What was the origin of d and fonvizin. Brief biography of Denis Fonvizin, the most important thing

The most remarkable Russian comedian of the 18th century was Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin.

He was born in 1744 in Moscow, in noble family, received a good education at Moscow University and began writing and translating very early. After completing the course, he entered public service, became the secretary of Count Panin, one of the largest nobles of Catherine’s reign, and in 1766 he wrote the first of his two famous comedies - Brigadier. Being a man of means, spinning in better society capital, he was always more of an amateur than professional writer, although he soon became a prominent figure in literary circles.

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin

In 1777–1778, Fonvizin traveled abroad; The destination of the trip was the Faculty of Medicine in Montpellier. He described his trip in Letters from France; This is the most elegant prose of that era and at the same time a striking document of anti-French nationalism, which coexisted among the Russian elite of Catherine’s time with complete dependence on French literary taste. In 1782 the second and best comedy Fonvizina Minor(see on our website for a summary, full text and analysis of this play), which determined his place as the most outstanding Russian playwright. Fonvizin's last years were spent in constant illness and traveling abroad in search of healing. He died in 1792.

Fonvizin's reputation rests almost entirely on two of his plays, which are undoubtedly the best Russian plays before Griboyedov. Both of them are written in prose and follow the canons of classical comedy. But the main model for Fonvizin was not Moliere, but the great Danish playwright Holberg, whom he read in German and began his literary career with the translation of whose plays. Both plays are social satires on very specific people. Brigadier- a satire on the fashionable French semi-educated “petimeters” (young nobles). She is full of genuine gaiety, and although less serious than Minor, built better. But Minor, although imperfect in construction, is remarkable and is rightly considered Fonvizin’s masterpiece. As always in Russian classical comedies, there is a pair of virtuous lovers, Milon and Sophia, who are uninteresting and conventional. All interest is focused on the negative characters: this is the Prostakov family and their entourage. The edge of satire is directed against the stupid, selfish and rude barbarism of uneducated landowners. These characters are beautifully drawn. Mrs. Prostakova is a despot and a fighter, who has only one thing human feeling- love for her sixteen-year-old son Mitrofan, whom she calls only “child.”

Her maternal feelings are of a purely animal and material nature: she only wants her Mitrofanushka to eat as much as he wants, not to catch a cold, not to think about duty and responsibilities, and to marry a rich heiress. She is followed by her brother Skotinin, who admits that he loves pigs more than people; her stupid husband Prostakov; a mother who adores her pet, who does nothing but revile her, and, finally, the hero himself, the famous Mitrofan. This is the personification of vulgar and crude egoism, without a single human trait - even his insane loving mother does not receive any response from him to his feeling.

Fonvizin. Minor. Maly Theater performance

All these characters are written masterfully and provide a great introduction to the wonderful portrait gallery Russian literature. Dialogues negative characters amazing in vitality and character. But the positive heroes, Milon and Sophia, with their positive uncles, are just puppets from edifying fairy tales; all four are the embodiment of virtue and honor; all four are expressed in pompous bookish language, which does not contribute to our sympathy for virtue when we hear it next to the brilliantly real speeches of the Prostakovs. In the art of creating characters and comic dialogue, Fonvizin surpasses all his contemporaries.


