In Griboyedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit,” Mr. Repetilov appears in the fourth act of the work. This is a minor but striking character in the work, invited to Famusov’s ball on the occasion of his daughter Sophia’s name day. His image characterizes a person who chooses the easy path in life.
Main features of the hero
What does Repetilov say about himself? That he is a fool and ridiculous. Our hero does not know how to conduct a proper conversation, jumps from topic to topic. This is a liberal who is not satisfied with the situation in society, and in the country as a whole.
Like many of his contemporaries, Repetilov dreamed of a successful career. To achieve his goal, he chose the easy way: he became related to a noble and wealthy family. Having become the son-in-law of a famous official, he forgot about all the hardships of life. Time and status allow him to spend his life entertaining himself at dinner parties and playing cards.
During the times described by Griboyedov, various secret societies were in fashion. The author considered it necessary to “reward” the hero with membership in a prestigious English club for the elite and a certain “secret” society (by which is meant the emerging Decembrist movement). And even there, Repetilov was known as a “clown”, capable only of entertaining everyone with chatter. His last name is Latin language characteristically translated: “repeat.” This author’s technique shows that Repetilov constantly returns to the same topics in conversation.
Negative character traits: lying, stupidity, laziness. Repetilov is shown as a bad father and husband, constantly deceiving his wife. There is in the hero and positive traits: kindness and cheerfulness. But they “get lost” against the background of a negative lifestyle.
The role of the hero in the work
The appearance of Chatsky’s old friend, who is Repetilov, at the ball is accompanied by noisy chatter “about nothing.” Being courteous to all guests, he short time manages to show the worthlessness of his life. The author “paints” the hero as a typical representative of a society in which they want global changes, but through the wrong hands. The main thing is not to do anything for this yourself. But they like to talk about problems.
Repetilov is collective image several characters, whose representatives adapt to the fashion of a certain time. This is a sharp parody of societies, interests and “empty” people who lead chaotic lives and do not change for years. In the image of the character Repetilov and his way of life, Griboedov showed how high ideals can be “vulgarized and grounded.”
Repetilov appears last in the play: he arrives at Famusov’s ball just when all the guests are already going home. Having entered the stage, he speaks almost incessantly and in twenty minutes manages to tell the story of his life, describe his current activities, his friends. As soon as he saw Chatsky, Repetilov rushed to him with the words: “Dear friend! Dear friend! (IV, 4). However, he just as joyfully greets Skalozub and other guests who take turns appearing in the front entrance of Famusov’s house. Very soon it becomes clear that Repetilov is an empty talker and cannot be a true friend of Chatsky. In his lifestyle and views, Repetilov is one of the representatives of Famus society.
Satirically portraying this hero, Griboyedov uses the same techniques that he used when describing other characters in the play. Repetilov gives a vivid description of himself: “I’m pathetic, I’m ridiculous, I’m ignorant, I’m a fool” (IV, 4). Next, he opens up, talking about his life, and thereby exposes himself: he, like everyone around him, dreamed of a career, but instead of serving honestly, he chose an easier path - he decided to become related to big man, almost a minister. Here he succeeded - he married the daughter of an important official, but his father-in-law, fearing reproaches and nepotism, did not help Repetilov in his career growth. Repetilov himself describes this turn in his life as follows:
And I would have climbed into the ranks, but met failures,
Like maybe no one ever will. (IV, 5)
And in retirement, Repetilov lives as freely as Famusov, although he devotes himself to entertainment (dinners, balls, cards) with greater passion, which corresponds to the age and irrepressible energy of this hero:
I myself raved about a dinner or a ball for a whole century!
I forgot about the children! He deceived his wife!
Played! lost! taken into custody by decree.
He held the dancer! and not just one: Three at once!
Drank dead! I haven’t slept for nine nights! (IV, 4)
So, the first function of Repetilov’s image is clear: he is an integral part of Famus society.
