"Undergrowth": positive and negative characters. Heroes of the comedy "Undergrowth" Fonvizin

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In 1782 he finished work on his best work - the comedy "Undergrowth" - D. I. Fonvizin.

Written in accordance with the traditions of classicism, it nevertheless became innovative for its time. This manifested itself both in the problems (the author makes you think about the issues of education, government, social and family relations), and in the depiction of the characters. Despite the fact that in the comedy "Undergrowth" positive and negative characters are clearly distinguished, the attitude of the reader (or viewer) towards them is not always unambiguous. Let's try to figure it out: why?

Classical traditions in the work

Let's start with the fact that Fonvizin's comedy notes the unity of time (day) and place (Prostakov's estate), a love triangle and the presence of a reasoner, speaking names. The main characters are grouped around Starodum andProstakova, secondary adjoin one or the other. This is how groups are formed: a young uneducated nobleman Mitrofanushka - he is an underage - positive and negative characters, differing in social status, moral convictions, attitude towards others, speech, etc.

“I scold, then I fight…”

The phrase uttered by Prostakova fully characterizes the characters that cause a negative assessment. The powerful (up to a certain point) owner of the estate is the main negative character.

“Undergrowth” is a parody of what happened in many noble families who were not distinguished by intelligence and literacy, but who had money and power. Mrs. Prostakova reigns supreme over the whole house - even her weak-willed husband is afraid of her. "Swindler", "dummy", "mug", "swindler" and so on. - this is her usual appeal to others. She calls only her son “darling” and makes it clear that she does everything for his happiness. Prostakova is an uneducated and vicious person who perfectly feels the situation. She knows who is not worth a damn, and who should smile, please.

As the action develops in the comedy "Undergrowth", positive and negative characters are characterized from different sides. So, we learn the life story of Prostakova from her communication with Starodum. She inherited all her life principles from the same ignorant parents. In turn, she instilled them in her beloved Mitrofanushka.

Not much different from sister Skotinin. Fonvizin almost completely deprived this hero of his human appearance. And the surname sounds like not human, and the onlyhobby, turning into passion - pigs, and the lexicon is appropriate. And when it comes to marriage, his own nephew, who also wants to grab the rich inheritance of the bride, turns into a rival for him.

Mitrofanushka is a negative hero

Undergrowth - that was the name in Russia of a young underage nobleman who had not yet entered the service. It is at this age that Mitrofanushka is - "like a mother." He is as illiterate, rude, two-faced, cunning as Prostakova. In addition, he is lazy, contemptuous of all sciences and teachers, but at the same time fully mastered the laws of immorality, deceit, and the ability to please. He already fully felt the taste of the power that the position gave him. Even Mitrofanushka treats his father as an insignificant person, as evidenced by his "dream". However, it can be noted that the undergrowth will go further than its mother. In this regard, the behavior of the hero in the final scene becomes indicative, when he rather rudely pushes her away with the words: “Yes, get rid of it, mother, how it was imposed …”. By the way, it was after Fonvizin's comedy that the word "undergrowth" acquired a generalizing meaning with a negative assessment.

Antipodes of the Prostakovs are goodies

"Undergrowth" is distinguished by a clearly defined author's assessment of the historical events of the late XYIII century. The image of Starodum plays a significant role in this. This is a sixty-year-old husband who at one time amassed a small fortune by his own work, working inSiberia. Then he fought, after the resignation he served at court. As a fair man who has seen a lot, he gives a not entirely personal characterization of the state system, officials, and social relations. Starodum paid special attention to the need to serve the Fatherland, emphasizing the role of education. It is no coincidence that many of his statements, for example, "Have a heart, have a soul, and you will be a man …" - immediately became aphorisms.

There were other goodies - "Undergrowth" in this respect strictly corresponds to the traditions. This is the Moscow official Pravdin (he came to expose malice), Starodum's niece and heiress Sophia, who for a long time experienced harassment in Prostakova's house, a young officer who dreamed of devoting his life to the Fatherland, Milon. Their statements and actions further expose the vices of people like the Prostakovs and Skotinin. They have practically no flaws, so they can be called ideal people.

Thus, in the comedy "Undergrowth" positive and negative characters play a strictly defined role. The former expose evil and cruelty, and their speeches affirm the principles of a just social order. The latter embody the most common human vices: ignorance, despotism, selfishness, confidence in one's own superiority, etc.

Innovation of the author

With all the traditions, the comedy had a number of differences from its predecessors. Adherence to realism is something new that Fonvizin introduced into the play. "Undergrowth", whose heroes are shownbright and multifaceted, characterized by a desire for typification. What happened in the Prostakov family is viewed through the prism of the social structure and makes one think about such issues as serfdom, forms of government in the state, and the importance of education. As a result, we are talking about a violation of the trinity as one of the requirements of classicism.

It is also unexpected that in the finale the reader sympathizes with the cruel Prostakova, who has become a victim of her own malevolence. Against this background, the words of Starodum sound even more eloquent: “Have a heart, have a soul, and you will be a person at any time,” which do not lose their relevance today.