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Who is Kuteikin in the comedy undergrowth. “The Minor” is a play by D. I. Fonvizin. Analysis of the work, main characters. Description of the characters

01.07.2020

Classicism - literary direction, developed in the eighteenth century. A striking example his is the comedy "Undergrowth". The characters in this work are the topic of the article.

Issues

What is the comedy “The Minor” about? The characters are typical representatives social strata in Russia of the eighteenth century. Among them are statesmen, nobles, servants, serfs, and even self-proclaimed teachers. Affected social theme in the comedy "Minor". The characters are Mitrofanushka and his mother. Mrs. Prostakova tightly controls everyone. She doesn't consider anyone, not even her husband. In terms of its problematics, the work “Minor” is straightforward. The characters in comedy are either negative or positive. There are no complex contradictory images.

The work also affects social political problems. Even today, more than two centuries later, it remains relevant. The characters in Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” utter phrases that literally scatter into quotes. The names of the heroes of this dramatic work have become household names.

History of creation

It’s worth saying a few words about how the work was created before describing the characters. Fonvizin wrote “The Minor” in 1778. By that time, the writer had already visited France. He spent more than a year in Paris, where he studied law, philosophy, and met social life the country that gave the world such names as Voltaire, Diderot, Rousseau. Consequently, the views of the Russian playwright have changed somewhat. He realized the backwardness of the Russian landowner class. Therefore, the writer considered it necessary to create a work that would ridicule the vices of his contemporaries.

Fonvizin worked on the comedy for more than three years. In the early eighties in one of capital theaters The premiere of the comedy “The Minor” took place.

List of characters

Prostakova.
Prostakov.
Mitrofanushka.
Sophia.
Milo.
Pravdin.
Starodum.
Skotinin.
Kuteikin.
Tsiferkin.
Vralman.
Trishka.

Sofia, Mitrofanushka, Prostakova are the main characters. A minor is a concept denoting a young nobleman who has not received an education. As you know, in the comedy he is Mitrofan, one of the main characters. But other characters in the comedy cannot be called secondary. Each of them plays a specific role in the plot. The works, like other works of the classical era, reflect events taking place during one day. The characters in the comedy "The Minor" are given names. And this is another typical feature of works of classicism.

Plot

Fonvizin's comedy tells the story of cruel and stupid landowners, who are opposed to educated aristocrats. The plot centers on the story of an orphan girl who suddenly finds herself the heir to a large fortune. in the comedy they try to take over her dowry by forcing her into marriage. The positive ones come to the rescue, getting rid of treacherous relatives.

In the Prostakovs' house

More detailed characteristics characters in "The Minor" are presented below. But, as already mentioned, Mrs. Prostakova has a difficult disposition. The reader is convinced of this from the very first pages. The comedy begins with a scene in which Mitrofanushka's mother angrily attacks the serf Trishka for sewing a caftan for her beloved son, which is too small for him. This and subsequent events characterize Prostakova as a person prone to tyranny and unexpected outbursts of rage.

Sophia lives in the Prostakovs' house. Her father died. IN Lately she lived in Moscow with her mother. But several months have passed since she became an orphan. Prostakova took her to her place.

Rich heiress

Prostakova's brother Skotinin appears on stage. Characteristic characters in the comedy “The Minor” - a description of the characters who can be divided into two groups. The first includes the noble, honest and educated. The second is ignorant and rude. Skotinin should be classified as the latter. This man expresses a desire to marry Sophia. But he wants to connect his life with this girl not because he likes her. The thing is that he is a big pig hunter, as his last name eloquently speaks about. And Sophia inherited several villages, on whose farms these animals live in great abundance.

Meanwhile, Prostakova learns exciting news: Sophia’s uncle is alive. Mitrofan's mother is angry. After all, she believed that Starodum had long been dead. It turned out he was alive. Moreover, he is going to make his niece the heiress of the fortune that he made in Siberia. Prostakova accuses Sophia of hiding news about a rich relative from her. But suddenly a brilliant idea comes to her mind. She decides to marry Sophia to her son.

Justice has triumphed

The village is visited by officer Milon, whom Sophia knew back in Moscow. They love each other, but due to life circumstances they had to separate. Milon, having learned about Sophia's engagement, is at first tormented by jealousy, but later he learns what Mitrofan is like and calms down somewhat.

