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What virtues in his character he sees molochlin. The image of Molchalin in the comedy “Woe from Wit. Negative personality traits

Woe from Wit is a well-known comedy by A. S. Griboyedov, in which nobles living in the early 19th century appear. During this period, the ideas of Decembrism and conservative views began to provoke disagreements. The basis of the theme is the confrontation between modern times and the past century, ideals were replaced by new ones, which had a deplorable effect on people. At the same time, most of the representatives of comedy belong to the supporters of the past century, this category includes both individuals who have weight in society, and those who are trying to serve. And Molchanov belongs to those who serve against their will.

Characteristics of the hero

Molchalin Alexei Stepanovich is a man, he is young and works as Famusov's secretary. Among his main features there is stupidity, meanness combined with cunning, his goal is to extract advantages for himself. To do this, he adjusts to the opinions of others and meets not with the woman he loves, but with Sofia Famusova.

Among the positive qualities are:

  • modesty. As can be seen from his reaction to drunken behavior, humiliation and affectation, the hero can withstand any whims;
  • tact. Aleksey hides emotions and does not show incorrect actions towards the owner's daughter;
  • the ability to remain silent;
  • politeness. Knows how to correctly formulate phrases, correctly put himself;
  • the ability to make friends;
  • calm perception. Even in the most unpleasant situations, he does not flaunt emotions.

There are also negative qualities:

  • shyness is only a mask, in fact the hero is two-faced, he behaves depending on the environment;
  • pleases and fawns for the sake of profit. Novels are also built for the purpose of profit, even the smart enough Sofia is ready to be with him, but Molchalin is only pretending;
  • has no opinion, more silent.

The psychological mindset of Mochalin defines a whole category of people, they are ready for anything for the sake of promotion and forget about their opinion for the sake of it. Alexey gradually lost the ability to judge logically and simply agreed with the public, reaching the maximum in his flattery.

The image of the hero in the work

Alexei is not rich and is a nobleman from Tver, lives in the owner's house and secretly has a love relationship with his daughter. Molchalin cannot reach the status of a son-in-law, because he does not have ranks and stars, society likes him because he is professionally helpful. He fully answers the image of a young nobleman, because he tries to please everyone who can somehow influence his career. He himself believes that small ranks do not make it possible to have his own judgment.

Role in society

In public, the true face of Molchalin is hidden, but when communicating with Lisa, he shows himself, because the bright contrast of the modest and quiet with the rake is simply impossible not to notice. This person is dangerous because he is two-faced. There is no love and even respect for Sophia in him, he is afraid to open a relationship, while building a real performance. He believes that evil tongues are worse than a gun, while Sophia, on the contrary, does not worry about the opinions of others. Molchalin lives the way his father advised him - he pleases everyone.

Alexey is proud of his success, having important connections, and even gives advice to behave like Chatsky, because he believes that his behavior is correct. Although the views of the hero and the conservative noble nobility are the same, he is harmful to society. Having deceived Famusov's daughter and being her lover more as a position than out of feelings, he spoils the girl's life. Molchalin has an exact correspondence to the ideals of the past century, he easily adapts to the situation and values ​​only wealth and titles.

What does Molchalin show?

The basis of the character's character is duplicity and cunning, such can be blissful, and reach known degrees, because people like such silence. The relevance of the affected features of the hero remains, his image has survived to this day, promotion, enrichment for many is much more important than such eternal concepts as dignity, honesty or love for the motherland. Molchalin clearly divides people by status and treats them accordingly.

In the comedy, Molchalin is not too important for the development of the storyline, he personifies the general spirit of the people of that time, showing their humiliation in front of the higher ranks. Also, the image allows you to show Chatsky more vividly, because he is opposite in character, and stands out with a strong soul, pride and confidence.

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In Griboedov's comedy Woe from Wit, the main opposing array of events falls on the images of Chatsky and Famusov. The rest of the acting characters help to reveal the true state of affairs and the depth of the conflict.

Origin and activity

One of these characters, with the help of which the tragedy of what is happening is enhanced, is the image of Alexei Stepanovich Molchalin.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the characteristics of Famusov

Molchalin does not belong to the aristocracy - he is a man of ignoble origin, but thanks to his service, he has access to high society.

Aleksey Stepanovich has not yet managed to rise to significant heights - for now he only occupies the position of Famusov's secretary, but he gives hope for an early career advancement, which causes Famusov's special love.

