Epos is nothing but fiction. Its main features are eventfulness, narration, lyrical digressions and dialogues. Epic works have both prose and verse forms. Similar stories can be found in folk literature. Often they are described in the works of specific authors.
Folk epic
In the minds of primitive people, some rudiments of art and science, morality, religion and other types of directions of social development inseparably existed. Only a little later they all gained independence.
Verbal art has become a part of cult, religious, everyday and labor rituals, the main expression of which is ancient legends. It was they that reflected those, sometimes fantastic, ideas that people had about themselves and about the world around them.
One of the most ancient types of folk art is a fairy tale. This is a work that has a magical, adventurous or everyday character, which has an inextricableconnection with reality. His heroes are the heroes of oral epic creativity.
Pre-scientific ideas of people about the world are reflected in myths. This is a story about spirits and gods, as well as epic heroes.
Legends are pretty close to myths. They are semi-fantastic tales about events that actually happened. The heroes of legends are people who really lived in those days.
Epics tell about the historical events that took place in Ancient Russia. These are heroic songs or poetic tales. In them, the epic hero is, as a rule, a hero. He invariably embodies the people's ideals of love for the native land and courage. We are all familiar with the epic names of the heroes of Russian epics. These are Alyosha Popovich and Ilya Muromets, as well as Dobrynya Nikitich. However, epic heroes are not only heroes. Glorified in epics and a man of labor. Among them is Mikula Selyaninovich, a heroic plowman. Narratives about other characters were also created. This is Svyatogor - a giant, Sadko - a merchant-gusler and others.
Heroes of the epic
The main character in epics, fairy tales and myths is a man. At the same time, epic heroes personify the people. What they have to face in life is nothing but the fate of the state and society.
Epic heroes are devoid of any selfish traits whatsoever. In addition, they are internally and externally connected with the cause of the people.
Epic heroes are people who are not at all devoid of personalpsychology. However, its basis is necessarily nationwide. This circumstance makes the participant of the events described in the works the hero of the epic. Moreover, he can be not only a winner, but also defeated, not only strong, but also powerless. But he will definitely become an epic hero if he is in unity with the life of the people.
World Heritage
Each nation has its own heroic epic works. They reflect the customs and way of life of a particular nation, its view of the world around us and basic values.
The most striking example of the heroic epic of the Eastern Slavs is the epic about Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber. Here the main character is the hero. Ilya Muromets is an epic hero, the central figure of many works of this kind. He is presented by the writers as the main defender of his homeland and people, reflecting all the basic values of the Eastern Slavs.
Among the most striking works of the Armenian epic is the poem "David of Sasun". This work reflects the struggle of the people against the invaders. The central figure of this poem is the personification of the spirit of people striving to gain freedom and defeat foreign conquerors.
In the German heroic epic, such a work as the "Nibelungenlied" stands out. This is a legend about knights. The main character of this work is the mighty and courageous Siegfried. The characterization of the epic hero is visible from the narrative. He is fair, and even when he becomes a victim of betrayal and betrayal, he remains generous and noble.
The "Song of Roland" serves as an example of the French epic. The main theme of this poem is the struggle of the people against the conquerors. The protagonist is endowed with courage and nobility.
The English heroic epic contains many ballads about Robin Hood. This is a legendary robber and protector of all the unfortunate and poor. The ballads speak of his courage, nobility and cheerful disposition.
Ilya Muromets
The most striking distinguishing feature of the epic is the heroic nature of its narrative. From such works it becomes clear who is the people's favorite, and for what merits.
The most vivid image of the epic hero of Ancient Russia Ilya Muromets is reflected in the epics related to the Kyiv cycle. Their action takes place either in Kyiv itself or near it. At the center of each story is Prince Vladimir. The main theme of these epics is the protection of Russia from the southern nomads.
In addition to Ilya Muromets, such heroes as Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich take part in the events. According to researchers, there are a total of 53 plots of Russian heroic epics. Ilya Muromets is the main character in fifteen of them. The epics present the entire biography of the Russian hero, starting from his birth and ending with his death. Let's take a closer look at some of them.
Healing of Ilya Muromets
From this epic it becomes clear that its main character was the son of a peasant. Him, a cripple, wonderfulthus healed the elders. They also sent the young man to serve in Kyiv in order to defend Russia from a formidable enemy. Before leaving his native village, Ilya Muromets accomplished his first feat. He plowed the peasant field. And here the heroic strength of this man is already shown. After all, he easily uprooted stumps in the field, and this work has always been one of the most difficult. There is nothing surprising in the fact that this feat was one of the first to be reflected in the epic. After all, the peaceful labor of the peasant has always served as the source of his life.
Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber
In this epic, several main historical episodes are not singled out at once. The first of them concerns the liberation of Chernigov, which was besieged by an enemy force. The inhabitants of the city asked Ilya Muromets to stay with them and be the governor. However, the hero refuses and goes to serve in Kyiv. On the way he meets the Nightingale the Robber. This negative hero looks like a bird, a man, and a monster. Its resemblance to the nightingale is determined by the fact that it lives in a nest in a tree and can whistle just like this bird. He is a robber because he attacks people. It can be called a monster because of the devastating effects of the whistle.
