Top 10 interesting facts about Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin

We all passed Fonvizin at school, he is the author of the play “Undergrowth”. As a rule, this is where our knowledge about the writer ends. In the school curriculum, not much attention is paid to his work and life. However, this does not mean that there is nothing to tell about Fonvizin. The great Russian writer lived an interesting life.

We bring to your attention a list of the 10 most interesting facts from the life of Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin: a brief biography of the writer and the main events of his life.

10 Descendant of knights

Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin was born in 1745 in the Russian Empire. His ancestors were knights of the Livonian (Livonian) family. Livonia is the German name for Estonia, previously this place was located on the territory of modern Estonia and Latvia. Thus, the writer Fonvizin is a descendant of the Baltic knights.

The von Vizins were accepted into service in Russia under Ivan the Terrible. His ancestor, after whom the great playwright will be named, was awarded for his valiant service during the Time of Troubles. Thus, the family of the great Russian writer was successfully assimilated. Later Pushkin would call Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin “the most Russian of all Russians».

9. The best student of the Faculty of Philosophy

Fonvizin did not follow the example of warlike ancestors. Young Denis was educated at home – from the age of four the boy studied literacy. In 1755, when his father was no longer able to hire teachers for the ten-year-old Fonvizin, he sent his son to the Kremlin University Gymnasium. As conceived by the founders, young men here were supposed to receive basic knowledge for entering a university or starting a career. Denis received a gold medal and material for writing the future play “Undergrowth”.

In 1759 the young man stayed in Moscow and went to the Faculty of Philosophy. He studied for only two years, but he and his brother were sent to St. Petersburg as the best students of the faculty. This trip gave the writer a lot – there he became friends with Lomonosov and Sumarokov.

By the way, at the university, the writer acquired an addiction to alcohol, from which he could not get rid of all his life.

8. Favorite writer – Rousseau

Acquaintance with French enlightenment could not but affect the life of society. Writers are sensitive people, and therefore are especially susceptible to the influence of new ideas and trends. And Fonvizin was no exception.

Denis Ivanovich’s favorite writer was Jean-Jacques Rousseau French philosopher of the Enlightenment.

7. Took part in the liberation of the peasants

The playwright wanted the reforms that freed the peasants from duties to work. One of the largest works of Russian journalism Fonvizin consider “Discourse on the indispensable state laws” (late 1782 – early 1783). This material was written specifically for Pavel Petrovich, the future Russian ruler. Here the author shared his thoughts on serfdom. In his opinion, serfdom should not destroy, but introduce “within the limits of moderation.”

Fonvizin was afraid of the emergence of a new Pugachevism, so he offered to make concessions in order to avoid shocks. Therefore, the main requirement arises – the introduction of “fundamental laws” that apply to the ruler. The playwright saw the situation in the country as an arbitrariness that captured all areas of government.

6. Was acquainted with Benjamin Franklin

In August 1778 he met Benjamin Franklin in Paris. In Paris, Franklin met with the writer Fonvizin. And this meeting produced mutually favorable impressions. In general, Fonvizin mentioned Franklin more than once, and, in particular, in August 1778 he reported on his meeting with him. By the way, some literary critics believe that Franklin served as the prototype for Starodum in the play “Undergrowth”.

5. Worked despite paralysis

In 1784, on his return from Italy, the playwright suffered the first of five strokes. For a long time the writer was paralyzed and could not get out of bed. As his friend told, Fonvizin could not even greet him, and the right hand of the writer was completely taken away. Then the writer went to Carlsbad for treatment. After this trip, he felt better, he continued to work.

And even despite a serious illness, Fonvizin continued to engage in literature until the end of his days.. He lived tensely and actively, continued to be friends with writers and publish articles in magazines.

4. Married his client

Fonvizin was spoken of as a ladies’ man, but in fact his personal life was not so successful. One day, the writer fell in love with a married woman unrequitedly. As Denis Ivanovich himself said, he carried this love through his whole life.

However, the writer still had a wife. Fonvizin worked in court, once he, at the direction of Count N.I. Panina defended the interests of the young widow Ekaterina Rogovikova, daughter of a wealthy merchant. After the death of her husband, Catherine received a huge fortune. In 1774 they got married – Fonvizin’s bride at that time was 27 years old. Her wealth was enough to provide for the writer. The couple had no children.

Three years after the wedding, the wife fell ill, and to improve Catherine’s health, the couple went to France. For Fonvizin, this was the first trip abroad, which greatly influenced his state and literary activities. There the writer studied science, culture, literature of the French.

3. Catherine II banned his works

Denis Ivanovich was a direct and sarcastic person, which made him enemies. Once at a meeting, he openly asked why decent people disappeared from the service and why unscrupulous people appeared. The impudent remarks and works of the playwright, critical of the authorities, led to the fact that Fonvizin fell out of favor with the empress.

The writer, being paralyzed, was preparing for publication a satirical magazine “A friend of honest people, or Starodum.” However Empress Catherine II did not allow the publication of the work. In addition, she forbade the publication of his complete works.. Fonvizin, knowing that he did not have much time left, handed over the manuscripts to his friend Pyotr Bogdanovich, so that he would publish them in the future.

2. He was talented in everything

Denis Fonvizin was remembered by his contemporaries as always a neat and very literate person. He looked unsurpassed: always in a clean and ironed shirt, beautiful shoes.

«Talented person is talented in everything“- this phrase perfectly describes the writer. Fonvizin was very fond of the theater – since he first visited it as a teenager. This love prompted the author to translate and compose plays. True, they did not always want to stage them – for example, the work “Undergrowth” turned out to be so scandalous that the Moscow Theater was afraid to show it on stage. But St. Petersburg turned out to be bolder.

The writer had the gift of wit, he very subtly noticed the shortcomings of society and cruelly ridiculed them in his works, which made him enemies.

1. Originally bore the surname von Wiesen

The ancestors of the outstanding playwright were called von Wiesen (von Wiesen). The particle “background” is translated from German as “from” and indicates the origin of a person, his family. Wiesen in translation means “Ray”. Continuous spelling and the ending “-in” are typical for Russia, so “Fonvizin” is a Russian adaptation of a foreign surname.