However, the play has already shown a wide variety of representatives of Famusov’s Moscow, so the appearance on stage of the empty playmaker Repetilov does not add anything new to the portrait of Famusov’s society. In order not to become a simple repetition of other heroes, Repetilov must demonstrate not only typical features representative of Famus society, but also individual ones: ostentatious free-thinking and empty phrase-mongering. This is how the second function of Repetilov’s image arises - to prove that the loud speeches of representatives of Famus society against modern orders are nothing more than a game of liberalism. Famous phrase Repetilova: “We’re making noise, brother, we’re making noise” (IV, 4) - quite echoes the words of Famusov about the Moscow old people who like to criticize the government for show, that is, so that nothing changes:
And our old people?? - How they will be taken by enthusiasm,
They will condemn deeds, that the word is a sentence, -
After all, the pillars don’t bother anyone;
And sometimes they talk about the government like this,
What if someone overheard them... trouble!
It’s not that new things were introduced - never,
God save us! No. And they will find fault
This, this, and more often nothing,
They will argue, make some noise and... disperse. (II.5)
If Famusov talks about meetings of Moscow liberals in general outline, then Repetilov, being precisely this very Moscow chatterbox liberal, describes in detail the meetings in which he himself takes part. The “Most Secret Union” organizes “secret meetings” on Thursdays at the English Club (!), known throughout Moscow. The members of the “union” are a match for Repetilov: the Anglomaniac Prince Grigory amuses his comrades with jokes, Evdokim Vorkulov sings, the brothers Lev and Boris do nothing, Udushev writes articles “Excerpt”, “Something” for magazines, and the leader of this entire company (a famous card player in Moscow sharpie and duelist) speaks with inspiration about honesty (!). All these worthy gentlemen like to discuss other “important matters”, for example: the activities of the Chamber of People’s Deputies, the advantages and disadvantages of jury trials (both of these government agency are in principle impossible under absolutism), the freedom-loving creativity of J. G. Byron, and in the intervals between such debates, when inspiration strikes them, they compose vaudevilles: Repetilov “accidentally makes a pun”, others will pick up
And together, lo and behold, a vaudeville act is being blinded,
The other six put music to music,
Others clap when given it. (IV, 3)
It would be difficult to draw a more poisonous caricature of official liberals!
The third, probably the most important, function of Repetilov’s image is that he is a kind of “distorting mirror” of the main character of the comedy, Chatsky. A person who looks into a distorting mirror sees a caricature of himself: the features of his face and figure in the distorted reflection are distorted, reduced in size, distorted. This effect is also used in fiction: next to the main character a secondary one is placed, which highlights some of the character traits of the main one. Chatsky, in comparison with Repetilov, looks like a serious person, his convictions are deep and thoughtful. But Repetilov does not have his own convictions and easily repeats other people's thoughts.
Like other characters in the play, he receives a “speaking” surname, derived from the Latin verb repetere, which means “to repeat.” Repetilov chatters, mindlessly jumping from one topic to another. For example, he mercilessly scolds himself:
Scold me, I myself curse my birth,
When I think about how I killed time! (IV, 4)
“Killing time” is a stable phrase that means “doing some useless, random thing.” Repetilov’s thought clings to the word “time”, and in the next phrase he asks Chatsky about a specific time: “Tell me, what time is it?” He needed the exact time because he suddenly (since he was late for the ball) came up with the idea of going with Chatsky to the club for a meeting of the “most secret union.” But before offering Chatsky this trip, he casually mentioned some book, remembered his previous riotous image life and in the end described his current life - activities in the “most secret union”.
However, the image of Repetilov emphasizes not only the strong, but also the weak character traits of Chatsky: after all, Griboyedov in the comedy ridicules both representatives of Famus society and the main character, bringing him closer to the idle Repetilov. Both appear on stage in similar ways. Chatsky runs to Sophia with the words:
It's barely light and you're already on your feet! And I'm at your feet. (I, 7),
and Repetilov, apparently slightly tipsy, literally falls “as fast as he can” in the entryway of Famus’s house (IV, 4). Famusov says to Skalozub, recommending Chatsky:
He writes and translates well. (II.5)
True, no one else will remember these intellectual pursuits of the protagonist: either representatives of Famus society do not know about them, or do not consider them serious. Repetilov also writes and composes together with his friends from the English Club... vaudeville (IV, 4).
