Denis Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” is one of the most striking works of Russian classicism. The questions that the author focuses on in the play excite the minds of viewers and readers even in our time - more than three centuries after its writing. The work created by Fonvizin is difficult to compare with traditional classic comedies, because the ironic farce, ridicule of the vices of society, and topical themes in the play look as funny as they are tragic. Using the techniques of contrast, ridicule, and irony, the playwright leads the reader to the deep meaning and essence of “The Minor.”
The ideological meaning of the comedy “The Minor”
At first glance, the work is ordinary everyday play– the central plot of “The Minor” is linear and revolves around Sophia’s marriage. girl in early age lost her parents and now lives in the care of the landowner Prostakov family. Prostakova, wanting to get rid of the “extra mouth,” decides to marry Sophia to her brother, Skotinin, without her consent. However, the news that the girl has become the heiress of a huge fortune, and her uncle is coming any day, changes Prostakova’s plans. The woman refuses Skotinin, offering her underage son Mitrofan as the new groom. Fortunately, Starodum, Sophia's uncle, turns out to be reasonable person, which exposes the interests of Skotinin and Prostakova, supporting the girl’s desire to marry her lover Milon.
Even by brief description“The Minor” it becomes clear that the plot of the play fits well into the canons of classic comedies. However, the work is complemented by a secondary storyline, associated with Mitrofan - a stupid, spoiled, lazy, greedy and cruel young man, the son of the Prostakovs. Despite such a negative characterization, he is the most comical character in the play - the funniest scenes of the work are connected precisely with his training. In general, in “The Minor” there are only two funny characters - Mitrofan and Skotinin. They amuse us with their stupidity and lack of understanding when it is better to remain silent instead of saying absurd things.
“The Minor” can rightfully be called a play of education - since family ties in the work determine the character and inclinations of a person. However, if Skotinin and Mitrofan are similar even in their love for pigs, which also causes laughter, then you don’t want to laugh at Prostakova. Despotic, cruel and rude to her peasants and relatives, the woman finds no joy either in her “hopeless fool” husband or in her son, whom she blindly loves. Even her statements about how to count correctly (the scene of Tsyfirkin’s lesson) are funny, but they rather ridicule the morals of the old nobility rather than her. In terms of activity and influence in the play, she can be compared with Pravdin, however, if a man defends humanistic, highly moral ideals, then Prostakova is the bearer of “her own,” landowner morality, which prescribes the greatest value of money and ranks before the lives of her serfs, in good faith, education and virtue.
The main meaning of “The Minor” lies precisely in this opposition of two radially opposite views - new, humane, educational and outdated, landowner. Fonvizin focuses attention not only on the negative beginning of the latter, but also on the need to change the views of the old nobility, otherwise the “fruits of evil” will be inevitable. The author emphasizes that the origins of this malice are in their upbringing itself - Prostakova and Skotinin adopted their views from their parents and passed them on to Mitrofan, just as the foundations of humanism were laid in Sophia by her parents.
The essence of the comedy "Minor"
The essence of "Minor" follows from ideological meaning comedy - education must be correct and instill high ideals. According to the traditions of classicism, the surnames of the characters largely complement the characteristics of the characters and further reveal the author’s idea. Fonvizin gave Skotinin such a surname for a reason. In addition, let us remember that Prostakova only received her friend’s surname from her husband; she is also Skotinina. Mitrofan is the son of Skotinina. And the characters really resemble animals - they are illiterate, stupid, accustomed to looking only for their own benefit, for which they are ready to do anything (that is, they completely lack such traits as integrity and self-esteem). It is also noteworthy that Mitrofan is taught by people of the lower classes, actually servants. In the village of Prostakova, servants take care of the cattle, thus the young man from childhood is raised not as a worthy nobleman, but, in best case scenario like a servant.
Fonvizin not only exposes the ignorance of the “Skotinins”, contrasting them with the bearers of high human ideals - Pravdin, Starodum, Sophia, Milon, but also focuses on the failure of traditional upbringing and education, emphasizing the need personal development. This is precisely the essence of the work. Fonvizin believed that as soon as each “Mitrofan” received the right upbringing and decent education, Russian society will change and become better. Nowadays, the comedy “The Minor” is a reminder to every reader of the highest human ideals and the need to improve every day so as not to become like “Mitrofan”.
