Modern man and the ancient storyteller of epics are separated by many centuries. Today's student is not easy to understand art world ancient epics and the feelings that the old Russian storyteller put into his narratives. Even in the text transcribed into modern Russian, there are many words and images that in the minds and hearts of our distant ancestors evoked vivid impressions and warm responses, and modern man they need to be explained.
Epics have many characteristic features for them.
A slow presentation of events is the first feature of epics. It is explained by the fact that the epic was always performed by the narrator, accompanied by musical instrument- gosling of the vernal (voiced). It was important for Guslyar to convey to his listeners not only information, but also different moods. He had to make every effort so that the listeners would necessarily empathize: they admired the exploits and strength of the heroes, froze in anticipation of the denouement, were indignant, worried, sad and happy.
Repetitive descriptions and repetition of actions we meet in many works of Russian folk art. So in epics, usually all events are repeated three times. AT Ancient Rus' the number three was a sacred number. It is a symbol of unity three worlds: heavenly, earthly and underground.
The use of constant epithets is also characteristic of epics: dark woods, blue rivers, red sun. Many of them are well known to us - we often meet them in Russian folk tales. But some epithets require further clarification.
When we meet the expression “red girl” in the epic, we understand that it is not the red color that is meant, but the beauty of the girl. But the open field is a foreign land.
It was also called the space outside the city, village or forest. In the old days, people called the southern steppes a field, where Russian soldiers fought with nomads. Proverbs related to this have survived to this day: “One man is not a warrior in the field”; “Whose field, that will be”; “You can’t travel the whole field with one horse”; “Do not brag in the field when you go, but brag when you return from the field.”
The use of hyperbole (exaggeration) is also a feature of epics. Russian heroes are extraordinary characters. They have a huge physical strength and incredible, amazing abilities and opportunities. Enemies with whom the heroes fight are also endowed with incredible power: Tugarin Zmeevich, Nightingale the Robber, Poganoe Idolische, Kalin Tsar.
Reality and fiction in epics are closely intertwined. For example, in the epic "Sadko in the underwater kingdom" a description of Veliky Novgorod and the life of Novgorodians is given - this is a reality. But when Sadko falls into the possession of the sea king - this is fiction.
According to the content of the epic, it is customary to divide into two large groups.
Bogatyr epics tell about military exploits glorious Russian heroes: Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich, Alyosha Popovich and others. They tell about the struggle against the enemies of the Russian land. Historical and everyday epics tell about heroes folk tales: Svyatogora, Sadko, Vasily Buslaev, Mikula Selyaninovich. They convey the love of Russian people for the land and agricultural labor.
The construction of the epic, the use of constant epithets and other artistic means in it.
In literature, epics are also called epic songs, that is, such songs that tell about some events united by the same heroes.
Usually the epic begins with a short introduction - the beginning, which indicates the time and place of the epic events.
For example:
As in the glorious city in Kyiv,
At the affectionate prince at Vladimir
It was a feast - an honorable feast ...
After the beginning, the main part follows - the story of the feat. The action in the epic always develops slowly, until the climax comes - highest voltage in the turn of events. The denouement of the action is the defeat of the enemy. The ending always crowns the epic. Here is her example:
Here they sing glory to Ilya ...
A special epic poetic world is also created by special artistic means. One of the main features of epics is frequent repetitions. In the epic about the feat of Ilya Muromets, for example, the description of the terrible whistle of the Nightingale the Robber is repeated four times. From this, the robber force seems more powerful, which means that the victory of Ilya Muromets is more significant. Descriptions of ominous omens, prophetic words are also repeated.
In epics, repetitions of both individual words and several lines are used. When in the description of the road along which Ilya Muromets traveled to Kyiv, we encounter the repetition of the word zakolodila (that is, the road became impassable, impassable), the path of the hero seems to us even more difficult:
The straight road is choked up,
Blocked up the path, murmured ...
Often repetitions create a special melodiousness, smoothness and musicality of epic speech:
Yes By the glorious By the river By Currant ...
In his takes IN his white hands, he IN ruchenki ...
Another notable feature of epics is the constant epithets: a violent head, frisky legs, white hands, sugary lips, burning tears. The field is always clean, the grass is green, the sea is blue, and the sun is red. Interestingly, in all works of oral folk art, the sun is called red, even if an autumn cloudy day is mentioned. The sea is also always blue, even if a storm is depicted: the blue sea has turned black. The girl is characterized by the epithet red, and the good fellow is kind. Bogatyr - Holy Russian, mighty. Mother Holy Rus', mother earth cheese - this is how the heroes of epics affectionately call their homeland.
The enemy in epics is characterized by negative epithets: filthy, evil, damned, godless. Often it is called a dog, a thief.
