"A Tale of Grief-Wickedness": a brief summary. "The Tale of Grief-Evil": analysis, characterization of the main character

"The Tale of Grief-Evil" - an ancient Russian work, whose author remained unknown. This article is about this literary memo. We will review its brief content, give an analysis and analyze the image of the protagonist.

About the work

The story of finding the story is very unusual. Until 1856, no one had even heard of it. "A Tale of Grief-Wickedness," the content of which will be discussed below, was accidentally found by academician A.N. Pypin, when he studied the manuscripts of M.N. Pogodin, who collected folk legends and not only.

The work was dated 17th century. It contained many new features unusual for Old Russian literature: a hero without a name, a national verse and a language, a special relation to moral values and a person's spiritual choice.

"A Tale of Grief and Misfortune": a short summary

Begins works from a biblical story, namely, with the fall of Adam and Eve. Thus, the author inscribes his history into the world in terms of religion. Then he compares the Lord, who, angry at people, still showed them the way to salvation, with parents who, raising their children, punish them.

Here appears the main character of the "Tale" - well done. Parents teach him from the very beginning his mind. They instruct their son not to go to banquets, do not drink much, be careful of fools, avoid the temptresses, take out other people's things, do not cheat, choose friends, look at their reliability and devotion, not praise.

All the instructions and blessings of parents are reduced to following the traditional way of life. To live well, one must follow the precepts of the ancestors and not break off ties with family and traditions.

How does a young man live?

Well done in the "Tale of Grief and Misfortune" was not to follow the advice of the parents. He wants to live his mind. The author explains this desire of the hero by the fact that he was still stupid and young, did not see and did not recognize life. It is the lack of worldly experience that makes it contradict the parents.

Guided only by his will, the fellow makes new friends. With one of them he became so close that he began to call his brother. It was this "brother" who called the young man into the nearest tavern. The hero, listening to the sweet speeches of a true friend, drinks a lot and quickly gets drunk. The booze ended with the fellow falling asleep right in the tavern.

What turns gullibility?

It was not easy for a young man from the "Tale of Grief and Misfortune" the next morning. While the hero was sleeping, he was robbed. "True friends" left him only worn-out bast shoes ("bast shoes-otopochki") and rags ("gunk kabatskaya"). Deceived, he wants to go to "friends", but he is not allowed. Nobody wants to help a fellow. The hero becomes ashamed, his conscience can not allow him to return home to his parents, to his "clan and tribe."

As a result, he decides to go to distant countries. In his wanderings, he accidentally ends up in a small town. There he wandered into a courtyard in which a feast is taking place. Getting acquainted with new people, now the young man follows the "written teaching", that is, following the science of parents. This behavior was very much liked by the owners. Therefore, the hero is invited to the table and begins to entertain.

However, it was not fun to do well at the feast. And after some time he still recognizes a new acquaintance that he disobeyed his parents, and now he is ashamed to return to them. He also asks advice on how to live now and what to do on a stranger's side. Kind people recommend him to live according to the traditional laws, that is, follow the behests of the father and mother. Wisdom in the centuries-old experience of ancestors.

Life on the advice of elders

Now everything on the shoulder becomes a young man from the "Tale of Grief and Misfortune". Happiness came to him through awareness of the wisdom of his ancestors and obedience to his father and mother. Now he lives skillfully, so he quickly makes a fortune and finds a good bride for himself. The case is moving to the wedding. However, the young man spoils everything - he begins to brag about all the guests he has achieved. The author condemns this act of his hero - praiseworthy words are always "rotten".

The hero's boasting hears Grief-Wickedness and immediately decides the lime hero. Since that moment, it has consistently followed the young man everywhere. He incites him to drink all the acquired property in taverns, because of paradise only "naked, barefoot do not drive." The good man begins to listen to the Sorrow-Misfortune and goes to the tavern, where he releases all his money.

Only finally ruined, the hero recovers and begins to think about how to get rid of his obsessive companion. The first idea that comes to mind is the idea of suicide. But the young man does not get to drown in the river. The hero gets out on the beach, where he is already waiting for Grief-Wickedness. With sweet speeches it forces the young man to submit to his will.

Ending

A short summary ends. "The Tale of Grief-Misfortune", in fact, an instructive story about how the life itself punishes those who disregard the behests of elders. That's why the young man found himself in such a difficult situation.

However, fate again gives the hero the opportunity to save. And this time, good people help him. Carriers across the river listened to the story of the young man, pitied him, warmed and fed him. The same people forward him to the other shore and give him good-bye advice - go to their parents and ask for their blessings.