Biography
Russian writer, playwright, publicist of the Catherine era. The surname Fonvizin in the 18th century. was written in two words, which remained until half of the 19th century V. The one-word spelling was finally established by Tikhonravov. Fonvizin was born on April 14 (old style - April 3), 1745, in Moscow. He came from a Livonian knightly family that moved to Moscow back in the 16th century. and completely Russified. He received his primary education under the guidance of his father, Ivan Andreevich. The volume of home education was not great, because... funds did not allow “to hire teachers foreign languages": at home he mastered the elements of Russian literacy. In 1755 he entered 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. At the same time, literature classes began: in 1761 he published in Kheraskov’s journal “Useful Amusement”, a translated article “Righteous Jupiter” and separately published a translation of Golberg’s fables. The birth of his love for theater also dates back to his years of study: in 1756 - 1759 Fonvizin played in an amateur university theater created on the initiative of M. .M. Kheraskova, and in the public theater.
In 1762, teaching at the university ceased; Fonvizin is designated a sergeant of the guard, although this service does not interest him at all and he avoids it as much as possible. At this time, the court comes to Moscow, and the vice-chancellor appoints Fonvizin to the Collegium of Foreign Affairs as a “translator for the captain-lieutenant rank,” and next year he will be appointed “to be for some affairs” under the cabinet minister I.P. Elagina accepted the petition and moved to St. Petersburg. He served as secretary of the cabinet minister until 1769. In 1764, Fonvizin's first comedy "Corion" was presented. In 1768, “The Brigadier” was written, which made a strong impression on the public of that time: Fonvizin was compared to Moliere, and his comedy did not leave the stage. In 1769, Fonvizin was forced to leave his service under Elagin and again join the Collegium of Foreign Affairs as secretary to the head of the Collegium: he was entrusted with extensive correspondence with Russian diplomats at European courts. In 1775 he was elected a member of Volny Russian meeting at Moscow University. On May 14, 1783, the premiere of the comedy “The Minor” took place on the stage of the Moscow Medox Theater, which was a great success. Service under N.I. Panina continued until 1783, when Fonvizin retired with the rank of state councilor and with a pension of 3,000 rubles. During his service under Count Panin, Fonvizin made his first trip abroad with his sick wife, nee Rogovikova (1777 - 1778), visiting Germany and France. In August 1778 in Paris with Benjamin Franklin. The second trip was in 1784 to Germany and Italy, where they spent 8 months, and after 2 years Fonvizin himself had to go to Vienna and Carlsbad to be treated for the effects of paralysis. After publication in 1783 series satirical works, Fonvizin’s attempts to publish anything were suppressed by Catherine II herself. IN recent years During his lifetime, Fonvizin's literary activity almost ceased. Fonvizin died on December 12 (according to the old style - December 1) 1792 in St. Petersburg. He was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
Among the works are plays, poems, satirical works, articles, translations: “Moralizing Fables” by the Danish educator L. Holberg (1761; translation from German), “The Fox-Koznodey” (1761; fable), “Oh, Klim, your deeds are great !" (1761; epigram), Voltaire's tragedy "Alzira, or the Americans" (1762; translation from French), treatise "Abridgement of the freedom of the French nobility and the benefits of the third rank" (1764 - 1766; translation from French), "Corion" (1764 ; comedy, adapted from the French comedy "Sidney" by Gresse), "Message to my servants Shumilov, Vanka and Petrushka" (1765, publication - 1769; poem), "Brigadier" (1768 - 1769, publication - 1792 - 1795; comedy) , “Notes of the First Journey” (publication - 1800s; letters to P.I. Panin from France), “The Experience of a Russian Estates Member” (article), “Questions to the Author of Fables and Fables” (article), “Petition to the Russian Minerva from Russian writers" (article), "Teaching spoken on Spiritual Day by Priest Vasily" (article), "Minor" (1781, production - 1782, publication - 1783; comedy), "Discourse on the indispensable state laws" (1782 - 1783; pamphlet, together with N.I. Panin), “The Experience of a Russian Estatesman” (1783), “The Narrative of an Imaginary Deaf and Dumb” (1783), “Several Questions That Can Arouse Smart and honest people special attention" (1783), "General Court Grammar" (satire; distributed in copies), "Callisthenes" (1786; story), " Sincere confession in my deeds and thoughts" (1789; unfinished, publication - 1830)
__________
Sources of information:
"Russian biographical dictionary"
Encyclopedic resource www.rubricon.com (Big Soviet encyclopedia, Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron, Encyclopedia "Moscow", Encyclopedia of Russian-American Relations)
Project "Russia Congratulates!" - www.prazdniki.ru

(Source: “Aphorisms from around the world. Encyclopedia of wisdom.” www.foxdesign.ru)


Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms. Academician. 2011.

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Books

  • Fonvizin D.I. Minor. Griboyedov A.S. Woe from Wit. Gogol N.V. Inspector, Fonvizin Denis Ivanovich, Griboedov Alexander Sergeevich, Gogol Nikolai Vasilievich. The collection includes three brilliant comedies by classics of Russian literature “The Minor” by D. Fonvizin, “Woe from Wit” by A. Griboyedov, “The Inspector General” by N. Gogol. Funny and absurd situations, lively and vibrant...

Date of birth: April 14, 1744
Date of death: December 12, 1792
Place of birth: Moscow

Fonvizin D.I. - great writer. Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin born April 14, 1744 in Moscow. The famous great writer, playwright and expert on Russian life, who managed to transfer it in a comedic form to the stage and literature, died on December 1, 1792, having lived long life and leaving Russia a huge cultural heritage, which is difficult to overestimate.

