The comedy "Undergrowth", created by the great Fonvizin back in the 18th century, has not left the stage of the capital's and regional theaters to this day. It has been included since the Soviet era in the school curriculum of all Union republics and remained in most of them even after the collapse of the USSR and the formation of independent states. “Satire is a bold sovereign”, as the playwright called Pushkin, he not only severely criticized and ridiculed the mediocrity, ignorance, cruelty of the nobility, branded the serfdom of Russia a disgrace, but also created a gallery of images embodying certain types of characters, by virtue of its vitality, almost immediately common nouns. One of them is Mrs. Prostakova, the mother of Mitrofanushka.
The hero's place in the work
The image of Prostakova in a comedy plays one of the main roles. She is the mistress of the estate, the owner of serf souls, a noblewoman, a stronghold and the personification of state power here, in her estate. And it, in turn, is one of the thousands of corners of boundless Russia. And the problems that arise in a single territory are characteristic of the whole country. This is the first. Secondly, the image of Prostakova is important in that she raises and educates her son in her own image and likeness. And everything negative that is in the mother is cultivated ten times in Mitrofan. But if the Prostakovs, the Skotinins are the past and present of Russia, then their offspring are its future. That is how Fonvizin thought and wondered what the state would come to if such ignorant louts would rule everyone in it. In what jungle of the Middle Ages would they cast off the country, to what ruin, impoverishment will they bring? Thirdly, the image of Prostakova is interesting in and of itself, precisely as the human type, the quintessence of estate and personality vices.
From last name to person
A simple heroine for her husband. And he really is a “simpleton”: weak-willed, weak-willed, completely entrusting his wife with both managing the estate and raising his son. He, no less than the rest of the household, suffers humiliation and insults from her, but it does not occur to him to put in place a presumptuous brute and self-asshole. However, interpreting the surname, the image of Prostakova acquires a different connotation of meaning. In the people, “simple” (not “simple”) means “stupid”, “stupid”, “fool”. And the dear lady, who has long stepped over the line of
Balzac age, is proud of being illiterate, unable to read and write. Moreover, he sincerely considers this the norm for female noblewomen. So, in its simplicity and innocence, it embodies the most retrograde, conservative, stagnant layer of the nobility. In full measure, through his own surname - Skotinin - the image of Prostakova was revealed. “Undergrowth” is a comedy created in many respects in accordance with the poetics of classicism, which allows us to convey the essence of the character to the reader / viewer. The bestial essence of the heroine, not covered by anything, literally yells about herself from the very first her remarks on the stage. And the further the action of the play develops, the clearer is the bestial nature of this woman. An inveterate serfwoman, she does not consider servants as people, scolds and bashes them without a twinge of conscience. She has ruined her peasants, she is extremely cruel to them. Ready for any meanness, even a crime, for the sake of profit. Sophia, like a thing, is going to give in marriage to her brother, because that attracted pigs from a village inherited from the deceased parents. In this regard, “Undergrowth” is very indicative.
Heroes of comedy, embodying the feudal spirit of Russia, are all negative, as if for selection! Crippled spiritually and mentally by social prejudices of the environment herself, Prostakova also cripples her son. She is engaged in the upbringing and education of him for the species, paying tribute to fashion and new social requirements. In fact, “in order to raise children”, in the opinion of this woman, who loves her son with animal love, neither one nor the other is needed. And another “beast” grows out of her child, betraying her mother, not recognizing anyone but herself, stupid and mean. That’s why the final words of the work sound like a verdict on the entire noble-feudal system: “There are worthy fruits!”
Modern classic
It is worth noting that this expression became winged and stepped far beyond the content of the play. So we can say about any negative example, an act that entailed a corresponding reaction. Therefore, you should always try to behave, speak and act in such a way that our "evilness" does not stick out and does not produce "worthy fruit"!