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“Undergrowth” is a play in five acts, written by Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin. A cult dramatic work of the 18th century and one of the most striking examples of classicism. It entered the school curriculum, was repeatedly staged on the stage, received a screen embodiment, and its lines were dismantled into quotes that today live independently from the original source, becoming aphorisms of the Russian language.
Plot: a summary of the play “Undergrowth”
The plot of “Undergrowth” is well known to everyone since school years, but we still recall the summary of the play in order to restore the sequence of events in memory.
The action takes place in the village of Prostakov. Its owners - Mrs. and Mr. Prostakov and their son Mitrofanushka - live a quiet life of provincial nobles. The orphan Sofyushka also lives on the estate, whom the lady sheltered in her house, but, as it turns out, not out of compassion, but because of the inheritance, which she freely disposes of as a self-proclaimed guardian. In the near future, they plan to give Sophia for Prostakova's brother Taras Skotinin.
The lady's plans are shattered when Sophia receives a letter from her uncle Starodum, who was still considered dead. Stradum is alive and well and goes on a date with his niece, and he also reports a fortune of 10 thousand income, which he inherits from his beloved relative. After such news, Prostakova begins to court Sophia, whom she still has little complained about, because now she wants to marry her to her beloved Mitrofan, and leave Skotinin with nothing.
Fortunately, Starodum turned out to be a noble and honest man, wishing his niece well. Moreover, Sophia already had a betrothed - officer Milon, who had just stopped with his regiment in the village of Prostakov. Starodub knew Milon and gave the young people his blessing.
In desperation, Prostakova tries to organize the abduction of Sophia and forcibly marry her to her son. However, even here the treacherous mistress fails - Milon saves her beloved on the night of the abduction.
Prostakov is generously forgiven and not put on trial, however, her estate, which has long aroused suspicion, is transferred to the state guardian. Everyone is leaving, and even Mitrofanushka leaves her mother, because he does not love her, as, in general, he does not love anyone in the world.
Characteristics of heroes: positive and negative characters
As in any classic work, the characters in "Undergrowth" are clearly divided into positive and negative.
Negative characters:
- Mrs. Prostakova - the mistress of the village;
- Mr. Prostakov - her husband;
- Mitrofanushka - the son of the Prostakovs, undersized;
- Taras Skotinin is the brother of the Prostakovs.
Goodies:
- Sophia is an orphan, lives with the Prostakovs;
- Starodum is her uncle;
- Milon - an officer, Sophia's lover;
- Pravdin is a state official who came to control the affairs in the Prostakov village.
Secondary characters:
- Tsyfirkin - teacher of arithmetic;
- Kuteikin - teacher, former seminarian;
- Vralman - a former coachman, pretends to be a teacher;
- Eremovna is Mitrofan's nanny.
Mrs. Prostakova
Prostakova is the most striking negative character, and indeed the most prominent character in the play. She is the mistress of the village of Prostakovs and it is the lady who, having completely suppressed her weak-willed spouse, establishes the lordly order and makes decisions.
However, she is completely ignorant, devoid of manners, often rude. Prostakova, like other members of the family, cannot read and despises science. Mitrofanushka's mother is engaged in the education of Mitrofanushka only because this is how it should be in the New World society, but she does not understand the true value of knowledge.
In addition to ignorance, Prostakova is distinguished by cruelty, deceit, hypocrisy, and envy.
The only creature she loves is her son Mitrofanushka. However, the mother's blind, absurd love only spoils the child, turning him into a copy of himself in a man's dress.
Mr. Prostakov
The figurative owner of the Prostakovs' estate. In fact, everything is led by his imperious wife, whom he is madly afraid of and does not dare to say a word. Prostakov has long lost his own opinion and dignity. He cannot even say whether the caftan sewn by the tailor Trishka for Mitrofan is good or bad, because he is afraid to say something different from what the lady expects.
