In Russia: statesmen, nobles, serf-owners, servants, self-proclaimed fashionable teachers. The main characters: the undergrowth Mitrofanushka himself and his mother, the serf mistress of the 18th century - Mrs. Prostakova, who manages everything and everyone - is in her hands and the household with yard servants who are not considered by her to be people, and her own husband, whom, without embarrassment, she can beat, and the upbringing of his son Mitrofan - in fact, she is not burdened with his upbringing and education, but only diligently fulfills the fashionable conventions of society and her position in it: “I scold, then I fight, and that’s how the house is kept.”

Undergrowth - a young nobleman who did not receive a written certificate of training from a teacher. Undergrowths were not accepted into the service, they were not given the so-called. coronal memories - documents allowing marriage.

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  The idea was formed by Fonvizin at the end of 1778 after returning from France, where he spent about a year and a half, getting acquainted with the jurisprudence, philosophy and social life of the country, which gave the world advanced educational doctrines. Work on the "undergrowth" will take the writer about three years and will be completed in 1782. There is also a text, presumably from the beginning of the 1760s, on the same subject and with the same title, but with different characters and plot (the so-called "Early" Undergrowth ""); it is not known whether this piece belongs to the young Fonvizin or to some anonymous predecessor of his.

  Characters

  • Prostakov- the head of the family. By itself, a person is “small” and weak. He tries to please his wife in everything: “In your eyes, they don’t see anything,” he says at the beginning of the work, when she asks about the caftan. Loves son. “At least I love him, as a parent should, this is a smart child, this is a reasonable child, a funny man, an entertainer; sometimes I am beside myself with him and truly do not believe with joy that he is my son. Can't read. When asked to read the letter sent to Sophia, he only answers: "It's wise."
  • Mrs. Prostakova- his wife, the main negative character of the play. He loves his son very much and seeks to marry him to Sophia after he learns about her inheritance. A noblewoman, because of which she believes that everything is allowed for her.
  • Mitrofan- their son, undersized. Pretty sloppy boy.
  • Eremeevna- "mother" (that is, the nurse) of Mitrofan.
  • Pravdin- a government official, called to understand the affairs of the Prostakovs. He learns about the atrocities of Prostakova, as well as that she robs Sophia. With the help of Starodum and Milon, he convicts Prostakova and takes away her estate in favor of the state.
  • Starodum Sophia's uncle and guardian. It was because of his condition that Prostakova tried to marry Mitrofan to Sophia.
  • Sofia- Starodum's niece, an honest, decent, educated and kind girl.
  • Milon- a young officer, beloved of Sophia, it was he who prevented her abduction.
  • Skotinin- Brother of Mrs. Prostakova. Wants to marry Sophia. Loves pigs.
  • Kuteikin- Former seminarian, Mitrofan's teacher.
  • Tsyfirkin- retired sergeant, Mitrofan's teacher.
  • Vralman- a German, a former coachman, but pretends to be a scientist. Hired to teach Mitrofan "in French and all sciences", but doesn't actually teach anything, only getting in the way of other teachers.
  • Trishka- self-taught tailor.
  • Servant of Prostakov.
  • Starodum's valet.

  Productions

  The production of "Undergrowth" was associated with many difficulties. Having received a refusal in St. Petersburg, in May 1782 the playwright leaves for Moscow with the actor I. A. Dmitrevsky. But here, too, failure awaits him: the “censor of the Moscow Russian theater”, frightened by the boldness of many replicas, does not let the comedy enter the 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, aka the Karl Kniper Theater), where the role of Starodum was played by I. A. Dmitrevsky himself, Pravdina - K. And Gamburov, Tsyfirkina - A. M. Krutitsky, Skotinina - S. E. Rakhmanov. The unknown author of the Dramatic Dictionary testified to the extraordinary success of the play "Undergrowth" when it was first staged on stage at the Free Russian Theater on Tsaritsyn Meadow: "The theater was incomparably filled, and the audience applauded the play with throwing purses."

  The success of "Undergrowth" was enormous. It was staged by university students on their stage. Numerous amateur productions emerged.

  In 1926, the director Grigory Roshal made the film "Lord Skotinina" based on.

  The meaning of comedy

  Fonvizin's comedy was read and studied by all subsequent generations - from Pushkin, Gogol, Lermontov to our time. The meaning of the play is eternal:

  • “Everything in this comedy seems like a monstrous caricature of everything Russian. Meanwhile, there is nothing caricatured in it: everything is taken alive from nature ... ”(N.V. Gogol).
  • “His fools are very funny and disgusting, but this is because they are not creations of fantasy, but too faithful lists from nature” (V. G. Belinsky) (citation: Study comedy “Undergrowth”).

