Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin came from a Russified German family, original surname which was von Wiesen. The modern spelling Fonvizin was proposed by A.S. Pushkin much later.

At first, Fonvizin studied with private teachers, then he entered the gymnasium at Moscow State University, where he later studied. But he didn’t finish the University; he dropped out to start his military service. While still at the gymnasium, he made his debut as a writer and translator from German: when Fonvizin was a first-year university student, a translator was needed at court, and he was accepted into the service of the College of Foreign Affairs, where he worked all his life. In 1763, Fonvizin moved to St. Petersburg, where he met writers, incl. with Elagin: he joins his circle and becomes a fan of the theory of declinations.

Fonvizin as a playwright

1764 - Fonvizin’s debut as a playwright: he publishes the play Corion. It is poorly written, but in full accordance with the theory of declensions - it is a reworking of the French comedy.

After this failure, Fonvizin did not write for a long time; only in 1769 did he create a comedy Brigadier. From this play it is clear that Fonvizin understood: it is not enough just to give the characters Russian names, you also need to introduce Russian problems into the play. In Brigadier this problem is gallomania- imitation of everything French, this was relevant in Russia in the mid-18th century; another, no less current problem, - education of young nobles. But the influence of the theory of declinations is also felt in The Brigadier, because the plot device there is borrowed from French drama- this is the so-called symmetry in red tape(situation when two married couples husbands simultaneously court other people's wives). But since the Brigadier was nevertheless sensibly adapted for Russia, it is considered the first Russian play.

At first, the production of The Brigadier in the theater was prohibited, because Elagin and Lukin were afraid that Fonvizin would take away their dramatic fame. And, in order to bring the play to the public, Fonvizin began to organize public readings. At one of them he met Count Nikita Panin, the teacher of the heir to the throne, Paul. Communicating with him, Fonvizin began to become more interested in politics and became bolder.

Fonvizin's ideals in the comedy Nedorosl

Fonvizin knew how to distinguish and describe any problems Russian society, had a good sense of humor, could think like a statesman. All this was manifested in his main work - comedy Minor, written in 1781. However, the comedy was first published only in 1830, after the death of Fonvizin.

The main problem that is raised in this comedy- education of a young Russian nobleman, ideas of enlightenment. This was very relevant in the 1780s, when even Empress Catherine herself thought a lot about education and was opposed to home education with tutors.

In the 18th century there were several philosophical theories about education. According to one of them, initially a child is not a full-fledged person; he only copies the behavior of adults. Since Catherine shared this theory, she recommended separating children from their parents and placing them in educational establishments. Fonvizin, who was also a supporter of this theory, shows in the comedy Nedorosl the harmfulness of home education.

Fonvizin strives to prove that education is synonymous with happiness.

Comedy protagonist- a young nobleman Mitrofan, who has many negative role models before his eyes. Firstly, his mother, Mrs. Prostakova, is a cruel and willful landowner who does not see the point in education at all. Secondly, his nurse Eremeevna is a slave in spirit, from whom Mitrofan adopts the psychology of admiration for the strong (as well as from his father). Thirdly, his uncle, Taras Skotinin, is a nobleman who does not want to serve his fatherland; most of all, he loves his pigs. It is emphasized that Mitrofanushka learns something from all of them.

Despite the satire, the play was not originally intended to be funny. Contemporaries, reading it, were horrified.

Minor as a work of classicism

The comedy is undoubtedly a work of the era of classicism, but with some deviations from the canonical rules. For example, here only one rule from the trinity- unity of place, because All the action takes place on the Prostakov estate.

Present masked heroes: Sophia is the mistress, Starodum is the father (although he is not stupid!), he is also the hero-reasoner, Milon is the hero-lover, Mitrofan and Skotinin are negative suitors, Pravdin is god ex machina. There is no role of soubrette here.

In the play, as expected, five actions: exposition, plot, development of conflict, climax and denouement (which includes an unjustified denouement and catharsis when we feel sorry for Prostakov).

Classic conflict feelings and duty is expressed in the fact that the positive heroes of this play live submissive to reason, the state and the will of their elders. Negative ones become slaves to their feelings, often evil and selfish. Of course, in the end, the positive characters are rewarded with happiness, while the negative ones end up losing.