Mitrofan
Son of the Prostakovs, undersized. In the family, he is affectionately called Mitrofanushka. And, meanwhile, it is time for this young man to enter adulthood, but he has absolutely no idea about it. Mitrofan is spoiled by maternal love, he is capricious, cruel to servants and teachers, pompous, lazy. Despite many years of studying with teachers, the young gentleman is hopelessly stupid, he does not show the slightest desire for learning and knowledge.
And the worst thing is that Mitrofanushka is a terrible egoist, nothing matters to him except his own interests. At the end of the play, he easily leaves his mother, who loved him so unrequitedly. Even she is empty space for him.
Skotinin
Brother of Mrs. Prostakova. Narcissistic, limited, ignorant, cruel and greedy. Taras Skotinin has a great passion for pigs, the rest is of little interest to this narrow-minded person. He has no idea of family ties, cordial affection and love. Describing how well his future wife will live, Skotinin only says that he will provide her with the best lighter. In his system of coordinates, this is where marital happiness lies.
Sofia
Positive female image of the work. A very well-mannered, kind, meek and compassionate girl. Sophia received a good education, she has an inquisitive mind and a thirst for knowledge. Even in the poisonous atmosphere of the Prostakovs' house, the girl does not become like the owners, but continues to lead the lifestyle that she likes - she reads a lot, thinks, is friendly and polite with everyone.
Starodum
Sophia's uncle and guardian. Starodum is the voice of the author in the play. His speeches are very aphoristic, he talks a lot about life, virtues, mind, law, government, modern society, marriage, love and other pressing issues. Starodum is incredibly wise and noble. Despite the fact that he clearly has a negative attitude towards Prostakova and her ilk, Starodum does not allow himself to stoop to rudeness and overt criticism, and as for light sarcasm, his narrow-minded “relatives” cannot recognize him.
Milon
Sophia's beloved officer. The image of a hero-defender, an ideal young man, husband. He is very fair, does not put up with meanness and lies. Milo was brave, and not only in battle, but also in his speeches. He is devoid of vanity and base prudence. All the “suitors” of Sophia spoke only about her condition, but Milon never mentioned that his betrothed was rich. He sincerely loved Sophia even before she had an inheritance, and therefore, in his choice, the young man was by no means guided by the size of the annual income of the bride.
“I don’t want to study, but I want to get married”: the problem of education in the story
The key problem of the work is the theme of provincial noble upbringing and education. The protagonist Mitrofanushka gets an education only because it is fashionable and “so established”. In fact, neither he nor his ignorant mother understand the true purpose of knowledge. They should make a person smarter, better, serve him throughout his life and benefit society. Knowledge is hard-earned and can never be forced into someone's head.
Mitrofan's home education is a dummy, a fiction, a provincial theater. For several years, the unfortunate student did not master either reading or writing. The comic test that Pravdin arranges, Mitrofan fails with a roar, but because of his stupidity he cannot even understand this. He calls the word door an adjective, because they say it is attached to the opening, he confuses science with stories that Vralman tells him in abundance, and Mitrofanushka cannot even pronounce the word “geography” ... too tricky.
To show the grotesqueness of Mitrofan's education, Fonvizin introduces the image of Vralman, who teaches "in French and all the sciences." In fact, Vralman (a surname that speaks!) is not a teacher at all, but a former coachman of Starodum. He easily deceives the ignorant Prostakova and even becomes her favorite, because he professes his own teaching method - not to force the student to do anything by force. With such zeal, as in Mitrofan, the teacher and student are simply idle.
Hand in hand with the acquisition of knowledge and skills goes education. For the most part, Mrs. Prostakova is responsible for it. She methodically imposes her rotten morality on Mitrofan, who (here he is diligent!) perfectly absorbs mother's advice. So, while solving the problem of division, Prostakova advises her son not to share with anyone, but to take everything for himself. Speaking about marriage, mother speaks only of the bride's wealth, never mentioning emotional affection and love. Mitrofan is not familiar with such concepts as courage, courage, valor underage. Despite the fact that he is no longer a baby, he is still taken care of in everything. The boy cannot even stand up for himself during a skirmish with his uncle, he immediately starts calling for his mother, and the old nanny Eremeevna rushes at the offender with his fists.
