Author fonvizin comedy full name. The history of the creation of Fonvizin's play "Undergrowth". last years of life

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What works of Fonvizin are known to modern readers? Of course, "Minor". After all, comedy is included in the school curriculum. It is known that the Russian writer wrote critical articles and translations of foreign authors. However, Fonvizin’s works are not limited to literary works and satirical essays about the ignorant Prostakov family.

What else did the creator of the domestic comedy write? And why, in his declining years, was it difficult for the author of “The Minor” to publish his creations?

Russian author of foreign origin

The writer lived and worked in Catherine's era. Fonvizin’s works would not have been created if one of the comedian’s ancestors had not once fallen into Russian captivity. The creator of such characters as Prostakov, Starodum and Mitrofanushka was of foreign origin, but was the most Russian of all Russian writers of the eighteenth century. At least that's what Pushkin said about him.

Translation activities

The writer studied at the gymnasium, then became a student at the Faculty of Philosophy. Fonvizin's works represent the pinnacle of theatrical art of the eighteenth century. However, before receiving recognition, the writer spent many years poring over translations of famous foreign and even ancient playwrights. And only after gaining experience, he began to write original essays.

The hero of this article began to engage in literary translation by accident. One day one of the St. Petersburg booksellers heard about his excellent knowledge of foreign languages. The entrepreneur suggested that the young man translate the works of Ludwig Holberg into Russian. Denis Fonvizin coped with the task. After which many offers from publishers poured in.

Literary creativity

When did Fonvizin’s original works begin to appear? The list of his works is small. Below is a list of dramatic works and publications on political topics. But first it’s worth saying a few words about the worldview of this author.

In the second half of the eighteenth century, educational thought was in fashion throughout Europe, one of the founders of which was Voltaire. The Russian writer happily translated the works of the French satirist. The humor that distinguishes Fonvizin’s works in the style of classicism probably became a feature formed under the influence of Voltaire’s work. During the years when the writer was especially active in visiting circles of freethinkers, the first comedy was created.

"Brigadier"

Literary studies helped Fonvizin climb the career ladder in his youth, but had a detrimental effect on the writer’s work in his old age. The empress herself drew attention to the translation of the tragedy of the Aviary. The comedy “Brigadier” enjoyed particular success.

Journalism

In 1769, the writer entered the service of which prompted him to write a political treatise. The title of this work fully corresponds to the time in which the author lived: “Reflections on the completely destroyed form of government and on the precarious state of the empire and sovereigns.”

In Catherine’s era, educated people expressed themselves in a very florid way, even the empress herself, who, by the way, did not like the essay. The fact is that in this work the author criticized both Catherine and her favorites and demanded constitutional reform. At the same time, he even dared to threaten a coup.

In Paris

Fonvizin spent more than two years in France. From there he carried on regular correspondence with Panin and other like-minded people. Social problems became the main theme of both letters and essays. Fonvizin's journalistic works, the list of which is little known to contemporaries, despite the absence of strict censorship in those years, were imbued with a thirst for change and a reformist spirit.

Political Views

After visiting France, Denis Fonvizin wrote new “Discourses”. This time they were dedicated to state laws. In this essay, the author raised the issue of serfdom. Convinced of the need to destroy it, he was still under the impression of the “Pugachevism”, and therefore proposed getting rid of serfdom moderately, without haste.

Fonvizin was engaged in literary creativity until the end of his days. But due to the disapproval of the empress, he was unable to publish a collection of his works. Finally, it is worth mentioning the works of Fonvizin.

List of books

"Brigadier."
"Undergrown."
"Discourses on indispensable state laws."
"Governor's Choice"
"Conversation with Princess Khaldina."
"Frank confession."
"Corion".

The writer created “A Sincere Confession” when he was in his old age. This work is autobiographical in nature. In recent years, the writer Fonvizin mainly wrote articles for magazines. Fonvizin entered the history of Russian literature as the author of comedies in the genre of classicism. What is this direction? What are its characteristic features?

Works by Fonvizin

Classicism is a movement based on the principles of rationalism. The works contain harmony and faith, and poetic norms are strictly observed. The heroes of the comedy “The Minor” are divided into positive and negative. There are no contradictory images here. And this is also a characteristic feature of classicism.

This trend originated in France. In Russia, classicism was distinguished by its satirical orientation. In the works of French playwrights, ancient themes came first. They are characterized by national-historical motives.

The main feature of the dramatic works of the eighteenth century is the unity of time and place. The events of “The Minor” take place in the house of the Prostakov family. Everything that is described in the comedy takes place within twenty-four hours. Fonvizin gave his characters meaningful names. Skotinin dreams of villages where many pigs graze. Vralman pretends to enlighten Mitrofanushka, while he introduces the ignoramus into even more terrible ignorance.

The comedy touches on the topic of education. Enlightenment thought had a significant influence on all of Fonvizin’s work. The writer dreamed of changing the political system. But he believed that without enlightenment, any changes would lead to rebellion, “Pugachevism” or other negative socio-political consequences.

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin

There in the old days,
Satire is a brave ruler,
Fonvizin, friend of freedom, shone... (A.S. Pushkin “Eugene Onegin”)

In the 18th century, his surname was written in two words or with a hyphen (Von Wiesen, Von-Wiesen) - Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin came from an ancient knightly family that settled in Russia under Ivan the Terrible.

Upbringing and education

D.I. was born. Fonvizin in Moscow on April 3, 1745. He received his primary education under the guidance of his father, Ivan Andreevich, who was a fairly well-read man.

Fonvizin's house. Contemporary photography

At the age of 10, he entered the gymnasium that opened at Moscow University, and 5 years later he became a student at Moscow University.

His literary experiments began already in his student years: first there were translations, and then original works, mainly of a satirical nature. Despite the fact that his first satirical experiments were popular, he himself was very critical of them, noting that “they had satirical salt, but not a drop of reason, so to speak.”

A. Venetsianov "Portrait of Fonvizin"

At this time, Fonvizin became interested in theater, having attended a performance in St. Petersburg. He wrote about his impression: “The action produced in me by the theater is almost impossible to describe: the comedy I saw, quite stupid, I considered the work of the greatest mind, and the actors - great people, whose acquaintance, I thought, would constitute my well-being.”

Service. The beginning of creativity

In 1762, Fonvizin was appointed sergeant of the guard, interrupting his studies at the university. But he is not at all interested in the service, he is burdened by it, and in the near future he is accepted into the College of Foreign Affairs as a “translator for the captain-lieutenant rank,” and the next year he is appointed “to be for certain matters” with the cabinet minister to accept I.P.’s petitions . Elagin, who has been in charge of theaters since 1766. Elagin was very disposed towards his young subordinate, but around Elagin there were people who were unfriendly towards Fonvizin and turned Elagin against him. In addition, at this time Fonvizin became a member of Kozlovsky’s circle, which consisted of young writers. He later recalled this circle with horror, since “the best way to spend time was in blasphemy and blasphemy.” But for Fonvizin, who was brought up in good manners at home, it was impossible to be surrounded by such people for a long time; he “shuddered when he heard the curse of the atheists.”

In addition to translations, Fonvizin began to write independent poetry, and also tried his hand at the genre of drama: in 1764 his comedy “Corion” was presented. And although it was based on Gresset’s French comedy “Sydney,” it already reflected and critically interpreted Russian morals. Despite the fact that French borrowings were evident, the public liked Corion, judging by the reviews of his contemporaries.

The author was encouraged by the success and in 1768 wrote the comedy “The Brigadier,” which was also imitative (the comedy of the Danish writer Holberg “Jean de France”), but more reflected Russian life and Russian types. Fonvizin was compared to Moliere, and his comedy “The Brigadier” did not leave the stage.