  However, Catherine II understood the freedom-loving meaning of the work, which dared to offend state and social foundations. “After the publication in 1783 of a number of satirical works, Fonvizin’s attempts to publish anything in print were suppressed by the empress herself. In the last decade of her reign, Catherine II openly took the path of cruel reaction, of which Fonvizin also became a victim. Despite a serious illness, he was eager to work. In 1788 he conceived the idea of ​​publishing the magazine "Friend of Honest People, or Starodum", received permission and began to prepare material, but by order of Catherine the magazine was banned. Shortly before his death, Fonvizin asked Catherine for permission to publish a translation of Tacitus, but permission was not given ”played the role of Prostakova in student performances.

• Thanks to the "Undergrowth" name Mitrofanushka like the word itself undergrowth, has become a household word for an ignorant, ignorant or half-educated person.
• The work was written in the village of Strelino (now the Solnechnogorsk district of the Moscow region).
• In the materials for the magazine "Friend of Honest People, or Starodum" there are two letters that are a plot continuation of "Undergrowth": a letter from Sophia Starodum complaining that Milon married her and soon cheated on her, falling in love with a "contemptuous woman", and a response letter from Starodum consoling his niece.

Mrs. Prostakova- Prostakov's wife. An active, rude, uneducated woman who thinks more about her own gain than about people around and virtue, tries to solve everything by force or cunning.

Prostakov Mitrofan- the son of the Prostakovs, an undergrowth, a young man of 16 years old, as stupid as his parents, completely weak-willed, agrees to everything that his mother or others say (in the end, he immediately agrees to join the army).

Pravdin- the guest of the Prostakovs, a government official who came to deal with the disorders in their estate, to resolve the issue of Prostakov's cruelty towards the servants. A highly moral person, a representative of the "new" educated nobility, personifies the truth and the word of the law in the work "Undergrowth".

Starodum- a person with high moral principles, who achieved everything in his life himself, without resorting to deceit or cunning. Sophia's uncle and guardian.

Sofia- an honest, educated, kind girl. After she lost her parents, she lives with the Prostakovs, in love with Milon.

Milon- Sophia's fiancé, whom they had not seen for several years. The officer, who was distinguished in the service by courage and courage, has high concepts of human virtue and honor.

Skotinin- the brother of Mrs. Prostakova. A stupid, uneducated man, looking for profit in everything, easily lies and flatters for the sake of profit.

Other characters

Prostakov- Prostakova's husband. Virtually nothing decides in the house, in fact the shadow and henpecked wife, uneducated, weak-willed.

Eremeevna Mitrofan's nanny.

Kuteikin(a seminarian who himself stopped studying halfway, because he did not master science, cunning and greedy, a grammar teacher), Vralman(the former groom of Starodum, simple, but able to skillfully deceive - called himself a German teacher of secular life), Tsyfirkin(retired sergeant, honest man, arithmetic teacher) - Mitrofan's teacher.

Trishka- tailor, Prostakov's servant.

Julia KUVSHINOV

Yulia Sergeevna KUVSHINOVA (1982) - teacher of Russian language and literature. Lives in the Moscow region.

Speech characteristics of the heroes of the comedy D.I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth"

Turning to this topic will allow us to consider many others raised in comedy.

During the conversation, you can repeat the theoretical and literary concepts.

Name the features of drama as a kind of literature.

How is drama different from epic and poetry?

What are the genres of drama?

The play was staged in St. Petersburg in 1782, published in 1783, and went through four editions during the author's lifetime.

"Undergrowth" is the pinnacle of Fonvizin's work, the first Russian comedy created during the time of Russian classicism.

Name the features of classicism as a literary movement.

The educational orientation of literature (the writers sought to influence the human mind in order to correct the vices of society), the doctrine of the three “calms”, the speaking names of the heroes, their division into positive and negative, the trinity of place, time and action - all these are the main features and rules of classicism.

In his comedy, Fonvizin deviates to a large extent from these rules, although he builds it in accordance with the norms of classicism.

Undoubtedly the merit of Fonvizin in creating the spoken language of comedy. Fonvizin's true innovation lay in the widespread use of colloquial speech, in the principles of its selection, in the mastery of individualization. All this is all the more important because in the second half of the 18th century a common Russian literary language was being formed, and Fonvizin actually acted as an active participant in this process.

