The meaning of a fairy tale for a Russian person on the example of the work "The Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise"

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

In Russian fairy tales, the features of the human character are manifested in all their breadth. In general, the tale of each nation is characterized by national characteristics. So, despite the fact that many plots of fairy tales from different countries are similar to each other, the heroes are purely national. They reflect, rather, not the Russian character, but the ideal idea of it.

Classification of fairy tales

The most popular is the classification of Afanasyev's fairy tales. According to it, there are three main groups:

• animal tales;
• fairy tales;
• household fairy tales.

Let's take a closer look at the magical ones. They are the most ancient and tell about some miraculous events.

Features of a fairy tale

Motherhood in a fairy tale is of great importance. The absence of children in the family is a great grief. "The Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise" first tells about the life of the royal childless family. Well done in a fairy tale is often passive andacts only with the help of the magical power of the beloved or helpers. Ivan Tsarevich fulfills the orders of the king only with the help of the magic of Vasilisa the Wise. Fairy maiden is beautiful. For example, Vasilisa the Wise was the prettiest of the twelve sisters.

The tale “The Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise” also testifies that the daughter surpasses her parent in intelligence and cunning (in the scene of the king’s retinue chasing the fugitives), for which she incurs his wrath. With the help of magic, cunning and intelligence, she saves Ivan Tsarevich from inevitable death.

Old people are respected and listened to. Having met the old woman, Ivan Tsarevich at first dismissed her, but, after thinking, he decided to turn and received valuable advice.

Sources of fairy tales

The sources of fairy tales today are quite difficult to trace. One thing is clear: many fairy tales have survived to this day in a mixed and modified form, passed from mouth to mouth. Often in Russian fairy tales, faith in God is intertwined with faith in miracles, be it spells, witchcraft, and so on. For example, the sea king and Vasilisa are representatives of the magical underwater kingdom. The nationality of the tale is also explained by the fact that it has always existed in all segments of the population, from the royal family to the peasants.

The main function of a fairy tale is to educate people in a sense of beauty and justice. Children brought up on fairy tales begin to appreciate this word early, well distinguish good from evil, industriousness from laziness.

English fairy tale

On the question of why fairy tales are differentThe peoples of the world are sometimes so similar, many scientists and researchers approached. After conducting numerous investigations, they agreed that the reason for the similarity of fairy tales created in different parts of the world lies in a certain single human psyche, the nature of mankind.

Let's turn again to the fairy tale "The Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise". An English fairy tale called "The Sea King's Daughter" is widely circulated. Its plot boils down to the fact that the seal maiden, along with her sisters and brothers, skinned and turned into a girl of indescribable beauty. The fisherman who saw her fell in love and hid the skin, and then took the maiden as his wife. They lived together and had children, but somehow the wife discovered her loss and immediately returned to the sea kingdom, not for a moment regretting the abandoned children. The tale ends with a sad phrase that brings tears to the eyes. Once, the maiden only looked back at her house, where her children were waiting, and then joyfully sailed into the sea.

English fairy tale is contrary to the spirit of the Russian reader. We do not understand such behavior of the wife and mother. No call of the sea to a Russian woman can replace maternal instinct.

Russian fairy tale

A Russian fairy tale has a similar plot at the beginning. The sea king has thirteen daughters. Vasilisa the Wise, one of them, takes off her shirt while bathing and turns into a beautiful maiden. At this moment, Ivan Tsarevich, taught by the old woman, takes the shirt and does not go out to the girl until she calls him her betrothed. The Sea King gives Ivan difficult tasks, and Vasilisa the Beautiful helpsbeloved to fulfill them, and even later - to run away home, to Holy Russia. Moreover, helping her husband, Vasilisa the Wise already knows that Ivan Tsarevich, returning to his father's house, will immediately forget her. The opposite is true when compared with an English fairy tale. There, for the sake of the sea, the maiden leaves her house, children and husband, and here the prince forgets the sea princess for joy that he returned to Holy Russia. And only the devotion of Vasilisa the Wise saves their marriage. Vasilisa forgives her husband's betrayal.

Many fairy tales, like this one, end with the hero returning to his homeland with the young Vasilisa. This once again emphasizes the importance of family ties for a Russian person. Also, a Russian person attaches great importance to fate. No wonder the husband is betrothed, the one who was determined by fate.

You should also pay attention to the fact that in the Russian fairy tale they were reverent about this promise. The sea king caught the earthly king by the beard. He promised the Sea King to give what he did not know at home. When he found out what he had promised, he became sad. But there is nothing to do. The promise must be kept. And the king, after a certain time, still brings his son, and the sea king is waiting.

Russian fairy tale reveals all aspects of human life. Having passed through the centuries and years, the fairy tale has absorbed all the most important and inalienable features of the Russian national character. She accompanies us from childhood to late old age, makes us kinder, fairer.