Among the Russian writers who had a special gift for seeing and conveying everything absurd in life, the first was Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin. And readers still feel the full extent of his wit, continuing to repeat the expressions: “Everything is nonsense that Mitrofanushka does not know,” “No I want to study, I want to get married” and others. But it is not so easy to see that Fonvizin’s witticisms were born not of a cheerful disposition, but of the deepest sadness due to the imperfection of man and society.

Fonvizin entered literature as one of the successors of Kantemir and Sumarokov. He was brought up in the belief that the nobility, to which he himself belonged, should be educated, humane, constantly concerned about the interests of the fatherland, and that the royal power should promote worthy nobles to high positions for the common benefit. But among the nobles he saw cruel ignoramuses, and at court - “nobles in the case” (to put it simply, the empress’s lovers) who ruled the state according to their whim.

From a long historical distance it is clear that the Fonvizin time, like any other, was neither absolutely good nor absolutely bad. But in Fonvizin’s eyes, evil overshadowed good. Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin was born on April 3, 1745. For a long time, the surname Fonvizin was written in the German manner: “Von Vizin,” and during his lifetime, sometimes even “von Wiesen.” The current form was one of the first to be used by Pushkin with the following comment: “What kind of infidel is he? He is Russian, a pre-Russian Russian.” The spelling “Fonvizin” was finally established only after 1917.

The Fonvizin family is of German origin. Denis Ivanovich’s father was a fairly wealthy man, but he never aspired to great ranks and excessive wealth. He lived not at the royal court in St. Petersburg, but in Moscow. Denis’s older brother Pavel wrote some good poetry in his youth and published them in the magazine “Useful Amusement.”

The future writer received a fairly thorough education, although later in his memoirs he described his gymnasium at Moscow University unflatteringly. Nevertheless, he noted that he learned European languages ​​and Latin there, “and most of all... got a taste for verbal science.”

While still at the gymnasium, Fonvizin translated from German one hundred and eighty-three fables by the once famous children's writer L. Golberg, to which he then added forty-two more. He translated a lot later too - translations make up the majority of all his works.

In 1762, Fonvizin became a student at Moscow University, but soon left it, moved to St. Petersburg and entered the service. Around the same time, his satirical poems began to circulate. Of these, two were later published and have come down to us: the fable “Fox-Koznodey” (preacher) and “Message to my servants Shumilov, Vanka and Petrushka.” Fonvizin's fable is a vicious satire on court flatterers, and "The Message" is a wonderful work, rather unusual for its time.

Fonvizin addresses the most important philosophical question: “Why was this light created?” illiterate people of that time; It’s immediately clear that they won’t be able to answer it. This is what happens. Honest uncle Shumilov admits that he is not ready to judge such complex things:

I know that we must be servants forever

And we will work forever with our hands and feet.

The coachman Vanka exposes the general deception and in conclusion says:

Everyone understands that this world is bad,

But no one knows why it exists.

Lackey Petrushka is frank in his desire to live for his own pleasure:

The whole world, it seems to me, is a child's toy;

Just need to, believe me, find out

How best to play with that toy, tenacious.

The servants, and with them the reader, are waiting for a reasonable answer from an educated author. But he only says:

And you, my friends, listen to my answer: “And I myself do not know why this light was created!”

This means that the author has nothing to oppose to the opinion of the servants, although he himself does not share it. An enlightened nobleman knows no more about the meaning of life than a lackey. “Message to the Servants” sharply breaks out of the framework of the poetics of classicism, according to which it was required that the work clearly prove some very definite idea. The meaning of Fonvizin’s work is open to different interpretations.

Having moved to St. Petersburg, Fonvizin began composing comedies - the genre in which he became most famous. In 1764, he wrote the poetic comedy “Corion”, adapted from the sentimental drama “Sydney” by the French writer L. Gresset. Around the same time, an early edition of “Minor” was written, which remained unpublished. At the end of the sixties, the comedy “Brigadier” was created and was a huge success, which played an important role in the fate of Fonvizin himself.

Having heard “The Brigadier” performed by the author (Fonvizin was a wonderful reader), Count Nikita Ivanovich Panin noticed the writer. At this time he was the tutor of the heir to the throne, Paul, and a senior member of the board (in fact, minister) of foreign affairs. As a teacher, Panin developed an entire political program for his ward - essentially, a draft of the Russian constitution. Fonvizin became Panin's personal secretary. They became as close friends as possible between a nobleman and his subordinate.