A clear division of heroes into positive and negative by all comedians of that time entailed the need to differentiate the speech of heroes. The language of goodies, bearers of abstract virtues, is bookish and literary, saturated with Slavic vocabulary, many paraphrases, and complex syntactic constructions.

The images of goodies in Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" at first glance were created in the same traditions. The language of Sophia, Milon, Pravdin is bookish, colloquial vocabulary is almost never used.

However, Fonvizin's comedy differs sharply from others.

In Fonvizin, we not only see the actions of positive heroes, but also recognize their moral ideal - honest service to the Fatherland, intolerant attitude towards vice, injustice. The educated, progressively thinking heroes of Fonvizin express the innermost thoughts of the author, who was close to the noble opposition during the reign of Catherine II - this is the main ideological and artistic function of positive heroes. Therefore, the high syllable of their speech is psychologically motivated. And this distinguishes their speech from the speech of abstract goodies in other comedies - wise fathers, honest, devoted friends, and so on.

The foregoing should first of all refer to Starodum. This is the author's favorite hero, his second "I". The desire for realism, which characterizes the comedy of Fonvizin, clearly affected the creation of the speech characteristics of Starodum.

The speech of Starodum is first of all speaker's speech. He, according to Fonvizin, should convey new ideas to the reader, interpret them. That's why his speech is figurative, aphoristic.

An ignoramus without a soul is a beast; It is much more honest to be bypassed without guilt than to be granted without merit; Have a heart, have a soul, and you will be a man at all times; Cash is not cash denominations; Golden blockhead - everything is a blockhead; Enlightenment elevates one virtuous soul; Sincere respect is worthy only of those who are in ranks not according to money, but in the nobility not according to ranks.

In Starodum's speech, Fonvizin consistently shows how the choice of a word depends on the speech situation, which was typical for the colloquial speech of educated people in the second half of the 18th century. So, when he has nothing to talk about with his interlocutor (for example, with the ignorant Prostakova), his remarks become monosyllabic, he is ironic, often using such colloquial words as conceive, this, the master of interpretation, bah! I have tea; postpositive particles (think about it). He seems to adapt to the vocabulary of his interlocutor.

In addition, using the example of Starodum's speech, Fonvizin showed for the first time that the older generation of educated nobles spoke more simply than the younger ones, his speech is closer to the colloquial one. So, Starodum uses if(Milon - will), nonche, survived, help, stagger in the front, just now, rich man, get out("leave"), rubles.

Unlike other playwrights, Fonvizin creates individual speech characteristics of positive characters. So, the speech of Starodum is simpler, more concrete, more figurative than the speech of Pravdin, Milon. Starodum plays a peculiar role of an interpreter, an intermediary between the feudal lords and his truth-seeking friends. It is he who can explain himself to Skotinin, “laughing” to find a common language with him, while Milon is only able to exclaim about Skotinin’s remarks:

What impudence... I can hardly restrain myself... What a bestial comparison!

It is Starodum who knows how to understand the peculiar logic of Mitrofan, who reveals his “knowledge” in the field of grammar: “So that’s why you have the word fool as an adjective, because it is attached to a stupid person?” (To which Mitrofan replies: “And it is known.”) When Prostakova asks Pravdin and Starodum to explain to her what “georgaphia” is, Pravdin gives an answer that Prostakova does not understand: “Description of the earth”, and Starodum explains to her in such a way that she immediately understands ( and defines his attitude to geography as follows: “Science is not noble.” Condemning Prostakova, Starodum, unlike Milon and Pravdin, does not philosophize, does not suppress her with abstractions, but simply says in response to her exclamation that she is a person, not an angel:

I know, I know that a person cannot be an angel. And you don't have to be black.

In the first dialogue between Pravdin and Starodum, there is even some opposition between the speech manner of one and the way the other expresses himself. The courtly phrases of Pravdin, not only a noble, but also an exquisitely polite person, differ quite sharply from Starodum’s replicas with his appeals to “you”, his habit of interrupting the interlocutor’s speech. It seems that the nobleman of the Catherine's era is talking with the close associate of Peter I, the nobility of the first is clothed in exquisite forms, the wisdom of the second is simple and unsophisticated, quite in the style of the great sovereign.

