>Characteristics of the heroes Undergrowth

Characteristics of the hero Prostakov

Prostakova is one of the main characters and the moving face in D. I. Fonvizin's play "Undergrowth". She is the mother of Mitrofanushka and the sister of Taras Skotinin. Prostakova participates in almost all the events of the play, since the action takes place in the house where she is the mistress. By position, she is a noblewoman, has serfs and is a typical example of a Russian landowner in the middle of the 18th century. It is distinguished by unscrupulousness, ignorance, illiteracy and the desire to control everything. The heroine's husband does not dare to argue with her. Such concepts as conscience and honor are alien to her. To achieve her goals, she is ready to go any tricks, including meanness and deceit. All that interests her is her personal well-being and the well-being of her son. For the sake of Mitrofanushka, she is ready to do anything. So, for example, having learned about the rich dowry of Sophia's pupil, she immediately decides to marry her son to her, despite the fact that it was originally decided to marry her to the brother of the landowner Taras Skotinin and, despite the protests of Sophia herself. Even when her plans fall apart, she still tries to secretly marry the young.

The play shows Prostakova's boundless and stupid love for her son, who is her only joy. Being illiterate herself, she tries to give him a decent education so as not to look worse than other landowners. To do this, she hires a German teacher. However, this is not done for the sake of the son being scientific, but for the sake of the capital's fashion. Also, in an attempt to eliminate her brother from the path of Mitrofanushka, she simply clings to his throat. The author clearly shows the reasons for this behavior of Prostakova. First of all, this is due to her inner ignorance and lack of education. The second reason has a social connotation and lies in the decree of Catherine II "On the Liberty of the Nobles". Thanks to this decree, the nobles of that time received full power over the serfs and were free to do whatever they wanted. Having shown the collapse of Prostakova and her plans at the end of the play, the author also emphasizes the collapse of the entire system.

Article menu:

Mrs. Prostakova is the main character of the comedy "Undergrowth" by Fonvizin. The author endowed this image with exclusively negative qualities. The ignorance, lack of education and bad manners of Prostakova can make everyone around her miserable, including her beloved Prostakova Mitrofanushka.

Personality characteristic

Mrs. Prostakova comes from an old noble family. Apparently, her family was neither rich enough nor respected enough among other aristocrats - Prostakova was not an educated woman, and her thirst for power caused her many complexes. It is likely that Prostakova does not even know how to read - she asks Sophia to play the role of her reader. The fact of her lack of education is also confirmed by the woman's indignant comment that neither her nor her brother's (Taras Skotinin's) parents ever taught anything, while now it is necessary to teach Mitrofanushka completely useless sciences.

In general, we can say that Mrs. Prostakova's parents were not the best - their inattention to children and negligence caused the death of some of them - “We, the children, were eighteen of them; yes, except for me and my brother, everyone, by the power of the Lord, tried on. Others were dragged out of the bath of the dead. Three, having sipped milk from a copper pot, died. Two of the Holy Week fell from the bell tower; and the rest did not stand by themselves.

The Prostakova family actually lives in communicative isolation - except for Uncle Skotinin, there is no communication with any of the nobles.

The very same Mrs. Prostakova has a complex character. She is very demanding of others, but her exactingness is selective.

She is ready to find fault with the peasants because of trifles, but at the same time not to take into account even the most significant mistakes in the behavior and development of her son Mitrofan.
In parallel with this quality, another thing is manifested - the lack of a sense of proportion.

Prostakova essentially does not have a single positive quality - she is cruel and ruthless. Prostakova does not know how and does not even try to look at the world and others positively. In any situation, Prostakova tries to see only the negative.

Prostakova's speech denounces her bad manners and lack of education. She often twists her words. In her vocabulary, the word “first” is missing, instead she uses “first”, “looking for” - in the role of more, girl - instead of a girl and “georgaphy” - instead of geography.

In Prostakova's speech, one can rarely find book and literary turns. For the first time they appear in appeals to Starodub - in this way the landowner tries to create a kind of courtesy: “Our priceless guest! Would it really be necessary to meet our own father, on whom we have all hope, who we have alone, like gunpowder in the eye.

Along with the assertive nature of Prostakova, she is endowed with cowardice. Realizing that Starodub will not silently observe her actions, but intends to resist her, moreover, that this opposition will not be just an appearance, Prostakova throws herself at Starodub’s feet with forgiveness.