Pavel Afanasyevich allocated a room for Molchalin in his house, although it is difficult to call it a full-fledged room: it is most likely a small closet, but Molchalin, deprived of fate, is quite pleased with this.

Aleksey Stepanovich has been working as Famusov’s personal secretary for the third year already, however, he is registered in a completely different position - based on official data, Molchalin works in the archive department, but in practice this is fictitious, he is only listed there. However, not without benefit for himself - during such a service he received three awards.

Of course, this was the exceptional work of Famusov. This position is also beneficial to Famusov and allowed him to get out of a difficult situation - he provided himself with a good secretary and, moreover, he had to pay not from his own pocket.

The text mentions the rootlessness of Molchalin, but there is no exact explanation. Based on this, several assumptions can be made regarding the essence of such a statement. The first is that Molchalin is a man of simple origin, the second is that he is an orphan, that is, a man without a family.

The writer portrays Alexei Stepanovich Molchalin as an adult man. At the same time, Molchalin rejects even the possibility of his infantilism. Famusov, whose hero serves, takes advantage of Alexei's position. Officially, the hero works in the Archives, because Famusov agreed so. However, this is a mere formality for obtaining ranks. Molchalin's real place of work is Famusov's house. The latter provides his worker with food, drink, shelter, career advancement. Molchalin, apparently, knows how to please Famusov.

Before working with Famusov, in Moscow, the hero lived in Tver. Molchalin, of course, is not a rich person at all. The simplicity of the origin of the hero makes us assume that Molchalin is a tradesman. According to the "Table of Ranks", the hero holds the rank of collegiate assessor. This rank gives the right to the nobility, which is what Molchalin achieves. The man even manages to receive awards, in which his master probably helped Molchalin.

The symbolism of the surname

The image of Molchalin bears the features of symbolism. This is due primarily to his last name. It is based on the verb "be silent". Indeed, this word is an accurate reflection of the essence of Molchalin. He is the silent and faceless servant of Famusov. Even his tread is devoid of any sounds. It seems that he wants to be as unnoticed as possible, quiet.


From time to time, Alexei Stepanovich moves on tiptoe so as not to disturb the household. His behavior is one of the ways to achieve his life goal.

The purpose of life

While most aristocrats are deprived of a purpose in life and lazily live their lives without filling it with any meaning, Molchalin's life has a pronounced character. His goal is to take place and achieve significant achievements in life. Achievements in the eyes of Molchalin are in no way connected with improving the lives of ordinary, ignoble people or contributing to the development of the morality of the aristocracy. The highest goal of Alexei Stepanovich is to become a full-fledged representative of high society.


Molchalin is ready to lay down his bones for another promotion, so he serves Famusov with all his might - it is Pavel Afanasyevich who can help him achieve this goal. And Molchalin has already overcome the first step on this steep ladder - thanks to his ability to suck up and please Famusov, he was given the rank of collegiate assessor. Thus, Alexei Stepanovich turned from a commoner into a poor nobleman. Molchalin found special charm in the fact that his rank had the property of being inherited.

Molchalin and Sofia Famusova

You can further improve your position in society through a profitable marriage. For this, the girls needed to have a lovely figure and an equally lovely face. In the case of the male half of society, it was enough to have a helpful character. It is the ability to serve well that becomes the criterion for favor. Despite his low origin and financial insolvency, in the eyes of Famusov, Alexei Stepanovich looks like a more attractive son-in-law than the noble aristocrat Chatsky. The fact is that Pavel Afanasyevich believes that such an estate and diligence, which Molchalin possesses, will be able to compensate for his origin and achieve an advantageous position in society. In order to achieve the final advantage over other young people, Molchalin only has to accumulate significant capital or start attacking Famusov from another front - if Sonya falls in love with Alexei Stepanovich, then she will be able to convince her father to make a decision in his favor.

Aleksey Stepanovich accelerates this process by starting to show interest in Famusov's daughter, Sofya.

The relationship of young people takes place in the best traditions of platonic love - Molchalin does not allow anything extra in relation to the girl.

Thus, he demonstrates his respectful attitude towards Sophia and the seriousness of his intentions. In addition, such behavior contributes to the achievement of his goal with marriage - Molchalin does not need to have Sonya, he needs to become her husband, so debauchery is an unacceptable thing for him.