The young writer found himself at the center of court intrigue and, at the same time, the most serious politics. He took a direct part in the constitutional plans of the Earl. Together they created a kind of “political testament” of Panin, written shortly before his death - “Discourse on the indispensable state laws.” Most likely, Panin owns the main ideas of this work, and Fonvizin owns their design. The Discourse, full of formulations remarkable in wit, proves, first of all, that the sovereign does not have the right to rule the country according to his own will. Without strong laws, Fonvizin believes, “heads are engaged in nothing but thinking about means of getting rich; those who can rob, those who cannot, steal.”

This is exactly the picture Fonvizin saw in Russia at that time. But France, where the writer traveled in 1777-1778 (partly for treatment, partly on some diplomatic assignments), turned out to be no better. He expressed his joyless impressions in letters to his sister and to Field Marshal Pyotr Panin, Nikita Ivanovich’s brother. Here are some excerpts from these letters, which Fonvizin was even going to publish: “Money is the first deity of this land. The corruption of morals has reached such an extent that a vile act is no longer punished with contempt...”, “It’s rare that I meet someone in whom I would be inconspicuous.” one of two extremes: either slavery or insolence of reason.”

Much in Fonvizin’s letters seems to be simply the grumbling of a spoiled master. But in general, the picture he painted is scary precisely because it is true. He saw the state of society, which twelve years later was resolved by revolution.

During his years of service as a secretary, Fonvizin had almost no time left for literature. It appeared in the late seventies, when Panin was already ill and in undeclared disgrace. Fonvizin, in 1781, completed his best work - the comedy “The Minor”. The displeasure of high authorities delayed its production for several months.

In May 1782, after Panin's death, Fonvizin had to resign. In October of the same year, the premiere of “The Minor” finally took place - the greatest success in the author’s life. Some delighted spectators threw full wallets onto the stage - in those days a sign of the highest approval.

In retirement, Fonvizin devoted himself entirely to literature. He was a member of the Russian Academy, which united the best Russian writers. The Academy worked to create a dictionary of the Russian language; Fonvizin took upon himself the compilation of a dictionary of synonyms, which he, literally translating the word “synonym” from Greek, called “estates”. His “Experience of a Russian Estatesman” was a very serious linguistic work for its time, and not just a screen for satire on Catherine’s court and the Empress’s methods of governing the state (this is how this work is often interpreted). True, Fonvizin tried to come up with sharper examples for his “classes”: “Deception (promising and not doing. - Ed.) is the art of great boyars,” “A madman is very dangerous when in power,” and the like.

“Experience” was published in the literary magazine “Interlocutor of Lovers of the Russian Word,” published at the Academy. In it, Catherine II herself published a series of morally descriptive essays, “Things and Fables.” Fonvizin published in the magazine (without a signature) bold, even daring “Questions to the author of “Facts and Fables,” and the Empress answered them. In the answers, irritation was barely contained. True, at that moment the queen did not know the name of the author of the questions, but soon, apparently, she found out.

Since then, Fonvizin’s works began to be banned one after another. In 1789, Fonvizin did not receive permission to publish the satirical magazine “Friend of Honest People, or Starodum.” The writer’s articles, already prepared for him, first saw the light only in 1830. The announced publication of his collected works was twice disrupted. During his lifetime, he managed to publish only one new work - a detailed biography of Panin.

All Fonvizin’s hopes were in vain. None of the previous political plans were implemented. The state of society only became worse over time,

And now the banned writer could not enlighten him. In addition, Fonvizin suffered from a terrible illness. The man, who was not at all old even at that time, turned into a decrepit wreck: half of his body was paralyzed. To add insult to injury, by the end of the writer’s life, almost nothing was left of his considerable wealth.

From a young age, Fonvizin was a freethinker. Now he became religious, but this did not save him from despair. He began to write memoirs entitled “A sincere confession of my deeds and thoughts,” in which he intended to repent of the sins of his youth. But he hardly writes about his inner life there, but again veers into satire, evilly depicting Moscow life in the early sixties of the 18th century. Fonvizin still managed to finish writing the comedy “The Tutor’s Choice,” which has not been completely preserved. The play seems rather boring, but the poet I. I. Dmitriev, who heard the author read the comedy out loud, recalls that he was able to convey the characters of the characters with extraordinary vividness. The day after this reading, December 1, 1792, Fonvizin died.