DI. Fonvizin. Lithography

In 1769, Fonvizin nevertheless left his service under Elagin and entered the College of Foreign Affairs as N.I.’s secretary. Panin: he is entrusted with extensive correspondence with Russian diplomats at European courts. In addition, together with Panin, he drew up a draft of government reforms, as a result of which it was supposed to give the Senate legislative power, to ensure “the two most important points of the welfare of the state and peoples: freedom and property,” i.e. liberation of the peasants. In his project, Fonvizin speaks sharply about the existing state of affairs in the state: “yesterday’s corporal, no one knows who, and it’s a shame to say why, today becomes a commander and takes command of a well-deserved and wounded officer”; “No one intends to deserve, everyone seeks to serve.” He also sharply criticizes serfdom: “Imagine a state where people are the property of people, where a person of one state has the right to be both a plaintiff and a judge over a person of another state, where everyone can consequently be either a tyrant or a victim.” According to Fonvizin, slavery is based on the ignorance of people, so it is necessary first of all to fight ignorance.

Coat of arms of Fonvizin

In 1783, Fonvizin retired and began collaborating with the magazine “Interlocutor of Lovers of the Russian Word,” which was published on the initiative of Ekaterina Dashkova. He writes several articles for the magazine, including “Several questions that can arouse special attention in intelligent and honest people”. Using the possibilities of the printed word, Fonvizin wanted to anonymously start a discussion about Russian reality: the absence of laws, without which the normal functioning of the state is impossible; moral degradation of the nobility; bringing to power not worthy people, but nonentities...

This work aroused the sharp dissatisfaction of Catherine II; she demanded that the questions be published along with her answers.

Question 1: Why do we argue strongly about such truths, which nowhere else meet the slightest doubt?

Answer 1: Here, as everywhere else, everyone argues about what he doesn’t like or doesn’t understand.

Question 2: Why do we see so many good people in retirement?

Answer 2: Many good people left the service, probably because they found it advantageous to be retired.

Question 3: Why is everyone in debt?

Answer 3: Because they live in debt more than they have income.

Question 4: If the nobility rewards merit, and the field for merit is open to every citizen, why do merchants never achieve nobility, but always either factory owners or tax farmers?

Answer 4: Some, being richer than others, have the opportunity to render any kind of merit by which they receive distinction.

Question 5: Why don’t our litigants publish their cases and government decisions?

Answer 5: Because there were no free printing houses before 1782.

Question 6: Why did noble societies change not only in St. Petersburg, but also in Moscow itself?

Answer 6: From multiplied clobs.

Question 7: Why is the main effort of a large part of the nobles not to quickly make their children people, but to quickly make them non-commissioned officers without serving in the guard?

Answer 7: One is easier than the other.

Question 8: Why is there nothing to listen to in our conversations?

Answer 8: Because they are telling lies.

Question 9: Why are well-known and obvious idlers accepted everywhere equally with honest people?

Answer 9: Because they were not convicted in court.

Question 10: Why, in a legislative age, does no one in this part think of distinguishing themselves?

Answer 10: Because this is not everyone’s business.

DI. Fonvizin

Question 11: Why do badges of honor, which are supposed to testify to true merits to the fatherland, for the most part not produce the slightest spiritual respect for those who wear them?

Answer 11: Because everyone loves and honors only his own kind, and not social and special virtues.

Question 12: Why are we not ashamed of not doing anything?

Answer 12: This is unclear: it is a shame to do something bad, but to live in society is not to do anything.

Question 13: How can the fallen souls of the nobility be raised? How can we drive out of our hearts insensitivity to the dignity of a noble title? How to make sure that the venerable title of a nobleman is undoubted proof of spiritual nobility?

Answer 13: A comparison of former times with the present will undoubtedly show how many souls have been encouraged or fallen; the very appearance, gait, etc. It already does.

Question 14: Having a monarch of an honest person, what would prevent us from making it a general rule: to receive her favors through honest deeds alone, and not to dare to seek them out by deceit and deceit?

Answer 14: Because everywhere, on every earth and at every time, the human race will not be born perfect.

Question 15: Why in former times did jesters, tricksters and buffoons not have ranks, but now they have very high ones?

Answer 15: Not all of our ancestors were able to read and write. N.B. This question was born from freedom of speech, which our ancestors did not have; if they had, they would have found for the present one ten former ones.

Question 16: Why are many visitors from foreign lands, who were considered smart people there, considered fools by us; and vice versa: why are local smart people often fools in foreign lands?

Answer 16: Because tastes are different and every nation has its own meaning.

Question 17: Where does the pride of most of the boyars live: in the soul or in the head?

Answer 17: In the same place as indecision.

Question 18: Why do our affairs begin with great heat and ardor, then are abandoned, and often completely forgotten?

Answer 18: For the same reason that a person ages.

Question 19: How to destroy two opposing and both most harmful prejudices: the first, that everything is bad here, but in foreign lands everything is good; the second, as if everything is bad in foreign lands, but everything is fine here?

Answer 19: Time and knowledge.

Question 20: What is our national character?

Answer 20: In a keen and quick understanding of everything, in exemplary obedience and in the root of all virtues given to man by the Creator...

Catherine read this article not in the context of a political discussion, but in the context of the old behind-the-scenes court struggle and considered I.I. to be the author of the questions. Shuvalov, whom she hated. In her “Facts and Fables” she characterizes him as follows: “ I have a neighbor who in infancy was known as smart, and in his youth he showed a desire to be smart; what is it like in adulthood? - You will see from the following: he walks briskly, but when he takes two steps to the right, he changes his mind and goes to the left; Here he is met with thoughts that force him to go forward, then he returns back. As is his path, such are his thoughts. My neighbor has never spoken five words and never taken a single step without repenting about it later. When I look at him, then he puts on airs with his eyes on the floor in front of me, but he is afraid of me mentally.”

In the end, Catherine nevertheless identified Fonvizin as the author of “Questions”, as a result of which his magazine “Friend of Honest People, or Starodum” was banned from publication in 1788.

Comedy "The Minor" (1782)

"We all learned a little..."

Fonvizin worked on the comedy for about 3 years. It was written in the era of classicism and meets the requirements of this literary movement: condemnation of “evil morality” and the shortcomings of noble education; speaking surnames (Prostakovs, Skotinins, Tsyfirkin, etc.).

Difficulties immediately arose with the production of the comedy: they refused to stage it both in St. Petersburg and in Moscow - the censors, frightened by the boldness of the comedy characters’ remarks, did not allow the comedy to go on stage. Finally, on September 24, 1782, the premiere took place in St. Petersburg, at the Free Russian Theater on Tsaritsyn Meadow, it was a huge success: “The theater was incomparably filled, and the audience applauded the play by throwing purses.” And on May 14, 1783, the play was already performed in Moscow.

Fonvizin's comedy has enduring significance: it is still read and staged. The names of her heroes became household names (Mitrofanushka, Skotinin, Mrs. Prostakova), and aphorisms became sayings:

“Don’t do business, don’t run away from business.”

“God gave me a student, a boyar’s son.”

“You can’t beat your betrothed with a horse.”

“With great enlightenment, one can be petty stingy.”

“It’s a sin to blame your own happiness.”

"Live and learn".

“Where there is anger, there is mercy.”

"A fault confessed is half redressed".

“In the great world there are small souls.”

“It is more honorable to be passed over without guilt than to be rewarded without merit.”

"Guilty without guilt."

“Without noble deeds, a noble fortune is nothing.”

“The dog barks, the wind blows.”

“It is unlawful to oppress one’s own kind through slavery.”

"A dream in your hand."

"Ends in the water."

“We saw the views.”

“I ate too much henbane.”

“Remember the name.”

"For good, for good."

“Everything in this comedy seems to be a monstrous caricature of everything Russian. And yet there is nothing caricatured about it: everything was taken alive from nature...”, said N.V. Gogol.

Fonvizin died in 1792 in St. Petersburg and was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. He was an honest and progressive person, a fan of education and a social system that would not humiliate or infringe upon the human personality.

Fonvizin's grave in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra

Works by D.I. Fonvizina

Comedy: “Brigadier”, “Undergrown”, “Corion”.

Prose:“General Court Grammar”, “Frank confession of my deeds and thoughts.”

Poetry: “Message to my servants Shumilov, Vanka and Petrushka”, “Fox-Koznodey”.

