Not expecting a reward. “Love is selfless, selfless, not waiting for reward

In Russia: statesmen, nobles, serf owners, servants, self-proclaimed fashionable teachers. The main characters: the ignorant Mitrofanushka himself and his mother, the 18th-century lady-serf-owner - Mrs. Prostakova, who manages everything and everyone - in her hands and the household with courtyard servants, who she does not consider as people, and own husband, whom, without hesitation, she can beat, and the upbringing of her 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, that’s how the house holds up.” "

A minor is a young nobleman who has not received a written certificate of training from his teacher. Minors were not accepted into the service, they were not given the so-called. coronal memorials - documents permitting marriage.

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Fonvizin’s idea was formed at the end of 1778 after returning from France, where he spent about a year and a half getting acquainted with jurisprudence, philosophy and social life a country that gave the world advanced educational doctrines. Work on the “minor” will take the writer about three years and will be completed in 1782. There is also a text, presumably from the early 1760s, on the same topic and with the same title, but with different characters and plot (the so-called “Early “Undergrown””); it is unknown whether this play belongs to the young Fonvizin or to some of his anonymous predecessors.

Characters
- Prostakov- head of the family. The person himself is “small” and weak. He tries to please his wife in everything: “Before your eyes, mine see nothing,” he says at the beginning of the work, when she asks about the caftan. Loves his son. “At least I love him, as a parent should, he’s a smart child, he’s a sensible child, he’s funny, he’s an entertainer; sometimes I am beside myself with him and with joy I truly do not believe that he is my son.” Can't read. When he is asked to read the letter sent to Sophia, he only replies: “It’s tricky.”
- Mrs. Prostakova- his wife, chief negative character plays. He loves his son very much and strives to marry him to Sophia after he learns about her inheritance. She is a noblewoman, which is why she believes that everything is allowed to her.
- Mitrofan- their son, a runt. Quite a slack boy.
- Eremeevna- “mother” (that is, nurse) of Mitrofan.
- Pravdin- a government official called upon to understand the affairs of the Prostakovs. He learns about Prostakova’s atrocities, as well as the fact that she is robbing Sophia. With the help of Starodum and Milon, he incriminates Prostakova and takes away her estate in favor of the state.
- Starodum- Sophia's uncle and guardian. It was because of his condition that Prostakova tried to marry Mitrofan to Sophia.
- Sophia- Starodum’s niece, an honest, decent, educated and kind girl.
- Milo- a young officer, Sophia’s lover, it was he who prevented her kidnapping.
- Skotinin- brother of Mrs. Prostakova. He wants to marry Sophia. Loves pigs.
- Kuteikin- former seminarian, teacher of Mitrofan.
- Tsyfirkin- retired sergeant, teacher of Mitrofan.
- Vralman- a German, a former coachman, but pretends to be a scientist. Hired to teach Mitrofan “French and all sciences,” but in fact he does not teach anything, but only interferes with other teachers.
- Trishka- self-taught tailor.
- Prostakov's servant.
- Starodum's valet.
Productions

The production of "The Minor" was associated with many difficulties. Having been refused in St. Petersburg, the playwright went to Moscow in May 1782 with the actor I. A. Dmitrevsky. But here, too, failure awaits him: the “Moscow Russian theater censor,” frightened by the boldness of many of the lines, does not allow the comedy to go on stage.
A few months later, Fonvizin still managed to “break through” the production of the comedy: on September 24, 1782, the premiere took place in St. Petersburg (Free Russian Theater, also known as the Karl Knieper Theater), where the role of Starodum was played by I. A. Dmitrevsky himself, Pravdina by K. I Gamburov, Tsyfirkina - A. M. Krutitsky, Skotinina - S. E. Rakhmanov. He testified to the extraordinary success of the play “The Minor” when it was first staged at the Free Russian Theater on Tsaritsyn Meadow unknown author « Dramatic Dictionary": "The theater was incomparably filled, and the audience applauded the play by throwing purses."
The success of "Minor" was enormous. It was staged by university students on their stage. Many amateur productions appeared.
In 1926, director Grigory Roshal made the film “Lords of the Skotinins” based on it.

