What warns fonvizin comedy undergrowth. DI

Consider the features of the comedy created by Fonvizin ("Undergrowth"). The analysis of this work is the topic of this article. This play is a masterpiece of Russian literature of the 18th century. This work is included today in the fund of Russian classical literature. It touches upon a number of "eternal problems". And the beauty of a high style still attracts many readers today. The name of this play is connected with the decree issued by Peter I, according to which "undergrowths" (young nobles) are forbidden to enter the service and marry without education.

The history of the creation of the play

Back in 1778, the idea of ​​this comedy arose from its author, who is Fonvizin. "Undergrowth", the analysis of which we are interested in, was written in 1782 and presented to the public in the same year. It should briefly highlight the time of creation of the play that interests us.

During the reign of Catherine II, Fonvizin wrote "Undergrowth". The analysis of the heroes presented below proves that they were the heroes of their time. The period in the development of our country is associated with the dominance of ideas. They were borrowed by the Russians from the French enlighteners. The spread of these ideas, their great popularity among the educated philistinism and the nobility was largely facilitated by the empress herself. She, as you know, corresponded with Diderot, Voltaire, d'Alembert. In addition, Catherine II opened libraries and schools, supported the development of art and culture in Russia by various means.

Continuing to describe the comedy created by D. I. Fonvizin ("Undergrowth"), analyzing its features, it should be noted that, as a representative of his era, the author, of course, shared the ideas that dominated at that time in the noble society. He tried to reflect them in his work, revealing not only positive aspects to readers and viewers, but also pointing out misconceptions and shortcomings.

"Undergrowth" - an example of classicism

Analysis of the comedy "Undergrowth" by Fonvizin requires considering this play as part of a cultural era and literary tradition. This work is considered one of the best examples of classicism. In the play, there is a unity of action (there are no secondary plot lines in it, only the struggle for Sophia's hand and her property is described), place (the characters do not move long distances, all events take place either near the Prostakovs' house or inside it), and time ( all events take no more than a day). In addition, he used "talking" surnames, which are traditional for the classic play, Fonvizin ("Undergrowth"). Analysis shows that, following tradition, he divided his characters into positive and negative ones. Positive ones are Pravdin, Starodum, Milon, Sophia. They are opposed to Prostakov, Mitrofan, Skotinin by D. I. Fonvizin (the play "Undergrowth"). An analysis of their names shows that they let the reader understand which features in the image of this or that character are prevalent. For example, the personification of morality and truth in the work is Pravdin.

A new genre of comedy, its features

"Undergrowth" at the time of its creation was an important step forward in the development of literature in our country, in particular, drama. Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin created a new socio-political. It harmoniously combines a number of realistic scenes depicted with sarcasm, irony, laughter from the life of some ordinary representatives of high society (the nobility) with sermons about morality, virtue, the need to educate human qualities that were characteristic of enlighteners. At the same time, instructive monologues do not burden the perception of the play. They complement this work, as a result of which it becomes deeper.

First action

The play is divided into 5 acts, the author of which is Fonvizin ("Undergrowth"). Analysis of the work involves a description of the organization of the text. In the first act we get acquainted with the Prostakovs, Pravdin, Sofya, Mitrofan, Skotinin. The characters' characters emerge immediately, and the reader understands that the Skotinin and Prostakovs - and Sophia and Pravdin - are positive. In the first act, the exposition and the plot of this work take place. In the exposition, we get to know the characters, we learn that Sofya lives in the care of the Prostakovs, who is going to be married off as Skotinin. Reading a letter from Starodum is the beginning of the play. Sophia now turns out to be a rich heiress. From day to day, her uncle returns to take the girl to him.

The development of events in the play created by Fonvizin ("Undergrowth")

We continue the analysis of the work with a description of how events unfolded. 2nd, 3rd and 4th actions are their development. We get acquainted with Starodum and Milon. Prostakova and Skotinin are trying to please Starodum, but their flattery, falsity, lack of education and a huge thirst for profit only repels. They look stupid and funny. The most ridiculous scene of this work is Mitrofan's interrogation, during which the stupidity of not only this young man, but also his mother is exposed.

Climax and denouement

5th act - climax and denouement. It should be noted that the opinions of researchers about what moment should be considered the culmination differ. There are 3 most popular versions. According to the first, this is the abduction of Prostakova Sofya, according to the second, Pravdin’s reading a letter stating that Prostakova’s estate is being transferred under his care, and, finally, the third version is Prostakova’s rage after she understands her own impotence and tries to “recoup "on his servants. Each of these versions is true, since it considers the work of interest to us from different points of view. The first, for example, highlights the storyline dedicated to Sophia's marriage. An analysis of the episode of Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" associated with marriage, indeed, allows us to consider it the key in the work. The second version examines the play from a socio-political point of view, highlighting the moment when justice triumphs on the estate. The third focuses on the historical one, according to which Prostakova is the personification of the weakened principles and ideals of the old nobility, which, however, still do not believe in their own defeat. This nobility, according to the author, is based on ignorance, lack of education, as well as low moral standards. During the denouement, everyone leaves Prostakova. She has nothing left. Pointing to her, Starodum says that these are "worthy fruits" of "malice".