Prostakova loves her son very much. She hires teachers for him, but by the age of sixteen he had not even learned to read and write. The boy constantly complains to his mother that teaching makes him sad. To which Prostakova consoles her son, promising to marry him soon.

The appearance of Starodum

Finally, Uncle Sophia comes to the village. Starodum tells the story of his life about how he was forced to leave public service, went to Siberia, and then decided to return from his native land. Starodum meets with Sophia and promises to rid her of her unpleasant relatives and marry her to a worthy man, who turns out to be her beloved Milon.

Description of the characters

The minor, that is, Mitrofanushka, studies, observing the tsar’s decree, but does it with great reluctance. Character traits This hero is stupidity, ignorance, laziness. Besides, he is cruel. Mitrofanushka does not respect his father and mocks his teachers. He takes advantage of the fact that his mother selflessly loves him.

Sophia gives a good description of her failed fiance. The girl claims that, although Mitrofanushka is only sixteen years old, he has reached the peak of his perfection and will not develop further. This character from Fonvizin's comedy is quite unpleasant. It combines such traits as servility and a tendency towards tyranny.

At the beginning of the work, Mitrofanushka appears before readers in the role of a spoiled, tough person. But later, when his mother fails to organize his wedding with a rich relative, he radically changes his behavior, humbly asks for forgiveness from Sophia, and shows humility towards Starodum. Mitrofanushka is a representative of the world of the Prostakovs-Skotinins, people devoid of all concepts of morality. The undergrowth symbolizes the degradation of the Russian nobility, the reason for which is improper upbringing and lack of education.

The surname Prostakova symbolizes lack of education and ignorance. Main feature This heroine is blind love for her son. At the end of the work, Mitrofanushka’s mother descends to the point that she begins to use assault towards Skotinin. Prostakova is a combination of arrogance, hatred, anger and cowardice. By creating this literary character The author wanted to show the reader what the lack of education leads to. According to Fonvizin, it is ignorance that is the cause of many human vices.

Sophia

Prostakova's niece is a representative noble family. But, unlike her relatives, she is educated and has a concept of honor. Sophia laughs at Mitrofanushka and his mother. She despises them. The characteristic features of the heroine are kindness, mockery, nobility.

Other positive characters

Starodum - educated man of advanced years, with great life experience. The main traits of this hero are honesty, wisdom, kindness and respect for other people. This character is opposed to Prostakova. Both of them wish the best for their students. But their approach to education is completely different. If Prostakova sees in her son a small child who requires constant care and indulges him in everything, then Starodum considers Sophia a mature personality. He takes care of his niece, choosing a worthy man as her husband. A few words should be said about this character.

Milo

The characteristic features of this hero are sincerity, nobility, and prudence. Even in difficult situations, he does not lose his sanity. Hearing about Sophia's engagement, he imagines Mitrofan as an educated and worthy man. And only later does his opinion regarding his opponent change. It is this hero, in one of his last actions, who tries to reconcile Prostakova with her brother, reminding them that they are close people.

In the comedy “The Minor,” Kuteikin acts as a teacher of Church Slavonic and Russian languages. Before the man entered Prostakova’s service, he studied at the seminary, but, fearing the “abyss of wisdom,” he abandoned his studies. The image of Kuteikin in “The Minor” is Fonvizin’s sharp satire on uneducated priests (after all, before that the man studied to become a clergyman). The character's speech is full of Church Slavonic phrases, but they, intertwined with colloquial expressions, look inappropriate and lack the original high style.

The surname “Kuteikin” comes from the ironic nickname of church ministers - “kuteyka”, associated with the name of the funeral dish kuti, which priests were often treated to. Greed, cunning, desire for profit are the main traits of the character. In “The Minor,” Kuteikin’s characterization is fully revealed at the end of the comedy, when the man demands more payment than he deserves.

The image of Kuteikin in the comedy personifies an entire social class of ignorant, greedy and self-interested half-educated priests who, knowing only the basics of literacy, took on the task of teaching young people. By introducing this character into the work, Fonvizin exposed outdated standards of education. The author emphasized that a strong, comprehensively developed personality of the Enlightenment should be taught by secular teachers using appropriate textbooks, and not by illiterate seminarians on the Psalter.

Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” is rich bright characters, carrying plausible images from society. One of these characters was Kuteikin, Mitrofan’s teacher in Russian and Old Church Slavonic.

Through Kuteikin, Fonvizin ridicules uneducated priests who hide behind church service for the sake of a well-fed life. Even the character’s surname comes from the word “kuti,” the name of a dish that priests love so much.

Kuteikin has a rather lazy and greedy character. He dropped out of school and became a teacher, knowing full well that he couldn’t teach anything. In his speech, he constantly mixes Old Church Slavonic expressions with vernacular, which looks very ridiculous and inappropriate. Unlike Tsiferkin, Kuteikin is not ashamed of the fact that he could not teach Mitrofan anything. On the contrary, realizing that the teachers were being dismissed, he demanded where a large amount than what he actually earned.

From the lesson scenes we see that Kuteikin is hardly familiar with the basics of literacy, but at the same time considers himself worthy of instructing young people. By introducing Kuteikin into the play, Fonvizin creates a satire on all the greedy, unworthy priests who, also, without knowing anything, undertake to teach young people.

For Fonvizin, the topic of education is very important. Through the mouth of his heroes, he repeats more than once that the upbringing and education of young nobles is the key task of the state. That is why the image of Kuteikin plays an important role in the play. Fonvizin seems to be saying that it is not enough to simply want to give your son an education and, like the Prostakovs, hire him teachers, without thinking at all about what they will teach. The problems of obtaining a decent education are much deeper, and the solution lies in finding knowledgeable people, which can really teach the younger generation a lot.

Option 2

One of the minor, but at the same time significant characters in Fonvizin’s work “The Minor” is a teacher with the telling surname Kuteikin. He was hired to teach Mrs. Prostakova's son Mitrofan writing and reading.

Kuteikin - served in the church as an assistant priest. He was unable to complete the seminary because of the incomprehensible curriculum. He was expelled without being given rank. Now he had to do various jobs in the church. Kuteikin found it difficult to teach himself and it was just as difficult to teach others. In three years of teaching, Mitrofanushka never learned anything.

Kuteikin was also called by another name, Sidorich, and everyone around him considered him stingy and uneducated. He knew quite a lot of church concepts and sayings, but this was of no use, because the phrases were often pronounced out of place. The image of Kuteikin is entirely a parody of the teacher of those years. Basically, in those years, all teachers worked in the church and considered themselves highly educated. But in reality, none of them had the education, experience, or even the usual desire to teach others or learn themselves.

The speaking surname Kuteikin comes from the word “kutya”, a church funeral dish, a favorite among priests.

Kuteikin dealt with Mitrofanushka's education carelessly, and a dislike for the boy was developed. The teacher was only concerned about the amount of payment that was due to him for teaching the careless noble son. Therefore, his dominant traits are stinginess and greed.

Kuteikin has an excellent memory, he remembers all the smallest details of Prostakova’s debt. His arrogance and greed never had any limits. When he needed boots, he was about to ask Mrs. Prostakova for money to buy them, but as soon as the desire comes to fruition, cowardice appears and there is nothing left of the desire.

In a satirical image of Kuteikin, the writer shows the importance of education at that time. Noble families hired teachers for their children as a tribute to fashion and to show their superiority over those who could not afford a personal teacher. The whole value of education had no meaning, there was only fashion playing for the audience.

Essay about teacher Kuteikin

One of the minor, but no less striking roles in the comedy “The Minor” by Fonvizin is assigned to the teacher Kuteikin. He was hired by Mrs. Prostakova to teach writing and reading to her son Mitrofanushka.

Kuteikin is a sexton serving in the church, and did not graduate from theological seminary due to the fact that it was difficult for him to master the institution’s training program. He was kicked out and was not given the rank of clergy. Since he is an ordinary sexton, his duties include performing the most extraordinary work in the church.

Kuteikin himself found science difficult and had no particular passion for it. That is why Mitrofanushka’s literacy education has not progressed a single step in three years.

Sidorych, as Kuteikin was also called, is considered by those around him to be a greedy and ignorant person. Despite the fact that he has a large store of church sayings, he has little understanding of what he says and often pronounces phrases out of place. All his phrases look stupid, inappropriate and tactless. If we put it together, the image of Kuteikin is a real parody of all the teachers of that time. Almost all of them at that time served as priests in the church and considered themselves the most educated. In reality, it was the other way around; they did not have the proper education and experience, and especially the desire to learn.

