- Essays
- On literature
- Griboyedov
- Speaking surnames and their meaning in the comedy Woe from Wit
Comedy A.S. It was no coincidence that Griboedova gained all-Russian popularity, because it became the first Russian realistic play. Of course, this helped the author to describe the events that took place then much more deeply and clearly through the images of the heroes. It was the telling surnames and names of the characters that allowed the reader to better understand their character traits.
First, we should turn our attention to the main characters of the work:
1. First, of course, let’s consider Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov . On the one hand, in English “famous” means “well-known”. This hero was indeed very famous and respected among high society. On the other hand, translated from the Latin “fama”, which means “rumor”, this describes it perfectly. The only important topics for him are rumors, gossip and the opinion of the world. The author once again decided to emphasize this through the last phrase of the hero “Oh, my God! What will Princess Marya Aleksevna say?”
2. Next, we will analyze not without the famous Molchalin . In this case, everything is quite simple, this surname emphasizes that the hero does not have his own opinion and does not even strive for this, listening to the older generation in everything. This is also confirmed by his phrase: “At my age I should not dare to have my own judgment.” It is also possible to understand his name as a secretive person who does not want to share his thoughts.
3. Of course, it is impossible to ignore the surname of the main character - Alexander Andreevich Chatsky . There is also no definite answer on this score; some say that the meaning is associated with its first variant, Chadsky. It can be assumed that this is connected with the word “child”, that is, due to Sophia’s non-acceptance of him and the immoral behavior of the world, which he cannot accept, the hero is in the “child” of his problems and worries. Other writers claim that Chatsky’s surname is connected with Chaadaev, who was directly connected with the Decembrists. The hero's name and patronymic are also important. From Greek, Alexander means protector, and Andreevich means courageous. Thus, Chatsky courageously defended, or rather defended, both his opinion and worldview, and the interests of ordinary people suffering from the lawlessness of high society.
4. Don’t forget about Sofia Pavlovna Famusova . We have already sorted out the surname, but it is worth asking about the origin of her name and patronymic. From Latin, Sophia can be translated as “wise”, and Pavlovna “little”, from which it follows that this heroine is stupid, which proves her “obsession” with Molchalin. She is also Famusova, so she is interested in rumors and creates them herself.
Let's move on to the names of minor, but no less interesting, characters.
1. Skalozub . At first glance, this surname seems intimidating, but in fact it only emphasizes that the hero often laughs with and without reason (“grinds his teeth”). This characterizes him as a rather stupid character.
2. Repetilov . His image is extremely important in this work. At the same time, he has both many characters and none. He is a “mirror” that reflects everything that is fashionable. To be honest, this mirror is a little crooked, but it allows you to recognize the characters of other characters in it. As for his last name, it only confirms this, because “repeto” is translated from French as “repeat.”
3. Tugoukhovskie . They experience hearing problems with “tight” “ears.” However, they not only cannot, but also do not want to listen to something that will not bring them any benefit.
4. Khlestakov . Very “biting” by nature. As they say, “without a king in my head,” but he is excellent at “lashing” with words.
5. Khryumins . Derived from "piggy". They really act like real pigs, discussing other people's shortcomings and supporting gossip.
6. Zagoretsky. Of course, it is derived from the word “burn.” He is capable, without any particular difficulties, of both inciting a conflict and throwing firewood into it after thoroughly watering it with kerosene.
Thus, it is not difficult to guess that speaking surnames are of utmost importance in the comedy “Woe from Wit”. Without them, the viewer would not be able to fully understand the images of the characters; this also adds variety to the work and further enhances the comedic effect.
Option 2
A.S. Griboyedov began his literary career as a classicist writer. In his immortal comedy, he embodied some of the canons of classicism. Speaking surnames, which educators often used in their works, allow us to give the first characteristic of a character and emphasize the essence of the image.
So, Alexander Andreevich Chatsky is the main character of the comedy, a representative of the 2nd century.” His surname is consonant with the surname of the famous philosopher, a man with progressive views, P.Ya. Chaadaev, who was declared crazy for his thoughts.
Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov is a noble Moscow nobleman, one of the aces of society. His surname comes from Lat. Fame - word of mouth. Indeed, the hero is afraid of other people's opinions, and at the same time he himself is a strict arbiter of destinies. People go to pay their respects to him, he can please his own little person, i.e. put it in a warm place.
Sofya Pavlovna, daughter of Famusov - name, as is known from Lat. means "wisdom". It is impossible to immediately determine whose position the girl will take - the Famus society or will join Chatsky, with whom she was friends in childhood. But by the end of the play there remains no doubt: Sophia is her father’s daughter, quick to deal with both Chatsky and Molchalin.
Alexey Ivanovich Molchalin - the surname is the essence of the image: the wordless Molchalin, who will reach the famous levels because he always listens to other people’s opinions, has two excellent qualities for service - moderation and accuracy, and finally, his father’s behest - “to please all people without exception” completes the image scoundrel and opportunist. He is ready to pretend to be in love to please the daughter of such a person.
