The relationship between son and mother. Composition

The comedy of D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" was written at the end of the 18th century. Today is the 21st century, and many of its problems are relevant, the images are still alive. One of the main problems raised by the play is the writer's reflection on the legacy that the Prostakovs and Skotinins are preparing for Russia. Before Fonvizin, the word "undergrowth" had no condemnatory meaning. Undergrowths were called children of the nobility under the age of 15, i.e., the age appointed by Peter I for entering the service. In Fonvizin, it received a mocking, ironic meaning.
The upbringing of children is a state problem. But it is not only the system of education that solves it, but also each family individually.
Until the age of sixteen or seventeen, the children of the nobility were only "undergrown." They eat pies in abundance, chase pigeons, they are frequent visitors to the "girls". They don't bother themselves with anything, they don't care about anything. But childhood passes quickly, children must grow up, go to public service or continue the work of their parents. This means that they need to be prepared for adulthood, and parents prepare children for life in accordance with their ideals (if they have them), each in their own way.
Mitrofan is the only son of provincial parents. Nobleman, future serf-owner or civil servant. "Like a mother" ... This already says a lot. Mother, Mrs. Prostakova, is a cruel and domineering woman, insidious, cunning and greedy. An ignorant mother teaches her son the sciences, but she recruited teachers "at a cheaper price," and even interferes with that. What are her advice to her son worth: "... my friend, at least for the sake of appearance, learn, so that it comes to his ears how you work!" "I found the money, don't share it with anyone. Take everything for yourself, Mitrofanushka. Don't study this stupid science!"
Mother brings up Mitrofan in her own image and likeness: he is stupid, greedy, lazy. In a fit of rage, she screams at the courtyard girl Palashka, who is seriously ill. She does not consider the dignity of those who live next to her: she has long crushed her husband, depriving him of his will and her opinion, humiliates Sophia, considering her a freeloader. In Prostakova, we see only the landowner, illiterate, cruel and unbridled. We do not see a woman in her, she has no mind, no mercy.
In some respects, Mitrofan went further than his mother. Let us remember how he pities his mother, who is tired from beating the father. He perfectly understands who is the real master in the house, and clumsily flatters his mother.
Blindly and recklessly loving her son, Prostakova sees his happiness in wealth and idleness. Upon learning that Sophia is a rich bride, the mother fawns over the girl and wants to marry her son by any means.
Prostakova thinks that with his mind, Mitrofan "will fly far", forgetting the folk wisdom: "What you sow, you will reap." Apparently, she did not know the wisdom of the people, because the people are worse for her than cattle. Eremeevna, who devoted her whole life to serving in the Prostakov family, deserved nothing, except for poking.
Teachers came to Mitrofan, and he grumbles: "Take them shot!" Mitrofan calls Tsyfirkin, who wants to teach him at least something, a "garrison rat", and after he failed to kidnap Sofya, he and his mother intend to "take on people", that is, flog the servants.
So, Prostakova raised her son the way she knew how and how she wanted. What happened? At the most critical moment of her life, when she found herself "with nothing," Prostakova rushes to her son with an exclamation: "You are the only one left with me, my heartfelt friend, Mitrofanushka!" - and comes across a stale, rude answer from his son: "Yes, get rid of it, mother, how you imposed it!" The "malice" of the son is a direct consequence of the bad qualities of his parents.
Mitrofan is an undergrowth primarily because he is a complete ignoramus, who knows neither arithmetic nor geography, unable to distinguish an adjective from a noun. But he is undersized and morally, because he does not know how to respect the dignity of other people. He is also undersized in a civil sense, since he has not grown up to understand his duties to the state. It is quite natural that the civic feeling is alien to Skotinin-Prostakov, the thought "to be useful to one's fellow citizens" cannot enter these heads.
Mitrofan is not eager either for teaching or for service and prefers the position of "undergrowth". Mitrofan's mood is entirely shared by his mother. “While Mitrofanushka is still in the undergrowth,” she argues, “until he is pampered, and there, in a dozen years, when he comes out, God forbid, he will endure everything.”
Are there many such Mitrofans? Vralman said about this: "Don't twist, my mother, don't twist: what is your best son - there are millions of them on the planet." "We see," says Starodum, "all the unfortunate consequences of a bad upbringing."
Now is a different time, different people. But Fonvizin tells us: first of all, the family brings up. Children inherit from their parents not only genes, but also ideals, habits, ways of thinking and living. As a rule, the apple does not fall far from the tree.

