The last years of Griboyedov's life. Griboyedov was burdened with the mystery of birth all his life. Service in the cavalry

The beginning of the creative biography of Griboyedov

The famous Russian playwright, author of Woe from Wit, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was born on January 4, 1795 (the year of birth, however, is controversial) into a Moscow noble family. His father, a retired Major Seconds Sergei Ivanovich, a man of small education and modest background, rarely visited the family, preferring to live in the village or give himself up to a card game that had depleted his funds. Mother, Nastasya Fedorovna, who came from another branch of the Griboyedovs, richer and more noble, was a domineering woman, impetuous, 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 cares, 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 perfectly). Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov from childhood spoke French, German, English and Italian and played the piano perfectly. Prominent teachers were chosen as his educators: first Petrozilius, compiler of catalogs of the Moscow University library, later Bogdan Ivanovich Ion, a student of the University of Gottingen, then studied in Moscow and was the first to receive a doctorate in law at Kazan University. Further upbringing and education of Griboyedov, at home, school and university, went under the general guidance of the famous professor philosopher and philologist I. T. Bule. From early childhood, the poet moved in a very cultural environment; Together with his mother and sister, he often spent the summer with his rich 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 then famous public figures. In Moscow, the Griboyedovs were related by family ties with the Odoevsky, Paskevichs, Rimsky-Korsakovs, Naryshkins and were familiar with a huge circle of the capital's nobility.

In 1802 or 1803, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov entered the Moscow University Noble Boarding School; On December 22, 1803, he received “one prize” there at a “younger age”. Three years later, on January 30, 1806, Griboyedov was admitted to Moscow University at the age of about eleven. On June 3, 1808, he was already promoted to candidate of verbal sciences and continued his education at the Faculty of Law; June 15, 1810 received the degree of candidate of law. Later he still studied mathematics and natural sciences and in 1812 was already "ready for the test for admission to the rank of doctor." Patriotism attracted the poet to military service, and the field of science was forever abandoned.

On July 26, 1812, Griboyedov was enlisted as a cornet in the Moscow hussar regiment of Count PI Saltykov. However, the regiment did not get into the 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 a cavalry reserve under the command of General Kologrivov. For some time in 1813 Griboyedov lived on vacation in Vladimir, then he came to the service and became an adjutant to Kologrivov himself. In this rank, he took part in the acquisition of reserves in Belarus, about which he published an article in Vestnik Evropy in 1814. In Belarus, Griboyedov became friends — for life — with Stepan Nikitich Begichev, also Kologrivov's adjutant.

Not having been in a single battle and bored with service in the provinces, Griboyedov filed a letter of resignation on December 20, 1815 "to be assigned to state affairs"; On March 20, 1816, he received it, and on June 9, 1817, he was admitted to the service in the State Collegium of Foreign Affairs, where he was listed along with Pushkin and Küchelbecker. He arrived in St. Petersburg as early as 1815, and here he quickly entered the 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 "Kindness"), got acquainted with many writers, for example, Buckwheat, Khmelnitsky, Katenin, actors and actresses, for example, Sosnitsky, Semenovs, Walberkhovs and others. Soon Griboyedov spoke 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), "Own family" (1817; in collaboration with Shakhovsky and Khmelnitsky), "Feigned infidelity" (1818), "Interlude trial" (1818).

Theatrical hobbies and intrigues drew Griboyedov into a 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 in the death of Sheremetev. Griboyedov was closely involved in this case, he was even accused of being 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 sees incessantly before Sheremetev's eyes, and his stay in St. Petersburg has become unbearable for him."

Griboyedov in the Caucasus

It happened that about the same time, the funds of Griboyedov's mother were greatly shaken, and he had to seriously think about the service. At the beginning of 1818, a Russian representation at the Persian court was organized at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. SI Mazarovich was appointed Russian attorney under the Shah, Griboyedov was his secretary, and Amburger was a clerk. At first, Griboyedov hesitated and refused, but then accepted the appointment. Immediately, with his characteristic energy, he began to study Persian and Arabic with prof. Demange and sat down to study literature about the East. At the very end of August 1818, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov left Petersburg; on the way he stopped by in Moscow to say goodbye to his mother and sister.

Griboyedov and Amburger arrived in Tiflis on October 21st, and here Yakubovich immediately challenged Griboyedov to a duel again. It took place on the morning of the 23rd; the seconds were Amburger and H. H. Ants, famous Caucasian figure. Yakubovich was the first to shoot and wounded Griboyedov in the left hand; then Griboyedov shot and missed. The opponents were immediately reconciled; Griboyedov got off the fight safely, but Yakubovich was expelled from the city. The diplomatic mission stayed in Tiflis until the end of January 1819, and during this time Griboyedov became very close to A.P. Ermolov. Conversations with the "proconsul of the Caucasus" left a deep impression in the soul of Griboyedov, 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 became acquainted with the British diplomatic mission, with which he was then 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 Griboyedov continued his studies of oriental languages \u200b\u200band history and here for the first time put on paper the first plans of "Woe from Wit". According to the Gulistan treatise 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 enthusiastically took up this business, found up to 70 such soldiers (sarbazov) and decided to take them out into Russian borders. The Persians reacted with malice to this, in every possible way prevented Griboyedov, but he insisted on his own and in the fall of 1819 led his detachment to Tiflis. Ermolov greeted him kindly and presented him for a reward.

In Tiflis, Griboyedov spent Christmastide and on January 10, 1820 set off on the return journey. Having visited Echmiadzin 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 broke his arm on the way. Referring to the need for long-term treatment in Tiflis, he asked his ministry through Yermolov to appoint him 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 Yermolov across the Caucasus. With N.N. Muravyov, Griboyedov studied oriental languages, and shared his poetic experiences with V.K.Kyukhelbecker, 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's departure for Russia, Griboyedov greatly yearned for his homeland and, through Ermolov, sought a vacation to Moscow and St. Petersburg. At the end of March 1823 he was already in Moscow, in his own family. Here he met SN 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 in the Begichev 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 next summer. Here he continued to work on the text of the comedy, but already read it in literary circles. Together with the book. P. A. Vyazemsky Griboyedov wrote the vaudeville "Who is a brother, who is a sister, or deception after deception", with music by A. N. Verstovsky.

From Moscow, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov moved to St. Petersburg (at the beginning of June 1824) with the aim of obtaining a censorship of Woe from Wit. In the northern capital, Griboyedov received a brilliant reception. He met here with ministers Lansky and Shishkov, a member of the State Council, Count Mordvinov, Governor-General Earl Miloradovich, Paskevich, was introduced to the Grand Duke Nikolai Pavlovich. In literary and artistic circles, he read his comedy, 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 troubles. In the press, the censorship allowed only excerpts (7-10 phenomena of the first act and the third act, with large abbreviations). But when they appeared in the almanac F. V. Bulgarina "Russian Talia for 1825", this caused a stream of critical articles in St. Petersburg and Moscow magazines.

The bright success of the comedy gave Griboyedov a lot of joy; here the hobby for the dancer Teleshova also joined. But on the whole, the poet was sullen; he had fits of melancholy, and then everything seemed to him in a gloomy light. To get rid of such a mood, Griboyedov decided to go on a trip. Going abroad, as he initially thought, was impossible: the official leave was already overdue; then Griboyedov went to Kiev and Crimea to return to the Caucasus from there. At the end of May 1825 Griboyedov arrived in Kiev. Here he eagerly studied antiquity and admired nature; from friends met with members of the secret Decembrist society: Prince Trubetskoy, Bestuzhev-Ryumin, Sergey and Artamon Muravyov. Among them, the idea arose to attract Griboyedov to a secret society, but the poet was then too far from political interests and hobbies. After Kiev, Griboyedov went to the Crimea. For three months, he traveled the entire peninsula, enjoying the beauty of the valleys and mountains and studying the historical sights.