Comedy contains many speaking names: Skotinin, Tsifirkin, Milon, etc.

The play is written in a low style, easy spoken language, in prose.

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LESSON 14

TEST ESSAY ON COMEDY

DI. FONVIZINA "MINOR"
DURING THE CLASSES
I. Approximate plans for the proposed topics.

“Here are the fruits of evil.”

1. What characterizes sentimentalism as literary direction?

2. The main genres of sentimentalism.

Sentimentalism appeared in Europe in the second half of the 18th century.

The ideology of sentimentalism is close to the Enlightenment. Most educators believed that the world could be made perfect if people were taught certain reasonable forms of behavior. Writers of sentimentalism set the same goal and adhered to the same logic. Only they argued that it was not reason, but sensitivity that should save the world. They reasoned something like this: by cultivating sensitivity in all people, evil can be defeated.

In the 18th century the word “sentimentalism” meant receptivity, the ability to respond with the soul to everything that surrounds a person.

Thus sentimentalism is literary movement, reflecting the world from the position of feeling, not reason.

As an independent literary movement, sentimentalism originated in the works of the Englishman Laurence Stern and the French educator J.-J. Rousseau. In Russia, it was developed in the works of N.M. Karamzin.

Characteristic genres for sentimentalism are letters, where the thoughts and feelings of the characters are revealed in the form of a confidential monologue, and travel, where chance encounters and conversations along the way, the most insignificant road incidents are described. All this is important because it provides food for the heart and imagination.

In a work of sentimentalism, the voice of the narrator is very important. In the article “What the Author Needs,” which became a manifesto of Russian sentimentalism, N.M. Karamzin wrote: “You want to be an author: read the history of the misfortunes of the human race - and if your heart If it doesn’t bleed, leave the pen, or it will depict to us the cold gloom of your soul.”

IV. Prove that “The Journey...” belongs to the literature of sentimentalism.
V. Answer to homework question 2.
VI. Homework.

Individual task - prepare a message on the topic “N.M. Karamzin" (on card 8).

Card 8

N.M. Karamzin 1

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin (1766-1826) grew up in the provinces, in the Simbirsk province. When he turned 14 years old, he was taken to Moscow and sent to the boarding school of Professor Schaden. He received a good education and secular upbringing.

At the age of 18, Karamzin entered the military service, - as befits a noble youth, - into one of the best guards regiments. However, he soon retired and left for Simbirsk. There he shone in society, astounding provincials with his metropolitan toilets and extraordinary education. In Simbirsk Karamzin was seen by I.P. Turgenev, a famous freemason and writer of the Novikov circle. He convinced young man to go with him to Moscow, involved him in the Masonic organization, forced him to seriously engage in literature and deepen his scientific horizons.

The Masons believed that through education, through good deeds, and through re-education, evil could be gradually eliminated.

Karamzin's life among the Masons lasted about four years. Finally, he experienced disappointment in the Masonic organization and in Novikov himself. He was tired of the mystical hobbies of the Freemasons, who probably initially influenced him with the atmosphere of mystery and the peculiar knightly romance of rituals. But most of all, Karamzin was confused in Novikov’s Freemasonry by a touch of conspiracy, which was not so much aesthetic as political in nature. Karamzin did not want to participate in the plans of the Freemasons; he avoided direct political action; the practical, business scope of Novikov’s enterprises was also unpleasant to him. Besides, he wanted to see Europe, he wanted to grow as a writer. He went abroad, left his beloved woman and friends in Moscow; it was a break with the Freemasons and the beginning of a new life.

He visited Germany, Switzerland, France and England, while trying to observe the nature and rights of foreign countries, read, sought acquaintance with outstanding people in the West - with writers, scientists, philosophers; I immediately tried to sort out my impressions, understand what I saw, and comprehend it. In 1790, he lived for several months in Paris, observing the revolution in action, and reacted to it without sympathy.

In the autumn of 1790, Karamzin returned to Russia in a fashionable tailcoat, with a fashionable high hairstyle, with ribbons on his shoes, with a lot of French, German and English books, with a supply of ideas, impressions and memories for many years. In 1791, he began publishing the Moscow Journal, which was published for two years. Karamzin published many of his stories and poems in it; story " Poor Lisa", placed in it, created a sensation. Moscow girls and boys, having read the story and were touched by the sad fate of its heroine, went to the Simonov Monastery and admired the pond in which she allegedly drowned. Fame came to Karamzin when he was only 25 years old.