We offer to compare the monologues of Chatsky and Famusov in A. Griboyedov's comedy "Woe from Wit".

In dealing with Sophia, Alexei Stepanovich adheres to the same principle as with her father - he pleases her all the time. Naturally, the behavior of Molchalin differs sharply from the behavior of other aristocrats in relation to her. Young people of noble birth are not ready to kowtow to Sonya the way Molchalin does, which is why they do not arouse such interest in her.

To some extent, Famusova's attachment to Molchalin was caused by the lack of proper candidates - after Chatsky's departure, the girl chooses the lesser evil from the rest. At the time of the attachment and the beginning of communication, Sonya did not experience enthusiasm and love attraction for Molchalin, her act could be regarded as revenge on Chatsky, but as a result of the desired effect, such an act did not bring, Sonya eventually got used to the oddities of Molchalin and began to perceive them as ordinary things . In the person of Molchalin, Sonya found a wonderful “living toy”, he not only treats her with deification (which, as it turned out, was feigned), but is also ready to fulfill any of her desires.

Chatsky and Molchalin

The conflict between Chatsky and Molchalin was a priori predetermined - an honest and noble aristocrat cannot understand and accept the position of Famusov and his society, Alexei Stepanovich, who not only depends on Famusov, but also strives to become like them, could become an excellent opponent to Chatsky , if he had more perseverance and individuality, however, since Alexei Stepanovich is used to being a silent observer and never betraying his attitude to certain situations, then there is no sharp discussion between the characters.

In addition, the insightful Chatsky notices the strange attitude of Alexei Stepanovich towards Sonya Famusova. Over time, he discovers the true attitude of Molchalin to the girl and his ghostly love. Chatsky is struck by the double standards of Molchalin - on the one hand, he is ready to flatter immensely, but, on the other hand, he immediately does not neglect to announce his disdain and even disgust for those whom he idolized a couple of minutes ago behind his back.

Attempts to open the eyes of others to the fallacy of their opinion do not lead to anything good - it is flattering for others to perceive their superiority than to realize that all respect towards them was a farce.

Molchalin and Liza

No matter how two-faced Molchalin may be, yet sometimes he reveals his true feelings and intentions. This state of affairs is not denounced in discussions or small talk (since he tries in advance not to take part in them).

So, for example, Aleksey Stepanovich has a feeling of affection and love in relation to the maid in the house of Famusov - Lisa. The hero of the story is faced with a choice - to play his role of Sonya's lover to the end, or to confess his feelings to Lisa.

Unfortunately, as a dishonest person, Molchalin is not limited to this state of affairs and takes care of two girls at once.

Thus, Alexei Stepanovich Molchalin is a classic version of a character playing a double game. This trend continues in the case of Molchalin in all activities. He is hypocritical in relation to Famusov, plays with Sonya's feelings.

Alexei Stepanovich is characterized by uncomplaining and silent servility. For the sake of moving up the social ladder, he is ready to go to even the most immoral deeds. The image of Molchalin has become a household name and is used in relation to a dishonest, hypocritical person.

The character of Molchalin

The hero makes a double impression. On the one hand, Molchalin pleases everyone (the man is a real master in this), he is shy, helpful, timid, calm, timid, modest, quiet, “wordless”. He is characterized by accuracy, moderation, lack of criticism of others. That's why they love him, I guess. But on the other hand, the hero is also characterized by duplicity, hypocrisy. Molchalin is considered a well-mannered and polite person, the hero evokes sympathy from others. Society does not see the true nature of the hero. On the contrary, in Molchalin they see a selfless person who is ready to forget about his own interests for the sake of others.

However, Molchalin pleases and is silent for the sake of self-interest, in order to achieve his goal. Such parting words were given to the hero by the father. The behavior of the hero depends on the circumstances. For example, with Famusov's daughter, a man behaves emphatically politely and modestly. But Molchalin does not really love Sophia. The hero is in love with Lisa. However, with a simple girl there is no need to behave decently. The true face of Molchalin is seen, perhaps, only by Chatsky, who considers the assessor a stupid, cowardly and miserable person. However, Vyazemsky, on the contrary, emphasizes the prudence of the hero, a rational approach to life. The soul of Molchalin is cold and callous. The maid Liza also speaks about this later.