And here are some more constant epithets that we often find in epics: honey drink, white-stone chambers, damask sword, furry gusels, silk string, straight road, tight onion torn, slanting window, brick floor.
Epics also often use hyperbole - exaggerations. Hyperbolas enlarge the image, help to show the strength and exploits of the heroes brighter and more expressively. The strength of heroes is always extremely exaggerated. For example, Ilya Muromets easily, like a swan's feather, raises a club weighing ninety pounds and with one wave of his hand knocks down entire hordes of enemies. And the heroic horse of Ilya Muromets gallops "above a standing tree, a little lower than a walking cloud." Dobrynya Nikitich plays the harp in Kyiv, and this tune is heard in Constantinople.
With the same exaggeration, enemies are depicted in epics. The hero is faced with countless hordes of enemies, whom " gray wolf do not jump in three days, a black crow does not fly around in a day.
And even suffixes play big role in building poetic world epics and determine the attitude of the narrator to epic heroes. Diminutive suffixes are used in the names of favorite characters: Ilyushenka, Dobrynyushka, Alyoshenka. And derogatory-magnifying suffixes are awarded to the names of their opponents: Idolishche, Serpent.
So bright and varied artistic means epics were created.
>> Learning to be readers. About epic
epics- songs, but special songs. They are also called epic songs, that is, songs that tell, tell about any events united by the same characters (from Greek - word, narration, story).
Epics have a plot: an image of events in development, characters - and action. The epic action always unfolds slowly and calmly. Often, epics begin with a verse that is not directly related to the content, but sets the listeners in a certain way:
Height, heavenly height,
Depth, depth - ocean-sea,
Wide expanse throughout the earth,
Deep whirlpools of the Dnieper...
After the song, if there is one, there is a beginning - the beginning of the story:
Whether from that city from Murom,
From that village and from Karacharov
A remote, burly, kind fellow was leaving ...
Next comes the main part - a story about the events and actions of the characters. Singers often repeat individual words, phrases, poems, and significant episodes. So, four times in the epic “Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber” it is said about the terrible whistle of the Nightingale, and this draws the attention of listeners to formidable force robber. The epic, as a rule, is crowned with an ending, for example: “Here Ilya whines and glory” or “That is where the blade of grass ended.”
Rich, picturesque, expressive language of epics. Used epics depict powerful heroes, fierce fights, unusual incidents. This can explain quite frequent use they have such artistic technique like hyperbole (exaggeration). The heroes are distinguished by their enormous physical strength, they even eat and drink like extraordinary creatures: they drink one and a half buckets of chara with one spirit. The bogatyrs fight and cut with enemies for twelve days “without drinking, without eating”, throwing heavy clubs into the sky; their helmets weigh several pounds, their swords are such that none of mere mortals can lift. These hyperbole are a means of glorifying the hero, as well as the desire to vividly capture the characters and their actions, to reveal surprise and admiration in the audience.
Epithets create special epics - epic, heroic world. The hero is defined as Holy Russian, mighty, strong; Prince Vladimir - like a gentle, glorious, red sun, bright sun. The enemy is called filthy, evil, accursed, unfaithful, godless. The word being defined is often used with the same epithet. Such epithets are called permanent. For example: a good fellow, a clean field, a straight path, a wild head, powerful shoulders, frisky legs, etc.
Suffixes play an important role in expressing their attitude towards the characters of epics. Diminutive suffixes were awarded to favorite heroes (Ilyushenka, Dobrynushka, Alyoshenka), pejorative and magnifying - to their opponents (Idolishche, Serpent, etc.).
So, epics. - it's folk heroic songs epic character. They are told in a singsong voice and built according to a certain plan.
The language of the epic is different artistic wealth and expressiveness: repetitions, hyperbole, constant epithets, comparisons, etc.
Consolidate new knowledge
1. Explain why the epic is a folk heroic song of an epic nature.
2. What is common between a fairy tale and an epic? How do they differ?
3. Analyze the construction of the epics, highlight the insignificant parts in each epics: the beginning, the main part and the ending (if any).
4. Give examples of hyperbole, constant epithets, repetitions in epics and determine their role.
5. Find in the epics words with diminutive suffixes and explain the purpose for which they are used.
6. What is characteristic of the performance of epics?
Cimakova L.A. Literature: Handyman for 7th grade. zagalnoosvіtnіh navchalnyh zakladіh z rosіyskoy my navchannya. - K.: Vezha, 2007. 288 p.: il. - Mova Russian.