Childhood years:

Denis Ivanovich spent his childhood in a very patriarchal environment; his father, Ivan Andreevich, was a famous nobleman, close to many famous politicians, as well as a respected and responsible official of the audit board. The roots of his family go back to the distant past; back in the Middle Ages, his ancestors firmly settled at the court of Ivan the Terrible; they themselves came from Livonia.

This family was known in Rus' for excellent servants To the Russian state in a variety of management positions. The surname itself was distorted over time; initially it had the spelling vonWiesen and many researchers for a long time used separate writing or the spelling Von-Vizin, but at the end of the 19th century, researcher N.S. Tikhonravov established the modern spelling of the writer’s surname.

Fonvizin’s education was comprehensive, already in early childhood his home education was of the highest class, he continued his studies at the noble gymnasium, from where he could eventually enter the philosophy department of the university, but in 1760 he and his brother went to St. Petersburg as the best students. During the same period, he actively participated in student life and even plays in Kheraskov’s amateur theater. After graduating from high school, he became interested in literature and published in Moscow magazines.

Early life and years in St. Petersburg:

In 1762, Denis Ivanovich finally moved to St. Petersburg, where he worked as a translator at the College of Foreign Affairs. Until 1769, he served as secretary under I. Elagin, who was in charge of petitions to the emperor himself. The young official's passion for literature and charisma soon make him an active participant in the work imperial theaters, which were also in charge of Elagin.

At the end of the 60s, Denis Ivanovich’s liberal views of the young writer brought him together with a small group of Kozlovsky’s officers; under the impression of new ideas, the first satirical poem “Message to My Servants...” was written, which was published in 1769 and quickly spread among young people .

His passion for theater did not leave him. He actively translated various foreign comedies for production in Russia during his student years, but now he tried to write on his own. In 1769, the small comedy “Brigadier” was released, which N. Novikov himself appreciated. It was shown in theaters in 1770, but only twenty-two years later it became available for printing. Unfortunately, the author himself no longer saw printed edition his first successful comedy.

Something else happened in the year “Brigadier” was written. significant event: N. Panin became the tutor of the heir to the throne and left his post as secretary of the head of the College of Foreign Affairs. There was no change in the liberal views of officials. The newly appointed Secretary Fonvizin also believed that the country needed immediate changes to the legal system at a fundamental level.

Work abroad:

In 1777-1778, Fonvizin traveled through Germany and France. His impressions from this trip were reflected in the “Notes of the First Traveler,” which became one of the cornerstones in the process of changing the appearance of Russian prose during this period. One of the reasons for this trip was the long-term illness of the writer’s wife.

In 1782, he received a resignation from his government post, and therefore could use free time to further expand its cultural outlook. In 1784 he went to Italy and Germany; in Europe, his work “The Life of Count Nikita Ivanovich Panin” was published on French. However, the main reason for the trip was treatment for paralysis.

Creativity in recent years:

After the Pugachev uprising, liberal views throughout Russia were under severe pressure, and therefore it is surprising that, surrounded by police and censorship control, he managed to write his famous work"Undergrown." In March 1782, N. Panin was decisively removed from his post due to oppositional sentiments.

It was during this period that Fonvizin himself decided to resign in order to concentrate on his literary career. Impressed by Panin’s actions, he wrote his “Discourse on Indispensable State Laws,” which contained huge amount criticism of the autocracy and later used by the Decembrists as propaganda for their own ideas.

The political confrontation between Princess Dashkova and the Empress became the reason for a huge number of publications by Fonvizin in the then popular liberal magazine “Interlocutor of the Russian Word”. Dashkova was not only the owner of the magazine, but also the editor-in-chief. It was in this magazine that Fonvizin’s satirical works, “The Experience of a Russian Estates Member,” “The Narrative of an Imaginary Deaf and Mute,” and others were published.

The Empress reacted very harshly to this. Fonvizin was forbidden to publish, and his five-volume work with several dozen works was lost to subsequent generations, although it was almost ready for publication.