Composition.

Son worthy of his mother in the comedy D.I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth"

The comedy of D. I. Fonvizin “Undergrowth” was written at the end of the 18th century. Today is the 21st century, and many of its problems are relevant, the images are still alive. One of the main problems raised by the play is the writer's reflection on the legacy that the Prostakovs and Skotinins are preparing for Russia. Before Fonvizin, the word "undergrowth" did not have a condemnatory meaning. Undergrowths were called children of the nobility under the age of 15, i.e., the age appointed by Peter I for entering the service. In Fonvizin, it received a mocking, ironic meaning.
The upbringing of children is a state problem. But it is not only the system of education that solves it, but also each family individually.
Until the age of sixteen or seventeen, the children of the nobility were only "undersized." They eat pies in abundance, chase pigeons, they are frequent visitors to the “girls”. They don't bother themselves with anything, they don't care about anything. But childhood passes quickly, children must grow up, go to public service or continue the work of their parents. This means that they need to be prepared for adulthood, and parents prepare children for life in accordance with their ideals (if they have them), each in their own way.
Mitrofan is the only son of provincial parents. Nobleman, future serf-owner or civil servant. "Like a mother" ... This already says a lot. Mother, Mrs. Prostakova, is a cruel and domineering woman, insidious, cunning and greedy. An ignorant mother teaches her son the sciences, but she recruited teachers "at a cheaper price," and even that interferes. What are her advice to her son worth: “... my friend, at least for the sake of appearance, learn so that it comes to his ears how you work!” “When you find money, don’t share it with anyone. Take everything for yourself, Mitrofanushka. Don't study this stupid science!"
Mother brings up Mitrofan in her own image and likeness: he is stupid, greedy, lazy. In a fit of rage, she screams at the courtyard girl Palashka, who is seriously ill. She does not consider the dignity of those who live next to her: she has long crushed her husband, depriving him of his will and her opinion, humiliates Sophia, considering her a freeloader. In Prostakova, we see only the landowner, illiterate, cruel and unbridled. We do not see a woman in her, she has no mind, no mercy.
In some respects, Mitrofan went further than his mother. Let us remember how he pities his mother, who is tired from beating the father. He perfectly understands who is the real master in the house, and clumsily flatters his mother.
Blindly and recklessly loving her son, Prostakova sees his happiness in wealth and idleness. Upon learning that Sophia is a rich bride, the mother fawns over the girl and wants to marry her son by any means.
Prostakova thinks that with his mind, Mitrofan will "fly far", forgetting folk wisdom: "What you sow, you will reap." Apparently, she did not know the wisdom of the people, because the people are worse for her than cattle. Eremeevna, who devoted her whole life to serving in the Prostakov family, deserved nothing, except for poking.
Teachers came to Mitrofan, and he grumbles: “Take them shot!” Mitrofan calls Tsyfirkin, who wants to teach him at least something, a “garrison rat”, and after failing to kidnap Sophia, he and his mother intend to “take on people”, that is, flog the servants.
So, Prostakova raised her son the way she knew how and how she wanted. What happened? At the most critical moment of her life, when she found herself “with nothing”, Prostakova rushes to her son with an exclamation: “You are the only one left with me, my heartfelt friend, Mitrofanushka!” - and comes across a stale, rude answer from his son: “Yes, get rid of it, mother, how you imposed it!” The "malice" of the son is a direct consequence of the bad qualities of his parents.
Mitrofan is an undergrowth primarily because he is a complete ignoramus, who knows neither arithmetic nor geography, unable to distinguish an adjective from a noun. But he is undersized and morally, because he does not know how to respect the dignity of other people. He is also undersized in a civil sense, since he has not grown up to understand his duties to the state. It is quite natural that the civic feeling is alien to the Skotinins-Prostakovs, the thought "to be useful to one's fellow citizens" cannot enter these heads.
Mitrofan is not eager either for teaching or for service and prefers the position of "undergrowth". Mitrofan's mood is entirely shared by his mother. “While Mitrofanushka is still in the undergrowth,” she argues, “until he is pampered, and there, after a dozen years, when he comes out, God forbid, he will endure everything.”
Are there many such Mitrofans? Vralman said about this: “Don’t twist, my mother, don’t twist: what is your best son - there are millions of them on the planet.” “We see,” says Starodum, “all the unfortunate consequences of bad education.”
Now is a different time, different people. But Fonvizin tells us: first of all, the family brings up. Children inherit from their parents not only genes, but also ideals, habits, ways of thinking and living. As a rule, the apple does not fall far from the tree.