Both characters are extremely talkative. Chatsky’s active desire to be sure to speak out on all important and unimportant issues in front of Famusov or in front of the guests at the ball (in front of deaf old men, stupid princesses, hypocritical Molchalin, etc.) is unforgivable, according to Pushkin, and ridiculous. It seems that it is no coincidence that the playwright brings together the statements of Chatsky and Repetilov. For example, they both scold balls as a waste of time. “What new will Moscow show me? Yesterday there was a ball, and tomorrow there will be two” (1.7), says Chatsky dismissively. And Repetilov repeats almost the same idea:
What's the ball? brother, where are we all night until broad daylight,
We are shackled in decency, we will not break out of the yoke... (IV, 4)
At the same time, both go to balls. Another example of rapprochement is that both look condescendingly at their own failures in their careers. “Ranks are given by people, But people can be deceived” (III, 3), declares Chatsky, and Repetilov echoes him: “Ugh! service and ranks, crosses - the souls of ordeal" (IV, 5). Finally, both leave Famusov’s house, uttering very similar phrases. None of the guests that Repetilov encountered in the entryway wanted to chat with him, so he orders the footman:
Where to go now?
And it’s already approaching dawn.
Go put me in the carriage
Take it somewhere. (IV, 9)
Chatsky, offended by the slander of the Famus society and Sophia’s behavior, also remembers the carriage in order to leave without looking back somewhere from Moscow.
To summarize, two things should be emphasized important points concerning the image of Repetilov. Firstly, this image, together with others actors creates comedies bright portrait Famus society, opposing the freethinker Chatsky. The character of Repetilov is quite realistic, since it combines many different traits inherent in a person: Repetilov is at the same time stupid, flighty, gullible, lazy, good-natured, talkative, etc.. The fact that Griboyedov managed to create such complex character for an episodic person, speaks of the high skill of the playwright. Pushkin also noted this in his review of “Woe from Wit.”
Secondly, in comparison with Repetilov, Chatsky is more fully characterized. Repetilov becomes like a “distorting mirror”, which at the end of the play the playwright saved for the main character and through this technique revealed his attitude towards him, in other words, the playwright uses a parodic reduction of the image of Chatsky. Repetilov's chatter emphasizes Chatsky's seriousness, but at the same time, these two comedy characters are similar: Repetilov chatters incessantly about everything in the world, and Chatsky expresses his progressive beliefs to Famusov, Skalozub, etc. It is clear that no one will hear the intelligent sermon of the protagonist in Famusov’s house. Then why all these inspired monologues?
The historical basis of the comedy "Woe from Wit"
A.S. Griboedov portrayed the morals of the Moscow nobility of the early 19th century in the comedy “Woe from Wit.” At that time, a split emerged in aristocratic society between nobles holding conservative views and those who accepted the ideas of Decembrism and preached the ideals of true citizenship and patriotism. In the comedy, this split is called the struggle of the “present century” with the “past century.” Many features of the historical reality of that time were reflected in the play “Woe from Wit.” It is known that main character comedy Alexander Andreevich Chatsky, like the author himself, expresses the ideas of the Decembrists, namely the desire for justice, respect for the people, for freedom human personality. However, in the society depicted by Griboedov there were also those for whom these ideas were a tribute to fashion, and not a conscious desire of the heart. In this regard, it is necessary to consider the characterization of Repetilov in the comedy “Woe from Wit”.
How does the image of Repetilov help in revealing the image of Chatsky?
It is impossible to truly understand the meaning of Repetilov’s image in the comedy “Woe from Wit” without turning to the image of Chatsky.