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 enduring:
- “Everything in this comedy seems to be a monstrous caricature of everything Russian. And yet there is nothing caricatured about it: everything was taken alive from nature...” (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) (quote: Study of the comedy “Minor”).
However, Catherine II understood the freedom-loving significance of the work, which dared to offend state and social foundations. “After the publication in 1783 of a series satirical works, Fonvizin’s attempts to publish anything in print were suppressed by the empress herself. IN last decade During her reign, Catherine II openly followed the path of cruel reaction, of which Fonvizin also became a victim. Despite serious illness, he was eager for activity. In 1788, he decided to publish the magazine "Friend" 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." He played the role of Prostakova in student performances.
Thanks to “Nedoroslya” the 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 Solnechnogorsk district of the Moscow region).
In the materials for the magazine “Friend of Honest People, or Starodum” there are two letters that represent a plot continuation of “The Minor”: a letter from Sophia to Starodum with a complaint that Milon married her and soon cheated on her, falling in love with a “contemptuous woman”, and reply letter from Starodum, comforting his niece.

“I don’t want to study, but I want to get married” - Mitrofanushka’s life-affirming statement has not lost its relevance for the third century. The first realistic, or everyday, comedy in the history of Russian drama by Denis Fonvizin gave a lot of bright images, and useful aphorisms. Let's find out 10 facts from the life of Mitrofanushka together with Natalya Letnikova.

Fonvizin’s ideas for “Minor” took shape in Europe. For a year and a half, the writer, while in France, became acquainted with philosophy, jurisprudence and the life of the country. When writing “The Minor,” the playwright relied on articles from satirical magazines, the works of Voltaire, Rousseau, Duclos, and even comedies written by Catherine II herself.

Speaking surnames - the best author's characteristics. In the sketches the main character’s name was Ivanushka, but by the time the comedy was released it was already Mitrofanushka, in common parlance “ Sissy" - Mrs. Prostakova. The pseudoscientist Vralman and the official Pravdin, Starodum and Skotinin, Sophia and Milon, Tsyfirkin and Kuteikin are the heroes of the famous work Fonvizin and completed portraits of his era.

"Undergrown." The landowner Prostakova carries out justice and reprisals. From an engraving by N.I. Wickets. 1958

Illustration of comedy by D.I. Fonvizin "Minor"

History of undergrowth in Russia. This is how in the 18th century they called noble children who had not reached the age appointed by Peter I for entering the service. Fonvizin filled the image with ironic meaning. A minor is an uneducated, uncouth, rude, selfish young man, and the name Mitrofanushka with light hand the playwright has become a household name.

The most repertoire play of the 18th century on the Russian stage. A year before the premiere, the author tested the work at home readings. They intended to stage the play both in St. Petersburg and Moscow. Moscow censorship did not take risks. The premiere took place in 1782 at the Free Russian Theater in St. Petersburg. “The Minor” has gone through many amateur productions. In the play at the Nizhyn Gymnasium, the role of Prostakova was played by Gogol.

The author, who is also the director. Fonvizin himself, and “the first court actor of the Russian theater” - Ivan Dmitrievsky, worked on the production and distributed the roles. Most famous actor In the 18th century he played the role of Starodum and became the main magnet for the public. The role of Pravdin was played by the brilliant actor and playwright Pyotr Plavilshchikov, and the image of Eremeevna was brilliantly embodied by the leading comedian of the time, Yakov Shumsky.

« Die, Denis, you can’t write better”- the phrase attributed to Grigory Potemkin has become a real historical anecdote. According to theatrical legend, after the premiere of the play in St. Petersburg, Prince Potemkin allegedly approached Fonvizin with this phrase. According to another version, the flattering review belongs to Derzhavin. The “Dramatic Dictionary” of that time reported: “The audience applauded the play by throwing purses.”

"Undergrowth" Fonvizin. Artist T.N. Kasterina

Mrs. Prostakova, Mitrofanushka, Kuteikin and Tsyfirkin. "Undergrowth" Fonvizin. Artist T.N. Kasterina

Execute vices with laughter. The comedy fulfilled its main task of its time in full. “The lists are too faithful from life,” Belinsky said about the characters in “The Minor”; “Everything was taken alive from nature,” Gogol echoed his colleague; The Decembrists called “The Minor” the first folk comedy. “The only monument of folk satire,” Pushkin called the work of the “Russian Moliere.”