Literally translated from Greek, the name Mitrofan means “revealing his mother”, that is, similar to his mother. This is a bright type of spoiled "sissy", who grew up and developed in an ignorant environment of the feudal landed nobility. Serfdom, home furnishings and an absurd, ugly upbringing spiritually ruined and corrupted him. By nature, he is not devoid of cunning and ingenuity. He perfectly sees that the mother is the sovereign mistress of the house, and he adapts to her, pretends to be her tenderly loving son (a story about a dream) or scares her with the threat of drowning herself if they don’t save him from his uncle’s fists and torment him by reading the hour book.

Mitrofan's mental development is extremely low, since he has an insurmountable aversion to work, to learning. The scenes of his studies from the teacher and the exam "clearly and fully show his mental poverty, ignorance in the sciences, unwillingness to understand anything, to learn new things. Dovecote, hearth pies, sweet sleep and the idle life of a barchuk are much dearer to him than mental pursuits. Mitrofan does not know love for anyone, even for those closest to him - his father, mother and nanny. He does not talk to the teachers, but "barks", in the words of Tsyfirkin; he calls Eremeevna, devoted to him, “an old bastard,” threatens her with ferocious reprisals: “I’ll beat them up!” When the kidnapping of Sophia failed, he angrily shouts: “Let's start with people! Having lost both power and property, his mother, who rushed to him in despair, he rudely pushes away: “Yes, get rid of it, mother, as it was imposed. Mitrofan's speech fully reflects his character and his distinctive qualities. Mitrofan's mental wretchedness and underdevelopment are reflected in the fact that he does not know how to use the word, to speak coherently. He expresses himself in one word: Probably, brother. “Which door? Everything to hell!” In his language there are a lot of vernaculars, words and phrases borrowed from the courtyards: For me, where they are told. Yes, and look that from uncle task”, “I’ll dive so remember what your name was!

The main tone of his speech is a capricious, dismissive, rude rut of a spoiled "mama's son", barchuka, a future despot and petty tyrant. Even with his mother, he speaks more than cheekily, and sometimes he is insolent to her.

The image of Mitrofan is revealed widely and diversified: his attitude to his parents, to his uncle, to teachers, to Eremeevna, his occupations, pastime, the conditions that shaped his character, the reasons for his relationship to his mother at the beginning and end of the comedy are shown. The author's attitude towards him is sharply negative.

The image of Mitrofan is an image of a huge generalizing force. The name Mitrofanushka has become a household name. The very word "undergrowth", which before Fonvizin meant a noble teenager under the age of 16, became synonymous with a round ignoramus who knew nothing and did not want to know anything.

The comedy "Undergrowth" by Fonvizin was staged at the theater in 1782. The historical prototype of "Undergrowth" was the title of a noble teenager who did not complete his studies. During the time of Fonvizin, the burdens of compulsory service increased at the same time as the weakening ...

