Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov (January 4, 1795, Moscow — January 30 [February 11] 1829, Tehran) — Russian diplomat, poet, playwright, pianist and composer, nobleman. State Councilor (1828).
Griboyedov is known for his brilliantly rhymed play “Woe from Wit” (1824), which is still often staged in Russian theaters. It served as the source of numerous catchphrases.

Origin and early years.
Griboyedov was born in Moscow, into a wealthy, noble family. His ancestor, Jan Grzybowski (Polish: Jan Grzybowski), moved from Poland to Russia at the beginning of the 17th century. The surname Griboyedov is nothing more than a peculiar translation of the surname Grzhibovsky. Under Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, Fyodor Akimovich Griboyedov was a clerk and one of the five compilers of the Council Code of 1649.

Father — Sergei Ivanovich Griboyedov (1761-1814), retired second major;
Mother — Anastasia Fedorovna (1768-1839), also maiden name Griboyedova — from the Smolensk branch of this family, and her family was richer and was considered more noble;
Sister — Maria Sergeevna Griboedova (Durnovo);
Brother — Pavel (died in infancy);
Wife — Nina Aleksandrovna Chavchavadze (Georgian: ნინო ჭავჭავაძე) (November 4, 1812 — June 28, 1857).
According to relatives, as a child Alexander was very focused and unusually developed. There is information that he was the great-nephew of Alexander Radishchev (the playwright himself carefully concealed this). At the age of 6, he was fluent in three foreign languages, and in his youth already six, in particular, fluent English, French, German and Italian. He understood Latin and ancient Greek very well.

In 1803 he was sent to the Moscow University Noble Boarding School; Three years later, Griboedov entered the literature department of Moscow University. In 1808 (at the age of 13) he graduated from the literary department of the university with the degree of candidate of literary sciences, but did not leave his studies, but entered the moral and political department, and then the physics and mathematics department.

War.
On September 8, 1812, cornet Griboyedov fell ill and remained in Vladimir, and, presumably, until November 1, 1812, due to illness, did not appear at the regiment’s location. In the summer, during the Patriotic War of 1812, when the enemy appeared on Russian territory, he joined the Moscow Hussar Regiment (a volunteer irregular unit) of Count Pyotr Ivanovich Saltykov, who received permission to form it. Arriving at his place of duty, he found himself in the company of “young cornets from the best noble families” — Prince Golitsyn, Count Efimovsky, Count Tolstoy, Alyabyev, Sheremetev, Lansky, and the Shatilov brothers. Griboyedov was related to some of them.

Subsequently, he wrote in a letter to S.N. Begichev: “I was in this squad for only 4 months, and now for the 4th year I have not been able to get on the right path.” Begichev responded to this like this:
But they had barely begun to form when the enemy entered Moscow. This regiment received orders 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 Hussars. S. N. Begichev.

Until 1815, Griboedov served in the rank of cornet under the command of cavalry general A. S. Kologrivov. Griboyedov’s first literary experiments — “Letter from Brest-Litovsk to the Publisher”, the essay “On the Cavalry Reserves” and the comedy “The Young Spouses” (translation of the French comedy “Le secre”) — date back to 1814. In the article “On the Cavalry Reserves” Griboyedov acted as a historical publicist.
The enthusiastically lyrical “Letter from Brest-Litovsk to the Publisher,” published in the “Bulletin of Europe,” was written by him after Kologrivov was awarded the “Order of St. Vladimir Equal to the Apostles, 1st degree” in 1814 and the holiday of June 22 (July 4) in Brest-Litovsk , in the cavalry reserves, on this occasion.

In the capital.
In 1815, Griboyedov came to St. Petersburg, where he met the publisher of the magazine “Son of the Fatherland” N.I. Grech and the famous playwright N.I. Khmelnitsky.
In the spring of 1816, the aspiring writer left military service, and in the summer he published an article “On the analysis of the free translation of the Burger’s ballad “Lenora”” — a response to N. I. Gnedich’s critical remarks about P. A. Katenin’s ballad “Olga”.
At the same time, Griboyedov’s name appears on the list of active members of the Masonic lodge “United Friends”. At the beginning of 1817, Griboyedov became one of the founders of the Masonic lodge «Du Bien».