Name meaning: two sides of the coin
The title of the play has a direct and figurative meaning.
The direct meaning of the name
Undergrowth in the old days was called teenagers, young men who had not yet reached the age of majority and had not entered the public service.
The figurative meaning of the name
Undergrowth was also called a fool, an ignoramus, a narrow-minded and uneducated person, regardless of his age. With the light hand of Fonvizin, it was precisely this negative connotation that was attached to the word in modern Russian.
Every person is reborn from a minor youth into an adult man. This is growing up, the law of nature. However, not everyone turns from a dark undergrowth-half-educated into an educated self-sufficient person. Such transformation requires effort and perseverance.
Place in literature: Russian literature of the 18th century → Russian drama of the 18th century → The work of Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin → 1782 → The play “Undergrowth”.
“Undergrowth” - a play by D. I. Fonvizin. Analysis of the work, main characters
4.5 (90%) 2 votesFonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" was written in the best traditions of Russian classicism. In accordance with the classic canons, the characters in the work are clearly divided into positive and negative, and their names and surnames concisely characterize and reveal the main features of the characters. However, unlike the traditional images of classic plays, the heroes of The Undergrowth are devoid of stereotypes, which is what attracts modern readers and viewers.
The positive actors are Pravdin, Sofia, Starodum And Milon. Each of them supports the ideas of the Enlightenment, considering virtue, honesty, love for the motherland, high morality and education as the main human values. Their complete opposite depicts negative characters - Prostakovs, Skotinin And Mitrofan. They are representatives of the "old" nobility, which with all its might clings to the outdated ideas of serf and feudalism. Their core values are money, position in the social hierarchy, and physical strength.
In Fonvizin's play "Undergrowth", the main characters are divided into peculiar dual pairs, in which the author portrays people with similar social roles, but portraying them in a mirror distortion. So, in addition to a couple of "children" - Sophia and Mitrofan, one can distinguish "educators" - Starodum and Prostakov, "grooms" - Milon and Skotinin, as well as "owners" - Prostakov and Pravdin.
Mitrofan- a minor and the main character of the comedy - a spoiled stupid youth of sixteen years old, for whom everything has always been done by his mother, nanny or servants. Having adopted love for money, rudeness and disrespect for relatives from his mother (Prostakova is ready to deceive her brother in order to settle a marriage that is beneficial for her), and from his father complete lack of will, he behaves like a small child - he does not want to study, while he finds marriage fun fun. The complete opposite of Mitrofan is Sophia. This is an educated, intelligent and serious girl with a difficult fate. Having lost her parents at an early age and living in the care of the Prostakovs, Sophia does not adopt their values, but, in fact, becomes a “black sheep” in their society (Prostakova even resents that the girl can read).
Prostakov appears to readers on the one hand as an uneducated, cunning woman who is ready for almost anything for the sake of profit, and on the other hand, as a practical housewife and loving mother, for whom the happiness and carefree future of her son is above all else. Prostakova brought up Mitrofan the way she was brought up, and therefore she could convey and show by her own example outdated ideas and values that had long exhausted themselves.
At Starodum a completely different approach to education - he does not treat Sophia like a small child, talking with her on an equal footing, instructing her and advising her based on his own experience. In the matter of marriage, a man does not undertake to finally decide for a girl, because he does not know whether her heart is free. In the image of Starodum, Fonvizin portrays his ideal of a parent and educator - an authoritative strong personality who herself has traveled a worthy path. However, analyzing the character system of The Undergrowth from the point of view of the modern reader, it is worth noting that the image of Starodum as an educator is also not ideal. All the time he was away, Sophia was deprived of parental care and left to herself. The fact that the girl learned to read, appreciates morality and virtue is rather the merit of her parents, who instilled this in her at a young age.