Journalism: “An Uncle’s Instruction to His Nephew”, Discourse on the Indispensable State Laws”, “Experience of a Fashionable Dictionary of the Dapper Dialect”, “Experience of a Russian Estates Member”, “Letters from an Uncle to a Nephew”, “Letters from a Dapper Woman to the Publisher of “Zhivopiets””, “Letters from Relatives to Falaleyu”, “Letter from Taras Skotinin to his own sister Mrs. Prostakova”, “Correspondence of the court councilor Vzyatkin with his Excellency***”, “Correspondence of Starodum with the Dedilovsky landowner Durykin”, “Petition to the Russian Minerva from Russian writers”, “Teaching spoken on Spiritual Day by Priest Vasily in the village of P****.”

Correspondence and memoirs.

D. Fonvizin at the monument "1000th anniversary of Russia" in Veliky Novgorod

Biography
Russian writer, playwright, publicist of the Catherine era. The surname Fonvizin in the 18th century. was written in two words, which remained until the half of the 19th century. The one-word spelling was finally established by Tikhonravov. Fonvizin was born on April 14 (old style - April 3), 1745, in Moscow. He came from a Livonian knightly family that moved to Moscow back in the 16th century. and completely Russified. He received his primary education under the guidance of his father, Ivan Andreevich. The volume of home education was not great, because... funds did not allow him to “hire foreign language teachers”: at home he learned elements of Russian literacy. In 1755 he entered the newly opened gymnasium at Moscow University. In 1760 he was “promoted to student” at the Faculty of Philosophy, but stayed at the university for only 2 years. At the same time, his studies in literature began: in 1761 he published in Kheraskov’s magazine “Useful Amusement”, a translated article “Just Jupiter” and separately published a translation of Golberg’s fables. The years of study also included the birth of a love for theater: in 1756 - 1759, Fonvizin played in the amateur university theater, created on the initiative of M.M. Kheraskov, and in the public theater.
In 1762, teaching at the university ceased; Fonvizin is designated a sergeant of the guard, although this service does not interest him at all and he avoids it as much as possible. At this time, the court comes to Moscow, and the vice-chancellor appoints Fonvizin to the Collegium of Foreign Affairs as a “translator for the captain-lieutenant rank,” and next year he will be appointed “to be for some affairs” under the cabinet minister I.P. Elagina accepted the petition and moved to St. Petersburg. He served as secretary of the cabinet minister until 1769. In 1764, Fonvizin's first comedy "Corion" was presented. In 1768, “The Brigadier” was written, which made a strong impression on the public of that time: Fonvizin was compared to Moliere, and his comedy did not leave the stage. In 1769, Fonvizin was forced to leave his service under Elagin and again join the Collegium of Foreign Affairs as secretary to the head of the Collegium: he was entrusted with extensive correspondence with Russian diplomats at European courts. In 1775 he was elected a member of the Free Russian Assembly at Moscow University. On May 14, 1783, the premiere of the comedy “The Minor” took place on the stage of the Moscow Medox Theater, which was a great success. Service under N.I. Panina continued until 1783, when Fonvizin retired with the rank of state councilor and with a pension of 3,000 rubles. While serving under Count Panin, Fonvizin made his first trip abroad with his sick wife, nee Rogovikova (1777 - 1778), visiting Germany and France. In August 1778 in Paris with Benjamin Franklin. The second trip was in 1784 to Germany and Italy, where they spent 8 months, and after 2 years Fonvizin himself had to go to Vienna and Carlsbad to be treated for the effects of paralysis. After the publication of a number of satirical works in 1783, Fonvizin’s attempts to publish anything were suppressed by Catherine II herself. In the last years of his life, Fonvizin's literary activity almost ceased. Fonvizin died on December 12 (according to the old style - December 1) 1792 in St. Petersburg. He was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
Among the works are plays, poems, satirical works, articles, translations: “Moralizing Fables” by the Danish educator L. Holberg (1761; translation from German), “The Fox-Koznodey” (1761; fable), “Oh, Klim, your deeds are great !" (1761; epigram), Voltaire's tragedy "Alzira, or the Americans" (1762; translation from French), treatise "Abridgement of the liberty of the French nobility and the benefits of the third rank" (1764 - 1766; translation from French), "Corion" (1764 ; comedy, adapted from the French comedy by Gresset "Sydney"), "Message to my servants Shumilov, Vanka and Petrushka" (1765, publication - 1769; poem), "Brigadier" (1768 - 1769, publication - 1792 - 1795; comedy) , “Notes of the First Journey” (publication - 1800s; letters to P.I. Panin from France), “The Experience of a Russian Estates Member” (article), “Questions to the Author of Fables and Fables” (article), “Petition to the Russian Minerva from Russian Writers" (article), "The Teaching Delivered on Spiritual Day by Priest Vasily" (article), "The Minor" (1781, production - 1782, publication - 1783; comedy), "Discourse on the indispensable state laws" (1782 - 1783; pamphlet, together with N.I. Panin), “The Experience of a Russian Estatesman” (1783), “The Narrative of an Imaginary Deaf and Mute” (1783), “Several Questions That Can Arouse Particular Attention in Intelligent and Honest People” (1783), “ General Court Grammar" (satire; distributed in lists), "Callisthenes" (1786; story), "Frank confession of my deeds and thoughts" (1789; unfinished, published - 1830)
__________
Information sources:
"Russian Biographical Dictionary"
Encyclopedic resource www.rubricon.com (Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary, Moscow Encyclopedia, Encyclopedia of Russian-American Relations)
Project "Russia Congratulates!" - www.prazdniki.ru

(Source: “Aphorisms from around the world. Encyclopedia of wisdom.” www.foxdesign.ru)

Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms. Academician. 2011.

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Books

Fonvizin D.I. Minor. Griboyedov A.S. Woe from Wit. Gogol N.V. Inspector, Fonvizin Denis Ivanovich, Griboedov Alexander Sergeevich, Gogol Nikolai Vasilievich. The collection includes three brilliant comedies by classics of Russian literature “The Minor” by D. Fonvizin, “Woe from Wit” by A. Griboedov, “The Inspector General” by N. Gogol. Funny and absurd situations, lively and vibrant...

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Biography, life story of Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin was born in Moscow on 04/14/1745 (04/03/1745 according to the old style). The boy continued the line of knights von Wiesen, which had Livonian origin and was completely and irrevocably Russified.

Childhood and adolescence

Little Denis received his primary education from his father, Ivan Andreevich Fonvizin, who held an bureaucratic position in the revision board. He continued his studies first at the gymnasium opened at Moscow University, and after graduating, he entered the Faculty of Philosophy at St. Petersburg University, where he was a student in the period 1759-1762. While still a high school student, Fonvizin in 1756-59 played in the troupe of the university amateur theater under the direction of Mikhail Matveevich Kheraskov, and later began to play in the troupe of the professional Public Theater. During his student days, Denis met Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov, and the young man made his debut in the field of literature, starting as a translator. Fonvizin began to work closely on translations, becoming a student in the capital St. Petersburg in 1760, where he and his brother were sent as one of the best graduates of the gymnasium.

In 1761, Fonvizin, fulfilling an order from a bookseller, translated into Russian several fables by Ludwig Holberg, the famous Danish-Norwegian writer who wrote in German. In total, Denis Ivanovich at that time translated more than two hundred different fables, a novel by the French priest-philologist Jean Terrason, the tragedy of the greatest French enlightenment philosopher Francois Marie Arouet, who wrote under the pseudonym Voltaire, a huge poetic work “Metamorphoses”, created by the ancient Roman poet Publius Ovid Naso . Young Fonvizin’s favorite writer at that time was Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In parallel with his translation activities, Denis began to write his own works, which were satirical in nature.

Beginning of civil service

After graduating from the university, Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin first served as a translator in a foreign college, and then in 1763 he was transferred to serve in the palace chancellery of State Councilor Ivan Perfilyevich Elagin, who noticed and appreciated the translation of Voltaire’s tragedy made by the young writer. Working under Ivan Perfilyevich, Denis Ivanovich did not abandon his already habitual translation activity. Fonvizin at that time became close to the literary circle of the poet and translator Prince Fyodor Alekseevich Kozlovsky. The aspiring writer created his first independent work entitled “Message to My Servants...”. The first comedy play “Korion” was written by Fonvizin in 1764. Then the young playwright spent almost four years (1766-69) writing his now famous comedy “The Brigadier.” Although it was published only in 1786, this work marked the beginning of a new genre of comedy of manners for the Russian Empire, because the overwhelming majority of Russian authors had previously created exclusively comedies of characters.

