Epic heroes: images and characteristics

The epic is nothing more than artistic literature. Its main features are events, narration, lyrical digressions and dialogues. Epic works have both prosaic and poetic form. Similar narratives can be found in folk literature. Often they are described in the works of specific authors.

Folk epic

In the minds of primitive people, there were inseparably some rudiments of art and science, morality, religion and other types of directions of social development. Only a little later they all became independent.

Part of religious, religious, domestic and labor ceremonies became verbal art, the main expression of which are the oldest legends. It was in them reflected those, sometimes fantastic, ideas that people had about themselves and the world around them.

One of the most ancient kinds of folk art is a fairy tale. This work has a magical, adventurous or domestic character, which has an inseparable connection with reality. His heroes are the heroes of oral epic creativity.

The pre-scientific ideas of people about the world have also been reflected in myths. This is a story about spirits and gods, and also about epic heroes.

Legends are pretty close to myths. They are semi-fantastic stories, about events that happened in reality. The heroes of the legends are people who really lived in those days.

About the historical events that took place in Ancient Rus, epics are told. These are heroic songs or poetic tales. In them an epic hero is, as a rule, a hero. He invariably embodies the national ideals of love for his native land and courage. We are all familiar with the epic names of the heroes of the Russian bylina. These are Alyosha Popovich and Ilya Muromets, as well as Dobrynya Nikitich. However, epic heroes are not only heroes. A man of labor is glorified in the bylinas. Among them, Mikula Selyaninovich is a warrior-plowman. There are narratives about other characters. This Svyatogor is a giant, Sadko is a merchant-gusliar and others.

Heroes of the epic

The main person in the epics, fairy tales and myths is a man. In this epic heroes personify the people. What they have to face in life is nothing else than the fate of the state and society.

Epic heroes are devoid of any kind of egoistic traits. In addition, they are internally and externally connected with the whole people's affairs.

Epic heroes are people who are not devoid of personal psychology. However, its foundation is necessarily national. This circumstance makes the participant described in the works of events the hero of the epic. And he can be not only a winner, but also a defeated, not only strong, but also powerless. But he will necessarily become an epic hero, if he is in unity with the whole people's life.

World Heritage

Every nation has its own works of a heroic epic. They reflect the customs and life of a certain nation, its view of the world around and basic values.

The most striking example of the heroic epic of the Eastern Slavs is the epic about Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the robber. Here the main character is a hero. Ilya Muromets is an epic hero, the central figure of many works of this kind. He is represented by writers in the form of 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 represents the personification of the spirit of people seeking to gain freedom and defeat foreign conquerors.

In the German heroic epic, such a work as "The Song of the Nibelungs" stands out. This is a legend about knights. The main character of this work is the powerful and brave Siegfried. From the narrative, the characteristic of the epic hero is seen. He is just, and even when he becomes a victim of betrayal and betrayal, he remains generous and noble.

The example of the French epic is "The Song of Roland." The main theme of this poem is the struggle of the people with the conquerors. The main character in this case is endowed with courage and nobility.

The English heroic epic contains a lot of ballads about Robin Hood. This is the legendary robber and defender of all the poor and poor. Ballads speak of his courage, nobility and cheerful disposition.

Ilya Muromets

The most striking feature of the epic is the heroic character of his narrative. From such works it becomes clear who is the national favorite, and for what merit.

The most vivid image of the epic hero of Ancient Rus Ilya of Murom found its reflection in the epics relating to the Kiev cycle. Their action takes place either in Kiev itself or near it. In the center of each narrative is Prince Vladimir. The main theme of these epics is the protection of Rus 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, in total there are 53 stories of Russian heroic epic. Ilya Muromets is the main character in fifteen of them. The epics include the entire biography of the Russian hero, from his birth to his death. Let's consider some of them in more detail.

Healing of Elijah of Murom

From this epic it becomes clear that her main character was the son of a peasant. He, the cripple, miraculously healed the elders. They also sent a young man to serve in Kiev, in order to defend Russia from a formidable enemy. Before leaving his native village, Ilya Muromets committed his first feat. He plowed a peasant field. And here the heroic strength of this man is already shown. After all, he easily uprooted the stumps on the field, and this work has always been one of the most difficult. There is nothing surprising in the fact that in the epic this feat was reflected one of the first. After all, the peaceful work of the peasant always served as a source of his life.

Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber

In this epic there are several main historical episodes. The first of them concerns the liberation of Chernigov, which was besieged by enemy forces. The inhabitants of the city asked Ilya Muromets to stay with them and be the voivode. However, the bogatyr refuses and goes to serve in Kiev. On the way he meets Nightingale the Robber. This negative hero is similar to a bird, a human being, and a monster. His resemblance to the nightingale is determined by the fact that he lives in a nest on a tree and knows how to whistle just like this bird. He is a robber because he attacks people. The monster can be called because of the devastating consequences of whistling.

