Mitrofan Prostakov is one of the main characters of the comedy "The Minor" by DI Fonvizin. From the list of characters, we learn that it is to him that the title of the play refers. This was the official name of the nobles, mostly young people who did not receive a certificate of education and did not enter the service. At the same time, the word "ignoramus" meant any minor nobleman.
Mitrofan is the son of provincial nobles, who has almost reached the age of sixteen. One of the heroes of the comedy - the official Pravdin - characterizes his parents in this way: "I found a landowner, a fool innumerable, and my wife despised a fury, whose hellish temper makes the whole of their house unhappy." Fonvizin used speaking names and surnames in the play: the name Mitrofan means "like a mother" in Greek. And indeed, as the plot develops, the reader is convinced that the son inherited from Prostakova all the disgusting traits of character, and that she is his main educator and example.
Mitrofan is stupid and ignorant: for the fourth year he has been sitting over the book of hours, for the third year he cannot learn to count. In addition, he cannot be called a zealous student, he believes that with his "studies" he is doing everyone a great favor, and even Prostakova herself, who sees only harm in education, asks him: "At least for the sake of appearance, learn." She constantly imparts to her son her principles of life, among which greed and stinginess are not the last. 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 the increase in the teacher's salary.
Mitrofanushka shows rudeness and cruelty in relation to teachers and Eremeevna's loving soul in him, calling them "garrison rat", "old hrychovka", threatening to press the ambulance on the reprisal of the mother. But as soon as his uncle Skotinin pounced on him, he cowardly asks for protection from the old nurse who offended 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 deliciously and eat 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. Dive, so remember what you called"), and clumsy flattery. His invention about a dream is comical: “The night all such rubbish crawled into my eyes ... Yes, then you, mother, then father ... As soon as I start to fall asleep, then I see that you, mother, deign to beat the father ... So I felt sorry for you, mother : you are so tired, beating the priest. "
To achieve their goals, the Prostakovs do not shun any means. Together with his parents, Mitrofan first subdues to Starodum in the hope of getting an inheritance, and then he 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 malice and cruelty, Mitrofan grows up selfish, loving no one but himself, even his mother indulging him in everything. Having lost power and therefore become unnecessary to Prostakov, who turned to his son for consolation, he repels with the words: "Yes, get off, mother, how imposed ...".
His stupidity and lack of education cause irony in the positive heroes of comedy, and they perceive his cruelty as a logical consequence of a bad upbringing. The author himself adheres to the same opinion. In the comedy "Minor", Fonvizin expressed his educational ideals in the words of Pravdin and Starodum: "Direct dignity in man is soul ... Without her, the most enlightened clever girl is a pitiful creature ... An ignoramus without a soul is a beast." The image of Mitrofan became an instructive example of what evil ignorance leads to, and his name became a household name. More than one lazy person was intimidated by the prospect of becoming like him.

Literally translated from Greek, the name Mitrofan means “revealing his mother,” that is, similar to his mother. This is a vivid type of spoiled "mama's son" who grew up and developed in an ignorant environment of the feudal local nobility. Serfdom, domestic conditions 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 in the house, and he adapts to her by pretending to be her tenderly loving son (a story about a dream) or scares her with a threat to drown himself if they do not save him from his uncle's fists and torment him by reading the Book of Hours.

Mitrofan's mental development is extremely low, since he has an irresistible aversion to work and learning. The scenes of his lessons from the teacher and the exam "vividly and fully show his mental poverty, ignorance in the sciences, unwillingness to understand anything, to learn new things. Dovecotes, hearth pies, sweet dreams and the idle life of the barchuk are much dearer to him than mental activities. Mitrofan does not know love for anyone, even for those closest to him - his father, mother and nanny. He does not speak with teachers, but “barks,” as Tsyfirkin put it; Eremeevna, who was devoted to him, calls her "an old hrychovka", threatens her with fierce reprisals: "I will finish those!" When the kidnapping of Sophia failed, he angrily shouts: “Be taken for people! Having lost both power and property, his mother, who rushed to him in despair, he rudely repulses: “Yes, get off, mother, how imposed. Mitrofan's speech fully reflects his character and his distinctive qualities. Mitrofan's mental poverty 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: I suppose, brother. “Which door is which? All to hell! " In his language there are many vernaculars, words and phrases borrowed from the courtyards: According to me, where they tell. Yes, and look, that from uncle the task "," Dive so remember what they called!

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

The image of Mitrofan is revealed in a wide and versatile way: his attitude to his parents, to his uncle, to teachers, to Eremeevna, his studies, 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 tremendous generalizing force. The name of Mitrofanushka has become a household name. The very word "ignoramus", which before Fonvizin meant a noble teenager under 16, has become synonymous with a round ignoramus, who knows nothing and does not want to know anything.

Fonvizin's comedy "The Minor" was staged at the theater in 1782. The historical prototype of "The Minor" was the title of a noble teenager who had not completed his studies. During the time of Fonvizin, the burdens of compulsory service increased at the same time as the weakening ...

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The dictionary gives two definitions of the word "Minor". The first is "this is a young nobleman who has not reached the age of majority and has not entered the civil service." The second is "a stupid young man - a dropout." I think the second ...