CONTINUED BELOW

Leaving the civil service

In 1769-82, Fonvizin first served as a secretary, and later became a close confidant of Count Nikita Ivanovich Panin. In this position, Denis Ivanovich plunged into the world of big politics and met personally with the masters of behind-the-scenes games. Fonvizin left Russia in 1777, lived for quite a long time in France, where he tried to understand the processes taking place in this state, at the same time he thought a lot about the fate of his homeland, tried to see a path that would allow Russian socio-political life to be brought to the European level.

Due to the disgrace of Count Panin, Fonvizin had to resign in 1782. In 1782-83, Denis Ivanovich began writing a work entitled “Discourse on the Indispensable Laws of the State” based on his own ideas and those of the count. This work was intended for the count's pupil, who later became the emperor. It entered the annals of national Russian journalism as one of the best works in this genre.

The peak of creativity reached by Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin came in 1883, when his comedy was published - the famous “Minor”, which, like “The Brigadier”, caused a great resonance in enlightened Russian society.

last years of life

Fonvizin’s health was undermined after the writer left government service. Denis Ivanovich began to experience partial paralysis, but he still devoted himself entirely to literature. The ruler at that time interfered with his creative plans. She imposed, in particular, a personal ban on the publication of the magazine edited by Fonvizin, then banned the collection of his works in five volumes. At the end of his life, Denis Ivanovich created several dramatic works, wrote many magazine articles, and began working on an autobiography... It remained unfinished. Fonvizin left in 1784 and 1785 for treatment in Italy, and in 1787 he tried to improve his noticeably deteriorating health in Vienna. The Fonvizins began to experience increasing financial difficulties. I also had to actually curtail my literature studies. Death overtook the writer on December 12, 1792 (12/01/1792 old style). Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin was buried in St. Petersburg at the Lazarevskoye cemetery, located on the territory of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Satirist and playwright Fonvizin (Fon-Vizin) Denis Ivanovich born 3(14).IV.1744 or 1745 in Moscow into a noble family, died 1(12).XII.1792 in St. Petersburg. He was buried at the Lazarevskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

He received his initial education at home under the guidance of his father.

From 1755 he studied at the gymnasium for nobles at the then newly opened Moscow University.

In 1762, upon completion of the gymnasium course, he was promoted to student, but in the same year he left the university and decided to serve in the College of Foreign Affairs as a translator.

In 1763 he moved to the office of Cabinet Minister I.P. Elagin, who was in charge of “receiving petitions” and managing theaters. At this time, Denis Ivanovich entered into close communication with the theatrical environment and in particular became friends with the outstanding actor I. A. Dmitrievsky.

From 1769 he took the position of secretary under the head of the Collegium of Foreign Affairs, Count N.I. Panin, and for many years he was his most trusted confidant in matters of foreign policy.

In 1777-78 he traveled to France, where he met the writers Marmontel and Thomas, the encyclopedist D'Alembert, the American politician and scientist B. Franklin, and witnessed the “triumph” organized on the occasion of Voltaire’s arrival in Paris.

In 1782 he retired due to deteriorating health.

In 1784-85 he went abroad for treatment - to Italy, and in 1786-87 to Austria, but these trips did not bring him any benefit. The trip to the Baltic states undertaken by Denis Ivanovich three years before his death was equally unsuccessful.

Fonvizin’s interest in literature and theater arose during his student years. The earliest literary experience of the writer that has come down to us is the translation of “Moral Fables” by the Danish satirist L. Golberg (the translation was made not from the original, but from the German text; during the life of the satirist, it was published three times as a separate publication - in 1761, 1765 and 1787).

A number of his minor translations from German and French were published in the university magazines “Useful Amusement” (1761) and “Collection of the Best Essays for the Dissemination of Knowledge and for Enjoyment” (1762). He continued to translate after leaving the university. Translated by:

“Heroic Virtue, or the Life of Seth, King of Egypt” political and moral novel by Terrason (1-4 hours, 1762 -1768),

“The Love of Carita and Polydor” novel by Barthelemy (1763),

“The trading nobility, as opposed to the military nobility”

Quayer's reasoning (1766),

"Sidney and Scilly, or Beneficence and Gratitude" a sentimental story by Arno (1769),

"Joseph" prose poem by Bitobe (1769),

"Alzira" Voltaire's tragedy remained in manuscript,

Ovid's Metamorphoses has not been published

The treatise “On Governments” by the German jurist Justine has not been published.

Simultaneously with the work on translations, Denis Ivanovich’s original work also developed. “Very early, a penchant for satire appeared in me,” the satirist wrote, recalling his student years. - My sharp words rushed around Moscow... They soon began to fear me, then hate me; and instead of attracting people to me, I drove them away from me with words and pen. My writings were sharp curses: there was a lot of satirical salt in them...” (“Frank confession of my deeds and thoughts”).

Fonvizin continued to write poetic satires even after arriving from Moscow to serve in St. Petersburg. In “An Attempt at a Historical Dictionary of Russian Writers” (1772), Novikov noted that Denis Ivanovich “wrote many poignant and very good poems.” Of these, only excerpts from two epistles (“To Yamshchikov” and “To My Mind”), one epigram and the now famous satire in verse “Message to my servants Shumilov, Vanka and Petrushka” (published in 1769) are known. Addressed to real persons, it is essentially not a message, but a dramatized conversation between a satirist and his servants on the topic of the meaning of existence. He achieved great skill in depicting servants, whose answers to the question asked of them reveal the individual characteristics of the character of each of them. The anti-clerical tirades uttered by Vanka and the kind of “Voltairianism” of Petrushka are not invented by the satirist, but at the same time in a certain way echo the thoughts and moods of the playwright himself. This makes his “Message to the Servants”, first of all, the most colorful monument of Russian philosophical free-thinking of the 18th century. However, the philosophical theme posed in this work develops into a social theme, revealing the ability to satirically depict typical phenomena of reality. Since the 60s. XVIII century The development of capitalist relations in Russia was accompanied by a further strengthening of serfdom. It is therefore deeply characteristic that Fonvizin, along with a sharp satirical depiction of the Russian serfdom, shows with great poignancy in his “Message to the Servants” the power of money as the main factor determining human relationships. The vitality and accusatory orientation of this work subsequently earned high praise from Belinsky, who argued that the “funny” and “evil” message of the satirist “will outlive all the thick poems of that time” (Poln., collected works, vol. V, M., 1954, p. 537; vol. VII, M., 1955, p. 119).

As a playwright, Denis Ivanovich first performed with the poetic comedy “Corion”, staged on the court stage in 1764. In this play, he tried to solve the same problem as other contemporary playwrights (V.I. Lukin, I.P. Elagin, B E. Elchaninov), - the task of creating a Russian national-everyday comedy by “inclining to our rights,” i.e., altering works of the Western European theatrical repertoire. The model for “Corion” was the comedy “Sydney” by the French poet Gresset. In general, the play is devoid of any organic connection with Russian life. The only noteworthy thing about it is that Denis Ivanovich brought to the stage one character who was absent from the French text - a serf peasant lamenting his bitter fate.

The playwright's great success was his second comedy, “The Brigadier” (written between 1766 and 1769, published in 1792-1795). According to the fair expression of a contemporary who heard the play read by the author himself, it was “the first comedy in our morals.” In “The Brigadier,” Fonvizin cruelly ridiculed ignorance, bribery, bigotry and blind servility to foreigners, so characteristic of the local bureaucratic circles of Russian society. The life-like credibility of such satirical comedy characters as the Brigadier, the Advisor, the Counselor and Ivanushka was achieved by the playwright without violating the principles of character depiction inherent in classicism. But in the Brigadier, the realistic tendencies of Denis Ivanovich’s work manifested themselves with great force. The main artistic merit of the play was the aptly individualized language of the characters: the military vocabulary of the Brigadier, the combination of clerical orders and Church Slavonic expressions in the speech of the Advisor, the salon Russian-French jargon of Ivanushka and the Advisor, the popular vernacular of the Brigadier. In contrast to the negative characters, the positive characters of the comedy (Dobrolyubov, Sophia) are pale and sketchy.