Article menu:

In Griboedov's comedy Woe from Wit, the main opposing array of events falls on the images of Chatsky and Famusov. The rest of the acting characters help to reveal the true state of affairs and the depth of the conflict.

Origin and activity

One of these characters, with the help of which the tragedy of what is happening is enhanced, is the image of Alexei Stepanovich Molchalin.

We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the comedy "Woe from Wit" by A. Griboedov.

Molchalin does not belong to the aristocracy - he is a man of ignoble origin, but thanks to his service, he has access to high society.

Aleksey Stepanovich has not yet managed to rise to significant heights - for now he only occupies the position of Famusov's secretary, but he gives hope for an early career advancement, which causes Famusov's special love.

Pavel Afanasyevich allocated a room for Molchalin in his house, although it is difficult to call it a full-fledged room: it is most likely a small closet, but Molchalin, deprived of fate, is quite pleased with this.

Aleksey Stepanovich has been working as Famusov’s personal secretary for the third year already, however, he is registered in a completely different position - based on official data, Molchalin works in the archive department, but in practice this is fictitious, he is only listed there. However, not without benefit for himself - during such a service he received three awards.

Of course, this was the exceptional work of Famusov. This position is also beneficial to Famusov and allowed him to get out of a difficult situation - he provided himself with a good secretary and, moreover, he had to pay not from his own pocket.

The text mentions the rootlessness of Molchalin, but there is no exact explanation. Based on this, several assumptions can be made regarding the essence of such a statement. The first is that Molchalin is a man of simple origin, the second is that he is an orphan, that is, a man without a family.

The writer portrays Alexei Stepanovich Molchalin as an adult man. At the same time, Molchalin rejects even the possibility of his infantilism. Famusov, whose hero serves, takes advantage of Alexei's position. Officially, the hero works in the Archives, because Famusov agreed so. However, this is a mere formality for obtaining ranks. Molchalin's real place of work is Famusov's house. The latter provides his worker with food, drink, shelter, career advancement. Molchalin, apparently, knows how to please Famusov.

Before working with Famusov, in Moscow, the hero lived in Tver. Molchalin, of course, is not a rich person at all. The simplicity of the origin of the hero makes us assume that Molchalin is a tradesman. According to the "Table of Ranks", the hero holds the rank of collegiate assessor. This rank gives the right to the nobility, which is what Molchalin achieves. The man even manages to receive awards, in which his master probably helped Molchalin.

The symbolism of the surname

The image of Molchalin bears the features of symbolism. This is due primarily to his last name. It is based on the verb "be silent". Indeed, this word is an accurate reflection of the essence of Molchalin. He is the silent and faceless servant of Famusov. Even his tread is devoid of any sounds. It seems that he wants to be as unnoticed as possible, quiet.


From time to time, Alexei Stepanovich moves on tiptoe so as not to disturb the household. His behavior is one of the ways to achieve his life goal.

The purpose of life

While most aristocrats are deprived of a purpose in life and lazily live their lives without filling it with any meaning, Molchalin's life has a pronounced character. His goal is to take place and achieve significant achievements in life. Achievements in the eyes of Molchalin are in no way connected with improving the lives of ordinary, ignoble people or contributing to the development of the morality of the aristocracy. The highest goal of Alexei Stepanovich is to become a full-fledged representative of high society.


Molchalin is ready to lay down his bones for another promotion, so he serves Famusov with all his might - it is Pavel Afanasyevich who can help him achieve this goal. And Molchalin has already overcome the first step on this steep ladder - thanks to his ability to suck up and please Famusov, he was given the rank of collegiate assessor. Thus, Alexei Stepanovich turned from a commoner into a poor nobleman. Molchalin found special charm in the fact that his rank had the property of being inherited.

Molchalin and Sofia Famusova

You can further improve your position in society through a profitable marriage. For this, the girls needed to have a lovely figure and an equally lovely face. In the case of the male half of society, it was enough to have a helpful character. It is the ability to serve well that becomes the criterion for favor. Despite his low origin and financial insolvency, in the eyes of Famusov, Alexei Stepanovich looks like a more attractive son-in-law than the noble aristocrat Chatsky. The fact is that Pavel Afanasyevich believes that such an estate and diligence, which Molchalin possesses, will be able to compensate for his origin and achieve an advantageous position in society. In order to achieve the final advantage over other young people, Molchalin only has to accumulate significant capital or start attacking Famusov from another front - if Sonya falls in love with Alexei Stepanovich, then she will be able to convince her father to make a decision in his favor.

