Biography and episodes of life Alexandra Griboedova. When born and died Alexander Griboyedov, memorable places and dates of important events of his life. Playwright Quotes, images and videos.
Years of life of Alexander Griboyedov:
born January 4, 1795, died January 30, 1829
Epitaph
“Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?”
The inscription made by A. Griboedov’s wife on his tombstone
Biography
Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov left a mark on Russian literature as the author of one work - the famous play “Woe from Wit”. Everything he wrote before this work was still youthfully immature, and everything he wrote after it was not completed by the author. Meanwhile, Griboedov was a man of brilliant mind and versatile talents: he composed music, played the piano beautifully, wrote critical articles and essays, and became prominent in the diplomatic service. Perhaps, if his life had not ended so tragically, today his descendants would have inherited a much more extensive legacy of Griboyedov.
Griboyedov was born in Moscow, in rich family and from childhood he was distinguished by his lively and sharp mind and learning abilities. At the age of 6, Griboyedov spoke three languages fluently. foreign languages, later learned three more.
After graduating from university, Griboyedov spent some time military service, but soon left her for writing exercises, metropolitan life and, subsequently, a diplomatic career. Griboedov was sent to the east, then to the Caucasus, learned four more languages and continued to work on translations, poems and prose.
There, in Tiflis, Griboedov married a beautiful and noble girl, Princess Nina Chavchavadze. Alas, the young people managed to live together for only a few months.
The death of Griboyedov in the prime of his life was sudden and tragic. A crowd of religious fanatics destroyed the Russian embassy in Tehran and killed everyone who was there. Griboedov's body was so mutilated that he could be identified only by the mark of a duel wound on his hand.
Griboyedov was buried in Tiflis, near the Church of St. David on the slope of Mount Mtatsminda. On the centenary of his death in 1929, a pantheon was opened at the burial site of the playwright and his wife, where the remains of many outstanding public figures Georgia.
Life line
January 4, 1795 Date of birth of Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov.
1803 Admission to the Moscow University Noble Boarding School.
1805 Working on the first poems.
1806 Admission to the literature department of Moscow University.
1808 Receiving the title of Candidate of Literary Sciences, continuing studies in the moral-political, and then in the physics and mathematics departments.
1812 Joining the volunteer Moscow Hussar Regiment of Count Saltykov.
1814 First literary experiments (articles, essays, translations) while serving in the rank of cornet.
1815 Moving to St. Petersburg. Publication of the comedy “Young Spouses”.
1816 Leaving military service. Joining the Masonic Lodge. The emergence of the idea of a comedy in the verses “Woe from Wit.”
1817 Entry into the diplomatic service (provincial secretary, later - translator at the College of Foreign Affairs).
1818 Appointment to the position of secretary in Tehran (in Persia).
1821 Transfer to Georgia.
1822 Appointment to the position of secretary under General Ermolov, commander of the Russian army in Tiflis.
1823 Returning to homeland, life in St. Petersburg and Moscow.
1824 Completion of the comedy "Woe from Wit".
1825 Return to the Caucasus.
1826 Arrest on suspicion of belonging to the Decembrists, investigation in St. Petersburg, release and return to Tiflis.
1828 Appointment as Resident Minister in Iran, marriage to Princess Nina Chavchavadze.
January 30, 1829 Date of death of Alexander Griboyedov.
June 18, 1829 Griboedov's funeral in Tiflis, near the Church of St. David.
Memorable places
1. House No. 17 on Novinsky Boulevard in Moscow, where Griboedov was born and raised (a replica of the original building).
2. Moscow University, where Griboyedov studied.
3. House No. 104 ( apartment building Walkha) on the embankment. Griboyedov Canal (formerly the Catherine Canal) in St. Petersburg, where the playwright lived in 1816-1818.
4. House No. 25 on Kirova Ave. (former Athenskaya Hotel) in Simferopol, where Griboyedov lived in 1825.
5. House No. 22 on the street. Chubinashvili in Tbilisi (formerly Tiflis), now the house-museum of Ilya Chavchavadze, where his granddaughter Nina was married to Griboyedov.
6. Mtatsminda Pantheon in Tbilisi, where Griboedov is buried.
Episodes of life
In 1817, the famous quadruple duel took place with the participation of Griboyedov, the cause of which was the famous ballerina Istomin. Griboedov and his opponent Yakubovich fought a year later than the first pair of duelists, and in this duel Griboyedov was wounded in the arm.
The famous E minor waltz, written by Griboyedov, is considered the first Russian waltz, the score of which has survived to this day.
At the time of her wedding with Griboedov, Nina Chavchavadze was only 15 years old, but after the death of her husband, she remained faithful to him and mourned him until her own death at the age of 45, rejecting all advances. Loyalty dead husband earned his widow respect and fame among the Tiflis residents.
Testaments
“Blessed is he who believes, he has warmth in the world.”
“You don’t watch happy hours.”
“Pleasure is not the goal of life,
Our life is no consolation.”
Two waltzes by A. Griboyedov
Condolences
“It has never happened in my life to see in any nation a person who loved his fatherland so ardently, so passionately, as Griboyedov loved Russia.”
Thaddeus Bulgarin, writer and critic
“The blood of the heart always played on his face. No one will boast of his flattery; no one will dare to say that they heard a lie from him. He could deceive himself, but never deceive.”
Alexander Bestuzhev, writer and critic
“There is something wild in Griboedov, de farouche, de sauvage, in pride: at the slightest irritation it rears up, but he is smart, fiery, and always fun to be with.”
Pyotr Vyazemsky, poet and critic
Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov is famous for only one of his works, “Woe from Wit,” but few people know that he is not only a talented Russian writer, but also a civil servant, poet, musician and playwright. Griboyedov's biography is eventful: he was an outstanding cultural figure of the 19th century, but at the same time he gave long years and the very life of the diplomatic service for the benefit Russian Empire.