The pinnacle of Fonvizin’s creativity and all Russian drama of the 18th century was the comedy “The Minor” (1782, staged the same year, published in 1783). The denunciation of the “evil nature” of the feudal landowners contained in this play, thanks to the sharpness of the artistic and satirical generalization, reveals the social essence of serfdom with unprecedented expressiveness. In “The Minor” Denis Ivanovich “for the first time brought to light and onto the stage the corrupting significance of serfdom and its influence on the nobility, spiritually ruined, degenerated and corrupted precisely by the slavery of the peasantry” (M. Gorky, History of Russian Literature, M., 1939, p. 22). In terms of its social significance, the comedy turned out to be immeasurably broader than the subjective noble-educational goal pursued by the author, who called for the legislative curbing of serfdom. “The Minor” is a socio-political comedy, since the subtext contained in it is directed against the policy of strengthening serfdom carried out by Catherine II during these years. The playwright paid much attention in his comedy to the traditional problem of education in educational literature. However, compared to how this problem was resolved before Fonvizin, it deepens significantly and receives social understanding in “Nedorosl”. Mitrofanushka’s bad upbringing is perceived as a natural result of the entire serfdom system. The essence of social evil, against which the playwright takes up arms, is revealed not only through declarative maxims uttered by positive characters, but also in living, memorable images. Some of them are sharpened to the point of grotesque, to the point of caricature (Skotinin, Vralman, Kuteikin), others are distinguished by greater internal complexity. The image of Prostakova shows not only the features of a tyrannical landowner, but also of a loving mother. This love is clothed in her almost animal, primitive and reckless form. Such love cannot give rise to anything other than ignorance, laziness and rudeness in Mitrofanushka, and the education he receives must inevitably turn him into a tyrant-serf-owner, like his mother. Negative characters, according to the laws of classical dramaturgy, are contrasted with positive ones (Starodum, Pravdin, Milon). In their depiction, Denis Ivanovich sought to avoid impersonality and schematism. What was also new was that they reflected the real features of Fonvizin’s contemporaries. However, their inherent didactic-moralistic tendency deprives them of that vital concreteness with which negative characters are filled. No wonder the names of Mitrofanushka, Prostakova, Skotinin, Vralman, Kuteikin became household names.

If the language of the characters in “The Brigadier” served to characterize their social and everyday life, then the language of the characters in “The Minor” simultaneously meets the objectives of psychological characterization. Again, the speech of the satirical characters is individualized with special skill, perfectly conveying the speech characteristics of the average noble environment.

“The Minor” was created within the framework of the dramatic rules of classicism. However, the influence of the aesthetic principles of bourgeois drama (the abundance of didactic-moralistic elements, the motive of sympathy for “suffering humanity”) and realistic tendencies led to overcoming the conventions of the classical comedy genre. As a result, thanks to its ideological essence and close connection with the folk speech tradition, “The Minor” fully justifies the name of “folk comedy” given to it by Pushkin in “Message to the Censor.”

Both comedies - “The Brigadier” and especially “The Minor” - had an exceptionally great influence on the further development of Russian drama. According to Belinsky, “Russian comedy began long before Fonvizin, but it began only with Fonvizin” (Poln. sobr. soch., vol. III, M., 1953, p. 470).

Gogol staged “The Minor” next to Griboedov’s “Woe from Wit,” calling them “truly social comedies” in which “the wounds and illnesses of our society, severe internal abuses ... are exposed in stunning obviousness” (Poln. sobr. op. , vol. VIII, 1952, pp. 396, 400).

Almost simultaneously with the end of “The Minor,” Denis Ivanovich wrote a political treatise, “Discourse on Indispensable State Laws,” remarkable in content and form. Intended for the heir to the Russian throne, this treatise was supposed to instill in the future monarch the consciousness of the strictest responsibility in the face of the law. Showing what autocratic tyranny leads to, the playwright turns his treatise into a sharp pamphlet, castigating Catherine II and the system of favoritism that flourished under her. Much in this “Discourse” directly resonates with the ideological orientation of “Minor.” Subsequently, shortened and revised in relation to the conditions of social struggle of the late 10s - 1st half. 20s XIX century, the text of the “Discourses” was used for propaganda purposes by the Decembrists.

In the last decade of his creative activity, Denis Ivanovich wrote a large number of prose works, varied in form, but satirical at their core. These are:

“The Experience of a Russian Dictionary” (at this time he was interested in language issues and compiled a project for the Russian Academy of “An Explanatory Dictionary of the Slavic-Russian Language”),

“Petition to the Russian Minerva from Russian writers”,

“The teaching given on Spiritual Day by Priest Vasily in the village of P.”, “The Narrative of the Imaginary Deaf and Mute” (all published in 1783),

"Callisthenes" Greek story (1786).

“Several questions that can arouse special attention in intelligent and honest people” (1783), which contained direct attacks against the internal policies of Catherine II and caused extreme irritation on her part and accused the author of “free speech,” received great public attention.

In 1788, Denis Ivanovich prepared for publication the first part of a magazine composed entirely of his own works - “Friend of Honest People, or Starodum”, but publication was prohibited by the Deanery Board. The first part of the magazine was supposed to include one of the most brilliant examples of political satire not only in the work of Fonvizin, but also in all Russian satirical prose of the 18th century - “General Court Grammar”. Materials intended for the “Friend of Honest People” appeared in print only in the first third of the 19th century.

The playwright’s enormous contribution to the development of Russian prose is evidenced not only by his satirical works, but also by his letters - a remarkable monument of the epistolary style, as well as by his autobiographical notes “A sincere confession of my deeds and thoughts” (published in 1830).

The only satire in verse, written, apparently, in the last period of creativity, is the fable “The Fox the Executor” (published in 1787), brilliantly parodying the style of official panegyrics to monarchs and mercilessly exposing their authors. Along with the “General Court Grammar”, it shows that Fonvizin’s talent as a satirist reached its highest socio-political intensity at this time.

The creative legacy of Denis Ivanovich had a profound impact on the further formation of critical realism in Russian Literature. Batyushkov associated “the education of prose” with Fonvizin.

In the judgments of A. Bestuzhev, Pushkin, Gogol, Herzen, the originality and nationality of his talent were emphasized. Goncharov noted the continuity between advanced Russian drama, at the origins of which Fonvizin stood, and Ostrovsky’s theater.

Shchedrin showed the vitality of the playwright’s satirical characters in new historical conditions in a number of his works (“Letters to Auntie,” “Gentlemen of Tashkent,” “All Year Round”).

According to M. Gorky’s definition, Denis Ivanovich laid the foundation for “the most magnificent and, perhaps, the most socially fruitful line of Russian literature - the accusatory-realistic line” (“History of Russian Literature,” p. 25).

“The Minor” is the only Russian play of the 18th century that has taken a strong place in the repertoire of the Soviet theater. This fact serves as clear evidence of the enduring significance of the work of the playwright and satirist.

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History of the play

Fonvizin's play "The Minor" is his most famous work and the most repertoire play of the 18th century on the Russian stage in subsequent centuries. This is the first socio-political comedy in the history of Russian drama. The author exposes in it the vices of his contemporary society.

Fonvizin worked on the comedy for about three years. The premiere took place in 1782. There is also a text, presumably from the early 1760s, on the same topic and with the same title, but with different characters and plot (the so-called “Early “Undergrown””); it is unknown whether this play belongs to the young Fonvizin or to some of his anonymous predecessors.

The production of "The Minor" was associated with many difficulties. Having been refused in St. Petersburg, the playwright left for Moscow in May 1782. But here, too, failure awaits him: because of his bold remarks, the comedy is not allowed on stage.

A few months later, Fonvizin still managed to “break through” the production of the comedy: on September 24, 1782, the premiere took place in St. Petersburg (Free Russian Theater, also known as the Karl Knieper Theater).

The success of "Nedorosl" in Moscow was enormous. It was staged on their stage by university students. Many amateur productions appeared.

