One of the key characters in D. I. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” is the venerable nobleman Starodum, Sophia’s uncle. This is a positive hero who advocates compliance with the “old” Peter the Great order, in which the person himself, his personal qualities, and not wealth, connections and position in society were valued above all else. He is the main antagonist of the landowner Prostakova, who personifies all the ignorance and cruelty of the era. Starodum’s characterization is distinguished by its completeness, and in many ways is a reflection of the author’s position. The hero talks a lot on moral topics, condemning ignorant, dark, immoral people, whose life principles can cause the degradation of the entire society.
a brief description of
Before reading this analysis, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the work Nedorosl itself.
The full name is not specified, only the surname is known - Starodum.
Age - 60 years.
Occupation : nobleman, former courtier.
Family - the only close relative is her niece Sophia.
Social status : nobleman.
Origin - comes from a noble family.
The upbringing is typical for noble families, the concept of honor is instilled.
Education - insufficient education; he has been self-educating all his life.
Appearance - not specified.
Character - independent, principled, deeply decent, has ideas about honor and conscience.
Positive traits - honest, kind, merciful, responsible, highly valuing education and morality.
Negative traits - in his youth - quick-tempered, hot-tempered, touchy, but with age he became wiser.
The work is “Undergrowth”.
Author : Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin.
Quote characteristic
A description of the hero with quotes will allow you to reveal his image, demonstrate not only his appearance, but also character traits, behavioral characteristics, and attitude to life.
Portrait
The artistic portrait of Starodum is based on the fact that he is a nobleman from an old aristocratic family. His father served at the court of Peter the Great himself and was not only a courtier, but also served in the military.
“Let us immediately join the army and become worthy of the title of nobleman that our breed gave us.” (Act three, scene 1)
“Starodum. ...He served Peter the Great... My father is at the court of Peter the Great...
Pravdin. And I heard that he is in military service...
Starodum. In that century, courtiers were warriors, but warriors were not courtiers.” (Act three, scene 1)
Starodum himself served in military service in his youth.
“Entered military service...” (Act three, scene 1)
The portrait description of Starodum is based on the fact that he is a venerable, respected man of advanced age.
“I’m dying, I want to see this venerable old man .” (Act two, phenomenon 5)
“I myself have the honor of knowing your uncle. And besides, I heard things about him from many that instilled in my soul true respect for him.” (Act two, phenomenon 5)
Starodum is the only close relative of the orphan Sophia, her uncle. He loves the girl with all his heart and takes on the role of her father.
"Her uncle." (Act one, phenomenon 5)
“Uncle, about whom we knew nothing for so long, whom I love and honor as my father ...” (Act one, scene 6)
“You are the daughter of my sister, the daughter of my heart!” (Act three, scene 2)
“You know that I am tied to life only by you. You must provide comfort to my old age, and my care is your happiness.” (Act three, scene 2)
Starodum was forced to leave his sister and Sophia and go to Siberia to provide his niece with a decent dowry.
“By retiring, I laid the foundation for your upbringing, but I could not establish your fortune otherwise than by separation from your mother and you.” (Act three, scene 2)
“In order to protect her life from a lack of what she needed, I decided to retire for several years to the land where money is obtained without exchanging it for conscience , without vile service, without robbing the fatherland; where they demand money from the land itself, which is more just than people, does not know partiality, but pays only for labor faithfully and generously.” (Act three, scene 2)
“I take the place of your father. Trust me that I know his rights." (Act three, scene 5)
Many believed that Starodum was dead, since nothing had been heard about him for many years.
“Her uncle, Mr. Starodum, went to Siberia; and since there has been no rumor or news about him , we consider him dead.” (Act one, phenomenon 5)
After a long separation, Starodum appears unexpectedly for everyone. He spent all this time in Siberia, where he earned a fortune through honest labor.
“My affairs forced me to live for several years in separation from my neighbors; and the distance deprived me of the pleasure of hearing from you! I’m now in Moscow, having lived in Siberia for several years.” (Act one, phenomenon 5)
Appearance
Starodum's appearance is based on the fact that he is an elderly man. He is 60 years old.
"...this venerable old man." (Act two, phenomenon 5)
“I am sixty years old in the world.” (Act three, scene 2)
Character traits and actions
Starodum is a vivid example of how you can make a decent fortune through exceptionally honest and hard work.