Sidorich's surname speaks volumes about the essence of its owner. Kuteikin from the word “kutya” is a dish that priests love.

Sidorich did not focus on teaching his Mitrofan to write and read, not only because he was not interested in it. Kuteikin had a special dislike for the boy. What was important to him was not the result of his work, but how much he would be paid for it. That is why the main character traits are greed, greed and prudence. By nature, Kuteikin was not only a greedy, but also a cowardly person.

Sidorich has an excellent memory, he remembers everything down to the smallest details, especially how much Prostakova owes him. His greed and arrogance have no limits. He wants to go to Prostakova so that the woman will give him money to buy new boots. His old ones were completely worn out. In fact, Kuteikin is an ordinary coward; when it comes to actually turning to Prostakova, he abandons his idea, because he is simply afraid of her.

The satirical images in Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” - for example, such as Kuteikin - are an open look at the education of that time as a whole. The nobles hired teachers, paying tribute to fashion, completely denying the value of education.

Essay 4

“Minor” is considered Fonvizin’s most famous creation. The comedy reveals all the negative vices of society and the differences between representatives of all social classes of the 18th century. The characters in the book are prototypes of people with whom the author himself was familiar. One of the most negative characters works are considered Kuteikin.

Kuteikin works as a teacher and teaches stupid Mitrofan. The hero teaches Slavic literature. Kuteikin previously studied at a church school, but was unable to finish due to the difficulty of the teaching disciplines. The writer wants to show the character's lack of education. The hero got a job with a noble family. Incomplete education had an impact on the level of learning. Mitrofan does not comprehend anything in his studies. Kuteikin himself does not try to improve his education. Kuteikin thinks only about profit. The teacher is only trying to get paid and demands a salary increase.

In his speech, the hero uses slang and Old Church Slavonic words. This character trait is inherent only in truly uneducated people. Other heroes of the comedy consider Kuteikin to be a narrow-minded and ignorant person. The author mocks people who put money above all else. The hero is ready to use any method to get money. Mitrofan and his parents do not notice the hero’s tricks at all. For the Prostakovs, the main thing is to have a tutor for their son. At that time, not every family could hire a tutor. Therefore, rich people scrambled to hire a private tutor. Usually skills and education did not matter. The landowners only loved to brag about the teacher they hired.

Kuteikin was very cowardly. Behind the back of another person, the hero could plot intrigues and speak his mind. When speaking directly, Kuteikin avoided answering and preferred to remain silent. In particular, this hero trait is issued during acquisition new shoes. The hero wanted to buy high-quality and new boots, since the old ones were already completely torn. Kuteikin wanted to ask Prostakova. During a direct conversation, the teacher, because of his cowardice, decided to remain silent and talk about the boots later. Kuteikin was very afraid of his mistress.

Through Kuteikin the author wanted to show negative traits bad teacher. In addition, Kuteikin plays a satirical role and adds many funny moments to the comedy. Thanks to the image of Kuteikin, readers can laugh at Mitrofan’s stupidity and lack of education. Mitrofan's trait manifests itself when Kuteikin forces the boy to call himself cattle. Kuteikin does not particularly relate to bad characters. The teacher does nothing wrong and does not bring much benefit.

In the comedy “Nedorosl” Kuteikin acts as a teacher of Church Slavonic and Russian languages. Before the man entered Prostakova’s service, he studied at the seminary, but, fearing the “abyss of wisdom,” he abandoned his studies. The image of Kuteikin in “The Minor” is Fonvizin’s sharp satire on uneducated priests (after all, before that the man studied to become a clergyman). The character’s speech is full of Church Slavonic phrases, but they, intertwined with colloquial expressions, look inappropriate and lack the original high

stylistics.

The image of Kuteikin in the comedy personifies an entire social class of ignorant, greedy and self-interested half-educated priests who, knowing only the basics of literacy, took on the task of teaching young people.
By introducing this character into the work, Fonvizin exposed outdated standards of education. The author emphasized that a strong, comprehensively developed personality of the Enlightenment should be taught by secular teachers using appropriate textbooks, and not by illiterate seminarians on the Psalter.