What historical facts can be found in epics? Epics and history

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Folklore is a valuable source of information about the life of our ancestors, their way of life, lawmaking, military affairs, family law and other issues. This was already well understood by the first scientists. Epics have long been the subject of study. The main question that interested researchers was: "What historical facts can be found in epics?" It turned out that there is as much reality in them as fiction.

Is the epic far from reality

Not all historians take folklore works seriously, considering them fiction. Of course, there is a lot of fantastic in legends, thoughts, fairy tales and other creations, unprecedented abilities and strength are attributed to positive characters, while negative ones are too demonized and presented as caricature. But still, epics and history are not such incompatible concepts. Almost every folklore work contains a folk interpretation of a particular historical event.

You can't talk about the impartiality of our ancestors. Collective memory recorded only those moments that were pleasant to it or seemed worthy.attention. Often events were interpreted in their own way. For example, such a historical fact as the destruction of Kyiv by the Tatar horde is often transformed: the people of Kiev were saved by a miracle, a glorious hero, the Mother of God. Or, despite the destruction, the city quickly recovered and returned to its former power. It seems strange that the real destruction of the once mighty city led to the emergence of a number of heroic epics, where Kyiv is still the same capital city.

What historical facts can be found in epics

The people thought about what they were interested in first of all - the power of their state, the wisdom of the ruler, the standard of living, the defense of the state from numerous external enemies, the fight against cruel and unjust local princelings and much more. Our ancestors experienced all this from personal experience. And if epics had come down to us in their original version, then we could talk about serious historical evidence (not taking into account some kind of hyperbolization). But since the epic was transmitted orally, each storyteller could add something of his own and modify the text.

Facts of history in epics that have been confirmed:

1. Kyiv destroyed by the Mongol-Tatars.

2. The strife of the princes in Kievan Rus, which led to the decline of a powerful state.

3. The ongoing struggle with the steppe nomadic tribes.

4. Baptism of Russia.

5. Collective pilgrimage to Jerusalem.

6. Unsuccessful campaign against the Polovtsy of Prince Igor and many others.

Encyclopedia of everyday lifeour ancestors

To the questions of skeptics: “What historical facts can be found in epics, if there is only fiction?” - scientists give an unambiguous answer: there are much more true events there than it might seem at first glance. In addition, oral folk art is a valuable source of description of family life, laws, administrative structures, the army and other components of the life of our ancestors.

Merchants who wanted to make money on the princely land had to pay duties, and each ruler set the amount at his discretion. In the epic about the Queen of Korsun, merchants complain to their prince that they are forced to pay tax to the greedy lady for every step they take.

From the epics about the squad, we learn that the army had a clear charter. In the army organization, one can distinguish between junior and senior squads, heroes, servants and others.

Many references in epics and about everyday life. In oral folk art, we see detailed descriptions of feasts that were held in the royal chambers, magnificent outfits of upper-class citizens, dishes, musical instruments and other things.

Heroes - real or fictional characters

The main characters of the Russian epic are heroes. The people, tormented by external enemies, the elements of nature, the injustice of cruel princes and other misfortunes, demanded defenders. What historical factsfind in epics, so as not to doubt their veracity? Of course, the real prototypes of the heroes of the epic.

Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich, Sadko, Alyosha Popovich and other knights really fought evil in Ancient Russia. Most of the facts have been preserved about Ilya Muromets, it is even known that his grave is in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. Dobrynya Nikitich came from the Drevlyans, was captured with his sister and transported to the capital. He has come a long way from a servant to an elite warrior. Very little information has been preserved about Alyosha Popovich. Most likely, he died in the battle on the river. Kalke.

Historical facts in epics have been documented, so it is pointless to doubt their veracity. We should be proud that our ancestors were wise enough to leave such valuable information to the next generations.