“I can serve as an example that you can make your fortune through hard work and honesty. With these means, with God’s help and happiness, I earned ten thousand rubles in income...” (Act one, scene 7)
“But he had to earn his happiness through hard work.” (Act two, phenomenon 5)
Starodum is a somewhat reserved, gloomy man who is in no hurry to open his soul to everyone. However, external gloominess is only a consequence of his direct, open character.
“...he’s a little gloomy...” (Act two, scene 5)
“What is called sullenness and rudeness in him is one effect of his straightforwardness. From birth his tongue did not say “yes” when his soul felt “no.” (Act two, phenomenon 5)
Starodum has the reputation of a very smart, wise person.
“...and such an over-reasonable one...” (Act two, scene 5)
Starodum is confident that every person is capable of being honest and virtuous - everything is in his hands, you just need to want to live according to your conscience.
"Trust me. Everyone will find enough strength in themselves to be virtuous . You have to want it decisively, and then the easiest thing will be not to do something for which your conscience would prick you.” (Act four, scene 2)
Starodum is characterized by a big loving heart. He tries in every possible way to show love and care towards those who are truly dear to him. At the same time, Starodum will never have good feelings towards unworthy people.
“...and if he really loves someone, he’ll love him straight away.” (Act two, phenomenon 5)
“Whoever he does not love is a bad man.” (Act two, phenomenon 5)
When communicating with people, Starodum prefers to avoid mentioning ranks that could cause insincerity.
“I speak without rank. The ranks begin, and sincerity ceases .” (Act three, scene 1)
Being a deeply decent person, Starodum is not able to calmly look at the outrages happening in the Prostakovs’ house. But he is especially worried about the fate of Sophia, who found herself a hostage to an insidious landowner.
“Wait. My heart is still seething with indignation at the unworthy act of the local owners.” (Act three, scene 1)
“Nothing tormented my heart more than innocence in the networks of deceit. I have never been so pleased with myself as when I happened to snatch prey from the hands of vice.” (Act three, scene 2)
Being an ardent person in his youth, Starodum gained wisdom with age, and before taking any decisive step, he carefully considers it.
“I have a rule: don’t start anything in the first movement .
Pravdin. Rare people know how to observe your rule.
Starodum. The experiences of my life have taught me this. Oh, if I had previously been able to control myself, I would have had the pleasure of serving my fatherland longer.” (Act three, scene 1)
“I did not know how to guard against the first movements of my irritated curiosity. My ardor did not allow me to judge then that a truly inquisitive person is jealous of deeds, and not of rank.” (Act three, scene 1)
Obvious injustice and wounded pride became the reason that Starodum quit his service.
“... the count, my former acquaintance, whom I disdained to remember, was promoted to rank, but I was passed over, I, who was then lying from wounds in a serious illness. Such injustice tore my heart, and I immediately resigned.” (Act three, scene 1)
Starodum is a person prone to constant and continuous self-development. Feeling the gaps in his own upbringing, he sought to fill them by communicating with more enlightened people.
“He was younger than me in service, the son of an accidental father, brought up in great society and had a special opportunity to learn something that was not yet included in our upbringing. I used all my strength to gain his friendship in order to compensate for the shortcomings of my upbringing by always treating him.” (Act three, scene 1)
From a young age, Starodum was distinguished by true nobility and decency. At the news of the war, he was one of the first to rush to the battlefield in order to bear the title of nobleman with honor. His comrade's cowardice aroused deep contempt in him.
“...we accidentally heard that war had been declared. I rushed to hug him with joy. “Dear Count! here is a chance for us to distinguish ourselves. Let us immediately join the army and become worthy of the title of nobleman that our breed has given us.” My friend the count frowned heavily and, hugging me, dryly: “Happy journey to you,” he said to me: “and I’m being affectionate that my father won’t want to part with me.” Nothing can compare with the contempt that I felt for him at that very moment.” (Act three, scene 1)
In his youth, Starodum was a brave warrior who never shirked his responsibilities. He was wounded more than once in battles and, thanks to his courage, was highly respected by military leaders.
“I have had many occasions to distinguish myself. My wounds prove that I didn’t miss them. The good opinion of my commanders and troops was a flattering reward of my service...” (Act three, scene 1)
Starodum is one of the few nobles who is fully aware of what his duties as a nobleman are, namely, honest and selfless service to the Fatherland.