During that period, his works were distributed furtively, almost like revolutionary propaganda. In the late 80s, paralysis paralyzed famous writer, he was practically tied to bed, but still actively working. It was at this moment that he wrote the famous “Frank Confession of My Deeds and Thoughts,” which, unfortunately, he did not finish. He died on December 1, 1972 and rests in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

Important Achievements Denis Fonvizin:

Many researchers consider Fonvizin a fundamentalist of Russian everyday comedy
- Satirically depicted the morals of the contemporary nobility, describing in the comedy “Brigadier” the love for everything French
- Managed to vividly and humorously describe the negative aspects of serfdom, ridiculing the patriarchal system of noble education in “Nedorosl”
- Changed Russian prose by publishing “Notes of the First Traveler”

Major milestones in the life of Denis Fonvizin:

Born 1744
- Studied at the gymnasium at Moscow University from 1755 to 1760
- Final move to St. Petersburg in 1762
- Work as Elagin's secretary from 1763 to 1769
- Publication of the comedy "Corion" in 1764
- Completion of work on the comedy "Brigadier" in 1769 and writing famous poem"Message to my servants..."
- Staging the play "The Brigadier" in theaters in 1770
- Travel through France and Germany in 1777-1778
- Staging the play "The Minor" in 1782
- Publications in Dashkova’s magazine in 1783
- Travel through Italy and Germany in 1784-1785
- Death in 1792

Interesting facts from the biography of Denis Fonvizin:

The essay "The Eighth Century" contains full text satirical poem "Message to my servants...", but does not have a link to the author
- Prince G. A. Potemkin-Tavrichesky after the premiere of “The Minor” turned to Fonvizin with the words: “Die, Denis, or don’t write anything else: you won’t create anything better than this play.”
- In the story by N.V. Gogol's "The Night Before Christmas" Fonvizin is present as an unnamed character.

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Biography, life story of Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin was born in Moscow on 04/14/1745 (04/03/1745 according to the old style). The boy continued the line of knights von Wiesen, which had Livonian origin and was completely and irrevocably Russified.

Childhood and adolescence

Little Denis received his primary education from his father, Ivan Andreevich Fonvizin, who held an bureaucratic position in the revision board. He continued his studies first at the gymnasium opened at Moscow University, and after graduating, he entered the Faculty of Philosophy at St. Petersburg University, where he was a student in the period 1759-1762. While still a high school student, Fonvizin played in the university troupe in 1756-59. amateur theater under the direction of Mikhail Matveevich Kheraskov, and later began to play in the troupe of a professional Public theater. During his student days, Denis met Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov, and the young man made his debut in the field of literature, starting as a translator. Fonvizin began to work closely on translations, becoming a student in the capital St. Petersburg in 1760, where he and his brother were sent as one of the best graduates of the gymnasium.

In 1761, Fonvizin, fulfilling an order from a bookseller, translated into Russian several fables by Ludwig Holberg, the famous Danish-Norwegian writer who wrote in German. In total, Denis Ivanovich at that time translated more than two hundred different fables, a novel by the French priest-philologist Jean Terrason, the tragedy of the greatest French enlightenment philosopher Francois Marie Arouet, who wrote under the pseudonym Voltaire, a huge poetic work “Metamorphoses”, created by the ancient Roman poet Publius Ovid Naso . Young Fonvizin’s favorite writer at that time was Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In parallel with his translation activities, Denis began to write own compositions which were satirical in nature.

Beginning of civil service

After graduating from the university, Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin first served as a translator in a foreign college, and then in 1763 he was transferred to serve in the palace chancellery of State Councilor Ivan Perfilyevich Elagin, who noticed and appreciated the translation of Voltaire’s tragedy made by the young writer. Working under Ivan Perfilyevich, Denis Ivanovich did not abandon the already familiar translation activities. Fonvizin became close at that time with literary circle poet and translator Prince Fyodor Alekseevich Kozlovsky. An aspiring writer created the first independent work entitled "Message to my servants...". First comedy play"Corion" was written by Fonvizin in 1764. Then the young playwright spent almost four years (1766-69) writing his famous comedy"Brigadier." Although it was published only in 1786, this work marked the beginning of a new Russian Empire genre of comedy of manners, because the overwhelming majority of Russian authors had previously created exclusively comedies of characters.

CONTINUED BELOW


Leaving the civil service

In 1769-82, Fonvizin first served as a secretary, and later became a close confidant of Count Nikita Ivanovich Panin. In this position, Denis Ivanovich plunged into the world big politics, met personally with the masters of behind-the-scenes games. Fonvizin left Russia in 1777, lived for quite a long time in France, where he tried to understand the processes taking place in this state, at the same time he thought a lot about the fate of his homeland, tried to see a path that would allow Russian socio-political life to be brought to the European level.