Griboyedov and the Decembrists

The gloomy mood, however, did not leave him. At the end of September, Griboyedov traveled through Kerch and Taman to the Caucasus. Here he joined the detachment of the gene. Velyaminov. 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 Soldiers. By the end of January 1826, Ermolov, Velyaminov, Griboyedov, Mazarovich gathered in the Groznaya fortress (now - Grozny) from different ends. Here Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was arrested. In the commission of inquiry on the case of the Decembrists, Prince. Trubetskoy showed on December 23: “I know from the words Ryleevathat he received Griboyedov, who is under General Ermolov ”; then book. Obolensky named him on the list of members of the secret society. Courier Uklonsky was sent for Griboyedov; he arrived in Groznaya on January 22 and presented Yermolov with an order for the arrest of Griboyedov. They say that Ermolov warned Griboyedov 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 Griboyedov managed to see Begichev (they tried to hide the zherest from his mother). On February 11, Griboyedov was already in the guardhouse of the General Staff in St. Petersburg, along with Zavalishin, the Raevsky brothers and others. And during the preliminary interrogation with General Levashov, and then in the Investigative Commission, Griboyedov resolutely denied that he belonged to a secret society and even assured that he knew absolutely nothing about the plans of the Decembrists. Ryleev's testimony, 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 money (for returning to Georgia) and was promoted to court counselor.

Thinking about the fate of the homeland also constantly worried Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov. During the investigation, he denied that he belonged to secret societies, and indeed, knowing him, it is difficult to admit this. But he was close to many and the most prominent Decembrists, undoubtedly, he knew perfectly the organization of secret societies, their composition, action plans and projects of state reforms. Ryleev testified during the investigation: "I had several general conversations with Griboyedov about the situation in Russia and made hints to him about the existence of a society that aims to change the mode of government in Russia and introduce a constitutional monarchy"; Bestuzhev wrote the same thing, and Griboyedov himself said about the Decembrists: "in their conversations I saw often 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 Griboyedov felt about the constitutional projects of the Decembrists. There is no doubt, however, that he was skeptical about the feasibility of the conspiratorial movement and saw many weaknesses in Decembrism. In this, however, he agreed with many others, even among the Decembrists themselves.

Note also 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 replied: "I wanted a Russian dress because it is more beautiful and quieter than dress coats and uniforms, and at the same time I thought that it would again bring us closer to the simplicity of Russian customs, extremely dear to my heart." Thus, Chatsky's philippics against imitation in customs and against the European costume are the cherished thoughts of Griboyedov himself. At the same time, Griboyedov showed a constant dislike for the Germans and the French, and in this he became close to the shishkovists. But, in general, he was closer to the group of the Decembrists; Chatsky is a typical representative of the then progressive youth; it was not for nothing that the Decembrists actively disseminated lists of "Woe from Wit".

Griboyedov in the Russian-Persian war 1826-1828

June and July 1826 Griboyedov still lived in 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. To this was also added anxiety for 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 Ermolov for inaction and, in belittling his power, sent Paskevich to the Caucasus (with great powers). When Paskevich arrived in the Caucasus and took command of the troops, Griboyedov's position was extremely difficult between the two warring generals. Yermolov was not formally removed, but he felt the sovereign's disfavor in everything, constantly clashed with Paskevich and, finally, resigned, and Griboyedov was forced to go into the service of Paskevich (which his mother asked him to do in Moscow). Physical malaise was added to the troubles of his official position: with his return to Tiflis, Griboyedov began to have frequent fevers and nervous seizures.

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 carried on a huge correspondence with Paskevich, participated in the development of military operations, endured all the hardships of his marching life, and most importantly, he took over the actual conduct of diplomatic negotiations with Persia in Deikargan and Turkmanchai. When, after the victories of Paskevich, the capture of Erivan and the occupation of Tabriz, the Turkmanchay peace treaty was concluded (February 10, 1828), which was 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 an audience; Paskevich received the title of Count of Erivansky and a million rubles of awards, and Griboyedov received the rank of state councilor, an order and four thousand ducats.

Griboyedov in Persia. Death of Griboyedov

Again Griboyedov lived in St. Petersburg for three months, moving in government, public and literary circles. He complained to his friends of severe fatigue, dreamed of rest and office studies, and was about to retire. Fate decided otherwise. With the departure of Griboyedov for St. Petersburg, there was no Russian diplomatic representative left in Persia; meanwhile, Russia was at 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 this did not work, and on April 25, 1828, by the highest decree, Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was appointed resident minister to Persia, while 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 repeated to his friends: “There is my grave. I feel that I will not see Russia again ”. On June 6, Griboyedov left Petersburg forever; a month later he arrived in Tiflis. An important event happened in his life here: he married Princess Nina Alexandrovna Chavchavadze, whom he knew as a girl, gave her music lessons, followed her education. The wedding took place in the Zion Cathedral on August 22, 1828, and on September 9 the Russian mission had already left for Persia. The young wife accompanied Griboyedov, and the poet wrote enthusiastic letters about her to his friends.

The mission arrived in Tabriz on October 7, and heavy worries immediately fell on Griboyedov. Of these, two were the main ones: first, Griboyedov had to insist on the payment of indemnity for the previous campaign; secondly, to search for and send to Russia Russian subjects who fell into the hands of the Persians. Both that, and another was extremely difficult and caused anger in the same way among the people and in the Persian government. To settle matters, Griboyedov went to the Shah in Tehran. Griboyedov arrived in Tehran with his retinue for the New Year, was well received by the Shah, and at first everything went well. But soon clashes began again over the prisoners. Two Armenian women from the harem of the Shah's son-in-law, Alayar Khan, who wanted to return to the Caucasus, turned to the patronage of the Russian mission. Griboyedov took them to the mission building, and this excited the people; then Mirza Yakub, the eunuch of the Shah's harem, was admitted to the mission at his insistence, which overflowed the cup. The mob, kindled by the Muslim clergy and agents of Alayar Khan and the government itself, attacked the embassy on January 30, 1829 and killed Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov, along with many others ...

Monument to Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov on Chistoprudny Boulevard, Moscow

The personality of A.S. Griboyedov

Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov lived a short but rich life. From a passion for science at Moscow University, he moved on to a carefree burning of his 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 tended to self-deepening 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 reflections on people and homeland, as well as anxiety for his talent caused a new mental crisis in Griboyedov, which threatened to be resolved by suicide. But late love brightened up the last days of the poet's life.

Many facts testify how he could passionately love - his wife, mother, sister, friends, how he was rich in strong will, courage, hot temperament. AA Bestuzhev describes him in 1824 as follows: “a man of noble appearance, of average height, in a black tailcoat, with glasses in front of his eyes entered ... His face showed as much sincere participation as in his good society, but without any pretense, without any formality; one can even say that his movements were somehow strange and abrupt and, with all that, decent, as much as possible ... Possessing all the secular benefits, Griboyedov did not like the world, did not like empty visits or ceremonial dinners, nor the brilliant holidays of the so-called best society. The bonds of insignificant decency were intolerable to him even because they were bonds. He could not and did not want to conceal mockery of the gilded and self-righteous stupidity, nor contempt for low seeking, nor indignation at the sight of a happy vice. The blood of his heart was always playing in his face. No one will boast of his flattery, no one dares to say that they have heard a lie from him. He could deceive himself, but never deceive. " Contemporaries mention his impetuosity, harshness in handling, acrimony along with gentleness and tenderness and a special gift to please. Even people who were prejudiced against him succumbed to Griboyedov's charm. His friends loved him selflessly, as he knew how to love them ardently. When the Decembrists were in trouble, he tried in every possible way to alleviate the fate of whoever he could: Prince. A. I. Odoevsky, A. A. Bestuzhev, Dobrinsky.