In 1816 Karamzin arrived in St. Petersburg. Two years later, the first eight volumes of the History of the Russian State appeared. The success of the book was unheard of. Everyone wanted to read the history of their country, written scientifically and fascinatingly for the first time.

Since 1816, Karamzin lived in the summer in Tsarskoe Selo, not far from the palace. Work on “History...” took the whole morning. While walking in the park, Karamzin constantly met with Tsar Alexander. They walked and talked together. Karamzin became a personal friend of the tsar, although he often challenged his opinions and even actions very decisively.

He did not want ranks or money - and he did not receive them. Friends and writers often came to Tsarskoe Selo. In the summer of 1816, the young man Pushkin often attended these tea parties. In winter, conversations round table moved to St. Petersburg.

LESSON 17

N.M. KARAMZIN. PERSONALITY, CREATIVITY, DESTINY

With it and as a result of its influence, severe

pedantry and scholasticism were replaced by sentimentality

grandeur and secular ease...

V.G. Belinsky
DURING THE CLASSES
I. Verification individual assignment- message on the topic “N.M. Karamzin" (According to card 8).
II. Conversation on questions:

1. Why N.M. Was Karamzin one of the outstanding figures of his time? (He entered literature early and quickly gained fame as the first writer. He traveled and communicated with prominent people Western Europe. He is the head of the school of Russian sentimentalists and a reformer of the Russian language. He is the author of the “History of the Russian State,” called by Pushkin “the creation of a great writer” 1.)

2. What is “sensibility” in the understanding of Karamzin’s contemporaries and how is this concept related to the sentimentalism movement in art?

3. Find in the poems of N.M. Karamzin, placed in the textbook, features of sentimentalism. Read these poems expressively, note the features of their intonation, the images drawn in them, the beauty and expressiveness of the epithets.

III. Homework.

a) Why do critics consider the image of Erast to be the author’s undoubted merit? Is Erast a villain or a victim of his passions?

b) How does the story express the attitude of the author-narrator to the events taking place?

Prove that descriptions of nature prepare heroes and readers, setting them up for certain events.

2. Task in groups to analyze the following points:

1 option- description of the Simonov Monastery at the beginning of the story;

Option 2- Lisa on the banks of the Moscow River early in the morning before meeting with Erast;

Option 3- description of the thunderstorm.

LESSON 18

STORY N.M. KARAMZIN "POOR LISA".

LIFE OF SIMPLE PEOPLE.

FEATURES OF SENTIMENTALISM IN THE STORY

“Poor Liza” - ...an exemplary work-

tion devoted not to external events, but

"sensitive" soul.

E. Osetrov
DURING THE CLASSES
I. Conversation on the following issues:

1. About the plot of the story “Poor Lisa,” researchers say that it was neither new nor complex. What events underlie it?

2. Why was this story, written in 1792, an unprecedented success, and what did the public find in it? (The audience was sympathetic ordinary people, sympathized with the victims of passion.)

4. Became catchphrase N.M. Karamzin that “even peasant women know how to love.” Which heroine do these famous words refer to? ( It's about not about Lisa, but about her mother. After reading the story, we understand that this can be said about Lisa.)

5. The feelings of the heroes, their state are closely related to nature. Prove that descriptions of nature “prepare” heroes and readers, “set them up for certain events. To do this, analyze three landscapes (check homework).

6. Does the narrator condemn his heroine for committing suicide? (No, he is convinced that every suffering will receive a reward, and this seemed true to many readers, many accused the author of immorality, even an anonymous epigram appeared:

Well, is it possible to do something more ungodly and worse:

Fall in love with a tomboy and drown in a puddle?

Here Erast’s bride threw herself into the water, -

Drown yourself, girls, there's plenty of room in the pond!) 1

Do you agree that Erast is an elodea or is he a victim of his passions? (Answer to homework question.)

9. Why is “Poor Lisa” a work related to sentimentalism? Find words that create an image-mood, an image-experience. Why is the word “tears” used so often?
II. Homework.

