Woe from Wit

Young nobleman Alexander Chatsky returns from abroad to his beloved Sofia Famusova. The capital society disappoints the hero; in everyone he sees vices: stupidity, greed, ignorance. The witty monologues of Chatsky become quotable phrases ("I would gladly serve, but it's nauseating to grovel!"), and his love for Sofia turns into bitter disappointment.
But who is really the madman here - the idealist Chatsky or the society that lives by the laws of lies and servility?

The book also includes other plays by Alexander Griboedov (1795-1829): "Young Spouses", "The Student", "Pretended Infidelity", as well as a critical article by Ivan Goncharov "A Million Torments".