Woe from Wit A Verse Comedy in Four Acts by Alexander Griboedov Translated by Betsy Hulick

Light, deliciously funny, this play

Woe from Wit A Verse Comedy in Four Acts by Alexander Griboedov Translated by Betsy Hulick will keep you of good mood for sure.

The plot of the story is particularly intriguing and simple at the same time: Chatsky, a young boy return to Moscow thinking to win the heart of Sophie, with which, when little he had had a love-story. 

The girl doesn't want to have anything to do with Chatsky; and there is another man around: Molchalin. 

The structure of the play is absolutely funny: apart the dialogues between the various protagonists. all funny, hilarious, elaborated, classy, there are inserted many various long dialogues, in some moment we could call them monologues, moments of reflection of the protagonist taken in consideration in that moment, explaining his/her perplexities, fear, hopes and so on. 

Of course Molchalin will be cause for Chatsky of additional jealousy. Sophie prefers Molchalin to him: how could it be possible? But an explanation can be found at the beginning of the first act, when Sophie will admit that she is shocked by the new arrival of Chatsky in Moscow, in her life and his pretence of flirting with her. The end of the four acts will be a revelation for the protagonist...

Sophie under many ways is hilarious because in every possible way, she will be pretty direct, she will try all her best to dissuade Chatsky by the proposal. A good hand will be given also by the father of Sophie. He didn't consider Chatsky a good man for his daughter. 

Chatsky is seen by Griboedov like a man who could not find a place in the world maybe also because of the contradictions lived by Russia. 

The author of this play Alexander Griboedov was born immediately after the departure of Catherine the Great, the arrival of her son to power killed pretty soon and the installation of another zar in Russia. Although it is not possible to imagine the year of birth of the author, maybe it was in 1794, we can say that he was born in a rich family, and although in love for music, literature, theather, he became a diplomat. Writing to him was his main passion. He was brutally murdered when not yet 40.

Highly recommended if you want to spend two-three hours lightly.

I thank Columbia University Press for the physical copy of this book.

Anna Maria Polidori