Speaking about the historical and literary significance of Fonvizin, we should especially emphasize the large role he played in the development of the literary language. It is not without reason that Batyushkov associates the “education” of our prose with him. In this regard, not only Fonvizin’s comedies are of great importance, but also the beginning of his confessional memoirs “A sincere confession in my deeds and thoughts” and even his private letters from abroad, the language of which is distinguished by remarkable clarity, conciseness and simplicity, significantly ahead of in this regard, even “Letters of a Russian Traveler” by Karamzin.

What works of Fonvizin are known to modern readers? Of course, "Minor". After all, comedy is included in the school curriculum. It is known that the Russian writer wrote critical articles and translations of foreign authors. However, Fonvizin’s works are not limited to literary works and satirical essays about the ignorant Prostakov family.

What else did the creator of the domestic comedy write? And why, in his declining years, was it difficult for the author of “The Minor” to publish his creations?

Russian author of foreign origin

The writer lived and worked in Catherine's era. Fonvizin’s works would not have been created if one of the comedian’s ancestors had not once fallen into Russian captivity. The creator of such characters as Prostakov, Starodum and Mitrofanushka was of foreign origin, but was the most Russian of all Russian writers of the eighteenth century. At least that's what Pushkin said about him.

Translation activities

The writer studied at the gymnasium, then became a student at the Faculty of Philosophy. Fonvizin's works represent the pinnacle of theatrical art of the eighteenth century. However, before receiving recognition, the writer spent many years poring over translations of famous foreign and even ancient playwrights. And only after gaining experience, he began to write original essays.

The hero of this article began to engage in literary translation by accident. One day one of the St. Petersburg booksellers heard about his excellent knowledge of foreign languages. The entrepreneur suggested that the young man translate the works of Ludwig Holberg into Russian. Denis Fonvizin coped with the task. After which many offers from publishers poured in.

Literary creativity

When did Fonvizin’s original works begin to appear? The list of his works is small. Below is a list of dramatic works and publications on political topics. But first it’s worth saying a few words about the worldview of this author.

In the second half of the eighteenth century, educational thought was in fashion throughout Europe, one of the founders of which was Voltaire. The Russian writer happily translated the works of the French satirist. The humor that distinguishes Fonvizin’s works in the style of classicism probably became a feature formed under the influence of Voltaire’s work. During the years when the writer was especially active in visiting circles of freethinkers, the first comedy was created.

"Brigadier"

Literary studies helped Fonvizin climb the career ladder in his youth, but had a detrimental effect on the writer’s work in his old age. The empress herself drew attention to the translation of the tragedy of the Aviary. The comedy “Brigadier” enjoyed particular success.

Journalism

In 1769, the writer entered the service of which prompted him to write a political treatise. The title of this work fully corresponds to the time in which the author lived: “Reflections on the completely destroyed form of government and on the precarious state of the empire and sovereigns.”

In Catherine’s era, educated people expressed themselves in a very florid way, even the empress herself, who, by the way, did not like the essay. The fact is that in this work the author criticized both Catherine and her favorites and demanded constitutional reform. At the same time, he even dared to threaten a coup.

In Paris

Fonvizin spent more than two years in France. From there he carried on regular correspondence with Panin and other like-minded people. Social problems became the main theme of both letters and essays. Fonvizin's journalistic works, the list of which is little known to contemporaries, despite the absence of strict censorship in those years, were imbued with a thirst for change and a reformist spirit.

Political Views

After visiting France, Denis Fonvizin wrote new “Discourses”. This time they were dedicated to state laws. In this essay, the author raised the issue of serfdom. Convinced of the need to destroy it, he was still under the impression of “Pugachevism,” and therefore proposed getting rid of serfdom moderately, without haste.

Fonvizin was engaged in literary creativity until the end of his days. But due to the disapproval of the empress, he was unable to publish a collection of his works. Finally, it is worth mentioning the works of Fonvizin.