In general, the theme of kinship is important both for the positive characters of the play "Undergrowth" and the negative ones. Sofia- the daughter of worthy people, Milon- the son of a good friend Starodum. Prostakova received this surname only after marriage, in fact she is Skotinina. Brother and sister are very similar, they are both driven by greed and cunning, they are not educated and cruel. Mitrofan is depicted as a real son of his parents and a pupil of his uncle, who inherited all their negative traits, including a love for pigs.
Characters whose relationship is not mentioned in the play - Prostakov and Pravdin. Prostakov is fundamentally different from his wife, compared to the active and active Prostakova, he looks weak-willed and passive. In a situation where he must show himself as the owner of the village, the man is lost in the background of his wife. This leads to the fact that the more active Pravdin, who was able to pacify Prostakova, becomes the owner of the lot. In addition, Prostakov and Pravdin act as some kind of "auditors" of what is happening. Pravdin is the voice of the law, while Prostakov is the opinion of a simple (remember the “speaking” names of the play) people who do not like how the “old” nobility in the person of his wife and brother-in-law behaves, but is afraid of their wrath, therefore he speaks only aside and not agreeing.
The last couple of characters are Skotinin and Milon. Men represent old and new ideas about marriage and family life. Milon has known Sophia since childhood, they love each other, and therefore their relationship is based on mutual respect and friendship. Skotinin does not even try to get to know the girl better, he is only concerned about his dowry, and he is not even going to arrange good conditions for her after marriage.
In addition to the main characters, there are secondary characters in the play - the teachers and educators of Mitrofan the underage. Characteristics of the heroes of the second plan - Eremeevna, Tsyfirkin, Kuteikina And Vralman- associated with their social role in the play. The nanny is an example of a serf who faithfully serves his mistress all his life, enduring beatings and injustice. On the example of the images of teachers, the author exposes all the problems of education in Russia in the 18th century, when children are taught by retired military men who did not graduate from the seminary or even grooms.
For the 18th century, Fonvizin's innovation consisted in the fact that the author portrayed the characters in The Undergrowth without excessive pathos and stereotypes inherent in many works of classicism. Each hero of a comedy is undoubtedly a composite image, but created not according to a ready-made “stencil”, but having its own individual features. That is why the characters of the work "Undergrowth" even today remain the brightest images of Russian literature.
Artwork test
As was customary in classicism, the heroes of the comedy "Undergrowth" are clearly divided into negative and positive. However, the most memorable, vivid are still negative characters, despite their despotism and ignorance: Mrs. Prostakova, her brother Taras Skotinin and Mitrofan himself. They are interesting and ambiguous. It is with them that comic situations are associated, full of humor, bright liveliness of dialogues.
Positive characters do not evoke such vivid emotions, although they are reasoners, reflecting the author's position. Educated, endowed with only positive traits, they are ideal - they cannot do lawlessness, they are alien to lies and cruelty.
Heroes are negative
Mrs. Prostakova
History of upbringing and education Grew up in a family characterized by extreme ignorance. Didn't get any education. I did not learn any moral rules from childhood. There is nothing good in her soul. Serfdom has a strong influence: her position as the sovereign owner of the serfs.
Main character traits Rough, unbridled, ignorant. If it does not meet resistance, it becomes arrogant. But if she encounters force, she becomes cowardly.
Attitude towards other people In relation to people, she is guided by rough calculation, personal gain. Merciless to those who are in her power. She is ready to humiliate herself in front of those on whom she depends, who turns out to be stronger than her.
Attitude towards educationEducation is superfluous: "Without the sciences, people live and lived."
Prostakova, as a landowner, a convinced serf-owner, considers the serfs to be her full property. Always dissatisfied with her serfs. She is outraged even by the illness of a serf girl. She robbed the peasants: “Since we took away everything that the peasants had, we can’t tear anything off. Such a disaster!
