People need heroes, or rather, not so much themselves as legends about them. After all, when the life of a real person is surrounded by myths, it is so easy to love and admire him. Or better yet, set an example. Such people are not humanly ideal - they are honest and selfless, and they do not die out of stupidity in a drunken fight, but only by performing a great feat, in the name of the common good. And although these are all fairy tales, they help those who believe in them to become better and work on themselves in the hope of reaching the level of their hero. Let's learn about one of the varieties of such ideals - about the heroes and knights of the Russian land. After all, although over the past centuries it is hardly possible to establish the truth about their lives, they were great people, since the memory of them has been preserved to this day.
Who are the heroes, and where did this word come from?
From time immemorial, this noun has been used to refer to warriors with superhuman abilities, usually physical strength and endurance. Most often, these valiant knights were heroes of folk medieval Slavic epics and legends. The main occupation of the heroes of the Russian land was to protect it from enemies, as well as measure strength and demonstrate prowess by performing feats.
Most linguists agree on the Turkic origin of the term “hero” (“brave”, “brave hero”). Probably, especially distinguished warriors began to be called this way with the beginning of raids on the lands of Rus' by steppe nomads. And among them, the word Bahādor meant a hereditary title, which was given to especially distinguished fighters, an analogue of the European knightly title. This noun was first mentioned in this meaning in a Chinese chronicle of the 8th century.
There are mentions of Mongolian knight-heroes in Italian chronicles of the 13th century, as well as in the famous Slavic document of the 13th-14th centuries. - Ipatiev Chronicle.
It is not known exactly when and why the Slavic knights, who specialized in protecting themselves from the steppe “heroes,” began to be called a foreign word. But already in the chronicles of the XV-XVI centuries. this term is used precisely in the sense of a Slavic hero-defender.
There is an opinion that, when faced with valiant Russians, the Mongols called them knights, that is, “heroes.” The Slavs liked this name because of its similarity with the word “God,” and they themselves began to call their own heroes this way, as if hinting at godlikeness. Moreover, some heroes of the Russian land were identified with ancient deities, for example Svyatogor. And although at the time this concept arose, Rus' had already been baptized, the process of full Christianization itself took several centuries, and Orthodoxy took root only because it had absorbed a good half of pagan rituals and beliefs.
The question of the cultural affiliation of the epic knights
Almost all legends, tales and epics about the heroes of the Russian land relate to the period of Kievan Rus, namely the time of Vladimir the Great. Because of this, disputes about the nationality of the knights do not subside. After all, they are claimed by Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians at the same time.
To understand why this happened, it is worth remembering where the Old Russian state was located. Under Prince Vladimir, it included the lands of modern Ukraine (except for its steppe part), Belarus and a small piece of Poland and the Russian Federation. Please note, according to the chronicles, during the times of Kievan Rus, the lands of Novgorod, Smolensk, Vladimir, Ryazan, Rostov and Galich were not considered Russian.
The spread of Christianity is closely intertwined with the concept of “Rus”. By the 14th century In the chronicles, the lands where Orthodoxy was widespread began to be called Russian. And all of the above cities also began to be called as such. This is evidenced by the chronicle document “List of Russian cities near and far”, which lists these great Slavic trading cities, in addition to them, there are Bulgarian and Lithuanian ones. This is what, according to historians, indicates that the concept of “Russian” was synonymous with “Orthodox” in the minds of people of that time.
In this way, this name spread to the inhabitants of other Slavic territories, which were not initially considered as such. And after the final collapse of Kievan Rus, it was Novgorod, Smolensk, Vladimir, Ryazan and Rostov that were able to strengthen their influence in this region and took responsibility for protecting it from the steppe inhabitants. They became the core on the basis of which in the future the Moscow Principality arose and strengthened, which years later turned into Russia. And its indigenous inhabitants, according to tradition, began to call themselves Russians. This name has stuck with them to this day.
This version is supported by the fact that the main occupation of the classical heroes of the Russian land, according to epics and legends, was not just the defense of borders from the Mongols and other steppe inhabitants, but also the defense of the Christian faith. This feature of them is emphasized more than once in legends.
Therefore, when talking about the heroes of the Russian land during the existence of the Kyiv state, Ukrainians and Belarusians have every right to classify them as their own culture. After all, in those centuries it was these peoples who left Rus'.
On the other hand, the popularization of most epic heroes occurred in a later era precisely through the efforts of the inhabitants of the future Russia, who not only sang the exploits of the legendary knights of Rus', but also added many of their own to their pantheon. So its people also have the right to Slavic defenders from the steppes. Moreover, it was this literature that gave the world numerous beautiful poems about the heroes of the Russian land.
Disputes about the cultural affiliation of the legendary knights between the three nations are unlikely to ever cease. But they bring some benefit. The fact is that Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians have their own views on the interpretation of the biography and the very image of the hero. The defenders of the Russian land in the epic of each nation are endowed with special features characteristic specifically of its mentality. This provides a lot of interesting material for research by historians and linguists. And who said that truth is not born in disputes?
What categories are epic heroes and knights of the Russian land divided into?
Scientists also argue about how to classify the heroes of tales and legends. The most famous are 3 theories:
- Knights are divided into older and younger generations.