“Pravdin. But isn’t a nobleman allowed to resign under any circumstances?
Starodum. In only one thing: when he is internally convinced that serving his fatherland does not bring direct benefit. A! then go.
Pravdin. You make one feel the true essence of the position of a nobleman .” (Act three, scene 1)
Starodum is a self-respecting person who is not used to being pushed around. For this reason, he left the court, receiving nothing for his service, but retaining his dignity.
“From the court, my friend, there are two ways to survive. Either they will be angry with you or you will be annoyed. I didn't wait for either one. I decided that it was better to lead life at home than in someone else’s hallway .” (Act three, scene 1)
“I left the court without villages, without a ribbon, without ranks, but I brought mine home intact, my soul, my honor, my rules.” (Act three, scene 1)
Starodum left the court because it was more important for him not to increase his fortune, but to keep his soul pure. He compares the courtyard with its vices to a terminally ill person from whom one can become infected.
“It is in vain to call a doctor to the sick without healing. The doctor won’t help here unless he gets infected himself.” (Act three, scene 1)
Starodum is a kind, merciful person who finds joy in helping others. He sees wealth as an opportunity to show concern for others.
“According to my calculations, the rich man is not the one who counts out money in order to hide it in a chest, but the one who counts out what he has in excess in order to help someone who does not have what he needs.” (Act four, scene 2)
“Without noble deeds, a noble fortune is nothing.” (Act four, scene 2)
Starodum is a modest and wise man, accustomed to being content with little. His attitude towards wealth suggests that he is not a greedy person and looks at money only as an opportunity to lead a decent life.
“Pravdin. You could get rich, as I heard, incomparably more.
Starodum. And for what?
Pravdin. To be rich like others.
Starodum. Rich! Who's rich? Do you know that all of Siberia is not enough for the whims of one person! My friend! Everything is in the imagination. Follow nature, you will never be poor. Follow people’s opinions and you will never be rich.” (Act three, scene 1)
Starodum is sure that wealth can corrupt children. He believes that the main wealth of every person is not gold pieces, but his mind and clear conscience.
“Children? Leave wealth to children! Not in my head. They will be smart, they will manage without him; and wealth is no help to a stupid son. I saw fine fellows in golden caftans, but with lead heads. No my friend! Cash is not cash worth. The golden dummy is everyone's dummy ." (Act three, scene 2)
Starodum believes that a person should receive respect not because of his wealth or rank, but only because of his spiritual qualities.
“Respect! Only respect should be flattering to a person - spiritual; and only those who are in rank not by money, and in the nobility not by rank, are worthy of spiritual respect.” (Act three, scene 1)
It is very important for the noble Starodum that his niece choose a groom not for mercantile reasons, but solely at the behest of her heart. He is ready to support Sophia’s choice and become a loyal friend to her husband.
“I have gained so much so that at your marriage the poverty of a worthy groom will not stop us.” (Act three, scene 2)
“...the choice of a worthy person depends entirely on her heart. Be calm, my friend! Your husband, worthy of you, no matter who he is, will have a true friend in me. Go for whoever you want ." (Act three, scene 5)
“My heartfelt desire is to see you as happy as possible in the world.” (Act four, scene 2)
“...my heart will only be at peace when I see you marrying a husband worthy of your heart...” (Act Four, Appearance 2)
Starodum is confident that every person is capable of being honest and virtuous - everything is in his hands, you just need to want to live according to your conscience.
"Trust me. Everyone will find enough strength in themselves to be virtuous. You have to want it decisively, and then the easiest thing will be not to do something for which your conscience would prick you.” (Act four, scene 2)"
Starodum is an uncompromising person in matters of honor and honesty.
“An honest person must be a completely honest person.” (Act four, scene 2)
Upbringing
Starodum is distinguished by direct, open address and calls his interlocutor “you” and not “you”, as was already customary in secular society. This is how he was raised by his father, who served under Peter the Great. In those days, such a custom did not come into fashion.
“Pravdin. Your treatment...
Starodum. Many people laugh at him. I know it. Be so. My father raised me the way he did then , but I didn’t even find the need to re-educate myself. He served Peter the Great. Then one person was called you, not you. Back then they didn’t yet know how to infect so many people that everyone would consider themselves to be many. But now many are not worth one.” (Act three, scene 1)
Starodum received the best education that a nobleman could give to his offspring. His father was able to instill a simple truth throughout his life: to remain human under any circumstances, and not to stoop to low acts.