Due to the disgrace of Count Panin, Fonvizin had to resign in 1782. In 1782-83, Denis Ivanovich began writing a work entitled “Discourse on the Indispensable Laws of the State” based on his own ideas and those of the count. This work was intended for the count's pupil, who later became the emperor. She entered the annals of national Russian journalism as one of best essays in this genre.

The peak of creativity reached by Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin came in 1883, when his comedy was published - the famous “Undergrowth”, which, like “The Brigadier,” caused a great resonance in enlightened Russian society.

Last years of life

Fonvizin’s health was undermined after the writer left government service. Denis Ivanovich began to experience partial paralysis, but he still devoted himself entirely to literature. The ruler at that time prevented him creative ideas. She imposed, in particular, a personal ban on the publication of the magazine edited by Fonvizin, then banned the collection of his works in five volumes. Denis Ivanovich created several dramatic works, wrote a lot of magazine articles, began working on an autobiography... It remained unfinished. Fonvizin left in 1784 and 1785 for treatment in Italy, and in 1787 he tried to improve his noticeably deteriorating health in Vienna. The Fonvizins began to experience increasing financial difficulties. I also had to actually curtail my literature studies. Death overtook the writer on December 12, 1792 (12/01/1792 old style). Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin was buried in St. Petersburg at the Lazarevskoye cemetery, located on the territory of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.

A. Kokorev

Fonvizin Denis Ivanovich (1745-1792) - a famous Russian writer - came from the Russified Baltic nobles (von-Vizin).

F. spent his childhood in a patriarchal environment in the house of his father, an official of the revision board. He received his education at the university gymnasium and at the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow University (1759-1762). After graduating from university, F. entered a foreign college as a translator, but already in 1763 he began serving as an official under the cabinet minister Elagin. From 1769 to 1783 F. served with gr. Panina P.I., in the Collegium of Foreign Affairs as a secretary. In 1785 F. suffered from paralysis.

“Friend of Freedom” (Pushkin), F. was the second educator-humanist half of the XVIII century. An admirer of Voltaire, Rousseau, F. was an enemy of autocratic despotism. F. rose to the idea that “it is illegal to oppress one’s own kind through slavery.” Throughout his life, F. carried hostility towards the secular society, the royal court, court nobles, and temporary workers. F. was an enemy of ignorance, a fighter for culture, an admirer of Peter’s reforms, who advocated the assimilation Western European culture, but at the same time struggling with blind imitation of foreign things. F. heard from childhood folk tales, knew folk songs, loved to sing them; His favorite song was a song about the death of a poor man on the road: “Because of the forest, the dark forest.” Fonvizin knew perfectly well folk speech and used it skillfully: Russian vernacular, sharp folk words and sayings gave strength to Fonvizin’s best works.

Literary activity F. began when he was a student at Moscow University. In 1761, he translated Holberg's fables from German, then a number of moralizing satirical works: “The Bargaining of the Seven Muses,” “The Life of Seth, King of Egypt” by Tarrason, “Alzira” by Voltaire, and others. In 1762, F. moved to St. Petersburg and here he developed an intensified literary y activity. He was a regular guest of Kozlovsky's circle. As a result of rapprochement with this circle, F. wrote “Message to the Servants,” in which he revealed religious skepticism and gave a sharp characterization of the clergy. Although F.'s departure from atheistic views was later noticed, he forever remained an enemy of clericalism, religious obscurantism, and all kinds of superstition (see Letters to relatives, 1768). In 1764, F. performed for the first time with an independent dramatic work, with the comedy “Corion” (an adaptation of Gressetov’s “Sydney”). A few years after “Corion,” the social comedy “The Brigadier” appears (written 1766-1769, published 1786).

“Russian comedy began long before Fonvizin, but began only with Fonvizin: his “Brigadier” and “Unorosl” made a terrible noise when they appeared and will forever remain in the history of Russian literature as one of the most remarkable phenomena,” wrote Belinsky. F. gave very vividly the types of contemporary noble society, gave bright pictures everyday life, although the comedy “Brigadier” was based on the old classic designs(the unity of place and time, a sharp division of characters into positive and negative, and a 5-act composition of the play are observed).