- There are 3 heroic eras: pre-Tatar, Tatar and post-Tatar.
- The heroes of the Russian land are divided into those who lived in the pre-Christian and Christian periods. It is worth noting that pre-Christian knights are few in number. Their images are often close to ancient pagan deities.
While the heroes of the era after the baptism of Rus' are often more humane. Most of them accomplished their feats during the reign of Vladimir the Great. This is probably because this period was considered the most successful in the history of the Kyiv state. And although the highest point of development were the years of Yaroslav’s reign, almost all events from the life of classical Christian heroes are associated with the era of the Red Sun. Perhaps, in order to more successfully spread the new religion among the Slavs, the exploits of all the heroes they respected began to be associated with the era of its implementer. By the way, he himself was declared a saint, and yet he was a rapist and murderer, as mentioned in the chronicles.
Some historians believe that in fact there were fewer knights themselves. There were simply wandering stories about nameless heroes. In each locality, special names and biographies were invented for these nameless heroes of the Russian land in order to tie them to their own history. That is why their exploits are often similar: to woo a bride, kill a snake, fight a horde, suffer from boasting.
The image of the hero of Rus' - the image of the Russian land
The images of the heroes of Rus' also carry a deep sacred meaning.
“The heroes of the Russian Land, that is, the Living Land, are our rivers, lakes, seas and oceans. Their names were taken by Russian soldiers who stood up to defend the Fatherland. Where he was born, he was useful there,” writes Commissioner Qatar.
Let's see who the first 3 Russian heroes really are - Svyatogor, Volga Svyatoslavich and Mikula Selyaninovich. Svyatogor is truly a mountain. More precisely, the Valdai Upland, from the slope of which the great Russian rivers flow: the Volga, the Quiet Don and the Dnieper. Three epic Russian heroes are born in Valdai and bring their life-giving waters to the lands of glorious Rus'.
Volga Svyatoslavich is the Volga River, Mikula Selyaninovich is the Quiet Don and Mikhail Potyk is the Dnieper River.
Mikhailo Potyk is our Mikhail Potok, better known in the Bulgarian heroic epic and Western European fairy tales. In the epic, he is married to Avdotya Lebedi. And the swan is a sign of Jesus Christ, not the Son of God himself, but the cross of Jesus. Husband and wife make a vow that, no matter which of them dies first, the second will be buried alive in the grave next to each other. When the Swan - Jesus dies, the Stream goes underground with him. There he fights the dragon and revives the Swan with his blood. What real historical events are hidden behind this epic? Don't know. But I suppose they happened.
Pagan heroes
The most famous hero of this period is Svyatogor. He is described as a knight of gigantic proportions, who, by the way, lived outside of Rus' - in the Holy Mountains.
This character hardly had one prototype and is a composite one, and, moreover, borrowed. Tales about him usually describe 3 fragments from his life:
- Death due to boasting of one's own strength.
- Finding the predicted spouse.
- Betrayal of his wife and acquaintance with Ilya Muromets, to whom Svyatogor transferred his sword and part of his power before his death.
Svyatogor, who is identified with a certain pagan deity, exists outside of the Kyiv or Novgorod epic cycles. While Mikula Selyaninovich and Ilya Muromets are among their brightest representatives. Therefore, probably, the legends about their meetings with Svyatogor are later (especially judging by the names) and were invented in order to show the continuity of these characters.
The bogatyr-plowman Mikula Selyaninovich also belongs to the pagan heroes from the Novgorod cycle. Judging by the structure of the name, to which a nickname was added, indicating its origin, this is an image later than Svyatogor.
All legends about Mikul emphasize his connection with the land and labor on it. She was the source of his strength. Subsequently, this plot element was borrowed from epics about other heroes.
It is noteworthy that there is no information about Mikula’s wife, but we know about two glorious daughters.
By the way, with the advent of Christianity, the character of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, as well as the holidays associated with him, were “borrowed” from Mikula.
The third cult superhero, that is, the legendary hero of the pagan era, is Volga Svyatoslavich (Volkh Vseslavyevich).
He was not only strong, but also knew how to understand the language of animals, birds and fish, and also transform into some of them.
It is believed that he was the son of Princess Marfa Vseslavyevna and the snake. Hence the werewolf abilities. If Svyatogor is considered a deity, then Volga is a demigod. In epics he is spoken of as a hero of noble birth, leading a squad by right of birth. At the same time, he takes the commoner Mikula Selyaninovich as his assistant for his valor and courage.
As for the nobility of the soul, Volga is hardly worth holding up as an example. The story of meeting Mikula describes the hero as a mediocre ruler who stifles the people with taxes.
The epics about Svyatoslavich's campaign against the Indian kingdom describe the hero not as a valiant warrior, but as a cunning and far-sighted commander who, turning into various animals, successfully led his soldiers through all difficulties and led to victory. On the conquered land, he raped the wife of the defeated ruler and, taking her as his wife, reigned there. He gave local girls to be torn to pieces by his own soldiers. So Volga is more of an anti-hero, especially in comparison with the noble plowman Mikula.