Aleksey Stepanovich accelerates this process by starting to show interest in Famusov's daughter, Sofya.

The relationship of young people takes place in the best traditions of platonic love - Molchalin does not allow anything extra in relation to the girl.

Thus, he demonstrates his respectful attitude towards Sophia and the seriousness of his intentions. In addition, such behavior contributes to the achievement of his goal with marriage - Molchalin does not need to have Sonya, he needs to become her husband, so debauchery is an unacceptable thing for him.

We offer to compare in A. Griboyedov's comedy "Woe from Wit".

In dealing with Sophia, Alexei Stepanovich adheres to the same principle as with her father - he pleases her all the time. Naturally, the behavior of Molchalin differs sharply from the behavior of other aristocrats in relation to her. Young people of noble birth are not ready to kowtow to Sonya the way Molchalin does, which is why they do not arouse such interest in her.

To some extent, Famusova's attachment to Molchalin was caused by the lack of proper candidates - after Chatsky's departure, the girl chooses the lesser evil from the rest. At the time of the attachment and the beginning of communication, Sonya did not experience enthusiasm and love attraction for Molchalin, her act could be regarded as revenge on Chatsky, but as a result of the desired effect, such an act did not bring, Sonya eventually got used to the oddities of Molchalin and began to perceive them as ordinary things . In the person of Molchalin, Sonya found a wonderful “living toy”, he not only treats her with deification (which, as it turned out, was feigned), but is also ready to fulfill any of her desires.

Chatsky and Molchalin

The conflict between Chatsky and Molchalin was a priori predetermined - an honest and noble aristocrat cannot understand and accept the position of Famusov and his society, Alexei Stepanovich, who not only depends on Famusov, but also strives to become like them, could become an excellent opponent to Chatsky , if he had more perseverance and individuality, however, since Alexei Stepanovich is used to being a silent observer and never betraying his attitude to certain situations, then there is no sharp discussion between the characters.

In addition, the insightful Chatsky notices the strange attitude of Alexei Stepanovich towards Sonya Famusova. Over time, he discovers the true attitude of Molchalin to the girl and his ghostly love. Chatsky is struck by the double standards of Molchalin - on the one hand, he is ready to flatter immensely, but, on the other hand, he immediately does not neglect to announce his disdain and even disgust for those whom he idolized a couple of minutes ago behind his back.

Attempts to open the eyes of others to the fallacy of their opinion do not lead to anything good - it is flattering for others to perceive their superiority than to realize that all respect towards them was a farce.

Molchalin and Liza

No matter how two-faced Molchalin may be, yet sometimes he reveals his true feelings and intentions. This state of affairs is not denounced in discussions or small talk (since he tries in advance not to take part in them).

So, for example, Aleksey Stepanovich has a feeling of affection and love in relation to the maid in the house of Famusov - Lisa. The hero of the story is faced with a choice - to play his role of Sonya's lover to the end, or to confess his feelings to Lisa.

Unfortunately, as a dishonest person, Molchalin is not limited to this state of affairs and takes care of two girls at once.

Thus, Alexei Stepanovich Molchalin is a classic version of a character playing a double game. This trend continues in the case of Molchalin in all activities. He is hypocritical in relation to Famusov, plays with Sonya's feelings.

Alexei Stepanovich is characterized by uncomplaining and silent servility. For the sake of moving up the social ladder, he is ready to go to even the most immoral deeds. The image of Molchalin has become a household name and is used in relation to a dishonest, hypocritical person.

The character of Molchalin

The hero makes a double impression. On the one hand, Molchalin pleases everyone (the man is a real master in this), he is shy, helpful, timid, calm, timid, modest, quiet, “wordless”. He is characterized by accuracy, moderation, lack of criticism of others. That's why they love him, I guess. But on the other hand, the hero is also characterized by duplicity, hypocrisy. Molchalin is considered a well-mannered and polite person, the hero evokes sympathy from others. Society does not see the true nature of the hero. On the contrary, in Molchalin they see a selfless person who is ready to forget about his own interests for the sake of others.