“The education given to me by my father was the best in that century. At that time there were few ways to learn, and they still didn’t know how to fill an empty head with someone else’s mind.
Pravdin. Education at that time really consisted of several rules...
Starodum. In one. My father constantly repeated the same thing to me: have a heart, have a soul, and you will be a man at all times . There is fashion for everything else: fashion for minds, fashion for knowledge, like fashion for buckles and buttons.” (Act three, scene 1)
Starodum has no doubt that the most important component is the soul, without which even the most educated person is pathetic and worthless, and an ignoramus is completely likened to a wild beast.
“Pravdin. You speak the truth. The direct dignity in man is the soul ...
Starodum. Without her, the most enlightened, clever woman is a pitiful creature. (With feeling.) An ignoramus without a soul is a beast. The smallest feat leads him into every crime. Between what he does and what he does for, he has no weight.” (Act three, scene 1)
“...in the great world there are very small souls and that with great enlightenment one can be very stingy .” (Act three, scene 1)
Starodum does not value smart, educated people who do not have high moral principles.
“Why boast about your intelligence, my friend! The mind, if it is only the mind, is the most trifle. With runaway minds we see bad husbands, bad fathers, bad citizens. Good behavior gives him a direct price. Without it, an intelligent person is a monster. It is immeasurably higher than all the fluency of the mind.” (Act four, scene 2)
Starodum was brought up to express his thoughts honestly and openly. He is the great enemy of hypocrisy.
“Forgive my simple-heartedness. I am a friend of honest people . This feeling is ingrained in my upbringing.” (Act four, scene 6)
“ A flatterer is a creature who, not only of others, but also of himself, does not have a good opinion. All his aspirations are to first blind a person’s mind, and then make of him what he needs. He is a night thief who will first put out the candle and then begin to steal.” (Act five, scene 1)
Starodum is a kind, merciful person, capable of forgiveness. He understands that a person is weak and is always ready to give a chance at redemption.
“Ms. Prostakova (raising her hands to Starodum) Father! Forgive me too, a sinner. After all, I am a man, not an angel.
Starodum. I know, I know that a person cannot be an angel. You don’t even have to be a devil.” (Act five, scene 4)
“I don’t want anyone to die. I forgive her." (Act five, scene 4)
I still managed to say that I love him, but I was embarrassed to say how high I put it
“If they are not there, everything is permitted,” wrote David Samoilov, referring to the generation of Akhmatova and Pasternak... But still, not everything was permitted while Samoilov’s front-line generation of writers still existed. That too is gone. The sixties remained behind the elders. The term was coined by one of them, Stanislav Rassadin. In those years when he came up with it, he was a loud and bright critic and literary critic. But then he very soon outgrew these workshop accessories.
How to define the Rassadin genre? A writer about writers? Writer about literature? Probably not that important. More importantly, he is on a par with Yuri Tynyanov, Innokenty Annensky (“Books of Reflections”) and Vladislav Khodasevich. Moreover, Rassadin can be directly compared with Khodasevich: this one has “Necropolis”, this one has “The Book of Farewells”, this one has “Derzhavin”, this one has books about Fonvizin and about Sukhovo-Kobylin.
Now we need to write a book about Stanislav Borisovich himself. He is a self-made man. An absolute intellectual who came from a simple, poor family. Nugget. It’s somehow hard to imagine this about a literary critic. Not opportunistic at all. And this somehow doesn’t fit in with the critic. And - Friend. That's right, with a capital letter.
Thanks to the fact that Stanislav Borisovich knew how to make friends to the fullest, he was not lonely. And loneliness after the death of the person closest to him - Ali's wife - seemed inevitable for him. They had no children. Alya was the only one left for Stanislav Borisovich. In recent years, only friendship has saved him.
But friends also left.
He experienced the deaths of Mikhail Kozakov, Yuri Chernichenko, Lazar Lazarev very hard... And yet his friends still remained. Close ones, as even relatives rarely are. Because Stanislav Borisovich did not delve into the problems of his friends - he empathized with their experiences. I know this very well from my own experience. Warm, sincere, kind person...