Chatsky speaks out in the play against the “past century” and its ideas: against the permissiveness of the feudal landowners, who can, at their whim, separate the children of peasants from their parents, exchange serfs for greyhounds; against the immorality of the Moscow nobility, which was accustomed to evaluate people by rank and money. Moreover, Chatsky stands alone against this numerous camp. He is convinced that money and position in society cannot be measures of human personality. Chatsky believes that honor and dignity should be the main values in noble society. He expresses his views fearlessly, but is forced out of this environment, slandered, called crazy. The Chatskys' time has not yet come. But he found himself alone only in Famusov’s house. Outside of it, Chatsky has like-minded people, and the victory of the “present century” will come later, but certainly.
To more fully and from all sides reflect the features historical period, presented in the comedy, Griboyedov introduces Repetilov into the play “Woe from Wit”. This hero appears on stage in the last act, but he significantly expands the reader’s already existing understanding of the political situation in Russia at that time. Repetilov is a caricatured double of Chatsky, who is only able to repeat his words, but cannot comprehend them. Repetilov’s task is to gain weight in aristocratic society. Chatsky’s task is to expose and correct this society.
The meaning of Repetilov’s image in the comedy “Woe from Wit”
As is customary in the tradition of classicism, Griboedov gave the heroes of the comedy “Woe from Wit” speaking names. Repetilov is no exception. His last name is derived from the French word repeto, which means “I repeat.” Repetilov is only able to repeat the ideas of the Decembrists, without delving into them.
Appearing at Famusov’s ball at the moment when the guests are already leaving, Repetilov does not know that a rumor about Chatsky’s madness has already been spread in society. At first it may even seem that Repetilov will become Chatsky’s only ally in Famusov’s house, because he does not believe anyone that Chatsky is mad. Repetilov invites Chatsky to a meeting of the secret society. According to him, many political issues related to the ideas of Decembrism are discussed there. It becomes clear that Repetilov is a member of a revolutionary circle. But is the image of Repetilov in the comedy “Woe from Wit” the image of a true Decembrist?
Repetilov is portrayed by Griboyedov as an empty person, uttering empty words that mean nothing to him. It is no coincidence that Repetilov first offers Chatsky to go with him, and after his refusal, Skalozub. This hero doesn’t care which side he’s on: “the present century” or the “past century.” He doesn’t care where to spend his time: at a ball or at a secret meeting. The main thing for him is to be one of his own. secular society. In addition, Repetilov himself says that he does not understand everything that is discussed at the meetings of this circle.
Repetilov is not a Decembrist. This is a caricature of the Decembrist, a caricature of Chatsky. In the play “Woe from Wit,” Repetilov’s characterization is significant only in comparison with Chatsky. Repetilov is a reflection of Chatsky and his ideas in a distorting mirror.
There is a huge gap between Repetilov and people like Chatsky. The Repetilovs express liberal ideas only because it is fashionable in noble society. This could help him in his career, and a successful career - highest value V Famusov society.
Thus, Repetilov is a hero who mindlessly repeats the words of others, the words of Chatsky and the words that he hears at meetings of the secret society in which he is a member, without understanding their meaning and significance. The empty Repetilov is contrasted in the comedy with the ideologist Chatsky.
Work test
/ / / Comparative characteristics Chatsky and Repetilov
In Griboedov's comedy the image is presented modern man in the face. The man is young, smart and well educated. Unlike Famus’s circle, he has his own views on the world. He is not ready to put up with the sycophancy and hypocrisy that has taken over the consciousness of many people. For his own benefit, a man does not refuse to “curry favor” with anyone. He not only condemns this kind of action, but practically declares war on it.
But the fight against low moral principles turns out to be lost. Pavel Famusov and all the guests invited to dance with the piano considered Chatsky crazy after several of his harsh statements. This news is discouraging and insulting to the man. He no longer wants to be in the company of masked actors.
Griboyedov also shows the image of Repetilov. The man appears almost at the very end of the comedy, when the meeting at the Famusovs’ house is almost completed and the guests are waiting for their carriage.
At first glance produces an opinion educated person, just like Chatsky personifies modernity. He tells Alexander that he has just returned from the English Club. However, he cannot explain the purpose of this community. Repetilov doesn’t understand what they’re talking about or what problems they’re solving. From his “report”, it becomes clear that he is there solely because it is in at the moment very fashionable place.
