Russian literature XVIII century

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin

Biography

Fonvizin Denis Ivanovich (F.’s surname was written in the 18th century in two words - Fon Vizin. The same spelling was preserved until half of the 19th century century; the spelling in one word was finally established by Tikhonravov, although Pushkin already found this style correct, as giving a more Russian character to the surname of the writer, who was, in Pushkin’s words, “from the Per-Russian Russians”) - a famous writer of the Catherine era; born in Moscow on April 3, 1745; came from a Livonian knightly family that moved to Moscow back in the 16th century and became completely Russified. F. received his initial education under the guidance of his father, Ivan Andreevich, who, as F. recalls in “Frank Confession,” “was a man of great common sense, but did not have the opportunity, according to the then way of education, to enlighten himself with teaching,” however, he was quite well-read, mainly in works of a moralizing nature. Presenting his father as a man of old times, distinguished by such virtues as are not found in the “current circulation of the world,” F. makes it possible to indicate the prototype for the Starodum he created: those maxims of personal and public morality that he puts into the mouth of Starodum consisted, perhaps , already in the instructions of his father, who aroused in F. a love for the old Russian life. Despite the “immeasurable care”, the volume of home education was not particularly large, since funds did not allow F.’s father to “hire foreign language teachers”: at home he learned the elements of Russian literacy, and reading church books, being one of the important means religious education, at the same time, gave F. acquaintance with the Slavic language, “without which it is impossible to know the Russian language.” In 1755, F. entered the newly opened gymnasium at Moscow University; in 1760 he was “promoted to student”, but stayed at the university for only 2 years. Although the shortcomings of these young educational institutions were very much felt, although the teaching was very weak, although the teachers were distinguished by “drunkenness and carelessness,” nevertheless F. learned a lot from his years of study, not to mention the knowledge of French and German, which opened up his direct access to European literature, the school gave F. a well-known mental discipline, thanks to which he stands out from his environment modern writers not only talent, but also systematic education. At school, under the influence of some professors, they begin literary studies F.: in 1761 he published in Kheraskov’s magazine “Useful Amusement”, a translated article “Just Jupiter” and separately published a translation of Golberg’s fables. The following year, he published a translation of Terrason’s moralizing work: “Heroic Virtue, or the Life of Seth, King of Egypt, Taken from the Mysterious Evidence of Ancient Egypt” and published several translations in Professor Reichel’s publication “Collected best essays to the dissemination of knowledge and to the production of pleasures” Those that have not reached us date back to the same time. original works F., which expressed his desire for satire. “My sharp words,” recalls F., rushed around Moscow; and as they were sarcastic for many, the offended declared me to be an evil and dangerous boy; nevertheless, those whom my sharp words only amused, glorified me as amiable and pleasant in society.” Despite this success, F. speaks very strictly of his first works, saying that they “had satirical salt, but not a drop of reason, so to speak.” The years of study also include the birth of F.’s love for the theater: during a trip of high school students to St. Petersburg to present to the curator Shuvalov, F. was at one performance, and was greatly impressed. “The effect produced in me by the theater,” he says, “is almost impossible to describe: the comedy I saw, quite stupid, I considered the work of the greatest mind, and the actors - great people, whose acquaintance, I thought, would constitute my well-being.” In 1762, F.'s teaching at the university ceased; he 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 arrives in Moscow, and the vice-chancellor appoints F. to the Collegium of Foreign Affairs as a “translator of the captain-lieutenant rank,” and the next year F. is appointed “to be for some matters” with the cabinet minister to accept petitions, I. P. Elagin, who since 1766 has been in charge of theaters. F. may have owed this appointment to the “sin of youth” - the translation of Voltaire’s “Alzira,” which he began while still at the university. Elagin was very disposed towards his young subordinate, but the service was difficult for F. due to troubles with Elagin’s secretary, the playwright Lukin, who tried to arm the cabinet minister against F. During his first stay in St. Petersburg, F. became close to Prince Kozlovsky and some other young writers. He subsequently could not “remember this circle without horror,” since “the best way to spend time was in blasphemy and blasphemy.” This trend did not pass without a trace for F.: he became interested in skepticism, which was generally fashionable at that time, an echo of which is the “Message to my servants Shumilov, Vanka and Petrushka,” published for the first time in the monthly publication “Pustomel”, in 1770. However, the hobby the ideas of Prince Kozlovsky’s circle could not have been particularly long-lasting for F., since religious basis home education was strong in him and he “shuddered, hearing the curse of the atheists.” Some of his poems and new translations date back to this period of F.’s life, of which the translations of Bitobe’s poem “Joseph”, as well as Bartel’s story: “The Love of Karita and Polydor” (1763), were especially successful. At the same time, F.'s first experience in the field of drama appeared: in 1764, his comedy "Corion", presented from the French comedy "Sydney" by Gresset, was presented. This work is important not only for the development of F.’s talent, as a transition from translations to “The Brigadier” and “The Minor,” but in it one can also see the progress of Russian literature in general. “The application of foreign comedies to our morals,” says N. S. Tikhonravov, “was already a step forward from simple translations to more original works.” True, the originality of the play was expressed only in a few external features, since the plot, structure, and main types of comedy were entirely borrowed. However, Corion, judging by contemporary evidence, was liked by the public. The success encouraged the author, and probably already in 1768 “The Brigadier” was written, which represents significant progress in the application of other people’s works to Russian life. Despite borrowing the main actor, the famous Ivanushka, from the comedy of the Danish writer Holberg “Jean de France”, despite some other imitations, “The Brigadier” is one of the most important phenomena our literature. If in “Corion” the features of Russian life were barely outlined, then in “The Brigadier” they were brought to the