Some identify this character with the Prophetic Oleg. There are also those who compare him with Prince Vladimir. Agree, their destinies have a lot in common. In addition to the same patronymic, in Vladimir’s life there was an episode with the rape of the daughter of the Polotsk prince, who became the mother of Yaroslav the Wise. True, the mother of the future baptist of Rus' was a slave, and not a princess, like Volga’s.
In the mighty family of ancient Russian epic heroes, there are two, all of whose exploits are directly related to the land, the eternal breadwinner of the plowman’s people. This is Svyatogor, the oldest of the entire heroic squad, and Mikula Selyaninovich - the hero oratay.
Several epics have come down to us about the first of them, each of which presents him as a representative of a monstrously powerful elemental force that has no direct application, seeking and not finding it in everything around him - neither among nature, nor among the creatures inhabiting it. He is a martyr of his own strength. It is a heavy burden for the hero to bear from her. It wanders through the veins of the mighty strongman, burns with fire, heats up the seething blood with a hot flame, asks for freedom; and there is no way for her - irrepressible - to leave the heroic body. She is imprisoned in it - in a stuffy dungeon, behind seven oak doors, behind seven iron bolts...
And Svyatogor the hero would like to release his Polonyanka freely, but he cannot; and he wants to give her work, but there is nothing to do: there is no one for the eldest of the Russian heroes to compare his strength with. All heroes are brothers-in-arms, all serve their homeland with faith and truth; He alone has nothing to please the Russian Land! It is hard for the mighty, bitter resentment takes him by the heart. And the strength - everything comes day by day, everyone can grow stronger - no matter how much an hour has passed in this world... And not only Svyatogor feels unbearable from his own strength, heavy from Svyatogorova and Mother Raw Earth herself. “Is it by me and by my heroic strength that if I could find a power, I would lift the whole earth!” - said the hero, boasting.
The boast spread with a winged word all over Holy Rus' - from sea to sea... Svyatogor rode on a seasoned horse, he was not going for a ride on a heroic ride, he was not equipped for a military battle with a dashing enemy: he rode out to seek an earthly power.
“Svyatogor the hero rides at a pace, taller than a standing tree, rests his head on the sky, rides - he himself dozes while sitting...” Mother Cheese the Earth trembles under the hooves of the heroic seasoned horse; He is on his way to high stone mountains, to gorges and crevices - the road there is surer and more reliable!.. And the weight of his strength is getting worse and worse: a good horse is snoring under the hero, and just look - he will fall to the ground dead... How long or how short did Svyatogor ride, The hero reached an unprecedented mountain: a steep mountain - like a wall, all around - a bottomless drop...
The elder looked around at the Russian heroes and saw: a small saddle bag had been thrown on the mountain in front of him. “Isn’t it where the power of the earth lies?” - the heroic heart laughs. Svyatogor grinned into his thick beard, like a dense forest, got off his horse, dismounted, bowed to Mother Raw Earth, and wanted to pick up his bag. It’s a wondrous miracle, a wondrous miracle: the hero cannot lift a small saddle bag. No matter how hard he fought, he could not tear off the small bag - and it was heavy for the hero from his power! Fate laughed at his bold boast... And Svyatogorov’s strength dispersed from that stone mountain throughout the entire Orthodox land; and it wanders under every inch of the earth right up to the present day, appearing in the white light of God for a short time in the elemental power of the people, giving birth to people of heroic powerful spirit.
Another epic sends Svyatogor to look for the same earthly urge - in a clear field, in the wide steppe... And the hero sees a passerby in front of him with a small saddle bag... “He rides at a trot, the passerby still walks ahead; At full speed he cannot catch up with the passerby.” Svyatogor calls out to him in a heroic, loud voice... A passer-by stopped - “he threw his handbag off his shoulders to the ground...” The mighty one rides towards him, “runs over this handbag, probes the handbag with his whip - like a grown-up one, that handbag will not be touched”... “I touched it with my finger from the horse, he pulled from the horse with his hand, “that bag won’t fold, it won’t budge...” The hero got off his horse, grabbed the bag with both hands, strained with all his heroic strength, and with the strain blood started pouring out of his eyes. “And he only lifted the bag by a hair, and was knee-deep in the damp earth!” The passerby was not an ordinary traveler, but a hero oratai Mikula Selyaninovich; and in his bag the plowman was carrying earthly cravings... The sedentary power of the heroic farmer turned out to be much more powerful than the nomadic one - Svyatogorova, although it did not burden either Mikula himself or his Mother Raw Earth...
It is not for nothing that the Russian people, from time immemorial, have been known as plowmen; the most powerful of the heroes created by their centuries-old legends is Oratai Mikula Selyaninovich: willy-nilly, even Svyatogor himself is inferior to him in strength. The representative of the nurse, faithful to the people of the land, may not have known the proverb - “Hold on to the earth, the grass will deceive you!”, but he justifies it with all his peasant exploits. Mikula labors in an open field, his little salty horse - you know, he urges, he rolls a furrow from one end to the other, he turns out the roots with a plow - he is a peasant, preparing, with God's help, a plowed, sown field for a new generation of people who are farmers, placing all their hopes and aspirations on watered by the sweat of labor. land.