In the summer he entered the diplomatic service, taking the position of provincial secretary (from the winter — translator) of the Collegium of Foreign Affairs. This period of the writer’s life also includes his acquaintances with A. S. Pushkin and V. K. Kuchelbecker, work on the poem “Lubochny Theater” (a response to M. N. Zagoskin’s criticism of “Young Spouses”), and the comedies “Student” (together with P. A. Katenin), “Feigned Infidelity” (together with A. A. Gendre), “Own Family, or the Married Bride” (co-authored with A. A. Shakhovsky and N. I. Khmelnitsky).

Duel.
In 1817, the famous “quadruple duel” between Zavadovsky-Sheremetev and Griboedov-Yakubovich took place in St. Petersburg.
Griboyedov lived with Zavadovsky and, being a friend of the famous dancer of the St. Petersburg Ballet Avdotya Istomina, after the performance he brought her to his place (naturally, to Zavadovsky’s house), where she lived for two days. Cavalry guard Sheremetev, Istomina’s lover, was in a quarrel with her and was away, but when he returned, incited by the cornet of the Life Ulan regiment A.I. Yakubovich, he challenged Zavadovsky to a duel. Griboyedov became Zavadovsky’s second, and Yakubovich became Sheremetev’s; both also promised to fight.

Zavadovsky and Sheremetev were the first to reach the barrier. Zavadovsky, an excellent shooter, mortally wounded Sheremetev in the stomach. Since Sheremetev had to be immediately taken to the city, Yakubovich and Griboedov postponed their fight. It took place the following year, 1818, in Georgia. Yakubovich was transferred to Tiflis for service, and Griboedov also happened to be passing through there, heading on a diplomatic mission to Persia.
Griboedov was wounded in the left hand. It was from this wound that it was subsequently possible to identify the disfigured corpse of Griboedov, killed by religious fanatics during the destruction of the Russian embassy in Tehran.

In the east.
In 1818, Griboyedov, having refused the position of an official of the Russian mission in the United States, was appointed to the post of secretary under the Tsar’s charge d’affaires in Persia, Simon Mazarovich. Before leaving for Tehran, he completed work on “Sideshow Trials.” He left for his duty station at the end of August, two months later (with short stops in Novgorod, Moscow, Tula and Voronezh) he arrived in Mozdok, and on the way to Tiflis he compiled a detailed diary describing his travels.

At the beginning of 1819, Griboedov completed work on the ironic “Letter to the Publisher from Tiflis on January 21” and, probably, the poem “Forgive me, Fatherland!”, and then went on his first business trip to the Shah’s court. On the way to the appointed place through Tabriz (January — March), he continued to keep travel notes begun last year. In August he returned back, where he began to advocate 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 following month. Some events of this journey are described on the pages of Griboyedov’s diaries (for July and August/September), as well as in the narrative fragments “Vagin’s Story” and “Ananur Quarantine”.

In January 1820, Griboedov again went to Persia, adding new entries to his travel diary. Here, burdened with official chores, he spent more than a year and a half. His 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 transfer closer to his homeland — to Georgia. There he became close to Kuchelbecker, who had arrived here for service, and began work on the draft manuscripts of the first edition of “Woe from Wit.”

Since February 1822, Griboyedov was the diplomatic secretary under General A.P. Ermolov, who commanded the Russian troops in Tiflis. The author’s work on the drama “1812” is often dated to the same year (apparently timed to coincide with the tenth anniversary of Russia’s victory in the war with Napoleonic France).
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 (Lakotsy) 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 verse “Youth of the Prophetic”, vaudeville “Who is the brother, who is the sister, or Deception after 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 entries 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 following year, 1824, dates back to the writer’s epigrams on M. A. Dmitriev and A. I. Pisarev (“And they compose — they lie! And they translate — they lie!..”, “How magazine brawls spread!..”), the narrative fragment “Character my uncle,” 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 duty, the writer abandoned his intention to visit Europe and left for the Caucasus. Subsequently, he will learn Arabic, Turkish, Georgian and Persian. The first teacher who taught Griboedov the Persian language was Mirza Jafar Topchibashev. On the eve of this trip, he completed work on a free translation of the “Prologue in the Theater” from the tragedy “Faust”, at the request of F.V. Bulgarin, he compiled notes to “Extraordinary Adventures and Travels…” of D.I. Tsikulin, published in the April issues of the magazine “Northern” 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 Crimea, visiting the estate of his old friend A.P. Zavadovsky. Griboedov traveled through the mountains of the peninsula, developed a plan for the majestic tragedy of the Baptism of the ancient Russians and kept a detailed diary of travel notes, published only three decades after the author’s death. According to the opinion established in science, it was under the influence of the southern trip that he wrote the scene “Dialogue of Polovtsian Husbands.”