Idea of the play

In any dramatic work, the modernity of the issues is important. Having read “The Minor” once again, I seriously thought about how relevant the problems raised by Denis Ivanovich in this play are today. Here is the problem of despotism of autocratic power, and serfdom, and the most obvious, at first glance, problem of upbringing and education.

DI. Fonvizin believed that art should perform a moral and educational function in the life of society. Therefore, in his work he shows dissatisfaction with the education system of the nobility in the era of Catherine, leads readers to the conclusion that evil itself lies in the serfdom system, and calls for a fight against it.

Denis Ivanovich draws a parallel between the estate of serf-owners and the imperial court. “You cannot consider teaching and upbringing as fashion,” says Starodum, but we understand that these words contain the opinion of the author himself. For Prostakovs and Skotinin, all strength and power lies in the serfs. And Mitrofanushka, in the opinion of his mother, should not learn geography at all, because a nobleman only has to give an order and he will be taken where he should. It is no coincidence that the author shows the reader the life of different strata of society. For example, the joyless life of Trishka and Eremeevna, the cruel treatment of them by Mrs. Prostakova.

With Starodum's stories about the court, the author leads the reader to the conclusion that some measures are needed to limit the despotic power of government. “It is in vain to call a doctor to the sick without healing. The doctor won’t help here unless he gets infected himself,” says D.I. Fonvizin through the mouth of Starodum.

Characteristics of the characters

From the list of characters, you can see that all the names of the characters are “speaking”. Therefore, already at the very beginning, the reader understands where the positive and where the negative characters are.

Ms. Prostakova.

The team of negative heroes is headed by Mrs. Prostakova - a noblewoman, the mother of Mitrofanushka and the sister of Taras Skotinin. Her surname indicates the heroine's lack of education and ignorance. This is the sovereign mistress of her estate. She also makes all decisions in the house. Prostakova was not taught to read and write, because in her family it was considered almost a sin or a crime to learn. She believes that her power is limitless, but at the same time she is ready to grovel before the strongest or richest (as, for example, in the episode with Sophia’s inheritance). The main feature in Prostakova’s character and her weakness is her mad love for her son. In her opinion, everything that is beneficial for Mitrofan is good, everything that is unprofitable is bad. In this case, the way in which the benefit is achieved does not matter. So, trying to eliminate her son’s rival - her brother Skotinin, she grabs his neck. She is kind only in her relationship with her son, and only in these moments can the reader see her as a caring and loving mother. But her love is blind, she does not notice his obvious shortcomings and coldness towards herself. Prostakova is a typical representative of lawlessness and arbitrariness. Fonvizin sees two reasons for the heroine’s “evil character”. The first, internal reason is her ignorance, not ennobled by education. The second, social, is the decree of Catherine II “On the freedom of the nobles,” which the ignorant nobles understood as complete power over the serfs, without any restrictions. At the end of the play, Prostakova is defeated. She loses everything: power over the serfs, her estate, her son. Its collapse is the defeat of the entire previous system of education and the guarantee of the victory of new ideas declared by the positive characters of the play.

Mr. Skotinin.

Following Prostakova is Taras Skotinin, her brother. The surname already speaks of something bestial. Indeed, Taras loves pigs and breeds them. On his estate, the pigs live even better than the peasants. He is ready to marry Sophia, just for their sake. Because of this, he competed with his nephew Mitrofan and conflicted with Prostakova: “When things come to a breakdown, I’ll bend you and you’ll crack.” This hero is a “worthy” representative of his family: he has morally and morally degraded, turned into an animal. The reason for such degradation is ignorance and lack of proper education. Skotinin, in my opinion, is a worthless person. He is an example of how “bestial” and “animal” baseness takes over.

Mitrofan.

Mitrofan should also be classified as a negative character. This is a sixteen-year-old teenager (minor), the only son of Mrs. Prostakova, his mother’s darling. He is stupid and lazy. His mother takes care of him in everything, and he tries to please her (this is clearly seen in the scene where Mitrofan tells his dream; he took pity on his mother, who was busy with the difficult duty of beating the priest). His day is marked by absolute idleness: the fun in the dovecote, where Mitrofan is escaping from his lessons, is interrupted by Eremeevna, who begs the “child” to study, but he doesn’t want that at all. He expresses a desire - he’ll get married as soon as possible (“I don’t want to study, I want to get married.”) Having blabbed to his uncle about his desire, Mitrofanushka immediately hides behind Eremeevna - “an old bastard,” in his words - ready to lay down his life, but “child” "not to give out." Mitrofan's boorish arrogance is akin to his mother's manner of treating household members and servants: "freak" and "weeper" - the husband, "dog's daughter" and "nasty mug" - Eremeevna, "beast" - the girl Palashka. Fonvizin emphasizes details that speak about the quality of choice regarding study, which is characteristic of the Prostakov family: Mitrofan is taught French by the German Vralman, exact sciences are taught by retired sergeant Tsyfirkin, grammar is taught by the “educated” seminarian Kuteikin. Hence, in the famous exam scene of Mitrofanushka, there is an outstanding invention of his ingenuity about the noun and adjective door, hence the fabulous ideas about the story recounted by the cowgirl Khavronya. In general, the result was summed up by Mrs. Prostakova, who is convinced that “people live and have lived without science.” Fonvizin's hero is unconscionable in his attitude towards his mother, through whose efforts he exists in comfort and idleness, and whom he abandons at the moment when she needs his consolation. Thanks to this play, the word “minor” became a common noun for a quitter, a loafer and a lazy person.

The positive characters include Starodum, Sophia, Milon and Pravdin.

Sophia is the niece of Starodum, who is her guardian. Translated from ancient Greek, her name means “wisdom.” Therefore, in comedy she is endowed with the wisdom of the soul and heart. Sophia is an orphan. Her estate, in the absence of Starodum, is managed by the Prostakovs, who rob the girl. Sophia despises and laughs at the Prostakov-Skotinin family. The girl is smart, sensitive and kind (at the end of the comedy she forgives Prostakov for the harm she caused). The heroine believes that honor and wealth should be achieved through hard work, that meekness and obedience to elders are appropriate for a girl, but she can and should defend her love. The girl comes from honest nobles who gave her a good education. All the positive characters in the play are grouped around Sophia. They help her free herself from the tutelage of the Prostakovs and unite with Milon at the end of the comedy.

Sophia's groom. A sympathetic, brave and kind young man. In his words one can feel all the warmth, tenderness and sincerity of feelings towards Sophia. And even the name itself can be deciphered as “darling.”

Pravdin is an old friend of Starodum, a government official called upon to understand the affairs of the Prostakovs. He learns about Prostakova’s atrocities, as well as the fact that she is robbing Sophia. With the help of Starodum and Milon, he incriminates Prostakova and takes away her estate in favor of the state. Although Pravdin is an official, he is an honest man, accustomed to acting according to his conscience, telling the truth, and administering justice. Hence his “speaking” surname.

Starodum.

Sophia's uncle. Starodum has a detailed biography. He is 60 years old, he served at court and retired. Afterwards he lived for a long time in Siberia, where he made a fortune through his labor. Starodum wants to arrange Sophia's happiness, finds her a groom and makes her his heir. This hero is straightforward and insightful. He sees right through Prostakova and her family and tells them to their faces everything that he thinks about them. He is a wise man, who has seen a lot of things and knows life. He knows how to control himself and does not do anything rashly. In Starodum's monologues, the ideas of enlightenment that the author professes are expressed. The upbringing of a nobleman, according to Starodum, is a matter for the state. It must include both the education of the mind and the education of the heart. Moreover, education of the heart comes first. After all, without a soul, “the most enlightened clever woman is a pitiful creature.” His surname means that the hero follows the principles of the era of Peter I (the old era): “My father constantly told me the same thing: have a heart, have a soul, and you will be a man at all times.”

Compositional structure of the play

Exposition.

In the first scene of the first act there is an exposition of the play, the so-called “once upon a time,” where you can see how the characters live and what they do. Namely, we see the scene of trying on a caftan, which turns out to be too small for Mitrofanushka. We learn about Sophia that her father died when she was still little. The girl grew up with her mother in Moscow. But six months have already passed since she was left an orphan. The Prostakovs took her in to look after her estate as if it were their own. Sophia's uncle, Starodum, left for Siberia. For a long time there was no news about him, and the Prostakovs believe that he died long ago. We also learn about Skotinin’s intention to marry Sophia in order to take possession of her estate, or rather the pigs that are there, because pigs are his passion.