Prostakova is guided by a sense of personal gain, for which she is ready to take any action, even criminal. So, for example, she tries to force Sophia to marry Mitrofan, in order to get the girl's money.

Attitude towards others

The ability to find a common language with others and be on good terms with them is a great talent that Mrs. Prostakova, unfortunately, does not possess.
Her negative perception of reality does not allow her to establish a communicative process with anyone.

The attitude of the landlords towards the peasants has always been complex - despite the absence of an official division into social castes, the formal distribution into estates in Russia at that time was a common occurrence and, naturally, serfs were not in this hierarchy in a place of honor.

Many nobles treated their serfs worse than animals - Mrs. Prostakova was one of these landowners.

We bring to your attention which was written by Denis Fonvizin.

She had already taken everything that could be taken away from the peasants for a long time, and constantly kept the serfs in fear - according to Prostakova herself, she was not used to indulging the peasants, and therefore severely punishes them even for the smallest offenses.

Eremeevna, Mitrofanushka's nanny, especially gets it. The landowner often calls her names and scolds her for everything, including the fact that she burst into tears, unable to withstand reproaches. Prostakova point-blank does not notice Yeremeevna's attempts to please and generously rewards the woman for quality work with curses like "old witch" and "dog daughter".

Analyzing the conflict situations that arose between Prostakova and her serfs, we can conclude that in relation to the servants Prostakova acts as a tyrant - she always thinks that the serfs behave inappropriately. The landowner considers bickering and swearing to be the only effective lever of housekeeping. She proudly tells her husband about how zealously she quarreled with the servants all day: “From morning to evening, as if hanging by the tongue, I don’t lay my hands on: I scold, then I fight; That's how the house is kept, my father.

In relation to Sonya, the woman does not behave much better. As long as Prostakova thinks that Sonya is a poor girl - the landowner behaves rudely, she rarely even observes the rules of decency in relation to the girl. However, after Starodum made the girl a rich heiress, the situation changes dramatically - courtesy wakes up in Prostakova. Now Sonya, in her eyes, is not a poor relative who requires a roof over her head, but a promising bride, and therefore she no longer addresses her sarcastically (“madam”, “mother”), but shows good breeding and tenderness (“Congratulations, Sofyushka! Congratulations, soul my!")

Prostakova’s relationship with her husband is also not ideal - the landowner does not perceive her husband as a person worthy of her attention and tenderness - she constantly insults him, including in the presence of other people. Prostakova never takes into account the opinion of her husband and always operates exclusively with personal opinion.

Since Prostakova has a low opinion of the role of education and does not see the point in it, then, accordingly, she does not appreciate the work of Mitrofan's teachers. For about a year she does not pay them a salary and considers this acceptable.

The problem of education

The problem of education is inherently connected with the image of Mrs. Prostakova. Mitrofan was the only and long-awaited child in the family. And therefore spoiled. Prostakova is ready to forgive Mitrofan for any misconduct. She constantly pampers him and does not put forward any demands on him.

Prostakova hires teachers Mitrofanushka, because by the decree of Peter I, all nobles are required to be educated, otherwise they will not be allowed to serve. Prostakova does not understand the role of education and accepts science as a senseless torment. Willy-nilly, she instills the same thought in her son - Mitforan does not realize the importance of education and therefore does not even try to learn anything.

Writing

In the comedy Undergrowth, Fonvizin portrays the vices of contemporary society. His heroes are representatives of different social strata: statesmen, nobles, servants, self-proclaimed teachers. This is the first socio-political comedy in the history of Russian dramaturgy.

The central heroine of the play is Mrs. Prostakova. She manages the household, beats her husband, keeps the courtyards in horror, and brings up her son Mitrofan. Now I scold, now I fight, and that is how the house is kept. No one dares to oppose her power: Am I not powerful in my people. But in the image of Prostakova there are also tragic elements. This ignorant and greedy overripe fury loves and cares deeply for her son. At the end of the play, rejected by Mitrofan, she becomes humiliated and pitiful:

You are the only one left with me.

Let go…

I don't have a son...

The main way to create the character of Prostakova is a speech characteristic. The heroine's language changes depending on who she is addressing. Mrs. Prostakova calls the servants thieves, rascals, a beast, a dog's daughter. He turns to Mitrofan: my friend, my dear, my dear. Guests are met with respect: I recommend you a dear guest, you are welcome.