I will miss him terribly, Novaya Gazeta, where he came fifteen years ago, will also miss him terribly. His column “Starodum” set the bar that did not allow other newspaper authors to write in bad Russian. But that's not even the main thing. He set that necessary “high level of moral claims” (a quote from Rassadin himself), which, it’s a shame, it’s somehow impossible not to live up to.
And now again - “They are not there - and everything is allowed”?
He would be very upset. Let's not upset one of the most worthy people we still have in common, our time with him.
Oleg KHLEBNIKOV
The farewell will take place on March 22 at 13.30 in hall No. 3 of the Nikolo-Arkhangelsk crematorium
Characteristics of Pravdin by other heroes
Sophia
Sophia loves her uncle Starodum with all her heart. She treats him with the same respect as her own father.
“I have now received good news. My uncle, about whom we knew nothing for so long, whom I love and honor as my father , recently arrived in Moscow.” (Act one, scene 6)
Sophia knows very well that her uncle Starodum did not receive anything “just like that,” as a gift from fate. All his achievements are due to hard work.
“But he had to earn his happiness through hard work.” (Act two, phenomenon 5)
Starodum’s life principles deeply impress Sophia, who with a pure heart is ready to submit to the will of a wise and kind uncle.
“Throughout my life, your will will be my law.” (Act three, scene 2)
“Uncle! Every word you say will be engraved into my heart .” (Act four, scene 2)
“Uncle! My true happiness is that I have you.” (Act four, scene 2)
Pravdin
Pravdin is a good acquaintance of Starodum, who has a feeling of deep respect for him. He notes all the advantages of a man, which not everyone is able to discern at first glance.
“And whoever he does not love is a bad person. (To Sophia.) I myself have the honor of knowing your uncle. And besides, I heard things about him from many that instilled in my soul true respect for him. What is called sullenness and rudeness in him is one effect of his straightforwardness. From birth his tongue did not say “yes” when his soul felt “no”. (Act two, phenomenon 5)
Knowing about Starodum’s high moral qualities, Pravdin values his friendship very highly.
“Pravdin. As soon as they got up from the table and I went to the window and saw your carriage, then, without telling anyone, I ran out to meet you and hug you with all my heart. My sincere respect to you ...
Starodum. It is precious to me. Trust me.
Pravdin. Your friendship for me is all the more flattering because you cannot have it for others except such...
Starodum. What are you like? I speak without ranks. The ranks begin, and sincerity ceases.” (Act three, scene 1)
Pravdin completely agrees with Starodum’s opinion that what is important in a person is his spiritual component.
“You speak the truth. The direct dignity in man is the soul...” (Act three, phenomenon 1)
Pravdin believes that a person with such moral and ethical qualities as Starodum simply must be at court in order to exert all possible influence on the current government.
“Pravdin. With your rules, people should not be released from the court, but they must be called to the court.
Starodum. Summon? What for?
Pravdin. For what doctors are called to the sick for.” (Act three, scene 1)
Pravdin agrees with Starodum that respect should be given to people not based on their money or high position in society, but solely on their personal qualities.
“Pravdin. With all this, we see that money often leads to ranks, ranks usually lead to nobility, and respect is given to the nobility.
Starodum. Respect! Only respect should be flattering to a person - spiritual; and only those who are in rank not by money, and in the nobility not by rank, are worthy of spiritual respect.
Pravdin. Your conclusion is undeniable." (Act three, scene 2)
Detailed description of Pravdin.
Prostakov
The Prostakovs, who took in the orphan Sophia, believe that her only relative - Uncle Starodum - is dead.
“Her uncle, Mr. Starodum, went to Siberia; and since there has been no rumor or news of him for several years now, we consider him dead .” (Act one, phenomenon 5)
Prostakova
Prostakova cannot stand Starodum, and she is very irritated by the very thought that he might be alive.
“Ms. Prostakova (frightened, with anger) How! Starodum, your uncle, is alive! And you deign to say that he has risen! That's a fair amount of fiction!
Sophia. Yes, he never died." (Act one, scene 6)
Prostakova knows a lot about the character of Starodum. According to him, he is a somewhat reserved, very smart man with a big heart.
“I’m dying, I want to see this venerable old man. I've heard a lot about him. And his villains only say that he is a little gloomy , and so reasonable, and if he loves someone, he will love him directly.” (Act two, phenomenon 5)
Prostakova, for all her indomitable character, is shy in front of the smart and revered Starodum.