Griboyedov's literary work. "Woe from Wit"

Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov began publishing in 1814 and since then did not leave literary studies until the end of his life. However, his artistic legacy is small. There is absolutely no epic in it, and almost no lyrics. Most of all in the work of Griboyedov are dramatic works, but all of them, with the exception of the famous comedy, are of low dignity. 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, such as "1812", "Radamist and Zenobia", "Georgian Night". But they have come down to us only in plans and in fragments by which it is difficult to judge the whole; it is only noticeable that the dignity of verse in them is greatly reduced and that their scripts 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-thinker, homo unius libri ("man of one book"), and put into his comedy "all the best dreams, all the daring aspirations" of his work. But he worked on it for several years. The play was roughly finished in the village of Begicheva in 1823. Before leaving for St. Petersburg, Griboyedov presented Begichev with a manuscript of the comedy, a precious autograph, which was then kept in the Historical Museum in Moscow ("Museum Autograph"). In St. Petersburg, the poet rewrote the play, for example, inserted a scene of Molchalin's flirting with Lisa in the fourth act. A new copy, corrected by Griboyedov's hand, was presented to him in 1824 by A. A. Zhandru ("Zhandrovskaya manuscript"). In 1825, excerpts from the comedy were published in Bulgarin's "Russian Talia", and in 1828 Griboyedov presented Bulgarin with a new copy of "Woe from Wit", again revised ("Bulgarin List"). These four texts form the chain of the poet's creative efforts.

A comparative study of them shows that especially many changes were made by Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov in the text in 1823 - 1824, in the Museum autograph and the Zhandrovskaya manuscript; only minor changes were made to later texts. In the first two manuscripts we observe, first, a stubborn and happy struggle with the difficulties of language and verse; secondly, the author shortened the text on several occasions; for example, Sophia's story about a dream in Act I, which occupied 42 verses in the Museum autograph, was then reduced to 22 verses and benefited greatly from this; abbreviated monologues by Chatsky, Repetilov, description of Tatyana Yurievna. There are fewer inserts, but among them - such an important one as the dialogue between Molchalin and Lisa in the 4th act. As for the composition of the characters and their characters, they remained the same in all four texts (according to legend, Griboyedov first wanted to bring out 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 very remarkable: all the elements of social satire were already in the text of the play before Griboyedov got acquainted with the social movement in St. Petersburg in 1825 - such was the maturity of the poet's thought.

Ever since Woe From Wit appeared on stage and in print, a story began for him in posterity. For many decades it exerted its strong influence on Russian drama, literary criticism and stage figures; but until now it remains the only play where everyday pictures were harmoniously combined with public satire.

Griboyedov Alexander Sergeevich (1795-1829), Russian writer and diplomat.

Belonged to a noble family. Received an excellent education. Griboyedov's many-sided talent was revealed very early, in addition to literary talent, he also had a bright composer's talent (two waltzes for piano are known). He studied at the Moscow University Noble Boarding School, then entered Moscow University. After graduating from the verbal department, Griboyedov continued to study at the ethicopolitical department.

One of the most educated people of his time, Griboyedov spoke French, English, German, Italian, Greek, Latin, and later mastered Arabic, Persian, and Turkish.

With the beginning of the Patriotic War of 1812, Griboyedov stopped scientific studies and entered the Moscow hussar regiment as a cornet. Military service (as part of reserve units) brought him together with D.N.Begichev and his brother S.N.Begichev, who became a close friend of Griboyedov. Having retired (early 1816), Griboyedov settled in St. Petersburg and was assigned to serve in the Collegium of Foreign Affairs.

Leads a secular lifestyle, revolves in the theatrical and literary circles of St. Petersburg (becomes close to the circle of A. A. Shakhovsky), he writes and translates for the theater (the comedy "Young Spouses" (1815), "His Family, or Married Bride" (1817 g.) together with Shakhovsky and N.I. Khmelnitsky, and others).

The consequence of "ardent passions and powerful circumstances" (A.S. Pushkin) was a sharp change in his fate - in 1818 Griboyedov was appointed secretary of the Russian diplomatic mission to Persia (not the last role in this kind of exile was played by his participation as a second in duel between A.P. Zavadsky and V.V. Sheremetev, which ended with the death of the latter) After three years of service in Tabriz, Griboyedov was transferred to Tiflis to the chief governor of Georgia A.P. Ermolov (February 1822).

The first and second acts of "Woe from Wit" were written there; their first listener was the author's Tiflis colleague V.K. Kuchelbecker. In the spring of 1823 Griboyedov went on vacation In Moscow, as well as in the estate of S.N. Begichev near Tula, where he spends the summer, the third and fourth acts of "Woe from Wit" are created.

By the fall of 1824, the comedy was completed. Griboyedov travels to St. Petersburg, intending to use his connections in the capital to obtain permission for its publication and theatrical production. However, he soon becomes convinced that the comedy is "no-miss". Only the excerpts published in 1825 by FV Bulgarin in the almanac "Russian Thalia" (the first complete publication in Russia -1862, the first production on the professional stage -1831) were censored. Nevertheless, Griboyedov's creation immediately became an event in Russian culture, spreading among the reading public in handwritten copies, the number of which approached the book circulation of that time (the distribution of the lists was facilitated by the Decembrists, who considered comedy a mouthpiece for their ideas; already in January 1825,

II Pushchin brought A.S. Pushkin to the Mikhailovskoye list "Woe from Wit") The success of the Griboyedov comedy, which has taken a strong place in the ranks of Russian classics, is largely determined by the harmonious combination of the acute and the timeless in it.

Through the brilliantly painted picture of Russian society in the pre-Decembrist era (disturbing disputes about serfdom, political freedoms, problems of national self-determination of culture, education, etc., skillfully outlined colorful figures of that time, recognizable by contemporaries, etc.), “eternal” themes are guessed: the conflict of generations , the drama of the love triangle, the antagonism of personality and society, etc.

At the same time "Woe from Wit" is an example of an artistic synthesis of the traditional and the innovative: paying tribute to the canons of classicism aesthetics (unity of time, place, action, conventional roles, names-masks, etc.), Griboyedov "revives" the scheme with conflicts and characters taken from life, freely introduces lyrical, satirical and journalistic lines into comedy.

The accuracy and aphoristic accuracy of the language, the successful use of the free (differential) iambic, conveying the element of colloquial speech, allowed the text of the comedy to retain its sharpness and expressiveness; as Pushkin predicted; many lines of "Woe from Wit" have become proverbs and sayings ("Fresh tradition, but hard to believe", "Happy hours are not observed", etc.). In the fall of 1825, Griboyedov returned to the Caucasus, but already in February 1826 he again appeared in St. Petersburg as a suspect in the case of the Decembrists (there were many reasons for the arrest: there were four Decembrists during interrogations, including S.P. Trubetskoy and E.P. Obolensky, named Griboyedov among the members of the secret society; in the papers of many of the arrested they found lists of "Woe from Wit", etc.).

Warned by Ermolov about the impending arrest, Griboyedov managed to destroy part of his archive. During the investigation, he categorically denies his involvement in the conspiracy. In early June, Griboyedov was released from arrest with a "cleansing certificate." Upon his return to the Caucasus (autumn 1826), Griboyedov took part in several battles of the outbreak of the Russian-Persian war. Achieves significant success in the diplomatic field (according to N.N. Muravyov-Karsky, Griboyedov "replaced ... with his single person the twenty-thousandth army"), prepares, among other things, the Turkmanchay peace, beneficial for Russia.

Bringing the documents of the peace treaty (March 1828) to St. Petersburg, he received awards and a new appointment as plenipotentiary minister (ambassador) to Persia. Instead of literary pursuits, to which he dreamed of devoting himself (in his papers, plans, sketches - poems, the tragedies "Rodamist and Zenobia", "Georgian Night", the drama "1812"), Griboyedov was forced to accept a high position. His last departure from the capital (June 1828) was tinged with gloomy forebodings.

On the way to Persia, he stops for a while in Tiflis. Nurtures plans for economic transformations in the Transcaucasus. In August he marries the 16-year-old daughter of L. Chavchavadze - Nina, together with her he goes to Persia. Among other things, the Russian minister is engaged in sending captive Russian citizens to their homeland. The appeal to him for the help of two Armenian women who fell into the harem of a noble Persian was the reason for reprisals against the talented diplomat. On January 30, 1829, a crowd, incited by Muslim fanatics, routed the Russian mission in Tehran. The Russian envoy was killed. Griboyedov was buried in Tiflis on Mount St. David. The words of Nina Griboyedova-Chavchavadze are carved on the tombstone: "Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you?"

