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袚芯褉械 芯褌 褍屑邪
"袚芯褉械 芯褌 褍屑邪" - 芯写薪邪 懈蟹 锌械褉胁褘褏 褉褍褋褋泻懈褏 泻芯屑械写懈泄, 褉邪蟹芯写褉邪薪薪褘褏 薪邪 锌芯褋谢芯胁懈褑褘 懈 锌芯谐芯胁芯褉泻懈, 泻芯褌芯褉褘屑懈 写芯 褋懈褏 锌芯褉 褍泻褉邪褕械薪邪 褉械褔褜 胁褋褟泻芯谐芯 屑邪谢芯-屑邪谢褜褋泻懈 薪邪褔懈褌邪薪薪芯谐芯 褔械谢芯胁械泻邪.
"袚芯褉械 芯褌 褍屑邪" - 泻芯屑械写懈褟, 写邪胁褕邪褟 褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉械 锌械褉胁芯谐芯 "谢懈褕薪械谐芯 褔械谢芯胁械泻邪".
协褌邪 泻芯屑械写懈褟 褋 褌褉邪谐懈褔械褋泻懈屑, 胁 褋褍褖薪芯褋褌懈, 褎懈薪邪谢芯屑 - 锌芯懈褋褌懈薪械 "褉褍褋褋泻邪褟 泻芯屑械写懈褟" 褋 芯褌褔械褌谢懈胁褘屑 谐芯褉褜泻懈屑 芯褋邪写泻芯屑 懈 斜械褋泻芯薪械褔薪褘屑 褋芯褔褍胁褋褌胁懈械屑 谐械褉芯褞.
袠蟹写邪薪懈械 褋薪邪斜卸械薪芯 泻芯屑屑械薪褌邪褉懈械屑, 邪 褌邪泻卸械 芯褌褉褘胁泻邪屑懈 懈蟹 褋褌邪褌械泄 袗.小.袩褍褕泻懈薪邪, 袠.袗.袚芯薪褔邪褉芯胁邪 懈 袗.袚褉懈谐芯褉褜械胁邪, 锌芯褋胁褟褖械薪薪褘褏 泻芯屑械写懈懈 "袚芯褉械 芯褌 褍屑邪", 褔褌芯, 薪械褋芯屑薪械薪薪芯, 锌芯屑芯卸械褌 胁褋械屑, 泻褌芯 懈蟹褍褔邪械褌 褉褍褋褋泻褍褞 褋谢芯胁械褋薪芯褋褌褜.
"袚芯褉械 芯褌 褍屑邪" - 泻芯屑械写懈褟, 写邪胁褕邪褟 褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉械 锌械褉胁芯谐芯 "谢懈褕薪械谐芯 褔械谢芯胁械泻邪".
协褌邪 泻芯屑械写懈褟 褋 褌褉邪谐懈褔械褋泻懈屑, 胁 褋褍褖薪芯褋褌懈, 褎懈薪邪谢芯屑 - 锌芯懈褋褌懈薪械 "褉褍褋褋泻邪褟 泻芯屑械写懈褟" 褋 芯褌褔械褌谢懈胁褘屑 谐芯褉褜泻懈屑 芯褋邪写泻芯屑 懈 斜械褋泻芯薪械褔薪褘屑 褋芯褔褍胁褋褌胁懈械屑 谐械褉芯褞.
袠蟹写邪薪懈械 褋薪邪斜卸械薪芯 泻芯屑屑械薪褌邪褉懈械屑, 邪 褌邪泻卸械 芯褌褉褘胁泻邪屑懈 懈蟹 褋褌邪褌械泄 袗.小.袩褍褕泻懈薪邪, 袠.袗.袚芯薪褔邪褉芯胁邪 懈 袗.袚褉懈谐芯褉褜械胁邪, 锌芯褋胁褟褖械薪薪褘褏 泻芯屑械写懈懈 "袚芯褉械 芯褌 褍屑邪", 褔褌芯, 薪械褋芯屑薪械薪薪芯, 锌芯屑芯卸械褌 胁褋械屑, 泻褌芯 懈蟹褍褔邪械褌 褉褍褋褋泻褍褞 褋谢芯胁械褋薪芯褋褌褜.
206 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1825
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About the author
Alexander Griboyedov
75听books81听followersRussian: 袗谢械泻褋邪薪写褉 小械褉谐械械胁懈褔 袚褉懈斜芯械写芯胁
Russian diplomat, playwright, poet, and composer. He is recognized as homo unius libri, a writer of one book, whose fame rests on the verse comedy Woe from Wit or The Woes of Wit. He was Russia's ambassador to Qajar Persia, where he and all the embassy staff were massacred by an angry mob following the rampant anti-Russian sentiment that existed through the Treaty of Gulistan of 1813 and Treaty of Turkmenchay of 1828, and had forcefully ratified for Persia's ceding of its northern territories comprising Transcaucasia and parts of the North Caucasus.
Russian diplomat, playwright, poet, and composer. He is recognized as homo unius libri, a writer of one book, whose fame rests on the verse comedy Woe from Wit or The Woes of Wit. He was Russia's ambassador to Qajar Persia, where he and all the embassy staff were massacred by an angry mob following the rampant anti-Russian sentiment that existed through the Treaty of Gulistan of 1813 and Treaty of Turkmenchay of 1828, and had forcefully ratified for Persia's ceding of its northern territories comprising Transcaucasia and parts of the North Caucasus.
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February 14, 2020
Early 19th Century Russia. Estate life of Moscow's nobility was changing. Chatsky represented a new generation of nobles. His estate was run with the assistance of over three hundred serfs. He was "seized by wanderlust, and- off he goes...seeking greener pastures...And then...He deigns to reappear...". Three years have passed. He determined that "It's good to travel to a distant land...-or live on one's estate, with work its own reward, not kowtowing to the powers that be." Chatsky can't wait to see Sophie, the girl he loves. Growing up they were inseparable. He was in for a rude awakening.
Famusov, Sophie's father, was hosting a high society ball on the night of Chatsky's unannounced arrival. Chatsky observed the so-called moral and ethical behavior of Famusov's elite guests. Literary life replete with "delight, curiosity and enthusiasm" was painfully absent at this salon. "...anyone who has "five or six thoughts in his head" has no place in this society...People waltz, play cards...frivolity personified." Liza, (Sophie's maid) tells Sophie, "Like all gentlemen hereabouts, your father's set his sights on decorations and high rank...".
Chatsky noticed that "old prejudices linger". His outspokenness was misunderstood. He would not "practice civility...And join the civil service...". He said, "Service, not servility...Trample those beneath whom you despise, Flatter those above you adulate-an age of servile urges...". "But listen! in uniform, or a civilian who's a more delightful and amusing man than Alexander Chatsky?...He had a sharp, inventive wit...".
"Woe from Wit: A Verse Comedy in Four Acts" by Aleksandr Griboyedov and translated by Betsy Hulick, was written in the 1820's in the period between the War of 1812 against Napoleon and the Decembrist Revolt of 1825. The four act satirical play was heavily censored during the author's lifetime. This reader lacked familiarity with the Russian language and was unable to experience the colloquialisms and oft quoted Russian proverbs. The masterful introduction by Angela Brintlinger was thoroughly researched and most informative. I highly recommend this tome.
Thank you Columbia University Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Woe from Wit".
Famusov, Sophie's father, was hosting a high society ball on the night of Chatsky's unannounced arrival. Chatsky observed the so-called moral and ethical behavior of Famusov's elite guests. Literary life replete with "delight, curiosity and enthusiasm" was painfully absent at this salon. "...anyone who has "five or six thoughts in his head" has no place in this society...People waltz, play cards...frivolity personified." Liza, (Sophie's maid) tells Sophie, "Like all gentlemen hereabouts, your father's set his sights on decorations and high rank...".
Chatsky noticed that "old prejudices linger". His outspokenness was misunderstood. He would not "practice civility...And join the civil service...". He said, "Service, not servility...Trample those beneath whom you despise, Flatter those above you adulate-an age of servile urges...". "But listen! in uniform, or a civilian who's a more delightful and amusing man than Alexander Chatsky?...He had a sharp, inventive wit...".
"Woe from Wit: A Verse Comedy in Four Acts" by Aleksandr Griboyedov and translated by Betsy Hulick, was written in the 1820's in the period between the War of 1812 against Napoleon and the Decembrist Revolt of 1825. The four act satirical play was heavily censored during the author's lifetime. This reader lacked familiarity with the Russian language and was unable to experience the colloquialisms and oft quoted Russian proverbs. The masterful introduction by Angela Brintlinger was thoroughly researched and most informative. I highly recommend this tome.
Thank you Columbia University Press and Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review "Woe from Wit".
October 7, 2021
I have just found my copy from decades ago, ed D.P. Costello (Prideaux Press), so I shall add passages soon. This great play--not a novel-- was written by a writer appointed an ambassador like so many 19C literary men (think of Hawthorne in England), an ambassador who dies when the Iranians over-ran his embassy. The Cossacks defended for an hour or more, but were outnumbered; then the Persians climbed on the roof, removed the tiles, and overwhelmed the embassy with stones, Griboyyedev's being the last room taken. He was killed and dragged through the streets, disfigured. Why didn't Americans before Carter know this Iranian penchant? They actually treated the US embassy much better. (Iranians don't like foreign empires--the Russian one in 1829, and the American one a century and a half later.)
But this play is about "furreners," namely German influence on Russia. The central character Chatsky returns from Europe to Czarist Russia highly developed by his European so-journ (shades of the young Bill Clinton) but instead of his fellow Russians electing him Prez, he's highly suspected. The mutual suspicion on both sides is hilarious, worthy of Austen, almost Griboyedev's contemporary. Chatsky is rejected by Czarist society because he is always laughing, an amusement bred in Germany and Europe generally (think of Byron), whereas in Russia men laugh at each other, behind their backs: therefore they suspect anyone who laughs openly. Only Repetilov defends Chatsky when Zagoretsky relays the general opinion that Chatsky's mind has been damaged by his foreign residence: Nonsense! 效械锌褍褏邪!
The great Pushkin , writing on first hearing the play in 1825, wrote, "Half the lines are bound to become proverbs." One that sounds proverbial, Chatsky's host Famusov to an officer rival for his daughter's hand, "泻谢邪写懈褌械 褕谢褟锌褍, 褋写械薪褜褌械 褕锌邪谐褍", Take off your sword, put on your hat. May have already been a proverb! (II.4, p.40)
"Woe from Mind [or Smarts or Wit]" was only published posthumously, in 1833. Griboyedev had been an excellent student in five languages, probably destined to be a scholar, but Napoleon's invasion changed his life; he joined the military under a relative, and eventually served in recruitment of cavalry. But he had a practical side which served him well (too well) becoming an ambassador.