List of books

1. "Brigadier."
2. "Undergrown."
3. "Discourses on indispensable state laws."
4. "Governor's Choice"
5. "Conversation with Princess Khaldina."
6. "Frank confession."
7. "Corion".

The writer created “A Sincere Confession” when he was in his old age. This work is autobiographical in nature. In recent years, the writer Fonvizin mainly wrote articles for magazines. Fonvizin entered the history of Russian literature as the author of comedies in the genre of classicism. What is this direction? What are its characteristic features?

Works by Fonvizin

Classicism is a movement based on the principles of rationalism. The works contain harmony and faith, and poetic norms are strictly observed. The heroes of the comedy “The Minor” are divided into positive and negative. There are no contradictory images here. And this is also a characteristic feature of classicism.

This trend originated in France. In Russia, classicism was distinguished by its satirical orientation. In the works of French playwrights, ancient themes came first. They are characterized by national-historical motives.

The main feature of the dramatic works of the eighteenth century is the unity of time and place. The events of “The Minor” take place in the house of the Prostakov family. Everything that is described in the comedy takes place within twenty-four hours. Fonvizin gave his characters meaningful names. Skotinin dreams of villages where many pigs graze. Vralman pretends to enlighten Mitrofanushka, while he introduces the ignoramus into even more terrible ignorance.

The comedy touches on the topic of education. Enlightenment thought had a significant influence on all of Fonvizin’s work. The writer dreamed of changing the political system. But he believed that without enlightenment, any changes would lead to rebellion, “Pugachevism” or other negative socio-political consequences.

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin, a famous Russian writer, a prominent representative of the literary era of Catherine II, was born on April 3, 1745 in Moscow. He came from an old German noble family, which, under Ivan the Terrible, left Livonia (Baron Peter von Visin; this surname was written separately in the middle of the 19th century: von Visin, and only later was a combined spelling established). Until the age of 10, Fonvizin was raised at home. His father, although not a very educated man, taught his eight children himself. Upon the establishment of a university in Moscow, Fonvizin the father sent his two eldest sons, Denis and Pavel, to the noble gymnasium that opened under him. Denis was in excellent standing at the gymnasium; He repeatedly received awards and twice gave speeches at public events in Russian and German. In 1758, young Fonvizin, among the best students, was taken to St. Petersburg to be presented to the patron of the university, I. I. Shuvalov, and Empress Elizabeth. The splendor of the court and, in particular, the theatrical performances made a stunning impression on the boy. In 1759, Fonvizin was “promoted to student,” and 3 years later, at 17 years old, he completed his university education.

The university at that time was just being established, and at first there were many shortcomings in its organization, but Fonvizin, like his comrades, brought from it both cultural interests and sufficient knowledge of both the sciences and foreign languages. During these years of the beginning of Fonvizin’s creative biography, Moscow University was the most prominent center of literary life in Russia. Under the leadership of one of the university officials, M. M. Kheraskov, in 1760 the magazine “Useful Amusement” began to be published, uniting on its pages all the almost young writers of that time, also connected by the unity of the literary school: all of them were more or less successive students of Sumarokov. The literary movement also spread to students; Many of the university students tried their hand at translations, which were later published in Useful Entertainment. Fonvizin was among them; His translation of the moralizing story “Just Jupiter” was published in Kheraskov’s journal. At the same time, Fonvizin, at the suggestion of the university bookseller Wever, who had heard about the gifted student, translated a book of fables by the Danish writer Golberg from German; the translation was published at the same time (1761). The following year (1762), Fonvizin energetically collaborated in the popular science magazine of his teacher, Professor Reichel (“Collected Best Works”) - he published 5 translated articles in it. At the same time, he translated Ovid’s “Metamorphoses” (not published) and 1 volume of Terrason’s extensive political and moral novel “Heroic Virtue and the Life of Seth, King of Egypt” (1762, the next 3 volumes were published until 1768; the translation was made from German). At the same time, Fonvizin first tried his creative powers in the field of poetry; he translated Voltaire's tragedy "Alzira" into verse. However, he himself was dissatisfied with his translation and did not send it either to the stage or to print.