Arrest.
Upon returning to the Caucasus, Griboyedov, inspired by participation in the expedition of General A. A. Velyaminov, wrote the famous poem “Predators on Chegem.” In January 1826, he was arrested in the Grozny fortress on suspicion of belonging to the Decembrists; Griboedov was brought to St. Petersburg, but the investigation could not find evidence of Griboedov’s membership in a secret society. With the exception of A.F. Brigen, E.P. Obolensky, N.N. Orzhitsky and S.P. Trubetskoy, none of the suspects testified to the detriment of Griboyedov. He was under investigation until June 2, 1826, but since it was not possible to prove his participation in the conspiracy, and he himself categorically denied his involvement in the conspiracy, he was released from arrest with a “cleansing certificate.” Despite this, Griboyedov was under secret surveillance for some time.

Return to duty.
In September 1826 he returned to service in Tiflis and continued his diplomatic activities; 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), 1828, Princess Nina Chavchavadze, with whom he only lived for a few weeks.

Death in Persia.
Foreign embassies were not located 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 Sha’ban 1244 AH), a crowd of thousands of religious fanatics killed everyone in the embassy, ​​except for the secretary Ivan Sergeevich 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. Returning to Russia, he wrote that 37 people in the embassy were killed (all except him alone) and 19 Tehran residents. He himself hid in another room and, in fact, could only describe what he heard. All the defenders died, and there were no direct witnesses left.

Riza-Kuli writes that Griboyedov was killed with 37 comrades, and 80 people from the crowd were killed. His body was so mutilated that he was identified only by a mark on his left hand, received in the famous duel with Yakubovich.
Griboedov’s body was taken to Tiflis and buried on Mount Mtatsminda in a grotto at the Church of St. David. In the summer of 1829, Alexander Pushkin visited the grave. Pushkin also wrote in “Travel to Arzrum” that he met a cart with the body of Griboyedov at a mountain pass in Armenia, later called Pushkinsky.
The Persian Shah sent his grandson to St. Petersburg to resolve the diplomatic scandal. To compensate for the blood shed, he brought rich gifts to Nicholas I, including the Shah diamond. This magnificent diamond, framed with many rubies and emeralds, once adorned the throne of the Great Mughals. Now it shines in the collection of the Diamond Fund of the Moscow Kremlin.
At the grave of Alexander Griboyedov, his widow, Nina Chavchavadze, erected a monument with the inscription: “Your mind and deeds are immortal in Russian memory, but why did my love survive you!”

Creation.
In terms of literary position, Griboedov 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. Kuchelbecker; however, he was also valued by the “Arzamas people,” for example, Pushkin and Vyazemsky, and among his friends were such different people as P. Ya. Chaadaev and F. V. Bulgarin.

Even during his years of study at Moscow University (1805), Griboedov wrote poems (only mentions have reached us), created a parody of V. A. Ozerov’s work “Dmitry Donskoy” — “Dmitry Dryanskoy”. In 1814, two of his correspondences were published in the “Bulletin of Europe”: “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 that time. The author uses the very popular genre of “secular comedy” — works with a small number of characters and an emphasis on wit. In line with his polemics with Zhukovsky and Gnedich about the Russian ballad, Griboedov wrote an article “On the analysis of the free translation of “Lenora”” (1816).
In 1817, Griboyedov’s comedy “Student” was published. According to contemporaries, Katenin took a small part in it, but rather his role in creating the comedy was limited to editing. The work is polemical in nature, directed against the “younger Karamzinists,” parodying their works, a type of artist of sentimentalism. The main point of criticism is the lack of realism.

Techniques of parody: introducing texts into everyday context, exaggerated use of periphrasticism (all concepts in comedy are given descriptively, nothing is directly named). At the center of the work is a bearer of classicist consciousness (Benevolsky). All knowledge about life is gleaned from books, all events are perceived through the experience of reading. Saying “I saw it, I know it” means “I read it.” The hero strives to act out book stories; life seems uninteresting to him. Griboyedov will later repeat the lack of a real sense of reality in “Woe from Wit” — this is a trait of Chatsky.

In 1817, Griboyedov took part in writing “Feigned Infidelity” together with A. A. Gendre. The comedy is an adaptation of the French comedy by Nicolas Barthes. The character Roslavlev, Chatsky’s predecessor, appears in it. This is a strange young man, in conflict with society, uttering critical monologues. The same year the comedy “One’s Own Family, or a Married Bride” was released. Co-authors: A. A. Shakhovskoy, Griboyedov, N. I. Khmelnitsky.