In the development of action, F. followed French classical theory; he studied the delineation of characters from Moliere, Golberg, Detouches, and Scarron; impetus for the creation of comedy national themes was given by Lukin (his comedy “The Mot, Corrected by Love” and his critical remarks about the need to write comedies “in our morals”).

In 1882, F.’s second comedy “The Minor” was written and published in 1883 - the culmination point in the development of F.’s creativity - “the work of a strong, sharp mind, a gifted person” (Belinsky). In his comedy, F. responded to all those questions that worried the most advanced people of that time. State and social order, civic duties of a member of society, serfdom, family, marriage, raising children - these are the range of issues posed in “Nedorosl”. F. answered these questions from the most advanced positions for his time.

F. was the closest in this regard predecessor of Pushkin, Gogol. The vitality and typicality of the Skotinins, Mitrofanushki, and Prostakovs were noted more than once in later Russian literature: at the Larins’ ball the “Skotinins’ gray-haired couple” performs; Lermontov in “The Treasurer” shows “the times of the latest Mitrofan”; Arina Petrovna Golovleva is undoubtedly a direct descendant of Prostakova.

Realistic depiction characters contributed greatly to the distinct individualization of the characters' language. Positive heroes“Undergrowth”, reasoners are schematic, they are little individualized. However, in the remarks of the reasoners we hear the voice of the most advanced people of the 18th century. In reasoners and virtuous people we hear the voice of smart and well-intentioned people of that time - their concepts and way of thinking.

When creating his comedy, F. used a huge number of sources: articles from the best satirical magazines of the 70s, and works of contemporary Russian literature (works by Lukin, Chulkov, Emin, etc.), and works of English and French literature XVII-XVIII centuries (Voltaire, Rousseau, Duclos, La Bruyère, etc.), but at the same time F. remained completely independent.

In the comedy "The Minor" F. was largely freed from the rules of the French classic comedy. In comedy, however, the unity of place and time is observed, there are reasoners, but the development of the action takes place in a new way, the methods of depicting the characters are different. F. gives a comprehensive description of the characters, gives typical characters in a certain historical setting. F. brought into comedy a significant number of people from the “lower classes” (Trishka, Eremeevna, teachers), and they were given in a new way, not for the amusement of listeners, as was the case in the French classical comedy; on the contrary, he shows them on stage in order to evoke either sympathy for them (Eremeevna, Trishka, Tsifirkin) or a negative attitude (Vralman, Kuteikin). The original version of F.’s comedy “The Minor” (70s) speaks of F.’s long, hard work on it. This version contains a number of morally descriptive pictures, without socio-political emphasis and in its nature is closer to “The Brigadier” than to “The Minor.” In 1783, F. took an active part in the magazine “Interlocutor”, published in it “The Experience of a Russian Estatesman”, “Petition to the Russian Minerva from Russian Writers”, “Questions to the Writer of Fables and Fables”, “Teaching Spoken on Spiritual Day”. In addition, F. was preparing the “General Court Grammar” for publication. In his “bold questions” (Dobrolyubov), F. gave the author of “Facts and Fables” harsh criticism contemporary state orders and social vices: favoritism at court, the moral decline of the nobility, etc. F.’s bold questions caused Catherine great dissatisfaction.

IN last decade During her reign, Catherine II openly followed the path of cruel reaction, of which F. became a victim. Despite serious illness, F. was eager for activity. In 1788, he decided to publish the magazine “Starodum”, received permission and began to prepare material, but by order of Catherine the magazine was banned. Shortly before his death, F. asked Catherine for permission to publish a translation of Tacitus, but permission was not given.

The materials intended by Fonvizin for publication in the Starodum magazine give us reason to assert that Fonvizin remained faithful to progressive views until the end of his life.

Literary legacy last period F.'s activities consist of ch. arr. from articles for the magazine (Vzyatkin’s Letter, Starodum’s Letter, General Court Grammar, etc.) and from dramatic works - the comedy “The Tutor’s Choice” and the dramatic feuilleton “Conversation with Princess Khaldina.” In addition, F. spent the last years of his life working on an autobiography

“Finest Confession” (remained unfinished). In his satirical articles, F. castigated the morals of the court nobility, bribery of officials, cruelty of landowners, etc. In “Conversation with Princess Khaldina,” F.’s creative genius manifested itself especially great strength. A. S. Pushkin highly valued this dramatic miniature by F. “After reading “A Conversation with Princess Khaldina,” Pushkin wrote, “you will involuntarily regret that it was not Fonvizin who got to depict our latest morals.”