fore, so that the borrowing could go almost completely unnoticed. The types of petimeter and dandy, exhibited in the person of Ivanushka and the adviser, were already sufficiently familiar from Russian reality, especially from observations of metropolitan life, which can best be confirmed for us by articles in satirical magazines of that time. Even more original, having grown on Russian soil, are the types of adviser, foreman and foreman. It is no wonder, therefore, that “The Brigadier” made a strong impression on the public of that time: N. I. Panin spoke of it as “the first comedy in our morals”; F. was compared to Moliere, his comedy never left the stage. In 1769, as a result of new clashes with Lukin, F. was forced to leave his service under Elagin and again join the Collegium of Foreign Affairs, to Count N.I. Panin. As Panin's secretary, he is positively overwhelmed with work: he is entrusted with extensive correspondence with our diplomats at European courts; under the leadership of his boss, he draws up an extremely interesting project of state reforms, according to which it was supposed to grant legislative power to the Supreme Senate, to ensure “the two most important points of the good of the state and peoples: freedom and property,” for which it was necessary to free the peasants. In this project, the characteristic of the dominance of temporary workers attracts attention: “yesterday’s corporal, no one knows who, and it’s a shame to say why, today becomes a commander and takes command of a well-deserved and wounded officer”; “No one intends to deserve, everyone seeks to serve.” The denunciation of serfdom is also remarkable. “Imagine a state,” says F., where people constitute the property of people, where a person of one state has the right to be both a plaintiff and a judge over a person of another state, where everyone can consequently be either a tyrant or a victim.” F. also mentions the need to destroy the ignorance on which slavery is based. Along with official assignments, F. has to work a lot on various private affairs of Count Panin. Service under Panin continued until 1783, when F. retired with the rank of state councilor and with a pension of 300 rubles. F.'s literary activity during this period of his life could not be particularly great, since there was not enough leisure for it; nevertheless, it was precisely at this time, perhaps as a result of the constant impressions that were experienced at the center of the social and political interests of the era, that the most important literary and social works of F. These were articles in the “Interlocutor of Lovers of the Russian Word”: “The Experience of a Russian Estatesman”, “Questions to the Author of Fables and Fables”, “A Petition to the Russian Minerva from Russian Writers”, “A Teaching Delivered on Spiritual Day by Priest Vasily”, and the comedy “The Minor” , presented for the first time in 1782. “Petition to the Russian Minerva” is significant as a defense of the rights of literature against its various enemies who deny the suitability of writers “for business,” and the famous “Questions” concern some sick aspects of Russian reality. The courage and “free language” of these “Questions” aroused the displeasure of Empress Catherine II against F. “Nedorosl”, like “Brigadier”, takes first place in satirical literature Catherine's time, who fought for enlightenment. In its originality, it is significantly higher than “The Brigadier”: borrowings appear in some minor details, for example in the famous phrase of Mrs. Prostakova that geography is not needed, since there are cab drivers, etc. The types of families of the Prostakovs and Skotinins are undoubtedly Russian, inherited from of old times and keeping intact their original traits of ignorance and rudeness. True, in some of these types there are traces of caricature, but in general they are extremely vital, and this explains both the success of comedy in its time and the interest that it, to a certain extent, arouses now. For the era of F. and personally for the author great importance There were also boring speeches from reasoners for us, especially Starodum, into whose mouth F. put the expression of his ideal of humanity and enlightenment. During his service under Count Panin, F. made his first trip abroad with his sick wife (born Rogovikova) (1777 - 1778), visiting Germany and France. The second trip was undertaken to Germany and Italy (F. spent 8 months in the latter) in 1784; two years later, F. himself had to go to Vienna and Carlsbad to be treated for the effects of paralysis. The last years of his life generally passed for F. in a difficult situation: his health was completely ruined, and at the same time his material well-being was shaken, as a result of various litigations with tenants. F.'s literary activity almost completely ceases, except for literary work his letters from abroad and his travel journals. They were not intended for publication and were published already in the 19th century, but they are of outstanding interest as the judgment of an intelligent observer of European life at that time. F.'s reviews of Europeans are far from always fair and are often extremely harsh (as, for example, famous phrase: “a Frenchman has no reason and would consider it to be his greatest misfortune to have it”), but this bias, explained in part by personal motives, illness, and travel troubles, does not destroy the significance of some of F.’s notes: they show an independent, critically thinking person , and in this it is significantly higher than “Letters of a Russian Traveler” by Karamzin. In 1792, F. died and was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. In his literary and social activities, F. acts as an honest, convinced progressive, as an admirer of enlightenment and a better social order, who does not completely change the liberation views that dominated at the beginning of Catherine’s reign, despite the fact that these views in later times were no longer enjoy the patronage and sympathy of the ruling spheres: he is alien to the opportunism that distinguished many of the then writers, who looked very lightly at their profession, while he sees in it a service to society. How educated person and an independent mind, he is critical of observed phenomena, seeing an ideal ahead better life. See "Writings, Letters and selected translations F." (St. Petersburg, 1866, edited by P. A. Efremov, with a biography compiled by A. P. Pyatkovsky); "The first complete works of F." (Moscow, 1888); Prince P. A. Vyazemsky “Fonvizin” (St. Petersburg, 1848, “Complete Works of Prince Vyazemsky”, volume V); Tikhonravov “Materials for the complete works of F., edited by L. N. Maikov” (St. Petersburg, 1894); Nezelenov " Literary directions in the Catherine era" (St. Petersburg, 1889); S. A. Vengerov “Russian Poetry” (volume I; the comic poem “The Devil on the Droshky”, which is the greatest bibliographic rarity, is printed here; this poem is also included in the “Materials” of Tikhonravov, who, however, doubts the reliability of its attribution to F.); I. N. Zhdanov “Fonvizin” (in “Russian Biographical Dictionary"; full biography).