What was written before “Woe from Wit” was still very immature or was created in collaboration with more experienced writers at that time (Katenin, Shakhovskoy, Zhandre, Vyazemsky); conceived after “Woe from Wit” was either not written at all (the tragedy about Prince Vladimir the Great), or was not brought beyond rough sketches (the tragedy about Princes Vladimir Monomakh and Fyodor Ryazansky), or was written, but due to a number of circumstances is not known to modern science. Of Griboyedov’s later experiments, the most notable are the dramatic scenes “1812”, “Georgian Night”, “Rodamist and Zenobia”. The author’s artistic and documentary works (essays, diaries, epistolary) also deserve special attention.

Although world fame came to Griboyedov thanks to only one book, he should not be considered a “literary one-liner” who exhausted his creative powers while working on “Woe from Wit.” A reconstructive analysis of the playwright’s artistic intentions allows us to see in him the talent of the creator of a truly high tragedy worthy of William Shakespeare, and the writer’s prose testifies to the productive development of Griboedov as an original author of literary “travels.”

«Woe from Wit.»
The comedy in verse «Woe from Wit» was conceived in St. Petersburg around 1816 and completed in Tiflis in 1824 (the final edition — an authorized list left in St. Petersburg with Bulgarin — 1828). In Russia it is included in the 9th grade school curriculum (in Soviet times — in 8th grade).
The comedy “Woe from Wit” is the pinnacle of Russian drama and poetry. The bright aphoristic style contributed to the fact that she was all “dispersed into quotes.”

“Never has any people been so scourged, never has any country been dragged so much in the mud, never has so much rude abuse been thrown into the public’s face, and yet never has more complete success been achieved” (P. Chaadaev. “Apology of a Madman” ).
“His “Woe from Wit” was published without distortions or abbreviations in 1862. When Griboyedov himself, who died at the hands of fanatics in Iran, had not been in this world for more than 30 years. Written at the perfect time — on the eve of the Decembrist uprising — the play became a vivid poetic pamphlet denouncing the reigning regime. For the first time, poetry burst into politics so boldly and openly. And politics gave in,” she wrote in the essay “Alexander Sergeevich Griboyedov. Woe from Wit” (in the author’s column “100 books that shocked the world” in the magazine “Youth”) Elena Sazanovich. — The play in handwritten form was circulated throughout the country. Griboyedov once again sarcastically called “Woe from Wit” a comedy. Is it a joke?! About 40 thousand copies, copied by hand. A stunning success. It was a blatant slap at high society. And high society did not laugh at comedy. It was wiped off. And Griboyedov was not forgiven…»

Musical works.
The few musical works written by Griboyedov had excellent harmony, harmony and conciseness. He is the author of several piano pieces, among which the most famous are two waltzes for piano. Some works, including the piano sonata, Griboyedov’s most serious musical work, have not reached us. Waltz in E minor of his composition is considered the first Russian waltz that has survived to this day. According to the memoirs of his contemporaries, Griboyedov was a wonderful pianist, his playing was distinguished by genuine artistry.

Memory.
Monuments:

In St. Petersburg, the monument to A. S. Griboyedov (sculptor V. V. Lishev, 1959) is located on Zagorodny Prospekt on Pionerskaya Square (opposite the Theater of Young Spectators)
In the center of Yerevan there is a monument to A. S. Griboyedov (author — Hovhannes Bejanyan, 1974), and in 1995 an Armenian postage stamp dedicated to A. S. Griboedov was issued.
In Alushta, a monument to A. S. Griboyedov was erected in 2002, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the city.
In Moscow, the monument to A. S. Griboyedov is located on Chistoprudny Boulevard.

In Veliky Novgorod, A. S. Griboedov is immortalized in the monument “Millennium of Russia”, in the group of sculptures “Writers and Artists”.
In Volgograd, at the expense of the Armenian community of the city, a bust of A. S. Griboedov was erected (on Sovetskaya Street, opposite clinic No. 3).
In Tbilisi, the monument to A. S. Griboedov is located on the Kura embankment (sculptor M. Merabishvili, architect G. Melkadze, 1961).
In Tehran, near the Russian embassy there is a monument to A. S. Griboyedov (sculptor V. A. Beklemishev, 1912).
Museums and galleries.
State Historical, Cultural and Natural Museum-Reserve of A. S. Griboedov “Khmelita”.
In Crimea, in the Red Cave (Kizil-Koba), a gallery was named in honor of the stay of A. S. Griboedov.