Work test
Why are you laughing? You're laughing at yourself! N.V. Gogol Many, many years have passed since that memorable day (September 24, 1782), when the premiere of D.I. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” took place. Serfdom has long been gone. Changed three times political system. But comedy is alive and, apparently, will never become obsolete. Raised in it eternal problems of all people: how to raise children, what is the civic duty of each person, what should be the state power. The colorful figure of Prostakova at times causes friendly laughter, but at the end of the play you can’t help but think: when in a modern family a mother indulges her child in everything, is she not becoming like Prostakova? In “The Minor,” two worlds collide. Starodum, Pravdin, Milon and Sophia personify the world of high ideals of enlightenment, honor, civic valor, kindness and decency. The Prostakovs and Skotinins live in a world of ignorance, violence, dishonor, and meanness. The eternal clash of good and evil! In the play, good wins, but only thanks to intervention “from above.” What has changed now? Do goodness and justice always triumph? The two worlds continue to confront each other. We are increasingly seeing examples of cruelty and violence. And it all starts with education. Let us remember how differently Starodum and Prostakova approach education. “It is not the rich man who counts out money in order to hide it in a chest, but the one who counts out what he has in excess in order to help those who do not have what they need,” Starodum says to his young niece. Not all current parents give such advice to their children. On the contrary, very often you can hear the opposite: “Take it! Don't give it up! Don’t you dare give in!” But this is the same thing that Prostakova taught: “If you find money, don’t share it with anyone. Take everything for yourself, Mitrofanushka.” Mitrofan's ignorance in the play is, of course, deliberately exaggerated. But reluctance to learn still occurs today, when people increasingly rely not on knowledge, but on money. Fonvizin dreamed of universal enlightenment, and in the first place he put not education in itself, but intelligence combined with “good behavior.” According to Starodum, enlightenment elevates only a virtuous soul, and in a corrupt person science “is a fierce weapon to do evil.” Fonvizin seemed to have foreseen the disastrous consequences scientific discoveries, if unworthy people use them: Let our minds be good, And our hearts be smart! The names of the characters in the play, especially its main character, have long become household names, and this speaks of the enduring significance of “The Minor.” Some characters move from one book to another. The Skotinins, for example, come to life in Pushkin’s novel: The Skotinins, a gray-haired couple, With children of all ages, counting From thirty to two years old... Mitrofanushka is an ignoramus. But an ignoramus and a fool are not the same thing. Mitrofan is an ignoramus, but not a fool. He could have said about himself in the words of Petrusha Grinev from “The Captain’s Daughter”: “I lived as a teenager, chasing pigeons... Meanwhile, I was sixteen years old. Then my fate changed.” Much is the same: the dovecote, the age, and the teachers are the same. “Let’s go serve...” Pravdin says to Mitrofan. “It’s time for him to go into service,” Grinev’s father decides. From this moment on, the fates of these two “minors” diverge. All his life, Petrusha Grinev will remember his father’s parting words: “Take care of your honor from a young age.” No one spoke such words to Mitrofan. As we see, Pushkin did not forget Fonvizin’s comedy. We remember her too. In some ways this training manual for all of us. How modern Fonvizin’s discussions about honor, patriotism, and positions sound! I think that the leader of each country should remember the words of Fonvizin about the appointment of a monarch: “He is guilty of answering not only for the bad things he has done, but also for the good things he has not done.” Senior officials are responsible for the crimes of officials - this is what Fonvizin believed. His brilliant humor is amazingly tenacious, it is always in place. Let us recall, for example, Lisitsa’s moral teaching from the fable “Lisitsino’s Moral Teaching” translated by Fonvizin: “When you want to steal, then earn enough so that you can pay off for what is usually punished for small thieves, not big ones.” Starodum in the comedy “The Minor” tells us that “ honest man without great rank, she is a noble person; virtue replaces everything, but nothing can replace virtue.” The main thing is to be honest. Good behavior in the family is especially necessary, so that children see an example of honesty, decency, in a word, virtue, in the person of their parents. Then the son will not turn away from his mother in difficult times for her, and the brother will not turn away from his sister. Then there will be no tyranny in the family. Then enlightenment will be for the benefit of everyone. If only we would not allow “evil spirits” into our lives!Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin wrote the comedy “The Minor” during the era of autocracy. The author ridicules the system of upbringing and education used in noble families and creates images of ignorant landowners.