The image of Mitrofan in the play is connected with the idea of ​​education, which is very important for educational literature. Mitrofan is ignorant, idler, mother's favorite. From the parent, he inherited arrogance and rudeness. To Yeremeevna, who is sacredly devoted to him, he addresses: an old grunt. Mitrofan's upbringing and education corresponded to the fashion of that time and the understanding of his parents. He is taught the French language by the German Vralman, the exact sciences by the retired sergeant Tsyfirkin, who maracals a little bit of arithmetic, and grammar by the seminarian Kuteikin, who was dismissed from all teaching. Mitrofanushka's knowledge of grammar, his desire not to study, but to get married are ridiculous. But his attitude towards Eremeevna, his readiness to take on people, his mother's betrayal evokes different feelings. Mitrofanushka becomes an ignorant and cruel despot.

The main method of creating satirical characters in the play is zoologization. Having gathered to get married, Skotinin declares that he wants to have his own piglets. It seems to Vralman that, while living with the Prostakovs, he lived as a fairy with horses. Thus, the author emphasizes the idea of ​​the animal lowlands of the surrounding world.

Despite the fact that the genre of the play Undergrowth is a comedy, Fonvizin is not limited to exposing social vices and creating satirical characters. The author draws a number of positive characters Starodum, Pravdin, Sofya, Milon. These heroes openly express the views of an honest man on noble morality, family relations, and even civil order. This dramatic device truly means a revolution in Russian educational literature from. criticism of the negative aspects of reality to the search for ways to change the existing system.

Reflecting the problems relevant to his time, Fonvizin was a talented psychologist, thinker, and artist. His comedy has a universal significance, it lives through the centuries, does not leave the stages of modern theaters.

The action takes place in the estate of the Prostakovs. The unrestricted hostess is Mrs. Prostakova. It is curious to note that in the list of characters only she was given the title of “Madam”, the rest of the characters are named only by their last names or first names. She really dominates the world subject to her, she rules arrogantly, despotic, with complete confidence in her impunity. Taking advantage of Sophia's orphanhood, Prostakova takes possession of her estate. Without asking the girl's consent, he decides to marry her off. However, the full nature of this "fury" is revealed in the treatment of serfs. Prostakova is deeply convinced of her right to offend, rob and punish the peasants, whom she looks at as beings of another, lower Breed.

The welfare of Prostakova rests on the shameless robbery of the serfs. “Since then, she complains to Skotinin, we have taken away everything that the peasants had, we can’t tear anything off.” Order in the house is brought about by abuse and beatings. “From morning to evening, Prostakova complains again, like she’s hanged by the tongue, I don’t rest my hands: either I scold, or I fight.” Eremeevna, when asked how much her salary is due, replies with tears: “Five rubles a year, up to five slaps in the face a day.”

The primitive nature of Prostakova is clearly revealed in sharp transitions from arrogance to cowardice, from complacency to servility. She is rude to Sophia while she feels her power over her, but upon learning of the return of Starodum, she instantly changes her tone and behavior. When Pravdin announces the decision to put Prostakov on trial for inhuman treatment of the peasants, she humiliatedly wallows at his feet. But, having begged for forgiveness, he immediately hurries to deal with the slow servants who missed Sophia: “Forgive me! Ah, father! Well! Now I will let the canals open to my people. Now I'll take them all one by one." Brother Prostakova Skotinin is related to her not only in blood, but also in spirit. He exactly repeats the serf practice of his sister. “If it wasn’t for me Taras Skotinin,” he declares, if I don’t have any fault to blame. In this, sister, I have the same custom with you ... and every loss ... I will tear off my own peasants, and the ends are in the water.

The presence of Skotinin in the play emphasizes the wide distribution of nobles like Prostakova, gives it a typical character. Not without reason, at the end of the play, Pravdin advises to warn the other Skotinins about what happened at the Prostakov estate. Many nobles are so low in mental and civic development that they can only be likened to animals. Cattle possessing people, this is the painful problem that D.I. Fonvizin posed with great courage.