The talent of this man was truly phenomenal. His knowledge was vast and versatile, he learned many languages, was a good officer, a capable musician, an outstanding diplomat with the makings of a major politician. The comedy "Woe from Wit" put him on a par with the greatest Russian writers. Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov ...

He belonged to a noble family, received a serious education at home. At an early age, Griboyedov's many-sided talent was revealed. His two waltzes for piano gained fame in calm, merchantlike quiet Moscow. Griboyedov studied at the Moscow University Noble Boarding School, then entered Moscow University. After graduating from the department of words with the title of candidate in 1808, he continued to study at the ethical-political department. One of the most educated people of his time, Griboyedov spoke French, English, German, Italian, Greek, Latin, and later mastered Arabic, Persian, and Turkish. Until now, the widespread version has not been confirmed by documents, according to which Griboyedov graduated from as many as three faculties of Moscow University and only because of the war of 1812 did not receive his doctorate.

With the outbreak of World War II, Griboyedov left academic studies and entered the Moscow hussar regiment as a cornet. But he never got the chance to participate in the battles: the regiment was in the rear. After the war, the future writer served as an adjutant in Belarus. Griboyedov spent his youth stormily. He called himself and his fellow soldiers, the Begichev brothers, "stepchildren of common sense" - so unbridled were their leprosy. There is a known case when Griboyedov somehow sat down at the organ during a service in a Catholic church. At first he played sacred music for a long time and with inspiration, and then suddenly switched to Russian dance music.

Having retired at the beginning of 1816, Griboyedov settled in St. Petersburg and was assigned to serve in the College of Foreign Affairs. Leads a secular lifestyle, moves in the theatrical and literary circles of St. Petersburg. He begins to attend Shakhovsky's circle, writes and translates for the theater the comedy "Young spouses" "His family, or Married bride". A consequence of "ardent passions and powerful circumstances" were sharp changes in his fate - in 1818 Griboyedov was appointed secretary of the Russian diplomatic mission to Persia. On July 16, Count Nesselrode informed the Commander-in-Chief of the Caucasian Army, General Ermolov, in writing that "the Charge d'Affaires of Persia is appointed an official Mazarovich, his secretary Griboyedov, a clerk Amburger." Nesselrode liked brevity. Not the least role in this kind of exile was played by Griboyedov's participation in the duel.

Two friends of Griboyedov, the revelers Sheremetev and Zavadovsky, competed for the ballerina Istomina. A well-known duelist in the city, the future Decembrist Alexander Yakubovich fanned a quarrel, and Griboyedov was accused of ignoble behavior. Sheremetev was supposed to shoot with Zavadovsky, Yakubovich - with Griboyedov. Both duels were to take place on the same day. But while they were providing assistance to the mortally wounded Sheremetev, time had passed. The next day Yakubovich was arrested as the instigator and exiled to the Caucasus. Griboyedov was not punished for the duel, but public opinion considered him guilty of Sheremetev's death.

In February 1822, after three years of service in Tabriz, Griboyedov transferred to Tiflis to the chief governor of Georgia Yermolov. There the postponed duel with Yakubovich took place. Griboyedov was wounded in the arm - for him as a musician it was very sensitive.

It was his general Yermolov who made his secretary "for foreign affairs." Loving Griboyedov as a son, according to Denis Davydov's testimony, he tried not to overload the young man with his daily work. And even to the high authorities, he boldly said that "poets are the pride of the nation." In general, he had a fatherly attitude towards smart and courageous youth, not at all embarrassed that young people working for him, such as Yakubovich, Kuchelbecker, Kakhovsky, the Raevsky brothers, were considered "unreliable" at that time. Griboyedov, in his own words, stuck to Ermolov "like a shadow." In solitude, sometimes even at night, they talked - for hours Griboyedov could listen to how the "proconsul of the Caucasus" described Napoleon, the carnivals of Venice, his meeting with Lady Hamilton.

It was in Tiflis that the 1st and 2nd acts of "Woe from Wit" were written, their first listener was the author's colleague and close friend of Pushkin, Wilhelm Kuchelbecker. In the spring of 1823 Griboyedov went on vacation. In Moscow, as well as in the estate of S. Begichev near Tula, where he spends the summer, the 3rd and 4th acts of the immortal comedy are being created. By the fall of 1824, the comedy was completed. Griboyedov travels to St. Petersburg, intending to use his connections in the capital to obtain permission for its publication and theatrical production. However, he soon becomes convinced that the comedy is "no-miss". Only excerpts published in 1825 by Bulgarin in the anthology "Russian Talia" were censored. The first complete publication in Russia appeared only in 1862; the first production on a professional stage - in 1831. Meanwhile, comedy immediately became an event in Russian culture, spreading among the reading public in handwritten copies, the number of which was approaching the book circulation of that time. The distribution of the lists was facilitated by the Decembrists, who considered comedy as a mouthpiece for their ideas; already in January 1825 Ivan Pushchin brought Pushkin to Mikhailovskoe "Woe from Wit". As Pushkin predicted, many lines of "Woe from Wit" became proverbs and sayings.

In the fall of 1825, Griboyedov returned to the Caucasus, but already in February 1826 he again found himself in St. Petersburg - as a suspect in the case of the Decembrists. There were many reasons for the arrest: during interrogations, four Decembrists, including Trubetskoy and Obolensky, named Griboyedov among the members of the secret society, and in the papers of many of those arrested they found lists of "Woe from Wit." Warned by Ermolov about the impending arrest, Griboyedov managed to destroy part of his archive. This was especially easy for him. He was surprisingly indifferent to the fate of his creations. He could forget the manuscript of "Woe from Wit" with a friend or leave it on the piano in some salon. During his many travels, the chests of papers disappeared somewhere, and he took care of the piano, which he always carried with him. And after his death, the traces of Griboyedov's work continued to disappear, all his papers, letters, things were destroyed in Persia. The fire in the house of his nephew Smirnov, who had been searching for the archive of his famous uncle for many years, completely destroyed all Griboyedov's papers.

During the investigation, he will categorically deny his involvement in the conspiracy. In early June, Griboyedov was released from arrest with a "cleansing certificate". There really was no serious evidence against him, and even now there is no documentary evidence that the writer somehow participated in the activities of secret societies. On the contrary, he is credited with a disparaging characterization of the conspiracy: "One hundred warrant officers want to turn Russia over!" But perhaps Griboyedov owes such a complete justification to the intercession of a relative - General Paskevich, a favorite of Nicholas I.

Upon his return to the Caucasus in the fall of 1826, Griboyedov took part in several battles of the outbreak of the Russian-Persian war. He achieves significant success in the diplomatic field. As Muravyov-Karsky would write later, Griboyedov "replaced the twenty thousandth army with a single person." He will prepare the Turkmanchay world, beneficial for Russia. Bringing the documents of the peace treaty to St. Petersburg in March 1828, he received awards and a new appointment as plenipotentiary minister to Persia. Instead of literary pursuits, to which he dreamed of devoting himself, Griboyedov was forced to accept a high position.

Griboyedov's last departure from the capital in June 1828 was colored with gloomy forebodings. On the way to Persia, he stops for a while in Tiflis. There he nurtures plans for economic transformation of the Transcaucasus. In August, he marries 16-year-old Nina Chavchavadze. When the young went out into the street, it seemed that they were greeted by the whole city. In front of them there was a continuous sea of \u200b\u200bflowers, from all the windows, roses flew under Nina's feet. White, red. Two days later - dinner for a hundred invited persons, and on September 9 the Griboyedovs got on their horses. Their huge caravan stretched out for a mile. We spent the night under tents in the mountains, breathing frosty air. In Tabriz, the newlyweds parted: Griboyedov was supposed to go to Tehran, hand over his "high appointment" to the Shah of Iran.

Among other things, the Russian envoy is engaged in sending captive Russian citizens to their homeland. The appeal to him for the help of two Armenian women who fell into the harem of a noble Persian was the reason for the reprisal against the active and successful diplomat. On January 30, 1829, a crowd, incited by Muslim fanatics, routed the Russian mission in Tehran. The Russian envoy was killed. Together with him, the entire staff of the Russian mission was destroyed, only the senior secretary Maltsov, an unusually cautious and cunning man, survived. He offered salvation to Griboyedov too, he only had to hide. Alexander Sergeevich's answer was that of a man of honor: "The Russian nobleman does not play hide and seek."