Individual tasks - prepare messages on the topics “V.A. Zhukovsky", "Romanticism" (on cards 9, 10).

Denis Ivanovich - one of the most prominent figures literature XVIII century. Fonvizin is rightfully considered the creator of Russian socio-political comedy. His famous play “The Minor” had an explosive effect in the society of that time. “Minor” is a multifaceted work. Here questions are raised about the unwavering fulfillment of “duty” by every citizen, about the nature of family relationships in the author’s contemporary Russia, about the system of upbringing and education. But the main ones, undoubtedly, are the problems of serfdom and state power.

Throughout the comedy, Fonvizin emphasizes the “bestial” essence of small-scale nobles and serf owners. Unfortunately, the formation of a new generation took place under the all-encompassing influence of the mores of a conservative society. According to the author, not only the general situation in noble estates, but also the adopted system of education and upbringing.

At the same time, the author says that his contemporaries have hope for the revival of freedom and justice. The personification of such hope in “The Minor” are the characters of the play close to the author. The group of positive heroes in the play is represented by the images of Pravdin, Starodum, Milon and Sophia. For a writer of the era of classicism, it was extremely important not only to show social vices, but also to identify the ideal to which one should strive. It is these characters who are the bright ideal of the author himself. On the one hand, Fonvizin denounces government regulations, on the other hand, the author gives a kind of instruction on what a ruler and society should be like. Starodum sets out the patriotic views of the best part of the nobility, expresses topical political

By introducing into the play the scene of Prostakova’s deprivation of her master’s rights, Fonvizin suggests to the audience and the government one of the possible ways to suppress the arbitrariness of the landowners. The writer gives apt descriptions of court morals and reveals the vices of representatives of the upper class. Fonvizin emphasizes that these features are characteristic monarchical rule at all.

In parallel with the satirical description of the vices of his contemporaries, the author pays special attention to the enlightened people of that time. Fonvizin writes quite clearly and unambiguously that it is these bright personalities who are the support and driving force society, without them it will inevitably begin to plunge into the abyss of obscurantism and despotism.

The author admits that enlightened and worthy people still exist not only among young people, but also among the older generation. Yes, sometimes they cannot show their worthy qualities in an aggressive public environment, are not always able to defend the ideals of the author, but at the same time they know how to remain worthy people. First of all everyone positive characters The play is distinguished by an unusual conscientiousness and a sense of internal justice.

One can blame the author for creating people who are too ideal and far from the real appearance, but the fact is that in the book they serve as a kind of counterbalance, in opposition to the ideal-negative characters. Fonvizin tried to concentrate all the negative and positive characteristics in their characters. Sometimes the opposition of white and black in the play looks grotesque, but it is precisely due to its convexity that it produces such a strong

Positive and negative heroes“Undergrowth” act as a kind of mirrors that seem to call on the reader to look closely, see and recognize the features and appearance of many contemporaries. It is not for nothing that one of the characteristics of this work is the enduring topicality, the reason for which is the “polarity” of the characters.

It is no coincidence that the main characters in the book, both positive and negative, belong to the noble class. One of the themes of the play is the fate of the nobles, their future. Fonvizin considers the progressive nobles to be the driving force that is capable of leading Russia out of the darkness of ignorance and making it a civilized country. On behalf of his characters, the author speaks with longing about the past heyday of the nobility; together with his heroes, he hopes for the future revival of this class. There are still those who remember what true aristocrats of the spirit should be, and there is still hope that they will have time to pass on this knowledge to the next generation. This is where Starodum, Sophia and Pravdin come from; they contain the author’s desire to show the continuity of noble thoughts and actions.

The high society of that time did not forgive blows to its vices, and soon Fonvizin’s works ceased to appear in print. But Russia knew them, since the book was repeatedly rewritten by hand. And the satirist entered the consciousness of his generation as a bold exposer of the vices of society. It is not for nothing that Herzen put the comedy “The Minor” on a par with “Dead Souls”

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Fonvizin's ideal is enlightenment fighting tyranny.

