Characteristics of the Famus society attitude to education. The Famus Society in the comedy Woe from Wit - an artistic analysis. Griboyedov Alexander Sergeevich. Molchalin: a dumb careerist

The Famus Society in the comedy Woe from Wit

The ideological and thematic content of the comedy is revealed in its images and in the development of the action.

A large number of actors representing the Moscow noble society are supplemented by so-called off-stage images, i.e. ( This material will help to write competently on the topic of the Famus Society in the comedy Woe from Wit. The summary does not make it possible to understand the whole meaning of the work, therefore this material will be useful for a deep understanding of the work of writers and poets, as well as their novels, short stories, stories, plays, poems.) e. such characters that do not appear on the stage, but which we learn about from the stories of the characters. So, the Famus society includes such non-stage characters as Maxim Petrovich, Kuzma Petrovich, "Nestor of noble scoundrels", the landowner - a ballet lover, Tatyana Yuryevna, Princess Marya Alekseevna and many others. These images allowed Griboyedov to expand the framework of the satirical picture beyond Moscow, to include court circles in the play. Thanks to this, “Woe from Wit” grows into a work that gives the broadest picture of all Russian life in the 10-20s of the 19th century, faithfully reproducing the social struggle that unfolded with great force at that time throughout Russia, and not just in Moscow. , between two camps: advanced, Decembrist-minded people and feudal lords, a stronghold of antiquity.

Let us dwell first on the defenders of antiquity, on the conservative masses of the nobility. This group of nobles makes up the Famus society. How does Griboyedov characterize him?

1. People of the Famusov circle, especially the older generation, are staunch supporters of the autocratic-feudal system, inveterate reactionary serf-owners. The past is dear to them, the century of Catherine II, when the power of the noble landowners was especially strong. With reverence, Famusov recalls the queen's court. Speaking about the nobleman Maxim Petrovich, Famusov contrasts Catherine's court with a new court circle:

Then not what it is now:

Under the Empress, he served Catherine.

And in those days, everything is important! forty pounds ...

Bow dumbly do not nod.

The nobleman in case even more so,

Not like the other, and drank and ate differently.

The same Famusov somewhat later speaks of the dissatisfaction of the old men with the new times, with the policy of the young tsar, which seems to them liberal.

What about our elders? - How they will take enthusiasm, They will sue about deeds, that the word is a sentence, - After all, pillars are all, they don’t blow anyone’s mustache, And sometimes they talk about the government in such a way, That if someone overheard them ... trouble! Not that novelties were introduced - never, God save us! .. No ...

It is precisely the novelty that these “direct chancellors retired in their minds”, enemies of a free life, who “draw their judgments from the forgotten newspapers of the times of Ochakov and the conquest of the Crimea”, are afraid of. At the beginning of the reign of Alexander I, when he surrounded himself with young friends who seemed free-thinking to these old men, they left the service in protest. This was done by the well-known Admiral Shishkov, who returned to state activity only when the government's policy took a sharply reactionary direction. There were especially many such Shishkovs in Moscow. They set the top of life here; Famusov is convinced that "without them things will not work", they will determine the policy.

2. The Famus society strongly guards its noble interests. A person is valued here only by his origin and wealth, and not by personal qualities:

Here, for example, we have been doing from time immemorial,

What is the honor of the father and son; Be poor, yes, if you have enough

Souls of a thousand two tribal,

That and the groom.

The other, at least be quicker, puffed up with all swagger,

Let yourself be a wise man

And they won’t include them in the family, don’t look at us,

After all, only here they value the nobility.

This is Famusov speaking. The same opinion is shared by Princess Tugoukhovskaya. Upon learning that Chatsky is not a chamber junker and is not rich, she ceases to be interested in him. Arguing with Famusov about the number of serf souls Chatsky has, Khlestova resentfully declares: “I don’t know other people’s estates!”

3. The nobles of the Famusov circle do not see people in the peasants and brutally crack down on them. Chatsky recalls, for example, one landowner who exchanged his servants, who more than once saved his honor and life, for three greyhounds. Khlestova arrives at Famusov’s for the evening, accompanied by a “black-haired girl” and a dog, and asks Sofya: “Tell them to feed already, my friend, they got a handout from dinner.” Angry at his servants, Famusov shouts to the porter Filka: “Get you to work! to settle you!”

