What are the stories about Russian heroes called. Russian spirit!!! great rus

Bogatyrs are the epic defenders of the Russian Land, the "superheroes" of the Russian people for many centuries. Let's remember the main ones.

THE OLDEST (DOVLADIMIROV)

Svyatogor

Megahero. But the hero of the "old world". The giant, the elder hero the size of a mountain, whom even the earth does not hold, lies on the mountain in inactivity. Epics tell about his meeting with earthly cravings and death in a magical grave. Many features of the biblical hero Samson were later transferred to Svyatogor. It is difficult to determine exactly its ancient origin. In the legends of the people, the veteran hero transfers his strength to Ilya Muromets, whose image dates back to the Gothic times of the 5th century. (Ilya Russian Tidrek-saga and others).

Mikula Selyaninovich. Bogatyr-plowman

Mikula Selyaninovich is a heroic agrarian. It is found in two epics: about Svyatogor and about Volga Svyatoslavich. Mikula is the first representative of agricultural life, a powerful peasant plowman. He is strong and hardy, but a homebody. He puts all his strength into agriculture and family. His three daughters are a model of women in Rus'.

Volga Svyatoslavovich. Magus Bogatyr

Supporters of the "historical school" in the study of epics believe that the prototype of the epic Volga was some ancient tribal leader who went on a campaign for women and cattle. He was often associated with the ancient Russian princes Oleg Veshchim (X century) and Vseslav Polotsky (XI century). Volga is a difficult hero, he has the ability to be a werewolf, he knows how to understand the language of animals and birds.

Sukhman Odikhmantievich. Insulted hero

In the epic of the Kiev cycle, Sukhman goes to get a white swan for Prince Vladimir (there is already an archaic plot that connects Sukhman with a priest who could not “bleed” his hands and injure a sacrificial animal), but on the way he comes into battle with the Tatar horde, putting Kalinov bridges on the river Continuous Sukhman defeats the Tatars, but in battle he receives wounds that he seals up with leaves. Returning to Kyiv without a white swan, he tells the prince about the battle, but the prince does not believe him and imprisons Sukhman in prison until clarification. Dobrynya goes to the Nepra and learns that Sukhman did not lie. But it's' too late. Sukhman feels shamed, peels off the leaves and bleeds. From his blood begins the Sukhman River. According to many researchers, the link to Vladimir of this hero is late.

VLADIMIROV TIME

Ilya Muromets. Holy hero

Ilya Muromets canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church, this is the main Russian hero. Nevertheless, this is the only hero who, according to an absolutely pagan tradition, knocked down golden domes from churches and sold them in a tavern. Ilya Muromets is the main character not only of Russian epics, but also, for example, German epic poems of the 13th century. In them, he is also called Ilya, he is also a hero, yearning for his homeland. Ilya Muromets is also found in the Scandinavian sagas, in them he, no less, is the blood brother of Prince Vladimir.

Nikitich. Bogatyr with connections

Dobrynya Nikitich is often associated with the chronicle Dobrynya, the uncle of Prince Vladimir (according to another version, a nephew). His name embodies the essence of "heroic kindness." Dobrynya has the nickname "young", with great physical strength "he will not hurt a fly", he is the protector of "widows and orphans, unfortunate wives." Dobrynya is also "an artist at heart: a master of singing and playing the harp."

Alesha Popovich. junior

The "youngest of the younger" heroes, and therefore his set of qualities is not so "supermanly". Vice is not even alien to him: cunning, selfishness, self-interest. That is, on the one hand, he is distinguished by courage, but on the other, he is proud, arrogant, quarrelsome, perky and rude.

Duke Stepanovich. Rich and famous

Duke Stepanovich arrives in Kyiv from conditional India, after which, according to folklorists, this case the Galicia-Volyn land is hiding, or the Baltic Pomerania arranges a boasting marathon in Kyiv, passes tests from the prince, and continues to brag. As a result, Vladimir learns that Duke is really very rich and offers him citizenship. But Duke refuses, because "if you sell Kyiv and Chernigov and buy papers for an inventory of Dyukov's wealth, then there will not be enough paper."

