Folklore - what is it? Main characteristics

There is not a single person in the world who does not like folk tales, songs and dances. They can find everything - spontaneity, sparkling humor, subtle sadness and daring joy. And, probably, the most important thing that attracts a modern person in them is the unique charm of antiquity and a certain nostalgic aroma of ancient antiquity. So, folklore - what is it and what are its main features?

Basic definition

Folklore refers to the collective creativity of the people, expressing its ideology and ideals, as well as serving as a full reflection of its mentality. Usually this is the verbal creation - bylinas, tales, proverbs, conspiracies, riddles. Considering the question of folklore - what it is, it is impossible not to mention the very meaning of this word. In the translation "Folk-lore" - literally "folk wisdom" or "people's knowledge". In use, the term was introduced in 1846 by the English explorer William Toms.

In our country, a great contribution to the study of this field of culture has been made by many enlightened people - M. Lomonosov, A.S. Pushkin, G. Derzhavin, N. Roerich, I.I. Shishkin and many other writers, artists, historians and scientists. After the revolution, much attention was paid to the question of what folklore - what Maxim Gorky was. It was thanks to this main proletarian writer that the main problems of Soviet folklore were developed.

Main characteristics

So, folklore - what is it and what are its signs? The main distinguishing features of folk art can be called unscripted, verbal, of course, collectivity and deep traditionalism. This, in fact, is the only area of culture to which the state and the authorities can not exert absolutely no influence. For centuries, tales, legends and legends have been passed from father to son. In addition to the literary sphere, mentality and tradition are also manifested in all other areas of folk art - in dance, music, etc.

Basic varieties and genres of folklore

The main genres of literary folk art include the epic, the riddle, the proverb and the lament. Oral tradition, dance, crafts and songs are the main varieties of folklore proper. In this case, it is worth highlighting its ritualistic views. This area of art usually has pagan roots and appears as a kind of juxtaposition of the new religion. However, this is not always the case. For example, in the years of the USSR, when any cults were banned, Christian ritual folklore proved to be very strong. In this light, national creativity can be considered a reflection of even a kind of confrontation between the common people and the authorities, and any one.

Works of folklore reflect the experience of millennia. And regardless of the stage of social development at which a particular nation stands, fairy tales and epic stories are one of the most valuable sources of knowledge of its history. Perhaps the Russian darling of fate Ivan the fool, the beautiful Vasilisa, the villain Koschey the Immortal, the Greek Prometheus and Hercules, the German Freyja, the Scandinavian trolls, etc. Are able to tell about what events occurred on earth in antiquity, much more than it may seem at first glance.