From domestic comedy to a satirical magazine. In 1783, the first printed edition of Nedoroslya was published, and five years later Denis Fonvizin tried to publish his own satirical magazine with a telling name“Starodum” - named after the most reasonable hero of the comedy. The magazine was banned by Empress Catherine II.

« Minor" is also a favorite among modern directors. The story of Mitrofanushka is in the repertoire of the northernmost theater in the world - the Norilsk Polar Theater, as well as the Ryazan and Nizhny Novgorod Youth Theaters. With music by Dmitry Shostakovich and Russian folk melodies, the comedy is presented by the Children's Philharmonic of St. Petersburg. And in 2015, “The Minor” also became a musical - with the light hand of composer Alexander Zhurbin.

30th anniversary of Mitrofanushka at the Maly Theater. Modern version“Minor” on this stage begins its countdown in 1986. More than 700 performances were performed. “I was terribly tired,” recalled Afanasy Kochetkov, who played Starodum, “but suddenly at some performance schoolchildren came to a matinee, and from their reaction I realized... that they were interested in the position of this character, his philosophy, his thoughts...”

Answer from Opportunist[guru]
we then points
and you're wasting your brains

Answer from miracle[guru]
The action of the comedy “The Minor” takes place in the house of the landowners Prostakovs, who are distinguished by their dense ignorance and savage morals.
Mrs. Prostakova dominates the family - a powerful and headstrong woman, cruel to the peasants and rude to her household. Her main passion is her unconditional love for her son Mitrofanushka, a runt who shirks both noble service and education necessary in life. noble society sciences Prostakova’s relative, the orphan Sophia, also lives in the house, who, being a well-bred and educated girl, suffers under the yoke of the orders and customs of this family. The mistress of the house wants to marry her to her brother Skotinin, but, unexpectedly receiving news of Sophia’s impressive inheritance, she decides to marry her to Mitrofanushka. The girl, in love with the noble officer Milon, does not even allow the thought of marrying a minor, but this does not stop Prostakova: she tries to achieve her goal with cunning and force. Only thanks to the intercession of her uncle, the influential and progressive-minded nobleman Starodum, the help of Milon and the participation of their mutual friend Pravdin, Sophia manages to avoid a forced marriage.
At the end of the comedy, the lovers receive Starodum's blessing for their wedding, and Prostakova, known for her inhumane attitude towards peasants, is given the “highest order”, according to which her house and serfs are transferred to state guardianship. "This is evil worthy fruits! “- Starodum proclaims, pointing at Prostakova, at the end of the comedy.

Answer from sprout[guru]
very briefly, looking at your “just let’s...” - “the fruits of evil are worthy”

Answer from Repressed[guru]
“The Minor” is a comedy by Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin.
Prostakov.
Mrs. Prostakova is his wife, the main negative character of the play. She loves her son very much and strives to marry him to Sophia. She is a noblewoman, which is why she believes that everything is allowed to her.
Mitrofan is their son, an undergrowth. Quite indifferent to everyone around him and also a slack boy, outwardly he loves his mother very much, but only pretends because of her authority. In the finale, he is sent to the army, and he shows what he really thinks about his mother (“Get rid of yourself, mother, how you imposed yourself...”).
Eremeevna, mother (that is, nurse) of Mitrofan.
Pravdin.
Starodum is Sophia's uncle and guardian. It was because of his condition that Prostakova tried to marry Mitrofan to Sophia.
Sophia is Starodum's niece.
Milon is Sophia's lover, it was he who prevented her kidnapping.
Mr. Skotinin is the brother of Mrs. Prostakova. He wants to marry Sophia. Loves pigs.
Kuteikin is a seminarian.
Tsyfirkin is a retired sergeant.
Vralman is a German, a French teacher.
Trishka is a self-taught tailor.
Prostakov's servant.
Starodum's valet.
The heroes of the comedy are representatives of different social strata XVIII century in Russia: statesmen, nobles, serf owners, servants, self-proclaimed fashionable teachers. The main characters: the ignorant Mitrofanushka himself and his mother, the 18th-century lady-serf-owner - Mrs. Prostakova, who controls everything and everyone - in her hands is the household with courtyard servants, who she does not consider as people, and her own husband, whom, without hesitation, she can beat, and raising her 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 holds together.”
Like other plays of the era of classicism, “Minor” is straightforward in its problematics - condemnation of traditional noble education and “evil morality”, “savagery” provincial nobility; characters are clearly divided into positive and negative, they are given speaking names(Prostakovs, Skotinins, Mitrofan - “manifestation of mother” in Greek, Starodum, Milon, Pravdin, Sophia - “wisdom” in Greek, Tsyfirkin, Vralman, Kuteikin). However, the comedy gained enormous popularity among the public and readers not only because of the skillfully presented socio-political issues, but also because of the extremely vivid images of negative characters (the positive ones turned out to be more like reasoners conveying the author’s point of view), the liveliness of the dialogue, humor, and many proverbial quotes (“I don’t want to study, I want to get married”, “Here are the worthy fruits of evil”). The names Mitrofanushka and Prostakova became household names.
A minor is a young nobleman who has not received a written certificate of training from his teacher. Minors were not accepted into the service, they were not given the so-called. coronal memorials - documents allowing marriage