4. The goal in life for Famusov and his guests is career, honors, wealth. Maxim Petrovich, a nobleman of Catherine's time, Kuzma Petrovich, chamberlain of the court - these are role models. Famusov takes care of Skalozub, dreams of marrying his daughter to him only because he "both a golden bag and aspires to be a general." Service in the Famus society is understood only as a source of income, a means of achieving ranks and honors. They do not deal with cases on the merits, Famusov only signs the papers that his "business" secretary Molchalin presents to him. He himself admits this:

And I have what's the matter, what's not the case.

My custom is this: Signed, so off my shoulders.

Occupying the important post of “manager in a state-owned place” (probably the head of the archive), Famusov places his relatives in his place:

With me, servants of strangers are very rare:

More and more sister, sister-in-law children. . .

How will you begin to introduce to the baptism whether, to the town,

Well, how not to please your own little man!

Protection, nepotism is a common occurrence in the world of the Famusovs. The Famusovs care not about the interests of the state, but about their personal benefit. This is the case in the civil service, but we see the same among the military. Colonel Skalozub, as if echoing Famusov, declares:

Yes, in order to get ranks, there are many channels;

About them as a true philosopher I judge:

; I just want to be a general.

He makes his career quite successfully, frankly explaining this not by his personal qualities, but by the fact that circumstances favor him:

I am quite happy in my comrades,

Vacancies are just open:

Then the elders will be turned off by others,

Others, you see, are killed.

5. Careerism, servility, servility to superiors, wordlessness - all the characteristic features of the bureaucratic world of that time are especially fully disclosed in the image of Molchalin.

Having begun his service in Tver, Molchalin, either a petty nobleman or a commoner, was transferred to Moscow thanks to the patronage of Famusov. In Moscow, he confidently advances in the service. Molchalin understands perfectly well what is required of an official if he wants to make a career. Only three years since he has been in the service of Famusov, and has already managed to “receive three awards”, become the right person for Famusov, enter his house. That is why Chatsky, who is well acquainted with the type of such an official, predicts Molchalin the possibility of a brilliant service career:

And yet, he will reach the known degrees, | | After all, today they love the dumb.

Such clever secretaries in that "age of humility and fear", when they served "persons, not the cause", went out to noble people, reached high positions in the service. Repetilov talks about his father-in-law's secretaries:

His secretaries are all boors, all corrupt,

People, writing creature,

Everyone came out to know, everyone is important now.

Molchalin has all the data to become an important official later: the ability to serve influential people, complete promiscuity in the means to achieve his goal, the absence of any moral rules, and in addition to all this, two “talents” - “moderation and accuracy”.

6. The conservative society of the Famusov-serfs, like fire, is afraid of everything new, progressive, everything that could threaten its dominant position. Famusov and his guests show rare unanimity in the fight against the ideas and views of Chatsky, who seems to them a freethinker, a preacher of "crazy deeds and opinions." And since they all see enlightenment as the source of this "liberty", of revolutionary ideas, they oppose the sciences, educational institutions, and education in general as a common front. Famusov teaches:

Learning - that's the plague, learning - that's the reason, What is now more than ever, Crazy divorced people, and deeds, and opinions.

He offers a decisive way to combat this evil:

If evil is to be stopped:

Take away all the books and burn them.

Famusov echoes.

Puffer:

I will make you happy: the general rumor,

That there is a project about lyceums, schools, gymnasiums -

There they will only teach in our way: one, two,

And the books will be kept like this: for big occasions.

Against the hotbeds of education - "boarding houses, schools, lyceums", the pedagogical institute, where "professors are exercising in splits and disbelief", both Khlestova and Princess Tugoukhovskaya speak out.

7. The upbringing that representatives of the Famus society receive makes them alien to their people. Chatsky is outraged by the education system prevailing in the noble houses of Moscow. Here, the upbringing of children from a very young age was entrusted to foreigners, usually Germans and French. As a result, the nobles broke away from everything Russian, their speech was dominated by "a mixture of French and Nizhny Novgorod languages", from childhood the conviction was instilled "that there is no salvation for us without the Germans", "this unclean spirit of empty, slavish, blind imitation" was instilled in everything foreign. "Frenchman from Bordeaux", having arrived in Russia, "did not meet a sound of a Russian, or a Russian face."

Such is the Famus society, which Griboyedov depicted with such artistic skill in his comedy and which displays the typical features of the entire mass of feudal nobles of that time. This nobility, imbued with fear of the growing liberation movement, unitedly opposes the advanced people, of which Chatsky is a representative.)

