Dissident Chatsky - Crazy Characters

Actor Mikhail Lenin as Chatsky, 1915

The hero of A. Griboyedov's immortal drama "Woe from Wit" Alexander Chatsky from the point of view of clinical psychiatry was not a "madman". But why has he repeatedly deserved and deserves such a definition?

Rebellion against all

From a modern point of view, the comedy of Alexander Griboyedov could be called at least a drama. The personality of the protagonist is the main confirmation of this. After looking at life abroad for several years and returning to Russia, Chatsky can no longer adapt to the existing orders and laws.

Coming from among the nobility, Chatsky "rebelled" against his own people, not as a revolutionary, but as an intelligent dissident

Unable to withstand general misunderstanding and ridicule, he literally escapes - how relevant it sounds in our time! - “to seek in the world where the offended feeling has a corner”.

However, he pays off the debts and, having lost the sense of his inherent tact, stigmatizes everyone “in love as traitors”, “awkward clever men”, “sinister old women and old men”. But he agrees with his own assessment of those around him: “You glorified me insane with your whole chorus. You're right".

It's easy to earn your reputation as a madman

How does Chatsky, who has earned the reputation of a "madman", differ so sharply from other characters who are quite adapted to their environment?

Chatsky cannot understand the meaning of the traditions and events that take place in the “world of Famusov”.

On top of that, he declares, “No! I'm not happy with Moscow. " And this is "overkill" even in our time

Love or "disorder of habits and desires"?

It should be borne in mind that all of Chatsky's behavior, his "million torments" are reinforced by a hundredfold unrestrained love for Sophia. But such passionate love has its code in the International Classification of Mental Disorders and sounds like "disorder of habits and impulses."

The author of this sad comedy himself "attributed Chatsky's grief to his mind, and Pushkin denied him at all in his mind."

Do you agree that if a person cannot adapt to society, then he is not very “smart”?

By the way, the rumor that Chatsky is crazy is being spread in the world by none other than his beloved Sophia, who declares that "he is out of his mind."

Illustration for the comedy by A. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit". Chatsky. Niva magazine, 1912

This opinion quickly spreads in society, and Princess Tugoukhovskaya comes to the conclusion that it is dangerous to talk to Chatsky, it would be high time to lock him up.

Psychiatry is not arithmetic

You can sympathize with the main character of the comedy as much as you like.

One can recall the Soviet dissidents who, without being "insane", were forced to undergo "treatment courses" in psychiatric hospitals. But psychiatry is not arithmetic

In this science, more than in other areas of medicine, "the border between mental norm and pathology is very conditional and subject to significant fluctuations that change both in time and in geographic space."

Let us recall at least the attitude of society (and the law!) To the problem of homosexuality

Therefore, when we talk about the presence of a mental disorder, we proceed from the fact that "from the point of view generally accepted at this time and in this country, it meets certain standards and requirements." Maybe this approach is not entirely correct, but … what is, we have.

Presumptive diagnosis: personality accentuation according to the excitable type

Sources:

• Goncharov I. S. "Million of Torments". Critical Etude // Collected Works in 6 volumes. T. 6. M.: Pravda, 1972. P. 382–416.
• Griboyedov A. S. Woe from Wit // Works in 2 volumes. T. 1. M.: Pravda, 1971. S. 57–163.
• Shuvalov A. V. Handbook of a practitioner in psychiatry, narcology and sexopathology. M.: Soviet sport, 2001.