Fonvizin D.I. born in 1745 into a family of nobles in Moscow. Denis Ivanovich gets quite a good education while studying at home. p>A from 1755 to 1760 he goes to study at a noble gymnasium operating at Moscow University. And after graduation, Fonvizin studied for a whole year at the Faculty of Philosophy at the University itself, where he began to publish his works in various magazines. p> Denis Ivanovich left for St. Petersburg in 1762, where he was appointed to the position of translator at the College of Foreign Affairs. At the same time, he translated works by Ludwig Holberg and Abbot Terrason on request. p> In 1769, Denis Ivanovich was assigned as a secretary to N.I. Panin, who was the head of the Collegium of Foreign Affairs. Then, from 1777 to 1778. the writer travels abroad and stays in France for a long time, which he talks about in vivid detail in “Notes of the First Journey.” p> His most significant work, the comedy “The Minor,” appeared in 1781. And in the spring of 1782, when Panin was removed from business, Fonvizin decided to resign. He plunges headlong into literary work. p> Since 1783, Fonvizin has successfully published a number of satirical works. And from 1784 to 1785, having visited Italy and Germany, the inspired Denis Ivanovich anonymously published in French his work “The Life of Count Nikita Ivanovich Panin”, outlining a certain image of a very enlightened nobleman. p>B last years Fonvizin was seriously ill with paralysis, however, he did not give up literary activity. It was then that he begins a story of an autobiographical nature “ Sincere confession in my deeds and thoughts." p> Writer Fonvizin died in St. Petersburg in 1792, his body was buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. p>

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

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

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin

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

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

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

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

Fonvizin. Minor. Maly Theater performance

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

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

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

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

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

D.I. Fonvizin is a great and famous Russian writer, a wonderful playwright, an amazing publicist, and an excellent translator. It is this man who is rightfully considered the master and main creator of classicism. It was Fonvizin who created the national comedy of everyday life. He is the man who wrote the play “Minor”, ​​beloved by all schoolchildren.