This society is depicted in Griboedov's wonderful comedy in vivid individualized images. Each of them is a truthfully painted living face, with peculiar character traits and peculiarities of speech.

In his article “On Plays,” Gorky wrote: “The characters in a play are created exclusively and only by their speeches, that is, in a purely speech language, and not descriptive. This is very important to understand, because in order for the figures of the play to acquire artistic value and social persuasiveness on stage, in the depiction of its actors, it is necessary that the speech of each figure be strictly original, extremely expressive ... Let's take for example the heroes of our beautiful comedies: Famusov, Skalozub, Molchalin, Repetilov, Khlestakov, Gorodnichiy, Rasplyuev, etc. - each of these figures was created by a small number of words and each of them gives an absolutely accurate idea of ​​its class, its era.

Let's see how individual heroes of his comedy are sketched by Griboyedov.

The play "Woe from Wit" is a well-known work by A. S. Griboyedov. In the process of its creation, the author departed from the classical canons of writing a "high" comedy. The characters in "Woe from Wit" are ambiguous and multifaceted images, and not caricature characters endowed with one characteristic feature. This technique allowed Alexander Sergeevich to achieve amazing credibility in depicting the "picture of manners" of the Moscow aristocracy. This article will be devoted to the characterization of representatives of such a society in the comedy "Woe from Wit".

The problems of the play

There are two plot-forming conflicts in Woe from Wit. One of them concerns the personal relationships of the characters. Chatsky, Molchalin and Sofia participate in it. The other is a socio-ideological confrontation between the main character of the comedy and all the other characters in the play. Both storylines reinforce and complement each other. Without taking into account the love line, it is impossible to understand the characters, worldview, psychology and relationships of the heroes of the work. However, the main one, of course, is Chatsky and the Famus society oppose each other throughout the play.

"Portrait" of comedy heroes

The appearance of the comedy "Woe from Wit" caused a lively response in the literary circles of the first half of the 19th century. Moreover, they were not always laudatory. For example, Alexander Sergeevich's longtime friend, P. A. Katenin, reproached the author for the fact that the characters in the play are too "portrait", that is, they are complex and multifaceted. However, Griboedov, on the contrary, considered the realism of his characters the main advantage of the work. In response to criticisms, he replied that "... caricatures that distort the real proportions in the appearance of people are unacceptable ..." and argued that there was not a single one in his comedy. Having managed to make his characters alive and believable, Griboyedov achieved a stunning satirical effect. Many unwittingly recognized themselves in the characters of the comedy.

Representatives of the Famus Society

In response to remarks about the imperfection of his "plan", he stated that in his play "25 fools per sane person." Thus, he spoke rather sharply against the metropolitan elite. It was obvious to everyone who the author portrayed under the guise of comedic characters. Alexander Sergeevich did not hide his negative attitude towards the Famus society and opposed him with the only intelligent person - Chatsky. The rest of the characters in the comedy were typical images of that time: the well-known and influential Moscow "ace" (Famusov); loud and stupid careerist martinet (Skalozub); quiet and wordless scoundrel (Molchalin); domineering, half-mad and very rich old woman (Khlestova); eloquent talker (Repetilov) and many others. The Famus society in comedy is motley, diverse and absolutely unanimous in its resistance to the voice of reason. Consider the character of its brightest representatives in more detail.

Famusov: a staunch conservative

This hero is one of the most influential people in Moscow society. He is a fierce opponent of everything new and believes that it is necessary to live as the fathers and grandfathers bequeathed. Chatsky's statements for him are the height of freethinking and depravity. And in ordinary human vices (drunkenness, lies, servility, hypocrisy), he does not see anything reprehensible. For example, he declares himself that he is "known for his monastic behavior", but before that he flirts with Lisa. For Famusov, a synonym for the word "vice" is "scholarship". Condemnation of bureaucratic servility for him is a sign of insanity.

The question of service is the main one in Famusov's system. In his opinion, any person should strive to make a career and thereby secure a high position in society. Chatsky for him is a lost man, as he ignores generally accepted norms. But Molchalin and Skalozub are businesslike, reasonable people. The Famus society is an environment in which Petr Afanasyevich feels fulfilled. He is the embodiment of what Chatsky condemns in people.