The beginning of the main conflict.

The plot occurs in the sixth and seventh scenes of the first act. Sophia brings a letter from Starodum. Pravdin, their guest, reads a letter in which Starodum informs his niece that he makes her the heiress of his fortune, acquired by him in Siberia, which gives an income of ten thousand a year. Mrs. Prostakova has an idea: to marry Sophia to her son, the ignorant Mitrofan.

Development of action.

Various twists and turns arise throughout the second and third acts. This is the appearance of soldiers in the village; meeting of officer Milon with Pravdin; who turns out to be a member of the viceroy's board; the meeting of Sophia and Milon, who had been separated for six months; Sophia says that Mrs. Prostakova wants to marry her to Mitrofanushka; Skotinin declares his plans for Sophia, and Pravdin tells him about the plans of Mrs. Prostakova, Skotinin is furious; Mitrofanushka’s teachers come, but he refuses to study and his mother promises to marry him soon; Starodum arrives, he promises to take Sophia to Moscow and marry her to a worthy man; Mitrofanushka's classes; Milon asks Starodum for Sophia's hand; Starodum denies both Skotinin and Mitrofan the hand of their niece, saying that Sophia has already been agreed upon.

Climax.

The climax occurs at the beginning of the fifth act. Prostakova tries to kidnap Sophia at six in the morning, before she leaves with her uncle to forcefully marry her to Mitrofan.

Resolution of the main conflict.

From the fourth to the sixth scene of the fifth act, the main conflict of the play is resolved. Pravdin shows the paper on guardianship of the estate, Prostakova asks for a delay of at least a few days, but Pravdin refuses her this; Skotinin quietly moves away from everyone; And Starodum recognizes Vralman, Mitrofanushka’s teacher, as his former coachman.

A new position and ending occur in the last two phenomena. Starodum, Sophia and Milon are about to leave; Starodum takes Vralman back as his coachman; Mitrofan is taken to work. And here the most important moment of the play occurs, when Prostakova throws herself on her son’s neck, he says: “Let go, mother, how you imposed yourself...”. And the play ends with Starodum’s phrase “Here are the worthy fruits of evil.”

Of course, now the play is not easy to understand, especially if you read it in school years, but once you read it carefully and thoughtfully, its goal immediately becomes clear and definite - correcting the vices of society and the state. The author leaves no hope for the best. His comedy also calls the reader to this.

fonvizin ignorant play dramaturgy

List of used literature

1. Fonvizin D.I. Minor. Comments, St. Petersburg, 2008.

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Descendant of a knightly family

Fonvizin did not follow in the footsteps of his military ancestors. At the age of four he began to study literacy, and at ten he entered the noble gymnasium at Moscow University.

While studying at the Faculty of Philosophy, the young man published his first satirical works in the magazine “Useful Amusement” by Mikhail Kheraskov. The translated article “Just Jupiter” was also published there.

In 1760, Denis Fonvizin and his younger brother Pavel, as the best students, were sent to St. Petersburg to introduce them to the founder of Moscow University, Count Ivan Shuvalov. In the capital, the aspiring writer met Mikhail Lomonosov and the first director of the Russian theater, Alexander Sumarokov. Then Fonvizin saw the play for the first time - the play “Henry and Pernille” by the Danish writer Ludwig Holberg. “The action produced in me by the theater is almost impossible to describe: the comedy I saw, quite stupid, I considered the work of the greatest mind, and the actors - great people, whose acquaintance, I thought, would constitute my well-being.”, he wrote later.

Knowledge of Latin and German, and later French, allowed Denis Fonvizin to prove himself as a professional translator. During this period, he translated into Russian more than 200 fables by Holberg, Ovid's Metamorphoses, and the works of Terrason and Voltaire.

Secretary "for some business"

After graduating from university, Fonvizin entered the service as a translator at the College of Foreign Affairs. A year later, in 1763, he moved to St. Petersburg, where he was appointed “to be in charge of certain matters” under the cabinet minister Ivan Elagin.

At the same time, Fonvizin’s first comedy “Corion” was staged - a translation of the story by the French writer Jean-Baptiste-Louis Gresset “Sidney and Scilly, or Benefits and Gratitude.” Fonvizin finished his first original comedy, “The Brigadier,” in 1769. The public liked the play so much that the writer was compared to Moliere, the founder of classical comedy. Publisher Nikolai Novikov wrote: “... She was praised by so many justly reasonable and knowledgeable people that Moliere did not see better acceptance for his comedies in France and did not wish for it...” Denis Fonvizin was even invited to Peterhof to personally read the work to Empress Catherine II.

In 1769, Fonvizin left the service of Elagin and became the secretary of the statesman Nikita Panin. There he corresponded with Russian diplomats at European courts; under the influence of Count Panin, he drafted government reforms.

Euro-trip

At the end of 1774, Denis Fonvizin married Ekaterina Rogovikova, the daughter of a wealthy merchant. The wedding took place in Moscow, and the newlyweds returned to live in St. Petersburg, to a house on Galernaya Street. Three years later, Fonvizin’s wife fell ill. To improve their health, they went to France - this was the writer’s first trip abroad. Along the way, the couple visited Warsaw and Dresden, Leipzig and Lyon, Strasbourg and Mannheim. When his wife felt better, they visited the southern French provinces.

During the trip, Fonvizin wrote letters to his sister Feodosia Argamakova, Count Nikita Panin and diplomat Yakov Bulgakov. He described to them French reality, culture, and told them about achievements in science and literature.

After 6 years, the Fonvizins visited Europe again - they went to Germany. Fonvizin visited Leipzig, Memel, Frankfurt, Nuremberg. The writer walked around the city, went to museums and art galleries.

Fonvizin's main comedy

Denis Fonvizin served with Nikita Panin until 1782, was one of his confidants and close assistant, and shared his opposition views towards the Empress of Russia. Based on Panin’s ideas, Fonvizin created one of the best works of Russian journalism - “Discourse on Indispensable State Laws.” This treatise was written for the future Emperor Pavel Petrovich. For a long time, the “Discourse” remained popular, but under a different name - “Thoughts of the late Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin about the necessary need for an indispensable law for the Russian Empire.”

In 1782, Fonvizin finished his main comedy, The Minor. The government and nobility greeted the play with hostility - they were against the satirical production. Nikita Panin helped bypass censorship. The premiere was delayed, but soon the work was staged in two capitals. On September 24, 1782, the play was presented to the St. Petersburg public at the Knipper Theater, and on May 14, 1783, at the Medox Theater - to the Moscow public.

Fonvizin himself directed the performance and distributed the roles: Starodum was played by the talented actor Ivan Dmitrevsky, and Pravdin was played by the artist Plavilshchikov. The audience received the play with delight, but Catherine II did not like it: due to its harsh satire on noble traditions, Fonvizin remained in disgrace with the empress until the end of his life.

Fighting the disease

In 1784, the Fonvizins left for Italy. There the writer managed to visit ancient churches and cathedrals, and looked at paintings in museums and private collections. “Many young painters are practicing here (in the gallery in Florence - editor's note) in copying glorious paintings. In short, here you see both a gallery and a school. My wife and I go there very often, and especially me almost every day.”, - Fonvizin wrote to his mother. However, the writer liked it less in Italy than in Germany. The Italians seemed noisy to him, there were no intelligent interlocutors, they didn’t speak French, they didn’t play cards, and they fed him in such a way that Fonvizin had to blush for the owner.

In August 1785, the writer returned to Russia. In Moscow, Fonvizin had his first stroke, and he was bedridden for a long time. “A ray of joy shone in his dull eyes when I approached his bed: he wanted, but could not hug me, he tried to greet me with words, but his tongue did not obey and uttered indistinct sounds... His right hand was completely paralyzed, so He couldn’t even move it.”, wrote his friend Herman Klosterman. Doctors sent the sick writer to Carlsbad for treatment.

When Fonvizin felt better, he began to prepare for publication his own satirical magazine, “Friend of Honest People, or Starodum.” However, Catherine II banned it. She also did not approve of the writer’s complete works.