Negative characters

As we have already noted, the main characters are clearly divided into negative and positive. Mitrofan, Skotinin and Prostakov are negative characters. Prostakova is a woman seeking profit, uneducated, rude, domineering. She knows how to flatter for profit. However, Prostakova loves her son. Prostakov appears as the "shadow" of his wife. This is an inactive character. His word means little. Skotinin is the brother of Mrs. Prostakova. This is an equally uneducated and stupid person, rather cruel, like his sister, greedy for money. For him, a walk to the pigs in the barnyard is the best thing to do. Mitrofan is a typical son of his mother. This is a spoiled young man of 16 years old, who inherited from his uncle a love for pigs.

Issues and heredity

In the play, it should be noted, an important place is given to the issue of family ties and heredity Fonvizin ("Undergrowth"). Analyzing this issue, let's say, for example, that Prostakova is only married to her husband (a "simple" person who does not want much). However, she is actually Skotinina, akin to her brother. Her son absorbed the qualities of both his parents - "animal" qualities and stupidity from his mother and lack of will from his father.

Similar family ties can be traced between Sophia and Starodum. Both of them are honest, virtuous, educated. The girl listens to her uncle attentively, respects him, "absorbs" science. Pairs of opposites create negative and positive characters. Children - spoiled stupid Mitrofan and meek smart Sophia. Parents love children, but they approach their upbringing differently - Starodub talks on the topics of truth, honor, morality, and Prostakova only pampers Mitrofan and says that education is not useful to him. A couple of grooms - Milon, who sees the ideal and his friend in Sophia, who loves her, and Skotinin, who calculates the fortune that he will receive after marrying this girl. At the same time, Sophia as a person is not interesting to him. Skotinin does not even try to equip his bride with comfortable housing. Prostakov and Pravdin are in reality the "voice of truth", a kind of "auditors". But in the person of an official, we find active strength, help and real action, while Prostakov is a passive character. The only thing that this hero could say was to reproach Mitrofan at the end of the play.

Issues raised by the author

Analyzing, it becomes clear that each of the above-described pairs of characters reflects a separate problem that is revealed in the work. This is a problem of education (which is supplemented by the example of half-educated teachers like Kuteikin, as well as impostors like Vralman), upbringing, fathers and children, family life, relationships between spouses, the attitude of nobles to servants. Each of these problems is considered through the prism of enlightenment ideas. Fonvizin, sharpening his attention on the shortcomings of the era through the use of comic techniques, emphasizes the need to change outdated, traditional, irrelevant foundations. They drag foolishness, malevolence into the swamp, liken people to animals.

As our analysis of Fonvizin's play "Undergrowth" showed, the main idea and theme of the work is the need to educate the nobility in accordance with educational ideals, the foundations of which are still relevant today.

Analysis of the play by Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin "Undergrowth"

Comedy "Undergrowth" by Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin -
a masterpiece of Russian drama of the 18th century, which reveals the problem of the moral decay of the nobility and the problem of education.

First of all, we note in it a mixture of genres - high and low - which is typical for "petty-bourgeois" dramas in European pre-romanticism. "Undergrowth" is a comedy, but not everything in it is comical. The images of Sophia, Milon, Pravdin, Starodum are by no means laughable. They exude the nobility of classic tragedy.

According to the rules established by Lomonosov, comedies were to be written in a low style. However, the language of the comedy "Undergrowth" is as contradictory as its genre nature.

In the comedy "Undergrowth" verbal visual means are widely used, such as inversions: "slavehis vile passions », « wickedness is a worthy fruit" ; rhetorical questions and exclamations:How can she teach them good manners? », « Should you be rude to your mother ?», How! New trouble! ; complicated syntax: an abundance of subordinate clauses: "Didn't I tell you, thieves mug , so that you let the caftan go wider. “If she is told this ahead of time, then she may still think that we are reporting to her”; common definitions:Here is the letter I have now received from him. , participial and adverbial revolutions: “My heart is still seething with indignation at an act not worthy of the local masters”, “Having taken my resignation, I came to St. Petersburg” and other characteristic means of book speech. Uses words of emotional and evaluative meaning:sincere , cordial , depraved tyrant, caftan, Mitrofanushka .

Fonvizin avoids naturalistic extremes of low style. He refuses rude, non-literary speech means. At the same time, it constantly retains both in vocabulary and in syntax the features of colloquialism.

The use of realistic typification techniques is also evidenced by colorful speech characteristics created by attracting words and expressions used in military life: “nobility, serviceman, garrison ; and archaic vocabulary: "on earth (earth) , snuffbox (cigarette case), hug me (hug me"; quotes from spiritual books:Peace to the master's house and many years from children and households " and broken Russian vocabulary: "They want to kill the baby”, “I’m always a hunter with ardor to watch the public” .