Attitude towards relatives and close people Despotic and rude towards her husband, she pushes him around, does not put him in anything.
Attitude towards his son, Mitrofanushka Loves him, is tender to him. Caring for his happiness and well-being is the content of her life. Blind, unreasonable, ugly love for his son brings neither Mitrofan nor Prostakova herself anything good.
Peculiarities of speechAbout Trishka: "Swindler, thief, cattle, thieves' mug, blockhead"; turning to her husband: “Why are you so delusional today, my father?”, “All your life, sir, you walk with your ears hanging out”; addressing Mitrofanushka: “Mitrofanushka, my friend; my friend of the heart; son".
She has no moral concepts: she lacks a sense of duty, philanthropy, a sense of human dignity.
Mitrofan
(translated from Greek "revealing his mother")
About upbringing and education I am accustomed to idleness, accustomed to hearty and plentiful food, spends free time on the dovecote.
The main character traits A spoiled "sissy", who grew up and developed in an ignorant environment of the feudal landed nobility. He is not devoid of cunning and ingenuity by nature, but at the same time rude and capricious.
Attitude towards other people Does not respect other people. Yeremeevna (nanny) calls her an “old bastard”, threatens her with severe reprisals; he does not talk to teachers, but “barks” (as Tsyfirkin puts it).
Attitude towards education Mental development is extremely low, experiencing an insurmountable aversion to work and learning.
Attitude towards relatives close peopleMitrofan does not know love for anyone, even for the closest - to his mother, father, nanny.
Speech features It is expressed in monosyllables, in its language there are many vernaculars, words and phrases borrowed from courtyards. The tone of his speech is capricious, dismissive, sometimes rude.
The name Mitrofanushka has become a household name. This is the name of young people who know nothing and do not want to know anything.
Skotinin - brother of Prostakova
On upbringing and education Grew up in a family that was extremely hostile to education: "Don't be that Skotinin, who wants to learn something."
Main character traits Ignorant, mentally undeveloped, greedy.
Attitude towards other people This is a ferocious feudal lord who knows how to “rip off” quitrent from his serfs, and there are no obstacles for him in this occupation.
The main interest in life is Animal Farm, breeding pigs. Only pigs evoke in him a disposition and warm feelings, only to them he shows warmth and care.
Attitude towards relatives and close people For the sake of the opportunity to marry profitably (he learns about Sophia's condition), he is ready to destroy his rival - his own nephew Mitrofan.
Peculiarities of speech The inexpressive speech of an uneducated person often uses rude expressions, in speech there are words borrowed from courtyards.
This is a typical representative of small landowners-feudal lords with all their shortcomings.
Teacher of Russian and Church Slavonic. The half-educated seminarian "feared the abyss of wisdom." In his own way, cunning, greedy.
A history teacher. German, former coachman. He becomes a teacher, as he failed to find a place as a coachman. An ignorant person who cannot teach his student anything.
The teachers make no effort to teach Mitrofan anything. They more often indulge the laziness of their student. To some extent, they, using the ignorance and lack of education of Mrs. Prostakova, deceive her, realizing that she will not be able to verify the results of their work.
Eremeevna - Mitrofan's nanny
What place does she occupy in the house of Prostakov, her distinctive features She has been serving in the house of the Prostakov-Skotinins for more than 40 years. Selflessly devoted to her masters, slavishly attached to their home.
Attitude towards Mitrofan Protects Mitrofan without sparing himself: “I will die on the spot, but I will not give the child away. Sunsya, sir, just show yourself if you please. I'll scratch those walleyes."
What Eremeevna has become over the long years of serf service. She has a highly developed sense of duty, but no sense of human dignity. There is not only no hatred for their inhuman oppressors, but even no protest. Lives in constant fear, trembles before his mistress.
