Constant epithets in the epic Ilya. Features of epics: composition and means of artistic expression
Epics are built according to a specific plan. Most epics begin with a beginning. It usually talks about the location of the action or where the hero went and from (see the first six lines of the epic “Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber”). Events in epics are presented in strict order, sequentially. The narration is told slowly, without haste. Since the bulletins lived in oral transmission, the performer told them to focus the attention of the listeners on places that, in his opinion, were especially important. For this purpose, repetitions are widely used in epics, usually three times. Thus, in the epic about Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber, the description of the strength of the Nightingale the Robber is repeated three times. To add melodiousness to the epic, to make its presentation more expressive and musical, individual words are often repeated in epics. For example: The straight path is blocked, the path is blocked, it is walled up. Or: In the capital in the city of Kyiv, In the affectionate prince in Vladimir Repetitions are found not only in the text of the same epic. Different epics describe similar actions and phenomena in the same way, for example, saddling a hero’s horse, a feast at Prince Vladimir’s, enemy strength, a battle between heroes and enemies, etc. Such similar descriptions found in different epics (and fairy tales) are called commonplaces. Sometimes epics end with a special ending - a conclusion from the entire content of the epic: Now it’s an old thing, now it’s a deed, that is, this is how it was in the old days, this is a true story. Main character bylin - Russian hero. To more clearly imagine the strength of the hero, the technique of hyperbole (exaggeration) is used. For example, this is how the battle between a hero and an enemy force is described. If the hero waves right hand, a street is formed among the enemy camp, with an alley on the left. The hero's club (sword) weighs forty or even ninety pounds. If the hero falls asleep, then “heroic sleep for twelve days” (days). His horse matches the hero: “the horse’s first leap is many miles away, but the second leap cannot be found.” To emphasize the strength of the Russian hero, his enemy is depicted hyperbolically. The enemy's countless forces " gray wolf...you can’t outrun a day, you can’t outrun a black crow in a day.” In epics, as well as in oral works in general folk poetry, every word is precise and expressive. Over the centuries, folk singers and poets have perfected their language poetic works, achieving the most accurate and vivid, expressive disclosure through the word of the most significant qualities of the heroes and their actions. Thus, epithets are very rich and varied in oral poetry - colorful definitions indicating the most essential feature of people, objects, and phenomena of life. Often the same epithets constantly characterize certain heroes, objects, phenomena of life, nature, etc. Therefore, they are called constant epithets. In epics, for example, there are such constant epithets: portly good fellow, great strength, glorious capital Kyiv-grad, tight bow, silk string, red-hot arrows. Comparisons are often used in epics: The forces are overtaken black and black, Black and black, like a black crow. Volga walks like a pike fish blue seas, Volgo flies like a falcon bird under the shells, Negative comparisons are used: It is not the damp oak that bends to the ground, It is not the paper leaves that spread out, The son bows before his father... Wanting to emphasize some shade of the meaning of a word, important, in the opinion folk singer, to understand the narrative, epic storytellers widely use synonyms: “Volga began to grow and mature”; “And yell and plow and become peasants,” ; “Here Ilya felt in trouble, for great annoyance it seemed...” Nouns with diminutive and affectionate suffixes play an important role in the language of epics. They express the people's assessment of the heroes of epics. Bogatyrs are often called by affectionate names: Ilyushenka, Dobrynyushka Nikitich, Mikulushka Selyaninovich, etc. Suffixes of endearing meaning are also used in words denoting objects belonging to the hero. “hardened arrows”, “saddle”, “bridles”, “felts”, “sweating pads”, etc.
Great value for understanding ancient Russian literature has a question about what were the features of epics. This type of genre was very popular among our distant ancestors, so consideration of the problem posed is still relevant. School literature classes should be preceded by a short explanation from the teacher on the topic, as this will help to understand their content, style features, meaning and ideological load.
Literary devices
The features of epics can be easily traced based on the most famous works of this genre. When reading at least a few texts, a technique such as repetition immediately catches your eye. With their help, anonymous authors sought to strengthen the main idea and main meaning. In addition, in this way the ancient storytellers achieved special sound and melodiousness of the works.
