Characteristics of Famusov and Chatsky

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The comedy "Woe from Wit" gave up a great influence on all Russian literature and took far from the last place in it. In this work there is a confrontation between two heroes - Famusov and Chatsky. This is not just a discrepancy between two characters, but a duel between two views of the world, and, one might say, two eras - "the current century and the past century." Chatsky is a truth-loving person with broad views. A brief description of Famusov betrays a person who depends on public opinion, takes into account the established order and rejects everything that goes beyond the rules and traditions established in society, and even his own understanding. He is afraid that his reputation and the reputation of his family may be shaken, he is even wary of possible gossip about him and what is happening at his house. A more detailed description of Famusov will be discussed below.

His surname is a derivative of the Latin word "fama", in translation - rumor or rumor. So, the action of "Woe from Wit" begins from the moment Chatsky comes to the house of the Famusov family, to his beloved Sophia, Famusov's daughter,who had not been seen for three years. She, to his extreme and unpleasant surprise, is cold towards him. It turns out that her lover is Molchalin, her father's secretary. This strikes Chatsky even more, since he deeply despises this person for his desire to curry favor with everyone, cringe and servility.

Famusov had a hard day. At first, his daughter fools him with his fans. Then Chatsky annoys him with his speeches, incomprehensible to him; in the end he has

there is a suspicion that his guest is crazy. After that, he tries with all his might to convince his daughter that she should not hang out with the "mad Voltairian". After all, Chatsky, with his progressive views, is completely incomprehensible to Famusov, a rather limited person. So he expresses his dissatisfaction with him. All day he can not understand the intrigues of youth. First, he tries to find out who exactly likes his daughter. Then he warns her against Chatsky, a freethinker and "Voltairian".

Famusov's characterization, given by Griboyedov, points to a highly conservative person who is afraid of any changes and public opinion, who perceives everything "strange", incomprehensible to his limited consciousness, as immoral and dangerous. He is frightened by Chatsky's habit of having his own opinion, reaching everything with his own mind, while not being guided by the concepts of others.

Therefore, he shows his rejection of the "Voltairian". Besides,the characterization of Famusov as an uneducated person who despises "scholarship and teaching, the cause of insane opinions", a cruel serf-owner and a dim-witted manager in a state-owned place clearly does not honor him. He humiliates the dignity of his servants, often threatening one of them with a "link to the settlement." Famusov's attitude to service is purely bureaucratic. For him, the main thing is rank, profitable connections and money.

Famusov's characteristic is the exact opposite of Chatsky's. Using this example, the author accurately and humorously reveals the conflict of generations, as well as the conflict between society and individuals who do not share some of the concepts of this society. In general, the characteristic of Famusov and Chatsky is the opposition of the people of the “past century” and the “current century.”