Griboyedov was buried in Tiflis on Mount St. David. The whole city mourned him. The inhabitants of Tiflis dressed in black clothes; the balconies were covered with a black veil falling on the black ground. Lighted torches were in their hands. The whole city, like a black cameo, was in darkness and tears. There was complete silence ...

The inscription made by Nina Chavchavadze on the grave of Alexander Sergeevich is like a cry from the heart, cut into a stone: "Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why has my love survived you?"

Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov was born on January 4 (15), 1795 (according to other historical sources - 1790) in Moscow, into a family of noble families. His father traced his ancestry from the Polish gentry.

The children's education was supervised by the mother. She was a proud and arrogant representative of her class, but not devoid of intelligence and practicality. Nastasya Fedorovna understood that in new times, promotion and occupation of a high position in society can give not only origin and connections, but also a person's education. Therefore, much attention in the family was paid not only to upbringing, but also to the education of children. Alexander's teachers were truly enlightened French governors. Later, professors from the university were invited for lessons. Already in childhood, Griboyedov read a huge number of books.

Since 1803, the boy has been assigned to the Moscow Noble University Boarding School. In 1806 he entered Moscow University. Before the war of 1812, Griboyedov graduated from the faculties of speech and law, his education in physics and mathematics did not allow him to end the war.

Already at the university, Alexander Sergeevich is unanimously recognized by those around him as one of the most educated people of his time. He perfectly knows all world classics, reads and speaks fluently in several foreign languages, composes music, plays the piano perfectly.

Military service and social life in St. Petersburg

With the outbreak of the war of 1812, Griboyedov considers it his duty to enroll in the hussar regiment to defend the fatherland. But while the regiment is being formed, Napoleon is already being thrown far from Moscow, and soon the army is leaving for European territory.

Despite the end of hostilities, Griboyedov decides to stay in the army, and their regiment is transferred to remote places of Belarus. These years will practically "fall out" of the writer's life. Later, he will remember them with regret, although some of his acquaintances of this time he will display as heroes in his comedy "Woe from Wit". Together with his comrades, he participated in the most reckless ventures, spent time in revelry and games. All the best, instilled in him by university education, seemed to be lost. But after a while, the hectic pastime begins to weigh on Griboyedov. First, he joins the circle of officers who, in their free time, are engaged in writing simple poems, then he begins to write articles. At this time, they sent to St. Petersburg notes "On cavalry reserves" and "Description of the holiday in honor of Kologrivov." More and more carried away by literature, Griboyedov realizes that he can no longer exist in the hussar environment and in 1815, having visited St. Petersburg, he makes the necessary connections and acquaintances there, preparing his transition to the college of foreign affairs.

In 1816, Alexander Sergeevich retired and moved to St. Petersburg. Here he draws closer to the leading people of his time and immediately accepts their ideas. Among his friends there are many future organizers of secret societies. In secular salons, Griboyedov shines with cold wit and even cynicism. He is also drawn to the theatrical stage. During this period, he wrote and translated for the theater the comedy "Young Wives" (1815) and "His Family or Married Bride" (1817).

In the Collegium of Foreign Affairs, Griboyedov has a reputation for being in good standing.

The calmness and regularity of life is disturbed by the participation of the writer in the duel, which ends with the death of one of the duelists. Largely thanks to his mother's connections, Griboyedov is sent away from the capital - as a secretary to the Russian diplomatic mission in Persia.

Service in Persia and the Caucasus

In March 1819, after a deliberately slow journey, Griboyedov finally arrives at his place of service - in Tehran, and then in Tabriz. He gets a lot of new impressions, meets with courtiers and local princes, ordinary people and wandering poets. The service turns out to be uncomplicated, and Griboyedov has enough time to engage in literary work and self-education. He reads a lot, hones his knowledge of Persian and Arabic, realizes with surprise and joy that his comedy "Woe from Wit" is being written here more fruitfully than ever. Soon the first two acts of the final cut of the comedy were ready. During this period, Griboyedov managed to commit one truly heroic deed. At his own peril and risk, he was able to take out several Russian prisoners from Persia. The desperate courage of Griboyedov was noticed by General Ermolov and decided that such a person deserves a better fate than vegetation in Persia. Thanks to the efforts of Ermolov, Alexander Sergeevich was transferred to the Caucasus in Tiflis. Here the first and second acts of Woe from Wit were completely finished.

Return to Petersburg and arrest

In 1823, the writer goes on vacation. In Moscow and the estate of his friends near Tula, he completely completes the main work of his life.

In the fall of 1824, Griboyedov went to St. Petersburg with the hope of publishing and staging Woe from Wit. But he meets with categorical opposition. With great difficulty, fragments of the comedy can be printed in the anthology "Russian Talia". As for the handwritten versions, their number was close to book circulation. The distribution of the book was also facilitated by the Decembrists, who considered it their "printed manifesto". In the work, innovation and classicism are intertwined, strict adherence to the rules of constructing comedy and the free development of characters. A significant adornment of "Woe from Wit" is the use of iambic, a precise and aphoristic language. Many lines of the comedy were “taken away for quotations” already at the time of handwritten lists.

In the fall of 1825, Griboyedov was going back to the Caucasus, but he was returned from the road on suspicion of participating in the preparation of the Decembrist uprising. Thanks to Yermolov's warning, Griboyedov managed to destroy incriminating materials from his archive. At the time of his arrest, there is no evidence of him. During the investigation, the writer categorically denies his participation in the conspiracy. In June 1826, Griboyedov was released from arrest as completely innocent.

Tragic luck

With great reluctance, he is going to the Caucasus again. And maybe the writer would have achieved resignation and remained in St. Petersburg, doing literary work, but his mother takes an oath from her son to continue his diplomatic career.

Since the beginning of the Russian-Persian war, Alexander Sergeevich takes part in several battles, but with great success he acts in the field of diplomacy. He "bargains" for Russia an extremely beneficial Turkmanchay peace treaty and brings documents to St. Petersburg, hoping to stay in the capital. He dreams of continuing to write poetry, finishing the tragedies "Rodamist and Zenobia" and "Georgian Night", the drama "1812" begun.

But thanks to the personal contribution of Alexander Sergeevich to the drafting of articles of such a profitable peace treaty, the tsar decides that Griboyedov is most suitable for the post of ambassador to Persia. It is impossible to give up the highest appointment and the writer is forced to go to Persia again.

Tragic ending

With great reluctance, in June 1828 Griboyedov leaves Petersburg. With all his might, he postpones the arrival to his destination, as if anticipating his fate.

The last "ray of happiness" in his life was the ardent love for the daughter of his friend A.G. Chavchavadze - Nina, whom he married while driving through Tiflis. Leaving his wife in Tabriz, he goes to Tehran to prepare everything for the arrival of his beloved woman.

What happened next is difficult to assess unequivocally. According to most sources, for an attempt to export Armenian women from the harem of a noble nobleman and caretaker of the shah's harem, Griboyedov was killed by Muslim fanatics, and the entire Russian mission was defeated.

According to other sources, Griboyedov and the mission staff behaved disrespectfully towards the Shah and the laws of the country, and the rumor about the removal of women from the harem simply became the last straw that overflowed the patience of the Persians and forced them to deal with insolent strangers.

There is a version - that religious fanatics were skillfully incited by British diplomats on the Russian mission.

Whichever of these versions turns out to be true, the result turned out to be sad - a wonderful Russian diplomat, poet and playwright Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov died at the hands of Muslim fanatics of Persia on January 30 (February 11), 1829.

His body was transported to his homeland and buried in Tiflis (now Tbilisi) in the monastery of St. David.

Interesting facts about Griboyedov:

The writer was fluent in French, English, German, Italian, Greek, Latin, Arabic, Persian and Turkish.

While living in the Caucasus, Griboyedov used his position and all his connections to make the life of the Decembrists exiled here in any way easier and was able to "pull" some of them out of Siberia.