In the Age of Enlightenment, the value of art was reduced to its educational and moral role. Artists
this time, they took upon themselves the hard work of awakening in a person the desire for development and self-improvement
personality. Classicism is one of the movements within which they worked. The purpose of literature, according to the classicists,
is the influence on the human mind to correct vices and cultivate virtue. Conflict between
feeling and reason, duty to the state was always resolved in favor of the latter. Thus, it was created
the image of a person doing good is an ideal to which everyone living in this world should strive.
Russian figures of the Enlightenment have always actively participated in the political life of the country. Writers, spoke
Fonvizin, “...have... a duty to raise their loud voice against abuses and prejudices that harm
fatherland, so that a person with talent can be a useful adviser in his room, with a pen in his hands
sovereign, and sometimes the savior of his fellow citizens and the fatherland.”
The main problem that Fonvizin raises in the comedy “Minor” is the problem of education
enlightened progressive people. A nobleman, a future citizen of the country who must do things for the good
fatherland, from birth is brought up in an atmosphere of immorality, complacency and self-sufficiency.
Such a life and upbringing immediately took away his purpose and meaning in life. And teachers will not be able to help (this is just a tribute
fashion from Mrs. Prostakova); Mitrofan had no other desires than to eat, run on
dovecote and get married.
The same thing happens at court. It's a big barnyard where everyone wants to grab the best piece and
roll around in the golden mud. “Here I love myself perfectly; I care about myself alone; fussing about one real hour.”
The nobles forgot what duty and useful good deeds are. They “...do not leave the yard... the yard is useful to them,” “...ranks
often begged for.” They have forgotten what soul, honor, and good behavior are.
But the author does not give up hope that something can change. Pravdin takes custody of the farm
Prostakova, forbids her to rule over her estate. “It is in vain to call a doctor to the sick without healing. There is no doctor here
will help, unless he himself becomes infected” - this is the conclusion Starodum makes about life at court. Behind all this they are watching
radical measures that Fonvizin proposes to take: limit the power of the Prostakovs and Skotinins over
peasants, and the tsar and courtiers - over all Russian life.
But the life “...rules that must be followed” formulated by the playwright are real
nobles:
1. “...Have a heart, have a soul, and you will be a man at all times.”
2. “Everyone will find enough strength in himself to be virtuous. You have to want it decisively, but that’s all
it will be easier not to do something for which your conscience would prick you.”
3. “Good behavior gives direct value to it (the mind). Without him clever man- a monster. It is immeasurably higher than all
mental fluency."
4. “...A pious man is jealous of deeds, not of rank.”
5. “Respect alone should be flattering to a person - spiritual; and only those who are worthy of spiritual respect
ranks not according to money, and in the nobility not according to ranks.”
6. “I calculate the degree of nobility by the number of deeds that the great gentleman did for the fatherland, and not by
the number of tasks that he took upon himself out of arrogance... According to my calculation, he is not the rich one who counts
money to hide it in a chest, and the one who counts out the excess from himself in order to help those who do not have
needed.”
7. “...What is a position. This is the sacred vow that we all owe to those with whom we live and from whom
dependent... A nobleman, for example, would consider it the first dishonor to do nothing when he has so much to do:
there are people to help, there is a fatherland to serve. Then there would be no such nobles as
nobility... buried with their ancestors. A nobleman unworthy of being a nobleman! There's nothing meaner than him
I don’t know in the world.”
All these postulates correspond to the ideas of the Enlightenment, of which Fonvizin was an ardent champion.

The comedy by D. N. Fonvizin “The Minor” is the pinnacle of Russian drama of the 18th century. The work was created according to the strict rules of classicism: the unity of time (day), place (the Prostakovs' house) and action (the rivalry of Sophia's suitors) is observed; heroes share...

The comedy “Minor” absorbed all the experience accumulated by Fonvizin, and in depth ideological issues, by the courage and originality found artistic solutions remains an unsurpassed masterpiece Russian drama of the 18th century. Accusatory pathos...

If you conduct a survey among those who have read Fonvizin’s comedies, it will probably turn out that the first thing a modern reader of the comedy “Minor” pays attention to is their surnames characters. "Speaking" names immediately set the scene...

D.I. Fonvizin was destined to live in the rather dark era of the reign of Catherine II, when inhumane forms of exploitation of serfs reached the limit that could only be followed by a peasant revolt. This frightened the Russian autocrat...