Griboyedov died young, only 35. Russian literature and government both lost. And America gained a precedent that it refuses to acknowledge. Why would any country hate foreign empires on its soil? (Hmmm--seems to me North Americans didn't appreciate the British Empire in the 1770s.)
But this play is about "furreners," namely German influence on Russia. The central character Chatsky returns from Europe to Czarist Russia highly developed by his European so-journ (shades of the young Bill Clinton) but instead of his fellow Russians electing him Prez, he's highly suspected. The mutual suspicion on both sides is hilarious, worthy of Austen, almost Griboyedev's contemporary. Chatsky is rejected by Czarist society because he is always laughing, an amusement bred in Germany and Europe generally (think of Byron), whereas in Russia men laugh at each other, behind their backs: therefore they suspect anyone who laughs openly. Only Repetilov defends Chatsky when Zagoretsky relays the general opinion that Chatsky's mind has been damaged by his foreign residence: Nonsense! 效械锌褍褏邪!
The great Pushkin , writing on first hearing the play in 1825, wrote, "Half the lines are bound to become proverbs." One that sounds proverbial, Chatsky's host Famusov to an officer rival for his daughter's hand, "泻谢邪写懈褌械 褕谢褟锌褍, 褋写械薪褜褌械 褕锌邪谐褍", Take off your sword, put on your hat. May have already been a proverb! (II.4, p.40)
"Woe from Mind [or Smarts or Wit]" was only published posthumously, in 1833. Griboyedev had been an excellent student in five languages, probably destined to be a scholar, but Napoleon's invasion changed his life; he joined the military under a relative, and eventually served in recruitment of cavalry. But he had a practical side which served him well (too well) becoming an ambassador.
Griboyedov died young, only 35. Russian literature and government both lost. And America gained a precedent that it refuses to acknowledge. Why would any country hate foreign empires on its soil? (Hmmm--seems to me North Americans didn't appreciate the British Empire in the 1770s.)
December 13, 2012
Many Russian writers 鈥� Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Lermontov 鈥� refer to characters from Woe from Wit, especially Chatsky. I've always been curious to have at least a basic knowledge of this character, though I realize that Russian stage banter doesn't translate well. I found an English version online , but a very stilted one that attempts to match the meter and rhyme. Tough translations like this should keep to prose for a more accurate, albeit less fanciful version. I learned this lesson from Eugene Onegin. I finally dug up this 1914 British edition The Misfortune of Being Clever. Much of the original sarcasm is lost, and the style is typically Victorian and theatrical. It reads as if Griboyedov were Shakespeare, and while he is a sort of Muscovite version of Shakespeare, the comparison doesn't do him justice.
Chatsky is truly fascinating because it's impossible for the reader/theater-goer to decide about him. Is he a fool or not? It could go either way. My favorite thing about the play is that no one character is a "straight man." Everyone, including Chatsky, is an exaggeration of personality. The best example of this is Repetilov, who doesn't merely follow people who seem wise to him, he goes about endorsing them based on his lack of understanding.
My favorite scene is Act III, Scene 7. The Tugoukhovsky girls hear of Chatsky as an available bachelor, and send their father across the room to invite him to their house. When they're told that Chatsky's not wealthy, they quickly call their father back.
I'm really glad to have finally read this. I understand much better now the reference to Chatsky as a character type. He's the first realistic model of the 19th century young man full of misguided angst. Together the characters Famusov and Chatsky represent the generation gap that Turgenev and Dostoevsky would write about half a century later. Even into the 20th century, Proust and Flaubert often referenced these characters.
Here's a lovely video of Act III Scene 3.
Chatsky is truly fascinating because it's impossible for the reader/theater-goer to decide about him. Is he a fool or not? It could go either way. My favorite thing about the play is that no one character is a "straight man." Everyone, including Chatsky, is an exaggeration of personality. The best example of this is Repetilov, who doesn't merely follow people who seem wise to him, he goes about endorsing them based on his lack of understanding.
My favorite scene is Act III, Scene 7. The Tugoukhovsky girls hear of Chatsky as an available bachelor, and send their father across the room to invite him to their house. When they're told that Chatsky's not wealthy, they quickly call their father back.
I'm really glad to have finally read this. I understand much better now the reference to Chatsky as a character type. He's the first realistic model of the 19th century young man full of misguided angst. Together the characters Famusov and Chatsky represent the generation gap that Turgenev and Dostoevsky would write about half a century later. Even into the 20th century, Proust and Flaubert often referenced these characters.
Here's a lovely video of Act III Scene 3.
September 6, 2012
袙 褝褌芯屑 薪械斜芯谢褜褕芯屑 锌褉芯懈蟹胁械写械薪懈懈 袚褉懈斜芯械写芯胁 锌褉械锌芯写薪褢褋 薪邪 褋褍写 褔懈褌邪褌械谢褟 懈蟹胁械褔薪褘械 锌芯褉芯泻懈 褔械谢芯胁械褔械褋褌胁邪.
袙 泻芯屑械写懈懈 芯锌懈褋邪薪芯 褔褉械蟹屑械褉薪芯械 褌褟谐芯褌械薪懈械 泻芯 胁褋械屑褍 薪芯胁芯屑褍, 锌褉懈褌胁芯褉褋褌胁芯, 褌芯褉卸械褋褌胁芯 谐谢褍锌芯褋褌懈 薪邪写 褍屑芯屑, 谢褜褋褌懈胁芯械 锌芯写褉邪卸邪薪懈械 懈 褍褋谢褍卸谢懈胁芯褋褌褜, 褏懈褌褉芯褋褌褜, 谢褞斜芯胁褜 懈 褉邪蟹芯褔邪褉芯胁邪薪懈械, 邪 褌邪泻卸械 屑薪芯谐懈械 写褉褍谐懈械 薪械写芯褋褌邪褌泻懈 谢褞写械泄.
袣薪懈谐邪 褋褌芯懈褌 褌芯谐芯 褔褌芯斜 械褢 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪褌褜 懈 械褖褢 薪械 褉邪蟹 胁芯蟹胁褉邪褖邪褌褜褋褟 泻 薪械泄.
袧械 屑芯谐褍 褋泻邪蟹邪褌褜, 褔褌芯 褋褞卸械褌 懈 褋褌懈谢褜 懈蟹谢芯卸械薪懈褟 邪胁褌芯褉邪 芯褔械薪褜 屑薪械 锌芯薪褉邪胁懈谢褋褟, 薪芯 褋 褍胁械褉械薪薪芯褋褌褜褞 屑芯谐褍 褋泻邪蟹邪褌褜, 褔褌芯 锌褉芯斜谢械屑褘, 泻芯褌芯褉褘械 邪胁褌芯褉 锌芯泻邪蟹邪谢 胁 褋胁芯械泄 泻薪懈谐械 芯褔械薪褜 褍卸 邪泻褌褍邪谢褜薪褘械 写谢褟 斜芯谢褜褕懈薪褋褌胁邪 谢褞写械泄.
袙 泻芯屑械写懈懈 芯锌懈褋邪薪芯 褔褉械蟹屑械褉薪芯械 褌褟谐芯褌械薪懈械 泻芯 胁褋械屑褍 薪芯胁芯屑褍, 锌褉懈褌胁芯褉褋褌胁芯, 褌芯褉卸械褋褌胁芯 谐谢褍锌芯褋褌懈 薪邪写 褍屑芯屑, 谢褜褋褌懈胁芯械 锌芯写褉邪卸邪薪懈械 懈 褍褋谢褍卸谢懈胁芯褋褌褜, 褏懈褌褉芯褋褌褜, 谢褞斜芯胁褜 懈 褉邪蟹芯褔邪褉芯胁邪薪懈械, 邪 褌邪泻卸械 屑薪芯谐懈械 写褉褍谐懈械 薪械写芯褋褌邪褌泻懈 谢褞写械泄.
袣薪懈谐邪 褋褌芯懈褌 褌芯谐芯 褔褌芯斜 械褢 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪褌褜 懈 械褖褢 薪械 褉邪蟹 胁芯蟹胁褉邪褖邪褌褜褋褟 泻 薪械泄.
袧械 屑芯谐褍 褋泻邪蟹邪褌褜, 褔褌芯 褋褞卸械褌 懈 褋褌懈谢褜 懈蟹谢芯卸械薪懈褟 邪胁褌芯褉邪 芯褔械薪褜 屑薪械 锌芯薪褉邪胁懈谢褋褟, 薪芯 褋 褍胁械褉械薪薪芯褋褌褜褞 屑芯谐褍 褋泻邪蟹邪褌褜, 褔褌芯 锌褉芯斜谢械屑褘, 泻芯褌芯褉褘械 邪胁褌芯褉 锌芯泻邪蟹邪谢 胁 褋胁芯械泄 泻薪懈谐械 芯褔械薪褜 褍卸 邪泻褌褍邪谢褜薪褘械 写谢褟 斜芯谢褜褕懈薪褋褌胁邪 谢褞写械泄.
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March 9, 2020Amusing. Interesting on three counts:
1. According to the introduction, you can trace a significant share of Pushkin's Eugene Oregin character to Griboyedov's protagonist Alexander Chatsky. The same careless, witty, sardonic, worldly dismissive, sometimes sneering attitude.
2. Griboyedov hung out with people who were involved in the Decembrist movement, and was briefly questioned himself. Potentially as a result, he was dispatched to diplomatic missions in the Balkans and Iran, returning only rarely to Russia before he was killed in an attack on the Russian embassy in Iran before he was forty years old. This play shows both the type of man who was restless under the old system, and how corrupt, hypocritical and stultified it was.
3. It is the source of many commonly used aphorisms and phrases still current in Russian today.
A fourth, if you speak Russian, it was a relatively early literary work in a modern, more flexible and lively Russian language that was emerging.
1. According to the introduction, you can trace a significant share of Pushkin's Eugene Oregin character to Griboyedov's protagonist Alexander Chatsky. The same careless, witty, sardonic, worldly dismissive, sometimes sneering attitude.
2. Griboyedov hung out with people who were involved in the Decembrist movement, and was briefly questioned himself. Potentially as a result, he was dispatched to diplomatic missions in the Balkans and Iran, returning only rarely to Russia before he was killed in an attack on the Russian embassy in Iran before he was forty years old. This play shows both the type of man who was restless under the old system, and how corrupt, hypocritical and stultified it was.