He endowed the heroes with emphatically Russian names, surrounded them with familiar surroundings, and preserved Russian customs on the stage. Mrs. Prostakova, nee Skotinina, is always compared to a dog, Skotinin to pigs. They themselves persistently call themselves cattle, animals. “Have you heard that a bitch gave out her puppies,” asks Prostakova. "Ah, I am a dog's daughter!" she says elsewhere. The base spiritual appearance of Skotinin is revealed in his predilection for "pigs". “I love pigs ... he admits, and in our neighborhood there are such large pigs that there is not a single one of them that, standing on its back with a single leg, would not be taller than each of us with a whole head.” “No, sister,” he says to Prostakova, “I want to have my own piglets.” And Mitrofan, according to his mother, “was the same hunter from the age of pigs ... Sometimes, when he saw a pig, he would tremble with joy.” "I am cattle, Mitrofan reads according to the hour book, and not a man."

A real revolution was made by Fonvizin in the field of comedic language. The speech of many of his heroes is predetermined by spe -. cipher of the image. In "Undergrowth" the speeches of Prostakova, Skotinin, Eremeevna are especially colorful. Fonvizin retains all the incorrectness of the language of his ignorant heroes: “first” instead of the first, “robenka” instead of a child, “goloushka” instead of a little head, “which” instead of which. Successfully used proverbs and sayings. The rough, dissolute nature of Prostakova is well revealed by the vulgarisms she uses: “And you, the beast, were dumbfounded, and you didn’t bite into your brother’s mug, and you didn’t pull his snout up to his ears.” Swear words never leave Prostakova's tongue: cattle, mug, rascals, old witch. The news of the illness of the yard girl Palashka infuriates her: “Oh, she is a beast! Lies. As if noble!

Throughout the comedy, the Skotinins and Prostakovs emphasize that they are unusually smart, especially Mitrofanushka. In fact, Prostakova, her husband and her brother cannot even read. Moreover, they are deeply convinced of the futility and uselessness of knowledge. “Without science, people live and lived,” Prostakova confidently declares. Equally wild are their social representations. High positions exist, according to their deep conviction, only for enrichment. According to Prostakova, her father "was a voivode for fifteen years ... he did not know how to read and write, but he knew how to make enough money." They see the advantages of the "noble" class in the ability to insult and rob people dependent on them. Bad mentors can also be the cause of “malice”. Mitrofan's education was entrusted to the half-educated seminarian Kuteikin, the retired soldier Tsyfirkin, and the former coachman, the German Vralman. Mitrofan is one of the main actors of the comedy. Using the techniques of speech characteristics, D. I. Fonvizin portrayed Mitrofan as the greatest lazy person. But it's not just the teachers, Mitrofan's character and behavior are the natural result of those living examples that he is surrounded by in his parents' house. It had the most devastating effect on Mitrofan Prostakov. After all, his name, translated from Greek, means “like a mother”, that is, “representing a mother.” From Prostakova, Mitrofan adopted rudeness, greed, contempt for work and knowledge. The education that a mother wanted to give her son, a bestial education, an education of animal needs.

Slavery corrupts the masters, the landowners, depriving them of their human traits. They turned their peasants into cattle, but they themselves became cattle, having lost their honor and conscience, forgetting about human and family affections. Fonvizin managed to create truly typical images that became household names and outlived their time. The names of Mitrofanushka, Skotinin, Prostakova became immortal.