Pravdin. As soon as they got up from the table, and I went to the window and saw your carriage, then, without telling anyone, I ran out to meet you to hug you from the bottom of my heart. My heartfelt respect to you...

Starodum. It is precious to me. Believe me.

Pravdin. Your friendship with me is all the more flattering because you cannot have it with others, except for such ...

Starodum. What are you. I speak without ranks. The ranks begin - it stops ...

Pravdin. Your walk...

Starodum. Many people laugh at him. I know it...

But such opposition is only hinted at. Starodum’s “Peter’s” style is not sustained to the end, and in many scenes the difference between him and Truthful, Milon is erased. In the same dialogue, Starodum departs from the style of simplicity and artlessness, speaking almost the same way as Pravdin.

Starodum. I did not know how to guard against the first movements of my irritated piety. Fervor did not allow me then to judge that a downright pious person is jealous of deeds, and not of ranks ...

If a sense of humor sometimes affects Starodum's speech, then Pravdin and Milon speak quite seriously, not allowing or understanding jokes. This is how it should be: their word is inflexible, unambiguous, it expresses a thought, but does not convey semantic nuances. For example, the jokes of Sophia, who supposedly talks sympathetically about Mitrofan, “torment” Milon, cause jealousy in him, and even when he finally realized that she was joking, he still reproaches her: how can you joke with such a passionate, serious and virtuous human?

All this, in the understanding of Fonvizin, does not in the least contradict his plan to present Pravdin and Milon as goodies in a comedy. Their speech should be liked by the severity and classical beauty of the abstractions that make up the harmonious building of the educational program. Abstractions are perceived and experienced by positive characters emotionally: such, for example, a word as virtue, causes them ecstasy, excitement.

Starodum. ... I caress that my ardor does not deceive me, that virtue ...

Sophia. You filled all my senses with it. (Rushing to kiss his hands.) Where is she?

Starodum (kissing her hands). She's in your soul...

This is the end of the conversation that not love, but reason and good manners should be the basis of marriage. The bride does not just agree with her uncle - for her this rule was an exciting revelation and a source of stormy joy.

In general, the speech of positive characters is not yet so bright, and this is primarily due to the fact that they practically do not use colloquial, colloquial phrases. The book speech of educated people of that time was characterized by the absence of emotions. Clarity, correctness, uniformity - these are the distinguishing features of the speech characteristics of positive characters. You understand the meaning of what they say from the immediate meaning of the words. For the rest of the characters, the meaning and essence can be caught in the very dynamics of the conversation. The speech of positive characters is used by the author to express his thoughts.

With creating images of negative characters, Fonvizin reproduces a lively, laid-back
speech.

For negative characters, the use of folk proverbs, sayings, phraseological turns is characteristic, which gives the landowner a national flavor.

Ms. Prostakova (behind the scenes). Rogues! The thieves! Fraudsters! All nail command to death!

I'm sorry! Ah, father .. Well! Now something I will let you know channels to my people...

(On my knees). Ah, my fathers a fault confessed is half redressed. My sin! Don't ruin me. (To Sofya.) You are my own mother, forgive me. Have mercy on me (pointing to her husband and son) and on the poor orphans.

There are few vernacular and vernacular words in comedy, and these are mostly words that are widely used in everyday speech. Fonvizin carefully selects “reduced” vocabulary; we will not find words in him that are rarely used and therefore attract attention as an alien interspersed in the fabric of the narrative.

He uses colloquial and “reduced” vocabulary to create vivid speech characteristics.

Let's take speech as an example. Prostakova. The impression of Prostakova's ignorance is created primarily by the inclusion in her lexicon of the words colloquial-vernacular, but neutral in an expressive sense: he, de, ba, to the article whether, dostalnye, where, nowhere, looking for("yet"), I have tea, indulge, maybe, intimidate, now, bye, sweat, look, if only, not a little. It is this vocabulary, devoid of expressive load, designed to emphasize the word in speech, to highlight it - this vocabulary creates a “common” background of speech characteristics. Sounding against this background swear words (snout, swindler, thief, thieves' mug, cattle, blockhead, beast, freak, deadhead, canal, mug, witch, countless fool) sharper convey the rudeness, unbridledness, cruelty of Prostakova.

Ms. Prostakova (behind the scenes). Rogues! The thieves! Fraudsters! I order everyone to be beaten to death!

Oh me dog daughter! What have I done!

Insatiable soul! Kuteikin! What is it for?