3. It is the source of many commonly used aphorisms and phrases still current in Russian today.
A fourth, if you speak Russian, it was a relatively early literary work in a modern, more flexible and lively Russian language that was emerging.
Want to read
February 28, 2016May 26, 14
Dear diary,
Did I say "resignation"?
I won't rate this book nor review it. It wouldn't be fair to Griboyedov's work. All I can say is this: I will never forget the excruciating pain this Spanish translation caused me. I will never forgive.
I hope I find, someday, a proper English edition to fully appreciate the potential that I know this play has. One without missing or blurred pages. As much as I enjoy mystery, if I want it, I can always read some Agatha Christie book. I'd like to read the whole play, if that's possible.
*
May 9, 14
I found it! "El mal de la raz贸n". I hope the translation isn't too literal that it seems I'm reading something from the Google Translator.
Dear diary,
Did I say "resignation"?
I won't rate this book nor review it. It wouldn't be fair to Griboyedov's work. All I can say is this: I will never forget the excruciating pain this Spanish translation caused me. I will never forgive.
I hope I find, someday, a proper English edition to fully appreciate the potential that I know this play has. One without missing or blurred pages. As much as I enjoy mystery, if I want it, I can always read some Agatha Christie book. I'd like to read the whole play, if that's possible.
*
May 9, 14
I found it! "El mal de la raz贸n". I hope the translation isn't too literal that it seems I'm reading something from the Google Translator.
January 30, 2018
Of all the western diplomats killed in Teheran, none has achieved more lasting fame than Aleksandr Griboyedov whose tragic death in 1829 at the hands of a crowd of irate fundamentalists put an end to what might have been a great literary career. Woe from Wit his one surviving work is a sad reminder of what might have been.
Woe from Wit is fabulous satirical comedy about Russian high society that should raise many smiles as it successfully mocks hypocrisy, greed, and pretention with a brio comparable to that of Moli猫re. The play was banned by the Imperial censor possibly because some of the characters seemed to be modelled on real individuals in position of power. The more likely reason for the ban was that Griboyedov was known to have frequented the Decembrists which made the censor uneasy with an otherwise politically anodyne text.
The fact that his play had been censored did not prevent the Czar from naming him Ambassador to Persia 18 months later which proved to have more serious consequences than the ban on the publication and performance on his play.
The one problem is that to fully enjoy Woe from Wit, one needs to be reasonably well-versed in the history and politics of Imperial Russia. If for example you do not know who the Decembrists were, there is a strong chance that much of this play will go over your head. This work is clearly for someone who has already read several works by Tolstoy, Chekov, Dostoevsky and Pushkin as well as a solid survey history of nineteenth century Russia.
Woe from Wit is fabulous satirical comedy about Russian high society that should raise many smiles as it successfully mocks hypocrisy, greed, and pretention with a brio comparable to that of Moli猫re. The play was banned by the Imperial censor possibly because some of the characters seemed to be modelled on real individuals in position of power. The more likely reason for the ban was that Griboyedov was known to have frequented the Decembrists which made the censor uneasy with an otherwise politically anodyne text.
The fact that his play had been censored did not prevent the Czar from naming him Ambassador to Persia 18 months later which proved to have more serious consequences than the ban on the publication and performance on his play.
The one problem is that to fully enjoy Woe from Wit, one needs to be reasonably well-versed in the history and politics of Imperial Russia. If for example you do not know who the Decembrists were, there is a strong chance that much of this play will go over your head. This work is clearly for someone who has already read several works by Tolstoy, Chekov, Dostoevsky and Pushkin as well as a solid survey history of nineteenth century Russia.
July 2, 2020
This is a charming satirical play in verse written by a revered early 19th C Russian diplomat, poet, composer and ultimately, martyr, since he was killed by a mob while serving as Ambassador to Iran (then Persia) with his corpse subsequently savagely mistreated, etc. He must have been a man of great social insight, judging from the mercilessly stinging critique of the Russian upper classes that "Woe from Wit" actually completely consists of.
The plot is more like a device, an excuse for one satirical portrait of a parade of ridiculous, pompous, or foolish upper class figures. The one character - Chatsky - who has some insight into their stupidity and shallowness, is eventually branded as mad by the small-minded and vapid circle. This doesn't really phase Chatsky though as he was only passing through Moscow anyway.
The play takes place over the course of a day at the house of Mr. Famusov - various characters, one more silly and superficial than the next, wander in and out of the play, some seeking to become Sophia's, Famusov's daughter's, fiancee. In the end, but too late, Sophia realizes that the man she had earlier rejected, Chatsky, in favor of her father's secretary Molchalin - who was only using her, probably would have been the best match.
The English language rhymed verse translation must have been written several decades ago since it seems creaky - and contains many outdated words, but that may be suitable for the play, since it was originally written by Griboyedov early in the 19th C (and of course immediately banned in Russia). Anyway, it was fun looking up the unfamiliar, "antique" words!
Unfortunately, Russia seems fated to fail socially - prior to the Revolution, great writers wrote about the problems of income & social inequality. There was then the Revolution and I suppose the hope that everything would immediately change. Everything certainly did change and at least on paper there was more equality, there was free education, health care, cheap housing. However, society under communism was stultifying - and the regime used terror to stay in power. This was not what the masses had bargained for when they overthrew the monarchy. The country became authoritarian again.. and even under capitalism, post the overthrow of communism, it is once again basically authoritarian, despite the trappings of democracy. Maybe Russians don't care enough to ensure that they will have a say etc., and so let strong men take over, repeatedly. Maybe it's passivity or being apolitical or cynical. The complaints about monarchy/aristocracy and communism were real enough - this play is yet another barb directed toward the "bored" "small-minded" aristocracy. But why does Russia slide back into authoritarianism even when given the opportunity to enjoy democracy?
Anyway, here are the quotes:
From the Introduction by Semyon Ekshtut:
"The social status of a literary scholar in Russian at that time [the early 19th C] was extremely low and [Griboyedov's] ... authoritative mother kept reminding him of the need to think about his prestige."
"[General Alexander] Yermolov, a hero of the French war of 1812, sought total subjugation of the Caucasian nations, telling the rebellious Chechens: "It's either submissiveness or else face dreadful extermination!""
"The play's characters showcase all the negative traits of the era: servility, submissiveness, closed-mindedness and poor education."
"...all the talent in the world could not get the play published or staged. ... meanwhile, his play spread throughout Russia in hundreds of manuscript and handwritten copies. [Although completed in 1824] The full text was published only in 1862, one year after the abolition of serfdom in Russia."
"[Griboyedov] ... was well aware of the abyss separating this group of highly-educated intellectuals and their noble theories [the Decembrists] from the huge mass of uneducated peasants. His experience in Persia and the Caucasus taught him well that the world was dominated by a crude despotism, while wit, intellect and justice held little relevance for the passive majority of the population."
"On May 16, 1828, Griboyedov attended Pushkin's reading of his famous poem, 'Boris Godunov.' He came away dreaming of embracing his literary career. "My head is full of plans," he wrote to his friend Begichev. 'I feel an inner imperative to write.""
"Griboyedov arrived in Tehran in early 1829. ... On January 30 (old style) a crowd of thousands, at the instigation of religious fanatics, stormed the Russian embassy."
"Persian rulers were scared by the blood spilled at the embassy and feared Russian military retaliation. But the Russian tsar was also scared. He needed quiet on the Persian front in order to succeed in his war against the Turks."
"'Woe from Wit' was first staged publicly in a Russian theater a few years after [the playwright's] ... death. Today, 170 years later, Griboyedov's singular masterpiece remains one of the most popular plays in the Russian repertoire. Most every famous Russian actor in the past century has acted one of the play's major roles. Partly thanks to the appeasement in Russian-Persian relations following Griboyedov's tragic death, Russia won the war of 1828-1829 against Turkey, securing the Eastern coast of the Back Sea (a region which today includes the famous resort town of Sochi)."
"Throughout the nineteenth century, Russia maintained significant influence in Persia. In 1907, as "The Great Game," between Russia and Britain came to a close, the two countries divided Persia into two spheres of influence. But, by the late 1930s, Germany began to infiltrate and influence Persia (the country's name changed to Iran in 1935). Then, in August 1941, Soviet Russia and Britain introduced troops into Iran in order to neutralize Nazi influence. Not only did this protect Russia's southern flank during the war, but the land bridge through Iran served as the second largest pipeline for Allied aid to Russia during the war."
Quotes from the play:
"[Sophia:] Broad day! How sad! How quick the nights are gone."
"[Sophia:] Who notes, in happiness, how time is flying."
"[Liza, Sophia's maid]: It's not the doing wrong, it's what they say that matters."
"[Chatsky:] Now tell me, what can Moscow show me new?
A ball last night, tomorrow there'll be two.
One's had good luck, another's met reverses,
The same old talk! The same old album verses.
Translator's note: It was common to have a personal album, in which friends would write inscriptions."
"[Chatsky:] Yes, now we breathe more free;
We don't all hurry off to join the clown's brigade."
"[Chatsky:] If three whole years away you roam,
Don't count on love when you come home."
"[Chatsky:] New streets, but prejudices old as ever."
"[Chatsky:] Who are our judges? Obsolete as owls,
At all that's free in life they raise their senseless howls.
From fly-worn newspapers thy get their last idea,
The Siege of '88, the Conquest of Crimea;
They always sing the same old song..."
"[Chatsky:] Why, surely, it is these, enriched with plunder,
who've dodged the law court through their friends and their relations,
And build a splendid house, a very nine days' wonder,
In which they overflow in feasts and dissipations;
Where foreign parasites could never quite adopt
Of that dear age that's gone, the worst extravagances!
[Translator's Note:] Here Chatsky is alluding to French citizens living in the homes of rich Russians. Among their number were many political reactionaries who fled their homeland during the French Revolution."
"[Chatsky:] These are our judges stern, the censors of our ways!
And now the moment one of us,
Of us young folks, is found these low maneuvers spurning,
No claimant bold for place, of rank not covetous,
Who plunges in his books a mind that thirsts for learning,
If God's own grace in him has kindled the desire
For high creative arts, and all that's fair and true,
They all start shouting: Robbers! Fire!"
"[Molchalin:] Alas! Malicious tongue are worse than pistol shot!"
"[Zagoretsky:] ...Oh, fables I can't stand!