Other writings on this work

undergrowth Analysis of the work of D.I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth". Enlightened and ignorant nobles in D. Fonvizin's play "Undergrowth" Enlightened and unenlightened nobles in D. I. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" Good and evil in D. I. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" Good and evil in Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" Vital questions in the play "Nedorsl" Ideas of Russian education in the comedy "Undergrowth" Ideas of the Russian Enlightenment in D. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" The image of the nobility in the comedy D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" The image of the petty nobility in Russian literature of the 19th century. What I imagined Prostakov? The image of secondary characters in Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" The image of Mrs. Prostakova in the comedy by D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" The image of Mirofanushka in the comedy "Undergrowth" The image of Mitrofanushka in Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" The image of Taras Skotinin in D. I. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" Images of the immortal comedy "Undergrowth" Images of negative characters in Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" The construction and artistic style of the comedy "Undergrowth" Why is Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth", denouncing serfdom, called the comedy of education? The problem of education in the comedy of D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" The problem of upbringing and education in D. I. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" Problems of education in comedy D.I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" Problems of education and upbringing in Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth". Problems reflected in Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" Speech characteristics in the comedy "Undergrowth" SATIRICAL DIRECTION OF THE COMEDY "NEDOROSL" The satirical orientation of the comedy by D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" Cattle owning people (According to the comedy of D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth") Funny and sad in D. I. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" Funny and tragic in D. I. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" The meaning of the name of the comedy D.I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" The meaning of the name of the comedy Fonvizin "Undergrowth" A son worthy of his mother Based on the comedy by D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" The theme of education in Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" The theme of upbringing and education in the play "Undergrowth" Fonvizin - author of the comedy "Undergrowth" Characteristics of Mrs. Prostakova (based on the comedy by D.I. Fonvizin) What did D. I. Fonvizin’s comedy “Undergrowth” teach me? What makes D.I. Fonvizin in the upbringing of Mitrofanushka? “Here are the worthy fruits of evil-mindedness!” (based on the comedy by D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth") Portrait characteristic of Prostakova in the comedy "Undergrowth" The Prostakov family IMAGE OF MITROFANUSHKA Analysis of the work Mitrofan's characterization in D.I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" Fonvizin "Undergrowth". “Here are the worthy fruits of evil-mindedness!” Problems and heroes of D. N. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" The problem of education in the comedy "Undergrowth" Characteristics of the image of Starodum in the play "Undergrowth" The main meaning of the comedy Fonvizin "Undergrowth" Characteristics of the image of Mitrofan Terentyevich Prostakov (Mitrofanushka) The image of Mitrofan in Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" Is the image of Mitrofanushka relevant in our time Dangerous or ridiculous Mitrofan (Comedy "Undergrowth") The image and character of Prostakova in the comedy Fonfizin The value of speech characteristics in the comedy "Undergrowth" Features of classicism in the comedy of D.I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" Characteristics of the image of Sophia The main face of the comedy landowner Prostakova Undergrowth Mitrofanushka Teachers and servants in the house of a simpleton (comedy "Undergrowth") Classicism in drama. Comedy "Undergrowth" by D. I. Fonvizin Why did Mitrofanushka become undersized (2) The history of the comedy "Undergrowth" The denunciation of the feudal system in the comedy of D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" Education of a worthy citizen based on the comedy by D. I. Fonvizin "Undergrowth" Mitrofanushka 1 Family portrait of the Prostakovs-Skotinins Characteristics of the image of Prostakova in the comedy "Undergrowth" Characteristics of the image of Prostakov Satirical skill of D. I. Fonvizin

Characteristics of Mrs. Prostakova from the comedy "Undergrowth" by D. Fonvizin

D. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth" tells about the events that took place in the Prostakovs' house. Their main participants are Mitrofan, the son of the owner of the house, his mother, Mrs. Prostakova, and Starodum with his niece.

Mrs. Prostakova madly loves her son, cares too much and panders with him, indulging all his whims and whims, which is why Mitrofan grows up as an absolutely dependent person, whose level of development does not at all correspond to his age. But Mrs. Prostakova blindly follows his desires. She sees her future in her son, repeating all the time: “Here is my son - my only consolation!”. And at the same time, she does nothing to ensure that something traveling grows out of her son. Mitrofan's literacy is taught by bad teachers, and he himself does not want to learn. However, the mother considers her son the best and most educated, although this lazy person does not smell of intelligence or knowledge.

With her husband, Mrs. Prostakova behaves as if she does not hold him for a person at all, let alone the head of the family. She herself decides all issues, ignoring his opinion and neglecting it, if it concerns Mitrofan.

Mrs. Prostakova is a cruel and unfair mistress in relation to her servants and peasants. She can severely punish the tailor because he sewed the suit wrong, does not pay attention if one of the servants is ill. Mrs. Prostakova reprimands Eremeevna for every "oversight". For example, if Mitrofanushka overate buns at dinner, and Eremeevna showed concern about this, she says: “Do you feel sorry for the sixth bun, you beast? What zeal." It never occurred to her that overeating would not do her son good. Prostakova considers all serfs her property, practically a thing, therefore she allows herself to mindlessly dispose of their lives and rip them off like sticky, simply on a whim.

Mrs. Prostakova treats Sofya like an evil hostess. She is always rude and cold. But as soon as she finds out that Starodum, Sophia's uncle, left a large inheritance to her niece, she changes her behavior, becomes hypocritically kind and affectionate, calls her "dear friend." Now Prostakova wants to marry her son to Sophia in order to receive all her money as a dowry, refusing this to her brother, although she had previously agreed to this marriage. Upon learning that Sophia was engaged to an officer of Milan and that Starodum agreed to this, Prostakova wants to force and deceive her son to marry a girl. However, her plan failed. According to the law, the village was taken away from her, depriving her of power.