The meaning of the word "minor"
So, let’s try to figure out what the word “minor” means. The meaning of the comedy's title is difficult to determine without understanding its meaning. Initially, this was the name given to young nobles who had not yet reached adulthood and had not entered the public service. The second meaning appeared after the publication of Fonvizin’s comedy. The word “minor” began to be used to describe a short-sighted young man, a dropout. Main character comedy, Mitrofanushka, is the personification young man mired in ignorance and stupidity.
Having an idea of the meaning of this word, the meaning of the title of Fonvizin’s comedy “Minor” will be much easier to understand.
Issues raised in comedy
The title of the work is a characteristic of an entire era and elevates young nobles and exposes the morals prevailing among representatives of this class.
Fonvizin chose very bold and original ones to write the play “Minor.” The meaning of the comedy's title helps to see the problems of society of that time.
All scenes of the work are filled with merciless and caustic satire, exposing the way of life of the Prostakovs and Skotinins.
So, the first problem that worries Fonvizin is the deplorable state of the moral foundations of society. Through remarks from Starodum and Pravdin, the author expresses the idea that the complete power of the landowners over the serfs and the lack of proper example from the outside high society became the cause of complete arbitrariness. As a result, representatives of the noble class forgot about their duties and class honor, which practically led to the degeneration of the class.
This is how the problem of degradation of representatives of the nobility is illuminated in the play “The Minor.” The meaning of the comedy's title is revealed more fully if you know the shortcomings of the society of that time.
The second problem that the author raises is the issue of education. Fonvizin examines it in great detail in his work “The Minor.” The meaning of the comedy's name has a lot to do with the gaps in this area. Fonvizin's sarcasm, with which he depicts the scene of Mitrofanushka's exam, is a verdict on the education of the Skotinins and Prostakovs.
This problem worries the author so much for the reason that we are talking about advanced members of society. It is bad that a young nobleman, whose duty is to serve the Fatherland, is brought up in the absence moral principles with complete indifference of parents to the interests of society. The hero of the comedy, Mitrofan, had no other desires than to chase pigeons, eat and get married.
Court life is an example for such education, because the nobles have long forgotten what serving for the benefit of the state is.
Comedy idea
The meaning of the title of Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” will become clearer if we turn to the idea that the author laid down in his work. Denis Ivanovich wanted to show that the “minor” will forever remain a “minor” and will never change, will not develop morally and spiritually.
The meaning of the main character's name
Literally translated into Russian as “showing his mother,” which means he is similar to her. This is true. The boy's mother is the leader in the family, and he strives to be like her. Mitrofanushka is not devoid of natural intelligence and intelligence, but uses these qualities exclusively in her own interests. He's a mama's boy. Mitrofanushka is spoiled, absurd, capricious.
The meaning of the title of the play “Minor” is revealed in another to a greater extent after realizing that the name was not chosen by the author by chance.
Relevance of the problem of education
To understand the extent of education that Fonvizin raises in his work, you need to understand what is happening in modern society.
Of course, school these days is not always able to awaken a child’s interest in learning. In addition, many parents strive to provide education because it is necessary, for show, often conveying this understanding to their child.
As a result, it turns out that in our time the problem identified by the author of the comedy “The Minor” has not lost its relevance.
What comedy can teach a child
The main points that Fonvizin wanted to convey to readers in the play “Minor” were outlined above. The description of comedy cannot be complete without indicating what this work can teach a child.
Using the example of Mitrofanushka, whom the author ridicules, an eighth-grade student can come to understand how important it is to study, to be independent, and responsible.
The relevance of this comedy is manifested in the fact that it is often staged in the theater. Spectators different ages they watch it with pleasure, laugh and, of course, draw the necessary conclusions.
What is the relevance of comedy?
In order to understand the relevance of the comedy “The Minor” in our time, it is enough to remember what the main problems raised in it are. This work was written at the end of the 18th century by the outstanding Russian classicist D.I. Fonvizin. The author presented in it heroes from various walks of life and their vices. Among the main characters are nobles, serfs, ordinary servants, impostor teachers, and government officials.