In the powerful and simple hero Oratai, people's Rus' embodied itself. The poetry of peasant labor, which has been feeding the population of a vast country since time immemorial, is all evident in the epic about Mikul Selyaninovich. With his head uncovered, his collar unbuttoned - with his soul wide open, in homemade bast shoes, this mighty son of a mighty people is visible in the midst of the boundless expanse of people, running away into the boundless distance, captivating their gaze...
The wind, walking freely across a wide field, swoops down on him, ruffles the thick strands of the good fellow’s light brown curls, and blows a chill around his open, powerful chest, bursting with heat. If a formidable storm itself comes, it will not only not knock down the hero Mikula from his strong legs, but will not even shake him. Faith in his eternal, in his holy calling is in his heart: strength, indestructible strength is in the muscular iron hands of the plowman. Mikula has neither a damask sword, nor Selyaninovich’s rapid-fire bow, nor a sharp Murzamet spear: he is strong in himself and his peasant plow...
“And the plowman has a maple bipod, the coulters in that bipod are damask, the silken beetles are overflowing, and the mare in the bipod is a nightingale...” These are the words the epic lovingly speaks about him, telling about his meeting with the wisest of the heroes - Volga the light of Svyatoslavich, who went with a good squad “ in the villages and towns for pay, from the men to choose ways out for tribute”... Volga calls Mikula to go with her as comrades. Selyaninovich went. You never know, they drove off a lot, he remembered that “it’s not okay, I left my bipod untidy in the furrow...” Volga, at Mikulina’s request, sends ten young men - “to pull the bipod out of the land, shake out the earth from the coulters, throw the bipod behind the willow bush.” . Not only these, but also ten others, but Volga’s entire squad, could not do this - it was as if the plow had grown into the ground, as if it were not the earth, but iron in Mikula’s field: “only they twirl the bipod around, but they can’t pull the bipod off the ground”...
The hero oratayushka himself had to return to the unplowed strip: “with one hand he threw the bipod behind the willow bush”... Keeping his word to him, an astonished Volga asks the plowman: “And what should I call you, man, by your name - should I call you by your patronymic?” The hero answers Svyatoslavich with all the picturesqueness characteristic of folk speech: “And I will plow the rye, put it in stacks, drag it home, drag it out at home, and brew beer, call the men; and the men will start calling out: “Hey, Mikula is the light, you are Mikulushka, the light is Mikulushka and Selyaninovich!” According to the epic where the peasant hero meets Svyatogor, he answers the same question from the latter more briefly: “I am Mikula, man, I am Selyaninovich! I am Mikula, Mother Earth of Cheese loves me!” In these words, from behind the dark distance of centuries, the bright image of the mighty orator of the Russian Land rises even more clearly.
Fragment from the book “People's Rus'”. Author - Apollon Apollonovich Corinthian
Photo and video - Andrey Polyakov, Svetlana Melnikova
The image of the epic Svyatogor is linked to this day with the Sleeping Sayan, who is about to wake up from his heroic sleep and begin to restore order on Mother Earth...
MORE ON THE TOPIC:
Mother Earth. The original magic of Russian people
Sleeping Sayan. Isn't it time to wake up? Expedition “Civilizations of the South of Siberia – 2019”
Procopius of Caesarea about the ancient Slavs
Fire Temple of Svarozhich. "Golden Expedition" by Andrey Polyakov
Unexplained artifacts. "Golden Expedition" by Andrey Polyakov
Golden Trinity
Most of the remaining epic knights belong to the Christian period.
First of all, you should pay attention to the trio from Vasnetsov’s painting. Everyone can easily say the names of the heroes of the Russian land. These are Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich.
Many epics, often contradicting each other, tell about the biography of the first. They agree only in a few aspects. So, Ilya could not walk until he was 33 years old (perhaps this date is given as an analogy with Christ), but then wandering magicians heal him and punish him to go to Vladimir’s squad, where Muromets performs most of his feats. At the same time, the hero’s relationship with the ruler himself was not the best.
It is also known that the hero was married, which did not prevent him from often having fun on the side.
According to legend, in his old age, Ilya Muromets took monastic vows at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, where he spent the last years of his life. After his death he was canonized. The declaration of Elijah as a saint contributed to the preservation of his remains to this day. Thanks to this, they were explored in the 80s. Scientists have confirmed that their owner suffered from leg paralysis in his youth, and died at the age of 40-55 due to a wound in the heart area.
Dobrynya Nikitich is the second most popular character. It is generally accepted that he existed during the same historical period as Ilya. Unlike him, he was close to Vladimir. The hero is identified with his maternal uncle.
Unlike Muromets, Nikitich is known not only for his strength, but also for his intelligence. He is well educated and even plays several musical instruments.
It is worth saying that in future centuries some features of pagan and Christian deities were attributed to the heroes of Vladimir’s era. Ilya Muromets is identified with the biblical prophet Elijah and the pagan god of thunder. Rumor equates Dobrynya with St. George the Victorious, who slayed the Serpent. This is reflected in the legends about the victory over the serpent who kidnapped the beautiful Zabava.
Unlike Ilya Muromets, this hero was a faithful husband. In later centuries, in order to link the image of Dobrynya and Alyosha Popovich, a story was spread about the latter’s attempt to marry the knight’s wife by deception.
Little is known about the last years of his life. According to legend, he died in the battle of Kalka. A mound was built at the site of his grave, which still bears the name “Dobrynin”.