"How! it's you! you, father! Our priceless guest! Oh, I'm such a fool! Would it really be necessary to meet our own father, on whom we have all our hope, who is the only one we have, like gunpowder in the eye. Father! I'm sorry. I'm a fool. I can’t come to my senses.” (Act three, scene 3)
Milo
Milon respects Starodum, whose moral and moral qualities resonate in himself. It is a great honor for him to be the friend of such an honorable man.
“I consider it true happiness if I am worthy of your kind opinion, your favors towards me...” (Act four, scene 6)
Essay on the topic of lessons from the old man
The comedy “The Minor” was written by Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin in 1782. In it, Fonvizin not only laughed at Mrs. Prostakova and her relatives, but also showed serfdom “in all its glory.” The power of the landowners at that time was unlimited. And when the landowners were like Prostakova and Skotinin, then this power was to the detriment of everyone: both the landowners, because they felt the right to push other people around, and the peasants, who were treated like cattle, if not worse. The peasants had no rights: neither personal nor civil, they paid exorbitant quitrents and went to corvee labor. Almost everything they grew with their own hands had to be given to the insatiable landowners, who grew rich while the peasants starved and starved. The serfs were ignorant, but this was not their fault, while the nobles, who seemed to have opportunities, were almost no different from the serfs in this regard. The upbringing of the younger generation was entrusted to courtyard people, and the education of young nobles was carried out by foreigners (who in their homeland were often coachmen, janitors and had nothing to do with science), retired semi-literate soldiers and clerks, who forced their students to memorize the psalter. Many young nobles lacked a sense of duty to the Fatherland. They served not for Russia, but for ranks, honors and money. But that was not Starodum, the main character of the comedy. He was a nobleman, raised in the time of Peter the Great. He was sure that “a nobleman would consider it the first dishonor to do nothing when he has so much to do: there are people to help; there is a Fatherland to serve." Starodum highly valued the soul in a person, honor and rules. He despised flatterers - people striving for wealth and rank. He was at court, but “decided that it was better to lead life at home than in someone else’s hallway.” Starodum said: “I left the court without villages, without a ribbon, without ranks, but I brought mine home intact, my soul, my honor, my rules.” The Starodum is characterized by such qualities as determination, nobility, honesty, and good behavior. He always followed his rules, and “from childhood his tongue did not say yes when his soul felt no.” In his youth, Starodum had a friend, a count, the illegitimate son of a nobleman, who “had a special opportunity to learn something that was not yet part of their upbringing.” When war was declared, Starodum invited his friend to go to war, “to become worthy of the title of nobleman.” But the count refused. Then Starodum realized that “there is sometimes an immeasurable difference between random people and respectable people, that in the big world there are very small souls and that with great enlightenment one can be very stingy.” Then, when Starodum was in the hospital, he learned that the count had been given a new rank, and he, who had many wounds, was bypassed. He resigned, but then realized that “a truly inquisitive person is jealous of deeds, and not of ranks, that ranks are often begged for, but true respect is deserved, that it is much more honest to be passed over without guilt than to be awarded without merit.” Even Starodum’s speech characterizes him; it is full of aphorisms. This is the speech of a wise man who has lived his life in such a way that he has nothing to be ashamed of, he has never deviated from his rules. Starodum despises people like Prostakova, Mitrofanushka, Skotinin. Prostakova is an angry, rude, unpredictable, ruthless landowner. Prostakov is a pathetic, weak-willed man, under the thumb of his wife. Mitrofanushka is an illiterate, lazy, selfish idiot. Skotinin is a cruel, ignorant, bestial landowner who adores pigs and compares everyone around him to them. All these people flatter Starodum, try to present themselves in the best light, fawn, pretend to be good people, because they want to force his niece Sophia, the heiress of a large fortune, into marriage. Greedy, selfish, ignorant people without a sense of duty or self-esteem can only cause contempt. But Starodum treats his niece, her fiancé Milon, and Pravdin with respect and love, because they are noble, purposeful people, ready to serve their Fatherland. It seems to me that Starodum is an ideal hero of the era of Russian classicism, because he is a patriot of his Motherland. I believe that Starodum is a person from whom it is worth taking an example, because he never deviated from his rules, did not flatter, did not grovel, and devoted all his strength to serving the Motherland. I am sure that at least a few people who read the comedy “The Minor” will learn something, draw conclusions for themselves, and I will try to make every effort to never be like Mrs. Prostakova, her husband, Mitrofanushka and Skotinin , but try to cultivate in yourself the qualities inherent in Starodum.