Its everlasting jokes at eagles and at lions.
Say what you will:
Although they're animals, they're sovereigns still."
"[Chatsky:] ...as for me, I find our North is ten times worse,
Since everything was changed for all that's its reverse,
Our manners and our tongue and all we once revered,
Our gracious flowing robes for something new and weird,
A veritable clown's costume..."
"[Chatsky:] What did I hope? What did I think to find?
These home - comings, how stale! Not one true friend in all!"
"[Repetilov:] With dirty hands all round, no doubt,
But tell me where to find the man who's clean, and clever?"
"[Skalozub:] ...Don't think that me you'll fuddle with your learning."
"[Chatsky, to Sophia:] Quick! Fall into a faint! Just now it's quite in season."
"[Chatsky:] ... I'm proud to think with you [Molchalin] I've done!
And you, good Sir, Papa, who worship decorations,
A happy ignorant, I'll leave you drowsing on."
"[Chatsky:] Of friends in friendship false, unflagging in their hatred,
Tale-mongers not to be placated;
The silly would - be wit, the crooked simpleton,
Old maids, malicious every one,
And old men babbling out some folly or some fad --
No wonder, all the gang proclaimed that I was mad.
You're very right! That man could pass through fire unscathed
Who had spent a live-long day with you
And in the self same air had bathed
And yet had kept his reason too."
Quote from note About the Translator [Sir Bernard Pares]:
"[Pares:] I had finished my translation of Krylov (Krylov's fables] with the help of the peasant soldiers while still with the army, and on the road I also completed my other long-standing task of translation, Griboyedov's classical play, 'The Mischief of Being Clever;' this I could never have done, but for the bitterness that came with the collapse of so many hopes." Here he meant the failure of his mission in Russia to keep political developments to a moderate, constitutional course, and to keep Russia working with the Allies in the [First World] war effort."
The plot is more like a device, an excuse for one satirical portrait of a parade of ridiculous, pompous, or foolish upper class figures. The one character - Chatsky - who has some insight into their stupidity and shallowness, is eventually branded as mad by the small-minded and vapid circle. This doesn't really phase Chatsky though as he was only passing through Moscow anyway.
The play takes place over the course of a day at the house of Mr. Famusov - various characters, one more silly and superficial than the next, wander in and out of the play, some seeking to become Sophia's, Famusov's daughter's, fiancee. In the end, but too late, Sophia realizes that the man she had earlier rejected, Chatsky, in favor of her father's secretary Molchalin - who was only using her, probably would have been the best match.
The English language rhymed verse translation must have been written several decades ago since it seems creaky - and contains many outdated words, but that may be suitable for the play, since it was originally written by Griboyedov early in the 19th C (and of course immediately banned in Russia). Anyway, it was fun looking up the unfamiliar, "antique" words!
Unfortunately, Russia seems fated to fail socially - prior to the Revolution, great writers wrote about the problems of income & social inequality. There was then the Revolution and I suppose the hope that everything would immediately change. Everything certainly did change and at least on paper there was more equality, there was free education, health care, cheap housing. However, society under communism was stultifying - and the regime used terror to stay in power. This was not what the masses had bargained for when they overthrew the monarchy. The country became authoritarian again.. and even under capitalism, post the overthrow of communism, it is once again basically authoritarian, despite the trappings of democracy. Maybe Russians don't care enough to ensure that they will have a say etc., and so let strong men take over, repeatedly. Maybe it's passivity or being apolitical or cynical. The complaints about monarchy/aristocracy and communism were real enough - this play is yet another barb directed toward the "bored" "small-minded" aristocracy. But why does Russia slide back into authoritarianism even when given the opportunity to enjoy democracy?
Anyway, here are the quotes:
From the Introduction by Semyon Ekshtut:
"The social status of a literary scholar in Russian at that time [the early 19th C] was extremely low and [Griboyedov's] ... authoritative mother kept reminding him of the need to think about his prestige."
"[General Alexander] Yermolov, a hero of the French war of 1812, sought total subjugation of the Caucasian nations, telling the rebellious Chechens: "It's either submissiveness or else face dreadful extermination!""
"The play's characters showcase all the negative traits of the era: servility, submissiveness, closed-mindedness and poor education."
"...all the talent in the world could not get the play published or staged. ... meanwhile, his play spread throughout Russia in hundreds of manuscript and handwritten copies. [Although completed in 1824] The full text was published only in 1862, one year after the abolition of serfdom in Russia."
"[Griboyedov] ... was well aware of the abyss separating this group of highly-educated intellectuals and their noble theories [the Decembrists] from the huge mass of uneducated peasants. His experience in Persia and the Caucasus taught him well that the world was dominated by a crude despotism, while wit, intellect and justice held little relevance for the passive majority of the population."
"On May 16, 1828, Griboyedov attended Pushkin's reading of his famous poem, 'Boris Godunov.' He came away dreaming of embracing his literary career. "My head is full of plans," he wrote to his friend Begichev. 'I feel an inner imperative to write.""
"Griboyedov arrived in Tehran in early 1829. ... On January 30 (old style) a crowd of thousands, at the instigation of religious fanatics, stormed the Russian embassy."
"Persian rulers were scared by the blood spilled at the embassy and feared Russian military retaliation. But the Russian tsar was also scared. He needed quiet on the Persian front in order to succeed in his war against the Turks."
"'Woe from Wit' was first staged publicly in a Russian theater a few years after [the playwright's] ... death. Today, 170 years later, Griboyedov's singular masterpiece remains one of the most popular plays in the Russian repertoire. Most every famous Russian actor in the past century has acted one of the play's major roles. Partly thanks to the appeasement in Russian-Persian relations following Griboyedov's tragic death, Russia won the war of 1828-1829 against Turkey, securing the Eastern coast of the Back Sea (a region which today includes the famous resort town of Sochi)."
"Throughout the nineteenth century, Russia maintained significant influence in Persia. In 1907, as "The Great Game," between Russia and Britain came to a close, the two countries divided Persia into two spheres of influence. But, by the late 1930s, Germany began to infiltrate and influence Persia (the country's name changed to Iran in 1935). Then, in August 1941, Soviet Russia and Britain introduced troops into Iran in order to neutralize Nazi influence. Not only did this protect Russia's southern flank during the war, but the land bridge through Iran served as the second largest pipeline for Allied aid to Russia during the war."
Quotes from the play:
"[Sophia:] Broad day! How sad! How quick the nights are gone."
"[Sophia:] Who notes, in happiness, how time is flying."
"[Liza, Sophia's maid]: It's not the doing wrong, it's what they say that matters."
"[Chatsky:] Now tell me, what can Moscow show me new?
A ball last night, tomorrow there'll be two.
One's had good luck, another's met reverses,
The same old talk! The same old album verses.
Translator's note: It was common to have a personal album, in which friends would write inscriptions."
"[Chatsky:] Yes, now we breathe more free;
We don't all hurry off to join the clown's brigade."
"[Chatsky:] If three whole years away you roam,
Don't count on love when you come home."
"[Chatsky:] New streets, but prejudices old as ever."
"[Chatsky:] Who are our judges? Obsolete as owls,
At all that's free in life they raise their senseless howls.
From fly-worn newspapers thy get their last idea,
The Siege of '88, the Conquest of Crimea;
They always sing the same old song..."
"[Chatsky:] Why, surely, it is these, enriched with plunder,
who've dodged the law court through their friends and their relations,
And build a splendid house, a very nine days' wonder,
In which they overflow in feasts and dissipations;
Where foreign parasites could never quite adopt
Of that dear age that's gone, the worst extravagances!
[Translator's Note:] Here Chatsky is alluding to French citizens living in the homes of rich Russians. Among their number were many political reactionaries who fled their homeland during the French Revolution."
"[Chatsky:] These are our judges stern, the censors of our ways!
And now the moment one of us,
Of us young folks, is found these low maneuvers spurning,
No claimant bold for place, of rank not covetous,
Who plunges in his books a mind that thirsts for learning,
If God's own grace in him has kindled the desire
For high creative arts, and all that's fair and true,
They all start shouting: Robbers! Fire!"
"[Molchalin:] Alas! Malicious tongue are worse than pistol shot!"
"[Zagoretsky:] ...Oh, fables I can't stand!
Its everlasting jokes at eagles and at lions.
Say what you will:
Although they're animals, they're sovereigns still."
"[Chatsky:] ...as for me, I find our North is ten times worse,
Since everything was changed for all that's its reverse,
Our manners and our tongue and all we once revered,
Our gracious flowing robes for something new and weird,
A veritable clown's costume..."
"[Chatsky:] What did I hope? What did I think to find?
These home - comings, how stale! Not one true friend in all!"
"[Repetilov:] With dirty hands all round, no doubt,
But tell me where to find the man who's clean, and clever?"
"[Skalozub:] ...Don't think that me you'll fuddle with your learning."
"[Chatsky, to Sophia:] Quick! Fall into a faint! Just now it's quite in season."
"[Chatsky:] ... I'm proud to think with you [Molchalin] I've done!
And you, good Sir, Papa, who worship decorations,
A happy ignorant, I'll leave you drowsing on."
"[Chatsky:] Of friends in friendship false, unflagging in their hatred,
Tale-mongers not to be placated;
The silly would - be wit, the crooked simpleton,
Old maids, malicious every one,
And old men babbling out some folly or some fad --
No wonder, all the gang proclaimed that I was mad.
You're very right! That man could pass through fire unscathed
Who had spent a live-long day with you
And in the self same air had bathed
And yet had kept his reason too."
Quote from note About the Translator [Sir Bernard Pares]:
"[Pares:] I had finished my translation of Krylov (Krylov's fables] with the help of the peasant soldiers while still with the army, and on the road I also completed my other long-standing task of translation, Griboyedov's classical play, 'The Mischief of Being Clever;' this I could never have done, but for the bitterness that came with the collapse of so many hopes." Here he meant the failure of his mission in Russia to keep political developments to a moderate, constitutional course, and to keep Russia working with the Allies in the [First World] war effort."
March 24, 2025
this shit is so bananas very underrated verse play that everyone should read
read it twice this year lmao
read it twice this year lmao
March 26, 2025
袟邪胁械褉薪懈褌械 屑薪械 效邪褑泻芯谐芯, 谢褍褔褕械 写胁邪. (Belle)
Favourite quotes:
小褍写褜斜邪, 锌褉芯泻邪蟹薪懈褑邪 鈥� 褕邪谢褍薪褜褟,
袨锌褉械写械谢懈谢邪 褌邪泻 褋邪屑邪:
袙褋械屑 谐谢褍锌褘屑 鈥� 褋褔邪褋褌褜械 芯褌 斜械蟹褍屑褜褟,
袙褋械屑 褍屑薪褘屑 鈥� 谐芯褉械 芯褌 褍屑邪.
