Russian epics about heroes: pagan and Christian

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

Beginning an article that reveals the topic "Russian epics about heroes", first let's define the ethnographic terms from the above title. The ethnographic role of epics about heroes can hardly be overestimated. For centuries, people have invested in them ideas of military prowess, patriotism, and adherence to religious tradition.

The word "epics" was created by the Russian ethnographer Ivan Petrovich Sakharov at the beginning of the 19th century. Therefore, it has a literary origin. The people primordially used to designate epic tales of exploits by another name - "old times". The image of the hero in Russian epics took shape two centuries after the country gained statehood. Before the Tatar-Mongol yoke in Russia, it simply did not exist. This fact confirms the version about its origin from the Altai language group, where derivatives from the word "batyr" were actively used. In the XIII century, the Tatar-Mongol khan had a corps of bagaturs - warriors distinguished by physical strength, which is documented in chronicles. Toto the Mongols, this word came from Sanskrit, where “blagahara” meant lucky.

Now - directly about the subject of the article. There are two stages in the creation of heroic epics. The first included a vast period: from the time immemorial of paganism to Christianity, i.e. until the reign of the Kyiv prince Vladimir. The second began with the reign of the aforementioned prince - the Baptist of Russia, and ended with the organic replacement of the function of the oral epos with author's books.

The pre-Christian layer of the Russian epic about heroes conveyed to us the names of Volga Svyatoslavovich, Mikita Selyaninovich, Svyatogor. All these characters have features borrowed from the pagan gods. The names of epics about Russian heroes indicate the main characters of the stories: “Svyatogor and Mikula Selyaninovich”, “Mikula Selyaninovich and Volga Svyatoslavovich.”

The mother of the giant Svyatogor is Cheese Earth, and the father is “dark”, that is, a creature from another world. This giant knight organically absorbed the power of the elements of the Russian Earth.

Mikula Selyaninovich (analogue - the Greek hero Antaeus) is not a giant at all, outwardly he is a strong tall man, but he has a secret power - he is deeply akin to the Raw Earth. Moreover, this connection is inextricable to such an extent that "it is impossible to fight with him." Later, during the transition to the Christian tradition, the image of Mikula gradually transferred its meaning to Nicholas the Wonderworker (the pagan holiday of spring Nikola, celebrated on May 9, gradually turned into the spring holiday of St. Nicholas.)

The image of Volga Svyatoslavovich is the most mysterious of the entire cycle “Russian epics aboutheroes." The very origin of the name is associated by ethnographers with witchcraft - from the word "sorcerer". He is a werewolf who understands the language of birds and animals. Most likely, the image itself is derived from the pagan god of hunting Volkh. Volga's mother is Marfa Vasilievna, and her father is the Serpent. Legends about the exploits of Volga are stories akin to the Viking epic, telling about military campaigns in the Asian-Indian region. With the help of witchcraft, as well as military prowess, he achieved victories over his opponents.

Summarizing the ethnos of the pre-Christian period, it should be noted that most of the stories emphasize the primacy among the knights of Mikula Selyaninovich. Having met with Svyatogor, the peasant hero offered him to raise a bag from the earth, in which he put "all the hardships of the earth." The giant did not succeed, Mikula won by performing the required action with one hand. He excelled at a meeting with Volga, who asked for his help in collecting taxes. Agreeing, Mikula remembered the remaining plow, wishing to take it with him. Volga sent his warriors after her, then went himself. But the weight of this artifact exceeded their strength. Then a peasant knight overtook them and easily, quite casually fulfilled the required. Doesn't the general meaning of the above point to an awareness of the leading role of peasant labor? Summing up the epic of the pre-Christian period, ethnographers note the primacy of the idea of catholicity (community) of Russia.

The second layer of the Russian ethnic group dates back to the era of Prince Vladimir. Christian "Russian epics about heroes" begin to glorify the no longer generalized, philosophical,mythological characters, but real historical figures "who have rendered great service" to the Motherland. The central, as well as centrifugal, image is the image of Ilya Muromets. He is the hero of a cycle of about 90 stories. The most famous among them are about the fights with the Nightingale the Robber, the Pogany Idol. The mission of the knight is the protection of Christianity and Russia, and the way to carry it out is Christian, or rather, monastic service. Characteristic is the episode when a paralyzed 33-year-old boy received a "bogatyr's silushka" as a gift from a "transient Kalika". Before his death, the mighty Svyatogor gives him his strength. The lifestyle of the protagonist of Russian epics is wandering. Why is that? Why doesn't he have a family or a home? Perhaps the reason is the monastic vow, because it unites the Christian feat of wandering and foolishness.

The next most important hero of the Christian epic is Dobrynya Nikitich. This image appeared thanks to the governor Dobrynya, the uncle of the Kyiv prince Vladimir. Six epics are associated with him. He is a service man under Vladimir the Red Sun. His wife is Vasilisa Mikulishna, daughter of Mikula Selyaninovich. His most striking feat is the victory over the fire-breathing three-headed Serpent Gorynych. Among the epics about this hero there is a scene of a duel with Ilya Muromets - heroic, honest, ending in fraternization, and then - a joint campaign. By the way, the confrontation showed a “weakness” in the more “aged” Ilya - “the left hand weakened” (obviously, the spear wound present on the relics of the holy knight had an effect), the leg turned up. The magnanimous Dobrynya did not take advantage ofthis occasion to obtain the glory of the winner.

The third famous hero of this cycle is Alyosha Popovich. This character is depicted in the legend about the duel with Tugarin the Serpent and the tale "Sister of the Zbrodovichs". Tugarin is a generalized image of warlike nomads, continuously attacking, robbing, killing, capturing captives. And Olena Petrovna, the sister of the Zbrodovich brothers, is a Slavic legend about sublime love for a woman, ending in a happy marriage. Historians call the Rostov boyar Alexander (Olesha) Popovich, who served a great service to Vsevolod the Big Nest, and later to his son Konstantin Vsevolodovich, as the prototype of this hero. The hero found a heroic death during the battle on the Kalka.

When analyzing Christian Russian epics about heroes, it should be recognized that their images contributed to the formation among the broad masses of a sense of Russian statehood and the need to selflessly serve the Motherland.