Molchalin: a dumb careerist

If Famusov in the play is a representative of the "past century", then Alexei Stepanovich belongs to the younger generation. However, his ideas about life completely coincide with the views of Peter Afanasyevich. Molchalin makes his way "to the people" with enviable persistence, in accordance with the laws dictated by the Famus society. He does not belong to the nobility. His trump cards are "moderation" and "accuracy", as well as lackey helpfulness and boundless hypocrisy. Alexei Stepanovich is very dependent on public opinion. The famous remark about evil tongues that are "more terrible than a gun" belongs to him. His insignificance and unscrupulousness are obvious, but this does not prevent him from making a career. In addition, thanks to his boundless pretense, Alexei Stepanovich becomes a happy rival of the protagonist in love. "The silent ones rule the world!" - Chatsky notes bitterly. Against the Famus society, he can put up only his own wit.

Khlestov: tyranny and ignorance

The moral deafness of the Famus society is brilliantly demonstrated in the play Woe from Wit. Griboyedov Alexander Sergeevich entered the history of Russian literature as the author of one of the most topical and realistic works of his time. Many aphorisms from this comedy are very relevant today.

Numerous actors of the comedy, who represent the capital's noble society, are successfully complemented by off-stage characters. We do not see them on the stage, but we know about their existence from the stories of other heroes. Maxim Petrovich, as well as Tatyana Yuryevna, Kuzma Petrovich, Princess Marya Alekseevna and many others belong to such off-stage images. All of them belong to the Famus society. Thanks to them, Griboedov expands the scope of the comedy far beyond Moscow, and also includes courtiers in the work.

It is precisely because of the presence of off-stage characters that the work becomes the play that gives the most detailed picture of the life of Russia in the 20s of the 19th century. Woe from Wit realistically shows the social situation that was ripe at that time, the struggle that unfolded throughout the country between the Decembrists, revolutionary-minded people and adherents of serfdom, the defenders of the old system.

Consider first the conservative nobility, the so-called supporters of antiquity. This fairly large group is the Famus society. How does Griboyedov describe it?

1. These people, especially the older generation, are convinced serf-owners, supporters of the autocracy, avid defenders of the old structure of society. They value the past, long-standing traditions of building social relations. They like the times of Catherine II, because this era is famous for its special power, the power of the noble landowners. Famusov with reverence and reverence attached to the memories of the queen's court. He draws a parallel, compares the current court circle and the court of Catherine, citing as an example the personality of the nobleman Maxim Petrovich.

Later, Famusov says that the old people are dissatisfied with the new trends in politics, the actions of the young tsar, who, in their opinion, is too liberal. Defenders of the old way of life oppose everything new, they are afraid of any changes that could destroy the world familiar to them. Many old officials left their posts at the very beginning of the reign of Alexander I. They did this on purpose, as a sign of protest, because they considered that the young people with whom the tsar surrounded himself were too free-thinking. For example, Admiral Shishkov, a fairly well-known statesman, returned to service only at the moment when government policy changed direction to a sharply reactionary one. And there were many such Shishkovs, especially in Moscow. They determined the course of public life, and therefore Famusov was convinced that such people would continue to influence politics.

2. The old society stubbornly defends its noble interests. In the Famusov circle, a person is evaluated based on his origin and financial situation, and no attention is paid to personal qualities. For example, Princess Tugoukhovskaya ceases to be interested in Chatsky as soon as it becomes clear that he is far from being a chamber junker, and not at all rich. Khlestova, in a dispute with Famusov, proving her case about the presence of one or another number of serfs from Chatsky, claims that she knows all the estates without fail, since this is the most important thing.

3. Such nobles as Famusov do not see serfs in serfs, they treat them cruelly. Chatsky shares his recollection that one landowner exchanged his servants for three dogs, and yet they saved him many times not only honor, but also his life. Khlestova puts her maid and her dog on the same line: when she comes to Famusov, she orders to feed both of them, sending the leftovers from dinner. Famusov himself constantly yells at the servants, threatens the porter to send him to work in the village.

4. The main life goal for the people of the Famus society is a career, wealth, honors. They consider the nobleman Maxim Petrovich and the chamberlain of the court Kuzma Petrovich, who once served under Catherine, as models for everyone to follow. Famusov courts Skalozub, as he wants to give his daughter for him. This desire is dictated only by the fact that Skalozub is rich and has made a successful career. Old men consider service in society as a source of profit, income, material enrichment, and a means for obtaining ranks. No one does things the right way, for real. For example, Famusov in the service only signs the papers handed over to him by Secretary Molchalin. But everyone is happy to use their official position. Famusov constantly employs various relatives at his place. Nepotism, patronage are the most common and widespread thing here. The Famusovs do not care about the interests of the state, they are only concerned with personal benefit and benefit. And this applies not only to the civil service, but also to the military environment. Anyone can become a successful military man if he is supported, promoted, favored.