However, as soon as the hero remains alone, the Woe-Mischief reappears and begins its persecution. To get rid of the unwanted satellite, the fellow turns into a falcon. But Grief does not back down and becomes a courage. The hero turns into a dove, and the ego becomes a hawk; Well done - in a wolf, Grief turns into a flock of hounds; The hero becomes a feather-grass, Grief-Evil becomes a scythe; The young man turns into a fish, Grief follows him steadily with a seine.

Finally, in desperation, the fellow returns to himself a human face. But even here is Grief-Wickedness next to him. Now it inspires the hero of the thought of robbery and murder, to be condemned and drowned or hanged.

For a long time the fellow resisted, and then decided to go to the monastic vows. As soon as the hero crosses the doors of the monastery, Gore lags behind him. There is no way for him at the gate of the holy temple.

"A Tale of Grief-Misfortune": analysis and genre originality

In the 17th century, small instructive narratives were widely distributed. They still did not have clear genre features, combining only moral and moral themes. The authors of such works turned in search of a story to folk tales, ritual and lyrical songs, anecdotes. It is to this version of Old Russian literature that the "Tale of Grief-Wickedness" refers (the short content serves that proof).

For the first time these everyday stories moved away from the medieval conventions in depicting people and events. In them special attention was paid to an individual personality, signs of psychologism appeared in the depiction of heroes. The authors first introduced several conflicts, including everyday ones, used ethnographic material, paid attention to the social actions of the characters.

At the same time, folklore trends intensified. For example, in "The Story ...", in addition to the folk language, there are fabulous elements: the fellow turns to animals, trying to escape from Grief.

Folklore elements

"The Tale of Grief-Wickedness" (a brief description of this is well illustrated) is permeated with folklore images and symbols. The author constantly resorts to folk songs, uses folklore epithets and repetitions: "cheese earth", "daring valiant", etc.

However, "The Story ..." also has innovative elements for literature of the 17th century. For example, the author shows sympathy for his hero. Nevertheless, the work does not have a clear description, there is no specific indication of the place of action and geographical names, and time is not indicated. Even the hero remains anonymous.

Household paintings

"The Tale of Grief-Wickedness" abounds with the depiction of people's lives, which draws a full-fledged household background on which the actions unfold. Thus, the values of the world of "The Tale ..." become clear from the teachings of the parents of the young man, the practical wit of the merchant people, moral moral instructions of "kind people" and their everyday councils. Despite the fact that all this creates a picture of the moral values of the Russian people and their way of life, there is no hint in the text of the historical concreteness of the events described. The reader is not given any clues to understand at what time the plot unfolds.

The paintings of everyday life are supplemented by some ethnographic details, although not very numerous: the "tavern yard", the description of the "honest feast". Also referred to as garments: "cheers" (shoes), "tufa kabatskaya", "bast shoes", "expensive ports".

The surrounding world, however, is depicted using exclusively folklore elements: "a foreign country" without geographical names, "hail", "hut", "high tower", etc.

Grief-Wickedness

First of all, the instructive story "A Tale of Grief and Misfortune". Grief appeared in the work by the very force that punishes a person for unrighteous deeds, inciting him to even worse deeds. In this very image, people's understanding of grief was realized. In folklore, the fate of a person often appears in this image. That is, in essence, it contains an educational function.

In addition, even heroic traits (for example, a voice) are attributed to Gori in folk songs, which indicates the fulfillment of it and the protective function. It can be said that Gore is the protector of the human soul. So, Grief-Wickedness compels the young man to go to the monastery, abandoning the worldly life. However, in order to get rid of suffering, it is necessary to pass a certain test - not to yield to the persuasion of Grief and not start to create even worse deeds.

The image of the main character

The main character of The Tale of Grief and Misfortune is a young man with no name, which speaks of the typical character. He is not unique in his kind - there are many people like him in the people. From the narrative it becomes clear that this is a bifurcated character, inclined either to good deeds or to bad ones. However, the author himself is inclined to sympathize with his character, despite his sins.

The hero of The Tale of Grief and Evil is endowed with a rich inner world, he is at a crossroads. The reader sees his inner peace and spiritual torment. Highly depicts the desperation of a young man, when Gore brought him to hunger and poverty. However, the minor offenses of the hero, for which he carries such a serious punishment, force the reader to sympathize with him.

Thus, the genre of the everyday story, to which this work belongs, had a great influence on the development of all Russian literature, due to the abandonment of canonical traditions and the inclusion of new elements in the narrative.