He is very different from Chatsky in that, despite his desire, he also belongs to a society with low moral qualities. The man easily believes the rumors about his “comrade’s” madness. After all, these are the opinions of the majority, and people cannot be wrong!
Griboedov in Chatsky shows exactly what the future of humanity should be. Without hypocrisy, greed, cold calculation and pursuit of positions. However, Russia will not be able to come to this right away, because it is so massively “ingrained” into the culture of the country that it will definitely not be possible to get rid of it hourly. Perhaps Repetilov is the next link in the path of “evolution” of society towards raising culture and morality. An interest in another life is just emerging in him, but due to lies and ridiculous reasoning, he, like the main character, eventually becomes an outcast. His interlocutors quietly disappear from sight, even before Repetilov has time to finish his thought.
Griboedov, with the image of Repetilov, seems to complete the picture of what is happening. The author does not endow perfection on either this or any other character. There is honor and valor in Chatsky, but the low moral structure of society leads to young man out of balance. A man speaks harshly about other people. By this he shows that he is also not perfect. After all, insulting others is also not a sign of great intelligence.
The author shows with his work that no ideal people with absolutely correct actions and worldview. And what some consider unacceptable becomes completely normal for others. There are so many people, so many opinions, you should never forget about this. Every person has a choice, and no matter what, it will be the most correct for him. Everyone has the right to act as they see fit, because the opinion of others is just an outside view. The main thing is to respect other people's choices and try not to judge. After all, as they say in the great book, “... do not judge, lest you be judged.”
Griboyedov is famous as the creator of one work, but the role of his comedy “Woe from Wit” is so significant in the history of Russian literature, the play responded so sharply to the pressing issues of its time, it was so brilliantly written that this work alone immortalized the name of its author. The comedy was written during the years of the creation of the secret revolutionary organizations of the Decembrists. Their struggle with numerous and strong opponents - reactionary nobles, the struggle of the new with the old flared up more and more, penetrating into different spheres of life, reflected in art and literature. Observing this confrontation, being a direct participant in it, Griboyedov reflected this in his comedy. Thus, the content of the play is closely related to historical events, and its main conflict - the clash of an intelligent, progressive person with the inert society of noble serfs - the playwright himself could observe in life. In the main character of the comedy, the writer embodied the most important qualities a leading man of his era.
Conflict in comedy is a clash of two types of thinking, two poles: Chatsky and Famus society. The latter includes Famusov himself, Khlestova, Princess Tugoukhovskaya, Molchalin, the often mentioned Maxim Petrovich and Kuzma Petrovich and many others. All of them can be characterized as staunch supporters of the autocratic-serf system, “guardians” of the past and ardent opponents of everything new. The main thing for them is career and money, and for this they are ready to make any sacrifice. A person in this society is valued by origin and wealth, and not by personal qualities. There are many people like Molchalin among Famusov’s social circle. Careerism, sycophancy, servility to superiors, dumbness are the main traits of his character.
Famus society is contrasted in the comedy with a group of new people. They are represented in the comedy by Chatsky, Princess Tugoukhovskaya’s nephew, Skalozub’s brother, Gorich, professors and students of the Pedagogical Institute, “who practice schisms and unbelief,” some people who teach in boarding houses and lyceums. Chatsky constantly says “we” about these people, each of them “breathes more freely and is in no hurry to fit into the regiment of jesters,” and is not afraid to have his own opinion about everything. But only Chatsky directly opposes the old order in the comedy. That is why this image becomes extremely generalized and typical. In addition, the “loneliness” of this hero also has symbolic meaning. This emphasizes the exceptional position of such people in society.
Repetilov and Zagoretsky play a special place in the comedy. They can be classified as part of the Famus society, but they are not its ardent supporters, they do nothing bad to Chatsky, but it is their “tacit consent” that often resolves important issues in the lives of other people. Let's take a closer look at these images.
He is a secular man
A notorious swindler and rogue:
Anton Antonich Zagoretsky,
With him, beware, endure too much,
And don’t play cards: he’ll sell!