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin

After graduating from university, Fonvizin turned out to be a sergeant of the Semenovsky Guard Regiment, in which, according to the custom of that time, he had been in service since 1754, i.e., from the age of 9. Military service could not interest him, and at the first opportunity, taking advantage of the arrival of the court and government at the end of 1762 in Moscow, he got a job at the College of Foreign Affairs as a translator with a salary of 800 rubles. per year, and then was sent on an honorary mission to Schwerin. In 1763, together with the court, Fonvizin moved to St. Petersburg, and already in October of the same year he went to serve the “cabinet minister” in accepting petitions addressed to the empress, I. P. Elagin, who later (from 1766) received under his jurisdiction and theater management. Fonvizin's rapid steps in his career are largely explained by his literary successes and secular talents. From early childhood, extraordinary liveliness began to appear in his character. Over the years, he developed that ability to see all things from their funny side, a craving for wit and irony that did not leave him until the end of his biography. His epigrams, witty and evil remarks about people circulated in society. This made him many friends, but also many enemies. Among the latter was Elagin’s secretary, a well-known playwright V. I. Lukin, enmity with whom made Fonvizin’s service very difficult.

In St. Petersburg, Fonvizin's literary work continued. In 1763, he translated Barthelemy’s novel “The Love of Carita and Polydor” and continued to translate “Sif.” At this time, he became friends with a circle of young people who were passionate about the doctrines of French enlightenment philosophers and preached atheism. Fonvizin paid tribute to this hobby; traces of religious skepticism remained in the satire written during this era (“Message to the Servants”; perhaps the fable “The Fox-Kaznoday” and some other poetic plays that have come down to us in fragments date back to the same time). However, quite soon Fonvizin renounced his doubts and again became a religious man, as he had been in his father’s house and university. In 1764, Fonvizin staged his poetic adaptation of Gresse's comedy "Sydney", entitled "Corion". This was an example of “inclination to our morals,” that is, a free translation with the transfer of action to Russia and a corresponding change in everyday details, names, etc. This was the recipe for writing comedies from Elagin’s group, which included Fonvizin and Lukin. Corion was a dubious success; opponents of the rework system were unhappy with it.

Fleeing from clashes with Lukin on more or less long vacations to Moscow, Fonvizin completed his famous “Brigadier” on one of these trips. Upon his return to St. Petersburg (1766), the comedy became famous in society; the author, who read it masterfully, was invited to read it to the empress, and then to a number of noble houses. The success was unprecedented. “The Brigadier” was put on stage and did not leave it for a long time. Fonvizin immediately became one of the luminaries of literature; he was extolled with praise and compared to Moliere. While reaping laurels in the field of drama, Fonvizin did not abandon other types of literary creativity. In 1766, he published his translation of Quayer’s treatise “The Trading Nobility, Opposed to the Military Nobility” (with the addition of Justi; translated from German), which argued that the state and the nobility itself were interested in the nobles engaging in trade. In 1769, his translation of Arno’s sentimental story “Sidney and Scilly” and a translation of Bitobe’s extensive work “Joseph” (2 volumes) were published.

In the same 1769, Fonvizin, dissatisfied with the slowness of his career and having lost interest in Elagin, went to serve in the Collegium of Foreign Affairs under N.I. Panin, under whom he remained until the latter’s death. At this service, Fonvizin advanced. He worked hard, corresponded with Russian envoys in Western Europe, and helped N.I. Panin in all his endeavors. Fonvizin's diligence was rewarded; when in 1773 Panin received 9,000 souls upon the marriage of his pupil, Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich, he donated 1,180 of them (in Vitebsk province) to Fonvizin. The following year, Fonvizin married the widow E.I. Khlopova (born Rogovikova), who brought him a significant dowry.

Fonvizin. Minor. Maly Theater performance

In 1777, Fonvizin left for France to improve his wife’s health; from there he wrote extensive letters to his sister F.I. Argamakova and the brother of his boss, P.I. Panin; he described in detail his journey, the morals and customs of the French. In witty and vivid sketches, he depicted the decaying society of pre-revolutionary France. He truly felt the approach of a thunderstorm and saw the madness that gripped the country before the catastrophe; in addition, he did not like many things because he did not want and could not abandon his own, Russian, landowner concepts when assessing a culture alien to him. Fonvizin treated his letters as real literary work; this is evident from the fact that he introduced into them many remarks borrowed from French and German publicists and geographers.