5. In the image of Molchalin, the author wanted to show the main features of the world of officials, characteristic of that time. This is cringing, careerism, wordlessness, the ability to please the authorities. Molchalin was a raznochinets or petty nobleman. He began his service in Tver, but then transferred to Moscow, which Famusov contributed to. In Moscow, Molchalin quickly rises through the ranks. He perfectly understands what needs to be done if you want to make a career. Only three years passed, and Molchalin managed to become necessary to Famusov, receive several thanks and enter the house of his benefactor. Chatsky predicts a brilliant career for him, as he is well acquainted with this type of officials. It was such secretaries at that time who could become noble people and achieve high positions. Molchalin has all the necessary data. This is the ability to curry favor, gain confidence in influential people, promiscuity in the means to achieve the goal, accuracy, lack of moral principles.

6. The skeletal, conservative society of feudal lords is very much afraid of everything progressive. These people perceive any innovations with hostility, as this may threaten their position, domination. Famusov and his guests are surprisingly unanimous in their condemnation of Chatsky's ideas. They instantly rallied in the struggle against the views that they consider free-thinking. They consider enlightenment to be the source of all liberties, and therefore they oppose educational institutions and sciences. The Famus Society offers a radical method of combating such evil. Khlestova, Princess Tugoukhovskaya are also negatively disposed towards schools, boarding schools, lyceums.

7. Representatives of the old regime society are alien to their people, since they received a certain upbringing in their time. Chatsky is outraged by this system, in which the upbringing of noble children is entrusted to foreigners. As a result, young nobles grew up cut off from everything national, Russian, their speech became mixed with a foreign language. From childhood, they were instilled with an imaginary need to imitate the Germans or the French.

This is how the Famus society appears before us, outlined by Griboedov with special care. The author of the comedy displayed the characteristic, typical features of the feudal nobility of that era. The nobility is seized with fear of the liberation movement, therefore it opposes Chatsky, who is the personification of progressive people. Griboyedov shows this society through individualized images, each of which is a living person with its own features, character, and special speech.

The content of the play is closely connected with historical events. At that time, defenders of feudalism and serfdom ruled in Russian society, but at the same time a progressively thinking, advanced nobility also appeared. Thus, two centuries collided in comedy - "the current century" and "the past century".
The "past century" personifies the Famus society. These are acquaintances and relatives of Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov, a rich, noble gentleman, in whose house the action of the comedy takes place. These are Prince and Princess Tugo-Uhovsky, the old woman Khlestova, the Gorichi spouses, Colonel Skalozub. All these people are united by one point of view on life. In their environment, human trafficking is considered normal. The serfs sincerely serve them, sometimes saving their honor and life, and the owners can exchange them for greyhounds. So, at a ball in Famusov's house, Khlestova asks Sofya to give a sop from dinner for her arapka - a girl and a dog. Khlestova sees no difference between them. Famusov himself yells at his servants: “To your work, to your settlements!” . Even Famusov's daughter Sophia, who was brought up on French novels,. says to his maid Lisa: “Listen, don’t take too many liberties!” .
The main thing for the Famus society is
it is wealth. Their ideals are people in ranks. Famusov cites Kuzma Petrovich as an example to Chatsky, who was a “venerable chamberlain”, “with a key”, “rich and was married to a rich woman”. Pavel Afanasyevich wants for his daughter such a groom as Skalozub, because he is "a golden bag and aims for generals."
Famus society is also distinguished by indifference to the service. Famusov - "manager in a government place". He does things very reluctantly. At the insistence of Molchalin, Famusov signs the papers, despite the fact that "there is a contradiction in them, and a lot of weekly." Pavel Afanasyevich believes: "Signed, so off your shoulders." In Famus society, it is customary to keep only relatives in the service. Famusov says: “In my presence, strangers who serve are very rare ..,” .
These people are not interested in anything but lunches, dinners and dancing. During these amusements, they slander and gossip. They are "low-worshippers and businessmen", "flatterers and sycophants". Pavel Afanasyevich recalls his uncle Maxim Petrovich, a great nobleman: “When you need to serve, and he bent over backwards.” Famusov also meets with great reverence the prospective fiancé of his daughter Skalozub, he says: “Sergei Sergeyich, come here, sir, I humbly ask ...”, “Sergei Sergeyich, dear, put down your hat, take off your sword ...”.
All representatives of the Famus society are united by their attitude to education and enlightenment. Like Famusov, they are sincerely convinced that “study is the plague, scholarship is the reason that today, more than ever, crazy divorced people, and deeds, and opinions.” And Colonel Skalozub, who is not distinguished by intelligence, talks about a new project for schools, lyceums, gymnasiums, where they will teach the marching step, and books will be kept only "for big occasions." The Famus society does not recognize Russian culture and language. They are closer to French culture, they bow before it and before the French language. Chatsky, in his monologue, says that the Frenchman from Bordeaux did not find here "neither the sound of a Russian, nor a Russian face."
They all have the same attitude towards Chatsky, who is the representative of everything new and advanced. They do not understand his ideas and pro-
aggressive outlook. The hero tries to prove his case, but it ends tragically for him. A rumor is spreading about his insanity, as society does not want to look at the world around him differently. So Griboyedov reflected the conflict between the two camps: the supporters of serfdom and the advanced thinkers of that time.