In 1791, the writer was struck by apoplexy four times. Despite his serious illness, Denis Fonvizin worked on his autobiography “Frank Confession”. True, he did not have time to finish it. The writer died in December 1792, he was buried in St. Petersburg at the Lazarevskoye cemetery

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin. Born on April 3 (14), 1745 in Moscow - died on December 1 (12), 1792 in St. Petersburg. Russian writer, creator of Russian everyday comedy.

Denis Fonvizin was born on April 3 (14 according to the new style) 1745 in Moscow.

Father - Ivan Andreevich Fonvizin. The writer later embodied his image in his favorite hero Starodum in the work “The Minor.”

He came from an old noble family of Livonian knights. The Fonvizins' ancestor was captured by Russians during the Livonian War (1558-1583) and was baptized into Orthodoxy.

The surname Von-Wiesen (German: von Wiesen) or, with the Russified ending Von-Wiesin, was written in the 18th century in two words or with a hyphen. The same spelling remained until the middle of the 19th century. The spelling “Fon-Vizin” was used by the author of the first major biography of Fonvizin. The combined spelling was established by the literary critic of the second half of the 19th century N. S. Tikhonravov, although he already found this style to be correct, as it gives a more Russian character to the writer’s surname. According to Pushkin, Fonvizin was “from the Russians to the Russians.”

In 1755-1760 he studied at the noble gymnasium at Moscow University, then for a year at the university's Faculty of Philosophy.

In 1760, among the best high school students, Fonvizin and his brother Pavel arrived in St. Petersburg. Here he met the first director of the Russian theater, Sumarokov, and for the first time saw a theatrical performance, which was the play “Henry and Pernille” by the Danish writer, the founder of Danish drama, Ludwig Holberg.

In 1761, at the request of one of the Moscow booksellers, Fonvizin translated Holberg's fable from German. Then, in 1762, he translated the political-didactic novel by the French writer Abbot Terrason “Heroic Virtue or the Life of Seth, King of Egypt,” written in the manner of the famous “Telemac” by Fenelon, the tragedy “Alzira or the Americans,” Ovid’s “Metamorphoses,” and in 1769 - Gresse's sentimental story "Sidney and Scilly or Benefits and Gratitude", which Fonvizin called "Corion".

Simultaneously with the translations, Fonvizin’s original works began to appear, painted in sharply satirical tones. Thus, presumably, a play that was not published during the author’s lifetime, the so-called “early “Minor,””, first published only in volumes 9-10 of the “Literary Heritage” series in 1933, dates back to the 1760s. Its characters are prototypes of the characters of the famous “Minor”. So, Aksen is similar to Prostakov, Julitta is similar to Prostakova, and Ivanushka is similar to Mitrofan. There is also a version that the early “Nedorosl” does not belong to Fonvizin.

Fonvizin was under the strong influence of French educational thought from Voltaire to Helvetius. He became a permanent member of the circle of Russian freethinkers who met in the house of Prince Kozlovsky. The comedy "Brigadier" features two families of provincial landowners. The image of Ivan, the son of the foreman, a frantic gallomaniac, occupies a central place.

Fonvizin’s friend and the first performer of the role of Starodum, actor Ivan Dmitrevsky, talking about the premiere of “The Minor,” wrote: “They say that at the first performance of this Comedy at the Court Theater, the late Prince Grigory Alexandrovich Potemkin-Tavrichesky, leaving the theater, called the Writer to him and with the usual in his vernacular he told him jokingly: “Die now, Denis, or don’t write anything else; your name will be immortal because of this one play.” This phrase, in its many variations, was repeated in writings about Fonvizin and Potemkin and eventually became popular. Although many researchers doubt the authenticity of the story told by Dmitrievsky. Firstly, according to some sources, Potemkin could not have been at the premiere of Nedorosl, since he was in the south of Russia at that time. Secondly, Potemkin did not treat Fonvizin very favorably and such an enthusiastic reaction on his part is unlikely.

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin - Minor

Fonvizin's literary studies also helped him in his career. His translation of Voltaire’s tragedy attracted attention, and in 1763 Fonvizin, who was then serving as a translator in a foreign collegium, was appointed to serve under the then already well-known cabinet minister Elagin, under whose command Vladimir Ignatievich Lukin also served.

His comedy “The Brigadier” enjoyed even greater success, for which the author was invited to Peterhof to read it to the Empress herself, after which other readings followed, as a result of which he became close to Pavel Petrovich’s tutor, Count Nikita Ivanovich Panin.

In 1769, Fonvizin went into the service of Panin, becoming, as his secretary, one of his closest and most trusted persons. Before Panin’s death, Fonvizin, on his direct instructions, compiled “A Discourse on the extermination of every form of government in Russia and, therefore, on the precarious state of both the empire and the sovereigns themselves.” This work contains an exceptionally harsh picture of the despotic regime of Catherine and her favorites, demands constitutional reforms and directly threatens a violent coup otherwise.

In 1777-1778, Fonvizin traveled abroad and stayed in France for quite a long time. From here he writes letters to his sister F.I. Argamakova, P.I. Panin (brother of N.I. Panin), Ya.I. Bulgakov. These letters had a pronounced public-social character. Fonvizin's keen mind, observation, and ability to understand economic, social and political phenomena in the life of French society allowed him to paint a historically accurate picture of feudal-absolutist France.

Studying French reality, Fonvizin wanted to better understand the processes taking place not only in France, but also in Russia, and to find ways to improve the socio-political order in his homeland. He appreciates what deserves attention in France - trade and industry.

One of the best works of Russian journalism is “Discourse on Indispensable State Laws.” It was intended for the pupil of Nikita Panin - the future Emperor Pavel Petrovich. Speaking about serfdom, Fonvizin considers it necessary not to destroy it, but to introduce it into the “limits of moderation.” He was frightened by the possibility of a new Pugachevism; it was necessary to make concessions in order to avoid further shocks. Hence the main requirement is the introduction of “fundamental laws”, the observance of which is also necessary for the monarch. The most impressive is the picture of contemporary reality drawn by the satirical writer: limitless arbitrariness that has gripped all government bodies.

Speaking about the work of Fonvizin, a famous literary critic wrote: “In general, for me, Kantemir and Fonvizin, especially the latter, are the most interesting writers of the first periods of our literature: they tell me not about transcendental priorities on the occasion of flat illuminations, but about living reality, historically existing, about rights of society."

“In the works of this writer, the demonic beginning of sarcasm and indignation was revealed for the first time, which was destined to permeate all Russian literature from then on, becoming the dominant tendency in it,” noted.

After retiring, Fonvizin, despite a serious illness (paralysis), was engaged in literary work until the end of his life, but met misunderstanding and sharp disapproval from the empress, who forbade Fonvizin to publish a five-volume collected works. The literary heritage of the last period of the writer’s life consists mainly of articles for the magazine and dramatic works: the comedy “The Tutor’s Choice” and the dramatic feuilleton “Conversation with Princess Khaldina.” In addition, in the last years of his life, he worked on his autobiography, A Sincere Confession.

Fonvizin died in December 1792 and was buried at the Lazarevskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

As of 2013, 15 streets and 1 lane in Russian cities bear the name of Fonvizin, including Fonvizin Street in Moscow and Makhachkala. There are also Fonvizin streets in Zaporozhye, Kharkov and Kherson.

Personal life of Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin:

Wife - Khlopova (Rogovikova) Ekaterina Ivanovna (1747-1796). There were no children.

Bibliography of Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin:

1768–1769 - Brigadier (comedy)
1770 - Message to my servants - Shumilov, Vanka and Petrushka (poem)
1779-1781 - Minor (comedy)
1782-1783 - Discourse on indispensable state laws (journalism)
1783 - Experience of a Russian estate (journalism)
1788 - Friend of Honest People, or Starodum (materials for an unpublished magazine)
1791 - Sincere confession of my deeds and thoughts

Film adaptations of the works of Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin:

1927 - Lord Skotinina (dir. Grigory Roshal, based on the comedy Nedorosl)
1987 - Minor (dir. Vitaly Ivanov, Vladimir Semakov)

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