Note, however, that in the dictionaries of the second half of the 18th century, not all of the indicated words are qualified as stylistically reduced. For example, words like talker, fool, game, mug, mug, kill, stagger, gape are stylistically unlimited. Were quite common in colloquial speech and forms where, nowhere, dosty, baby. The colloquial nature of these words is indicated by their absence in official letters, business documents; in Fonvizin (except for "Undergrowth") they are found in the comedy "Brigadier", in translations of fables, in letters to relatives.

Prostakova's speech reflects dialect features: dialect unions; use of the postpositive term.

Ms. Prostakova. I'm sorry! Ah, father!.. Well! Now- then I will let the canals open to my people. Now- then I will take them all one by one. Now- then I'll try to find out who let her out of the hands. No, scammers! No, thieves! I will not forgive a century, I will not forgive this ridicule.

Not free! The nobleman, when he wants, and the servants are not free to flog; Yes, what is the instruction given to us- from about the liberty of the nobility?

And with debt then get rid of it?.. Underpaid to teachers...

Prostakova uses book expressions in her speech (“fair fiction”, “amorous letter”).

Most playwrights, reproducing the speech of servants, peasants, local nobles, created a kind of conditional language that differed from living everyday speech by a deliberate concentration of colloquial elements.

Unlike most of his contemporaries, Fonvizin creates the language of comic characters by means of the literary language, using elements of colloquial speech very precisely. By this, he achieves the full plausibility of the speech of Prostakova and other "low" comedy characters. The reader gets the impression that the speech of these heroes reflects the real speech practice of the provincial nobility, servants, and so on.

Obviously, it was this way of creating the speech characteristics of everyday, comic comedy characters that was fruitful - the use of the speech practice of the writer himself, the wide inclusion of colloquial vocabulary and phraseology used in the circle of educated people. Other comedians, contemporaries of Fonvizin, set themselves a similar task, but it was brilliantly resolved only by Fonvizin, who carried it out more fully and more decisively.

The speech of Mitrofan and Skotinin is also replete with proverbs, sayings, jokes, funny puns: I have ... all guilt is to blame; you can’t ride a betrothed by a horse; live happily ever after; a fun feast for the wedding(Skotinin); guilty without guilt(Prostakov); overeat henbane, shoot them, take them, remember their names, stuck with a knife to the throat(Mitrofan).

Prostakov. ...After all, Sofyushkino's real estate cannot be moved to us.

Skotinin. And although the movable has been put forward, I am not a petitioner.

Mitrofanushka even rhymes some words. Worried after a cool conversation with Skotinin, he declares to his mother that he is not able to read hours with Kuteikin.

- Yes! that and look what is from uncle's task; and there from his fists and for the watch book.

The conversations of positive characters are inaccessible to the understanding of Prostakovs and Skotinin, but often they pick up one or another word they know, expressing an abstract concept in the language of Pravdin and Milon, and, comprehending this word in their own way, return it to its original specific meaning. For example:

Pravdin. When only cattle can be happy among you, then your wife will be thin from them and from you. peace.

Skotinin. Bad peace! Ba! bah! bah! Do I have enough lights? For her alone I will give coal with a stove bench.

It is clear that Pravdin has in mind peace - a “state of mind”, and Skotinin, understanding it differently, speaks of a room, a room (chambers).

From the very first scene, when Ms. Prostakova scolds her husband, to whom the narrow, in her opinion, caftan seemed baggy (“you yourself are baggy, smart head”), and right up to the last words in the comedy, negative characters, as they say, behind the word don't fit in your pocket.

But all the methods of expressiveness that enliven the speech of Prostakovs and Skotinin, in Fonvizin's poetics, are not methods of creating any attractive image. The reader or viewer, referring to The Undergrowth, judges its negative characters together with the author of the comedy, completely condemning, despite the objectively valuable features of their language.

What are the unattractive features in the language of Fonvizin's feudal lords, compromising them in accordance with the author's intentions? First of all, this an abundance of vulgarisms, harsh and rude words. This is especially evident in the treatment of the Prostakovs with servants and teachers, in comparisons of negative characters with animals - dogs, pigs.

“I want to have my own piglets” (Skotinin wants to have children); “Have you heard that a bitch gave out her puppies” (Prostakova explains her intercession for Mitrofan).

Such parallels and all sorts of vulgarisms serve satirical debunking of heroes- in Fonvizin's comedy they perform exactly this role.

Fonvizin's individualization of speech reaches a high level of perfection: each comic character differs in the nature of his sayings.