The positioning of Alyosha Popovich as younger arose not because of his age or physical characteristics, but because of the later period of his appearance. Thanks to Vasnetsov’s masterpiece, as well as modern cartoons, we get the impression that these heroes of the Russian land acted together. But they lived at different times, and the difference between Dobrynya, Ilya and Alyosha Popovich is 200 years. Despite this, the image of the latter has deeply penetrated most epics about heroes. In them he often plays a completely negative role and is distinguished by boastfulness and cunning, rather than daring. In this way he is close to Volga and, perhaps, “borrowed” several stories from him.
What do we know about his life from epics? He was the son of a priest and from childhood was distinguished by his intelligence and strength, although his lameness is sometimes mentioned. Like Dobrynya, he was a good musician.
Very few independent feats are attributed to him. The most striking is the fight with Tugarin on the road to Kyiv.
As for his heartfelt preferences, in addition to trying to deceive Nikitich’s wife, there are many stories about his relationship with Zbrodovich’s sister Alena. According to one version, because Popovich disgraced the girl, her brothers cut off his head. In other versions of this story, the hero manages to avoid death.
The real prototype of Alyosha is considered to be the Rostov boyar Olesha Popovich.
Presentation: “Bogatyrs of the Russian Land”
Bogatyrs of the Russian land
Project activities
speech therapist teacher in 4th grade with
students with dyslexia
Currently, cartoons and computer games are popular, the heroes of which are Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich, Alyosha Popovich - epic heroes. But we know little about them. Let's find out now what kind of Russian heroes they were, defenders of the Motherland?
Purpose of the work: to study the images of heroes in literature, history, and art. Objectives: to consider the heroes of epics as literary and historical characters; identify historical prototypes of heroes; present the features of lifestyle, appearance, ancient weapons.
Bogatyrs are the heroes of epics (until the 19th century - staritsa, starits) - historical Russian songs created during the period of the Russian state from the 9th to the 14th centuries. They were sung to the accompaniment of gusli by folk storytellers - accordions.
In total, more than 20 heroes are mentioned in Russian epics, among them Svyatogor, Mishuta Danilovich, Stavr Godinovich, the Novgorod hero Sadko and others. But the most beloved and famous are Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich.
Epic comes from the word byl, and indeed epics are confirmed in history, but this is expressed in fairy-tale images. At different times, Rus' was besieged by many enemies: Khazars, Pechenegs, Tatar-Mongols. Their images in the popular consciousness took on the features of the Idol, the Nightingale the Robber, etc.
The heroes who fought against all this evil spirits also had historical prototypes. Ilya Muromets is recognized as the main hero. The first written mention of it dates back to the 13th century. (“Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber”, “Ilya Muromets and the Filthy Idol”). Ilya was born in the village of Karacharovo, near the city of Murom (Vladimir region) in the family of a peasant Ivan Timofeevich and Efrosinya Yakovlevna, but he began to walk only 30 years later. According to some epics, Ilya received his strength from the kalik passers-by (wandering pilgrims), according to another version - from the ancient hero Svyatogor. Ilya embodied the best traits of a Russian person. He said about himself: “My wealth is heroic strength, my business is to serve Rus', to defend it from enemies.” His exploits have always inspired people to fight for their homeland. That is why Ilya Muromets, despite the fact that he is an epic hero, is canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.
Dobrynya Nikitich is one of the main characters of Russian epics (“Dobrynya and the Serpent”, “Dobrynya’s Battle with the Danube”, “Dobrynya’s Battle with Ilya Muromets”). The prototype of Dobrynya is the uncle of Grand Duke Vladimir the Saint (10th century). Dobrynya was the educator and governor of Vladimir, a participant in the struggle for the Kiev throne, the campaign against Volga-Kama Bulgaria in 985, and the princely mayor in Novgorod. He was born in Ryazan. Father - Nikita Romanovich - a rich guest (merchant), mother - Afimya Alexandrovna, in other sources - Amelfa Timofeevna. The epics depict Dobrynya as powerful, honest, straightforward, faithful in friendship and love. He is educated, “polite, knows how to speak, how to look after himself,” negotiated with foreign kings, with passing Kaliki, with the angry Ilya Muromets. The epics about Dobrynya Nikitich arose in Kievan Rus of the 12th century and continued to develop during the Tatar yoke.
Alyosha Popovich is a hero, the hero of Russian epics (“About the battle of Alyosha Popovich with Tugarin’s snake”, “About the departure of the heroes from Rostov”). His historical prototype is Alexander Popovich, a Rostov hero of the early 13th century, a participant in the battle between Rostov-Suzdal and Novgorod troops on the Lipitsa River (1216). According to the chronicles, the hero dies in the battle on the river. Kalke. In the epics, Alyosha wins not so much by strength as by cunning.
Vivid images of heroes are reflected in paintings. The most famous is the work of V.M. Vasnetsov “Bogatyrs”, which was created from 1881 to 1898, almost two decades. The artist learned about the heroes in childhood from his father’s lips, listening to Russian fairy tales and songs; subsequently he studied epics and the history of Ancient Rus'. Any viewer can freely call all three by name, but in epics Ilya, Dobrynya and Alyosha most often act separately. However, no one doubts that in the center is Ilya Muromets, who embodies the power whose origins lie in Russian soil.