The people who created this work, it was extremely important that the kind and noble fellow Ilya Muromets from the usual bow and only one shot defeated the Nightingale the Robber. It is also important that there is no exaggeration of human strength in this episode. At the same time, the narrator expressed his opinion about the obligatory victory of good over evil. Thanks to this feat, Ilya Muromets stood out from all the bogatyrs. He became the most important defender of his native land, the center of which is the city of Kiev.

Russian bogatyrs

These heroes of the epic work always have extraordinary strength. It is thanks to her that they become extraordinary people. But, in spite of this, in all narrations the hero is an ordinary person, and not some magical being.

In the epics these people, possessing the best qualities, resist the evil in the person of snakes, monsters, and enemies. The heroes represent the force that is always able to defend their native land, restore justice. They always stand on the side of truth. Stories about such an ideal force speak of what our people have always dreamed of.

The main features of Ilya Muromets

This hero is the most beloved hero of the Russian bylina. He is endowed with a mighty force that gives him restraint and confidence. Ilya has a sense of dignity, which he will never fail even in the face of the Grand Duke.

The people represent this hero as a defender of all orphans and widows. Ilya hates the boyars, telling them the truth in his face. However, this hero forgets the offense, when trouble over his native land. In addition, he calls on other bogatyrs to stand up for protection, but not Prince Vladimir, but the mother of the Russian land. For this he accomplishes his exploits.

Prince Vladimir

This character is also present in many bylinas about Ilya Muromets. At the same table Prince Vladimir - not at all a hero. In the epic about Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber, he does not commit any bad deeds. The narrator shows him as a man who does not have the courage. After all, the prince of Kiev was frightened of the Nightingale-Robber who was brought to the city. However, there are other epics. In them, Vladimir is unjust and does bad things to Ilya Muromets.

Mikula Selyaninovich

This hero is found in several epics. They tell us more about Wolga and Svyatogor.

Mikula Selyaninovich is an epic hero, hero and a wonderful plowman. His image is the personification of the entire Russian peasantry, which carries the "earthly craving".

According to the narrative, it is impossible to fight with this hero. After all, his whole family is loved "mother of damp earth" - one of the most enigmatic and monumental images that exist in the Russian epic.

Based on old concepts, Mikula Selyaninovich is orata. His middle name means "farmer".

Mikula Selyaninovich - 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 Rus, Saint Nicholas. Sacralization is present even in the form of a plow, a plow, and also in the act of plowing itself.

According to the epic, the main thing in the life of Mikula Selyaninovich is work. His image embodies the peasant force, for only this hero can raise "handbags sundry" with "thrust to the ground."

Wolga and Mikula Selyaninovich

This epic people created for several centuries. At the same time, it is not known whether Mikula Selyaninovich is a real person who lived in those remote times or not. But Oleg Svyatoslavovich is a prince, a cousin of Vladimir Monomakh and grandson of Yaroslav the Wise.

What is this legend about? It tells about the meeting of two heroes - a prince and a peasant. Before that, each of them was busy with their own affairs. The prince fought, and the plowman worked the field. It is interesting that in this epic oratai dressed in festive clothes. These are the rules of these works. The hero must always be beautiful. The image of Volga (Oleg Svyatoslavovich) is contrasted with the everyday work of a peasant. At the same time the work of the plowman is revered in the epic more than the military one.

And it's not accidental, because in those days any plowman could become a good warrior. However, not all the soldiers were able to cope with the heavy peasant labor. This is confirmed by an episode when the prince's squad could not even pull the bipod out of the ground. Mikula Selyaninovich yanked it out with one hand, and even shook it off from the clinging lumps. Wolga gave the plowman the first place in labor and praised him. In his words, one can feel the pride of a strong hero, who copes with a matter beyond the control of the entire squad.

The attitude of the people to the hero

Prove that Mikula is an epic hero is not difficult. After all, his image, personifying a peasant force, is imbued with great respect. This is felt in connection with the use of affectionate words, when the hero is called oratay-oratayushko.

The modesty of the hero is also welcomed by the people. After all, he talks about his affairs without any boasting.

Svyatogor

This hero is also the oldest mythological character of the Russian epic. In his image, the absolute universal force finds its embodiment. Svyatogor is the strongest man in the world. He is so heavy and huge that even the "mother of the earth" can not withstand it. That's why the hero has to ride a horse only on 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 on a horse, saw a footman. He tried to catch up with Mikula, but he could not do it.

In another epic hero the peasant asks Svyatogor to pick up the bag that fell to the ground. However, he did not cope with this task. Mikula picked up the bag with only one hand. At the same time, he told that in it is "the burden of the earth," which can only be mastered by a peaceful and hard-working plowman.