It should be noted here that these ancient epic songs were performed on especially solemn occasions, so it was very important to set the listeners in a certain mood. Based on the above, we can add that the features of the epics reflected the spirit of their time, when the military enterprises of the princely squad became an object of respect and glorification.
The role of epithets
This expressiveness plays perhaps the most important role in conveying in words a visual picture of what is happening. Unknown authors They did not spare colors, glorifying the strength and power of the ancient knights and warriors. The features of epics are easily explained by the purpose for which they were created: the desire to praise and perpetuate the exploits of heroes.
To emphasize their glory and greatness, the singers used the same epithets, which, with constant repetition, created an expressive and colorful picture battle. As a rule, epithets were applied to characteristics appearance warrior, his horse, and also the enemy. The descriptions of ancient Russian cities are unusually beautiful: princely chambers, palaces, squads.
Hyperboles
The artistic features of epics reflect the thinking of medieval Russians, who were inclined to exalt the exploits of their favorite heroes. For this purpose, the authors used hyperboles that were intended to capture the imagination of the listener. In fact, the exploits of the knights are presented in unusually epic tones. For example, in ancient legends, the hero defeats the enemy with one swing and blow; from the blow of his horse’s hoof, the earth trembles and leaves fall from the trees. The same techniques apply to describing negative characters. For example, the Nightingale the Robber whistles so much that all living things around scatter, and a strong wind rises.
Accents
The artistic features of epics also reveal some features musical art our ancestors. These ancient epic songs were built according to special rules that gave them melodiousness, regularity and a certain rhythm of sound. The lines of these works use several accents, usually three. They were placed on the third syllables from the beginning and from the end.
This principle was not mandatory, but was applied quite often. This performance gave the epic a special sound expressiveness and epic quality. However, sometimes, to enhance the melodiousness of the text, the syllables were sung as one word, without divisions or pauses.
Composition
No less important is the question of what features of the construction of epics were used most often. All works of the genre under consideration began with the beginning - opening remarks, which revealed the time and place of action. Here we should draw the attention of schoolchildren to the high degree of historical authenticity: legends always indicate real city, they talk about the prince who ruled at the time when the events described took place, sometimes the author mentioned specific places, which gave the story credibility and truthfulness.
This is followed by the plot and climax, which are revealed literally in one breath, without pauses, delays or retreats. Thus, the storytellers painted one picture of the event, not allowing the listener to be distracted for even a single minute. The denouement, as a rule, came quite quickly: it talks about the honors that the hero received as a reward for his feat.
Subjects
Features of Russian epics reveal inner world ancient Russian man. Thanks to these amazing tales we can understand what exactly interested our distant ancestors. Of course, the most favorite subjects were stories about the exploits and military battles of heroes. However, in addition to this, there were also themes dedicated to the glorification of simple toiling farmers. There were epics about extraordinary adventures heroes, for example, fairy tales about the merchant Sadko were very popular. These epics glorify not the military prowess of the knights, but such character traits as cunning, daring, worldly wisdom, which allowed them to find a way out of the most difficult situations.
TECHNIQUES OF EPIC CREATIVITYThe techniques of epic creativity are of two kinds: some of these techniques are homogeneous with the techniques used in oral lyric poetry, the other part is a feature of epic creativity only.
From the point of view of the animistic worldview, nature is a society of living people. This society is interested affairs of people, rejoices at their success. When is born mighty hero, nature responds to this event with extraordinary phenomena: at the birth of Volka-Volkh “the damp earth trembled, the kingdom of the Indians was shaken gloriously, and the blue sea shook... The fish went into deep sea, the bird flew high into the sky, aurochs and deer went over the mountains, hares, foxes through the thickets, and wolves, bears through the spruce forests, sables, martens through the islands.". When the hero is sleeping, chilling and does not sense adversity, the horse wakes him up and warns him in human language. With the invasion of King Kilin, the Dnieper stops flowing along its old path: a bloody trickle is visible in the middle of it. The Dnieper stops flowing in the old way and in the epics about Sukhman, when the Tatar power appeared: the water and sand in it became clouded; During the day, power builds viburnum bridges on the Dnieper, and at night the Dnieper will be torn out.