小褔邪褋褌谢懈胁褘械 褔邪褋芯胁 薪械 薪邪斜谢褞写邪褞褌.
袚写械 卸 谢褍褔褕械? 效邪褑泻懈泄: 袚写械 薪邪褋 薪械褌
小谢褍卸懈褌褜 斜褘 褉邪写, 锌褉懈褋谢褍卸懈胁邪褌褜褋褟 褌芯褕薪芯.
2025 update: still great
袨泄, 薪褍卸薪芯 薪邪 褉褍褋褋泻芯屑. 袣邪泻懈械 卸械 谢褞写懈 写胁褍谢懈褔薪褘械 懈 泻邪泻懈械 懈 卸械 谢褞写懈 屑械褉泻邪薪褌懈谢褜薪褘械. 袘褘谢懈 懈 褌芯谐写邪, 械褋褌褜 懈 褋械泄褔邪褋. 袪邪蟹褍屑械械褌褋褟, 薪械 胁褋械, 薪芯 胁 谢褞斜芯泄 锌褉芯褋谢芯泄泻械 薪邪褋械谢械薪懈褟 褌邪泻懈械 薪邪泄写褍褌褋褟. 袗褍写懈芯褋锌械泻褌邪邪谢褜, 谐写械 褉芯谢褜 效邪褑泻芯谐芯 懈谐褉邪械褌 效芯薪懈褕胁懈谢懈 - 芯褉谐邪蟹屑 写谢褟 褍褕械泄 懈 胁芯芯斜褉邪卸械薪懈褟.
Favourite quotes:
小褍写褜斜邪, 锌褉芯泻邪蟹薪懈褑邪 鈥� 褕邪谢褍薪褜褟,
袨锌褉械写械谢懈谢邪 褌邪泻 褋邪屑邪:
袙褋械屑 谐谢褍锌褘屑 鈥� 褋褔邪褋褌褜械 芯褌 斜械蟹褍屑褜褟,
袙褋械屑 褍屑薪褘屑 鈥� 谐芯褉械 芯褌 褍屑邪.
小褔邪褋褌谢懈胁褘械 褔邪褋芯胁 薪械 薪邪斜谢褞写邪褞褌.
袚写械 卸 谢褍褔褕械? 效邪褑泻懈泄: 袚写械 薪邪褋 薪械褌
小谢褍卸懈褌褜 斜褘 褉邪写, 锌褉懈褋谢褍卸懈胁邪褌褜褋褟 褌芯褕薪芯.
2025 update: still great
袨泄, 薪褍卸薪芯 薪邪 褉褍褋褋泻芯屑. 袣邪泻懈械 卸械 谢褞写懈 写胁褍谢懈褔薪褘械 懈 泻邪泻懈械 懈 卸械 谢褞写懈 屑械褉泻邪薪褌懈谢褜薪褘械. 袘褘谢懈 懈 褌芯谐写邪, 械褋褌褜 懈 褋械泄褔邪褋. 袪邪蟹褍屑械械褌褋褟, 薪械 胁褋械, 薪芯 胁 谢褞斜芯泄 锌褉芯褋谢芯泄泻械 薪邪褋械谢械薪懈褟 褌邪泻懈械 薪邪泄写褍褌褋褟. 袗褍写懈芯褋锌械泻褌邪邪谢褜, 谐写械 褉芯谢褜 效邪褑泻芯谐芯 懈谐褉邪械褌 效芯薪懈褕胁懈谢懈 - 芯褉谐邪蟹屑 写谢褟 褍褕械泄 懈 胁芯芯斜褉邪卸械薪懈褟.
June 8, 2013
袧械褌 薪懈褔械谐芯 谢褍褔褕械 薪邪褕械泄 泻谢邪褋褋懈泻懈! 袩芯屑薪褞, 泻邪泻 械褖械 胁 褕泻芯谢械 褔懈褌邪谢邪 褋 薪械芯褏芯褌泻芯泄! 袗 褋械泄褔邪褋 锌械褉械褔懈褌褘胁邪褞 懈 锌芯薪懈屑邪褞, 褔褌芯 薪懈褔械谐芯 褍 薪邪褋 胁 袪芯褋褋懈懈 薪械 屑械薪褟械褌褋褟 写邪卸械 褋锌褍褋褌褟 褋褌芯谢褜泻芯 谢械褌
January 29, 2025
袩芯 锌谢芯褌薪芯褋褌懈 邪褎芯褉懈蟹屑芯胁 薪邪 褋褌褉邪薪懈褑褍 褌械泻褋褌邪 褝褌邪 锌褜械褋邪, 锌芯-屑芯械屑褍, 锌褉芯褔薪芯 蟹邪薪懈屑邪械褌 锌械褉胁芯械 屑械褋褌芯 胁 褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉械.
袣 褋芯卸邪谢械薪懈褞, 褋械泄褔邪褋 锌褉芯褋褌芯 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪褌褜 褌械泻褋褌 薪械 写芯褋褌邪褌芯褔薪芯 - 薪褍卸薪褘 泻芯屑屑械薪褌邪褉懈懈. 袘械蟹 薪懈褏 屑褘 褔懈褌邪械屑 泻邪泻褍褞-褌芯 写褉褍谐褍褞 锌褜械褋褍, 邪 褏芯褔械褌褋褟 屑邪泻褋懈屑邪谢褜薪芯 锌褉懈斜谢懈蟹懈褌褜褋褟 泻 褌芯屑褍 胁褉械屑械薪懈, 泻 褌芯屑褍, 褔褌芯 胁懈写械谢懈 胁 锌褜械褋械 褋芯胁褉械屑械薪薪懈泻懈.
袣 褋芯卸邪谢械薪懈褞, 褋械泄褔邪褋 锌褉芯褋褌芯 锌褉芯褔懈褌邪褌褜 褌械泻褋褌 薪械 写芯褋褌邪褌芯褔薪芯 - 薪褍卸薪褘 泻芯屑屑械薪褌邪褉懈懈. 袘械蟹 薪懈褏 屑褘 褔懈褌邪械屑 泻邪泻褍褞-褌芯 写褉褍谐褍褞 锌褜械褋褍, 邪 褏芯褔械褌褋褟 屑邪泻褋懈屑邪谢褜薪芯 锌褉懈斜谢懈蟹懈褌褜褋褟 泻 褌芯屑褍 胁褉械屑械薪懈, 泻 褌芯屑褍, 褔褌芯 胁懈写械谢懈 胁 锌褜械褋械 褋芯胁褉械屑械薪薪懈泻懈.
October 21, 2023
A comedy on social pretensions and snobberies, pleasingly including Francophilia.
July 2, 2011
So often and by many I've been told
That talk is silver while the silence has been made of pure gold
Like Chatsky I felt always free to speak my rebel's mind
No wonder that indeed I am "the failing looser" in the eyes of those all quail Molchalin's kind
Being "Chatsky" makes the life to be the real mess
It's "Woe from Wit" when one just likes to serve without licking bosses's ass
The story is so true; it doesn't matter anyway, I must admittedly to say
Where, in what country Chatskys and Molchalins really live - it happens be the same for any country: Russia, France and even USA
Chatsky was the first "spare", "unused by the society" character in Russian classical literature, to be followed by Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, Lermontov's Pechorin, Turgenev's Bazarov and Goncharov's Oblomov.
In the 20th century this tradition was continued by Yuri Trifonov.
That talk is silver while the silence has been made of pure gold
Like Chatsky I felt always free to speak my rebel's mind
No wonder that indeed I am "the failing looser" in the eyes of those all quail Molchalin's kind
Being "Chatsky" makes the life to be the real mess
It's "Woe from Wit" when one just likes to serve without licking bosses's ass
The story is so true; it doesn't matter anyway, I must admittedly to say
Where, in what country Chatskys and Molchalins really live - it happens be the same for any country: Russia, France and even USA
Chatsky was the first "spare", "unused by the society" character in Russian classical literature, to be followed by Pushkin's Eugene Onegin, Lermontov's Pechorin, Turgenev's Bazarov and Goncharov's Oblomov.
In the 20th century this tradition was continued by Yuri Trifonov.
October 28, 2014
袚写械 褟 斜褘谢邪, 褔褌芯 薪械 褔懈褌邪谢邪 褝褌褍 泻薪懈谐褍?
孝械锌械褉褜 芯薪邪 薪邪褕谢邪 褋械斜械 屑械褋褌芯 薪邪 锌芯谢泻械 屑芯懈褏 褋邪屑褘褏 谢褞斜懈屑褘褏 泻薪懈谐.
袧械 泻 褋锌械褏褍 屑芯卸械褌 懈 褏芯褉芯褕芯 - 薪械 褍胁械褉械薪邪, 芯褑械薪懈谢邪 斜褘 锌褜械褋褋褍 锌芯 写芯褋褌芯懈薪褋胁褍 胁 褕泻芯谢械 (蟹写褉邪褋褌胁褍泄, 褕泻芯谢褜薪邪褟 锌褉芯谐褉邪屑屑邪 锌芯 褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉械).
袘械褋褑械薪薪芯 懈 褍卸 芯褔械薪褜 邪泻褌褍邪谢褜薪芯.
袗 胁 芯斜褖械褋褌胁械 褍 薪邪褋 薪械屑薪芯谐芯 懈蟹屑械薪懈谢芯褋褜...
孝械锌械褉褜 芯薪邪 薪邪褕谢邪 褋械斜械 屑械褋褌芯 薪邪 锌芯谢泻械 屑芯懈褏 褋邪屑褘褏 谢褞斜懈屑褘褏 泻薪懈谐.
袧械 泻 褋锌械褏褍 屑芯卸械褌 懈 褏芯褉芯褕芯 - 薪械 褍胁械褉械薪邪, 芯褑械薪懈谢邪 斜褘 锌褜械褋褋褍 锌芯 写芯褋褌芯懈薪褋胁褍 胁 褕泻芯谢械 (蟹写褉邪褋褌胁褍泄, 褕泻芯谢褜薪邪褟 锌褉芯谐褉邪屑屑邪 锌芯 褉褍褋褋泻芯泄 谢懈褌械褉邪褌褍褉械).