Meanwhile, the language of Fonvizin's comedies, despite its perfection, still did not go beyond the traditions of classicism and did not represent a fundamentally new stage in the development of the Russian literary language. In Fonvizin's comedies, a clear distinction was made between the language of negative and positive characters. And if in constructing the linguistic characteristics of negative characters on the traditional basis of using vernacular, the writer achieved great liveliness and expressiveness, then the linguistic characteristics of positive characters remained pale, coldly rhetorical, cut off from the living elements of the spoken language.

The speech of all the characters in The Undergrowth differs both in lexical composition and intonation. Creating his heroes, endowing them with bright linguistic features, Fonvizin makes extensive use of all the richness of lively folk speech. He introduces numerous folk proverbs and sayings into the work, widely uses common folk and swear words and expressions.

The remarks of the negative characters - Prostakovs and Skotinin, serf servants and teachers are sustained in the tones of unconstrained vernacular, interspersed with local dialectisms. At the same time, the speech of the provincial landowners is almost no different from the speech of the serfs-mother Eremeevna and the tailor Trishka. All speeches are distinguished by liveliness, natural intonations, not obsolete in many respects to this day. It is characteristic that Fonvizin consistently uses the technique of rectilinear reflection in the characters' speeches of their typical distinguishing features. Skotinin talks either about the barnyard or about his former soldier's service, Tsifirkin now and then uses arithmetic terms in his speech, as well as soldier's expressions, in Kuteikin's speeches Church Slavonic quotations from the Psalter predominate, according to which he teaches his pupil to read and write. Finally, the speech of the German Vralman is deliberately distorted in order to convey his non-Russian origin.

All of the above features are clearly illustrated by Prostakova's speech - rude and vicious, full of swear words, abuse and threats, emphasizing the despotism and ignorance of the landowner, her soulless attitude towards the peasants, whom she does not consider to be people from whom she rips off "three skins" and at the same time is indignant and reproaches them. “Five rubles a year and five slaps a day,” Eremeevna, a faithful and devoted servant and nanny (“mother”) of Mitrofan, whom Prostakova calls “an old bastard”, “bad mug”, “dog daughter”, “receives from her. beast", "canal". But the main distinguishing feature of Prostakova’s speech is the frequent use of vernacular (“first”, “deushka”, “arihmetika”, “child”, “sweat him and pamper him”) and vulgarisms (“... and you, the beast, were dumbfounded, and you didn’t bite into your brother’s mug, and you didn’t pull his snout up to his ears ...”).

In the image of another landowner, Prostakova's brother Taras Skotinin, everything speaks of his "animal" essence, starting with the surname itself and ending with the hero's own confessions that he loves pigs more than people.

The language of Mitrofan's teachers is just as bright and individualized: the soldier's jargon in Tsyfirkin's speech, quotes (often inappropriate) from the Holy Scriptures in Kuteikin, the monstrous German accent of the former coachman Vralman. The features of their speech make it possible to accurately judge both the social environment from which these teachers came and the cultural level of those who are entrusted with the education of Mitrofan. It is not surprising that Mitrofanushka remained undersized, having received neither useful knowledge nor a worthy upbringing during his studies.

In contrast, the speech of the positive characters of the comedy, primarily Starodum, is replete with features of high style, full of solemn Slavic phrases: “It is in vain to call a doctor to the sick is incurable”; “Here are the worthy fruits of evil-mindedness!”

The basis of the speech of positive actors is

book turns. Starodum often uses aphorisms (“it is in vain to call a doctor to the sick is incurable”, “impudence in a woman is a sign of vicious behavior”, etc.) and archaisms. Researchers also note direct "borrowings" in Starodum's speech from the prose works of Fonvizin himself, and this is quite natural, because it is Starodum who expresses the author's position in the comedy. For Pravdin, clericalisms are characteristic, and in the language of young people Milon and Sophia there are sentimental phrases (“the secret of my heart”, “the sacrament of my soul”, “touches my heart”).

Speaking about the peculiarities of the language of the heroes of Fonvizin, one cannot fail to mention the maid and nanny Mitrofan Yeremeevna. This is a bright individual character, due to certain social and historical circumstances. By belonging to the lower class, Eremeevna is illiterate, but her speech is deeply folk, having absorbed the best features of a simple Russian language - sincere, open, figurative. In her woeful statements, the humiliated position of a maid in the Prostakovs' house is especially clearly felt. “I have been serving for forty years, but the mercy is the same ... - she complains. “... Five rubles a year and five slaps a day.” However, despite such injustice, she remains loyal and devoted to her masters.

The speech of each comedy character is different in its own way. In this, the amazing skill of the satirist writer was especially clearly manifested. The wealth of linguistic means used in the comedy "Undergrowth" suggests that Fonvizin had an excellent command of the dictionary of folk speech and was well acquainted with folk art. This helped him, according to the fair assertion of the critic P. N. Berkov, to create truthful, life-like images.