The ball in Famusov's house is the climax of the play. The guests who came to the ball form the basis of Moscow's secular society. Despite their unanimity of opinion, each of them has its own individual characteristics. So, Gorici comes from the word “bitter”. Chatsky is bitter to see his former gallant friend-officer, brave in battle and in everyday life, under the thumb of his wife - her husband is a boy, her husband is a servant... And Khryumin’s grandmother and granddaughter are arrogant, poorly speaking “grunting” in Russian, bow to everything foreigners, moreover, they despise those whom they diligently imitate.
The Tugoukhovsky princes are so busy looking for profitable matches for their daughters that their communication is more like silent telephone calls, they don’t hear anything else, they are only interested in the condition of the potential groom. Old woman Khlestova is one of the influential Moscow mothers, whose opinion is sacred. She is sharp, straightforward, appeared with a blacka girl and a dog - an ardent serf woman preaching outdated views. Present at the ball are the nameless gentlemen N and D, Zagoretsky; henchmen are needed at the ball to serve the right people, to secure a warm place for themselves or loved ones, etc.
At the end Repetilov appears - a parody of the main character; it is characterized by the repetition of thoughts that did not become your convictions, this is the foam on the crest of the national liberation movement: “We are making noise, brother, we are making noise...”.
Lisa and Petrushka are servants in Famusov’s house; their common names indicate this.
Thus, the surname is an important part of creating an image; it can tell a lot about the hero, so reading the poster is important and necessary, this is directly the author’s characteristic that the writer gives to his hero.
Woe from Wit characterization of the image of Sofia (Sofya) Pavlovna Famusova
WORTH FROM MIND
(Comedy, 1824; published with omissions - 1833; completely - 1862)
Sofia (Sofya) Pavlovna Famusova is the central female character of the comedy; The 17-year-old daughter of the owner of the Moscow house in which the action takes place; after the death of her mother, she was raised by “madame”, the old woman Rosier, who, for an “extra” 500 rubles. moved as a teacher to another house. S.'s childhood friend was Chatsky; he also became the hero of her first adolescent “novel.” But during the three years that Chatsky was absent, both S herself and her heartfelt affection changed. On the one hand, S. became a “victim” of Moscow habits and mores, on the other hand, a “victim” of the latest Russian (and Rousseauian) literature, the Karamzin literary school.
She imagines herself as a sentimental heroine of a “sensitive” novel and therefore rejects both the overly caustic, un-Moscow-bold Chatsky, and the traditional Moscow fiancé, Colonel Skalozub, limited but rich (her father dreams of this match). Having “calculated” S. and skillfully played the role of a platonic admirer who is ready to remain sublimely silent alone with his beloved until dawn, Molchalin, her father’s obsequious secretary and, in essence, lived in the Famusovs’ house, finds a corner in her heart.
In the end, everyone is unhappy with her. And Chatsky, who cannot believe that his S. is fascinated by such an insignificance, and his father. One blames Moscow for everything with its retrograde influence, the other, on the contrary, explains everything with French influence, the fashions of the Kuznetsky Bridge and reading books. Both are right to some extent. Without the opportunity to develop mentally in Chatsky’s absence, S. quietly becomes infected with the “Moscow” spirit - and at the same time replaces his personality with the conventional image of a fashionable heroine. She behaves either like Julia from Rousseau’s novel or like a Moscow gossip; The author of the comedy is ironic about both the “mask”.
In the 1st village, Famusov finds Molchalin (who has just left the maid’s room) in the living room with Sofia; to divert her attention, S. comes up with a dream that she supposedly had. Naturally, this dream is “constructed” according to the laws of a ballad in the spirit of Zhukovsky, whom Griboyedov condemned in print, and in place of the “creepy” ballad characters, Famusov, wholly unsuitable for this, is substituted (“The sex is revealed - and you are from there, / Pale as death , and hair standing on end!”) and Molchalin (“Then the doors opened with thunder / Some people, not animals, / We were separated - and they tormented the one who was sitting with me”). Repeating the usual comedic “move”, Griboyedov forces S. to put the ballad plot in an inappropriate size and style, in this case - a fable; and Famusova - to “quote” the ending of Zhukovsky’s ballad “Svetlana”: “Where there are miracles, there is little supply.”
In the 2nd day, having learned about Molchalin’s fall from his horse, S. again behaves not like a well-bred young lady, but like a loving heroine of a novel - she faints: “Fell! Killed!” All the more contrasting is her typically “Moscow” behavior in the 3rd episode, during the ball, when S. angrily turns Chatsky’s rhetoric (“I can beware of madness”) against him and spreads a rumor about the insanity of his former lover. The romantic mask has been torn off, and underneath is the face of an irritated Moscow young lady.