Speech characteristics of Starodum
The main distinctive feature of Starodum is the fact that D.I. Fonvizin puts his own thoughts into the mouth of the hero. For this reason, the hero’s statements are distinguished by simplicity and laconicism, many of them become aphorisms: “An ignoramus without a soul is a beast,” “Cash money is not cash dignity,” “A golden fool is all a fool,” etc.
Starodum's speech is distinguished by correct construction, artistic diversity, and the absence of swear words. The hero uses colloquial expressions (“master of interpretation, bah!”, “I’m having tea,” “think about it”), but only in those cases when he is forced to communicate with ignorant, dark people. Thus, the author further emphasizes the difference between enlightened and illiterate heroes, the depth of the gulf between them.
And, on the contrary, in a conversation with educated people with high moral principles, Starodum uses succinct phrases that can fully reveal his thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Starodum is capable of irony and making fun of the negative characters of a comedy. In this way, he is not trying to show his own superiority, but seeks to point out to them their wrong way of life and worldview.
Another important feature of Starodum’s speech is its form in the form of instructions, which are addressed to everyone without exception: positive and negative characters, readers. Starodum acts as a wise person, capable of giving valuable advice and guiding on the right path.
Biography
At the time of the story, the hereditary nobleman Starodum is an elderly man - he is 60 years old. His father, who served under Peter the Great, was able to raise his son to be a deeply decent, moral person, although Starodum’s overall level of education was relatively low. For this reason, the hero was engaged in self-development throughout his life.
In his youth, Starodum entered military service, took part in military battles, where he was seriously wounded. Thanks to his courage and personal qualities, he was in good standing with military leaders and was respected by his colleagues. However, it was not Starodum, who fully deserved it, who received the high rank, but his acquaintance, the cowardly count, who tried to avoid participating in the war.
Starodum could not tolerate such injustice and resigned. He went to St. Petersburg, where he was taken into service at court. However, the honest and noble Starodum with a keen sense of justice was never able to get along among the court hypocrites. Having received nothing for his service, he went to Siberia, where through honest labor he earned a dowry for his niece Sophia, who remained an orphan after the death of her parents. Starodum became a real father for the girl - loving and caring. With his blessing, Sophia chose a worthy man, officer Milon, as her husband.
Image of Starodum
Starodum is the most positive character in D. I. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor.” This is a hereditary nobleman, an elderly man, who has considerable life experience behind him.
Starodum is an adherent of the “old” education of Peter the Great, when among the nobility honor and dignity were valued above all else, rather than wealth and high ranks. This is exactly how Starodum was raised by his father, and these life attitudes took deep roots in the hero’s soul.
Starodum is a straightforward, open, honest person, ready to always fight for justice. Being a strong, integral personality, he is not able to accept the hypocrisy of the court nobility and goes to Siberia, where he earns decent capital for himself through honest labor.
Having no family of his own, Starodum replaces the father of his niece Sophia. He shows himself to be a loving, caring parent who gives valuable instructions to the girl and ensures her a happy life with her loved one.
Starodum is the personification of the progressive-minded nobility with high moral principles. It was precisely such people that Fonvizin saw the future of Russia.
Essay: The image of Starodum in the play “The Minor” (D.I. Fonvizin)
During the reign of Peter the Great, new trends emerged aimed at transforming the country in the fields of science, service and state defense. The nobility at that time was the main force on which the ruler relied. That is why representatives of the upper class were given many rights and freedoms. Many ambitious and active nobles actively contributed to the development of Tsarist Russia, and some took advantage of the privileges granted and preferred to lead an idle lifestyle. The Prostakov family from Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin’s work “The Minor” belonged to the category of ignoramuses of lordly Moscow. However, the author also gave a positive example of a nobleman from the outgoing Peter the Great era - Starodum. Despite the fact that at the time of the play the descendants of the great king reign, and much has changed, Starodum retained the way of thinking of his ancestors.