However, Molchalin pleases and is silent for the sake of self-interest, in order to achieve his goal. Such parting words were given to the hero by the father. The behavior of the hero depends on the circumstances. For example, with Famusov's daughter, a man behaves emphatically politely and modestly. But Molchalin does not really love Sophia. The hero is in love with Lisa. However, with a simple girl there is no need to behave decently. The true face of Molchalin is seen, perhaps, only by Chatsky, who considers the assessor a stupid, cowardly and miserable person. However, Vyazemsky, on the contrary, emphasizes the prudence of the hero, a rational approach to life. The soul of Molchalin is cold and callous. The maid Liza also speaks about this later.

The epithets that are awarded to Alexei Molchalin are a flatterer, a toady and a heartless rogue. The anti-hero of the comedy "Woe from Wit" appears to readers as a truly grotesque figure, the description of which is full of sarcastic clichés. And according to the law of the genre, an unpleasant type who stole the heart of a naive girl will be exposed. Alas, such a plot is most often possible only in plays.

History of creation

Molchalin is a colorful and vibrant character, with the help of which he denounced a typical secular society from the time of serfdom. The writer created the first drafts of the comedy Woe from Wit back in 1820.

The results of the work, which lasted for four years, did not satisfy the author. In 1824, Griboedov, during the editing of the resulting work, partially rewrites the character of Molchalin. The writer adds final scenes to the comedy, thereby exposing the secretary to the rest of the characters.

The first attempts to publish Woe from Wit took place in December of the same year. Alas, censorship softened the replicas of the heroes, smoothing over the acute social issues that Griboyedov raised. For example, Molchalin's phrase "After all, one must depend on others" was replaced with "After all, one must keep others in mind."

The comedy, not burdened by the censor's edits, was released to print only in 1831, while the play was specially translated into German. The Russian-language version of the poetic work appeared in Moscow in 1833.


Critical remarks about the play mainly touched upon the confrontation and Molchalin. Despite the numerous censures of the secretary, the hero's life values ​​are understandable and correspond to the spirit of the time. This is subtly noted:

“Chatsky says about Molchalin that he used to be so stupid that he is the most miserable creature. Molchalin made it his rule: moderation and accuracy. Let's ask: what is stupid and funny here?

"Woe from Wit"

The plot of Alexander Griboyedov's comedy develops on the territory of the landowner's estate. The economy of an elderly person has long been established, in working moments the secretary helps the man, whose full name is Alexei Stepanovich Molchalin.


The man lives in the house of the employer, so he easily strikes up a relationship with Sofia Famusova. Young people spend a lot of time alone, talking on personal topics. Molchalin's biography undergoes drastic changes when Chatsky returns to his homeland.

Men from the first minutes disliked each other. Chatsky intends to understand the reasons for the strange behavior of his beloved. Molchalin is scared that the secret romance will be revealed. The secretary does not want to lose a profitable position, but the opportunity to become the son-in-law of a wealthy aristocrat is too tempting.


The girl herself has long lost interest in Chatsky and can hardly restrain herself so as not to reveal her secret. When Molchalin falls from a horse, the younger Famusova cannot cope with her emotions. People around begin to suspect that there is a secret connection between the characters.

Having ridiculed the views of the secretary on life, Chatsky incurs the wrath of the girl. Human relationships are surrounded by gossip, intrigue and class prejudice. Molchalin's well-fed life ends at the moment when, succumbing to feelings, the secretary opens his hands and confesses his insidious plans to the maid Lisa.


Sophia herself and an angry Chatsky hear an intimate conversation and unpleasant statements. At this moment, the social problems of Russian officials and the love drama are mixed together. Molchalin is expelled from a rich house, and his rival bitterly concludes:

"The silent ones are blissful in the world!"

Image and character

The debate about whether Molchalin is pathetic or terrible does not subside among connoisseurs of classical literature. The quotation of the character will put everything in its place, because Griboyedov expressed his attitude towards the character through the remarks of Molchalin himself and the people around him.


The comedy hero grew up in Tver and moved to Moscow at a mature age. The young man is poor, grew up in a bourgeois family. His father also worked in the service, so Molchalin from childhood was used to kowtow to the powers that be:

“My father bequeathed to me: firstly, to please all people without exception - the owner, where I happen to live, the boss with whom I will serve.”

The secretary follows the precepts of his father, so he settles in Famusov's house with ease and comfort. Officially, the young man is listed in the "archives", but in fact, he performs the duties of a personal assistant to the landowner. During the service, the man managed to receive three awards, which Molchalin is boastfully proud of.