Best works F. vividly and truthfully reflected life, awakened minds and helped the people fight to change their plight.

References

I. Complete works, ed. Pl. P. Beketova, 4 hours, M., 1830

the same, ed. 2, M., 1838

Works, ed. A. Smirdina, St. Petersburg, 1846 (same, ed. 2, St. Petersburg, 1847

the same, ed. 3, St. Petersburg, 1852)

Selected Works (Collected Works of Russian Writers, published by P. Perevlessky, issue 4), St. Petersburg, 1858

Writings, letters and selected translations, ed. P. A. Efremov, with an introductory article by A. P. Pyatkovsky, ed. I. I. Glazunova, St. Petersburg, 1866 ( best edition, attached bibliography of works, letters and translations of F. and articles about him)

The first complete collection of works, both original and translated

ed. K. K. Shamova, 1888

Complete collection of original works, ed. A. I. Vvedensky, ed. A. F. Marx, St. Petersburg, 1893

Tikhonravov N. S., academician, Materials for the complete works of D. I. Fonvizin, St. Petersburg, 1894

Early comedy by D. I. Fonvizin, publication by G. Korovin, “Literary Heritage”, 9-10, M., 1933.

II. Vyazemsky P., Fonvizin, St. Petersburg, 1848 (the same in the Complete collected works of P. Vyazemsky, vol. V, St. Petersburg, 1880)

Belinsky V., Complete Works, ed. S. A. Vengerova, vol. I, St. Petersburg, 1900, pp. 340-341

vol. VII, St. Petersburg, 1904, pp. 15-16 and 412

Chernyshevsky N., Complete Works, volume X, part 2, St. Petersburg, 1906, pp. 1-20 (article “On the “Brigadier”” by von-Vizin)

Dobrolyubov N., Complete Works, vol. I, GIHL, 1934 (article “Interlocutor of lovers of the Russian word”)

His, Complete Works, vol. II, GIHL, 1935 (article “Russian satire in the age of Catherine”)

Grytsko (Essays on the history of Russian literature based on modern research, “Contemporary”, 1865, Nos. 10 and 11, 1866, No. 1 (Grytsko - pseudonym of G. Z. Eliseev))

Shashkov S.S., Von-Vizin and his time, “Delo”, 1879, No. 7, 8 and 10

Yazykov D., “Minor” on stage and in literature”, “Historical Bulletin”, 1882, No. 10

Veselovsky Alexey, Sketches and Characteristics, M., 1894

the same, ed. 4, volume I, M., 1912 (article “In Memory of Fonvizin”)

Klyuchevsky V., “Minor” by Fonvizin, “Art and Science”, 1896, No. 1 (same in the book: Klyuchevsky V., Essays and Speeches (second collection of articles), M., 1913

the same, II, 1918)

Istomin V., Main features language and syllable of Den's works. Iv. von Vizina, “Russian Philological Bulletin”, 1897, vol. XXXVIII, No. 3-4

Tikhonravov N., Works, vol. III, part 1, ed. M. and S. Sabashnikov, M., 1898 (article “D. I. Von-Vizin”)

Pypin A.N., History of Russian literature, vol. IV, St. Petersburg, 1899 (same

ed. 4, St. Petersburg, 1913

Russian Biographical Dictionary, volume “Faber - Tsyavlovsky”, St. Petersburg, 1901 (article “Fonvizin” by I. N. Zhdanov

the same in the book: Zhdanov I.N., Works, volume II, ed. Department of Russian Language and Literature of the Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg, 1907

Sakulin P., Russian literature, part 2, M., 1929 (according to the index)

Gukovsky G., “Minor” by Fonvizin, “Russian language and literature in high school", 1935, No. 1

His, Essays on Russian history literature XVIII century (Noble Fronde in the literature of the 1750s - 1760s), ed. Academy of Sciences, M. - L., 1936

Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Russian Bibliographic Institute Granat, seventh edition, volume 44, M., no year (article “Fonvizin” by G. Gukovsky).

III. Fonvizin D., Works, letters and selected translations, ed. P. A. Efremova, ed. I. I. Glazunova, St. Petersburg, 1866

Mezier A.V., Russian literature from XI to XIX century inclusive, part II, St. Petersburg, 1902, pp. 437-439 and 627.