The comedy, first of all, condemns the traditional noble upbringing and its “evil character.” Central character- a young nobleman, a “minor” who received a written certificate of training from the teacher. People like him were not accepted into the service and were not given documents allowing marriage. The moral issues raised by the author in the work are undoubtedly relevant to this day. There is only one difference between modern times and the period of two hundred years ago. Serfdom long ago abolished, so society no longer consists of serfs and nobles.
Otherwise, you can easily see all the problems associated with upbringing and education, even in our time. After all high position in society, people who are not fully educated and have a low level of enlightenment are often occupied, while many more literate people remain in secondary roles. The problem of “minors” has always existed. There have always been those in society who did not want to learn and did not take into account useful sciences. So here, Fonvizin showed the Prostakov family - powerful, tough and ready to do almost anything for their own benefit.
/ / / Relevance of the images of D.I.’s comedy Fonvizin "Nedorosl" today
Why are you laughing? You're laughing at yourself!
N.V. Gogol
Many, many years have passed since that memorable day (September 24, 1782), when the premiere of D. I. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” took place. Serfdom has long been gone. The government system changed three times. But comedy is alive and, apparently, will never become obsolete. It raises the eternal problems of all people: how to raise children, what is the civic duty of each person, what kind of state power should be.
In “The Minor,” two worlds collide. Starodum, Pravdin, Milon and Sophia personify the world of high ideals of enlightenment, honor, civic valor, kindness and decency. The Prostakovs and Skotinins live in a world of ignorance, violence, dishonor, and meanness. The eternal clash of good and evil! In the play, good wins, but only thanks to intervention “from above.” What has changed now? Do goodness and justice always triumph? The two worlds continue to confront each other. We are increasingly seeing examples of cruelty and violence. And it all starts with education. Let us remember how differently Starodum and Prostakova approach education. “It is not the rich man who counts out money in order to hide it in a chest, but the one who counts out what he has in excess in order to help those who do not have what they need,” Starodum says to his young niece. Not all current parents give such advice to their children. On the contrary, very often you can hear the opposite: “Take it! Don't give it up! Don’t you dare give in!” But this is the same thing that Prostakova taught: “If you find money, don’t share it with anyone. Take everything for yourself, Mitrofanushka.”
Mitrofan's ignorance in the play is, of course, deliberately exaggerated. But reluctance to learn can still be found today, when people increasingly rely not on knowledge, but on money.
The names of the characters in the play, especially its main character, have long become household names, and this speaks of the enduring significance of “The Minor.” Some characters move from one book to another. The Skotinins, for example, come to life in Pushkin’s novel:
The Skotinins, the gray-haired couple,
With children of all ages, counting
From thirty to two years...
Mitrofanushka is an ignoramus. But an ignoramus and a fool are not the same thing. Mitrofan is an ignoramus, but not a fool. He could speak about himself in the words of Petrusha Grinev from “ The captain's daughter": "I lived as a teenager, chasing pigeons... Meanwhile, I was sixteen years old. Then my fate changed.” Much is the same: the dovecote, the age, and the teachers are the same. “Let’s go serve...” Pravdin says to Mitrofan. “It’s time for him to go into service,” Grinev’s father decides. From this moment on, the fates of these two “minors” diverge. All his life, Petrusha Grinev will remember his father’s parting words: “Take care of your honor from a young age.” No one spoke such words to Mitrofan. How modern Fonvizin’s discussions about honor, patriotism, and positions sound! I think that the leader of each country should remember the words of Fonvizin about the appointment of a monarch: “He is guilty of answering not only for the bad things he has done, but also for the good things he has not done.”
Starodum in the comedy “The Minor” tells us that “an honest person without great rank is a noble person, that virtue replaces everything, but nothing can replace virtue.” The main thing is to be honest. Good behavior in the family is especially necessary, so that children see an example of honesty, decency, in a word, virtue, in the person of their parents. Then the son will not turn away from his mother in difficult times for her, and the brother will not turn away from his sister. Then there will be no tyranny in the family. Then enlightenment will be for the benefit of everyone. Just to prevent “evil spirits” from entering our lives!