Submitted by readers from the website
Great value to understand ancient Russian literature has a question about what were the features of the epics. This type The genre was very popular among our distant ancestors, so the consideration of the problem posed is still relevant. School lessons in literature should be preceded by a short explanation of the teacher on the topic, as this will help to understand their content, style features, meaning and ideological load.
Literary devices
Features of epics can be easily traced on the basis of the most famous works this genre. When reading at least a few texts, such a technique as repetition immediately catches your eye. With their help, anonymous authors sought to strengthen the main idea and the main meaning. In addition, in this way the ancient storytellers achieved a special sound and melodiousness of the works.
It should be noted here that these ancient epic songs were performed on especially solemn occasions, so it was very important to set the listeners in a certain way. Based on the foregoing, it can be added that the features of the epics reflected the spirit of their time, when the military enterprises of the princely squad became an object of respect and glorification.
The role of epithets
This expressiveness plays perhaps the most important role in conveying in words a visual picture of what is happening. Unknown authors did not spare colors, singing the strength and power of the ancient knights and warriors. The features of epics are easily explained by the purpose for which they were created: the desire to praise and perpetuate the exploits of the heroes.
To emphasize their glory and greatness, the singers used the same epithets, which, with constant repetition, created an expressive and colorful picture of the battle in the listener's imagination. As a rule, epithets were applied to the characteristic appearance warrior, his horse, as well as the enemy. Descriptions of ancient Russian cities are unusually beautiful: princely chambers, palaces, squads.
Hyperbolas
Artistic Features epics reflect the thinking of a medieval Russian man who was inclined to exalt the exploits of his favorite heroes. To this end, the authors used hyperboles, which were supposed to amaze the listener's imagination. In fact, the exploits of the knights are presented in unusually epic tones. For example, in ancient legends, the hero strikes the enemy with one stroke and blow, from the blow of his horse's hoof the earth trembles and leaves fall from the trees. The same techniques apply to the description negative characters. For example, the Nightingale the Robber whistles so that all living things around scatter, a strong wind rises.
accents
The artistic features of epics also reveal some features musical art our ancestors. These old epic songs were built on special rules, which gave them melodiousness, regularity and a certain rhythm of sound. In the lines of these works, several stresses are used, usually three. They were placed on the third syllables from the beginning and from the end.
This principle was not mandatory, but was applied quite often. Such a performance gave the epic a special sound expressiveness and epicness. However, sometimes, to enhance the melodiousness of the text, the syllables were sung as one word, without divisions and pauses.
Composition
No less important is the question of which features of the construction of the epic were used most often. All works of the genre under consideration began with the beginning - introductory remarks, which revealed the time and place of action. At this point, students should pay attention to a high degree historical authenticity: legends always indicate a real city, they talk about a prince who ruled at the time when the described events took place, sometimes the author mentioned specific places, which gave the story credibility and truthfulness.
This is followed by the plot and the climax, which are revealed literally in one breath, without pauses, delays or digressions. Thus, the narrators painted one picture of the event, not allowing the listener to be distracted for even a single minute. The denouement came, as a rule, rather quickly: it speaks of the honors that the hero received as a reward for his feat.
Subject
Features of Russian epics reveal inner world ancient Russian man. Thanks to these amazing stories, we can understand what exactly interested our distant ancestors. Of course, the stories about the exploits and military battles of the heroes were the most favorite plot. However, in addition to this, there were also themes devoted to the glorification of ordinary agricultural workers. There were epics about the extraordinary adventures of heroes, for example, fairy tales about the merchant Sadko were very popular. In these epics, not the military prowess of the knights is glorified, but such character traits as cunning, daring, worldly wisdom allowing them to find a way out of the most difficult situations.