The writer was a member of the largest Masonic lodge in St. Petersburg.

Works on the website Lib.ru at Wikisource.

Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov (January 4, Moscow - January 30 [February 11], Tehran) - Russian diplomat, poet, playwright, pianist and composer, nobleman. State Councilor (1828).

Griboyedov is known as homo unius libri - the writer of one book, a brilliantly rhymed play "Woe from Wit", which is still one of the most frequently staged in Russian theaters, as well as a source of numerous catch phrases.

Biography

Origins and early years

Griboyedov was born in Moscow into a wealthy noble family. His ancestor, Jan Grzybowski (Polish. Jan Grzybowski), at the beginning of the 17th century he moved from Poland to Russia. The author's surname Griboyedov is nothing more than a kind of translation of the Grzybowski surname. Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich he was a rank clerk and one of the five compilers of the Cathedral Code of 1649 was Fyodor Akimovich Griboyedov.

The writer's father is a retired Major Seconds Sergei Ivanovich Griboyedov (1761-1814). Mother - Anastasia Fyodorovna (1768-1839), nee also Griboyedova.

According to the testimony of relatives, as a child, Alexander was very focused and unusually developed.

War

But as soon as they began to form, the enemy entered Moscow. This regiment was ordered to go to Kazan, and after the expulsion of the enemies, at the end of the same year, it was ordered to follow to Brest-Litovsk, join the defeated Irkutsk dragoon regiment and take the name of the Irkutsk hussar.

On September 8, 1812, the cornet Griboyedov fell ill and remained in Vladimir, and, presumably, until November 1, 1813, due to illness, did not appear in the regiment's location. Arriving at the place of duty, he got into the company "Young cornets from the best noble families" - Prince Golitsyn, Count Efimovsky, Count Tolstoy, Alyabyev, Sheremetev, Lanskoy, the Shatilov brothers. With some of them, Griboyedov was related. Subsequently, he wrote in a letter to Begichev: “I only stayed in this squad for 4 months, and now it’s 4 years since I can’t get on the right path.

Until 1815, Griboyedov served with the rank of cornet under the command of General of the Cavalry A.S.Kologrivov. The first literary experiments of Griboyedov - "Letter from Brest-Litovsk to the publisher", feature article "On cavalry reserves" and comedy "Young spouses" (translation of the French comedy "Le secr" - refer to 1814 in the article "On cavalry reserves" Griboyedov acted as a historical publicist.

The enthusiastic lyrical "Letter ..." from Brest-Litovsk to the publisher of the "Vestnik Evropy" was written by him after awarding Kologrivov in 1814 with the "Order of St. Vladimir Equal to the Apostles, 1st degree" and the feast reserves on this matter.

In the capital

In 1815, Griboyedov arrived in St. Petersburg, where he met with the publisher of the journal "Son of the Fatherland" NI Grech and the famous playwright NI Khmelnitsky.

In the spring of 1816, the aspiring writer left military service, and in the summer he published an article "On the analysis of a free translation of Burgess's ballad" Lenora "- a response to the critical remarks of NI Gnedich about PA Katenin's ballad" Olga ". At the same time, the name of Griboyedov appears in the lists of full members of the Masonic lodge "Les Amis Reunis" ("United Friends").

At the beginning of 1817, Griboyedov became one of the founders of the Du Bien Masonic lodge. In the summer he entered the diplomatic service, taking the post of provincial secretary (since winter - translator) of the College of Foreign Affairs. This period of the life of the writer also includes his acquaintances with Alexander Pushkin and V.K.Kyukhelbecker, work on the poem "Lubochny Theater" (a response to the criticism of MN Zagoskin about "Young Spouses"), the comedies "Student" [(together with P. A. Katenin), "Feigned infidelity" (together with A. A. Zhandre), "One's family, or a married bride" (co-authored with A. A. Shakhovsky and N. I. Khmelnitsky).

Duel

In 1817, the famous "quadruple duel" of Zavadovsky-Sheremetev and Griboyedov-Yakubovich took place in St. Petersburg. It was Griboyedov who gave the reason for the duel, bringing the ballerina Istomin to the apartment of his friend Count Zavadovsky (Griboyedov was 22 at the time). Cavalier Sheremetev, Istomina's lover, summoned Zavadovsky. Griboyedov became Zavadovsky's second, Yakubovich, the cornet of the Life-Uhlan regiment of Sheremeteva.

Griboyedov lived with Zavadovsky and, being a friend of Istomina, after the performance brought her to his house, naturally, to Zavadovsky's house, where she lived for two days. Sheremetev had a quarrel with Istomina and was away, but when he returned, instigated by AI Yakubovich, he challenged Zavadovsky to a duel. Yakubovich and Griboyedov also promised to fight.

The first to reach the barrier were Zavadovsky and Sheremetev. Zavadovsky, an excellent shooter, mortally wounded Sheremetev in the stomach. Since Sheremetev had to be taken to the city immediately, Yakubovich and Griboyedov postponed their duel. It took place the next year, in 1818, in Georgia. Yakubovich was transferred to Tiflis on duty, and Griboyedov also found himself passing through there, heading on a diplomatic mission to Persia.

Griboyedov was wounded in the left hand. It was for this injury that it was possible to subsequently identify the disfigured corpse of Griboyedov, who was killed by religious fanatics during the defeat of the Russian embassy in Tehran.

In the east

In 1818, Griboyedov, having refused the post of an official of the Russian mission in the United States, was appointed to the post of secretary under the tsar's chargé d'affaires of Persia. Before leaving for Tehran, he completed work on "Interlude Samples". I went to the duty station at the end of August, two months later (with short stops in Novgorod, Moscow, Tula and Voronezh) I arrived in Mozdok, on the way to Tiflis I made a detailed diary describing my travels.

At the beginning of 1819, Griboyedov completed work on the ironic "Letter to the publisher from Tiflis on January 21" and, probably, the poem "Forgive me, Fatherland!", Then went on his first trip to the shah's court. On the way to Tehran via Tabriz (January - March), I continued to keep track of travel notes, begun last year. In August he returned to Tabriz, where he began to plead for the fate of Russian soldiers who were in Iranian captivity. In September, at the head of a detachment of prisoners and fugitives, he set out from Tabriz to Tiflis, where he arrived the next month. Some events of this trip are described on the pages of Griboyedov's diaries (for July and August / September), as well as in the narrative fragments "Vagin's Tale" and "Ananur Quarantine".

In January 1820, Griboyedov again went to Tabriz, adding new entries to the travel diaries. Here, burdened with office chores, he spent more than a year and a half. The stay in Persia was incredibly burdensome for the writer-diplomat, and in the fall of the following year, 1821, due to health reasons (due to a broken arm), he finally managed to move closer to his homeland - to Georgia. In Tiflis, he became close to Küchelbecker, who had arrived here to serve, and began work on draft manuscripts of the first edition of Woe from Wit.

From February 1822, Griboyedov was secretary for diplomatic affairs under General A.P. Yermolov, who commanded the Russian troops in Tiflis. The author's work on the drama "Year 1812" (apparently timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of Russia's victory in the war with Napoleonic France) is often dated the same year.

At the beginning of 1823, Griboyedov left the service for a while and returned to his homeland, for more than two years he lived in Moscow, in the village. Dmitrovsky (Lakottsy) Tula province, in St. Petersburg. Here the author continued the work begun in the Caucasus with the text "Woe from Wit", by the end of the year he wrote the poem "David", a dramatic scene in the verses "Youth of the Prophetic", the vaudeville "Who is a brother, who is a sister, or Deception behind deception" (in cooperation with P.A. Vyazemsky) and the first edition of the famous waltz "E-moll". It is customary to attribute the appearance of the first records of his "Desiderata", a journal of notes on controversial issues of Russian history, geography and literature, to the same period of Griboyedov's life.

The next year, 1824, is the date of the writer's epigrams to M. A. Dmitriev and A. I. Pisarev ("And they write lies! And they translate - they lie! .." uncles ", the essay" Special cases of the St. Petersburg flood "and the poem" Teleshova ". At the end of the same year (December 15), Griboyedov became a full member of the Free Society of Lovers of Russian Literature.