Let's say about the language of teachers and servants. The features of their speech are determined by the social position of these characters, the nature of past and present occupations, professions, nationality (Vralman), and so on. First of all, this applies to teachers - Church Slavonic sayings, Kuteikin's book words.

Kuteikin. The call of the bykhs and came; Would you like to let go? Yes, first of all, let's clear up ... Shamed, accursed.

Vladyko, meal, consistory, battle - soldier's words and "arithmetisms" of Tsyfirkin.

Tsyfirkin (to Pravdin). What will be the order, your honor?

So: for those ten rubles I wore out my boots in two years. We and the tickets.

My pleasure. I served the sovereign for more than twenty years. I took money for the service, I didn’t take it in an empty way and I won’t take it.

What are you complaining about, your honor?

AND! Your honor. I'm a soldier.

Vralman's affectionate speech with the owners is impudently arrogant with the servants.

Vralman (to Pravdin). Fashé fysoko-and-plakhorotie. Did they send me to the sepa to pry? ..

(Recognizing Starodum). Ay! ouch! ouch! ouch! ouch! It is you, my gracious master! (Kissing the floor of the Starodum.) Are you old-fashioned, my father, poshifat isfoly?

Hey no, my darling! Shiuchi with stench hospots, it concerned me that I am a fse with horses.

The speech of the characters in the play is derived from social and everyday realities, it is an important means of creating a comic, as well as psychological characteristics of the characters.

Thus, the author manages to overcome the contradiction: on the one hand, his comedy is connected with the traditions of classicism, so all the characters wear speech masks; on the other hand, in the speech characteristics of the characters, he manages to achieve their individualization, which gives the "Undergrowth" the features of realism.

For independent work students can be invited to write an essay "Speech characteristics of Mitrofan and Eremeevna."

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This article provides an analysis of the comedy play "Undergrowth", gives a brief summary of the work and features of the characters.

The comedy was written by Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin in 1781.

There are only five acts in the work. Due to the fact that the play was written more than 200 years ago, and the style of the Russian language has changed quite a lot since then, not everyone will be able to read the work in the original.

The main characters of the comedy and their characteristics

Since "Undergrowth" is not a story or novel, but a play, the characters here are the key bearers of the author's ideas.

The main characters are divided into pairs with similar social roles, but opposed to each other.

Children:

• Mitrofan is the main character and undersized. A young representative of the nobility, sixteen years old. Spoiled, weak-willed and irresponsible (note: Undergrowth: a young underage nobleman who did not enter the civil service);
• Sophia is the opposite of Mitrofan. Educated and serious girl. An orphan living in the care of the Prostakovs. White crow in the family.

Educators:

• Mrs. Prostakova is the mother of the protagonist. Uneducated and cunning, ready for anything for the sake of profit. On the one hand - a contemptuous fury, on the other - a loving and caring mother. In the work he appears as a “translator” of false and obsolete values;
• Starodum is Sophia's uncle. Authoritative and strong personality. Seriously treats his niece, instructs her and gives advice. In the work he is an example of a good parent and educator. Basic principles of life: a fair state system, full-fledged education of the mind, honor and heart (with the heart in the first place), the main principle of education is one's own positive example.

Owners:

• Prostakov is the father of the protagonist. A weak-willed and passive person. In the play, he appears as the embodiment of a people who are dissatisfied with the orders of the old nobility, but because of fear of him, they behave quietly;
• Pravdin is an official, the embodiment of the law and one of the positive characters.

Grooms:

• Skotinin is Prostakova's brother and Sophia's fiancé, whose only goal is the girl's benefit and dowry. The embodiment of outdated concepts of marriage and family;
• Milon is Sophia's fiancé and her childhood friend. Really loves the girl. The embodiment of new ideas in the areas of family and marriage.

Minor characters

Secondary characters - teacher Mitrofan:

• Eremeevna - Mitrofan's nanny. Devotedly serves the family, despite the humiliation. The embodiment of the image of serfs;
• Tsyfirkin is a mathematics teacher. An honest and hardworking man, a retired military man;
• Kuteikin is a teacher of Russian and Church Slavonic who left the seminary. Satire on poorly educated priests;
• Vralman is a teacher of secular manners. A simple coachman posing as a German.

A brief retelling of the comedy "Undergrowth"

Act one

The Prostakov Manor and the surrounding countryside is the area where the action of The Undergrowth takes place.