Mrs. Prostakova was a cruel, headstrong woman who did not take into account the interests and feelings of other people, which is why she lost everything. In the image of Prostakova, Fonvizin reveals the negative features of a narrow-minded, unscrupulous person with power, who by his actions brings disaster to himself and his loved ones. The author shows that it is possible to obtain wealth without losing honor and human face. And people like Prostakova, in the end, pay for all the harm done.

Mrs. Prostakova image and characteristics with a plan:

• general characteristics
• Character and way of thinking
• Attitude towards husband and son
• Attitude towards Sophia
• Exposure and punishment
• The meaning of the image

1. General characteristics

Mrs. Prostakova is one of the main characters in D. I. Fonvizin's comedy "Undergrowth". This is Mr. Prostakov's wife, Mitrofanushka's mother. She keeps the weak-willed husband "under the heel", single-handedly managing all affairs. Mrs. Prostakova is firmly convinced of the inviolability of her noble rights. She believes that she can, at her own discretion, execute and pardon people subject to her.

2. Character and way of thinking

Mrs. Prostakova is a cruel and despotic woman who can hit not only a serf, but even her husband. She very often gets angry, demanding complete obedience from those around her (“I scold, then I fight; that’s how the house is kept”).

The highest value for Prostakova is money, to which she treats with great stinginess, although she knows how to count with sin in half. She is completely illiterate, but she considers this not a disadvantage, but a virtue: "I can receive letters, but I always order someone else to read them." At the beginning of the comedy, she utters a very characteristic phrase: "Is it really necessary ... to be a tailor in order to be able to sew a caftan ...".

Prostakova is proud of her noble origin, which gives her unlimited power. She is ready at any moment to punish the “cattle” subject to her, even if they are not to blame for anything.

3. Attitude towards husband and son

Prostakova despises her husband and does not at all consider his opinion. In fact, he is for her the same serf
Mrs. Prostakova brings up Mitrofanushka according to her own "system". She really sincerely loves the brainless "undergrowth" and allows him absolutely everything. Prostakova herself does not understand that her boundless love is destroying the boy, whose character will be very difficult to change.
Mitrofanushka's training resembles a farce. He cannot master the most elementary knowledge. The main reason is Mrs. Prostakova herself. The illiterate woman hired "teachers" out of necessity. She does not see any benefit in them and says to the "poor child": "If learning is so dangerous for your little head, then stop for me."

4. Attitude towards Sophia

Mrs. Prostakova dreams of taking possession of all the already insignificant property of Sophia. To this end, she took the girl to her village and is going to marry her to her brother - Skotinin.

The news about the uncle "risen from the dead" and Sophia's rich inheritance leads to a new plan. According to Prostakova, only her beloved Mitrofanushka can be the best groom for the heiress of ten thousand.

Prostakova is ready for anything, just to marry her "undergrowth" to Sophia. She does not care about the feelings and desires of the girl herself. Having learned about the intentions of Starodum, she is going to secretly marry Sophia with Mitrofanushka. The kidnapping attempt, fortunately, fails.

5. Exposure and punishment

The embodiment of justice in the comedy is Pravdin, who arrives at the Prostakovs' estate in order to get acquainted with all the abuses on the spot. He is personally convinced of the "inhumanity of the evil landowner."

Sophia's case becomes the last straw. Pravdin is resolutely going to act in relation to Prostakova according to "the entire severity of the laws."
Mrs. Prostakova is deprived of all possessions, because "no one is free to tyrannize." But a more terrible punishment for her is the unexpected rudeness of Mitrofanushka's "cordial friend": "Yes, get rid of it, mother, as it was imposed."

6. Meaning of the image

The image of a despotic landowner was not typical of Russian society, which was traditionally dominated by men. Perhaps, in this way, Fonvizin wanted to soften the sharp meaning of the comedy and its anti-serf orientation.

Mrs. Prostakova actually replaces her husband and loses all (except motherly love) feminine features. She always acts like a man: decisively and tough.

In general, the image of Prostakova symbolizes all the ignorance and "tyranny" of the provincial nobility, which felt like real kings in their small estates.