Epics are built according to a certain plan. Most epics begin with a beginning. It usually refers to the place of action or where and from where the hero went (see the first six lines of the epic “Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber”). Events in epics are presented in a strict order, sequentially. The story is told slowly, slowly. Since the bulins lived in oral transmission, their performer said to focus the attention of the listeners on especially important, in his opinion, places. For this, repetitions are widely used in epics, usually three times. So, in the epic about Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber, the description of the power of the Nightingale the Robber is repeated three times. In order to give melodiousness to the epic, to make its presentation more expressive, musical, individual words are often repeated in the epics. For example: The straight-line path has choked up, The path has choked up, it has become muddied. Or: In the capital in the city in Kyiv, At the affectionate prince at Vladimir Repetitions are found not only in the text of the same epic. Similar actions and phenomena are described in different epics in the same way, for example, saddling a heroic horse, a feast at Prince Vladimir, enemy strength, a battle between heroes and enemies, etc. Such similar descriptions found in different epics (and in fairy tales) are called common places. Sometimes epics end with a special ending - a conclusion from the entire content of the epics: Now old, now deeds, that is, it was like that in the old days, this is a true story. Main character bylin - Russian hero. To more clearly represent the strength of the hero, the technique of hyperbole (exaggeration) is used. For example, this is how the battle of the hero with the enemy force is described. If the hero waves right hand, a street is formed among the enemy camp, a lane is formed on the left. The club (sword) of the hero weighs forty or even ninety pounds. If the hero falls asleep, then "a heroic dream for twelve days" (days). To match the hero and his horse: “the first lope of a horse is for many miles, and the second lope cannot be found.” To emphasize the strength of the Russian hero, his enemy is depicted hyperbolically. The innumerable forces of the enemy "a gray wolf ... cannot jump a day, a black crow cannot fly around a day." In epics, as in general in works of oral folk poetry every word is precise and expressive. Over the centuries, folk singers and poets have perfected the language of their poetry, achieving the most accurate and vivid, expressive disclosure through the word of the most essential qualities of the characters and their actions. So, epithets are very rich and diverse in oral poetry - colorful definitions that indicate the most significant feature of people, objects, phenomena of life. Often the same epithets constantly characterize certain heroes, objects, phenomena of life, nature, etc. Therefore, they are called permanent epithets. In epics, for example, there are such constant epithets: a burly good fellow, great strength, glorious capital Kyiv-grad, a tight bow, a silk string, red-hot arrows. Comparisons are often used in epics: The black-and-black silushki are driven up, Black-black, like a black crow. Pike-fish to walk Volga in the blue seas, Bird-falcon to fly Volga under the shells, Negative comparisons are used: Not a damp oak bends to the ground, Not paper leaves are spread, The son bows before the priest .. . Wishing to emphasize any shade of the meaning of the word, important, according to folk singer, to understand the narrative, the storytellers of epics widely use synonyms: “Volga began to grow and mother”; "And yell and plow and peasant,"; “Here Ilya felt for trouble, for great annoyance it seemed ...” Important role in the language of epics, nouns with diminutive and affectionate suffixes play. They express the people's assessment of the heroes of epics. Bogatyrs are often called pet names: Ilyushenka, Dobrynushka Nikitich, Mikulushka Selyaninovich, etc. Suffixes pet meaning are also used in words denoting objects belonging to the hero. red-hot arrows", "saddle", "bridles", "felt", "potnichki", etc.
There are many colorful comparisons and epithets in epics. The epithets here are special. They are called permanent because they are, as it were, attached to some concept. The earth is always damp, the stars are frequent, the field is clean. If you look closely at these constant epithets, then in them we will see a reflection folk thoughts and feelings. The people love their homeland and their heroes. Therefore, Kyiv in epics is called glorious city, and the hero - good fellow. But on the other hand, the storytellers of epics call enemies filthy, villains, dogs.
The people reflected especially brightly their lofty, noble thoughts and feelings in hyperbole, i.e. artistic exaggerations. For example, the enemy force at the walls of Chernigov is depicted as follows:
Nobody walks around here like infantry,
On a good horse no one rides here,
The black raven bird does not fly,
Let the gray beast not roam.
This hyperbole shows how great the power of the enemy is, but at the same time it emphasizes the power of Ilya Muromets, who "beat this great power."
In some epics, the indestructible strength of the hero in the battle with the enemy is depicted as follows: “Waving to the right (with his hand) - the street lies, to the left - the alley.” This is also hyperbole, and it shows the invincible power of the entire Russian people, just as the feats of many Russian heroes are depicted in the image of one hero.
If you read at least a few epics in a row, you cannot fail to notice another very important feature of them: in many of them the same episodes are repeated. The storytellers knew only the plot, the events associated with this or that hero, and also owned a certain set of such common places, repetitive episodes, from which, as if from cubes, the backbone, the frame of the epic, was formed. Everything else was born before the eyes of the listeners. Therefore, even the same performer could not repeat the epic word for word twice,
without changing anything in it. Each performance of the epic was at the same time the process of its creation, and each performer was a creator. Otherwise, the singer would have to keep many thousands of lines of poetry in his memory.
3. Drawing up a table "Artistic features of the epic" (work in a notebook).
Artistic Features
epics
Their role in the epic
1) Hyperbole (exaggeration)
Thus, the people emphasized the power
their heroes
2) Trinity reception
The number "three" used to have a conventional meaning of plurality. The people use triple repetitions in epic tales in order to show the repetition of actions or the duration of the passing time.
3) Replays
Thus, attention is focused on the most important
4) Permanent epithets
Help characterize the heroes of the epic
5) Use of recitatives
It is necessary, since the singing of epics was accompanied by playing the harp
4. Reading the epic "Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber." Drawing up an epic plan in a notebook.