The mistress of the family reprimands the servant for the fact that he sewed a caftan for her son Mitrofanushka of poor quality. Her husband supports her.

The Prostakovs are discussing with Skotinin that they want to pass off Sophia as the last.

Sofya says that a letter has come from her uncle Starodum, who has not heard from him for a long time. No one believes her, but when the girl offers to read the letter, it turns out that those present are not literate.

The letter is voiced by Pravdin, who has come in. It states that Starodum bequeathed 10,000 rubles to his niece. The mistress of the house fawns over the girl, wanting to marry Mitrofan to her.

Action two

Officer Milon arrives in the village and meets here an old friend of Pravdin, an official. He says that he has heard about the "evil ignoramuses" and the Prostakovs who mistreat the servants.

Sophia appears. She and Milon rejoice at the meeting. This is followed by Sophia's story that they want to marry her off as Mitrofan. However, Skotinin passing by them immediately speaks of his plans to marry a girl.

A conflict is brewing between the three "suitors", but his nanny Eremeevna stands up for Mitrofanushka.

Act Three

Starodum arrives with the aim of "freeing" Sophia from the "ignoramuses". He wants to pass her off as one "worthy person". This news upsets everyone, but after Starodum says that marriage completely depends on the will of Sophia herself.

Prostakova continues to praise her son, while his teachers, meanwhile, complain about his laziness and poor progress. That is why Prostakova persuades her son to study for the sake of appearance - in order to please Uncle Sophia and thereby obtain consent to marriage. However, Mitrofan declares that he does not want to study, but to marry.

act four

Milon's uncle, Count Chesten, sends a letter to Starodum about his desire to marry him to Sophia. And Starodum agrees to the marriage. The couple is happy. Having learned about the wedding, Prostakova takes active steps and tries to interfere with what was planned, hoping to pass off the young heiress to Mitrofan.

Act Five

While Starodum is talking with Pravdin, who was instructed to take care of the Prostakovs' estate and their village at the slightest threat, Prostakov's servants lead the resisting Sophia to the carriage to take Mitrofan to marry.

Milon frees his beloved, and Pravdin takes the estate and the village under his supervision.

Power completely passes to Pravdin, Mitrofan's teachers are dismissed, Skotinin leaves the village. Uncle and Milon with Sophia are preparing to leave.

Prostakova hugs her son and complains that he is the only one she has left. However, he is rude to her and the mother loses consciousness. Pravdin wants to send the undergrowth to the service.

Idioms

Phrases that can be written in the reader's diary:

• “All fault is to blame” and “Ends in the water” (Skotinin);
• “Don’t do business, don’t run away from business” and “The dog barks, the wind carries” (Tsyfirkin);
• “Live a century, learn a century” (Prostakova);
• “Small souls are found in the big world” (Starodum);
• “Guilty Without Guilt” and “Dream in the Hand” (Prostakov);
• “I overate henbane” and “I don’t want to study, but I want to get married” (Mitrofan).

Analysis of the work of Fonvizin

Since the abstract does not give a complete picture, for the analysis you should familiarize yourself with the key points.

History of creation

The play was born after Fonvizin's long public service, because of which he did not turn to dramaturgy for a long time.

The first drafts of the work appeared in the 1770s and were closer to the writer's last play, The Brigadier. The first version of the main character's name is Ivanushka.

The date of publication of the final version of the book is 1781.

The very same play made a splash in the theater. However, due to the topicality of the topic, the reviews of those who watched were contradictory.

main topic

The key theme is the upbringing and formation of the new nobility. Fonvizin illuminates it by contrasting characters with outdated feudal views (all negative characters), with heroes who carry educational ideas (positive characters).

The problem of the phenomenon of "lack of spirituality" can be traced not only in the characters' surnames, but also in the relationship between parents and children.

Issues

There are two main problems:

1. Decay of the nobility. With the words of Starodum, the writer denounces moral decline and tries to find its causes. It is no coincidence that at the end he says: “Here are worthy fruits of evil-mindedness!”. Fonvizin blames the unlimited power of the landlords and the lack of positive examples from representatives of the highest authorities.
2. Upbringing. Thinkers of that time saw education as a key factor influencing a person's morality. The plot is based on this. Fonvizin saw in the transfer of the right values ​​to the next generation a reliable way to strengthen politics and build a strong, developed nobility.

Thus, the comedy "Undergrowth" is a typical representative of classicism, exposing the mores of the society of that time. Nowadays, the work is studied in schools, starting from the 8th grade, as well as by students of philological and pedagogical universities.