The comedy "Woe from Wit" was written by Griboyedov in 1824. It gives a general picture of all Russian life in the 10-20s of the 19th century, reproduces the eternal struggle between the old and the new, which unfolded with particular force at that time not only in Moscow, but throughout Russia between two camps: advanced, Decembrist-minded people "of the present century" and the feudal lords, representatives of the "past century".

All images of the comedy are deeply realistic. Famusov, Skalozub, Molchalin, Khlestova, the rogue Zagoretsky - all of them are a reflection of reality. These people are stupid and mercenary, afraid of enlightenment and progress, their thoughts are directed only to the acquisition of honors and titles, wealth and finery, they form a single camp of reaction that tramples on all living things.

Famus society is traditional. His life foundations are such that one must study, “looking at the elders”, destroy free-thinking thoughts, serve with obedience to the authorities, and most importantly, be rich. The ideals of this society are presented in Famusov's monologues:

...here is an example:

The deceased was a respectable chamberlain,

With the key, and he knew how to deliver the key to his son;

He was rich and was married to a rich woman;

Married children, grandchildren;

He passed away and everyone remembers him sadly.

Kuzma Petrovich! Peace be upon him! -

What aces live and die in Moscow!..

Famusov, an old Moscow nobleman, deserved a general favor in the metropolitan circles. He is affable, courteous, witty, cheerful. But this is only the outer side. The author reveals the image of Famusov comprehensively. This is not only a hospitable host, but also a staunch serf-owner, a fierce opponent of enlightenment. “Take away all the books and burn them,” he says.

Chatsky, on the other hand, a representative of the “current century,” dreams of “putting a mind hungry for knowledge into science.” He is outraged by the rules established in the Famus society, since it regards a person by his origin and the number of serf souls. Famusov himself dreams of marrying off his daughter Sophia more profitably and tells her: “Ah! mother, do not finish the blow! Who is poor, he is not a couple for you. And then he adds: “Here, for example, we have been saying from time immemorial that honor is due to father and son; be poor, but if there are souls of two thousand family members - that and the groom. Unlike representatives of the Famus society, Chatsky longs for "sublime love, before which the whole world is dust and vanity."

In the relationship between Chatsky and the Famus society, the views of the "past century" on career, service, what is most valued in people are revealed. Famusov takes only relatives and friends to his service. He respects flattery and servility. He wants to convince Chatsky to serve, "looking at the elders", "to substitute a chair, raise a handkerchief." Chatsky objects to this: “I would be glad to serve, it’s sickening to serve.” He takes his job very seriously. And if Famusov treats it formally, bureaucratically (“signed, so off his shoulders”), then Chatsky says: “When I’m in business, I hide from fun, when I’m fooling around, I’m fooling around, and mixing these two crafts is the darkness of craftsmen, I don’t from among them."

Famusov worries about the affairs of only one side, fearing mortally, "so that a lot of them do not accumulate." He does not consider his servants to be people, he treats them rudely, he can sell them, exile them to hard labor. He calls them donkeys, chumps, calls Petrushka, Filka, Fomki. Thus, representatives of the Famus society treat service as a source of personal benefits, service to “persons”, and not to “cause”.