On January 15, 1795 (according to some sources), a son, Alexander, was born into the family of a wealthy nobleman Sergei Griboyedov. Despite military career, Sergei Ivanovich was not educated, so his wife, Anastasia Fedorovna, was involved in the upbringing and education of his son.
The child was extremely smart and learned everything quickly, for example, at the age of three Sasha spoke three foreign languages, and in his youth - already six. short biography Griboyedov also contains a mention of his origins from an ancient Polish family.
In 1803, Alexander began to receive formal education at the Moscow boarding school and, upon graduation, three years later he transferred to the verbal department of the university. In 1808, student Alexander Griboyedov received a candidate's degree in literary sciences and entered the law department of the same university at the age of only 13 years. Two years later he was awarded a candidate of rights degree, and Alexander Sergeevich focused on studying natural sciences.
During the war with Napoleon, Alexander Griboyedov served in the hussar regiment, but did not take part in the battles. He stayed in the Russian army in 1812–1815, and then returned to St. Petersburg, leaving his military career. Having become an active member of the Masonic lodge, the former military man begins to engage in literary activity, writes his first works and enters the diplomatic service, receiving the position of secretary. In 1817, the famous duel of Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov took place with three participants: Zavadovsky, Sheremetyev (died) and Yakubovich.
After four years of service, the Russian diplomat lives for some time in Moscow, engages in creativity and publishes in magazines. Griboyedov travels around Russia, in particular visiting the Crimea, and in the winter of 1826 he is arrested due to connections with the Decembrists. After complete acquittal, Alexander Sergeevich returned to the diplomatic service, where he died in 1829.
Diplomatic work
In 1818, Griboyedov received his first diplomatic appointment to Tehran. It was here that he finished several of his poems and received an invitation for his first visit to the Shah.
The activities of the Russian diplomat are highly valued by historians, according to whom the Russian Empire owes it to him for the conclusion of a truce in the Persian-Russian war.
The next, longer, one and a half year, trip to Persia was made in January 1820, after which Alexander Sergeevich asked to be transferred to Georgia, the request was granted, and it was there that his main work was written -. After his vacation, the diplomat again became secretary of the Russian embassy in Tiflis, but after a year he left the service and returned to Moscow, where he lived for more than two years.
At this time, he was accused of having connections with the Decembrists, and after being acquitted, he was again sent as a diplomat to Persia, where, after a couple of years, he died in the Tehran massacre of 1829.
Creation
Prose writer and literary critic Yu. Tynyanov classifies Griboyedov as a writer among the younger archaists - a trend of the early 19th century in Russian literature, which was characterized by the formation of the literary Russian language.
The main thing in their works is the basis of traditionalism and nationalism. The writer’s path was extremely fruitful and began in his student days: he wrote poems and parodies of already known stories.
After graduating from the university, he published his first works in magazines, and in 1815 the first comedy was published. In general, this genre was loved by Alexander Sergeevich; he studied European comedies and wrote parodies of them in Russian, remaking them in his own way. Such works were liked by the public and were often staged in theaters as separate plays. Summary any of his comedies contained descriptions of several characters and the wit of the author. In addition, the writer used the features and techniques of parody:
- everyday context;
- exaggeration;
- descriptive concepts without precision.
At the center of Alexander Sergeevich’s work is always a bearer of classical consciousness - life knowledge is adopted from books, and the events around are refracted through the prism of what was read. Real life for the hero is not as interesting as the events in the book. This trait can be seen in many heroes.
Interesting to know! The idea of the comedy “Woe from Wit” was nurtured by the author for a long time, but he could not begin to create it due to his constant employment at work. One day, while riding, the writer fell from his horse and broke his arm. This forced break from work became the time for writing a brilliant work.
In addition to the fame of the Russian writer, Alexander Sergeevich is also famous in musical circles. He is the author of several piano pieces, a couple of waltzes, and a sonata. His musical creations are filled with harmony, harmony and brevity. Unfortunately, his piano sonata has not survived, but it was the most serious and voluminous work of the writer. But the waltz in the key of E minor by his author is considered the first truly Russian musical work.
Works
Griboyedov gained worldwide fame after the publication of the comedy “Woe from Wit,” but he began publishing long before it, and writing while still a student. The first published works were the texts “On Cavalry Reserves” and “Letter to the Editor.”
The writer collaborated several times with other writers, creating joint works (“Feigned Infidelity”, “Own Family”), and was also on friendly terms with. In addition, he communicated and corresponded with many literary figures of that time.
The famous work “Woe from Wit” became known to the public in 1824, and was first published without censorship in 1862 and today is considered the peak creation of drama in Russia, which has not yet lost its relevance. Its summary is known to everyone: the play tells about Chatsky’s love for Sofya Famusova and the severe disappointment that befell the main character when he gets to know Russian society better.
Four years after the creation of his most famous comedy, the author dies, so everything that was conceived after it was either not published, since it was not finalized and was only sketches, or was lost. Only the scenes from the dramas he created at this time are known: “1812” and “Rodamist and Zenobia”.
Despite the masterful disclosure of comedic plots, an analysis of all the works of Alexander Sergeevich shows that he knew how to create a truly high tragedy, and his prose works testify to his development as an original and talented author in all genres.
Useful video: A.S. Griboyedov - short biography
Death
In 1828, in the city of Tiflis, the writer married the beautiful Nina Chavchavadze, who was only 15 years old. Relations between the empire and Turkey are seriously deteriorating at this time, and an experienced diplomat is needed for the Russian mission in Tehran. Griboyedov is elected to this position and sent there to serve.
Interesting to know! There is a legend that during the wedding, Alexander Sergeevich dropped the ring - this sign was considered a bad omen for the future family.
Arriving in Persia and leaving his young wife in Tabriz (she later returned to Georgia on her own), Alexander Sergeevich went to Tehran as part of his diplomatic service.