DI Fonvizin's comedy "Minor" about the events in 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 thought about the legacy that the Prostakovs are preparing for Russia ...

The comedy of D. I. Fonvizin "Incompletely 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 thought about the legacy that the Prostakovs and Skotinins are preparing for Russia. Before Fonvizin, the word "stunted" had a condemning meaning. Noble children under the age of 15, that is, the age assigned by Peter I for entering the service, were called undersized. From Fonvizin, it received a mocking, ironic meaning.

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

Until the age of sixteen or seventeen, noble children are just "undergrowth". They eat pies in abundance, chase pigeons, they are frequent visitors to "girls". They don't bother themselves with anything, they don't care about anything.

But childhood passes quickly, children have to grow up, go to public service or continue the work of their parents. So, they need to be prepared for adulthood, and parents prepare their children for life according to their ideals (if they have any), each in their own way. Mitrofan is the only son of provincial parents.

Nobleman, future serf or civil servant. "Like a mother" ... This already says a lot.

Mrs. Prostakova is a cruel and domineering woman, insidious, cunning and greedy. An ignorant mother teaches her son the sciences, but she has recruited teachers "at a cheaper price," and even so she interferes. What is her advice to her son: "...

my friend, at least for the sake of appearance, learn that it will come to his ears how you work! "When you find the money, don't share it with anyone. Take everything for yourself. stupid, greedy, lazy.

In a fit of rage, she shouts at the yard girl Palashka, who is seriously ill. She does not reckon with the dignity of those who live next to her: for a long time she crushed her husband, depriving him of his will and her opinion, humiliates Sophia, considering her a freeloader. In Prostakova we see only a landowner, illiterate, cruel and unbridled.

We do not see a woman in her, there is no mind, mercy in her. In some respects, Mitrofan went further than his mother.

Let us remember how he regrets his mother, who is tired, beating the father. He perfectly understands who the real boss is in the house, and clumsily flatters his mother. Blindly and recklessly loving his son, Prostakova sees his happiness in wealth and idleness.

Having learned that Sophia is a rich bride, the mother curses with the girl and by any means wants to marry her son. Prostakova thinks that with his mind Mitrofan "will fly far", forgetting the popular wisdom: "What you sow, so you reap." Apparently, she did not know the folk wisdom, because the people for her are worse than cattle. Eremeevna, who devoted her whole life to serving in the Prostakov family, did not deserve anything except for the teeth. Teachers came to Mitrofan, and he grumbled: “Shoot them, take them!

Tsyfirkin, who wants to teach him at least something, Mitrofan calls him a "garrison rat", and after failing to kidnap Sophia, he and his mother intend to "take for people", that is, flog the servants. So, Prostakova raised her son the way she knew how and how she wanted. So what happened? In the most critical moment life, when she found herself "at a broken trough", Prostakova rushes to her son with an exclamation: "You are the only one left with me, my dear friend, Mitrofanushka! - and comes across a callous, rude answer of her son:" Yes, get off, mother, how imposed!

"The evil son of a son is a direct consequence of the bad qualities of his parents. Mitrofan is an ignoramus, first of all, because he is a complete ignoramus, who does not know either arithmetic or geography, unable to distinguish an adjective from a noun. But he is also a minor in moral terms, since he does not know how to respect dignity. other people.

He is also a minor in the civilian sense, since he has not matured enough to understand his responsibilities to the state. It is quite natural that the civic feeling is alien to the Skotinin-Prostakovs, the idea "to be useful to his fellow citizens cannot come to these heads. Mitrofan is not eager either to study or to service and prefers the position of a" stunted ". Mitrofan's mood is completely shared by his mother." still in the undergrowth, - she argues, - for now, he will be pampered, and then in a dozen years it will come out, God forbid, to the service, he will endure everything. "

Are there many such Mitrofans? Vralman said about this: "Do not twist, my mother, do not twist: what is the most precious son - there are millions of them on the spheta". "We see," says Starodum, "all the unfortunate consequences of a bad upbringing." Now is a different time, different people.

But he tells us: it is the family that brings up first of all. Children inherit from their parents not only genes, but also ideals, habits, ways of thinking and life. As a rule, the apple falls not far from the apple tree.

Denis Fonvizin wrote the comedy "The Minor" in the 18th century. At that time, a decree of Peter I was in force in Russia, prescribing that young men under 21 years of age without education were forbidden to enter military and government service, as well as to marry. Young people up to this age in this document were called "ignoramuses" - this definition formed the basis of the title of the play. In the work, the main character is Mitrofanushka the ignoramus. Fonvizin portrayed him as a stupid, cruel, greedy and lazy young man of 16, who behaves like Small child, does not want to study and is capricious. Mitrofan is a negative character and the funniest hero of the comedy - his absurd statements of stupidity and ignorance cause laughter not only among readers and spectators, but also among other heroes of the play. Character playing important role in the ideological concept of the play, therefore the image of Mitrofan the Nedorosya requires a detailed analysis.