In connection with the animistic worldview is the belief in fate, in predestination. Ilya was predicted that death in battle was not written for him, and he believes it; Svyatogor was predicted that he would marry a girl who had been lying in rot for thirty years, and this prediction is being fulfilled.
Sometimes the fate ahead of a person is revealed in prophetic dream. The king of the Turkish land (Indian) talks with his queen Pantalovna: “Oh, you, Queen Pantalovna! Do you know about this, do you know? In Rus', the grass does not grow as before, the flowers do not bloom as before... But apparently Volga is not alive...” The queen answers him: “Oh, you, King Turkish-Santal! But I know about this, I know: in Rus' the grass still grows as before, the flowers still bloom. And while I slept at night, I saw in my dreams: being on the eastern side, a bird flew a small bird, and from the western side a black raven bird flew in; they flew into the open field, fought among themselves; the small bird, a black raven, plucked a feather, and let everything go into the wind. That is, Volga, sir Buslaevich, and what is black. Raven - Turkish Santal." The dream comes true: Volga conquers Turkish land and kills Turkish Santal.
Connected with the animistic worldview is the belief in the power of conspiracies. In the epics about Dobrynya and Marina, it is depicted how Marina begins to speak of Dobrynushkina’s traces. Ilya Muromets, in epics about Kalina the Tsar, shoots an arrow at his godfather, having spoken it first. Ivan Godinovich, tied to a damp oak tree, prays that the arrow that the Tatar rival was about to shoot at small pigeons will not fall on the water or the ground, but will return to the Tatar’s white chest; according to Ivan Godinovich, this is what happens.
PARALLELISM
The animistic worldview gave rise to one of the most important techniques oral creativity, common to national lyric poetry and princely-squad epic, is precisely parallelism in its various forms.
>> Learning to be readers. About the epic
Epics- songs, but special songs. They are also called epic songs, that is, songs that tell, narrate about some events united by the same characters (from the Greek - word, narration, story).
Epic stories have a plot: a depiction of events in development, characters - and action. The epic action always unfolds slowly and calmly. Often epics begin with a chant that is not directly related to the content, but sets the listener in a certain mood:
The height, the height of heaven,
Depth, depth - ocean-sea,
Wide expanse throughout the land,
Deep are the pools of the Dnieper...
After the chorus, if there is one, there is a beginning - the beginning of the story:
Either from the city of Murom,
From that village and from Karacharovo
A distant, portly, kind fellow was leaving...
Next comes the main part - a narration about the events and actions of the heroes. Singers often repeat individual words, phrases, poems and significant episodes. Thus, four times in the epic “Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber” the Nightingale’s terrible whistle is spoken of, and this attracts the listeners’ attention to formidable force robber. The epic, as a rule, is crowned with an ending, for example: “Here Ilya’s glory aches” or “That’s where the epic ended.”
The language of epics is rich, picturesque, and expressive. The epics depict powerful heroes, cruel fights, and unusual incidents. This can explain quite frequent use there's so much about them artistic technique as a hyperbole (exaggeration). Bogatyrs are distinguished by their enormous physical strength, they even eat and drink like extraordinary creatures: they drink one and a half buckets of water in one breath. The heroes fight and chop with their enemies for twelve days, “without drinking or eating,” throwing heavy clubs into the sky; their helmets weigh several pounds, their swords are such that no mere mortal could lift them. These hyperboles are a means of glorifying the hero, as well as a desire to vividly capture the characters and their actions, to reveal surprise and admiration in the listeners.
Epithets create a special epic - an epic, heroic world. Bogatyr is defined as Holy Russian, mighty, strong; Prince Vladimir - like a gentle, glorious, red sun, bright sun. The enemy is called filthy, evil, damned, unfaithful, godless. The word being defined is often used with the same epithet. Such epithets are called permanent. For example: good fellow, the field is clean, the path is straight, the head is wild, the shoulders are powerful, the legs are playful, etc.
Suffixes play a big role in how performers express their attitude towards the characters of epics. Diminutive and affectionate suffixes were awarded to favorite heroes (Ilyushenka, Dobrynyushka, Alyoshenka), derogatory and magnifying suffixes were awarded to their opponents (Idolishche, Snake, etc.).