On South

At the end of May 1825, due to the urgent need to return to his place of service, the writer abandoned his intention to visit Europe and left for the Caucasus. On the eve of this trip, he completed work on a free translation of "Prologue in the Theater" from the tragedy "Faust", at the request of F.V. Bulgarin, compiled notes to "Unusual adventures and travels ..." by D. I. Tsikulin, published in the April issues of the journal "Severny archive "for 1825. On the way to Georgia, he visited Kiev, where he met prominent figures of the revolutionary underground (M.P. Bestuzhev-Ryumin, A.Z. Muravyov, S.I.Muravyov-Apostol and S.P. Trubetskoy), lived for some time in the Crimea, visiting the estate of his longtime friend A.P. Zavadovsky. On the peninsula, Griboyedov developed a plan for a majestic tragedy about the Baptism of the ancient Russians and kept a detailed diary of travel notes, published only three decades after the death of the author. According to the opinion established in science, it was under the influence of the southern trip that he wrote the scene "Dialogue of Polovtsian Men".

Arrest

Upon his return to the Caucasus, Griboyedov, inspired by the participation in the expedition of General AA Velyaminov, wrote the famous poem "Predators on Chegem." In January 1826 he was arrested in the Groznaya fortress on suspicion of belonging to the Decembrists; Griboyedov was brought to St. Petersburg, but the investigation could not find evidence of Griboyedov's belonging to a secret society. With the exception of A.F.Brigen, E.P. Obolensky, N.N. Orzhitsky and S.P. Trubetskoy, none of the suspects gave evidence to the detriment of Griboyedov.

Return to service

In September 1826 he returned to Tiflis and continued his diplomatic activity; took part in the conclusion of the Turkmanchay peace treaty (1828), beneficial for Russia, and delivered its text to St. Petersburg. Appointed as Resident Minister (Ambassador) to Iran; On the way to his destination, he again spent several months in Tiflis and married there on August 22 (September 3) of the year to Princess Nina Chavchavadze, with whom he had only a few weeks to live.

Death in Persia

Foreign embassies were located not in the capital, but in Tabriz, at the court of Prince Abbas Mirza, but soon after arriving in Persia, the mission went to present itself to Feth Ali Shah in Tehran. During this visit, Griboyedov died: on January 30, 1829 (6 Shaaban, 1244 AH), a crowd of thousands of rebellious Persians killed everyone in the embassy, \u200b\u200bexcept for the secretary Maltsov.

The circumstances of the defeat of the Russian mission are described in different ways, but Maltsov was an eyewitness to the events, and he does not mention the death of Griboyedov, only writes that 15 people defended themselves at the door of the envoy's room. Maltsov writes that 37 people were killed at the embassy (all except him alone) and 19 Tehran residents. He himself hid in another room and, in fact, could only describe what he heard. All those who fought died, and there were no direct witnesses.

Riza-Kuli writes that Griboyedov and 37 comrades were killed, and 80 people were killed from the crowd. His body was so mutilated that he was identified only by the trace on his left hand, obtained in the famous duel with Yakubovich.

Griboyedov's body was taken to Tiflis and buried on Mount Mtatsminda in a grotto at the Church of St. David.

The Persian Shah sent his grandson to Petersburg to settle the diplomatic scandal. In compensation for the shed blood, he brought rich gifts to Nicholas I, including the Shah diamond. Once this magnificent diamond, framed with many rubies and emeralds, adorned the throne of the Great Mughals. Now it shines in the collection of the Moscow Kremlin's Diamond Fund.

At the grave, Griboyedov's widow Nina Chavchavadze erected a monument to him with the inscription: "Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why has my love survived you?".

Yuri Tynyanov dedicated his novel The Death of Vazir-Mukhtar (1928) to the last years of AS Griboyedov's life.

Creation

According to his literary position, Griboyedov belongs (according to the classification of Yu. N. Tynyanov) to the so-called "younger archaists": his closest literary allies are P. A. Katenin and V. K. Kyukhelbeker; however, he was also appreciated by the "Arzamas" people, for example, Pushkin and Vyazemsky, and among his friends were such different people as P. Ya. Chaadaev and FV Bulgarin.

Even during his years of study at Moscow University () Griboyedov wrote poems (only mentions have come down to us), creates a parody of Ozerov's work "Dmitry Donskoy" - "Dmitry Dryanskoy". In the "Vestnik Evropy" two of his correspondences are published: "On cavalry reserves" and "Letter to the editor". In 1815 he published the comedy Young Spouses, a parody of the French comedies that made up the Russian comedy repertoire at the time. The author uses a very popular genre of "secular comedy" - works with a small number of characters and an installation for wit. In line with the polemic with Zhukovsky and Gnedich about the Russian ballad, Griboyedov writes an article "On the analysis of the free translation of Lenora" ().

Parodying techniques: the introduction of texts into the everyday context, the exaggerated use of peripherality (all concepts in comedy are given descriptively, nothing is named directly). In the center of the work is the bearer of the classicist consciousness (Benevolsky). All knowledge about life is gleaned by him from books, all events are perceived through the experience of reading. Saying “I saw it, I know it” means “I read it”. The hero seeks to play out book stories, life seems uninteresting to him. Griboyedov would later repeat the deprivation of a real sense of reality in Woe From Wit — this is Chatsky's feature.

"Woe from Wit"

The comedy "Woe from Wit" is the pinnacle of Russian drama and poetry. A bright aphoristic style contributed to the fact that she was all "sold out on quotes."

"Never has a single people been so scourged, never has a country been dragged in the mud like that, never thrown so much harsh abuse in the face of the public, and, nevertheless, a fuller success has never been achieved" (P. Chaadaev. "Apology of a Madman" ).

Griboyedov spoke 3 foreign languages \u200b\u200bat the age of 6. He was fluent in French, English, German and Italian, he understood Latin and Ancient Greek. Later, while in the Caucasus, he learned Arabic, Georgian, Persian and Turkish.

Memory

In Moscow there is an institute named after A.S. Griboyedov - IMPE them. Griboyedov
In the center of Yerevan there is a monument to A.S. Griboyedov (author Hovhannes Bedzhanyan, 1974), and in 1995 a postage stamp of Armenia dedicated to Griboyedov was issued.
In Alushta, a monument to A.S. Griboyedov was erected in 2002, to the 100th anniversary of the city.
Memorial plaques (on the facade of the building of the former tavern "Athens", where the playwright supposedly stayed in 1825) remind about A. Griboyedov's stay in Simferopol.
There is a theater named after A.S. Griboyedov in Tbilisi, a monument (by M.K. Merabishvili)
There are Griboyedov streets in Bryansk, Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Ryazan, Irkutsk, a number of other cities and settlements in Russia and Ukraine. And also in Yerevan (Google Maps), Sevan, Minsk, Vitebsk (), Simferopol, Tbilisi, Vinnitsa, Khmelnitsky, Irpen, Belaya Tserkov.
Griboyedov Canal (until 1923 - Ekaterininsky Canal) - canal in St. Petersburg
Griboyedov's bust is installed on the facade of the Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater

In philately

In numismatics

Addresses in St. Petersburg

11.1816 - 08.1818 - I. Walha's tenement house - 104, Catherine canal embankment;
01.06. - 07.1824 - Demut Hotel - Moika River Embankment, 40;
08. - 11.1824 - A. I. Odoevsky's apartment in the Pogodin apartment building - Torgovaya street, 5;
11.1824 - 01.1825 - P. N. Chebyshev's apartment in the Usov apartment building - Nikolayevskaya embankment, 13;
01. - 09.1825 - A. I. Odoevsky's apartment in Bulatov's apartment building - Isaakievskaya Square, 7;
06.1826 - the apartment of A.A.Zhandra in the house of Yegerman - 82 Moika river embankment;
03. - 05.1828 - Demut Hotel - 40 Moika River Embankment;
05. - 06.06.1828 - house of A.I.Kosikovsky - Nevsky prospect, 15.