All this would be funny, If it were not so sad. M. Yu. Lermontov The last four decades of the 18th century. distinguished by the true flourishing of Russian dramaturgy. But classic comedy and tragedy far from exhaust its genre composition. In dramaturgy...

New!
Undergrowth is rightly considered the pinnacle of D.I. Fonvizin's work. This play is the first socio-political comedy on the Russian stage. The main conflict in it is the clash between the advanced nobles and the conservative part...

The dictionary gives two definitions for the word "Undergrowth". The first is "this is a young nobleman who has not reached the age of majority and has not entered the public service." The second - "stupid young man - half-educated." I think the second...

Comedy D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" about the events in the XVIII century. Today is the 21st century, and many of its problems are relevant, the images are still alive. One of the main problems touched upon by the play is the writer's reflection on the legacy that the Prostakovs are preparing for Russia...

Mitrofan Prostakov is one of the main characters in D.I. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth". From the list of characters, we learn that it is to him that the title of the play refers. So the nobles were officially called, mostly young, who did not receive a document on education and did not enter the service. At the same time, the word "undergrowth" meant any minor nobleman.
Mitrofan is the almost sixteen-year-old son of provincial nobles. One of the heroes of the comedy - the official Pravdin - characterizes his parents in this way: "I found the landowner an innumerable fool, and his wife a wicked fury, to whom the hellish temper makes misfortune of their whole house." Fonvizin used speaking names and surnames in the play: the name Mitrofan in Greek has the meaning of "resembling a mother." Indeed, as the plot develops, the reader is convinced that the son inherited all the disgusting traits of character from Prostakova, and it is she who is his main educator and example.
Mitrofan is stupid and ignorant: for the fourth year he sits over the book of hours, for the third year he cannot learn to count. In addition, he cannot be called a cheerful student, he believes that with his “occupations” he does everyone a great favor, and Prostakova herself, who sees only harm in enlightenment, asks him: “You at least learn for the sake of it.” She constantly teaches her son her life principles, among which greed and stinginess occupy not the last place. Therefore, the landowner calls arithmetic "stupid science", since according to the condition of the problem, it is necessary to divide the money found by three or calculate an increase in the teacher's salary.
In relation to the teachers and the soul of Eremeevna, who does not have a soul in him, Mitrofanushka shows rudeness and cruelty, calling them "garrison rat", "old grunt", threatening to complain to the ambulance about the massacre of his mother. But as soon as his uncle Skotinin pounced on him, he cowardly asks for protection from the old nurse offended by him.
The undergrowth is lazy and spoiled, uses every opportunity to get rid of the teachers and go chasing pigeons. All his base aspirations are only to eat tasty and a lot, not to study, but to get married. His father notices in him the Skotinins' family love for pigs.
Mitrofan is used to getting his way both with threats (“After all, the river is close here. I’ll dive in, so remember what your name was”), and with clumsy flattery. His fiction about sleep is comical: “All night long such rubbish climbed into my eyes ... Yes, then you, mother, then father ... As soon as I start to fall asleep, I see that you, mother, deign to beat the father ... So I felt sorry ... You, mother : you are so tired, beating the father.
To achieve their goals, the Prostakovs do not shun any means. Together with his parents, Mitrofan first grovels before Starodum in the hope of receiving an inheritance, and then is ready to marry his niece Sophia by force. When the kidnapping fails, he, like his mother, is going to take out his anger on the serfs.
Brought up in an atmosphere of malevolence and cruelty, Mitrofan grows up selfish, not loving anyone but himself, even his mother indulging him in everything. Having lost power and therefore becoming unnecessary to Prostakov, who turned to her son for consolation, he repels with the words: “Yes, get rid of it, mother, as it was imposed ...”.
His stupidity and ignorance cause irony among the positive heroes of the comedy, and they perceive his cruelty as a logical consequence of bad education. The author himself is of the same opinion. In the comedy "Undergrowth" Fonvizin expressed his educational ideals in the words of Pravdin and Starodum: "Direct dignity in a person is a soul ... Without it, the most enlightened clever girl is a miserable creature ... An ignoramus without a soul is a beast." The image of Mitrofan has become an instructive example of what evil ignorance leads to, and his name has become a household name. More than one lazy person was frightened by the prospect of becoming like him.