They were supposed to introduce themselves to Feth Ali Shah and fulfill their obligations - to convince the Shah to pay indemnity for the defeat in the Russian-Persian War, but the situation in the city was too alarming.
The fact is that one of the results of the Russian victory over the Persians was the guarantee of the free resettlement of willing Armenians to their homeland - Armenia, which became part of the Russian Empire. The Persians were angry with the Russians because they had to not only pay them money, but also lose part of the population. The situation reached a fever pitch when the treasurer of the Shah's court and several women, relatives of the Shah, asked for asylum at the Russian embassy. The ruler was concerned about a possible leak of information (according to rumors, the eunuch also robbed him) and demanded that the fugitives be handed over to him, to which Griboedov refused. Then the Tehran government decided to use the surest means - Islamic fanatics and turned them against the Russians.
Fueled by hatred of infidels and conquerors, an angry crowd of thousands of Islamists began storming the Russian embassy on February 11, 1829. Despite the defense, the embassy was taken, and 37 Russian representatives, along with 19 residents of Tehran, were killed, Griboyedov died along with his people. Only secretary Ivan Maltsov survived, who witnessed all the events. The extreme cruelty of the attackers can be evidenced by the fact that Alexander Sergeevich could only be identified by the scar on his hand left after the duel, his body was so badly disfigured.
Useful video: interesting facts about Griboyedov
Conclusion
Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov was buried in Tiflis in a mountain grotto near the Church of St. David. The widow erected a large monument there, and Pushkin visited the grave in 1829. The conflict itself was settled with rich gifts to Emperor Nicholas I: the Shah’s grandson arrived in person and brought, among other things, the famous large “Shah” diamond, which became the price for the lives of 37 Russian diplomats.
Name: Alexander Griboedov
Age: 34 years
Activity: diplomat, poet, playwright, pianist, composer
Family status: was married
Alexander Griboyedov: biography
How often do readers remember an author from just one work? For example, people are remembered for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “The Catcher in the Rye,” “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and Patrick Suskind for the novel “Perfume.” The listed authors and works are foreign, so everything can be attributed to the lack of translations. But what then to do with domestic authors - with Alexander Griboedov, for example?
Childhood and youth
The future writer and diplomat was born in Moscow. In literature textbooks they write that this happened in January 1785, but experts doubt this - then some facts from his biography become too surprising. There is an assumption that Alexander was born five years earlier, and the date in the document was written differently, since at the time of his birth his parents were not married, which was perceived negatively in those years.
By the way, in 1795, Alexander Griboedov had a brother, Pavel, who, unfortunately, died in his infancy. Most likely, it was his birth certificate that later served the writer. Sasha was born into a noble family, which descended from the Pole Jan Grzybowski, who moved to Russia. The Griboyedov surname is a literal translation of the Pole's surname.
The boy grew up curious, but at the same time sedate. He received his first education at home, reading books - some researchers suspect that this is due to hiding his date of birth. Sasha’s teacher was the encyclopedist Ivan Petrosalius, popular in those years.
Despite his sedate manner, Griboedov was also prone to hooligan antics: once, during a visit to catholic church, the boy performed the folk dance song “Kamarinskaya” on the organ, which shocked the clergy and church visitors. Later, already as a student at Moscow state university, Sasha will write a caustic parody called “Dmitry Dryanskoy”, which will also put him in an unfavorable light.
Even before studying at Moscow State University, Griboyedov entered the Moscow University Noble Boarding School in 1803. In 1806 he entered the literature department of Moscow State University, which he graduated in 2 years.
Afterwards, Griboedov decides to study in two more departments - physics and mathematics and moral and political. Alexander receives his PhD degree. He plans to continue his studies further, but his plans are ruined by the Napoleonic invasion.
During the Patriotic War of 1812, the future writer joined the ranks of the volunteer Moscow Hussar Regiment, led by Count Pyotr Ivanovich Saltykov. He was enrolled as a cornet along with other people from noble families - the Tolstoys, Golitsyns, Efimovskys and others.
Literature
In 1814, Griboyedov began to write his first serious works, which were the essay “On Cavalry Reserves” and the comedy “The Young Spouses,” which was a parody of French family dramas.
The following year, Alexander moves to St. Petersburg, where he ends his service. In St. Petersburg, the aspiring writer meets the publicist and publisher Nikolai Ivanovich Grech, in whose literary magazine"Son of the Fatherland" would later publish some of his works.
In 1816 he became a member of the Masonic lodge “United Friends”, and a year later he organized his own lodge - “Blago”, which will differ from classical Masonic organizations by focusing on Russian culture. At the same time, the writer begins work on “Woe from Wit” - the first ideas and sketches appear.
In the summer of 1817, Griboyedov entered the public service to the Collegium of Foreign Affairs, first as a provincial secretary, and later as a translator. In the same year, Griboyedov met Wilhelm Kuchelbecker.
He will become friends with both of them and will cross paths more than once in his short life. While still working as a provincial secretary, the writer wrote and published the poem “Lubochny Theater,” as well as the comedies “Student,” “Feigned Infidelity” and “The Married Bride.” The year 1817 was marked in Griboyedov’s life by another event - the legendary quadruple duel, the reason for which was the ballerina Avdotya Istomina (as always, cherchez la femme).
However, to be precise, in 1817 only Zavadovsky and Sheremetev fought, and the duel between Griboedov and Yakubovich took place a year later, when the writer, having refused the position of an official of the Russian mission in America, became the secretary of the Tsar's attorney Simon Mazarovich in Persia. On the way to his place of duty, the writer kept a diary in which he recorded his journey.
In 1819, Griboyedov completed work on “Letter to a Publisher from Tiflis” and the poem “Forgive me, Fatherland.” Autobiographical moments related to the period of service in Persia will also appear in “Vagina’s Tale” and “Ananur Quarantine”. In the same year he received the Order of the Lion and the Sun, first degree.