For her loyalty and devotion, Eremeevna receives only beatings and hears only such appeals as “the beast”, “the dog's daughter”, “the old witch”, “the old grunt”. Eremeevna's fate is tragic, because she will never be appreciated by her masters, she will never receive gratitude for her loyalty.
Heroes are positive
Starodum
About the meaning of the name A person who thinks in the old way, giving preference to the priorities of the previous (Peter's) era, preserving traditions and wisdom, accumulated experience.
Education StarodumAn enlightened and progressive person. Brought up in the spirit of Peter's time, the thoughts, customs and activities of the people of that time are closer and more acceptable to him.
The civil position of the hero This is a patriot: for him, an honest and useful service to the Fatherland is the first and sacred duty of a nobleman. Demands to limit the arbitrariness of the feudal landowners: "It is illegal to oppress your own kind by slavery."
Attitude towards other people He regards a person according to his service to the Fatherland, according to the benefits that a person brings in this service: “I calculate the degree of nobility by the number of deeds that the great lord did for the Fatherland ... without noble deeds, a noble state is nothing.”
What qualities are honored as human virtues An ardent defender of humanity and enlightenment.
The hero's reflections on education Moral education attaches more value than education: “The mind, if it is only the mind, is the most trifle ... Good manners gives the direct price to the mind. Without it, a smart person is a monster. Science in a depraved person is a fierce weapon to do evil.
What traits in people cause the hero’s just indignation Inertia, savagery, malevolence, inhumanity.
"Having a heart, have a soul - and you will be a man at all times."
Pravdin, Milon, Sofia
Pravdin An honest, impeccable official. The auditor, endowed with the right to take custody of the cruel landlords of the estate.
Milon An officer loyal to his duty, patriotically disposed.
Sofia An educated, modest, prudent girl. Raised in a spirit of respect and respect for elders.
The purpose of these heroes in the comedy, on the one hand, is to prove the correctness of Starodum's views, and on the other hand, to set off the malevolence and ignorance of such landowners as the Prostakovs-Skotinins.
”, is one of the first-class works of Russian literature. The playwright portrayed in it, firstly, the ignorant ancient upbringing of noble children; secondly, the arbitrariness of the landlords, their inhuman treatment of the serfs.
About the main characters of the play Mrs. Prostakova and her son Mitrofanushka , you can read in the articles specially dedicated to them on our site: Characteristics of Mrs. Prostakova in Fonvizin's "Undergrowth" and Characteristics of Mitrofan in Fonvizin's "Undergrowth". Next, we will outline the other characters in the play.
Heroes of "Undergrowth" Fonvizin
Prostakova's husband , Mitrofan's father, is a timid and weak-willed man, so downtrodden and intimidated by his wife that he has neither his own desires nor his own opinions. "With your eyes," he says to his wife, "mine see nothing."
Skotinin, brother of Prostakova , is a comic face. He is depicted a little caricatured with his exaggerated passion for pigs, which he himself ingenuously explains as follows: “People are clever in front of me, but among pigs I myself am the smartest of all.” He received the same upbringing as his sister, and is just as rude as she is: he treats pigs "unbelievably better than people"; but in his whole figure there is a kind of comic good nature, which, however, comes from extraordinary stupidity. His name, as well as the names of other characters, were chosen by Fonvizin in accordance with the properties of their characters or occupations.
Fonvizin. Undergrowth. Performance of the Maly Theater
With a few strokes, but very vividly, the teacher Mitrofan, the retired sergeant Tsyfirkin and the seminarian Kuteikin are depicted. Tsyfirkin teaches Mitrofan arithmetic, as hinted at by his name; this is an honest old soldier. Kuteikin says that he left the seminary without completing the course: "fearing the abyss of wisdom." He is a completely ignorant person; the only thing he had left from his stay in the seminary was the manner in which he often used Church Slavonic expressions; moreover, Kuteikin is greedy and greedy, “an insatiable soul,” as Prostakova characterizes him.