In the 1770s, Fonvizin wrote and published a little (“Callisthenes”, “Ta-Gio or Great Science”, “Word for the recovery of Pavel Petrovich” 1771, “Word of praise to Marcus Aurelius” 1777). But from the beginning of the 1780s, his creative energy began to rise again. All the works of this stage of his biography seem to be the fruit of deep reflection on political, moral, and pedagogical topics. Even in Tom’s “Eulogy to Marcus Aurelius,” translated by Fonvizin, and in some of his other works of an earlier era, his interest in issues of government and politics is visible. Then, on the instructions of N.I. Panin and, no doubt, under his leadership, Fonvizin draws up a draft of reforms necessary for the prosperity of Russia. This project also talks about the liberation of the peasants, the limitation of autocracy, etc. Abroad, Fonvizin studies not only philosophy, but also legal sciences: the political system and legislation of France. In 1782, his “Questions” appear in the “Interlocutor of Lovers of the Russian Word”, in which he boldly points out the shortcomings of state and court life in Russia; along with the “Questions,” the answers to them were published by Empress Catherine, who was so dissatisfied with Fonvizin’s insolence that he had to apologize to her in print. The same magazine published “A Petition to the Russian Minerva from Russian Writers,” an article in which Fonvizin protests against the neglect of literary pursuits; he himself believed that writing was one of the useful and sublime ways to serve the fatherland and humanity. The same period of Fonvizin’s biography includes: “The Experience of the Russian Soslovnik”, an excerpt from a dictionary of synonyms, in which original satirical attacks are added to borrowings from Girard’s dictionary of French synonyms, “The Teaching delivered on Spiritual Day by Priest Vasily” and, finally, “The Minor”.

If in “The Brigadier” Fonvizin gave only a gallery of comic types and a number of satirical attacks, not commented on with the help of abstract reasoning and not colored by a trend, then in “The Minor” (see on our website for a summary, full text and analysis of this play) we have before us a complete cycle of ideas both expressed by individual characters and evident from the action itself. The perniciousness of ignorance, the resulting abuse of serfdom, the moral and mental decline of the nobility constitute the main ideological cores of the comedy. Fonvizin demands from the nobleman, first of all, consciousness, hard work and devotion to the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bhonor, which he considers the basis of the well-being of society. In the field of pedagogy, he, according to Western teachings of that time, asserts the primacy of moral education over the communication of specific knowledge, believing that a learned villain is no less dangerous than an ignoramus. Fonvizin reinforces the development of his views with a vivid satire on the life of the provincial nobility; Along the way, the court also gets it with its intrigues, lies, sycophancy and the like. “The Minor” was staged in 1782 in St. Petersburg for a benefit performance by I. A. Dmitrevsky, who played Starodum. The success was complete, amazing; Fonvizin was at the height of his fame. Despite the resistance of Moscow censorship, he achieved the production of the comedy at the Moscow theater, and since then it has not left the stage for many decades and still enjoys the reputation of the best Russian comedy of the 18th century.

This was Fonvizin's last creative success. In 1783, N.I. Panin died, and Fonvizin immediately retired with the rank of state councilor and a pension of 3,000 rubles. per year. In 1784 – 1785 he traveled throughout Western Europe; He spent a lot of time in Italy, where he purchased, among other things, objects of art for the trading house he founded in Russia together with the merchant Klosterman; This is how Fonvizin practically implemented the idea of ​​a “trading nobility.” From abroad, Fonvizin again wrote long literary letters to his sister. Upon returning to Russia, Fonvizin was struck by paralysis, which deprived him of the use of his left arm and leg and partly of his tongue. The following years are years of extinction. Fonvizin saw his illness as a punishment for the sins and delusions of his youth and traveled in search of healing. He was unable to continue his literary work. In 1788, he prepared a number of satirical articles for the proposed publication of the magazine “Starodum or Friend of Honest People,” but censorship prohibited publication; Apparently, “Questions”, the reform project, and perhaps some places in “Nedoroslya” were not forgotten by the government; even Fonvizin’s idea to translate Tacitus met with the disapproval of the authorities. Shortly before his death, Fonvizin wrote a short comedy, “The Tutor’s Choice,” and began writing an autobiography, “Frank Confession of My Deeds and Thoughts.” He died on December 1, 1792.