So, epics. - these are folk heroic songs epic in nature. They are told in a chant and built according to a certain plan.
The language of epics is distinguished by artistic richness and expressiveness: repetitions, hyperboles, constant epithets, comparisons, etc.
Let's consolidate new knowledge
1. Explain why an epic is a folk heroic song of an epic nature.
2. What do a fairy tale and an epic have in common? How are they different?
3. Analyze the construction of the epics, highlight the significant parts in each epic: the beginning, the main part and the ending (if there is one).
4. Give examples of hyperboles, constant epithets, and repetitions found in epics and determine their role.
5. Find words with diminutive suffixes in epics and explain for what purpose they are used.
6. What is characteristic of the performance of epics?
Simakova L. A. Literature: Handbook for 7th grade. behind-the-scenes initial deposits from my Russian beginning. - K.: Vezha, 2007. 288 pp.: ill. - Russian language.
Submitted by readers from the website
The use of constant epithets also characteristic of epics: dark forests, blue rivers, red sun. Many of them are well known to us - we often meet them in Russian folk tales. But some epithets require additional clarification.
Meeting the expression in the epic red girl, we understand that it is not the color red that is meant, but the beauty of the girl. But open field- this is a foreign land. This was also the name for the space outside the city, village or forest. In the old days, people called the southern steppes where Russian soldiers fought with nomads. Proverbs related to this have survived to this day: “Alone in the field is not a warrior”; “Whose field is his will”; “You can’t cover the whole field with one horse”; “Do not boast while going into the field, but boast when returning from the field.”
Using hyperbole (exaggeration) - also a feature of epics. Russian heroes are extraordinary characters. They have enormous physical strength and incredible amazing abilities and opportunities. The enemies with whom the heroes fight are also endowed with incredible power: Tugarin Zmeevich, Nightingale the Robber, Idolishche Poganoe, Kalin the Tsar.
Reality and fiction in epics are closely intertwined. For example, in the epic “Sadko in the Underwater Kingdom” a description of Veliky Novgorod and the life of Novgorodians is given - this is reality. But when Sadko falls into the possession of the sea king, this is fiction.
Bogatyr epics tell about the military exploits of glorious Russian heroes: Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich, Alyosha Popovich and others. They talk about the fight against the enemies of the Russian land. Historical and everyday epics talk about heroes folk tales: Svyatogor, Sadko, Vasily Buslaev, Mikula Selyaninovich. They convey the love of the Russian people for the land and agricultural labor.
Construction of an epic, the use of constant epithets and other artistic means in it
In literature, epics are also called epic songs, that is, songs that tell about some events united by the same heroes.
Usually the epic begins with a short introduction - the beginning which indicates the time and place of epic events.
For example:
Like in the glorious city of Kyiv,
At the affectionate prince Vladimir
There was a feast - an honorable feast...
After the beginning comes the main part - narration about the feat. The action in the epic always develops slowly, until it comes climax – highest voltage in the turn of events. Denouement actions - defeat the enemy. The epic always crowns ending. Here is her example:
A special epic poetic world is created by special artistic means. One of the main features of epics is their frequent repetitions. In the epic about the feat of Ilya Muromets, for example, the description of the terrible whistle of the Nightingale the Robber is repeated four times. This makes the robber force seem more powerful, and therefore the victory of Ilya Muromets - more significant. Descriptions of ominous omens and prophetic words are also repeated.
In epics, repetitions of individual words and several lines are used. When in the description of the road along which Ilya Muromets traveled to Kyiv, we encounter the repetition of the word staked(that is, the road has become impassable, impassable), the hero’s path seems even more difficult to us:
The straight path is blocked,
The path has been blocked up, walled up...
Often repetitions create a special melodiousness, smoothness and musicality of epic speech:
Yes, by the glorious river, by Smorodina...
He takes his white hands into his white hands...