The hero appeared in the play unexpectedly: distant relatives did not know what happened to him in distant Siberia, but still hoped for his inheritance. Their hopes were not in vain: Starodum, a natural nobleman and retired military man, was able to honestly earn capital and now had an income of 10,000 rubles. He planned to bequeath this money to his niece Sonya, because he was old (about 60 years old). However, to decide the girl’s fate, he came in person and upset the Prostakovs’ plans. Yet his role in the play is more important than it seems at first glance: he not only brought negative characters to light, but also expressed the main idea of the book. The author put into the mouth of this hero everything that he wanted to teach his contemporaries. Thus, he considered the main priority in life not intelligence, but virtue, because education without good morals only brings harm. That is why the submissive Sophia, ready to fulfill her uncle’s will, became Starodum’s ideal. People, according to Starodum, must pacify their pride and direct their minds to the benefit of the state, honestly fulfilling their duty:
“My father constantly repeated the same thing to me: have a heart, have a soul, and you will be a man at all times...”
Starodum often refers to the orders given to him by his father:
“My father raised me the way he did then, but I didn’t even find the need to re-educate myself. He served Peter the Great,” the elder recalls.
These remarks become the main instrument of condemnation of the era that the writer found. Great things, in his opinion, are in the past, and now people achieve success through hypocrisy and flattery. But his hero lived in the old way, so he “decided to retire for several years to the land where money is obtained without exchanging it conscientiously, without vile service, without robbing the fatherland.” The example of Starodum is a lesson to those who seek to squeeze the treasury to their whims, but at the same time do nothing for the development of the country. In addition, the hero was an honest and open person, which could not be said about most courtiers:
“From birth his tongue did not say yes when his soul felt no.”
All these qualities indicate that the image of Starodum is the ideal of an enlightened and patriotic nobleman.
Thus, Starodum is the link between comedy and edifying parable, the combination of which gave birth to a play in the spirit of classicism. Thanks to him, the viewer not only laughed, but also learned how to live.
Previous
EssaysEssay: Characteristics of Mitrofan in the play “The Minor” (+ table)
Next
EssaysEssay: Characteristics of the Prostakovs in the play “The Minor” (D.I. Fonvizin)
Conclusion
The comedy by D. I. Fonvizin “The Minor” is a socio-political work in which the author exposes the vices of society. The main assistant in this matter is a bright and unambiguous character - the elderly nobleman Starodum, whose attitude to life, to people, to the structure of the state as a whole was very close to Denis Ivanovich himself.
The role of the hero in the work is very important - with his help, the author defines clear boundaries of morality, spiritual purity, and decency. Characteristics of Starodum with quotes will allow you to better prepare for a literature lesson and write an essay on a given topic.
The collected material, which includes quotes from the text, allows you to independently characterize the character according to plan, help you compose a detailed written work or write an essay on a given topic.
Starodum as a reasoner for the comedy “The Minor”
The image of Starodum in the comedy acts as a sounding board for the opinion of the author himself. One confirmation of this is Fonvizin’s decision, a few years after writing the play, to publish the magazine “Starodum” (even before the release of the first issue it was banned by Catherine II). Contrasting two opposing value and ideological trends in the play - the landowners and the new nobility, the author introduces a third, located between them and depending not only on the education received in childhood, as can be seen in the other characters, but on the personal experience of the hero. Starodum did not receive a good education in childhood, but “the education given to me by my father was the best for that century. At that time there were few ways to learn, and they still didn’t know how to fill empty heads with someone else’s mind.” Fonvizin emphasizes that a person with the right upbringing is able to obtain the necessary knowledge himself and grow into a worthy person. In addition, in the words of Starodum, the author sharply criticizes the contemporary government - Catherine II and the court, exposing all their shortcomings, emphasizing the cunning and deceit of the nobility, their dishonest struggle for ranks, when people are ready to “go over their heads.” According to the hero, and, therefore, Fonvizin, the monarch should be an example of nobility, honor, justice, the best human qualities for his subjects, and society itself needs to change guidelines, cultivate humanism, kindness, respect and love for one’s neighbor and one’s Motherland. The views expressed in the work on what society as a whole and each individual in particular should be remain relevant today, attracting more and more connoisseurs of classical literature. A detailed description of Starodum in “Nedorosl” allows us to understand the author’s ideological plan and clarify his views on Russian society of that era. It will be useful to students of different classes when preparing an essay on the topic “Characteristics of the image of Starodum in the comedy “The Minor”.” Characterization of Starodum in Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” - description of the image for an essay on the topic | source