The writer did not like working in Persia, so he was even glad that his arm was broken in 1821, because thanks to the injury, the writer was able to achieve a transfer to Georgia, closer to his homeland. In 1822 he became diplomatic secretary under General Alexei Petrovich Ermolaev. At the same time he writes and publishes the drama “1812”, dedicated to Patriotic War.
In 1823, he left the service for three years to return to his homeland and relax. Over the years he has lived in St. Petersburg, Moscow and on the estate of an old friend in the village of Dmitrovskoye. He is finishing work on the first edition of the comedy in verse “Woe from Wit,” which he gives to an elderly fabulist for review. Ivan Andreevich appreciated the work, but warned that the censors would not let it through.
In 1824, Griboedov wrote the poem “David”, the vaudeville “Deception after Deception”, the essay “Special Cases of the St. Petersburg Flood” and the critical article “And they compose - they lie, and they translate - they lie.” The following year he began work on a translation of Faust, but managed to finish only the Prologue in the Theater. At the end of 1825, due to the need to return to service, he was forced to abandon his trip to Europe, instead leaving for the Caucasus.
After participating in the expedition of General Alexei Alexandrovich Velyaminov, he wrote the poem “Predators over Chegel.” In 1826, he was arrested and sent to the capital on suspicion of Decembrist activities, but six months later he was released and reinstated in service due to the lack of direct evidence. Nevertheless, the writer was under surveillance.
In 1828, Griboedov took part in the signing of the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty. In the same year he received the Order of St. Anne, second degree, and got married. The writer was unable to write or publish anything else, although his plans included many works, among which creativity researchers especially highlight the tragedies of and. According to them, Griboyedov had potential no less than that of.
Personal life
There is a theory that the quadruple duel of 1817 took place due to a short intrigue between Griboedov and the ballerina Istomina, but there are no facts to prove this hypothesis. On August 22, 1828, the writer married the Georgian aristocrat Nina Chavchavadze, whom Alexander Sergeevich himself called Madonna Bartalome Murillo. The couple was married in the Zion Cathedral, located in Tiflis (now Tbilisi).
By the end of 1828, Alexander and Nina realized that they were expecting a child. That is why the writer insisted that his wife stay at home during his next ambassadorial mission the following year, from which he never returned. The news of her husband's death left the young girl in shock. Premature birth occurred and the baby was stillborn.
Death
At the beginning of 1829, Griboyedov was forced by work to go as part of an embassy mission to Feth Ali Shah in Tehran. On January 30, the building in which the embassy was temporarily located was attacked by a large group of Muslim fanatics (more than a thousand people).
Only one person managed to escape; by pure chance, he ended up in another building. Alexander Griboyedov was found among the dead. His disfigured body was recognized by the injury to his left hand received during a duel with cornet Alexander Yakubovich in 1818.
Posthumously, Griboedov was awarded the Order of the Lion and the Sun, second degree. The writer was buried, as he had bequeathed, in Tiflis, on Mount Mtatsminda, located next to the Church of St. David.
- Griboyedov’s parents were distant relatives: Anastasia Fedorovna was Sergei Ivanovich’s second cousin.
- Sergei Ivanovich, Griboyedov’s father, was a renowned gambler. It is believed that it was from him that the writer inherited good memory, thanks to which he was able to become a polyglot. His arsenal included French, English, Italian, German, Arabic, Turkish, Georgian, Persian and ancient Greek, as well as Latin.
- Griboedov's sister, Maria Sergeevna, was at one time a popular harpist and pianist. The writer himself, by the way, also played music well and even managed to write several piano pieces.
- Artists depicted Griboyedov and some of his relatives on canvas. The writer's wife is the only one who was captured in the photo.
Bibliography
- 1814 – “The Young Spouses”
- 1814 – “On cavalry reserves”
- 1817 – “Lubochny Theater”
- 1817 – “Feigned Infidelity”
- 1819 – “Letter to the publisher from Tiflis”
- 1819 – “Forgive me, Fatherland”
- 1822 – “1812”
- 1823 – “David”
- 1823 – “Who is brother, who is sister”
- 1824 – “Teleshova”
- 1824 – “And they compose - they lie, and they translate - they lie”
- 1824 – “Woe from Wit”
- 1825 – “Predators on Chegem”
Prince Alexander Alexandrovich Shakhovskoy (1777–1846) - Russian playwright and theater figure from the Shakhovsky family. From 1802 to 1826 he served in the St. Petersburg Directorate of Imperial Theaters and actually led the theaters of St. Petersburg. In 1811-1815, Shakhovskoy took an active part in the activities of the “Conversations of Lovers of the Russian Word.” At this time he wrote the poetic comedy “A Lesson for Coquettes, or Lipetsk waters" In terms of artistic merit, this play rose above everything that was created in Russia in the field of verse comedy after Kapnist’s “Sneak” and before “Woe from Wit.” ()
10. Gnedich Nikolai Ivanovich(1784–1833) – poet and translator. Griboyedov wrote a critical article against Gnedich, who sharply criticized Katenin's translation of Burger's ballad "Lenora". Gnedich considered Zhukovsky’s ballad “Lyudmila” to be an exemplary translation of this work. Griboedov noted the inaccuracies of Zhukovsky's translation, which softened the style of the original, and defended Katenin's vernacular translation. Despite this harsh criticism, Griboedov valued Gnedich as a writer and translator. In 1824, having returned to St. Petersburg, he considered it necessary to visit him and in a letter to P. A. Vyazemsky on June 27 he wrote: “I saw Gnedich, despite his tie being tied with an examiner, in thoughts and words and did something pompous, but it seems that he is much smarter than many here" (
Start creative biography Griboyedova
The famous Russian playwright, author of “Woe from Wit,” Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was born on January 4, 1795 (the year of birth, however, is disputed) into a Moscow noble family. His father, retired Second Major Sergei Ivanovich, a man of little education and modest origin, rarely visited the family, preferring to live in the village or give himself up to card game, which exhausted his funds. The mother, Nastasya Fedorovna, who came from another branch of the Griboyedovs, richer and more noble, was a powerful, impetuous woman, known in Moscow for her intelligence and sharpness of tone. She loved her son and daughter, Maria Sergeevna (two years younger than her brother), surrounded them with all sorts of care, and gave them an excellent home education.