Another remarkable feature of epics is constant epithets: wild head, playful legs, white hands, sugar lips, burning tears. The field is always clean, the grass is green, the sea is blue, and the sun is red. It is interesting that in all works of oral folk art the sun is called red, even if a cloudy autumn day is mentioned. The sea is also always blue, even if a storm is depicted: the blue sea has turned black. The girl is characterized by the epithet red, and the fellow is kind. Bogatyr - Holy Russian, mighty. Mother Holy Rus', mother of the damp earth - this is how the heroes of epics affectionately call their homeland.
The enemy in epics is characterized by negative epithets: vile, evil, damned, godless. He is often called a dog, a thief.
And here are also the constant epithets that we often find in epics: honey drink, white-stone chambers, damask sword, spring goosenecks, silk bowstring, straight road, taut torn bow, slanted window, brick floor.
In epics they are also often used hyperboles – exaggerations. Hyperboles enlarge the image and help show the strength and exploits of the heroes more clearly and expressively. The strength of heroes is always extremely exaggerated. For example, Ilya Muromets easily, like a swan feather, lifts a club weighing ninety pounds and with one wave of his hand brings down entire hordes of enemies to the ground. And the heroic horse of Ilya Muromets gallops “higher than a standing tree, slightly lower than a walking cloud.” Dobrynya Nikitich plays the harp in Kyiv, and this tune is heard in Constantinople.
The hero is faced with countless hordes of enemies, whom “a gray wolf cannot outrun in three days, and a black crow cannot fly around in a day.”
And even suffixes play big role in the creation poetic world epics and determine the narrator’s attitude towards epic heroes. Diminutive suffixes are used in the names of favorite characters: Ilyushenka, Dobrynyushka, Alyoshenka. And derogatory-increasing suffixes are awarded to the names of their opponents: Idolishche, Serpent.
So bright and varied artistic means epics were created.
Epic heroes
Main characters all epics are Russian heroes. Each hero is a bright and memorable image. Each of them has their own name and their own biography.
In epic narration, the hero usually appears first as the most ordinary person. At the princely feast, among the princes, boyars and merchants, he does not stand out for his nobility, wealth, or special strength. But there always comes a time when it is discovered that the Russian hero has fantastic strength that allows him to defeat his enemies.
For example, one of the epics about Ilya of Muromets tells how Ilya changed into the dress of a beggar wanderer. Idolishche Poganoe did not recognize the hero in such a guise, he shouted, became angry, pulled out a sharp sword, threw it at the beggar. Here Ilya Muromets showed his strength - he cut off the head of the Poganous Idol.
The discrepancy between ordinary human size and the ability to wield a multi-pound club is never explained in epics. And heroic power, while there is no need for it, also does not manifest itself in any way. Both the enormous physical strength of the heroes and the wonderful weapons that are always at hand at the right moment - all this is directed towards one main goal- fulfilling his great duty of protecting the Fatherland.
All military affairs of Russian heroes are connected with Kiev. But they were born and raised in different ends Russian land. Ilya Muromets - near the city of Murom, in the village of Karacharovo, Dobrynya Nikitich - in Ryazan, Alyosha Popovich - in Rostov.
Russian heroes have their own moral code. They defend the weak, unfairly offended people. But sometimes epic heroes appear not only powerful, but also merciful, even towards their enemies. They can be gullible and simple-minded.
Let us remember the epic about Dobrynya Nikitich and the Serpent Gorynych. Defeated in the first battle, the Serpent Gorynych asks the hero for mercy and promises not to fly to Holy Rus', but he immediately breaks his promise and kidnaps Zabava Putyatichna.
Why did Dobrynya believe him? Because in Rus', violation of the treaty was considered a great shame and was severely punished. Everyone has reached this day famous proverb, which reminds: “An agreement is more valuable than money.” It never occurred to Dobrynya that the Serpent might not keep his promise. And even when the hero caught the enemy in this, he invites the Snake to give up the girl voluntarily in order to avoid bloodshed. But the Serpent refuses. The difficult battle lasted three days and three nights, and then Dobrynya finally dealt with the evil Snake.
In epics, Ilya Muromets personifies wisdom and life experience- he is the eldest heroic outpost. The main qualities of Dobrynya Nikitich are education and good manners. Alyosha Popovich is the youngest of the heroes. His most important and bright features- sharpness, cunning, intelligence.