Let us also point out the relatively frequent "Europeanisms" both in the replicas of the characters (for example, "I am glad to have made your acquaintance" in Pravdin's speech), and in the author's remarks: "Sophia took a seat near the table."

It is noteworthy that the speech of the provincial nobles is not alien to certain foreign language elements: (letter)amorous in Prostakova's remark. From French or Italian, swear words penetrated into her speech: “The beast is delirious, as if noble” (about a serf girl); “I’ll give dawn to my canals!” The language of the "Undergrowth" in comparison with the language of the comedies of the first half or the middle of the 18th century. (Sumarokova, Lukina, etc.) is distinguished by fidelity to life and plausibility. This play prepared the language achievements of 19th-century comedians. Griboedov and Gogol.

The writing

The play was conceived by D.I. Fonvizin as a comedy on one of the main themes of the era of enlightenment - as a comedy about education. But later the writer's intention changed. The comedy "Undergrowth" is the first Russian socio-political comedy, and the theme of education is connected in it with the most important problems of the 18th century.
Main topics;
1. the theme of serfdom;
2. condemnation of the autocratic power, the despotic regime of the era of Catherine II;
3. the theme of education.
The peculiarity of the artistic conflict of the play is that the love affair associated with the image of Sophia turns out to be subordinate to the socio-political conflict.
The main conflict of the comedy is the struggle between the enlightened nobles (Pravdin, Starodum) and the feudal lords (the landowners Prostakovs, Skotinin).
"Undergrowth" is a vivid, historically accurate picture of Russian life in the 18th century. This comedy can be considered one of the first pictures of social types in Russian literature. In the center of the narrative is the nobility in close connection with the serfs and the supreme power. But what is happening in the Prostakovs' house is an illustration of more serious social conflicts. The author draws a parallel between the landowner Prostakova and high-ranking nobles (they, like Prostakova, are devoid of ideas of duty and honor, crave wealth, servility to the nobles and push around the weak).
Fonvizin's satire is directed against the specific policy of Catherine II. He acts as the direct predecessor of Radishchev's republican ideas.
According to the genre "Undergrowth" - a comedy (there are many comic and farcical scenes in the play). But the author's laughter is perceived as irony directed against the current order in society and in the state.

System of artistic images

The image of Mrs. Prostakova
Sovereign mistress of her estate. Whether the peasants are right or wrong, this decision depends only on its arbitrariness. She says about herself that “she doesn’t put her hands on it: she scolds, then she fights, and the house rests on that.” Calling Prostakova a "despicable fury," Fonvizin argues that she is by no means an exception to the general rule. She is illiterate, in her family it was considered almost a sin and a crime to study.
She is accustomed to impunity, extends her power from the serfs to her husband, Sophia, Skotinin. But she herself is a slave, devoid of self-esteem, ready to kowtow before the strongest. Prostakova is a typical representative of the world of lawlessness and arbitrariness. She is an example of how despotism destroys man in man and destroys the social ties of people.
The image of Taras Skotinin
The same ordinary landowner, like his sister. With him, “every fault is to blame,” no one can better than Skotinin rip off the peasants. The image of Skotinin is an example of how the "bestial" and "animal" lowlands take over. He is an even more cruel serf-owner than his sister Prostakova, and the pigs in his village live much better than the people. "Isn't a nobleman free to beat a servant whenever he wants?" - he supports his sister when she justifies her atrocities with reference to the Decree on the Liberty of the Nobility.
Skotinin lets his sister play herself like a boy; he is passive in relations with Prostakova.
The image of Starodum
He consistently sets out the views of an "honest man" on family morality, on the duties of a nobleman, engaged in civil government and military service. Starodum's father served under Peter I, raised his son "the way it was then." Education gave "the best for that age."
Starodum vey his energy, he decided to devote all his knowledge to his niece, the daughter of his deceased sister. He earns money where "they do not exchange it for conscience" - in Siberia.
He knows how to dominate himself, does not do anything rashly. Starodum is the "brain" of the play. In the monologues of Starodum, the ideas of enlightenment, which the author professes, are expressed.

The writing
The ideological and moral content of D.I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth"