Illustration for the comedy "Woe from Wit"

Partially, the characteristic of the secretary is revealed through the appearance of the character. An attractive young man has a slim figure. A man dresses neatly and watches his own manners:

“Helpful, modest, there is a blush in his face ...”

The costume is for Alexei Stepanovich a kind of way to achieve his own goals in life. A modest frock coat, a colored vest and light-coloured pantaloons help Molchalin to move up the career ladder. After all, the status of a creeping servant allows you to achieve a promotion faster. And it is easier for a quiet young man to achieve the favor of the boss's daughter.


The image of a modest and reserved person is exploited by Griboedov even through the name of the hero. This is how Chatsky thinks about the unpleasant hero:

“Have you not yet broken the silence of the press?<...>But by the way, he will reach certain degrees, because now they love the dumb.

New aspects of Molchalin's character are revealed in the context of the secretary's relationship with women. Ambition forces a man to look after Sophia, while Alexei is interested in the maid Liza. The hero is not embarrassed that such actions are a sign of hypocrisy and duplicity. Indeed, in the struggle between the aristocracy and bureaucracy, any methods are good.


Misbehavior has consequences for a fluid and quirky person. Aleksey Stepanovich was caught red-handed, and various subterfuges will not save the bureaucrat. However, even after excommunication from a rich house, Molchalin will easily arrange his own life, because, as he wrote:

"Molchalin is devilishly smart when it comes to his personal gain."

Screen adaptations

In 2000, a video version of "Woe from Wit" was released, directed by. The play was included in the 5 most expensive stage projects in Moscow. The image of Molchalin was embodied by the actor.

Quotes

“Often there we find patronage, where we don’t aim.”
"This frankness would not harm us."
"What would you not do to please the daughter of such a man."
“Ah, evil tongues are worse than a gun!”
"I dare not pronounce my judgment."

The work "Woe from Wit" by A.S. Griboyedov belongs to the genre of comedy, the events took place at the beginning of the 19th century, in which the author showed images of Moscow nobles. The main theme of the work is the confrontation between the present century and the past, the difficult change of old ideals for new ones. On the side of the last century there was a significant number of people in comedy, one of them was a young nobleman who did not yet have any ranks Molchalin. His task was to serve powerful people.

Molchalin himself was a poor nobleman, born in Tver. In the comedy, he lived in the house of Famusov, who, in turn, took Molchalin as a secretary. Molchalin falls in love with Famusov's daughter and secretly meets with her. Famusov is opposed to such relations, because he believes that his daughter needs an influential husband with ranks. Although Molchalin does not meet these requirements, he has another quality that was appreciated by the inhabitants of the Famusovsky house. He did his best to serve in every possible way, and this attracted attention. That is why he managed to get into the position of secretary, where business qualities are important, not honor.

In the work "Woe from Wit" the image of the protagonist can be called the standard behavior of a young nobleman in the environment. We see how he tries to serve, and if necessary, even humiliate himself in front of the influential guests of Famusov's house, all this comes with the expectation that they can be useful in life and further service. Molchalin even took it for granted to praise the coat of Khlestova's dog. To describe the hero, a quote is suitable that says that while “we are in small ranks”, “we must depend on others.” He believes that while you are young, it is not necessary to have an opinion.

The Famus society was famous for boasting, at every opportunity it was common to praise new successes, Molchalin was the same. He was a frequent guest of Princess Tatyana Yurievna. Although in character and behavior Molchalin was the same as everyone else in society, although he agreed with everyone and supported ideas, this did not stop him from going to meanness. For example, his love for Sophia was only a fiction, and he went for it for his own benefit. In fact, he sincerely opens up when communicating with the maid Lisa, whom he liked. And then another character opens up to the reader, you see that there is duplicity in him, which means that such a person is dangerous.

In his soul and heart there is not a drop of respect and warmth for Sophia. He is at great risk when he begins to secretly see Famusov's daughter, because he was constantly in a state of fear that they would be noticed. This expresses cowardice. For Molchalin, an important role was played by the fact that he was worried about the opinions of others, and he was also afraid of what others would think of him. This meanness and deceit of his ruins him, because he begins to harm those with whom he has long been surrounded. He remembered the words of his father, which said to please everyone without exception, which Molchalin followed. Based on this, we can conclude about the attitude of the hero to the description of the ideal of the past century, despite the fact that he is still young.