Ilya has a club hanging from his hand, which among ancient warriors was intended only for mortal combat. It was a war club, a striking or throwing weapon made of durable and heavy types of wood, later with a stone or bronze pommel. In Ancient Rus', one of the most common types of weapons was the spear - a piercing or throwing weapon, from one and a half to five meters long. It was made from a shaft - a ratovishka and an iron or damask tip, which in turn consisted of a feather (blade), a tule (a tube into which the shaft is inserted) and a neck (between the tule and the feather).
Dobrynya Nikitich, depicted in the painting, is holding a sword; this is not just a weapon, but an ancient symbol of valor and honor. In the old days, a sword made of metal was a piercing and chopping weapon with a long, up to one and a half meters, straight, double-edged blade. Judging by his clothes, his shield, decorated with stones, it is clear that he is a man of noble family. Dobrynya’s strength is probably less than that of Ilya, but he has what in the old days was called “knowledge”: spiritual clarity, nobility.
Alyosha Popovich had a bow in his hands, which was a wooden stick bent into an arc, the ends of which were tied together with a bowstring. A bow is not a heroic weapon: it is used to kill not in hand-to-hand combat, but at a distance. And Alyosha looks sideways: he will not disdain such cunning and will not miss the prey. On the right hand is the harp. Alyosha can sing songs and fight. The heroes are dressed in chain mail, shirts made of iron rings and armor, armor with metal plates and scales. Vasnetsov penetrated so deeply into the spirit of Russian epics that now it is difficult to imagine the heroes in any other way.
We can be proud that the Russian land had such heroic defenders who inspire respect and love.
Seven popular knights with unusual stories
It is not only the heroes of Vasnetsov’s painting that folk epics are alive with. They often feature other characters. Let's look at the most famous of them and find out the names of the heroes of the Russian land who became famous in later periods.
Danube Ivanovich. This knight is known not for his exploits, but for his sad love story. Together with Dobrynya, he went to the Lithuanian prince to marry his daughter to Vladimir the Great. In a foreign land, he meets her sister Nastasya, and love arises between them. The girl helps Danube escape from death by ransoming him from the executioners and releasing him to Kyiv.
During his next visit to Lithuania, the hero no longer pays attention to his savior. Taking offense, the girl changed into a man’s dress and, catching up with the Danube in the field, started a battle with him. The hero did not recognize her and, having won, almost killed her. However, old feelings prevailed, and the knight took her as his wife.
At the wedding, Danube boasted of his prowess, and his wife – of her accuracy. The newly-made husband decided to shame his wife and demanded to show her skills. Nastasya displays accuracy that would make even William Tell and Robin Hood cry in the corner with envy - she hits the thin silver ring on the head of the Danube hero three times. The disgraced husband decides to repeat her feat, but turns out to be not so good and accidentally kills his wife with an arrow. Before her death, he realizes that she was pregnant, so he also killed his child. In despair, the knight commits suicide.
Sukhman Odikhmantievich. This name, so unusual for the inhabitants of Rus', belongs to a hero who became famous for his fight against the Tatars. Perhaps he himself was a native of the steppes, but then went into the service of Prince Vladimir, who again played a bad role in this story. He ordered the knight to deliver him a white swan, either for the zoo, or this is an allegorical name for the bride.
Sukhman was unable to complete the assignment because he was seriously wounded in the battle with the Tatars. Overcoming the pain, he returned to Kyiv empty-handed, but spoke about his victories. The prince did not believe him and sent him to prison.
Dobrynya goes to foreign lands in order to find out the truth, and finds confirmation of the hero’s words. Vladimir is going to reward him, but the proud hero chooses death.
By the way, the prince’s distrust and the knight’s resentment testify in favor of the version that Sukhman was a stranger.
Another hero of the period of Vladimir the Great is Nikita (Kirill) Kozhemyaka, mentioned in The Tale of Bygone Years. According to it, this knight defeated the Pecheneg hero in a duel, and afterward popular rumor attributed to him the victory over the snake.
Perhaps the legends about him are partially borrowed from the Bible. Thus, the duel with the enemy is a clear reference to the story of David and Goliath. And victory over the serpent makes him similar to St. George the Victorious. Although, perhaps, a snake is a metaphorical description of the Pecheneg.
Duke Stepanovich. This is another hero from the time of Prince Vladimir. However, he can only be called a hero of the Russian land only reluctantly. Since he was originally from Galich, which, as we remember, did not belong to Vladimir’s Rus'. It is difficult to understand why this character is called a hero, because apart from wealth and boasting, there are no other special “feats” listed for him. According to legend, he comes to Kyiv and begins to actively criticize it and all its inhabitants. To prove that he is right, he has to take part in a marathon of bragging, in which he wins and, proud of his “achievement,” leaves the princely city.
Khoten Bludovich, a hero whose name bears an overt sexual context, became famous for his desire to get married. The epics say that, despite his strength and glory, he was very poor. Because of this, the mother of his beloved China Chasovaya (another “Slavic” name in this story) refused the noble knight. This did not stop the brave hero, who systematically dealt with all the relatives of his beloved, and at the same time destroyed the army of the local prince. In the finale, he married his charming lady, and at the same time took the wealth left behind by those killed.