Brilliant talent, great intelligence and wide erudition give us the right to consider Fonvizin one of the outstanding people of Catherine's era. And in private life he was a wit and a mocker. A dandy, a lover of painting, poetry, theater, and also a good table, in his youth he strived with all his might for an official career, in his old age he took up the salvation of his soul, a cunning but honest man, he was a characteristic representative of the Russian noble intelligentsia of that time.

The famous writer of Catherine's era D.I. Fonvizin was born on April 3 (14), 1745 in Moscow, into a wealthy noble family. He came from a Livonian knightly family that had become completely Russified (until the mid-19th century, the surname was spelled Von-Wiesen). He received his primary education under the guidance of his father, Ivan Andreevich. In 1755-1760, Fonvizin studied at the newly opened gymnasium at Moscow University; in 1760 he was “promoted to student” at the Faculty of Philosophy, but stayed at the university for only 2 years.

A special place in the dramaturgy of this time is occupied by the work of Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin (1745-1792), which was the pinnacle of theatrical culture of the 18th century. Inheriting the traditions of classicist comedy, Fonvizin goes far ahead, essentially being the founder of critical realism in Russian drama. A. S. Pushkin called the great playwright “a brave ruler of satire,” “a friend of freedom.” M. Gorky argued that Fonvizin began the most magnificent and, perhaps, the most socially fruitful line of Russian literature - the accusatory-realist line. Fonvizin’s work had a tremendous influence on contemporary and subsequent writers and playwrights. D.I. Fonvizin joined the theater early. Theatrical impressions were the strongest in his youth: “... nothing in St. Petersburg delighted me so much as the theater, which I saw for the first time as a child. The effect the theater produced in me is almost impossible to describe.” While still a student, Fonvizin took part in the life of the Moscow University Theater. In the future, Denis Ivanovich maintains connections with the largest figures of the Russian theater - playwrights and actors: A. P. Sumarokov, I. A. Dmitrevsky and others, and appears with theatrical articles in satirical magazines. These magazines had a great influence on Fonvizin's work. From them he sometimes drew motives for his comedies. Fonvizin's dramatic activity began in the 60s. At first, he translates foreign plays and “transposes” them into the Russian style. But this was only a test of the pen. Fonvizin dreamed of creating a national comedy. "Brigadier" is Fonvizin's first original play. It was written in the late 60s. The simplicity of the plot did not prevent Fonvizin from creating a sharply satirical work, showing the morals and character of his narrow-minded heroes. Contemporaries called the play “The Brigadier” “a comedy about our morals.” This comedy was written under the influence of advanced satirical magazines and satirical comedies of Russian classicism and imbued with the author’s concern for the education of youth. “The Brigadier” is the first dramatic work in Russia, endowed with all the features of national originality, and in no way reminiscent of comedies created according to foreign standards. The language of comedy contains many popular expressions, aphorisms, and apt comparisons. This dignity of the “Brigadier” was immediately noticed by contemporaries, and the best of Fonvizin’s verbal expressions passed into everyday life and became proverbs. The comedy “The Brigadier” was staged in 1780 at the St. Petersburg Theater on Tsaritsyn Meadow. The second comedy “The Minor” was written by D. I. Fonvizin in 1782. It brought the author long-lasting fame and placed him in the forefront of the fight against serfdom. The play explores the most important issues of the era. It talks about the education of underage noble sons and the morals of court society. But the problem of serfdom, evil and unpunished cruelty of landowners is posed more acutely than others. “The Minor” was created by the hand of a mature master, who managed to populate the play with living characters and build the action according to the signs of not only external, but also internal dynamics. The comedy “The Minor” absolutely did not meet the requirements of Catherine II, who ordered the writers to “only occasionally touch upon vices” and to conduct criticism without fail “in a smiling spirit.” On September 24, 1782, “The Minor” was staged by Fonvizin and Dmitrevsky at the theater on Tsaritsyn Meadow. The performance was a great success among the general public. On May 14, 1783, the premiere of “The Minor” took place on the stage of the Petrovsky Theater in Moscow. The premiere and subsequent performances were a huge success. “The Tutor's Choice”, a comedy written by Fonvizin in 1790, was dedicated to the burning topic of educating young people in aristocratic noble houses. The pathos of the comedy is directed against foreign adventurers-pseudo-teachers in favor of enlightened Russian nobles.