Why are the heroes of D. I. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” close to the author?

Second half of the 18th century. is distinguished by the genuine flowering of Russian drama. Works that are not provided for by the rules of the classics of the genre are beginning to penetrate into the previously established literary direction, indicating an urgent need to expand the boundaries and democratize the content. Among these new products, first of all, was the so-called public satirical comedy. Perhaps the first work of this direction can be considered “Undergrowth”.
This play is ambiguous, but still the author considers the main goal of the work to be an influence on the human mind to correct vices and cultivate virtue. The conflict between feeling and reason, personal aspirations and duty to the state is always resolved in favor of the latter. Thus, the image of a person doing good is created - an ideal to which everyone living in this world should strive.
Fonvizin is not limited to just exposing social vices and the creation of satirical characters. The author draws a number of positive characters - Starodum, Pravdin, Sophia, Milon. It is not difficult to understand that they are the closest and dearest to the author. This is easy to notice both from the views on the life of Fonvizin himself, and from the special warmth with which these characters are developed. It is they who openly express the views of an “honest” person on noble morality, family relationships and even civil structure. The importance of positive characters for Fonvizin is also due to the fact that with their help he can tell his contemporaries about painful things, about pressing problems that do not allow them to remain silent.
The main problem that Fonvizin raises in the comedy “The Minor” is the problem of educating enlightened, progressive people. A nobleman, a future citizen of the country who must do things for the good of the fatherland, is brought up from birth in an atmosphere of immorality and complacency. Such a life and upbringing immediately took away his purpose and meaning in life. And the teachers will not be able to help (this is just a tribute to fashion on the part of Mrs. Prostakova), Mitrofan had no other desires than to eat, run around in the dovecote and get married.
The same thing happens at court. It's a big barnyard where everyone wants to grab the best piece and roll around in the golden dirt. “Here I love myself perfectly; I care about myself alone; fussing about one real hour.” The nobles forgot what duty and useful good deeds are. They “...do not leave the yard... the yard is useful to them,” “... ranks are often begged for.” They have forgotten what soul, honor, and good behavior are.
But the author remains hopeful that the situation can change. Pravdin takes custody of Prostakova’s household and prohibits her from ruling over his estate. “It is in vain to call a doctor to the sick without healing. The doctor won’t help here unless he gets infected himself,” Starodum draws such a conclusion about life at court. Behind all this one can see the radical measures that Fonvizin proposes to take: to limit the power of the Prostakovs and Skotinins over the peasants, and the power of the tsar and courtiers over
throughout Russian life.
Fonvizin connects his hopes for the revival of Russian society with positive heroes"Undergrown." Inspirationally, with all the ardor and heat of the soul, the writer gives them the maximum positive traits nobleman and progressive ideals.
But here are the life “...rules that real nobles must follow” formulated by the playwright: “...Have a heart, have a soul, and you will be a man at all times”; “Everyone will find enough strength in himself to be virtuous. You have to want it decisively, and then the easiest thing will be not to do something for which your conscience would gnaw at you”;
“Good behavior gives direct value to it (the mind). Without it, an intelligent person is a monster. It is immeasurably higher than all the fluency of the mind”; “... A pious person is jealous of deeds, not ranks”; “Respect alone should be flattering to a person - spiritual; and only those who are in rank not by money, and in nobility not by rank are worthy of spiritual respect”; “I calculate the degree of nobility by the number of deeds that the great gentleman did for the fatherland, and not by the number of deeds that he took upon himself out of arrogance... According to my calculation, the rich man is not the one who counts out money to hide in a chest , but the one who counts out what he needs in order to help someone who has what he needs”; “...What is a position. This is that sacred vow that we all owe to those with whom we live and on whom we depend... A nobleman, for example, would consider it the first dishonor not to do anything when he has so much to do: there are people to help, there is a fatherland to which serve. Then there would be no such nobles, whose nobility... was buried with their ancestors. A nobleman unworthy of being a nobleman! I don’t know anything more vile than him in the world.”
All these postulates correspond to the ideas of the Enlightenment, of which the author was an ardent champion. And those characters who are closest to the author’s heart, on the “borders of the Minor”, ​​are the embodiment and focus of the ideals of progress.