Fonvizin was born on April 3, 1745. His hometown was Moscow. The family bore the title of nobility. Of course, like many other noble children of that time, Denis was educated at home.

Their family had a patriarchal atmosphere.

Since 1755, the boy began to receive education in one of the noble gymnasiums located at Moscow University. After this, the boy entered the Faculty of Philosophy. In 1760, he became one of the chosen ones and went to St. Petersburg, where he met such famous people, like Lomonosov and Sumarokov.

The first works of the future great man appeared in the 1760s. His earlier work contained a sharp satirical orientation. In 1760 his famous “Minor” went into print. Along with creativity, Denis was closely involved in translations. In 1761, he translated Holberg's famous fables into Russian.

Since 1762, the young man has held the position of translator. From 1763 - Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers of Elagin himself. 1769 brings him the position of personal secretary of Count Panin himself.

In 1768, one of the satirical comedies called “The Brigadier” was published. After writing it, Fonvizin was invited to read the masterpiece to Empress Catherine II herself.

Since 1783, the writer has been actively traveling throughout Europe. Already in 1785, his first apoplexy occurred, and in 1787 he decided to return to his native Russia.

7th, 9th grade by year

Biography of Denis Fonvizin

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin was born in 1745 into a family of representatives of the middle nobility. His father, who left with military service as a major, had a modest civil position in Moscow; Fonvizin's mother was from a more noble family. The Fonvizin family arrived in Russia from Germany in the mid-sixteenth century. At this time, Denis did not know a single language other than Russian. He had to learn German at school. Unlike many Russian nobles, he studied French, being quite old.

When he was ten years old, Fonvizin was one of the first to be admitted to the newly opened Moscow University, apparently in preparation for university education. During his studies, he developed a strong desire for literature. An early trip to St. Petersburg (1760) took him to the imperial theater, where he saw a play by the Danish playwright Ludwig Hallberg. From this moment on, he begins to develop an interest in drama; in 1761 he published a translation of Hallberg's moral fables. The writer improved his Russian literary language and thoroughly mastered the French and German languages ​​while translating various articles for university journals.

At seventeen, Fonvizin found his first job. He began working in the civil service of the newly crowned Empress Catherine. During this period, he read the work of the satirist Antioch Cantemir, whose work, although written earlier, was published only in 1762. Impressed by this work, Fonvizin decided to write a humorous letter to his three servants, which was called “Message to my servants Shumilov, Vanka and Petrushka” . This work contained a satire on the realities of that period.

In October 1763, Fonvizin found a patron in Ivan Perfilyevich Elagin, a supporter of Catherine and a man with literary and theatrical interests. With Elagin's help, Fonvizin began to compete with Vladimir Lukin, a playwright of enormous talent. Fonvizin's collaboration with Elagin allowed him to experiment with literary translations in the 1760s. He did poetic translation Voltaire's "Alzire", however, did not publish it, realizing that although he wanted to write a tragedy, his natural talent was for wit and satire.

At this time, the young man saw productions of neoclassical tragedies and comedies by Sumarokov, as well as numerous productions of French comedies translated by young nobles of the capital. Fonvizin also translated a play, Sidney, written by Jean-Baptiste Gresset; Fonvizin gave the name "Korion" to the Russian version. Despite the fact that the play was translated into Russian, the characters retained their French names. The play was staged in November 1764 at the court theater, but was not successful.

Fonvizin's life in fashionable St. Petersburg was later fully reflected in his plays. Fonvizin hated hypocrisy and pretense, and he did not like the St. Petersburg dudes, with their blind love for the French language and fashion and their contempt for anything Russian. Fonvizin was more inclined towards Russian life. His father's influence gave him strong feeling duty to his country. Inspired by the theatrical interests of his patron, Elagin, he decided to write thoroughly satirical works and comedy.

