Winged out of "Woe from Wit": The Entrance of Literary Phrases into Russia's Oral History

A Thesis on the Assimilation of Russian Literary Phrases into Russian Oral History as Winged Words. The Russian language has a high integration of metaphorical expressions derived from literary works. This study explores the process of integration to determine why one work, Griboedov’s play Woe from Wit, has contributed to the language to a much greater degree than any other single work of literature. Cultural and linguistic scholars point to the intricacy of the play’s language, the intertextuality of literary circles at the time, the redefinition of the Russian language and theater in the early 19t century, and the embrace of the subversive values of the play by the Soviet administration a century after the play’s initial release. Building off these scholars’ work, this study revolves around five case studies to glean a contemporary, idiosyncratic image of the effect of these historical processes on the modern vernacular. These individuals commented on the generational conflict exposed by people’s knowledge and conception of winged expressions, as well as remarking on the moderating factor of standardized literary education. The case studies reveal the pitfalls of an echo chamber of linguistic scholars, as well as demonstrate the emotional connection to these literary works that has lasted through centuries.