However, not all heroes were associated by rumor with the period of Vladimir’s reign. After the collapse of Kievan Rus, other heroes of folk epics began to appear. For example, the defender of Ryazan is Evpatiy Kolovrat. Unlike the classical heroes, he was not a composite image, but was a real historical figure who risked giving an unequal battle to the Mongol-Tatar army in revenge for the destruction of the city. Unfortunately, he died, but his courage earned respect even from his enemies.
Also among the heroes is the monk-warrior Alexander Peresvet, who participated in the Battle of Kulikovo. Although he is positioned more as a monk and then a warrior. However, combat skills do not appear out of thin air, and, therefore, before taking monastic vows, Peresvet had its own heroic history. He, too, was canonized.
Belarusian asilki
Such epic heroes as velets or asilks stand apart from other heroes. The most common stories about them are in Belarusian folklore.
Asilkas are the name given to pre-Christian giant heroes. They not only fought with snakes and other enemies, but created rivers and mountains. It is believed that for their pride they were cursed by God and turned to stone or went into the ground alive. Mounds appeared on the site of their graves.
Some researchers include Svyatogor in this category. Other scientists correlate the Velets with the ancient Greek titans or biblical giants (children of angels who rebelled against God).
Volga Svyatoslavovich. Bogatyr magician
Supporters of the “historical school” in the study of epics believe that the prototype of the epic Volga was Prince Vseslav of Polotsk. Volga was also correlated with the Prophetic Oleg, and his campaign in India with Oleg’s campaign against Constantinople. Volga is a difficult hero; he has the ability to become a werewolf and can understand the language of animals and birds.
Women knights
At all times, the Russian land was famous for its heroes. But these were not always men. People's memory has also retained mention of several heroes, who were usually called “polenitsa”.
These women were able to withstand not only their enemies, but also seriously compete with the epic heroes, and sometimes even surpass them.
The most famous Polenitsa are the two daughters of Mikula Selyaninovich, Vasilisa and Nastasya.
The first became the wife of the Chernigov boyar Stavr Godinovich, whom she saved from prison by dressing in a man's outfit and winning a competition.
The second married Dobrynya, having previously defeated the knight in a duel.
The aforementioned wife of the Danube hero Nastasya also belongs to the Polenitsa.
Many stories about heroes are associated with Ilya Muromets. Apparently, before taking monastic vows, he loved many strong women. Polenitsa is considered to be his wife Savishna (who saved Kyiv from Tugarin), as well as his temporary lover Zlatygorka, who gave birth to his mighty son Sokolnik. Also a hero was the nameless daughter of Muromets - another accidental fruit of love, seeking revenge for her mother.
Marya Morevna stands apart from the others. She is considered one of the most popular female characters and is the prototype of Vasilisa the Wise and Marya the Princess. According to legend, this steppe warrior defeated Koshchei the Immortal. So modern feminists have some Russian heroines to look up to.
Children-heroes
The glorification of heroes and their exploits was done not only in order to preserve the memory of them, but also in order to set them as an example for others. That is why the epic knights and their exploits were embellished and magnified. This was done especially actively when it was necessary to tell children about the heroes of the Russian land. Then these characters were turned into moral ideals to be equaled.
Often the adult characters and their problems were too difficult to understand. Therefore, stories about the exploits of children were told especially for them. Such characters were called seven-year-old heroes.
Epics and tales about them were more often typical specifically for Ukrainian literature, but were also found among other peoples.
The characters could be either boys or girls, as well as twins.
One of the first stories about the youth knight concerns the period of Vladimir’s father, Prince Svyatoslav. In those days, a nameless boy got out of Kyiv, which was surrounded by the Pechenegs, and managed to bring help to his hometown.
So the tradition of setting examples of the heroes of the Russian land for preschoolers and schoolchildren has very deep roots.
Interesting facts
Worth paying attention:
- In Mikhail Lermontov’s poem “Borodino,” his hero-narrator compares the classic generation with the epic knights, not in favor of the former (“Yes, there were people in our time, Not like the current tribe: The heroes are not you!”). But if we talk about physical data, the average height of the legendary heroes-defenders of the Russian land was 160-165 cm (except for Ilya Muromets, who was a real giant at that time and was 180 cm tall), while under Mikhail Yuryevich this height was already was clearly not heroic.
- According to legends, the father of Svyatogor is considered to be a supernatural creature that kills with its gaze. Many identify him with Gogol's Viy.
- The Budenovka hat, which for a long time was part of the compulsory uniform of a Red Army soldier, looked a little like the erikhonka helmet, in which artists often depicted knights. Therefore, among the soldiers she was often called the “hero.”
Conversation in the school preparatory group “Defenders of the Russian Land”
Svetlana Dubinina
Conversation in the school preparatory group “Defenders of the Russian Land”
Conversation in the school preparatory group “ Defenders of the Russian Land ”
Goal: expanding students’ horizons about the history of their Motherland, the formation and development of the Russian army , the Russian state .
Tasks:
1. To consolidate children’s ideas about who the defenders of the Fatherland .
2. Introduce students to the history of Russian soldiers and Russian officers .
3. Develop children's speech, expand their vocabulary, develop logical thinking, attention, memory, and observation skills.
