The image of Prince Igor. The image of Prince Igor in "The Tale of Igor's Campaign"

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

Not everyone can comprehend the depth of the wisdom of the work "The Tale of Igor's Campaign". The ancient Russian masterpiece, created eight centuries ago, can still be safely called a monument of culture and history of Russia. In The Tale of Igor's Campaign, it is not the main thing to determine the genre, the language in which the work is written is important.

Some may think that the chronicle tells about one person, but it is not.

Prince Igor Svyatoslavovich

The characterization of the image of Prince Igor is quite interesting. He is described as a brave, honest, well-informed person. It was impossible to say about him what he does first and then thinks. The prince calculated his every step, but, unfortunately, the warnings and persuasion of the wise people who surrounded Igor did not stop him. He lacked the wisdom so necessary for Igor. The hero, unfortunately, did not possess it. Despite all this, Igor was not stupid and understood that death awaited him on the battlefield.

Opinion of historians

As in most cases, the opinions of historians are not so unambiguous. "The Tale of Igor's Campaign"was an exception. Before us are again two opposing camps. On one side are those who consider Igor a real patriotic hero who unwaveringly defended his land. They believe that the chronicle reflects all of Russia, and the image of Prince Igor personifies all the princes ruling in Russia. Others, on the contrary, represent him as a thoughtless and reckless prince. Igor's campaign was obviously doomed to failure, the meaning of such sacrifice is not clear. But still, historians agree on one thing, Igor never took place as a wise politician, but he had no shortage of military prowess.

There is also a third camp, it is not as numerous as the first two, but it was impossible not to mention it. The third opinion is that Prince Igor was a true self-interested man who decided to simply become famous as a hero-liberator, defender of the Russian land, and thereby press Grand Duke Svyatoslav with his increased popularity.

Poeticization of the image

The poeticization and characterization of the image of Prince Igor by the author was purely political in nature, in the poem "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" there is a clear call for the unification of the disparate Russian principalities. The author of the ancient Russian masterpiece was well aware that the princely civil strife in Russia does not lead to anything good, only to foreign policy poverty and collapse. Thus, the author seeks to rally the princes, to remind them of their family ties. The chronicle actively discusses all the adherents of fragmentation and civil strife, as well as one of their founders, Prince Oleg.

In order for the effect to be bright and colorful, he (the author) gives Igorqualities of a valiant warrior and knight. Indeed, in the work "The Tale of Igor's Campaign" the genre is poema. The prince is capable of a great deed, of any sacrifice, for him there is nothing difficult in accomplishing a feat. All actions and deeds of Prince Igor are performed only for the good of Russia. He is not devoid of eloquence and, like any commander, inspires his squad with beautiful, courageous and courageous words before the battle. Igor's position is clear enough - it is better to die in battle than to be in captivity: “O my squad and brothers! It is better to be killed than to be captured; let's sit down, brothers, on greyhound horses and look at least at the blue Don. This is the image of Prince Igor.

Looking closely at the epithets that the author gives the prince, it is safe to say what exactly he thinks of Igor. The author identifies the image of Prince Igor with a falcon, calls him "the red sun." On the path of the prince, a detachment of Polovtsy meets, and his warriors, having easily defeated them, bring him victory. Of course, the Russians received a lot of booty after the victory: expensive Aksamites, gold, curtains, beautiful Polovtsian girls were taken prisoner. The chronicle says "there was so much booty that carpets, casings, precious stones and even gold made their way through rivers, swamps and various swampy places." This situation, according to Prince Igor, shows how disinterested and noble he is. After all, he came to defeat enemies, and not to amuse himself with profit. Confirmation of his words is the fact that of all the riches he took for himself only the battle marks of the enemies.

Thanks to this episode, you canto conclude that it is not personal gain that is important for Igor, but, above all, the fight against the enemies of the Russians. Gold and other riches are too small and mean nothing to him. He is above all these worries. This is the description of Prince Igor.

Defeat

The nobility of the prince is manifested in the last battle, but at the same time his narrow-mindedness as a strategist and tactician is visible here. The next battle was simply crushing for the Russians. When Vsevolod, Igor's brother, began to experience difficulties during the battle, he immediately goes to help him, not thinking at all about the consequences, since he feels sorry for his brother. Despite everything - Igor's heroic deed, the courage of Vsevolod and the valiant Russian soldiers, the battle is lost, and Igor himself is taken prisoner. This is how, by his act, he made the death of the soldiers in vain. Many historians think that the character of Prince Igor ruined him. The decision is difficult, but sometimes it is worth choosing between the right and the heroic act

Escape

Despite the fact that the prince, having committed a reckless act, jeopardized Russia, and with it the entire Slavic people, the author still adheres to the image of the prince as a positive hero. The author mourns, describing the defeat in the battle. He shows his personal attitude to the protagonist of the Lay not only when describing the defeat, but also during the prince's escape from captivity. The author is overwhelmed with sincere jubilation, because after Igor's return to his homeland, the whole Russian people rejoices with him.

Power of love

Of course, the author"Words" could not fail to mention love. Description of Prince Igor as a conqueror of women's hearts in the annals, of course, is missing. And that he has feelings for some person, nothing specifically is said. The chronicle tells about how much and sincerely they love him, there are enough such images in the Tale of Igor's Campaign. The author creates such a powerful image of love that it seems that it can be touched and felt. The text says: love is so huge that it traveled long distances and penetrated the camp to the Polovtsians, and it was she who helped the prince escape in the end.

Yaroslavna

Describing love, the author had in mind Yaroslavna, the lawful wife of the prince. Yaroslavna's cry for Igor is filled with tenderness and warmth. Speaking about these emotions, the author makes it clear to the reader that only a worthy person deserves such feelings. Prince Igor deserves the love that his wife Yaroslavna feels for him.

Attitude towards the hero of the "Word"

So what was the image of Prince Igor? You can treat this person in different ways. You can condemn him and consider that in battle he acted selfishly, and thanks to his act, many Russian compatriots died, and in vain. You can condemn his strategic and tactical abilities, as well as ridicule his short-sightedness and recklessness. But also do not forget about good character traits, about his valor, faith and courage, unbroken will and patriotism. And a bad person cannot deserve sincere and tender love from such a beautiful woman as Yaroslavna.

How many people - so many opinions. It is difficult to say who exactly from real life the author wanted to describe in his masterpiece. But the fact that the image of the prince in him is positive is clear from the first line. Prince Igor is a true fighter against the enemies of the Russians, the defender of Russia. Without a doubt, the main message of the author is to end the feudal war of the Russian princes and their further reunification under a common banner.

Prince Igor was a great man. The work of the ancient chronicler greatly impressed many. Nobody will deny this. It is human nature to err, so it is not for us to judge the actions of the old Russian prince.