The name of another teacher is German Vralman- very well composed of the Russian word "liar" and the German "mann" (man). In the person of Vralman, Fonvizin shows what kind of foreign teachers in those days taught noble children "all the sciences." Vralman was a coachman for a long time: having lost his place, he became a teacher, only in order not to die of hunger. In the house of the Prostakovs, he, as a foreigner, is given special honor and preference over other teachers. He receives a salary of three hundred rubles a year, while the honest Tsyfirkin should receive only ten. Prostakova lists all the benefits that Vralman receives from them in the house: “we sit at the table with us; our women wash his linen; where necessary - a horse; at the table - a glass of wine; at night - a tallow candle. Prostakova is pleased with the German: "he does not captivate a child." The cunning Vralman found a wonderful way to please the mistress, while at the same time hiding his ignorance: not only does he not teach Mitrofanushka anything, but he also prevents other teachers from studying with him, indulging Mitrofan's laziness, praising him in every possible way in front of his adoring mother.
in the face Eremeevna, Mitrofan's "mother", Fonvizin for the first time portrayed the type of an infinitely devoted, selfless serf servant, who was reflected in Russian literature in several images, male and female. Savelyich, in The Captain's Daughter by Pushkin, Evseich, in Aksakov's Childhood of Bagrov-grandson, Natalya Savishna - in Leo Tolstoy's Childhood and Adolescence. In life, this type is known to everyone in the person of Pushkin's nanny, Arina Rodionovna. Yes, how many of us have a dear, beloved face associated with the name "nanny" ... It is surprising that this very type is found only in Russian literature, among the Russian people!
But unlike other heroes and heroines of Russian writers similar to her, Eremeevna is a completely unhappy, unappreciated creature: it’s not for nothing that she serves in the Prostakovs’ house! For her faithful forty years of service and love, she receives only insults, abuse and beatings. "I'm not zealous for you, mother?" in tears, she says to Prostakova, “you don’t know how to serve anymore ... I would be glad not only that ... you don’t feel sorry for your stomach ... but everything is objectionable.” Tsyfirkin and Kuteikin ask her how much she gets for her service? - "Five rubles a year, and five slaps a day," Yeremeevna answers sadly. Even her pet, Mitrofanushka, is rude and insults her.
Positive hero
Positive hero
A literary character embodying the author's moral values, one on whose side the author's sympathies are and should, according to his plan, be the reader's sympathies. The positive hero is the bearer of the aesthetic ideal, his behavior, views are, to one degree or another, a model for the readers of this work. The image of a positive hero has an educational value. To enhance the impact on the reader, a positive hero is often set off by a negative hero - the bearer of an anti-ideal.
A clear division into positive and negative characters dominated the literature classicism. In the 19th and 20th centuries, in literature realism, this division was complicated by the fact that positive characters began to acquire negative traits, and negative characters began to acquire positive traits, thereby the authors achieved credibility in the depiction of characters. For example, in the comedy A.S. Griboyedov"Woe from Wit" Chatsky is certainly a positive character, but at the same time he is ridiculous, too critical in his assessments. Famusov, on the contrary, is a negative hero, but he has many positive features - a caring father, a patriot, etc. An attempt to portray a positive hero devoid of negative traits was made by F. M. Dostoevsky in The Idiot. Prince Myshkin is devoid of any greed, pride, malice, etc., but at the same time he is a person who has just recovered from a serious mental illness. Such an image of a positive hero is unique in Russian. literature. Works are possible in which there are no positive characters at all - such are the “Inspector General” and “Dead Souls” by N.V. Gogol. According to the author's intention, the positive hero of these works is laughter, and the characters presented on the stage or in the novel are a "combined city" or "combined country", the image of all the vices that existed in the then Russian. society.