He added new figures that had not yet appeared on any Russian stage, for example, a rude and petty noblewoman who lived in small towns and on their own lands, poorly educated people who served recklessly in tightly disciplined military units until they left the post of brigadier, for example. Their wives, barely literate, who knew nothing but household. Fonvizin added bribe-taking judges to his satires, about whom he learned a lot from his father. The result of all this was the comedy “Brigadier”. Fonvizin read the play at Elagin's house, and then in June 1769 in Peterhof for the Empress, who enjoyed the play. Twenty-four-year-old Fonvizin...

7th, 9th grade for children

Interesting Facts and dates from life

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin was born on April 3 (14), 1745 in Moscow into a noble family descended from a Livonian knightly family. The future writer received his primary education at home. A patriarchal atmosphere reigned in the Fonvizin family.

Since 1755, Denis Ivanovich studied at the noble gymnasium at the university in Moscow, then at the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow University. In 1760, Fonvizin, among the “selected students,” left for St. Petersburg, where he met Lomonosov and Sumarokov.

The beginning of a creative journey

Since the 1760s, Denis Ivanovich created his first works. Early creativity Fonvizin was distinguished by a sharp satirical orientation. In 1760, the so-called “early “Nedorosl”” was published in “Literary Heritage”. At the same time, the writer was engaged in translations. In 1761, Fonvizin translated Holberg's fables into Russian. In 1762 - works by Terrason, Voltaire, Ovid, Gresse, Rousseau.

Since 1762, Fonvizin has worked as a translator, and since 1763 - secretary of the cabinet minister Elagin in the Collegium of Foreign Affairs. In 1769, Denis Ivanovich entered the service of Count Panin as his personal secretary.

In 1768 the writer creates satirical comedy"Brigadier." The play received a wide response and Fonvizin, whose biography was still unknown in high circles, was invited to Peterhof to read the work to Empress Catherine II herself.

Public service. Mature creativity

From 1777 to 1778, Fonvizin spent abroad and spent a long time in France. Returning to Russia in 1779, Denis Ivanovich entered the service as an adviser to the chancellery of the Secret Expedition. At the same time, the writer was translating the book “Ta-Gio”. In 1783, Fonvizin created one of best works Russian journalism - “Discourse on indispensable state laws.”

Since 1781, Denis Ivanovich has taken the place of state councilor. In 1782 he retired. In the autumn of the same year, the premiere of the playwright’s most important work, the comedy “Minor” (written in 1781), took place in St. Petersburg. In 1783 the play was staged in Moscow.

Disease. Last years

Since 1783, Denis Ivanovich has been traveling around Europe, visiting Italy, Germany, and Austria. In 1785, the writer suffered his first apoplexy. In 1787, Fonvizin returned to Russia.

In the last years of his short biography, Fonvizin suffered from a serious illness - paralysis, but did not stop engaging in literary activity. Despite the ban of Catherine II on the publication of a five-volume collected works, Denis Ivanovich at this time created the comedy “The Tutor’s Choice”, the feuilleton “Conversation with Princess Khaldina”, and worked on the autobiography “Pure Confession” (remained unfinished).

On December 1 (12), 1792, Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin died. The writer was buried at the Lazarevskoye cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg.

Other biography options

• During a trip to St. Petersburg in 1760, Fonvizin attended a theatrical performance for the first time. It was Holberg's play Henry and Pernille. What happened on stage made an indelible impression on the writer, and he retained his passion for theater throughout his life.
• The success of the premiere of "The Minor" during the premiere was so great that the audience, according to the custom of that time, threw wallets with money on the stage.
• Fonvizin paid special attention appearance, for which he was recognized as a dandy. The writer decorated his clothes with fresh flowers, wore a sable frock coat and shoes with large buckles.
• Denis Ivanovich was married to Katerina Ivanovna Rogovikova, the daughter of a wealthy merchant.

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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 was of Livonian origin and became Russified completely and irrevocably.

Childhood and adolescence

Elementary education little Denis received from his father, Ivan Andreevich Fonvizin, who held an official 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 in 1756-59 played in the troupe of the university amateur theater under the direction of Mikhail Matveevich Kheraskov, and later began to play in the troupe of the 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 writing own compositions which were satirical in nature.

Beginning of civil service

After graduating from university, Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin first served as a translator in foreign board, 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. The aspiring writer created his 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 of big politics and 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. It entered the annals of national Russian journalism as one of the best works in this genre.

The peak of creativity reached by Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin came in 1883, when his comedy was published - the famous “Minor”, ​​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 interfered with his creative plans. 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.