袘械褋褑械薪薪芯 懈 褍卸 芯褔械薪褜 邪泻褌褍邪谢褜薪芯.
袗 胁 芯斜褖械褋褌胁械 褍 薪邪褋 薪械屑薪芯谐芯 懈蟹屑械薪懈谢芯褋褜...
Read
June 25, 2021芯褑械薪泻懈 薪械褌, 锌芯褌芯屑褍 褔褌芯 邪 褋褍写褜懈 泻褌芯
September 21, 2021
鈥濸rea mult膬 minte stric膬鈥� de Aleksandr Griboiedov este o alt膬 lucrare din literatura rus膬 clasic膬. Mintea, ca instrument de supravie葲uire perfect, a continuat 葯i continu膬 s膬 cear膬 lupt膬, concuren葲膬 葯i hran膬. Mintea este 卯n multe privin葲e asem膬n膬toare cu mu葯chii corpului uman: este sus葲inut膬 de un antrenament constant 葯i, f膬r膬 antrenament, se atrofiaz膬 treptat. Dar! Mintea singur膬 nu garanteaz膬 fericirea, dragostea, banii sau cariera.
Aceasta este povestea care i s-a 卯nt芒mplat t芒n膬rului nobil Chatsky (personajul principal). 葮i despre societatea 卯n care s-a reg膬sit, trei ani mai t芒rziu, dup膬 ce s-a 卯ntors din str膬in膬tate. 葮i venind la pragul iubitei sale - Sofia, Chatsky 卯葯i d膬 seama imediat c膬 este respins ... respins de ea 葯i nu va fi perceput de 鈥瀍i鈥�, rudele familiei Sofiei. 葮i prin 卯ntreaga lucrare putem observa aceast膬 lupt膬 nelini葯tit膬 de morale 葯i fundamente vechi (ca un semn de stagnare) 葯i un nou ap膬r膬tor progresist al drepturilor 葯i libert膬葲ilor omului (ca un semn al dezvolt膬rii).
Aceasta este povestea care i s-a 卯nt芒mplat t芒n膬rului nobil Chatsky (personajul principal). 葮i despre societatea 卯n care s-a reg膬sit, trei ani mai t芒rziu, dup膬 ce s-a 卯ntors din str膬in膬tate. 葮i venind la pragul iubitei sale - Sofia, Chatsky 卯葯i d膬 seama imediat c膬 este respins ... respins de ea 葯i nu va fi perceput de 鈥瀍i鈥�, rudele familiei Sofiei. 葮i prin 卯ntreaga lucrare putem observa aceast膬 lupt膬 nelini葯tit膬 de morale 葯i fundamente vechi (ca un semn de stagnare) 葯i un nou ap膬r膬tor progresist al drepturilor 葯i libert膬葲ilor omului (ca un semn al dezvolt膬rii).
October 28, 2020
A really great translation. Betsy Hulick is one of the best Russian translators working right now. This work is no easy feat, with the early 19th-century language and humor. This work influence many later writers, so I am looking forward to teaching at least an excerpt of it in context.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.
Thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for a digital ARC for the purpose of an unbiased review.
May 22, 2023
Une pi猫ce de th茅芒tre (je sors de mes habitudes de lecture) amusante. Cela me permet de mieux comprendre la Russie du 19猫me si猫cle avec les changements qu'op猫rent Pierre le Grand et l'Europ茅anisation qu'il impose au peuple russe - notamment le fait qu'il ne soit correct d'usage que le fran莽ais, le russe 茅tant jug茅 rustre et obsol猫te. C'est une pi猫ce perspicace qui analyse et critique la soci茅t茅 moscovite de ce d茅but de 19猫me au travers du personnage de Tchatski - une d茅marche pas forc茅ment appr茅ci茅e du reste des personnages. Merci aux notes de bas de page d'Andr茅 Markowicz sans lesquels certaines r茅f茅rences me seraient pass茅es par-dessus la t锚te.
December 20, 2019
You probably don't always read translations of plays from Russia, and plays with rhyming dialogue at that. But this is certainly one instance where those with half an eye to that country should do so. A young man returns from abroad to the place where his childhood sweetheart lives, to find her more grown up and moved on. Also, the whole family seems to find everything he says quite strident 鈥� in being so utterly, utterly quick to criticise, and finding everything about society fuddy-duddy, nepotistic and old-fashioned. The comedy follows him as he tries to stick around with the family, and while she tries to avoid him, leaving him to work out who his rival might be en route to a great society ball the household is hosting. The good thing is this is a breeze to read, with snappy dialogue in short lines of verse, and it remains funny, even if we might not know all the ins and outs of what the author was saying. Never mind, the fantastic introduction is on hand to explain the full social context of the times the play was set in, and gives us both the author's life story and the history of the play since. It's kind of a loose approximation, but where Russians might just have to need such a similarly annotated edition of "The Importance of Being Earnest" to understand us current Brits, so we might need to read this to understand the Russian that constantly quotes this, or performs this in full, to this day. I've always respected this publisher, even if I've not always loved their work, but this volume really does prove to me the 'classic' status of, and the worth in reviving, this text. It's not for everyone, but it should well be for many.
September 21, 2017
4.5/5
*Read for class.
袨褔械薪褜 锌芯薪褉邪胁懈谢邪褋褜 泻芯屑械写懈褟. 袣 褋芯卸邪谢械薪懈褞, 薪械 屑芯谐褍 褋泻邪蟹邪褌褜 薪懈褔械谐芯 泻芯薪泻褉械褌薪芯谐芯, 胁芯蟹屑芯卸薪芯, 锌芯褌芯屑褍 褔褌芯 胁 谐芯谢芯胁械 械褖褢 薪械 胁褋械 褍谢芯卸懈谢芯褋褜.
袣褉邪泄薪械 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪芯 斜褘谢芯 芯褌屑械褌懈褌褜 泻芯谢懈褔械褋褌胁芯 褑懈褌邪褌, 泻芯褌芯褉褘械 懈褋锌芯谢褜蟹褍褞褌褋褟 锌芯褉芯泄 褌邪泻 褔邪褋褌芯, 褔褌芯 褍卸械 懈 锌褉邪胁写邪 薪械 芯褋芯蟹薪邪褞褌褋褟, 泻邪泻 褑懈褌邪褌褘. 袦械薪褟 褝褌芯 褍写懈胁懈谢芯.
*Read for class.
袨褔械薪褜 锌芯薪褉邪胁懈谢邪褋褜 泻芯屑械写懈褟. 袣 褋芯卸邪谢械薪懈褞, 薪械 屑芯谐褍 褋泻邪蟹邪褌褜 薪懈褔械谐芯 泻芯薪泻褉械褌薪芯谐芯, 胁芯蟹屑芯卸薪芯, 锌芯褌芯屑褍 褔褌芯 胁 谐芯谢芯胁械 械褖褢 薪械 胁褋械 褍谢芯卸懈谢芯褋褜.
袣褉邪泄薪械 懈薪褌械褉械褋薪芯 斜褘谢芯 芯褌屑械褌懈褌褜 泻芯谢懈褔械褋褌胁芯 褑懈褌邪褌, 泻芯褌芯褉褘械 懈褋锌芯谢褜蟹褍褞褌褋褟 锌芯褉芯泄 褌邪泻 褔邪褋褌芯, 褔褌芯 褍卸械 懈 锌褉邪胁写邪 薪械 芯褋芯蟹薪邪褞褌褋褟, 泻邪泻 褑懈褌邪褌褘. 袦械薪褟 褝褌芯 褍写懈胁懈谢芯.
July 26, 2021
An untranslatable Russian classic full of epigrams that have become common expressions in the Russian language. Chatsky is a kind of Russian Byronic figure who comes back to Russian high society and savages it with his cutting wit.
April 27, 2022
鈥� und das soll eine Kom枚die sein?
December 2, 2022
La desgracia de ser inteligente' es una pieza de teatro en cuatro actos. En palabras del cr铆tico Belinski, es una s谩tira, no comedia, contra una parte de la sociedad moscovita.
La obra est谩 realizada en verso libre y la traducci贸n de Oleg Y. Shatrov ha procurado mantener la presencia de rima en la mayor铆a de los versos.
Asimismo, la obra est谩 llena de ep铆tetos y epigramas que muchos de ellos se han convertido en parte de los dichos populares en Rusia.
"-驴D贸nde se est谩 mejor?
- Donde nosotros no estamos"
Adem谩s la obra posee personajes parlantes como el coronel Sacacolmillov; el pat茅tico Repetilov; el esposo de Natalia Dimitrievna, el militar Plat贸n Mij谩ilych (llamado por su esposa 'mi cielo', 'mi alma'); el secretario de Famusov, el silencioso Silencin; incluso se menciona a un personaje llamado Foma Fomich (!), etc.
Todos ensartan unos di谩logos llenos de comicidad. Todos juegan el juego de las apariencias. Pero la aparici贸n de Aleksandr Andreich Chatski, revela a trav茅s de sus l铆neas, un desprecio total a esa forma de vivir de aquella sociedad, es ingenioso para ensartar ep铆tetos y epigramas. Incomoda a los dem谩s y mucho, a tal punto que lo tildan de loco y qu茅 r谩pido corre aquel rumor.
Seg煤n Belinski, la obra est谩 por encima de las de Fonvizin pero muy por debajo de 'El inspector' de Nikolai G贸gol. En suma es una obra llena de ingenio y muy recomendable de leer.
Tras leer la obra, me ha recordado a las comedias de Arist贸fanes o de Lucio de Samosata, asimismo el personaje de Chatski me ha recordado a Pechorin ('Un h茅roe de nuestro tiempo' de Lermontov), y a Eugenio Oneguin (Pushkin) as铆 como tambi茅n me anima a leer a Byron.
Pueden leer la obra por internet consultando como "El mal de la raz贸n pdf"
La obra est谩 realizada en verso libre y la traducci贸n de Oleg Y. Shatrov ha procurado mantener la presencia de rima en la mayor铆a de los versos.
Asimismo, la obra est谩 llena de ep铆tetos y epigramas que muchos de ellos se han convertido en parte de los dichos populares en Rusia.
"-驴D贸nde se est谩 mejor?
- Donde nosotros no estamos"
Adem谩s la obra posee personajes parlantes como el coronel Sacacolmillov; el pat茅tico Repetilov; el esposo de Natalia Dimitrievna, el militar Plat贸n Mij谩ilych (llamado por su esposa 'mi cielo', 'mi alma'); el secretario de Famusov, el silencioso Silencin; incluso se menciona a un personaje llamado Foma Fomich (!), etc.
