The comedy "The Minor", created by the great Fonvizinas far back as the 18th century, it does not descend from the scenes of the metropolitan and regional theaters to this day. It was included from the Soviet times in the school curriculum of all the Union republics and remained in most of them even after the collapse of the USSR and the formation of independent states. “Satires a brave lord,” as the playwright Pushkin called, not only severely criticized and ridiculed mediocrity, ignorance, cruelty of nobles, denounced the serfdom of Russia with shame, but also created a whole gallery of images that embody certain types of characters, because of their vitality almost immediately become common. One of them is Mrs. Prostakova, Mitrofanushka's mother.
Place the hero in the work
The image of Prostakova in a comedy plays one ofmain roles. She - the mistress of the estate, the owner of the serfs, noblewoman, a stronghold and the personification of state power here in her estate. And it, in turn, is one of thousands of parts of the boundless Russia. And the problems that arise in a single territory are typical for the whole country. This is the first. Secondly, the image of Prostakova is important in that she raises and brings up her son in her own image and likeness. And everything negative in the mother is cultivated tenfold in Mitrofan. But if Prostakovs, Skotinins are the past and the present of Russia, then their offspring is her future. So thought Fonvizin and wondered about what the state would come to, if everybody in it would be filled with such ignorant louts. In what jungles of the Middle Ages will they reject the country, to what ruin, impoverishment will they bring? Thirdly, the image of Prostakova is interesting in and of itself, precisely as a human type, the quintessence of class and personal vices.
From last name to person
Prostakova heroine of her husband.And he really is a “simpleton”: a weak-tempered, weak-willed, completely entrusting his wife and managing the estate, and raising his son. He, no less than the rest of the household, suffers humiliation and insults from her, but he doesn’t think of putting a rude bastard in the place of a petty asshole. However, interpreting the name, the image of Prostakova acquires a different shade of meaning. In the people, “simple” (not “simple”) means “stupid”, “stupid”, “fool”. And the lovely lady, who has long crossed the line of the Balzac age, is proud that she is illiterate and does not know how to read and write. Moreover, he sincerely believes this is the norm for noble women. So, by simplicity and naivety of the soul, it embodies the most retrograde, conservative, stagnant layer of the nobility. To the full extent, through his native surname, Skotinina, the image of Prostakova is revealed. “Minority” is a comedy, created largely in accordance with the poetics of classicism, which allows in this way to convey the essence of the character to the reader / viewer. The bestial essence of the heroine, uncovered by nothing, literally screams about herself from her very first replicas on the stage. And the further the action of the play develops, the more clearly the bestial essence of this woman becomes to us. Inveterate serf, she does not consider servants for people, scolding and pounding them without a twinge of conscience She ruined her peasants, treating them extremely cruelly. Ready for any meanness, even a crime, for the sake of gain. Sophia, as if a thing, is going to marry his brother, because he was attracted by pigs from the village, the girl inherited from the deceased parents. In this regard, the "Undersight" is very indicative.
Comedy heroes embody the feudal spiritRussia, all negative, as the selection! Disabled spiritually and mentally by social prejudices of the environment itself, Prostakova cripples her son. She is engaged in upbringing and education for the species, paying tribute to fashion and new social requirements. In fact, “in order to raise children”, in the opinion of this animal love, that loves a woman’s son, neither one nor the other is necessary. And grows out of her offspring another "beast", a betraying mother, not recognizing anyone but herself, stupid and despicable. Therefore, the final words of the work are a verdict to the whole noble-serf system: “Here is the evil deed!”
Modern classic
It is worth noting that this expression became wingedand stepped far beyond the content of the play. So we can say about any negative example, an act that led to the corresponding reaction. Therefore, one should always try to behave, speak and act in such a way that our “evil-doings” do not stick out and do not give “worthy fruits”!