Chatsky, on the other hand, seeks to serve the fatherland, "the cause, not the individuals." He despises Silent, who is accustomed to "pleasing all people without exception - the owner, where I happen to live, the boss, with whom I will serve, his servant who cleans dresses, the porter, the janitor, to avoid evil, the janitor's dog, so that he is affectionate." Everything in Molchalin: both behavior and words - emphasize the cowardice of the immoral careerist. Chatsky bitterly speaks of such people: "The silent ones are blissful in the world!" It is Molchalin who suits his life best of all. He is also talented in his own way. He earned the favor of Famusov, the love of Sophia, received awards. He values ​​\u200b\u200btwo qualities of his character most of all: "moderation and accuracy." For Famusov and his circle, the opinion of the world is sacred and infallible, the most terrible thing is “what Princess Marya Aleksevna will say!”

Skalozub is another prominent representative of the Famus society. It was such a son-in-law that Famusov dreamed of having. After all, Skalozub is "and a golden bag, and aims for generals." This character contained the typical features of a reactionary of the Arakcheev time. “A wheezing, a strangled man, a bassoon, a constellation of maneuvers and mazurkas,” he is the same enemy of education and science as Famusov. “You won’t fool me with learning,” says the colonel.

It is quite obvious that the very atmosphere of the Famus society makes the representatives of the younger generation show their negative qualities. So, Sophia uses her sharp mind for outright lies, unwittingly spreads the rumor about Chatsky's madness. Sophia fully corresponds to the morality of the "fathers". And although she is a smart girl, with a strong, independent character, a warm heart, a dreamy soul, all the same, a false upbringing instilled in Sophia many negative qualities, made her a representative of generally accepted views in this circle. She does not understand Chatsky, does not appreciate his sharp mind, his criticality. She did not understand Molchalin, who "loves her according to her position." It is not her fault that Sophia has become a typical young lady of the Famusov environment. The society in which she was born and lived is to blame, “she is ruined, in stuffiness, where not a single ray of light, not a single stream of fresh air penetrated” (I. A. Goncharov. “A Million of Torments”).

One more character of the comedy is very interesting. This is Repetition. He is a completely unprincipled person, an "idle", but he was the only one who considered Chatsky a "high mind" and, not believing in his madness, called the pack of Famusov's guests "chimeras" and "game". Thus, he was at least one step above them all.

"So! I sobered up completely, ”says Chatsky at the end of the comedy. What is it - defeat or enlightenment? Yes, the finale of the comedy is far from cheerful, but Goncharov is right when he said this: “Chatsky is broken by the amount of old strength, inflicting a mortal blow on it with the quality of fresh strength.” And I fully agree with Goncharov, who believes that the role of all the Chatskys is “passive”, but at the same time always “winning”. Chatsky opposes the society of ignoramuses and feudal lords. He fights against noble villains and sycophants, swindlers, rogues and scammers. In his famous monologue “And who are the judges? ..” he denounces the vile and vulgar Famus world, in which the Russian people have become an object of purchase and sale, where landowners even exchanged serfs for dogs:

That Nestor of noble villains,

Crowd surrounded by servants;

Zealous, they are in the hours of wine and fight

And honor and life saved him more than once: suddenly

He traded three greyhounds for them!!!

Chatsky defends real human qualities: humanity and honesty, intelligence and culture. He defends the Russian people, his Russia, from everything inert and backward. Chatsky wants to see a literate, enlightened Russia. He defends his point of view in disputes, conversations with all the characters in the comedy "Woe from Wit", directing all his mind and determination to this. Therefore, the environment takes revenge on Chatsky for the truth, for trying to disrupt the usual way of life. The "past century", that is, the Famus society, is afraid of people like Chatsky, because they encroach on the way of life, which is the basis of their well-being. The last century, which Famusov admires so much, Chatsky calls the century of "submission and fear."

The Famus society is strong, its principles are firm, but Chatsky also has like-minded people. This is the cousin of Skalozub ("The rank followed him: he suddenly left the service, began to read books in the village"), the nephew of Princess Tugoukhovskaya. Chatsky himself constantly says “we”, “one of us”, thus speaking not only on his own behalf. So A. S. Griboedov wanted to hint to the reader that the time of the “past century” is passing, it is being replaced by the “current century”, strong, intelligent, educated.