Portrait of Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov. Artist I. Kramskoy, 1875
Maria Sergeevna was famous in Moscow and far beyond its borders as a pianist (she also played the harp beautifully). Since childhood, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov spoke French, German, English and Italian and played the piano excellently. Prominent teachers were chosen as his tutors: first Petrosilius, compiler of catalogs for the Moscow University library, later Bogdan Ivanovich Ion, a graduate of the University of Göttingen, then studied in Moscow and was the first to receive a doctorate in law at Kazan University. Griboedov's further upbringing and education, at home, at school and at university, went under the general guidance of the famous professor, philosopher and philologist I. T. Bule. WITH early childhood the poet moved in a very cultured environment; together with his mother and sister, he often spent the summer with his wealthy uncle, Alexei Fedorovich Griboyedov, on the famous Khmelity estate in the Smolensk province, where he could meet the families of the Yakushkins, Pestels and other later famous public figures. In Moscow, the Griboedovs were related by family ties to the Odoevskys, Paskeviches, Rimsky-Korsakovs, Naryshkins and were familiar with a huge circle of the capital's nobility.
In 1802 or 1803, Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov entered the Moscow University Noble Boarding School; On December 22, 1803, he received "one prize" there at a "smaller age." Three years later, on January 30, 1806, Griboedov was admitted to Moscow University at the age of about eleven. On June 3, 1808, he was already promoted to candidate of literary sciences and continued his education at the Faculty of Law; On June 15, 1810 he received the degree of candidate of rights. Later he also studied mathematics and natural Sciences and in 1812 he was already “ready to be tested for admission to the rank of doctor.” Patriotism drew the poet into military service, and the field of science was abandoned forever.
On July 26, 1812, Griboyedov enlisted as a cornet in the Moscow hussar regiment of Count P. I. Saltykov. However, the regiment did not get into active army; all autumn and December 1812 he stood in the Kazan province; in December, Count Saltykov died, and the Moscow regiment was attached to the Irkutsk hussar regiment as part of the cavalry reserves under the command of General Kologrivov. For some time in 1813, Griboyedov lived on vacation in Vladimir, then reported for duty and became adjutant to Kologrivov himself. In this rank, he took part in recruiting reserves in Belarus, about which he published an article in the “Bulletin of Europe” in 1814. In Belarus, Griboyedov became friends - for life - with Stepan Nikitich Begichev, also Kologrivov’s adjutant.
Having not been in a single battle and bored with service in the provinces, Griboyedov submitted his resignation on December 20, 1815 “to be assigned to civil affairs”; On March 20, 1816, he received it, and on June 9, 1817, he was accepted into the service of the State Collegium of Foreign Affairs, where he was listed along with Pushkin and Kuchelbecker. He arrived in St. Petersburg back in 1815 and here he quickly entered social, literary and theatrical circles. Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov moved among the members of the emerging secret organizations, participated in two Masonic lodges (“United Friends” and “Good”), became acquainted with many writers, for example, Grechem, Khmelnitsky, Katenin, actors and actresses, for example, Sosnitsky, Semenov, Valberkhov and others. Soon Griboedov also appeared in journalism (with the epigram “From Apollo” and anti-criticism against N. I. Gnedich in defense of Katenin), and in dramatic literature - the plays “Young Spouses” (1815), “One’s Own Family” (1817; in collaboration with Shakhovsky and Khmelnitsky), “Feigned Infidelity” (1818), “Test of Interlude” (1818).
Theatrical hobbies and intrigues drew Griboedov into difficult story. Because of the dancer Istomina, a quarrel arose and then a duel between V. A. Sheremetev and gr. A.P. Zavadovsky, which ended with the death of Sheremetev. Griboyedov was closely involved in this matter, he was even accused as the instigator, and A.I. Yakubovich, a friend of Sheremetev, challenged him to a duel, which did not take place then only because Yakubovich was exiled to the Caucasus. Sheremetev's death had a profound effect on Griboyedov; He wrote to Begichev that “a terrible melancholy came over him, he constantly sees Sheremetev before his eyes, and his stay in St. Petersburg became unbearable for him.”
Griboyedov in the Caucasus
It happened that around the same time, Griboyedov’s mother’s means had become greatly weakened, and he had to seriously think about serving. At the beginning of 1818, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs organized a Russian representation at the Persian court. S.I. Mazarovich was appointed Russian attorney under the Shah, Griboedov was appointed secretary under him, and Amburger was appointed clerk. At first Griboyedov hesitated and refused, but then accepted the appointment. Immediately, with his characteristic energy, he began to study Persian and Arabic languages at Prof. Demange and sat down to study literature about the East. At the very end of August 1818, Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov left St. Petersburg; On the way, he stopped in Moscow to say goodbye to his mother and sister.
Griboyedov and Amburger arrived in Tiflis on October 21, and here Yakubovich immediately challenged Griboyedov to a duel again. It took place on the morning of the 23rd; the seconds were Amburger and N. N. Muravyov, famous Caucasian figure. Yakubovich shot first and wounded Griboyedov in the left hand; then Griboyedov shot and missed. The opponents immediately reconciled; The fight went well for Griboyedov, but Yakubovich was expelled from the city. The diplomatic mission remained in Tiflis until the end of January 1819, and during this time Griboedov became very close to A.P. Ermolov. Conversations with the “proconsul of the Caucasus” left a deep impression on Griboyedov’s soul, and Ermolov himself fell in love with the poet.