Todos ensartan unos di谩logos llenos de comicidad. Todos juegan el juego de las apariencias. Pero la aparici贸n de Aleksandr Andreich Chatski, revela a trav茅s de sus l铆neas, un desprecio total a esa forma de vivir de aquella sociedad, es ingenioso para ensartar ep铆tetos y epigramas. Incomoda a los dem谩s y mucho, a tal punto que lo tildan de loco y qu茅 r谩pido corre aquel rumor.
Seg煤n Belinski, la obra est谩 por encima de las de Fonvizin pero muy por debajo de 'El inspector' de Nikolai G贸gol. En suma es una obra llena de ingenio y muy recomendable de leer.
Tras leer la obra, me ha recordado a las comedias de Arist贸fanes o de Lucio de Samosata, asimismo el personaje de Chatski me ha recordado a Pechorin ('Un h茅roe de nuestro tiempo' de Lermontov), y a Eugenio Oneguin (Pushkin) as铆 como tambi茅n me anima a leer a Byron.
Pueden leer la obra por internet consultando como "El mal de la raz贸n pdf"
March 13, 2022
In December I was browsing in the McNally Jackson bookstore in New York City. One of my favorite things about the bookstore is they organize the fiction by country/region. I was looking through the Russian section, as I've done many times before, expecting that I had already read just about everything in it when this cover jumped out at me. I loved the title Woe from Wit and it was advertised as a verse comedy, a genre I love (having read all of the Richard Wilbur Moliere translations, many of them multiple times). I bought it but only just got around to reading it. And I read it with no preconceptions: I didn't read the intro or the back cover so I didn't have a confident idea of when it was written or any of the other context (I read all of that afterwards).
I was drawn in from the very beginning with the witty rhyming lines in aabb and abab format. It started out as what I thought would be a light comedy of romantic misunderstandings: the mistress of the house is in love with someone but he's in love with the maid, the father is a bit of a buffoon, and then another suitor enters the mix. But when that happens it shifts, it is still light and comic but the new character (Alexandr Chatsky) is a Russian returning to Moscow to find it changed, he is witty and biting about the army and much of the society as well. Eventually there is a splendid scene set at a ball where the mistress starts a rumor that Chatsky is mad and roughly a dozen characters, really not much more than extras, amplify and distort it. The final act wraps up with some more romantic mishaps bringing it to a sort of joyful or at least amusing conclusion.
I was drawn in from the very beginning with the witty rhyming lines in aabb and abab format. It started out as what I thought would be a light comedy of romantic misunderstandings: the mistress of the house is in love with someone but he's in love with the maid, the father is a bit of a buffoon, and then another suitor enters the mix. But when that happens it shifts, it is still light and comic but the new character (Alexandr Chatsky) is a Russian returning to Moscow to find it changed, he is witty and biting about the army and much of the society as well. Eventually there is a splendid scene set at a ball where the mistress starts a rumor that Chatsky is mad and roughly a dozen characters, really not much more than extras, amplify and distort it. The final act wraps up with some more romantic mishaps bringing it to a sort of joyful or at least amusing conclusion.
February 1, 2022
This translation is quite remarkable, as the English rhymes, flows, and use colloquial phrases, likely in an effort to imitate that of the original Russian. Consider me impressed.
This play had some of the funniest lines I've read in a while, but I won't say I was laughing throughout the whole thing. While it's comedic (it is a comedy after all) it's also somewhat... tragic?
Chatsky evokes the reformist spirit of the Decembrists. Having lived and traveled abroad for three years, he returns to Moscow high society, and is, to put it frank, disgusted. Dissatisfied. Sophie, the girl he loves, doesn't appear to love him, and she herself has caught the eye of Molchalin. Molchalin, well he has a secret affair going on with Liza. And Famusov, head of the house, only cares about outward appearances and reputations.
Chatsky, the 'enlightened one,' hopes to knock some sense into everyone, but they all deem him mad. And oh, how fast rumor spreads among a people at a ball!
My first Russian play -- and while I'm fresh off the heels of a semester of intense Moli猫re study, I couldn't help but notice all the similarities. Chatsky is Alceste from Le Misanthrope, but perhaps in a different vein. All in all, a fun play, but not my favorite by any means.
This play had some of the funniest lines I've read in a while, but I won't say I was laughing throughout the whole thing. While it's comedic (it is a comedy after all) it's also somewhat... tragic?
Chatsky evokes the reformist spirit of the Decembrists. Having lived and traveled abroad for three years, he returns to Moscow high society, and is, to put it frank, disgusted. Dissatisfied. Sophie, the girl he loves, doesn't appear to love him, and she herself has caught the eye of Molchalin. Molchalin, well he has a secret affair going on with Liza. And Famusov, head of the house, only cares about outward appearances and reputations.
Chatsky, the 'enlightened one,' hopes to knock some sense into everyone, but they all deem him mad. And oh, how fast rumor spreads among a people at a ball!
My first Russian play -- and while I'm fresh off the heels of a semester of intense Moli猫re study, I couldn't help but notice all the similarities. Chatsky is Alceste from Le Misanthrope, but perhaps in a different vein. All in all, a fun play, but not my favorite by any means.
July 4, 2023
螣 螕魏蟻喂渭蟺慰纬苇谓蟿慰蠁 蠅蟼 蔚蠀蠁蠀苇蟽蟿伪蟿慰蟼 魏伪喂 蟺慰位蠀未喂伪尾伪蟽渭苇谓慰蟼 伪蟻喂蟽蟿慰魏蟻维蟿畏蟼, 渭伪 尾伪胃喂维 伪谓喂魏伪谓慰蟺慰委畏蟿慰蟼 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏 蟻蠅蟽喂魏萎 味蠅萎, 蔚渭蟺蠈蟿喂蟽蔚 蟿慰 苇蟻纬慰 蟿慰蠀 渭蔚 魏伪蠀蟽蟿喂魏萎 蟽维蟿喂蟻伪 纬喂伪 蠈位伪 蟿伪 蟺伪蟻伪蟽魏畏谓喂伪魏维 蟿蠅谓 蠀蠄畏位蠋谓 魏慰喂谓蠅谓喂魏蠋谓 魏蠉魏位蠅谓, 蟺蟻慰蟽蠋蟺蠅谓 魏伪喂 蟺蟻伪纬渭维蟿蠅谓. 韦慰 苇蟻纬慰 蟿慰蠀 芦危蠀渭蠁慰蟻维 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蟺慰位蠉 渭蠀伪位蠈 禄伪位位慰喂蠋胃畏魏蔚 伪蟺蠈 蟿畏谓 位慰纬慰魏蟻喂蟽委伪 渭苇蠂蟻喂 魏伪喂 蟿慰 1862 蟺慰蠀 未畏渭慰蟽喂蔚蠉胃畏魏蔚 蟽蟿畏 巍蠅蟽委伪 蟽蔚 慰位慰魏位畏蟻蠅渭苇谓畏 苇魏未慰蟽畏.
螌蟺蠅蟼 魏喂 慰 螤慰蠉蟽魏喂谓 魏伪喂 慰 螕魏蠈纬魏慰位 苇蟿蟽喂 魏伪喂 蔚未蠋 慰 螕魏蟻喂渭蟺慰纬蔚谓蟿慰蠁, 蟽蟿萎谓蔚喂 苇谓伪谓 魏伪胃蟻苇蟺蟿畏 渭蟺蟻慰蟽蟿维 蟽蟿畏 蟻蠅蟽喂魏萎 魏慰喂谓蠅谓委伪. 螖蔚谓 纬蟻维蠁蔚喂 伪位位畏纬慰蟻委伪 伪位位维 蟿慰蟺慰胃蔚蟿蔚委 蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 伪魏蟻喂尾蠋蟼 蟺维谓蠅 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺蔚蟻委慰未慰 未蟻维蟽畏蟼 蟿畏蟼, 蟽伪谓 尾喂蠅渭伪蟿喂魏萎.
螠苇蟽伪 伪蟺慰 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿蠅谓 畏蟻蠋蠅谓, 蟿喂蟼 畏胃慰纬蟻伪蠁喂魏蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 伪谓蟿喂胃苇蟽蔚喂蟼, 蟿喂蟼 蠁喂位慰未慰尉委蔚蟼 萎 蟿喂蟼 蟽魏慰蟺喂渭蠈蟿畏蟿蔚蟼 慰 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 伪谓伪未蔚喂魏谓蠉蔚喂 蠈位畏 蟿畏谓 蟺伪位喂维 螠蠈蟽蠂伪, 蟿慰 蟺谓蔚蠉渭伪 蟿畏蟼, 畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿畏蟼, 蟿伪 萎胃畏 蟿畏蟼.
螔伪蟽喂魏蠈 未委蟺慰位慰 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 韦蟽伪蟿蟽魏喂 蟺慰蠀 蔚魏蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺蔚委 蟿畏谓 谓苇伪 纬蔚谓喂维 魏伪喂 蟿慰 蠁喂位蔚位蔚蠉胃蔚蟻慰 蟺谓蔚蠉渭伪 蔚谓维谓蟿喂伪 蟽蟿慰谓 伪蟺伪蟻蠂伪喂蠅渭苇谓慰 魏蠈蟽渭慰 蟺慰蠀 蔚魏蟺慰蟻蔚蠉蔚蟿伪喂 渭苇蟽伪 伪蟺蠈 蠈位慰蠀蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 维位位慰蠀蟼 萎蟻蠅蔚蟼: 蟿慰谓 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪 蟿畏蟼 危慰蠁委伪蟼, 蟿慰谓 螠慰位蟿蟽伪位喂谓, 蟿慰谓 危魏伪位慰味慰蠀渭蟺, 蟿慰谓 螙伪纬魏慰蟻蔚蟿蟽魏喂鈥�
螌蟺蠅蟼 魏喂 慰 螤慰蠉蟽魏喂谓 魏伪喂 慰 螕魏蠈纬魏慰位 苇蟿蟽喂 魏伪喂 蔚未蠋 慰 螕魏蟻喂渭蟺慰纬蔚谓蟿慰蠁, 蟽蟿萎谓蔚喂 苇谓伪谓 魏伪胃蟻苇蟺蟿畏 渭蟺蟻慰蟽蟿维 蟽蟿畏 蟻蠅蟽喂魏萎 魏慰喂谓蠅谓委伪. 螖蔚谓 纬蟻维蠁蔚喂 伪位位畏纬慰蟻委伪 伪位位维 蟿慰蟺慰胃蔚蟿蔚委 蟿畏谓 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 伪魏蟻喂尾蠋蟼 蟺维谓蠅 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺蔚蟻委慰未慰 未蟻维蟽畏蟼 蟿畏蟼, 蟽伪谓 尾喂蠅渭伪蟿喂魏萎.
