Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin wrote the comedy "The Undergrowth" in the era of autocracy. The author makes fun of the system of upbringing and education used in noble families and creates images of ignorant landowners.
Meaning of the word “undergrowth”
So, let's try to figure out what the word "undergrowth" means. The meaning of the name of a comedy is difficult to determine without understanding its meaning. Initially, the so-called young nobles who had not yet reached adulthood and had not entered the civil service. The second value appeared after the release of the comedy Fonvizin. The word "undergrowth" began to be called an up-and-coming young man, a dropout. The main character of the comedy, Mitrofanushka, is the personification of a young man mired in ignorance and stupidity.
Having an idea of ​​the meaning of this word, the meaning of the name of the comedy Fonvizin "Undergrowth" will be much easier to understand.
Issues raised in comedy
The title of the work is a characteristic of an entire era and raises the problems of the upbringing of young noblemen and exposes the morals prevailing among representatives of this class.
Fonvizin picked up a very bold and original artistic means for writing the play “Undergrowth”. The meaning of the name comedy helps to see the problems of society of that time.
All scenes of the work are filled with ruthless and caustic satire, exposing the lifestyle of the Simple and Skotinins.
For contrast, the author cites the dialogues of the positive representatives of the noble society, Pravdin and Starodum, the statements of which affect, inter alia, issues concerning morals in the state.
So, the first problem that concerns Fonvizin is the deplorable state of moral principles of society. Through the remarks of Starodum and Pravdin, the author expresses the idea that the complete power of the landlords over the serfs and the absence of a proper example from high society led to complete arbitrariness. As a result, representatives of the nobility forgot about their duties and class honor, which practically led to the degeneration of the class.
That is how the problem of degradation of the representatives of the nobility in the play “Undergrowth” is highlighted. The meaning of the name of the comedy opens more fully if you know the flaws of the society of that time.
The second problem that the author raises is the issue of education. His Fonvizin examines in great detail in the work "The Young." The meaning of the name of the comedy is largely connected with gaps in this area. The sarcasm of Fonvizin, with whom he depicts the scene of the Mitrofanushka exam, is a sentence for the education of the Skotinins and Prostaks.
This problem worries the author so much for the reason that we are talking about advanced members of society. It is bad that a young nobleman, whose duty is to serve the Fatherland, is brought up in the absence of moral principles with the complete indifference of his parents to the interests of society. The comedy hero, Mitrofan, had no other desires than to chase pigeons, eat and marry.
The court life is an example for such education, because the nobles have long forgotten what service is for the benefit of the state.
Comedy idea
The meaning of the name of Fonvizin’s comedy “Undergrowth” will become more clear if we turn to the idea that the author laid down in his work. Denis Ivanovich wanted to show that “undergrowth” will forever remain “undergrowth” and will never change, will not develop morally and spiritually.
Mitrofanushka is a satirical character that personifies the young generation of that time. Later this name became a household name, but nevertheless it is worth knowing what the true meaning of the name Mitrofan is.
The meaning of the name of the protagonist
The name Mitrofan is literally translated into Russian as “revealing his mother,” which means he is similar to her. And there is. The boy’s mother is a leader in the family; he seeks to be just like her. Mitrofanushka is not without a natural mind, ingenuity, but uses these qualities exclusively in her own interests. He's a sissy. Mitrofanushka is spoiled, absurd, capricious.
The meaning of the name of the play “Undergrowth” is revealed even more after the realization that the name was chosen by the author for a reason.
Relevance of the problem of education
To understand how urgent the problem of education that Fonvizin raises in his work, you need to understand what is happening in modern society.
Of course, the school these days is not always able to arouse the child’s interest in learning. In addition, many parents seek to educate, because it’s necessary, for show, often bringing this understanding to the child.
As a result, it turns out that in our time, the problem identified by the author of the comedy "Undergrowth" has not lost its relevance.
What can comedy teach a child
Above were outlined the main points that Fonvizin wanted to convey to readers in the play "Undergrowth." The characterization of a comedy cannot be complete without indicating what the work can teach the child.
Using the example of Mitrofanushka, who is ridiculed by the author, an eighth grade student can come to understand how important it is to study, to be independent, responsible.
The relevance of this comedy is manifested in the fact that it is often staged in the theater. Spectators of different ages enjoy watching it, laughing and, of course, draw the necessary conclusions.