It was extremely important for the people who created this work that the kind and noble fellow Ilya Muromets defeated the Nightingale the Robber with an ordinary bow and with only one shot. It is also important that there is no exaggeration of human strength in this episode. At the same time, the narrator expressed his assertion about the obligatory victory of good over evil. Thanks to this feat, Ilya Muromets stood out fromall rich people. He became the main defender of his native land, the center for which is the city of Kyiv.
Russian heroes
These heroes of an epic work always have remarkable strength. It is thanks to her that they become extraordinary people. But, despite this, in all the stories, the hero is an ordinary person, and not some kind of magical creature.
In epics, these people, who have the best qualities, resist evil in the face of snakes, monsters, and also enemies. Bogatyrs are the force that is always able to protect their native land, restore justice. They always stand on the side of the truth. Stories of such an ideal power speak of what our people have always dreamed of.
The main features of Ilya Muromets
This hero is the most beloved hero of Russian epics. He is endowed with powerful strength, which gives him endurance and confidence. Ilya has a sense of dignity, which he will never give up even in the face of the Grand Duke.
The people represent this hero as the protector of all orphans and widows. Ilya hates the boyars, telling them the whole truth to their faces. However, this hero forgets the offense when trouble hangs over his native land. In addition, he calls on other heroes to come to the defense, but not of Prince Vladimir, but of the mother of the Russian land. For the sake of this, he performs his feats.
Prince Vladimir
This character is also present in many epics aboutIlya Muromets. At the same time, the capital prince Vladimir is not a hero at all. In the epic about Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber, he does not commit any bad deeds. The narrator shows him as a man without courage. After all, the Kyiv prince was frightened by the Nightingale the Robber brought to the city. However, there are other epics. In them, Vladimir is unfair and treats Ilya Muromets badly.
Mikula Selyaninovich
This hero is found in several epics. They also tell about Volga and Svyatogor.
Mikula Selyaninovich is an epic hero, a hero and a wonderful plowman. His image is the personification of the entire Russian peasantry, bearing the "earthly pull".
According to the story, you can't fight this hero. After all, his entire family is loved by “mother damp earth” - one of the most mysterious and monumental images that exists in the Russian epic.
Based on old concepts, Mikula Selyaninovich is an Oratay. His patronymic means "tiller".
Mikula Selyaninovich is an epic hero whose image is constantly accompanied by a halo of glory and sacralization. The people perceived him as a peasant patron, the god of Russia, St. Nicholas. Sacralization is present even in the image of a plow, a plow, as well as in the very act of plowing.
According to us, the main thing in the life of Mikula Selyaninovich is work. His image embodies peasant strength, for only this hero is able to lift "handbags" with a "draw to the earth."
Volga and Mikula Selyaninovich
This epic was created by the people over the course of several centuries. At the same time, it is unknown whetherwhether Mikula Selyaninovich was a real person who lived in those distant times or not. But Oleg Svyatoslavovich is a prince, cousin of Vladimir Monomakh and grandson of Yaroslav the Wise.
What is this legend about? It tells about the meeting of two heroes - the prince and the peasant. Prior to that, each of them was engaged in their own affairs. The prince fought, and the plowman cultivated the field. It is interesting that in this epic the oratay is dressed in festive clothes. These are the rules of these works. The hero must always be handsome. The image of Volga (Oleg Svyatoslavovich) is opposed to the everyday work of a peasant. At the same time, the work of a plowman is revered in the epic more than a military one.
And this is no coincidence, because in those days any plowman could become a good warrior. However, not all soldiers were able to cope with heavy peasant labor. This is confirmed by the episode when the prince's team could not even pull the fry out of the ground. Mikula Selyaninovich pulled it out with one hand, and even shook it off the stuck lumps. Volga yielded to the plowman the primacy in labor and praised him. In his words, one can feel pride in a strong hero who copes with a task that is beyond the strength of the entire squad.
The attitude of the people to the hero
Proving that Mikula is an epic hero is easy. After all, his image, personifying peasant strength, is imbued with great respect. This is also felt in connection with the use of affectionate words when the hero is called oratay-oratayushko.
Welcomed by the people and the modesty of the hero. After all, he talks about his affairs withoutany boast.
Svyatogor
This hero is also the most ancient mythological character of the Russian epic. In his image, the absolute universal force finds its personification. Svyatogor is the most powerful person in the world. It is so heavy and huge that even the "mother earth" itself cannot withstand it. That is why the hero has to ride a horse only in the mountains.
In one of the epics, where two heroes met, the image of Mikula becomes somewhat different, acquiring a cosmic sound. Once it happened that Svyatogor, riding a horse, saw a young fellow on foot. He tried to catch up with Mikula, but could not do it.
In another epic, a peasant hero asks Svyatogor to pick up a bag that has fallen to the ground. However, he failed in this task. Mikula lifted the bag with only one hand. At the same time, he spoke about the fact that there is an “earthly burden” in it, which only a peaceful and hardworking plowman can master.