D. I. Fonvizin

The heroes of the comedy are representatives of different social strata in Russia: statesmen, nobles, serf owners, servants, self-proclaimed fashionable teachers. The main characters: the ignorant Mitrofan himself and his mother, the 18th-century serfdom lady - Mrs. Prostakova, who controls everything and everyone - in her hands is the household with courtyard servants, who she does not consider as people, and her own husband, whom, without hesitation, she can beat, and raising her 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 holds together.”

History of creation

Fonvizin’s idea was formed 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 that gave the world advanced educational doctrines. He really liked it in France theatrical performances, especially comedies. Work on “The Minor” will take the writer about three years and will be completed in 1782. There is also a text, presumably from the beginning of the years, on the same topic and with the same name, but with different characters and plot (the so-called “Early “The Minor”” ); it is unknown whether this play belongs to the young Fonvizin or to some of his anonymous predecessors. The text of the first early "Minor" differs significantly from the text of the well-known stage version of the late comedy of the same name; they differ not only in the name characters, interpretation of images, number and characteristics individual characters, the concept of the play and all its dramatic and ideological construction.

Characters

Terenty Prostakov- head of the family. The person himself is “small” and weak. He tries to please his wife in everything: “Before your eyes, mine see nothing,” he says at the beginning of the work, when she asks about the caftan. Loves his son. “At least I love him, as a parent should, he’s a smart child, he’s a sensible child, he’s funny, he’s an entertainer; sometimes I am beside myself with him and with joy I truly do not believe that he is my son.” Can't read. When he is asked to read the letter sent to Sophia, he only replies: “It’s tricky.”
Mrs. Prostakova- his wife, the main negative character of the play. He loves his son very much and strives to marry him to Sophia after he finds out about her inheritance. She is a noblewoman, which is why she believes that everything is allowed to her.
Mitrofanushka- their son, a minor. Quite a slack young man.
Eremeevna- “mother” (that is, nurse) of Mitrofan.
Pravdin- a government official called upon to understand the affairs of the Prostakovs. He learns about Prostakova’s atrocities, as well as the fact that she is robbing Sophia. With the help of Starodum and Milon, he incriminates Prostakova and takes away her estate in favor of the state.
Starodum- Sophia's uncle and guardian. It was because of his condition that Prostakova tried to marry Mitrofan to Sophia.
Sophia- Starodum’s niece, an honest, decent, educated and kind girl.
Milo- a young officer, Sophia’s lover, it was he who prevented her kidnapping.
Taras Skotinin- brother of Mrs. Prostakova. He wants to marry Sophia. Loves pigs.
Sidorich Kuteikin- former seminarian, teacher of Mitrofan.
Pafnutich Tsyfirkin- retired sergeant, teacher of Mitrofan.
Adam Adamovich Vralman- a German, a former coachman, but pretends to be a scientist. Hired to teach Mitrofan “French and all sciences,” but in fact he does not teach anything, but only interferes with other teachers. Eremeevna is outraged that Vralman smokes.
Trishka- self-taught tailor.
Prostakov's servant.
Starodum's valet.

Productions

The production of "The Minor" was associated with many difficulties. Having been refused in St. Petersburg, the playwright traveled to Moscow with the actor in May 1782. But here, too, failure awaits him: the “Moscow Russian theater censor,” frightened by the boldness of many of the lines, does not allow the comedy to go on stage.

