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit" is inextricably linked with Molchalin. Love for him determines all the actions of the heroine. It divides the world into two parts: Molchalin and others. Sophia constantly thinks about her lover, apparently, therefore, she does not notice what kind of people surround her.
The girl is in the grip of an incredibly strong first love. However, her feelings are not free and joyless. She is well aware that her chosen one will never please her father. These thoughts seriously overshadow the girl's life, but inwardly she is ready to fight for her love to the last.
Sophia's monologue ("Woe from Wit"), in which she confesses her feelings to Lisa, says that she is overwhelmed with them. What else could have pushed her to this rash step? Even frankness with Chatsky is due precisely to the fact that Sophia's mind was clouded with love. She loses all her common sense and loses her ability to reason. However, she herself believes that she is very critical and sensible about Molchalin: “He doesn’t have this mind ...”, but she immediately says that it is not necessary to have a special mind for family happiness. In her mind, her lover is quiet, gentle, and uncomplaining. Sophia does not see that he is a scoundrel, this truth will be revealed to her only in the final. The girl will witness how her beloved takes care of Lisa. This discovery literally destroys her. The episode is rightfully considered the most dramatic moment of the play.
Sentimental novels and women's education
The image of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit" is not only dramatic, but also somewhat collective. Using her example, Griboedov shows the tragedy of girls from secular society. After all, what is the reason that she not only fell in love with a scoundrel, but also slandered Chatsky, who loves her? The author gives a direct answer to this question: “to teach our daughters everything… and dances, and sighs, and singing! As if we are preparing them for wives for buffoons.
That is, it says here that the girls, although they knew a lot, and studied, prepared for only one thing - a successful marriage. And Sophia, like many, builds her life according to the generally accepted model.
And on the other hand, she was also brought up by books - French novels that do not give her sleep. The characterization of Sophia ("Woe from Wit") gives us the opportunity to assume that Griboedov tried to raise the problem of enlightenment and women's education in Russia of his time.
Even the choice of Molchalin as an object of sighing is largely due to sentimental novels that describe the love of a noble girl and a poor young man (or vice versa). Sophia admired the masculinity and devotion of the novel characters. And she considered Molchalin the same book character.
The girl cannot separate reality from fiction, which is why her love ends so sadly.
Sophia and other female images
It is possible to consider the image of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit" in the context of other secular girls and ladies. Using the example of other heroines, Griboyedov shows the path of a secular lady, which Sophia seeks to go through. It begins with the young ladies of marriageable age - the Tugoukhovsky princesses. Then we see Natalya Dmitrievna Gorich, a newly married young lady. She learns to push her husband around, direct his actions and direct. Here are the ladies who form secular opinion - Khlestakova, Marya Aleksevna, Princess Tugoukhovskaya, Tatiana Yurievna. At the end of their lives, a slightly comical image of the countess grandmother awaits them all.
Sophia's monologue ("Woe from Wit"), in which she extols the virtues of her lover and says that he is perfect for the role of a spouse, is indicative in this respect. Molchalin is indeed an ideal candidate to translate the life path of the lady of light into reality. While Chatsky is not at all suitable for this role.
Sophia's quotes from the comedy "Woe from Wit"
The most famous statements of the heroine:
- "Happy hours do not watch";
- “What is the rumor to me? Whoever wants, so judges”;
- “You can share laughter with everyone”;
- "Not a man, a snake!";
- "The hero ... not of my novel."
Summing up
The characterization of Sophia shows us the drama of the heroine. "Woe from Wit" denounces and reveals the essence of many social phenomena, including the position of women in the contemporary world of the author. Sophia is a smart, outstanding and passionate person who could make a worthy couple for Chatsky. But the upbringing and environment distorted these noble features, in a sense disfigured the heroine and led to a dramatic finale. The role of Sophia in the comedy "Woe from Wit", thus, is a key and plot-forming one.