The aesthetics of classicism prescribed to strictly observe the hierarchy of high and low genres, assumed a clear division of heroes into positive and negative. The comedy "Undergrowth" was created precisely according to the canons of this literary movement, and we, the readers, are immediately struck by the opposition of the characters in terms of their life views and moral virtues.
But D.I. Fonvizin, while maintaining the three unities of drama (time, place, action), nevertheless largely departs from the requirements of classicism.
The play "Undergrowth" is not just a traditional comedy, which is based on a love conflict. No. "Undergrowth" is an innovative work, the first of its kind and meaning that a new stage of development has begun in Russian dramaturgy. Here, the love affair around Sophia is relegated to the background, submitting to the main socio-political conflict. D.I. Fonvizin, as a writer of the Enlightenment, believed that art should perform a moral and educational function in the life of society. Initially, having conceived a play about the education of the nobility, the author, due to historical circumstances, rises to the consideration in comedy of the most acute issues of that time: the despotism of autocratic power, serfdom. The theme of education, of course, sounds in the play, but it is accusatory. The author is dissatisfied with the system of education and upbringing of "underage" that existed in the era of Catherine's reign. He came to the conclusion that evil itself lies in the feudal system and demanded a fight against this silt, pinning his hopes on the "enlightened" monarchy and the advanced part of the nobility.
Starodum appears in the comedy "Undergrowth" as a preacher of enlightenment and education. Moreover, his understanding of these phenomena is the understanding of the author. Starodum is not alone in his aspirations. He is supported by Pravdin and, it seems to me, these views are also shared by Milon and Sophia.
Pravdin embodies the idea of ​​legal justice: he is an official called upon by the state to judge a cruel landowner. Starodum, being the mouthpiece of the author's ideas, personifies universal, moral justice. “Have a heart, have a soul, and you will be a man at all times,” - such is the life credo of Starodum.
His life is a role model for many generations. Having received an excellent education, Starodum decides to devote all his strength to his niece. To earn money, he goes to Siberia, where they "are not exchanged for conscience." Father's upbringing turned out to be such that Starodum did not have to re-educate himself. It was it that did not allow him to remain in the service at court. Serving the Fatherland by the so-called "statesmen" is forgotten. For them, only rank and wealth are important, for the achievement of which all means are good: sycophancy, careerism, and lies. “I left the court without villages, without ribbons, without ranks, but brought mine home intact, my soul, my honor, mine ruled.” The yard, according to Starodum, is sick, it cannot be cured, it can be infected. The author, with the help of this statement, leads the reader to the conclusion that some measures are needed to limit despotic power.
Fonvizin creates a model of a mini-state in his comedy. The same laws exist in it and the same lawlessness is happening as in the Russian state. The author shows us the life of various social strata of society. The images of the serfs Palashka, the nanny Eremeevna, embody the bleak life of the most dependent and oppressed class. Eremeevna receives "five rubles a year, five slaps a day" for her faithful service. The fate of the underage Mitrofan's teachers is also unenviable. The author brings to the stage both the officer Milon and the official Pravdin. The class of landlords is represented by the Prostakovs - Skotinins family, who are aware of their strength, the strength of their own power.
Thus, Fonvizin draws a parallel between the estate of ignorant feudal lords, this "animal farm", and the high society, the imperial court. It is impossible to consider teaching and education as a fashion, Starodum argues, and therefore Fonvizin. The world of the Prostakovs and Skotinins does not accept education. For them, there is one good knowledge - the strength and power of the feudal lords. According to Prostakova, her son does not need to know geography, because the nobleman only needs to order, and he will be taken where necessary. It is strange even to talk about the "ideals" of the life of the Prostakovs. The peculiarity of their being is that there are no “ideals”, as such, and only rudeness, baseness and lack of spirituality reign there. The object of thoughts, feelings, desires of Skotinin are pigs. He wants to get married only because he can have more pigs.
Of course, now comedy seems to us somewhat difficult to perceive. The characters seem monotonous, and it is difficult to catch the ideological and artistic meaning, "dissolved" in the images of the work, situations. But, as it turns out after a careful reading, the comedy "Undergrowth" serves a very clear and definite purpose - to correct the vices of society, the state and to cultivate virtue. The author does not leave hope for changing society for the better. For the better and calls us to his immortal comedy.

Other writings on this work

Although the eighteenth century did not go down in history as the "golden age" of Russian literature, few would deny its significance for the literary art of Russia. The eighteenth century became the foundation on which new literature was born, the fulcrum from which Pushkin, Griboedov, Zhukovsky and other great writers repelled. The most famous playwright of that distant era is Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin. In his most famous creation - the play "Undergrowth" we can observe ideas and messages that will be relevant in Russian literature up to the present day.

The idea of ​​​​creating "Undergrowth" was born by Fonvizin after his long stay in France, whose theatrical art at that time was at a height unattainable for its neighbors. The writer was especially inspired by comedies that ridiculed the vices of individual representatives of the French aristocracy and philistinism, as well as the educational ideas of Voltaire.

Being a nobleman, Fonvizin himself could observe all the shortcomings of the ruling class of the Russian Empire. Having made a comedy in a French way, the playwright intended to expose and ridicule the shortcomings of the landed nobility that bothered him. Fonvizin's goal is to condemn the vices of the ruling class and show the right moral guidelines - honesty, patriotism, intelligence and a high level of morality.

Direction and genre

"Undergrowth", undoubtedly, belongs to the literary direction of classicism. This literary trend is characterized by special ideals: in it, duty surpasses feeling, and reason surpasses passions. So, despite the pleas of Prostakova, Pravdin takes away her power over the peasants: he puts official duty above sympathy.

