You do not need to be a philologist to notice that the words "bylina" and "byl" are cognate. Initially, the works of oral folklore, to which we define "epics," were called antiquities. They got their current name in the 19th century with the light hand of a scientist, collector of folklore Sakharov, according to the line from "The Words about Igor's Regiment": "Start your songs according to the past of this time, and not according to the plan of Boyan!"
Epics - come true?
Researchers of the "Words on Igor's Campaign" give the following definition of the word "bylina", which is found in the work: "past, what happened in reality." But in epics tells of heroes, alone fighting with countless regiments of adversaries. Explicit exaggeration and a fairy tale. Is it possible that a person with a university degree, collecting folklore all his life, publishing articles on archeology and ethnography, could have been so mistaken, used such an incorrect definition of epic? A confusing story that we’ll try to figure out.
What is epic?
The definition for students is very accessible, this explains: the old Russian heroic epic, whose heroes were heroes. The plot basis is a heroic event, where "ours successfully beat the damned invaders and oppressors of Russia." They are written in a special verse called epic. This is a tonic verse in which the same number of stressed syllables per line.
Epics: the definition of genre
Epics were performed by storytellers, usually accompanying themselves on a harp, singing. Epics were not recorded, and the authors who composed them are unknown. Therefore, these are epic songs related to folklore. These songs are unusual in that they lack rhyme, but there are many poetic turns (parallelisms, epithets, comparisons). The epics consist of two parts: this is the beginning (as a rule, each storyteller had his own) and the work itself, that which received the definition of "epics". Due to the fact that epics were not recorded, each storyteller brought something of their own to them, there are several versions of the song on the same plot.
Historicism
Was there a real basis in old epic songs? It was. Sakharov was not mistaken when he applied the definition of the word "bylina" to the old days. In any case, the grave of Ilya Muromets is real, located in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. There are specific references to another hero - Alyosha Popovich, who died in the battle of Kalka. The Novgorodskaya Chronicle tells how another epic character, Stavr Godinovich, robbed two Novgorodians, for which he was punished by Vladimir Monomakh. And the description of relations, life, the area where the epics take place is amazingly accurate. But still do not forget that the epics are not chronicles, and were sung from memory by many performers. After all, those who composed and sang them did not know the definition of "epic" and did not suspect that the time would come when all this would become an object for study. Therefore, one hundred percent historicism in them is not and cannot be.
The most famous epic heroes
The oldest of the epic heroes is Svyatogor. It is so large that the earth barely wears it. Legends about him were formed in the pre-Kiev period. Before his death, Svyatogor transferred his strength and weapons to Ilya Muromets.
The following three most famous heroes whom we are accustomed to see in Vasnetsov’s painting of the same name: Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich.
Muromets is the most famous of the heroes in Russian folklore, despite the fact that they told about him much later than about his companions in the Vasnetsov painting. From his name it is clear that he was born in Murom. In epics describing his life, the place of birth is mentioned: the village of Karacharovo. Tellers described him as the strongest of the three heroes, wise by experience, a gray-bearded warrior.
Dobrynya Nikitich is the most diplomatic of the three. An expert negotiator. Known as the serpent fighter. The birthplace of this epic hero was the city of Ryazan.
Alyosha Popovich is the youngest of the valiant three. Born in the family of a priest, in the city of Rostov. Heather, likes to joke, show off on the enemy. Oster on the tongue. As they say, young green. By the way, still the personality of Alyosha causes controversy among researchers of epic creativity and among historians. The fact is that there is a mention of Popovich’s death in the annals when describing the battle on the Kalka River. This was described above. But he entered the annals under the name Alexander. Now scientists are racking their brains, which is primary: a chronicle, and then epics about a young hero, or epics, and then an entry in the annals. This dispute is fundamental, because if at first there was a chronicle, then the epics were composed of a real warrior.
The influence of epics on Russian culture
Great. Invaluable. By and large, a separate article can be devoted to this subtopic.
A reflection of the epic creativity we find in the tales of A.S. Pushkin, in the poetic ballads of A. Tolstoy.
Who does not know Borodin’s second symphony, which is called “Heroic”? If we are talking about music, how can we not recall the opera "Sadko" by Rimsky-Korsakov?
The theme of epic antiquities and heroes inspired Vasnetsov, Vrubel and Bilibin.
That is, we can confidently say that epics are a deep, inexhaustible source of inspiration when creating colorful images of Russian knights, as well as in describing the ancient times of Russia.