What is a fairy tale, and what is its role in the life of almost any person? Which of us in childhood did not hear these wonderful fantastic works from the lips of a mother or grandmother, did not read them in kindergarten in syllables, did not go through them like literature as part of the school curriculum? What about cartoons, and feature films based on them? We can say that a fairy tale is something that more than one generation of people has grown up with, and not only in our country. That which educates and shapes the personality of each person.
Definition
But not everyone will definitely be able to give a definition: “a fairy tale is…” And what, in fact, is a fairy tale? Let's start with all kinds of dictionaries. In them, a fairy tale is, first of all, a work of folklore, oral art, a story about heroes and events, usually fictitious, passed from mouth to mouth. But in the last two centuries, such folk worksare actively published in books in huge circulations, so that we always have the opportunity not only to listen to them, but also to read them. A folklore tale is a fictional work. It can be contrasted with such "reliable" narratives as epic, for example.
Literary
And there is also a literary fairy tale. She, unlike folk, folklore, has a specific author (it is also sometimes called the author's). Often, such works are closely connected with folk. Sometimes the author simply retells them without adding anything, but there are fairy tales where the source material is completely reworked. Folklore precedes author's literature, occupies a primary place in the classification of fiction. But the author's fairy tales of famous writers are rightfully included in the treasury of world classics of such literature.
Other values
If we talk about other meanings of the word fairy tale, then it can be noted that a similar term in a figurative sense defines something fantastic and tempting, sometimes unattainable in ordinary life situations. And sometimes they call something that no one believes: pure fiction, untruth, fiction (even with a negative coloring).
Origin of the word
According to scientists, the word itself appears in everyday life no earlier than the 17th century and comes from "kazka", which meant "list" or "exact description". In the modern context, the word "fairy tale" began to be used later, and earlier the word "fable" was used to refer to a similarconcepts.
Classification of folk tales
Researchers of folk tales believe that they are based on myths that have lost their sacred meaning. Myth is associated with a certain ritual. In a fairy tale, the artistic side comes to the fore. And events take place outside the existing geography. Such works are characterized by: anonymity, collectivity and orality. Simply put, a folklore tale does not have a specific author, but is passed on by many storytellers by word of mouth, preserving the main plot. Sometimes some details are added to it, like variations. We can say that the works of UNT (oral folk art) are a collective creation. According to the classification generally accepted by folklore researchers, all these creations can be divided into tales about animals or plants, about inanimate nature or objects, magical, annoying, cumulative, novelistic and some others. This cohort also includes anecdotes and fables.
Household fairy tale
This is related to novelistic works of UNT. Everyday fairy tales occupy a fairly large place in folklore. They differ from, for example, magic in that the story is based on stories from everyday life. As a rule, there are no fiction in them, but real characters are involved: a wife and a husband, a merchant and a soldier, a gentleman and a worker, a priest, etc. These are the works of oral creativity of the people about fooling a gentleman or a priest, about admonishing a negligent wife, about a cunning soldier with ingenuity. Basically, a household fairy tale iswork on a domestic or family theme. Main sympathies: an experienced soldier, a skilled and savvy worker who achieve their goals, sometimes going through comic or scary situations. This reveals the irony of the story. These stories are usually short. The plot develops quickly, in the center of the action is one episode, looking like a fairy tale-story. It is in everyday fairy tales, according to Belinsky, that the moral, everyday and characteristic features of the entire Russian people are displayed: a crafty mind, the ability to irony, innocence and hard work. Everyday fairy tales do not contain any horror or special magic, but they can be endowed with irony and comedy. Outwardly, such a work looks like a fairy tale. This apparent believability is one of the many hallmarks of such creativity.
Examples of everyday fairy tales
Everyone probably remembers the everyday fairy tale "Porridge from an ax", in which a savvy soldier cooks food as if from nothing (from one ax), and meanwhile cunningly begs the greedy hostess for all the necessary products.