A few months later, Fonvizin still managed to “break through” the production of the comedy: the premiere took place in St. Petersburg (aka the Karl Knieper Theater), where the role of Starodum was played by himself, Pravdina, Tsyfirkina, and Skotinin. About the extraordinary success of the play “The Minor” during its first production on stage in Volny Russian theater on Tsaritsyn Meadow, the unknown author of the “Dramatic Dictionary” testified: “The theater was incomparably filled, and the audience applauded the play by throwing purses.”

The success of "Minor" was enormous. The students staged it on their stage. Many amateur productions appeared.

Data

There is a legend that after the premiere of "The Minor" in St. Petersburg, Fonvizin came up to him and said: "". However, according to historians, Potemkin could not say this, since he was not in St. Petersburg at that moment. According to another version, these words belong to Derzhavin, and not to Prince Potemkin.
While studying at the Nizhyn gymnasium, he played the role of Prostakova in student performances.
The work mentions who wrote the treatise “On the Education of Girls.” This is the book Sophia is reading. Starodum approves of the girl’s choice, starting from the idea that the “author of Telemachus” cannot teach anything bad.
Thanks to “Nedoroslya” the 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 Solnechnogorsk district of the Moscow region).
In the materials for the magazine “Friend of Honest People, or Starodum,” there are two letters that represent a plot continuation of “The Minor”: a letter from Sophia to Starodum with a complaint that Milon married her and soon cheated on her, falling in love with a “contemptuous woman,” and reply letter from Starodum, comforting his niece.

Notes

D. I. Fonvizin “Undergrowth: selected works", St. Petersburg, "ABC Classics", 208; Comments by A. D. Stepanov p. 300

The comedy "The Minor" was written by Dmitry Ivanovich Fonvizin in the 18th century, when the main literary direction was classicism. One of the features of the work is “speaking” surnames, so the author called the main character Mitrofan, which means “revealing his mother.” The question of false and true education is contained in the title. It’s not for nothing that in modern Russian the word nedorosl means dropout. After all, Mitrofan did not learn anything positive at the age of sixteen, although his mother hired him teachers, but she did this not out of love for literacy, but only because Peter 1 commanded so. Prostakova did not hide this "...

At least for the sake of appearance, learn so that it reaches his ears how hard you work! "They despise people who are cowardly, unjust, dishonest. Starodum believed that it is not necessary to leave a child a lot of money, the main thing is to instill dignity in him. "... A golden fool is still a fool...

“A person’s character is formed in the family, and what kind of person could Mitrofanushka become? He adopted all the vices from his mother: extreme ignorance, rudeness, greed, cruelty, contempt of others. Not surprising, because parents are always main example for children to imitate. And what kind of example could Mrs. Prostakova set for her son if she allowed herself to be rude, rude, and humiliate those around him in front of his eyes?

Of course, she loved Mitrofan, but in this regard she spoiled him greatly: “Go and let the child have breakfast.” He already ate five buns. “So you feel sorry for the sixth, beast? What zeal!” please take a look.

“... Mitrofanushka, if learning is so dangerous for your little head, then stop for me...” The influence of his mother and serfdom seduced Mitrofan - he grows up ignorant. The teachers also could not give Mitrofan a decent education, because they were just as half-educated. Kuteikin and Tsifirkin did not contradict or force the undergrowth to study, and he is not interested in this process. If something didn’t work out, the boy gave up and started something else. He had already studied for three years, but had learned nothing new. "... I don't want to study, I want to get married...

“To these teachers, Mrs. Prostakova prefers the former German coachman Vralman, who does not tire her son, and if he is tired, of course, he will let the tired child go. As a result, her beloved son makes his mother faint with his indifference to her feelings and betrayal.”... Here evil spirits are worthy fruits!" This remark from Starodum says that such upbringing leads to heartlessness, to an irreparable result. In the finale, Mitrofan is an example of heartlessness. I think the problem of upbringing was, is and will probably always be.

That is why to the modern reader The comedy "The Minor" will be interesting and useful. She will reveal the consequences of the unworthy upbringing given to the main character. It will make both young readers and their parents think.

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The comedy "The Minor" was written by Dmitry Ivanovich Fonvizin in the 18th century, when classicism was the main literary movement. One of the features of the work is “speaking” surnames, so the author...

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Not expecting a reward. “Love is selfless, selfless, not waiting for reward

Encyclopedic YouTube

Characters

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The meaning of comedy

History of creation

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Productions

Data

Notes

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