The main features and signs of classicism in the play:

• The narrative preserves the unity of place and time.
• Almost all the characters have telling surnames.
• The illuminated vices are given a local character, only individual representatives of the landed nobility are condemned, while the state as a whole is presented in a positive way.

The genre of "Undergrowth" is a classic comedy. A satirical focus has taken its place in the play, but the humor is not too harsh. In the first place, the author does not want to denounce and condemn, but with the help of laughter to direct people to the path of correction.

Conflict

The play is based on two conflicts - socio-political and love.

1. The socio-political conflict consists in exposing the extremes that arise under serfdom, in condemning tyranny and ignorance. In the course of the plot, a contradiction grows between the ideals of an enlightened monarchy and the narrow-mindedness of the landowners. However, in the finale, reason and humanism prevail.
2. The love conflict plays a secondary role and only complements the socio-political one. Through him, Fonvizin conveys to us ideas about the inadmissibility of coercion and the omnipotence of true love.

The peculiarities of the conflict are that the nobles themselves are opposed to the nobles, and the confrontation takes place within the framework of one estate. Fonvizin emphasizes that the Russian nobility is heterogeneous: there are worthy people and inhuman tyrants in it.

essence

The landowner Prostakova learns that her pupil, Sophia, has become the heiress of her rich uncle. The landowner intends to forcibly marry the girl to her son, Mitrofan. Sophia strongly opposes this, because she has long been in love with the young officer Milon. Mitrofan's uncle, Skotinin, also lays claim to her hand.

First, the intellectual official Pravdin comes to the aid of the heroes, and then Sophia's uncle, Starodum. In the finale, Prostakova’s plans collapse: the peasants come under the care of the state, her son rudely pushes her away, and Starodum takes the young people in love to Moscow.

Main characters and their characteristics

The system of images is reflected in the table from the Wise Litrecon.

Topics

The theme of the play "Undergrowth" is designed in the spirit of classicism:

• Upbringing is the main theme of the comedy. Fonvizin showed us how not to raise children. The playwright, without denying parental love for his child, shows us what happens when love for a child goes to the extreme.
• Education– The acquisition of knowledge is put in the first place by the writer. In his opinion, only an educated person can be truly noble, while those who vegetate in the darkness of ignorance are narrow-minded and vile people.
• Moral- Starodum says that only a moral person benefits from knowledge. He believes that morality is the basis of education and upbringing. He puts the need for kindness, justice and honesty first. These are the ideals of Fonvizin.
• Love. The author points to the basis of marriage - love. It was popular in his time to marry and marry for convenience, but immorality is evident in this way of life. Using the example of Sophia and Milon, he shows how families should be formed: only by mutual inclination and the blessing of relatives.

There are many more themes in this work, and the Wise Litrekon will gladly list them if necessary. Write in the comments about it, and it will complement the analysis.

Problems

The problematics of the play "Undergrowth" is rich in outstanding issues that are still relevant.

1. malevolence- In his play, Fonvizin strongly condemns the tyranny, envy, greed and rudeness that he witnessed. In his opinion, the nobility must discard all their shortcomings in order to turn Russia into a real European country.
2. Ignorance- Stupidity in the eyes of the playwright looks like the most terrible human vice. In his play, all the ignoramuses are disgusting nonentities, while all the positive characters are smart and educated.
3. Raising a True Citizen- In his comedy, Fonvizin portrayed the ideal, in his opinion, citizens of the Russian Empire in the person of Pravdin and Starodum. Educated and virtuous people who think primarily about the good of the state, but at the same time retained their nobility, humanity and sincerity.
4. The author also ridiculed such vices as rudeness, cruelty, selfishness, greed, greed, hypocrisy, lies and flattery. In his opinion, only the system itself can eradicate them: if only honest and highly moral people succeed, then everyone else will become the same, because they will see benefit for themselves in this.

You can list the main problems from the comedy "Undergrowth" for a long time, but if you need a complete list, write to Litrecon in the comments, and he will supplement the article.

Main idea

Comedy shows us the reactionary representatives of the landed nobility, shrouded in prejudices and vices. It seems truly disgusting, but at the same time miserable and outliving its life. The Prostakovs and Skotinins are replaced by Pravdins, Starodums and Sophias, and in the end, high moral qualities always defeat ignorance and meanness. This is the main idea of ​​the comedy "Undergrowth".

Of course, the author has invested in the play "Undergrowth" social meaning, typical of the era of enlightenment. Morality must come from the sovereign - the ideal absolute monarch, who is obliged to give places, titles and wealth only to worthy people.

Pravdin. Human misfortunes, of course, are caused by their own corruption; but ways to make people kind...

Starodum. They are in the hands of the sovereign. How soon everyone sees that without good manners no one can go out into the world; that neither vile service nor for any money can buy that which rewards merit; that people are chosen for places, and not places are stolen by people - then everyone finds his own advantage in being well-behaved and everyone becomes good.