This characterization is confirmed by Khlestova: “He’s a liar, a gambler, a thief.”
The opinion that Zagoretsky is “a person close to political investigation” is not without foundation. It is not for nothing that he says that if he were appointed censor, he would lean heavily on fables where:
Eternal mockery of lions! over the eagles!
Whatever you say:
Although they are animals, they are still kings.
Zagoretsky speaks quickly, with “heat,” and has a habit of exaggerating everything and making mountains out of molehills. If harsh comments come his way, he is not offended, but reduces everything to a joke. To Gorich’s caustic remark, Zagoretsky replies: “An original, grumpy, but without the slightest malice.” “Master of service,” this character, despite all his negative qualities, accepted everywhere, included in the noble houses of Moscow. “We are scolded everywhere, but accepted everywhere,” this phrase from Gorich most clearly expresses the essence of Zagoretsky’s image. A person who does not particularly stand out from the crowd, causing neither admiration nor hostility.
Repetilov, unlike Zagoretsky, cannot be called a liar and a thief. On the contrary, he is trying to give the impression of an advanced person who is interested in everything fashionable and foreign. A.S. Pushkin, a contemporary of A.S. Griboyedov, noted in the character of this character both stupidity, humility, frivolity, and innocence. You can also add sociability and passion to the above. fashionable things. The surname Repetilov comes from the French word “repete”, which means “to repeat”. This indicates distinctive feature the owner of such a surname - the need to repeat what he heard from others, the lack of his own opinion. Repetilov, by his own definition, is a “cracker.” He strives to be a progressive person in the eyes of others, but everything he talks about is not his belief; he understands nothing about the issues that worried the real progressive people of that time. People like Repetilov “make noise, that’s all.”
This character’s speech is replete with words with a fashionable “tinge”: “from where,” “by chance,” “especially” instead of “especially,” “ordinary” instead of “ordinary.” His passion for theater brought words such as “vaudeville” and “preludes” into his conversation. Repetilov likes to insert French phrases into his speech and reinterpret Russian names in a foreign way: instead of “Lev” he uses “Levon”. Talkativeness and quick transitions from one topic to another indicate his inner emptiness. Speech characteristics Repetilova is very important, since it is through her that we understand the hero’s desire to borrow other people’s thoughts rather than express his own.
What role do Zagoretsky and Repetilov play in the comedy? Their role seems to be insignificant. They try to seem like they belong in Famus society; they do not enter into open conflict with Chatsky. But precisely with them light hand in the third act, gossip spreads about the protagonist's madness.
It all starts with a seemingly harmless phrase from Sophia:
Ah, Chatsky! You love to dress everyone up as jesters,
Would you like to try it on yourself?
But this phrase was picked up and developed by Zagoretsky:
A! I know, I remember, I heard,
How can I not know? An example case came out;
His uncle, the rogue, hid him in the insane...
This rumor spreads very quickly and as a result acquires many details that are reported by “eyewitnesses”. Griboyedov skillfully demonstrates the “game of broken telephone”, the result of which is an incredible rumor that Chatsky has gone crazy.
It is because of such talkative people who do not have their own opinions, like Zagoretsky and Repetilov, that such misunderstandings occur, leading to quite intelligible and not always positive consequences. Such people create fertile soil for the Famusovs, who use this soil to confront Chatsky. I am sure that in an equal fight, Chatsky would undoubtedly have won, and the end of the comedy would have been different. Famusov, although a follower of the old, has his own point of view and never recognizes the opinion of the enemy. But Zagoretsky and Repetilov are ready to take any side, they are not interested in which one, as long as they are accepted everywhere and considered “advanced.”
Thus, these two characters are gray, neutral personalities, “idle talkers” and lovers of chatting. They are never the center of attention, but with their tacit consent or small participation, personal and social drama Chatsky. They are only witnesses to what is happening, but... Who knows, if they had behaved differently, the main character might not have run away from Famusov’s house and from Moscow “to search the world where there is a corner for the offended feeling”...