The upbringing of children is a state problem. But it is not only the system of education that solves it, but also each family individually.

Until the age of sixteen or seventeen, the children of the nobility were only "undergrown." They eat pies in abundance, chase pigeons, they are frequent visitors to the "girls". They don't bother themselves with anything, they don't care about anything. But childhood passes quickly, children must grow up, go to public service or continue the work of their parents. This means that they need to be prepared for adulthood, and parents prepare children for life in accordance with their ideals (if they have them), each in their own way.

Mitrofan is the only son of provincial parents. Nobleman, future serf-owner or civil servant. "Like a mother" ... This already says a lot. Mother, Mrs. Prostakova, is a cruel and powerful woman, insidious, cunning and greedy. An ignorant mother teaches her son the sciences, but she recruited teachers "at a cheaper price," and even interferes with that. What are her advice to her son worth: "... my friend, at least for the sake of appearance, learn, so that it comes to his ears how you work!" "When you find money, don't share it with anyone. Take everything for yourself, Mitrofanushka. Don't study this stupid science!"

Mother brings up Mitrofan in her own image and likeness: he is stupid, greedy, lazy. In a fit of rage, she screams at the courtyard girl Palashka, who is seriously ill. She does not consider the dignity of those who live next to her: she has long crushed her husband, depriving him of his will and her opinion, humiliates Sophia, considering her a freeloader. In Prostakova, we see only the landowner, illiterate, cruel and unbridled. We do not see a woman in her, she has no mind, no mercy.

Blindly and recklessly loving her son, Prostakova sees his happiness in wealth and idleness. Upon learning that Sophia is a rich bride, the mother fawns over the girl and wants to marry her son by any means.

Prostakova thinks that with his mind, Mitrofan "will fly far", forgetting the folk wisdom: "What you sow, you will reap." Apparently, she did not know the wisdom of the people, because the people are worse for her than cattle. Eremeevna, who devoted her whole life to serving in the Prostakov family, deserved nothing, except for poking.

Teachers came to Mitrofan, and he grumbles: "Take them shot!" Mitrofan calls Tsyfirkin, who wants to teach him at least something, a "garrison rat", and after he failed to kidnap Sofya, he and his mother intend to "take on people", that is, flog the servants.

So, Prostakova raised her son the way she knew how and how she wanted. What happened? At the most critical moment of her life, when she found herself "with nothing," Prostakova rushes to her son with an exclamation: "You are the only one left with me, my heartfelt friend, Mitrofanushka!" - and comes across a callous, rude answer from his son: "Yes, get rid of it, mother, how you imposed it!" The "malice" of the son is a direct consequence of the bad qualities of his parents.

Mitrofan is undersized, primarily because he is a complete ignoramus, who knows neither arithmetic nor geography, unable to distinguish an adjective from a noun. But he is undersized and morally, because he does not know how to respect the dignity of other people. He is also undersized in a civil sense, since he has not grown up to understand his duties to the state. It is quite natural that the civic feeling is alien to Skotinin-Prostakov, the thought "to be useful to one's fellow citizens" cannot enter these heads.

Mitrofan is not eager either for teaching or for service and prefers the position of "undergrowth". Mitrofan's mood is entirely shared by his mother. “While Mitrofanushka is still in the undergrowth,” she reasons, “until he is pampered, and there, in a dozen years, when he leaves, God forbid, he will endure everything.”

Are there many such Mitrofans? About this, Vralman said: "Do not twist, my mother, do not twist: what is your best son - there are millions of them on the planet." "We see," says Starodum, "all the unfortunate consequences of a bad upbringing."

Now is a different time, different people. But Fonvizin tells us: first of all, the family brings up. Children inherit from their parents not only genes, but also ideals, habits, ways of thinking and living. As a rule, the apple does not fall far from the tree.