The author showed Molchalin as a worthy continuation and example of conservative nobles. Such a society is characterized by the fact that for them rank and money are in the first place, these two categories allow them to evaluate the rest. As already mentioned, Molchalin was cunning and two-faced, these are the two main qualities that describe the hero.

Griboyedov touched upon a problem in the comedy that is still relevant today. Indeed, many cases are known when there were the same people who did not see anything in their path and were ready to go through everything for the sake of their goals. This topic will be relevant as long as there are people among us with the same values ​​as Molchalin and his society.

Composition on the theme of Molchalin

The comedy "Woe from Wit", written by Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov in the period from 1822 to 1824, tells about the secular society and life of those times. One of the central characters of the work is Alexei Stepanovich Molchalin, a man from the common people, striving for career growth.

Molchalin seems to be a decent young man who is distinguished by his kindness and modesty. But in fact, all these qualities are just a mask that the hero uses to achieve his goals. His dream is a career, high rank and wealth. Respect among high society is the limit of his happiness. There are many different ways to achieve these goals. But Molchalin chooses the fastest and most negative. He takes steps towards his dream with the help of flattery, hypocrisy and duplicity. He does it so subtly and imperceptibly that many can envy.

The hero worked as a secretary for Famusov, a rich and respected man. He did all the work conscientiously, spoke affectionately and carefully, which is why Famusov liked him. With the daughter of his master, with Sophia, he treated even better and even dared to play a young man in love. Naturally, he does not experience any high feelings towards the girl. On the contrary, he despises her and builds relationships solely for his own benefit. Once guilty before the girl, he rushes to her feet. The reason for this was far from repentance, but the fear of losing the trust of his master Famusov. Another person who was lucky enough to listen to lies from Molchalin was Khlestova. He kindly played cards with her and complimented her dog. In fact, people are very pleased with such behavior in their address. Molchalin showed hypocrisy and helpfulness towards everyone living in the house: from servants to superiors. This was the plan of the hero, which he strictly adhered to.

Thus, Molchalin in Griboyedov's comedy is a negative character. The reader cannot see any positive features of the hero, but sees only hypocrisy and a desire to achieve a dubious goal in dirty ways. With the help of this character, the author reveals a serious problem that still exists today. People who aspire not to anything high, but to fame and money, are ready to go over their heads and put on a mask of sincerity. Usually, having achieved their goals, such people live unhappily and alone.

Option 3

In his comedy Woe from Wit, Griboedov tells about the nobles of Moscow in the 19th century, it was then that society split into conservatives and those who were impressed by the ideas of the Decembrists. The main idea of ​​the work is the opposition of the current century and the past century, the replacement of outdated ideals of the nobles with completely new ones.

In comedy there is a huge number of supporters of the old ideals. Admirers of the old principles are weighty and significant people in society, such as the landowner Famusov, Colonel Skalozub, and the younger generation, who is simply forced to serve the "old men", also serve the old nobles. Molchalin is one of these young people who is forced to serve the old nobles with their orders.

Molchalin himself is a poor nobleman, born in Tver, he lives in the house of Famusov, who gave him the rank of assessor and hired him as a sergeant. Molchalin is also the lover of Famusov's daughter, but Famusov himself does not know about this. The father does not want to have such a son-in-law as Molchalin, because in Moscow it is customary to have rich relatives. Famusov appreciates in people the desire to serve him, and that is how Molchalin, with the help of his helpfulness, receives such positions.

In this play, the image of Molchalin very accurately corresponds to the nature of the command of a young, not strong nobleman in an influential society. Molchalin is trying to curry favor with the distinguished guests in Famusov's house as much as possible, because they can be useful for his further career growth. The young nobleman stooped to the point that he began to praise the coat of Khlestov's dog. He believes that the nobles of the lower ranks should thus earn respect from their elders.

He, like all the characters in this comedy, considers it his duty to show off and be proud of his success in promotion. Molchalin is excellent at establishing connections with the people he needs, who can help him in his service. Molchalin bears enormous damage to the society in which he is located. He also deceives Famusov's daughter, because he takes care of her only for the sake of long service to her father. He is the kind of person who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal, and is capable of causing great damage to the society in which he is located.

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