Comedy "The Minor." Characteristics of Starodum: description of the hero and quote

Starodum is one of the main characters in the comedy of the talented playwright of the eighteenth century, Denis Fonvizin. This character became for contemporaries an example of humanity and a symbol of enlightenment. His image is contrasted with the ignorance and greed of other heroes of the play "The Minor." The description of Starodum is the subject of this article.

Comedy

On theatrical stage the play was staged for the first time in 1782. But it is interesting to the modern spectator. One of the most famous works in the world of drama is the comedy "Nedorosl". The description of Starodum is a key topic in the general artistic analysis of Fonvizin's play. But before proceeding to study this image, we should say a few words about the relevance of the classic work, which evokes a warm response even among representatives of the 21st century.

Meaning of the name

The product of "Incomprehensible" is devoted to the consequences of an unspiritual and idle life. The description of Starodum is briefly described below. The name of this character, like other characters in the play, carries a semantic load. Such are the norms of classic comedy. Starodum is a man with an old worldview. In this case, this hint has a positive color. With the help of him, the author points to the desire of his hero to follow the principles of the reign of Peter I.

Prototypes of Starodum

Having a clear idea of what an honest person should be, and what his actions should be, Fonvizin created the image of Starodum. It combined the best moral qualities, which sought advanced and enlightened people the second half of the eighteenth century. But was there a living example-ideal among the author's contemporaries?

Some critics believe that the prototype of this character is Count II Panin - one of the most progressive personalities of the time, who took an active part in the draft of the autocracy's restriction. This man was also the mentor of Paul I. Is there a similarity between this man and the positive character of the comedy "The Minor"? Characteristics of the Starodum point to features characteristic of another, no less well-known social personality of the eighteenth century. There is an opinion that, when introducing the image of Starodum in his works, the author referred to one of the largest figures of the Russian Enlightenment - Nikolai Novikov, journalist, publisher and public figure. Anyway, the description of Starodum from the comedy "The Minor" allows us to say that this character represents the personification of wisdom, kindness, honesty and respect for people.

Role in comedy

Starodum appears in the play rather late - at the end of the first phenomenon. He does not take any active action. Its function is to establish justice. By the time of his appearance, the conflict in the comedy has already been marked. His duty is to rid the niece of a stupid but cunning Prostakov. This heroine is a collective image of the worst representatives of the old nobility. She is absolutely ignorant, extremely mercantile. And in her there are qualities such as cowardice and a propensity for tyranny, which, when combined, turn her into a vile and disgusting lady.

Its only positive quality is boundless love for her son, which, however, has such monstrous forms that it turns, rather, into a terrible vice. The image of this heroine and the characteristic of Starodum from the comedy "The Minor" in comparison make it possible to conclude that these characters create an antithesis.

Thinker

Starodum does not take any active measures. Its function of "deliverer" is somewhat weakened. The main task is performed by Milon and Pravdin. However, Uncle Sophia appears in the work as a kind of thinker. He expresses political views, formulates a moral position. With his speeches, he seems to give the reader an opportunity to understand why justice has triumphed and evil been punished.

One of the complex themes in the history of Russian literature is the description of Starodum from the comedy "The Minor." Representatives of the older generation are familiar with the quotes of this character. For modern students this work (as well as the system of images in it) is a difficult topic. In order to master it, it is necessary to have an idea of the socio-political situation in Russia in the second half of the eighteenth century.

Satire

The limited and meager spiritual world of the nobles was ridiculed in a more rigid form by later writers. Both idleness and ignorance of representatives of this social stratum were spoken by Gogol and Saltykov-Shchedrin. One of the first still exposed in his work the human insignificance and stupidity of the Russian nobleman Fonvizin - in the work "The Minor."

The characteristic of the "Starodum", however, allows us to conclude that satire on representatives of this class does not have a general character. The author derides a certain category of nobles. Starodum is a supporter of the Petrine era. He and others like him do not recognize the policies of Catherine II. The program of enlightenment, which she conducts, has, in his opinion, a distorted, irregular form. And its main drawback is that the empress departed from the principles that were fundamental to the management of Peter I. The political position of the playwright can be understood by considering the main criteria that the description of Starodum from the comedy "The Minor" has. You can see the quotes of this character below. It is these statements that create a characteristic artistic image that embodies the author's worldview:

• "The ranks begin, the sincerity ceases ...".
• "Without the soul, an enlightened clever woman is a miserable creature."
• "Life is better to lead at home than in someone else's front."
• "I know, I know that a man can not be an angel. Yes, you do not need to be a devil. "
• "Reverence! One reverence should be flattering to man - spiritual; And only those who are ranked not in money but in the nobility are not worthy of respect. "
• "In human ignorance, it is very comforting to consider all that for nonsense, which you do not know."
• "Everyone should seek their own happiness and benefits in the one that is legal."

Soul or mind

The time in which the comedy was created is permeated with the spirit of enlightenment. The need for education and a correct system of education is the idea of the comedy "Nedorosl". The description of the Old Calendar is not only limited to such qualities as judiciousness and wisdom. It is also kindness and mercy. An enlightened person can be low and small. A person who is not sufficiently educated is capable of pure noble deeds.

A classic character, embodying the aspirations of representatives of the Russian Enlightenment, is Starodum ("Nedorosl"). Characteristics, quotes and role of this character, presented in this article, recreate the picture of the time in which the Russian playwright lived, and let him understand how he saw the ideal Russian nobleman.