The positive hero changes along with the change in the ideals of society. The main feature of the folklore and mythological positive hero was strength, valor, courage (Prometheus, Hercules, Ilya Muromets, Siegfried, etc.). In ancient literature, a positive hero was distinguished by courage in resisting fate and the ability to come to terms with his fate and fulfill his duty (for example, Antigone). In the Middle Ages, the positive hero is associated primarily with chivalrous prowess and vassal fidelity (“ Song of Roland"). In the era Renaissance the humanist hero, embodying a high idea of human vocation, a kind of universal human positive hero (Don Quixote), became a positive hero. The positive hero of the Enlightenment is a rational, reasonable person (Robinson Crusoe). Literature of the 19th and 20th centuries tries to get away from evaluativeness, not singling out any of the characters as positive, but considering them as complex and unique psychological types.
In classical Russian In literature, a positive hero is, first of all, a person expressing the characteristics of a national. character (Tatyana Larina in "Eugene Onegin" and Petrusha Grinev in "The Captain's Daughter" by A. S. Pushkin, merchant Kalashnikov in "Song about the merchant Kalashnikov ..." M. Yu. Lermontov, Taras Bulba in "Taras Bulba" N.V. Gogol, peasants in the poems of N. A. Nekrasov etc.). In Soviet literature, the same principle was observed - a positive hero is necessarily popular, but, in addition, he follows the principles of the Soviet state (Pelageya in M. Gorky, young guards in the "Young Guard" A. A. Fadeeva).
A positive hero is not the only, but a very effective means of affirming the ideals and views of the author: the reader sympathizes with such a hero and seeks to imitate him.
Literature and language. Modern illustrated encyclopedia. - M.: Rosman. Under the editorship of prof. Gorkina A.P. 2006 .
See what a "positive hero" is in other dictionaries:
POSITIVE HERO- A POSITIVE HERO, a literary character who directly embodies the author's moral values. Literature, inseparably with cognitive tasks, solves aesthetic problems, that is, it artistically comprehends reality in the light of ... ... Literary Encyclopedic Dictionary
positive hero- a character who is presented in the work as an example to follow, a model of human behavior, a bearer of aesthetic ideals, approved by the writer. Heading: artistic image Antonym / correlate: * negative hero Genus: hero ... ...
positive hero- a character of an epic or dramatic work, a lyrical hero in whose image the author embodies his idea of \u200b\u200bthe ethical and aesthetic ideal (for example, Prince Lev Nikolaevich Myshkin in F.M. Dostoevsky's novel The Idiot). The image of P.g ... Dictionary of literary terms
Jarg. corner. Iron. Patient with syphilis. Baldaev 1, 334 ...
hero- me, w. heros m., germ. hero. 1. Heroes or iroi were called by the polytheists children. born from a mixture of gods with a mortal wife, or from goddesses with a man; also those who, for what important invention or action, are famous among the gods after death ... ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language
App., use. comp. often Morphology: positive, positive, positive, positive; more positive; nar. positive 1. Positive is something that expresses agreement, statement. A positive response. | Positive feedback on ... ... Dictionary of Dmitriev
hero positive- see the goodie... Terminological dictionary-thesaurus on literary criticism
Heroes and crowd. Pub. or Book. Unapproved About the opposition of individual intellectually gifted individuals to the mass of ordinary and obedient people. /i> The title of an article (1882) by the publicist, sociologist and critic N. K. Mikhailovsky. Normal characters... Big dictionary of Russian sayings
POSITIVE, oh, oh; flax, flax. 1. Expressing consent, approval, affirmative. Positive decision. Positive rating. P. answer. 2. Laudable, useful and essential. P. result. P. fact. positive phenomenon. 3.… … Explanatory dictionary of Ozhegov
hero- 1. A person who has accomplished military or labor exploits. Selfless, fearless, brilliant (obsolete), daring (obsolete poet), valiant, glorious (obsolete), famous, famous, true, legendary, courageous, folk, real, ... ... Dictionary of epithets