Mitrofan and Prostakova

In Fonvizin's work "The Minor", the image of Mitrofanushka is closely related to the theme of education, since in fact it is wrong upbringing became the cause of the malevolence and all his negative traits. His mother, Mrs. Prostakova, is an uneducated, cruel, despotic woman, for whom the main values ​​are material wealth and power. She adopted her views on the world from her parents - representatives of the old nobility, the same uneducated and ignorant landowners as herself. The values ​​and views she received through education were passed on to Prostakova and Mitrofan - the young man in the play is portrayed as a "mama's boy" - he cannot do anything on his own, the servants or the mother do everything for him. Having received from Prostakova cruelty towards servants, rudeness and the opinion that education is one of the last places in life, Mitrofan also adopted disrespect for loved ones, a willingness to deceive or betray them for a better offer. Let us recall how Prostakova persuaded Skotinin to marry Sophia in order to essentially get rid of the “extra mouth”. Whereas the news of the girl's large inheritance made her a "caring teacher", supposedly loving Sophia and wishing her happiness. Prostakova is looking for her own selfishness in everything, and therefore she refused Skotinin, because if the girl and Mitrofan, who listens to his mother in everything, married Sophia's money, Sophia's money would go to her.

The young man is as selfish as Prostakova. He becomes a worthy son of his mother, adopting her "best" features, which explains the final scene of the comedy, when Mitrofan abandons Prostakov, who has lost everything, leaving to serve the new owner of the village, Pravdin. For him, the efforts and love of his mother were insignificant in front of the authority of money and power.

Influence on Mitrofan's father and uncle

Analyzing the upbringing of Mitrofan in the comedy "The Minor", one cannot fail to mention the figure of the father and his influence on the personality of the young man. Prostakov appears before the reader as a weak-willed shadow of his wife. It was passivity and the desire to transfer the initiative to someone stronger that Mitrofan took over from his father. It is paradoxical that Pravdin speaks of Prostakov as a stupid person, but in the action of the play his role is so insignificant that the reader cannot fully understand whether he is really that stupid. Even the fact that Prostakov reproaches his son when Mitrofan leaves his mother at the end of the work does not indicate him as a character with positive traits. The man, like the others, does not try to help Prostakova, remaining on the sidelines, thus again showing an example of weakness and lack of initiative to his son - he doesn’t care, as it didn’t matter as long as Prostakova beat his peasants and disposed of his property in her own way.

The second man who influenced the upbringing of Mitrofan is his uncle. Skotinin, in fact, represents a personality that a young man could become in the future. They are even brought together by a common love for pigs, whose company they are much more pleasant than the company of people.

Mitrofan's training

According to the plot, the description of Mitrofan's training is in no way connected with the main events - the struggle for Sophia's heart. However, it is these episodes that reveal many important problems that Fonvizin highlights in the comedy. The author shows that the reason for the stupidity of a young man is not only a bad upbringing, but also a bad education. When Prostakova hired teachers for Mitrofan, she chose not educated smart teachers, but those who would take less. Retired sergeant Tsyfirkin, dropout Kuteikin, former groom Vralman - none of them could give Mitrofan a decent education. They all depended on Prostakova, and therefore could not ask her to leave and not interfere with the lesson. Let us recall how a woman did not even let her son think about solving an arithmetic problem, proposing “her own solution”. The exposure of Mitrofan's useless training is the scene of a conversation with Starodum, when the young man begins to come up with his own grammar rules and does not know that he is studying geography. At the same time, the illiterate Prostakova also does not know the answer, but if the teachers could not laugh at her stupidity, then the educated Starodum openly ridicules the ignorance of the mother and son.

Thus, Fonvizin, introducing into the play scenes of Mitrofan's teaching and exposing his ignorance, raises the acute social problems of education in Russia in that era. Noble children were taught not by authoritative educated personalities, but by slaves who knew the letter, who needed a pittance. Mitrofan is one of the victims of such an old landowner, obsolete and, as the author emphasizes, senseless education.

Why is Mitrofan the central character?

As it becomes clear from the title of the work, the young man is the central image of the comedy "The Minor". In the character system, he is opposed to the positive heroine Sophia, who appears before the reader as an intelligent, educated girl who respects her parents and older people. It would seem why the author made the key figure of the play a weak-willed, stupid, with a completely negative characterization of an ignoramus? Fonvizin in the image of Mitrofan showed a whole generation of young Russian nobles. The author was worried about the mental and moral degradation of society, in particular, young people who adopted outdated values ​​from their parents.

In addition, in "Nedorosl" the characterization of Mitrofan is a composite image of the negative traits of landowners contemporary to Fonvizin. The author sees cruelty, stupidity, ignorance, sycophancy, disrespect for others, greed, civic passivity and infantilism not only in outstanding landowners, but also in officials at court, who also forgot about humanism and high morality. For the modern reader, the image of Mitrofan is, first of all, a reminder of what a person becomes when he stops developing, learning new things and forgets about eternal human values ​​- respect, kindness, love, mercy.

A detailed description of Mitrofan, his character and lifestyle will help students in grades 8-9 when preparing a report or essay on the topic "Characteristics of Mitrofan in the comedy" The Minor "

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