In mid-February, Mazarovich and his retinue were already in Tabriz, the residence of the heir to the throne, Abbas Mirza. Here Griboyedov first met the British diplomatic mission, with which he was always on friendly terms. Around March 8, the Russian mission arrived in Tehran and was solemnly received by Feth Ali Shah. In August of the same 1819, she returned to Tabriz, her permanent residence. Here Griboedov continued his studies in oriental languages and history, and here he first put down on paper the first plans for “Woe from Wit.” According to the Gulistan Treaty of 1813, the Russian mission had the right to demand from the Persian government the return to Russia of Russian soldiers - prisoners and deserters who served in the Persian troops. Griboyedov ardently took up this matter, found up to 70 such soldiers (sarbazov) and decided to bring them to Russian borders. The Persians were angry about this and hindered Griboyedov in every possible way, but he insisted on his own and in the fall of 1819 he led his detachment to Tiflis. Ermolov greeted him kindly and presented him with a reward.
Griboedov spent Christmastide in Tiflis and on January 10, 1820, set off on the return journey. Having visited Etchmiadzin on the way, he established friendly relations with the Armenian clergy there; in early February he returned to Tabriz. At the end of 1821, war broke out between Persia and Turkey. Griboyedov was sent by Mazarovich to Ermolov with a report on Persian affairs and on the way he broke his arm. Referring to the need for long-term treatment in Tiflis, he asked, through Ermolov, his ministry to appoint him as secretary for foreign affairs under Alexei Petrovich, and the request was respected. From November 1821 to February 1823, Griboyedov lived in Tiflis, often traveling with Ermolov around the Caucasus. With N. N. Muravyov, Griboyedov studied oriental languages, and shared his poetic experiences with V. K. Kuchelbecker, who arrived in Tiflis in December 1821 and lived until May 1822. The poet read “Woe from Wit” to him, scene by scene, as they were gradually created.
Return of Griboyedov to Russia
After Kuchelbecker left for Russia, Griboyedov became very homesick and, through Ermolov, applied for a vacation to Moscow and St. Petersburg. At the end of March 1823 he was already in Moscow, in family of origin. Here he met with S. N. Begichev and read to him the first two acts of “Woe from Wit,” written in the Caucasus. The second two acts were written in the summer of 1823 at Begichev’s estate, in the Tula province, where a friend invited Griboyedov to stay. In September, Griboyedov returned to Moscow with Begichev and lived in his house until the following summer. Here he continued to work on the text of the comedy, but had already read it in literary circles. Together with the book. P. A. Vyazemsky Griboedov wrote the vaudeville “Who is brother, who is sister, or deception after deception,” with music by A. N. Verstovsky.
From Moscow, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov moved to St. Petersburg (in early June 1824) in order to achieve censorship permission for “Woe from Wit.” A brilliant reception awaited Griboyedov in the northern capital. He met here with ministers Lansky and Shishkov, member of the State Council Count Mordvinov, Governor General Count Miloradovich, Paskevich, was introduced to Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich. He read his comedy in literary and artistic circles, and soon the author and the play became the center of everyone's attention. It was not possible to bring the play to the stage, despite influential connections and efforts. The censorship only allowed passages into print (act 7–10 and the third act, with large cuts). But when they appeared in the almanac F. V. Bulgarina“Russian Waist for 1825”, this caused a whole stream of critical articles in St. Petersburg and Moscow magazines.
The brilliant success of the comedy brought Griboedov a lot of joy; This also included a passion for the dancer Teleshova. But in general the poet was in a gloomy mood; he was visited by attacks of melancholy, and then everything seemed to him in a gloomy light. To get rid of this mood, Griboyedov decided to go on a trip. It was impossible to go abroad, as he thought at first: his official leave was already overdue; then Griboyedov went to Kyiv and Crimea to return to the Caucasus from there. At the end of May 1825, Griboyedov arrived in Kyiv. Here he eagerly studied antiquities and admired nature; of my acquaintances met with members of the secret Decembrist society: Prince Trubetskoy, Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Sergei and Artamon Muravyov. Among them, the idea arose to attract Griboedov to the secret society, but the poet was then too far from political interests and hobbies. After Kyiv, Griboyedov went to Crimea. For three months, he traveled the entire peninsula, enjoying the beauty of the valleys and mountains and studying historical monuments.
Griboyedov and the Decembrists
The gloomy mood, however, did not leave him. At the end of September, through Kerch and Taman, Griboyedov traveled to the Caucasus. Here he joined the detachment of the general. Velyaminova. In the fortification of the Stone Bridge, on the Malka River, he wrote the poem “Predators on Chegem,” inspired by the recent attack of the mountaineers on the village of Soldatskaya. By the end of January 1826, Ermolov, Velyaminov, Griboedov, Mazarovich gathered from different parts of the Grozny fortress (now Grozny). Here Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was arrested. In the commission of inquiry into the case of the Decembrists, Prince. Trubetskoy testified on December 23: “I know from the words Ryleeva“that he received Griboedov, who is under General Ermolov”; then book Obolensky named him on the list of members of the secret society. The courier Uklonsky was sent for Griboedov; he arrived in Grozny on January 22 and presented Ermolov with an order for the arrest of Griboedov. They say that Ermolov warned Griboedov so that he could destroy some papers in a timely manner.
On January 23, Uklonsky and Griboyedov left Grozny, on February 7 or 8 they were in Moscow, where Griboedov managed to see Begichev (they tried to hide the arrest from his mother). On February 11, Griboedov was already sitting in the guardhouse of the General Headquarters in St. Petersburg, together with Zavalishin, the Raevsky brothers and others. Both during the preliminary interrogation by General Levashov, and then at the Investigative Commission, Griboyedov resolutely denied his membership in a secret society and even insisted that he knew absolutely nothing about the plans of the Decembrists. Testimony of Ryleev, A. A. Bestuzheva, Pestel and others were in favor of the poet, and the commission decided to release him. On June 4, 1826, Griboyedov was released from arrest, then received a “cleansing certificate” and travel money (to return to Georgia) and was promoted to court councilor.