What does it teach

On the other hand, the play tells us how important it is, despite external pressure, to preserve the nobility, mind, will and desire for self-improvement, because it is these qualities that make a person a person. Such is the moral of the comedy "Undergrowth".

Criticism

Contrary to Fonvizin's expectations, his play was received very ambiguously by contemporaries. Many nobles saw in The Undergrowth not an attempt to point out the shortcomings of society, but direct slander and slander.

However, later the playwright was fully appreciated. Pushkin himself considered Fonvizin's work sincere and cheerful, and was very sorry that there were very few such writers in Russian literature.

“Undergrowth” ... the only monument of folk satire, “Undergrowth”, which was once admired by Catherine and her entire brilliant court ... ”(A. S. Pushkin, article“ Refutation of Critics ”)

The significance of the play "Undergrowth" for Russian literature can hardly be overestimated. It was emphasized in every possible way by such authoritative writers as N.V. Gogol.

Fonvizin's comedy strikes at the coarsened brutality of man, which came from a long, insensible, unshakable stagnation in the remote corners and backwoods of Russia ...<…>Everything in this comedy seems like a monstrous caricature of Russian. Meanwhile, there is nothing caricature in it: everything is taken alive from nature and verified by the knowledge of the soul ... ”(N.V. Gogol,“ Selected passages from correspondence with friends ”)

The opinion of critics about "Undergrowth" would be incomplete without a review by V.G. Belinsky.

“...“Undergrowth” and “Brigadier”, already driven from the theater, will never be expelled either from the history of Russian literature, or from the libraries of decent people. Not being comedies in the artistic sense, they are beautiful works of fiction, precious annals of the public of the time. ... and honor and glory to the mind and talent of Fonvizin that he guessed what was possible and what was needed in his time ... ”(V. G. Belinsky,“ Russian Literature in 1841 ”)

But not all reviewers praised the work. There were also negative responses related to the artificiality of the images of the characters:

... the comedy "Undergrowth", although it was an expression of public self-consciousness, is devoid of a hot, lively feeling of protest ... Like Fonvizin himself, his "ideals" - Pravdin, Starodum, Milon, Sophia - are all "smart", decent, but cold, too prudent and expound in a memorized manner the prevailing theory of “enlightened despotism”…” (S. M. Brilliant, “Denis Fonvizin. His Life and Literary Activity”, 1892)

Soviet criticism positively assessed the author's contribution to literature and the development of social thought.

<…>Fonvizin, by virtue of his class affiliation, did not go against serfdom, although he provided a wealth of material testifying to the peasant's lack of rights. Nevertheless, the artistic merit of his comedies is undeniable. He individualizes the images of the teachers (Kuteikin, Tsyfirkin, Vralman), he brings the dialogue to a high level of perfection, he recreates the contemporary local life in all its colorful ugliness. The images of Prostakova and Mitrofanushka became traditional, entered the flesh and blood of subsequent literature ... "(Article "Drama" // "Literary Encyclopedia in 11 volumes", 1929-1939, volume 3)

Already today, "Undergrowth" is considered a model of classical literature, which underlies all Russian literature. One can hardly find a person who has not read this play or does not know about it, and the name Mitrofan has become a household name for some people.

Literature lesson in grade 9

Topic: "The world of the Undergrowth and its heroes"

(based on the comedy by D.I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth")

The purpose of the lesson: the development of independent thinking of students, the awakening of their imagination, the creation of conditions in the classroom for the self-expression of each student, for their creative development; work on the content of the first three acts of the comedy.

During the classes

1. Organizational moment

Introductory speech of the teacher

“Russian classical literature has always posed the problems of a person's responsibility to the Motherland and the people, the meaning and purpose of life, good and evil, fidelity to the word, honor, dignity, conscience and others. Isn't all this close to us, doesn't excite us?!

And I really want our lesson today to become a joint dialogue with the work and its author. Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin, who devoted his "Undergrowth" to the struggle for a person, because a person is a multifaceted concept, the title is the highest of all that exists on earth.

Our first lessons on the work are devoted to work on the content and analysis of the first three acts of the comedy.

So…. The curtain opens!!!"

Children trying to define tasks lessons.

3. We begin work on checking knowledge of the text of the work. Guess who they belong to according to the characters' remarks. (Quiz).

6. Here is the one that owns my heart. Dear Sophia! (Milon).

7. I have such a custom, as if I take it into my head, then I can’t knock it out with a nail. With me, you hear, what entered the mind, it settled here. All I think about is that I only see in a dream, as in reality, and in reality, as in a dream. (Skotinin).

8. I manage everything myself, father. From morning to evening, as if hanged by the tongue, I don’t lay my hands on it: either I scold, or I fight; That's how the house is kept, my father. (Prostakova).

Self-test (key on the board). 1-2 errors - "4"; 3-4 errors - "3"; 5 or more - "2".

4. Express survey

At home, in the process of reading the comedy, you had to make up three questions for the first three acts of the work.