Based on the play in the 18th century, performances were repeatedly staged, the success of which, like the work itself, was enormous. In the 20th century, in 1987, director Grigory Roshal made the film "Lord Skotinina" based on the work.

Fonvizin in his work tried to reflect the vicious mores of the provincial nobility of that time. A separate topic on which the author tried to focus the reader's attention is the problem of educating the younger generation. The image and characteristics of the main characters of the comedy "Undergrowth" will help to understand who is a positive and who is a negative character. Each of them is individual in its own way. Much can be understood by reading their names and surnames. Looking at them, you see what indicators of character they are endowed with and what they are.

Prostakov

Noblewoman by birth. Mitrofanushka's mother. Dislikes people and spouse. At any opportunity, she lets her husband know that he is nobody in the house. Woman commander. Uneducated. Ill-mannered. Differs in special cruelty in relation to serfs. Evil, rude woman. The soul does not cherish in the only son. Has a passion for money. For the sake of profit and profit will go over the heads. Cunning and insidious. It was she who came up with a plan how to circle the orphan around her finger and marry her son to her. The future of Mitrofan is in the first place for Prostakova. Everything is for him beloved, but the son himself is hardly able to appreciate the all-consuming maternal love and care.

Prostakov

Prostakova's husband. Fully matches the name. Such a simpleton. Henpecked. Passive, weak-willed man. I'm used to the fact that the wife rules everything in the house. He always tries to please her, otherwise you can fall under the hot hand of his wife, and she is difficult for her. More than once he himself had to receive slaps in the face from his wife. Loves son. In his heart he is proud of the only heir. True, it is not clear what reasons for pride can be if the son, apart from contempt, cannot cause anything.

Mitrofan

Comedy protagonist. Son of the Prostakovs. Undergrowth. A teenager of sixteen years of age. Sissy. Used to the fact that the mother and her entourage fulfill any desire at the snap of a finger, and God forbid, who disobeys the young master. A spoiled, selfish young man. Loves money. Doesn't respect elders. Worthless young man. Studying is hard work for him. The granite of science is too tough for him. Lazy. But the proposal to marry aroused genuine interest in the guy. That would be such zeal and in the right direction. Ignorant and stupid.

Skotinin

Brother of Prostakova. Nobleman. Likes pigs and money. Ignorant. Rough Uneducated. Because of the dowry, he was ready to marry Sophia, without having feelings for her. An uneducated, uncouth man. copy of his sister.

Sofia

Orphan. Noblewoman by birth. Niece of Starodum, whom the Prostakovs took under their wing. Young, pure creation. A rich heiress, which caused a skirmish between the master's son and Skotinin. She received a good education. Honest, fair. Good soul man. Differs in responsiveness. Faithful. She loves her fiancé Milo. Ready to fight for your love to the last.

Starodum

Uncle Sophia. The girl's guardian was forced to leave her niece for a long time in order to improve the situation and get back on her feet for her good. Good mentor. Gives the right advice. Strong, authoritative personality. Wise, thoughtful. Kind. All acquired earned by honest work. Rectilinear.

Milon

Sophia's fiance. Honest, decent guy. Military. Sincerely loves Sophia. Highly moral. Educated. Modest. Honor and courage are not empty words for him. A worthy match for any girl.

Pravdin

State employee. Official. Honest, decent person. He is engaged in punishing landowners who are distinguished by cruelty towards serfs.

Tsyfirkin, Kuteikin, Vralman

Woe to the teachers of the master's son. None received a proper education. All of them are former simple hard workers.

Vralman worked as a coachman. German. Teaches Mitrofan a foreign language. Sly, flattering. Capable of meanness and deceit.

Kuteikin teaches the underage to read and write. Deacon. No teacher from him. Calculating. Cowardly.

Tsyfirkin. From the former military. Teaches arithmetic. Kind, honest man. As a teacher, he is nothing.

Eremeevna

Nanny Mitrofan. Ordinary peasant woman. A woman faithfully and devotedly, like a dog, serves her mistress throughout her life. Patiently endures insults, assault, without expressing discontent. She receives a meager salary, but she does not have the courage to ask for a salary increase, it is not in her character. Accepts life as it is.

Trishka

Fortress peasant. Tailor at the court. Has no professional sewing education. Not stupid. Can stand up for himself and snap in response to the remarks of the hostess. Differs in prudence.