Awards

Editions of essays

Full composition of writings. T. 1-3. - P., 1911-1917.
Compositions. - M., 1956.
Woe from wit. The publication was prepared by N. K. Piksanov. - M .: Science, 1969. (Literary monuments).
Woe from wit. The publication was prepared by N.K.Piksanov with the participation of A.L. Grishunin. - Moscow: Nauka, 1987 .-- 479 p. (Second edition, supplemented.) (Literary monuments).
Writings in verse. Compiled, prepared. text and notes. D. M. Klimova. - L .: Sov. writer, 1987 .-- 512 p. (Library of the poet. Large series. Third edition).
Complete Works: In 3 volumes / Ed. S. A. Fomicheva and others - SPb., 1995-2006.

Museums

"Khmelita" - State Historical, Cultural and Natural Museum-Reserve of A.S. Griboyedov

Notes

Griboyedov's date of birth is a special issue. Variants:,,,, 1795. The year 1795 is indicated in the first form list (autobiography upon admission to the post), this year is indicated by the widow of A.S. Griboyedov Nina Chavchavadze, some friends. In the second formulary list, Griboyedov indicates already 1794. Bulgarin and Senkovsky indicate the years 1792, respectively. The year 1790 is in official papers after 1818, in the papers of the investigation into the uprising on December 14, 1825. At the same time, it is known that a sister was born in 1792, and a brother in 1795. From this, the researchers conclude that the versions or 1794 are solid. It should be noted that Griboyedov could deliberately hide the date of birth, if it refers to 1790 - in this case, he was born before the marriage of his parents. In 1818, he received the rank giving the right to hereditary nobility, and he could already make public the year of birth, this did not deprive him of his privileges.
"Personality of Griboyedov" S. A. Fomichev. (Retrieved July 4, 2009)
Unbegaun B.O.Russian surnames. - M.: Progress, 1989 .-- S. 340
FEB: Nikolaev et al. From the history of the Griboyedov family. - 1989 (text).
See also Field Lokots, where in 1823 Griboyedov visited Begichev
http://bib.eduhmao.ru/http:/libres.bib.eduhmao.ru:81/http:/az.lib.ru/g/griboedow_a_s/text_0060.shtml S. N. Begichev “Note about A. S . Griboyedov "
FEB: Sverdlin. During the war years. - 1989
Minchik S. S. Griboyedov and the Crimea. - Simferopol: Business-Inform, 2011. - S. 94-96.
// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
Minchik S. S. Griboyedov and the Crimea. - Simferopol: Business-Inform, 2011 .-- S. 115-189.
Series: Outstanding Personalities of Russia
Alexander Griboyedov and Nina Chavchavadze
Alexander Griboyedov. His life and literary activity (chapter 6)
Alexander Griboyedov. His life and literary activity - A. M. Skabichevsky

Literature

A.S. Griboyedov in the memoirs of his contemporaries. - M., 1929.
A.S. Griboyedov in the memoirs of his contemporaries. - M., 1980.
A. S. Griboyedov in Russian criticism. - M., 1958.
A. S. Griboyedov as a phenomenon of history and culture. - M., 2009.
A. S. Griboyedov, 1795-1829. - M., 1946.
AS Griboyedov: His life and death in the memoirs of his contemporaries. - L., 1929.
A. S. Griboyedov: Materials for the biography. - L., 1989.
A.S. Griboyedov. - M., 1946 .-- (Literary heritage; T. 47/48).
A.S. Griboyedov. Life and art. Album. - M., 1994.
A.S. Griboyedov. Creation. Biography. Traditions. - L., 1977.
Balayan BP Blood on the "Shah" diamond: the tragedy of A. Griboyedov. - Yerevan, 1983.
Veselovsky A. N. A. S. Griboyedov (biography). - M., 1918.
Griboyedov: an encyclopedia. - SPb., 2007.
Griboyedov places. - M., 2007.
Griboyedov Readings. - Issue. 1. - Yerevan, 2009.
Dubrovin A. A. A. S. Griboyedov and the artistic culture of his time. - M., 1993.
Enikolopov I.K. Griboyedov in Georgia. - Tbilisi, 1954.
Kireev D. I. A. S. Griboyedov. Life and literary activity. - M.-L., 1929.
Kogan P. S. A. S. Griboyedov. - M.-L., 1929.
Lebedev A.A.Griboyedov. Facts and hypotheses. - M., 1980.
Chronicle of the life and work of A.S. Griboyedov, 1791-1829. - M., 2000.
Face and genius. Foreign Russia and Griboyedov. - M., 2001.
Meshcheryakov V. P. A. S. Griboyedov: literary environment and perception (XIX - early XX century). - L., 1983.
Meshcheryakov V.P. Life and deeds of Alexander Griboyedov. - M., 1989.
Minchik S. S. Griboyedov and the Crimea. - Simferopol, 2011.
Myasoedova N. About Griboyedov and Pushkin: (Articles and Notes). - SPb., 1997.
"On a way…". Crimean notes and letters of A.S. Griboyedov. Year 1825 .-- SPb., 2005.
Nechkina M. V. A. S. Griboyedov and the Decembrists. - 3rd ed. - M., 1977.
Nechkina M.V. Investigative case of A.S. Griboyedov. - M., 1982.
Orlov V.N. Griboyedov. - L., 1967.
Petrov S. M. A. S. Griboyedov. - 2nd ed. - M., 1954.
Piksanov N.K. Griboyedov. Research and characteristics. - L., 1934.
Popova O. I. A. S. Griboyedov in Persia, 1818-1823 - M.,.
Popova O. I. Griboyedov - diplomat. - M., 1964.
Problems of creativity A. S. Griboyedov. - Smolensk, 1994.
Pypin A. N. A. S. Griboyedov. - Ptg., 1919.
Skabichevsky A. M. A. S. Griboyedov, his life and literary activity. - SPb., 1893.
Stepanov L. A. Aesthetic and artistic thinking of A. S. Griboyedov. - Krasnodar, 2001.
“Where the Alazan winds ...”. - Tbilisi, 1977.
Tunyan V. G. A. S. Griboyedov and Armenia. - Yerevan, 1995.
Tynyanov Y. N. Death of Vazir-Mukhtar. - M., 2007.
"Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory." To the 200th anniversary of the birth of A.S. Griboyedov. - SPb., 1995.
Filippova A. A. A. S. Griboyedov and the Russian estate. - Smolensk, 2011.
Fomichev S.A.Alexander Griboyedov. Biography. - SPb., 2012.
Fomichev S.A. Griboyedov in St. Petersburg. - L., 1982.
Khechinov Yu. E. Life and death of Alexander Griboyedov. - M., 2003.
Khmelitsky collection. - A.S. Griboedov. - Smolensk, 1998.
Khmelitsky collection. - Issue. 2. Griboyedov and Pushkin. - Smolensk, 2000.
Khmelitsky collection. - Issue. 9.A.S. Griboyedov. - Smolensk, 2008.
Khmelitsky collection. - Issue. 10.A.S. Griboyedov. - Smolensk, 2010.
Tsimbaeva E. N. Griboyedov. - 2nd ed. - M., 2011.
Shostakovich S. V. Diplomatic activity of A. S. Griboyedov. - M., 1960.
Eristov D.G. Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov. (1795-1829). - Tiflis, 1879.
Bonamour J. A. S. Griboedov et la vie litteraire de son temps. - Paris, 1965.
Hobson M. Aleksandr Griboedov "s Woe from Wit: A Commentary and Translation. - London, 2005.
Kelly L. Diplomacy and murder in Tehran: Alexander Griboyedov and Imperial Russia’s Mission to the Shah of Persia. - London, 2002.
Kosny W. A. \u200b\u200bS. Griboedov - Poet und Minister: Die Zeitgenossische Rezeption seiner Komödie "Gore ot uma" (1824-1832). - Berlin, 1985.
Lembcke H. A. S. Griboedov in Deutschland. Studie zur rezeption A. S. Griboedovs und der Ubersetzung seiner Komodie "Gore ot uma" in Deutschland im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert. - Stockholm, 2003.