To the blackboard to the literary ring two students are called and asked questions. The student acting as the arbiter notes the correct answers of both students and determines the winner. Respondents, in turn, must identify the author of the best question. (Winners get excellent grades)

5.Competition to the best interpreter of words.

The word of the teacher “Conscious reading is the basis for understanding the text. How much you understood what you read about, we will now check.

The competition is held pre-trained student, who compiled a dictionary of words that are in doubt.

6. In fiction, the surname and first name of a character, as a rule, are deeply thought out by the author and are often used to characterize the characters.

Name the comedy characters whose actions and words are in accordance with their names and surnames (Sofya, Vralman, Pravdin, Skotinin, Starodum).

Try using examples from the first three acts of the comedy to explain the correspondence of the actions and statements of Prostakova, Vralman, Skotinin and Pravdin to their names (front work).

7. We met with the heroes of the comedy, fixed the main content of its three actions.

How do comedy characters live, what is their world like?

You try to define it yourself, working in groups.

Tell about the provincial estate nobility (Group 1).

What did we learn about Mitrofanushka (Group 2).

Serving industrial nobility (group 3).

Teacher Mitrofan (Group 4).

Images of serf servants (group 5).

Staging of the phenomenon 7, actions 3 (group 7).

(Prepare for the performance within five to six minutes).

8. Performance of the teams (no more than one and a half minutes).

(Performances are evaluated by the teacher,

foremen evaluate work of team members).

9. Now we will all act as theater critics. Our task is to analyze the acting work of the guys who staged one of the episodes of the comedy. Moreover, some will note the positive aspects, others - the disadvantages. Opponents will be options 1 and 2. (Reading by role).

10. Lesson summary(children bring).

Final word from the teacher.

So, the first part of our performance has ended.

Today we tried to enter the world in which the heroes of Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin's immortal comedy "Undergrowth" live.

The curtain is closing."

11. Homework:

3) issue (optional) creative work (poster, coat of arms, illustration, quiz, crossword, etc.).

To help the teacher.

On cards with support ...

1 group

“The Prostakovs and Skotinin are the provincial estate nobility.

Both Prostakova and Skotinin ....

However, they are different…”

2 group

“What did we learn about Mitrofanushka from the first three acts of the comedy?

Mitrofan is a child worthy of his parents…”

3 group

“The images of the service and industrial nobility are the embodiment of the best qualities of a person, as their author understood.

This group includes…..

…. is the epitome of...

…. is the epitome of...

…. is the epitome of….”

4 group

“The images of serf servants (…., ….) are not developed by the author. The complete humiliation and oppression of these people is the result of a disenfranchised serfdom. They are…."

5 group

“The teachers of Mitrofan (..., ...) are also dependent on the Prostakovs and Skotinins, although to a lesser extent than the serfs.

Show what it is... and …. is in accordance with their upbringing, profession and social position.

Speech …. saturated….

The speech of ..., who studied at the seminary, is replete with obsolete words taken from church books and divine services ... "

6 group

“In “Undergrowth”, according to the fair remark of the biographer Fonvizin, Vyazemsky, the author “... does not laugh, but is indignant at vice and stigmatizes him without mercy ...”. He opposes….

Keys to answers

3 group

Milon - nobility;

Starodum - mind, wisdom;

Pravdin - justice.

6 group

Problems:

Ignorance;

Education system;

Legislation;

The system of family relations.

How to rate a response.

1. Wealth of factual material.

2. Sequence of presentation.

3. Culture of speech design.

4. Accessibility, emotionality.

5. Ability to own an audience.

Reading assessment algorithm in faces.

1. Ability to master the audience.

2. Emotionality.

3. Expressiveness (pauses, logical stress, tempo ...).

4. In the image - a look, a pose, a gesture.

Quiz

1. So is it really necessary to be a tailor in order to be able to sew a caftan well. What a beastly argument! (Prostakova).

2. With your eyes, mine do not see anything. (Prostakov).

3. Embrace me, my friend of the heart! Here, son, is one of my consolations. (Prostakova).

4. Excuse me, ma'am. I never read letters without the permission of those to whom they are written. (Pravdin).

5. I can't. I was ordered to lead the soldiers without delay ... yes, moreover, I myself am burning with impatience to be in Moscow. (Milon).

6. Here is the one that owns my heart. Dear Sophia! (Milon)

7. I have such a custom, as if I take it into my head, then I can’t knock it out with a nail. With me, you hear, what entered the mind, it settled here. All I think about is that I only see in a dream, as in reality, and in reality, as in a dream. (Skotinin)

8. I manage everything myself, father. From morning to evening, as if hanged by the tongue, I don’t lay my hands on it: either I scold, or I fight; That's how the house is kept, my father. (Prostakova)

9. A little bit of passion fruit arithmetic. (Tsyfirkin).

10. I speak without ranks. The ranks begin - sincerity ceases. (Starodum).