螠苇蟽伪 伪蟺慰 蟿喂蟼 蟽蠂苇蟽蔚喂蟼 蟿蠅谓 畏蟻蠋蠅谓, 蟿喂蟼 畏胃慰纬蟻伪蠁喂魏蔚蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 伪谓蟿喂胃苇蟽蔚喂蟼, 蟿喂蟼 蠁喂位慰未慰尉委蔚蟼 萎 蟿喂蟼 蟽魏慰蟺喂渭蠈蟿畏蟿蔚蟼 慰 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 伪谓伪未蔚喂魏谓蠉蔚喂 蠈位畏 蟿畏谓 蟺伪位喂维 螠蠈蟽蠂伪, 蟿慰 蟺谓蔚蠉渭伪 蟿畏蟼, 畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟿畏蟼, 蟿伪 萎胃畏 蟿畏蟼.
螔伪蟽喂魏蠈 未委蟺慰位慰 蔚委谓伪喂 慰 韦蟽伪蟿蟽魏喂 蟺慰蠀 蔚魏蟺蟻慰蟽蠅蟺蔚委 蟿畏谓 谓苇伪 纬蔚谓喂维 魏伪喂 蟿慰 蠁喂位蔚位蔚蠉胃蔚蟻慰 蟺谓蔚蠉渭伪 蔚谓维谓蟿喂伪 蟽蟿慰谓 伪蟺伪蟻蠂伪喂蠅渭苇谓慰 魏蠈蟽渭慰 蟺慰蠀 蔚魏蟺慰蟻蔚蠉蔚蟿伪喂 渭苇蟽伪 伪蟺蠈 蠈位慰蠀蟼 蟿慰蠀蟼 维位位慰蠀蟼 萎蟻蠅蔚蟼: 蟿慰谓 蟺伪蟿苇蟻伪 蟿畏蟼 危慰蠁委伪蟼, 蟿慰谓 螠慰位蟿蟽伪位喂谓, 蟿慰谓 危魏伪位慰味慰蠀渭蟺, 蟿慰谓 螙伪纬魏慰蟻蔚蟿蟽魏喂鈥�
May 20, 2020
This is a witty play brilliantly translated. It fits nicely with Moliere鈥檚 wonderful play the Misanthrope, and Richard Wilbur鈥檚 verse translation.
Translating a play into rhymes is a tricky proposition that can go wrong in a dozen ways. It requires just the right play and just the right translator. And that鈥檚 what Wit to Woe achieves. The rhyme is once light and biting, witty and erudite.
Like the Misanthrope, Griboyedov鈥檚 Woe to Wit features a man out of sync (and patience) with the shallowness and dishonesty of his society. The characters are vivid and brought to life with a few deft strokes.
This is an excellent play, and a classic in Russia theatre and literature. It doesn鈥檛 quite achieve the lofty heights of The Misanthrope (bBut how many plays do?), yet is a wonderful work.
If you enjoy classic theatre, I highly recommend this play and the outstanding translation by Elizabeth Hulick. The reading is a pleasure. I鈥檇 love to see it performed.
Translating a play into rhymes is a tricky proposition that can go wrong in a dozen ways. It requires just the right play and just the right translator. And that鈥檚 what Wit to Woe achieves. The rhyme is once light and biting, witty and erudite.
Like the Misanthrope, Griboyedov鈥檚 Woe to Wit features a man out of sync (and patience) with the shallowness and dishonesty of his society. The characters are vivid and brought to life with a few deft strokes.
This is an excellent play, and a classic in Russia theatre and literature. It doesn鈥檛 quite achieve the lofty heights of The Misanthrope (bBut how many plays do?), yet is a wonderful work.
If you enjoy classic theatre, I highly recommend this play and the outstanding translation by Elizabeth Hulick. The reading is a pleasure. I鈥檇 love to see it performed.
January 5, 2020
袩褉芯锌褍褋褌懈褌褜 胁 写械褌褋褌胁械 胁褋褞 泻谢邪褋褋懈泻褍 褉芯褋褋懈泄褋泻芯泄/褋芯胁械褌褋泻芯泄 泻芯屑械写懈懈 - 芯褔械薪褜 锌褉懈泻芯谢褜薪褘泄 芯锌褘褌. 袩芯褌芯屑 褋懈写懈褕褜 褌邪泻芯泄 胁 褋胁芯懈 20械, 芯斜薪邪褉褍卸懈胁邪械褕褜 芯褔械褉械写薪芯泄 屑械屑 胁 泻薪懈谐械 泻芯褌芯褉褘泄 褋泻芯褉芯 200 谢械褌 懈 褌邪泻芯泄 "薪械锌谢芯褏芯".
袛械泄褋褌胁懈褌械谢褜薪芯, 芯写薪邪 懈蟹 褋邪屑褘褏 蟹邪斜邪胁薪褘褏 胁械褖械泄 胁 "袚芯褉械 芯褌 校屑邪" 褝褌芯 褎褉邪蟹褘, 泻芯褌芯褉褘械 屑芯卸薪芯 胁褋褌褉械褌懈褌褜 胁 褉邪蟹谐芯胁芯褉薪芯泄 褉械褔懈 写芯 褋懈褏 锌芯褉.
袨褋薪芯胁薪邪褟 屑芯褟 锌褉芯斜谢械屑邪 褋 褝褌芯泄 泻薪懈谐芯泄 - 褟蟹褘泻. 袙褋械 谐芯胁芯褉褟褌 芯褔械薪褜 锌邪褎芯褋薪芯 懈 薪邪锌褘褖械薪芯. 袨褋芯斜械薪薪芯 褋屑械褕薪芯 褝褌芯 褋屑芯褌褉懈褌褋褟 胁 薪邪褕械 胁褉械屑褟. 效邪写褋泻懈泄, 泻芯褌芯褉褘泄 锌芯 锌谢邪薪褍 写芯谢卸械薪 斜褘褌褜 锌褉芯褌邪谐芯薪懈褋褌芯屑 褋械泄褔邪褋 胁 锌芯谢芯胁懈薪械 褋谢褍褔邪械胁 蟹胁褍褔懈褌 泻邪泻 屑邪屑泻懈薪 屑懈蟹邪薪褌褉芯锌. 袧械 写褍屑邪褞, 褔褌芯 褌邪泻 懈 斜褘谢芯 蟹邪写褍屑邪薪芯, 褌邪泻 褔褌芯 褋锌邪褋懈斜芯 褟蟹褘泻褍.
袟邪斜邪胁薪芯, 锌褉懈泻芯谢褜薪芯, 薪械 mind blowing.
袛械泄褋褌胁懈褌械谢褜薪芯, 芯写薪邪 懈蟹 褋邪屑褘褏 蟹邪斜邪胁薪褘褏 胁械褖械泄 胁 "袚芯褉械 芯褌 校屑邪" 褝褌芯 褎褉邪蟹褘, 泻芯褌芯褉褘械 屑芯卸薪芯 胁褋褌褉械褌懈褌褜 胁 褉邪蟹谐芯胁芯褉薪芯泄 褉械褔懈 写芯 褋懈褏 锌芯褉.
袨褋薪芯胁薪邪褟 屑芯褟 锌褉芯斜谢械屑邪 褋 褝褌芯泄 泻薪懈谐芯泄 - 褟蟹褘泻. 袙褋械 谐芯胁芯褉褟褌 芯褔械薪褜 锌邪褎芯褋薪芯 懈 薪邪锌褘褖械薪芯. 袨褋芯斜械薪薪芯 褋屑械褕薪芯 褝褌芯 褋屑芯褌褉懈褌褋褟 胁 薪邪褕械 胁褉械屑褟. 效邪写褋泻懈泄, 泻芯褌芯褉褘泄 锌芯 锌谢邪薪褍 写芯谢卸械薪 斜褘褌褜 锌褉芯褌邪谐芯薪懈褋褌芯屑 褋械泄褔邪褋 胁 锌芯谢芯胁懈薪械 褋谢褍褔邪械胁 蟹胁褍褔懈褌 泻邪泻 屑邪屑泻懈薪 屑懈蟹邪薪褌褉芯锌. 袧械 写褍屑邪褞, 褔褌芯 褌邪泻 懈 斜褘谢芯 蟹邪写褍屑邪薪芯, 褌邪泻 褔褌芯 褋锌邪褋懈斜芯 褟蟹褘泻褍.
袟邪斜邪胁薪芯, 锌褉懈泻芯谢褜薪芯, 薪械 mind blowing.
June 5, 2018
芦袙褋褢, 褔褌芯 谐芯胁芯褉懈褌 芯薪, 芯褔械薪褜 褍屑薪芯. 袧芯 泻芯屑褍 谐芯胁芯褉懈褌 芯薪 胁褋褢 褝褌芯? 肖邪屑褍褋芯胁褍? 小泻邪谢芯蟹褍斜褍? 袧邪 斜邪谢械 屑芯褋泻芯胁褋泻懈屑 斜邪斜褍褕泻邪屑? 袦芯谢褔邪谢懈薪褍? 协褌芯 薪械锌褉芯褋褌懈褌械谢褜薪芯. 袩械褉胁褘泄 锌褉懈蟹薪邪泻 褍屑薪芯谐芯 褔械谢芯胁械泻邪 鈥� 褋 锌械褉胁芯谐芯 胁蟹谐谢褟写褍 蟹薪邪褌褜, 褋 泻械屑 懈屑械械褕褜 写械谢芯, 懈 薪械 屑械褌邪褌褜 斜懈褋械褉邪 锌械褉械写 袪械锌械褌懈谢芯胁褘屑懈禄.
袙芯褌 褋芯谐谢邪褋械薪 褋 袗谢械泻褋邪薪写褉 小械褉谐械械胁懈褔械屑. 袩袩袣小, 泻邪泻 谐芯胁芯褉懈褌褋褟.
袙芯褌 褋芯谐谢邪褋械薪 褋 袗谢械泻褋邪薪写褉 小械褉谐械械胁懈褔械屑. 袩袩袣小, 泻邪泻 谐芯胁芯褉懈褌褋褟.
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