4. Promote the patriotic education of students, love for the Motherland, interest in the history of their native country, its best representatives.
Progress:
Educator:
Guys, today we again visited the Defenders of the Fatherland . People have accomplished many glorious feats, protecting their land both in ancient times and in our time. Our Fatherland is great - the Russian land , but it did not become that way right away. Many enemies ravaged Rus'. In all adversities, many people gave their lives in the name of protecting the Motherland . Who are the defenders of the Fatherland ?
( Defenders of the Fatherland are people who defended , protected the Russian land from enemies and loved it.)
Educator:
What defenders of the Fatherland do you know ?
( Russian heroes : Alyosha Popovich, Dobrynya Nikitich, Ilya Muromets. Russian princes : Dmitry Donskoy, Alexander Nevsky. Russian commanders : Alexander Suvorov, Mikhail Kutuzov, Georgy Zhukov.)
Educator: Correct. Today we will remember and learn in more detail about some of them. And our guides will help us with this.
1 child talks about Prince Dmitry Donskoy, accompanied by a display of exhibits (reproductions of paintings)
:
Moscow Prince Dmitry Donskoy - united Russian princes and gathered troops to defend the Fatherland .
It was a very long time ago. Our grandfathers and grandmothers did not exist then. And there was no city of ours. Instead, the dense forests rustled. And there were few cities in Rus'. Princes ruled the cities. The princes were not friends with each other, they abandoned each other in trouble. So the enemies came, burned Russian , robbed them, and took the inhabitants captive.
Prince Dmitry Ivanovich explained to the princes of other cities that they needed to unite in order to defeat the Tatar-Mongol army together. And the princes listened and brought their squads.
At that time, the Holy Man Sergei of Radonezh lived in Russia. He blessed Prince Dmitry and said: “God will send you victory over your enemies.”
.
Prince Dmitry led the Russian army to the banks of the Don River. The prince stopped them in a spacious field - Kulikovo. And the Russian soldiers soon saw the Tatars in front of them. There was a special rule in battles: before an important battle, a duel of heroes took place. And then Peresvet entered into a duel with the enemy warrior Chelubey. They flew at each other and struck with spears. Chelubey fell from his horse dead, and Peresvet, mortally wounded, still rode to his own. The battle has begun. The prince, dressed as a simple warrior, was the first to go against the Tatars. The Battle of Kulikovo raged from morning to evening. Many soldiers died for Holy Rus'. Finally, the Russians began to win , and the Tatar-Mongols fled. And they drove out the enemies from Russian land .
The princes gathered after the battle. The soldiers rejoiced, Prince Dmitry was glorified. And suddenly they noticed that he was not between them. They got scared, began to look for their prince and found him, wounded, far in the field and said: “Rejoice, prince, you have defeated your enemies!”
The prince was delighted and forgot about his wounds.
He jumped on his horse and began to thank the Lord God for the victory. Since then they began to call him Dmitry Donskoy, because the victory was won by the Russian army on the Don River .
The residents of Moscow greeted Prince Dmitry, now Donskoy, with joy and gratitude.
Presentation about the Russian Army
Guys, from ancient times to the present day there has been such an honorable, but difficult and
dangerous profession - defending . (Presentation)
.
Educator: The Russian Army has ground forces that operate on land,
air force - they defend the Motherland in the air , naval forces - carrying
duty in the seas and oceans. What military equipment do you know?
Tanks are self-propelled vehicles with caterpillar tracks, which allows them to pass through
any terrain: through ravines and off-road. Tanks are armed with cannons and machine guns. Inside
There are people in the tank - the crew: commander, gunner, mechanic and radio operator.
Artillery installations fire shells from cannons, and missiles fire rockets. Famous
The Katyusha rocket launcher crushed enemies during the Great Patriotic War.
Our army also has aviation - combat aircraft and helicopters. They are ready to defend
if necessary, our Fatherland from the air. The plane is controlled by a crew of pilots -
these are the first and second pilots, the navigator who plots the course of the plane in the sky, the radio operator,
maintaining contact with the airfield; a mechanic responsible for maintaining the condition of an aircraft.
Our sea spaces are protected by warships and submarines. Large
surface ships - battleships - are armed with guns, machine guns, and cruise missiles.
A cruiser is a smaller ship, and a destroyer is a patrol ship. There is a captain on the ship.
He is responsible for the entire ship. He is assisted by the captain's assistant and the navigator, who navigates the
sea course. The boatswain keeps order on the ship. The radio operator maintains contact with the ground and
other ships.
Russia also has nuclear submarines. They hit enemy ships with special
large torpedo shells. Submarines move underwater, they go into
open sea for many months.
Didactic game “Who defends the Fatherland ?”
Educator: Game “Who Defends the Fatherland ?”
Goal: fixing the names of military professions.
- Guys, look at the warriors - defenders of the Motherland and put the pictures in order, from ancient times
to the present day. (Bogatyr, warrior, cavalryman, artilleryman.)
Didactic game “Name the Defender of the Fatherland .”
Select pictures and name the professions of warriors according to the example. Example: tank - tank driver.
Artillery, cavalry, ship, aircraft, reconnaissance, parachute. .