Thoughts about the fate of his homeland also constantly worried Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov. During the investigation, he denied his membership in secret societies, and indeed, knowing him, it is difficult to admit this. But he was close to many of the most prominent Decembrists, and undoubtedly knew the organization very well. secret societies, their composition, action plans and projects government reforms. Ryleev testified at the investigation: “I had several general conversations with Griboedov about the situation in Russia and gave him hints about the existence of a society aimed at changing the way of government in Russia and introducing a constitutional monarchy”; Bestuzhev wrote the same thing, and Griboyedov himself said about the Decembrists: “in their conversations I often saw bold judgments about the government, in which I myself took part: I condemned what seemed harmful and wished for the best.” Griboyedov spoke out for freedom of printing, for a public court, against administrative arbitrariness, abuses of serfdom, reactionary measures in the field of education, and in such views he coincided with the Decembrists. But it is difficult to say how far these coincidences went, and we do not know exactly how Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov felt about the constitutional projects of the Decembrists. There is no doubt, however, that he was skeptical about the feasibility of the conspiracy movement and saw a lot in Decembrism weaknesses. In this, however, he agreed with many others, even among the Decembrists themselves.
Let us also note that Griboyedov was strongly inclined towards nationalism. He loved Russian folk life, customs, language, poetry, even dress. When asked by the Investigative Commission about this, he answered: “I wanted Russian dress because it is more beautiful and calmer than tailcoats and uniforms, and at the same time I believed that it would again bring us closer to the simplicity of Russian morals, which are extremely dear to my heart.” Thus, Chatsky’s philippics against imitation of customs and against European costume are the cherished thoughts of Griboedov himself. At the same time, Griboyedov constantly showed dislike for the Germans and the French and in this he became close to the Shishkovists. But, in general, he stood closer to the Decembrist group; Chatsky is a typical representative of the progressive youth of that time; No wonder the Decembrists vigorously distributed lists of “Woe from Wit.”
Griboedov in the Russian-Persian War 1826-1828
June and July 1826 Griboyedov still lived in St. Petersburg, at Bulgarin’s dacha. It was a very difficult time for him. The joy of liberation faded at the thought of friends and acquaintances executed or exiled to Siberia. Added to this were concerns about his talent, from which the poet demanded new high inspirations, but they, however, did not come. By the end of July, Griboyedov arrived in Moscow, where the entire court and troops had already gathered for the coronation of the new emperor; I.F. Paskevich, a relative of Griboyedov, was also here. Suddenly news came here that the Persians had violated the peace and attacked the Russian border post. Nicholas I was extremely angry at this, blamed Yermolov for inaction and, in order to diminish his power, sent Paskevich (with great powers) to the Caucasus. When Paskevich arrived in the Caucasus and took command of the troops, Griboyedov’s position turned out to be extremely difficult between two warring generals. Ermolov was not formally removed, but he felt the sovereign’s disfavor in everything, constantly came into conflict with Paskevich and finally resigned, and Griboyedov was forced to go into the service of Paskevich (which his mother asked him to do back in Moscow). To trouble official position Physical malaise also added: upon returning to Tiflis, Griboyedov began to experience frequent fevers and nervous attacks.
Having assumed control of the Caucasus, Paskevich entrusted Griboyedov with foreign relations with Turkey and Persia, and Griboyedov was drawn into all the worries and difficulties of the Persian campaign of 1826-1828. He conducted Paskevich’s enormous correspondence, participated in the development of military actions, endured all the hardships of camp life, and most importantly, took upon himself the actual conduct of diplomatic negotiations with Persia in Deykargan and Turkmanchay. When, after Paskevich’s victories, the capture of Erivan and the occupation of Tabriz, the Turkmanchay Peace Treaty was concluded (February 10, 1828), very beneficial for Russia, Paskevich sent Griboyedov to present the treatise to the emperor in St. Petersburg, where he arrived on March 14. The next day, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was received by Nicholas I in audience; Paskevich received the title of Count of Erivan and a million ruble reward, and Griboedov received the rank of state councilor, an order and four thousand chervonets.
Griboedov in Persia. Death of Griboyedov
Again Griboedov lived in St. Petersburg for three months, moving in government, public and literary circles. He complained to his friends of extreme fatigue, dreamed of rest and office work, and was about to retire. Fate decided otherwise. With Griboedov's departure to St. Petersburg, there was no Russian diplomatic representative left in Persia; Meanwhile, Russia had a war with Turkey, and an energetic and experienced diplomat was needed in the East. There was no choice: of course, Griboyedov had to go. He tried to refuse, but it did not work, and on April 25, 1828, by the highest decree, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was appointed resident minister in Persia, and Amburger was appointed consul general in Tabriz.
From the moment of his appointment as envoy, Griboyedov became gloomy and experienced heavy forebodings of death. He constantly told his friends: “There is my grave. I feel like I won’t see Russia again.” On June 6, Griboyedov left St. Petersburg forever; a month later he arrived in Tiflis. It happened here in his life an important event: he married Princess Nina Alexandrovna Chavchavadze, whom he knew as a girl, gave her music lessons, and supervised her education. The wedding took place in Zion Cathedral on August 22, 1828, and on September 9 the departure of the Russian mission to Persia took place. The young wife accompanied Griboyedov, and the poet wrote enthusiastic letters about her to his friends while on the road.