Streets.
Streets named after Griboyedov is in many cities of Russia and neighboring countries:

Theaters.
Smolensk Drama Theater named after. A. S. Griboedova.
In Tbilisi there is a theater named after A. S. Griboyedov, a monument (author — M. K. Merabishvili).
A bust of A. S. Griboedov is installed on the facade of the Odessa Opera and Ballet Theater.

Libraries.
Library of National Literatures named after A. S. Griboyedov.
Central Library named after A. S. Griboedov of the Centralized Library System #2 of the Central Administrative District of Moscow. On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the founding of the library, a memorial museum was opened in it. The A. S. Griboyedov Prize is awarded.
Cinema.
1969 — The Death of Vazir-Mukhtar, a Soviet television play staged in Leningrad in 1969, but banned from showing. In the role of A. S. Griboyedov — Vladimir Recepter.
1995 — Griboedov’s Waltz, a feature historical and biographical film by Tamara Pavlyuchenko. Filmed for the 200th anniversary of the birth of A. S. Griboyedov and tells about the last months of his life. In the role of A. S. Griboyedov — Alexander Feklistov.
2010 — Death of Wazir-Mukhtar. The Love and Life of Griboedov is a 2010 Russian television series based on the novel of the same name by Yuri Tynyanov about the last year of his life. In the role of A. S. Griboyedov — Mikhail Eliseev.
2014 — “Duel. Pushkin — Lermontov» is a Russian film in the style of an alternative world. In the role of the surviving old Griboyedov — Vyacheslav Nevinny Jr.

Other.

Yuri Tynyanov dedicated the novel “The Death of Vazir-Mukhtar” (1928) to the last years of A. S. Griboedov’s life.
On April 22, 2014, in St. Petersburg, the Grand Lodge of Russia created the lodge “A. S. Griboyedov» (No. 45 in the VLR register).
Secondary school named after A. S. Griboedov (Stepanakert).
Secondary school No. 203 named after A. S. Griboedov in St. Petersburg.
«Griboedov Readings»
GBOU Moscow gymnasium No. 1529 named after A. S. Griboyedov.
In Moscow there is a higher educational institution — the Institute of International Law and Economics named after. A. S. Griboyedova (Moscow).
The Griboyedov Canal (until 1923 the Ekaterininsky Canal) is a canal in St. Petersburg.
The Airbus 330-243 (VQ-BBF) aircraft of Aeroflot airline is named after A. S. Griboedov.
High relief of Griboyedov on the monument “1000th anniversary of Russia” in Veliky Novgorod
Monument to Griboyedov in Moscow on Chistoprudny Boulevard
Monument to Griboedov in Yerevan (Armenia)
Memorial plaque to Griboedov in St. Petersburg (B. Morskaya St., 14)

In numismatics.
Commemorative coin of the Bank of Russia, dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the birth of A. S. Griboedov. 2 rubles, silver, 1995
In 1995, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation issued a coin (2 rubles, 500 silver) from the series “Outstanding Personalities of Russia” with a portrait of A. S. Griboyedov on the reverse — for the 200th anniversary of his birth.
Medal «A. S. Griboyedov 1795-1829.” was established by the Moscow city organization of the Union of Writers of the Russian Federation and is awarded to writers and writers, prominent philanthropists and well-known publishers for their selfless activities for the benefit of Russian culture and literature.

Addresses in St. Petersburg:
11.1816 — 08.1818 — apartment building of I. Valkh — embankment of the Catherine Canal, 104;
01.06. — 07.1824 — hotel «Demut» — embankment of the Moika River, 40;
08. — 11.1824 — apartment of A.I. Odoevsky in the Pogodin apartment building — Torgovaya Street, 5;
11.1824 — 01.1825 — P. N. Chebyshev’s apartment in the Usov apartment building — Nikolaevskaya embankment, 13;
01. — 09.1825 — apartment of A.I. Odoevsky in the Bulatov apartment building — Isaac’s Square, 7;
06.1826 — apartment of A. A. Zhandre in the Yegerman house — embankment of the Moika River, 82;
03. — 05.1828 — hotel «Demuth» — embankment of the Moika River, 40;
05. — 06.06.1828 — house of A.I. Kosikovsky — Nevsky Prospekt, 15.

Awards.
Order of St. Anne, 2nd class with diamond insignia (14 March 1828)
Order of the Lion and Sun, 1st class (Persia, 1829)
Order of the Lion and Sun, 2nd class (Persia, 1819)