And therefore, retribution awaits her, too, “double”, literary and everyday. At the end of the comedy, S’s love dope will dissipate, the novel plot she invented will collapse, and she herself will learn about her departure from Moscow. This happens in the 11th episode, when S. accidentally witnesses how Molchalin flirts with Liza and speaks insultingly about her. The father immediately appears (“...and his hair stood on end”), surrounded by servants with candles; a ballad dream comes true live; Famusov promises his daughter to send her away from Moscow “to the village, to her aunt, to the wilderness, to Saratov,” and to remove Molchalin (“We are separated and they tortured the one who was sitting with me”).
About speaking names
The comedy “Woe from Wit” is a famous work by A.S. Griboyedov, where both classical and absolutely innovative features of dramaturgy are closely intertwined. The unity of place and time, as well as the speaking names of the characters, indicate to us the influence of classicism in the play. Let's turn to the names of the comedy heroes to understand what meaning the author puts into them.
Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov is the owner of the house where the events of the play unfold. This hero belongs to the so-called “past century,” that is, to the older generation, whose representatives are distinguished by their aspirations for rank and wealth at any cost. Chatsky’s free-thinking, innovation and thirst for justice are incomprehensible and alien to them, because from childhood they were taught to honor “the example of their father in their eyes”, they were brought up in such a way that they are not able to object to their superiors. The circle of communication and respect for a person is formed according to the principle of who he communicates with, what environment he is in, and not according to his personal qualities. For representatives of the “past century”, the opinion of others means a lot, hence the root “fama” (from Latin - rumor) in the surname of the hero, who is too worried about what others will say about him.
Molchalin also stands out as a talking name in the play. Without further ado, it is clear that this hero is able to endure in silence, respect his superiors, and not show his own initiative. All this is the influence on the hero of the “past century”. Although he is still very young, he does not have the courage to have a different opinion. He is convinced that at his age “he should not dare to have his own opinion.” A young man would prefer to hide his own opinion rather than express it and be punished.
Alexander Andreevich Chatsky in this regard is contrasted with Molchalin. His hot and willful disposition does not accept the old principles. The young man is a representative of the “present century,” that is, he belongs to the progressive youth who have the courage not only to have their own views on life, different from previous ones, but also to express them openly. The original idea for the surname of this hero was “Chadsky”. Among a society where open censure of helpfulness and respect for rank seems crazy, where he is not accepted and condemned, where he himself is unable to find sympathy, Chatsky feels like a child - and that’s how his last name appears.
Thus, the speaking surnames in Griboyedov’s comedy are his way of indicating the conflict of the work and characterizing the characters, so that the viewer’s perception of the comedy is easier and more fun.
Other works: ← The role of Chatsky in the comedy Woe from Wit ↑ GriboyedovThe conflict between Chatsky and Famus society →
I. Speaking surnames and their role in the stylistic image of a work of art
One, bright, pole of this work consists of Dobroserdov and Pravdolyubov. In addition, long before these works, folk theater heroes with no less telling names such as Zarez-Golovorez, Preklonsky and Bezobrazov appeared on the Russian stage.
The third is Mokroton, which means slow-speaking and, finally, the fourth is Tomes, a bloodletter. However, in fairness, it must be said that not all of the characters in “The Minor,” based on their names, can be classified as positive or negative heroes.
For more than two centuries, a previously lexically neutral proper name has been considered almost a curse, and in any case, in Russia it is customary to call lazy people, dropouts and ignoramuses Mitrofanami. Of course, there is no doubt that this is the heritage of classic theater. But not all heroes live up to their names. Pyotr Weil and Alexander Genis write about this: “Fonvizin is usually attributed to the tradition of classicism.
For example, it contains positions that contradict each other, since Skotinin cannot in any way be classified as a positive hero. And the surname of Adam Adamych - Vralman, partly Russian, partly German - gives rise to many such meaningful names among authors who inherited the classics of the era of Catherine the Great. The work of A.S. is of great interest on the problem that interests us. Griboyedova. As you know, the author of “Woe from Wit” wrote about ten dramatic works.
But the greatest interest in Griboedov’s work in his use of speaking names is represented by the comedy “Grief of Otum.” The surname “Chatsky” carries a rhymed allusion to the name of one of the most interesting people of that era: Pyotr Yakovlevich Chaadaev.
The surname of Chaadaev was also often pronounced and written with one “a”: “Chadaev”. In addition to N.M. Azarova, many authors spoke about the talking names in “Woe from Wit”. His Tugoukhovsky is really deaf, Molchalin is secretive and pointedly laconic. Skalozub jokes appropriately and inappropriately and laughs - “grinds his teeth.” The surname of Pavel Afanasyevich Famusov is correlated with the Latin word “rumour”.
It seems more difficult to analyze the surname of the main character of the comedy - Alexander Andreevich Chatsky. The secondary characters of the play are also given telling surnames. At the evening at Famusov’s house we will meet the Tugoukhovskys and Khlestovs (from “bitter”). Julius Kapitonovich Karandyshev, by the contrast of his first and patronymic with his last name, already contains in the grain the image of this person. In this double surname, both Batu and the batogs found a place for themselves.