The mission arrived in Tabriz on October 7, and Griboedov was immediately burdened with heavy worries. Of these, there were two main ones: firstly, Griboedov had to insist on payment of indemnity for the last campaign; secondly, to search for and send to Russia Russian subjects who fell into the hands of the Persians. Both were extremely difficult and caused anger equally among both the people and the Persian government. To settle matters, Griboyedov went to see the Shah in Tehran. Griboedov and his retinue arrived in Tehran for the New Year, was well received by the Shah, and at first everything went well. But soon clashes began again over prisoners. Two Armenian women from the harem of the Shah’s son-in-law, Alayar Khan, turned to the patronage of the Russian mission, wanting to return to the Caucasus. Griboyedov received them into the mission building, and this excited the people; Then, at his own insistence, Mirza Yakub, a eunuch of the Shah’s harem, was accepted into the mission, which overflowed the cup. The mob, incited by the Muslim clergy and agents of Alayar Khan and the government itself, attacked the embassy premises on January 30, 1829 and killed Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov along with many others...
Monument to Alexander Sergeevich Griboedov on Chistoprudny Boulevard, Moscow
Personality of A. S. Griboyedov
Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov lived a short but rich life. From his passion for science at Moscow University, he moved on to a carefree life in military service and then in St. Petersburg; Sheremetev's death caused an acute crisis in his soul and prompted him, according to Pushkin, to a “sharp turn”, and in the East he inclined towards self-absorption and isolation; when he returned from there to Russia in 1823, he was already a mature man, strict with himself and people, and a great skeptic, even a pessimist. The social drama of December 14, bitter thoughts about people and homeland, as well as anxiety for his talent caused Griboyedov a new mental crisis, which threatened to be resolved by suicide. But late love brightened up the last days of the poet’s life.
Many facts testify how passionately he could love his wife, mother, sister, friends, how rich he was strong will, courage, hot temperament. A. A. Bestuzhev describes him in the following way in 1824: “a man of noble appearance, of average height, in a black tailcoat, with glasses on his eyes entered... In his face one could see as much sincere participation as in his methods of ability to live in good society, but without any affectation, without any formality; one can even say that his movements were somehow strange and jerky and with all that decent, as could not be more... Possessing all the secular advantages, Griboedov did not like the world, did not like empty visits or stately dinners, nor the brilliant holidays of the so-called best society. The bonds of insignificant decency were unbearable to him even because they were bonds. He could not and did not want to hide his mockery of gilded and self-satisfied stupidity, nor his contempt for low seeking, nor his indignation at the sight of happy vice. The blood of his heart always played on his face. No one will boast of his flattery, no one will dare to say that they heard a lie from him. He could deceive himself, but never deceive.” Contemporaries mention his impetuosity, harshness in address, bile, along with softness and tenderness and a special gift for pleasing. Even people who were prejudiced against him succumbed to Griboyedov’s charm. His friends loved him selflessly, just as he knew how to love them passionately. When the Decembrists were in trouble, he did his best to ease the fate of anyone he could: Prince. A. I. Odoevsky, A. A. Bestuzhev, Dobrinsky.
Literary creativity of Griboyedov. "Woe from Wit"
Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov began publishing in 1814 and from then on did not leave literary pursuits until the end of his life. However, his creative legacy is small. There is absolutely no epic in it, and almost no lyrics. Most of Griboedov's work contains dramatic works, but all of them, with the exception of the famous comedy, are of low merit. The early plays are interesting only because they gradually developed the language and verse of Griboyedov. In form they are completely ordinary, like hundreds of plays of that time in the genre of light comedy and vaudeville. In terms of content, the plays written after “Woe from Wit” are much more significant: “1812”, “Radamist and Zenobia”, “Georgian Night”. But they have reached us only in plans and fragments, from which it is difficult to judge the whole; it is only noticeable that the dignity of the verse in them is greatly reduced and that their scenarios are too complex and extensive to fit into the framework of a harmonious stage play.
Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov entered the history of literature only with “Woe from Wit”; he was a literary one-minded man, homo unius libri (“a man of one book”), and into his comedy he put “all the best dreams, all the bold aspirations” of his creativity. But he worked on it for several years. The play was completed in rough form in the village of Begichev in 1823. Before leaving for St. Petersburg, Griboedov gave Begichev a manuscript of the comedy, a precious autograph, which was then kept in Historical Museum in Moscow (“Museum Autograph”). In St. Petersburg, the poet reworked the play again, for example, inserting a scene of Molchalin flirting with Liza in the fourth act. The new list, corrected by Griboyedov, was presented by him in 1824 to A. A. Zhandru (“Zhandrovskaya manuscript”). In 1825, excerpts from the comedy were published in Bulgarin’s “Russian Waist,” and in 1828 Griboedov gave Bulgarin a new list“Woe from Wit,” revised again (“Bulgarin’s list”). These four texts form a chain of the poet’s creative efforts.
Their comparative study shows that Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov made especially many changes in the text in 1823 - 1824, in the Museum autograph and the Zhandrovsky manuscript; Only minor changes were made to later texts. In the first two manuscripts we observe, firstly, a persistent and happy struggle with the difficulties of language and verse; secondly, the author shortened the text in several cases; Thus, Sophia’s story about a dream in Act I, which occupied 42 verses in the Museum’s autograph, was then reduced to 22 verses and benefited greatly from this; the monologues of Chatsky, Repetilov, and the characterization of Tatyana Yuryevna were shortened. There are fewer inserts, but among them is as important as the dialogue between Molchalin and Liza in the 4th act. As for the composition characters and their characters, then they remained the same in all four texts (according to legend, Griboedov first wanted to introduce several more persons, including Famusov’s wife, a sentimental fashionista and a Moscow aristocrat). The ideological content of the comedy also remained unchanged, and this is quite remarkable: all the elements of social satire were already in the text of the play before Griboyedov became acquainted with social movement in St. Petersburg in 1825 - such was the maturity of the poet’s thoughts.
From the moment “Woe from Wit” appeared on stage and in print, history began for him in posterity. For many decades it has provided its strong influence on Russian drama, literary criticism and stage personalities; but until now it remains the only play where everyday pictures were harmoniously combined with social satire.
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