Dunay Ivanovich. tragic hero

According to the epics about the Danube, it was from the blood of the hero that the river of the same name began. The Danube is a tragic hero. He loses to his wife, Polanica (probably of Sarmatian origin) Nastasya (daughter of Mikula) in archery competitions, accidentally hits her when trying to win back, finds out that Nastasya was pregnant and throws her chest on her sword (or spear).

Michael Potyk. Faithful husband

Folklorists disagree on who Mihailo Potyk (or Potok) should be related to. Similarities with his image of the image are found in the Bulgarian heroic epic, and in Western European fairy tales, and even in the Mongolian epic "Geser". According to one of the epics, Potok with his wife Marya Lebedya Belaya gives a vow that whoever of them dies first, the second is buried next to the grave alive. When Avdotya dies, Potok is buried nearby in full armor and on horseback, about fighting the dragon and reviving his wife with his blood. When he himself dies, Marya is buried with him.

Hoten Bludovich. Bogatyr-groom

Bogatyr Khoten Bludovich, for the sake of a wedding with an enviable bride, Chayna Chesova, first beats her nine brothers, then a whole army hired by her future mother-in-law. As a result, the hero receives a rich dowry and appears in the epic as a hero "who married well."

OTHER.

Nikita Kozhemyaka. serpent fighter

Nikita Kozhemyaka in Russian fairy tales is one of the main snake fighter characters. Before entering the fight with the Serpent, he breaks 12 skins, thereby proving his legendary strength. Kozhemyaka not only defeats the Serpent, but also harnesses him to a plow and plows the land from Kyiv to the Black Sea. The defensive ramparts near Kiev got their name (Zmievs) precisely because of the deeds of Nikita Kozhemyaka.

Bova Royal. Popular hero

Bova Korolevich for a long time was the most popular hero among the people. Lubok tales about the "extraordinary hero" came out in hundreds of editions from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Pushkin wrote The Tale of Tsar Saltan, partly borrowing the plot and the names of the heroes of the fairy tales about the Boys Korolevich, which his nanny read to him. Moreover, he even made sketches of the poem "Bova", but death will prevent him from finishing the work. The prototype of this knight was the French knight Bovo de Anton from the famous chronicle poem Reali di Francia, written in the 14th century. In this regard, Bova is a completely unique hero - a visiting one.

Vasily Buslaev. Zealous hero

The most daring hero of the Novgorod epic cycle. His unbridled temper leads to a conflict with the Novgorodians and he is desperately rowdy, betting that he will beat all the Novgorod men on the Volkhov bridge and almost fulfills the promise - until his mother stops him. In another epic, he is already mature, goes to Jerusalem to atone for sins. But Buslaev is incorrigible - he again takes up the old and absurdly perishes, proving his youth.

Anika warrior. Bogatyr in words

Anika warrior is still called today a person who likes to show off his strength far from danger. Unusual for a Russian epic hero, the name of the hero is most likely taken from the Byzantine legend about the hero Digenis, who is mentioned there with the constant epithet anikitos. Anika the warrior in verse boasts of strength and offends the weak, he is shamed for this by death itself, Anika challenges her and dies.

People need heroes, more precisely, not so much themselves as legends about them. After all, when the life of a real person is overgrown with myths, it is so easy to love and admire him. And even better - set an example. Such people are not humanly ideal - they are honest and disinterested, and they do not die out of stupidity in a drunken fight, but only by accomplishing a great feat, in the name of the common good. And although all these are 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. Indeed, 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 called warriors with superhuman abilities, as a rule, physical strength and endurance. Most often, these valiant knights were the 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 "bogatyr" ("brave", "brave hero"). Probably, especially distinguished warriors began to be called that with the beginning of raids on the lands of Rus' by the steppe nomads. And among them, the word Bahādor meant a hereditary title, which went to especially distinguished fighters, an analogue of the European knightly title. In this sense, this noun was first mentioned in the Chinese chronicle of the 8th century.

There are also mentions of the Mongol knights-bogatyrs in the 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 Slavic knights began to be called a foreign word, who just specialized in protection from the steppe "heroes". But already in the annals of the XV-XVI centuries. this term is used precisely in the meaning of the Slavic hero-defender.

There is an opinion that, faced with the valiant Russians, the Mongols called them knights, that is, "heroes". The Slavs liked this name because of the similarity with the word "God", and they themselves began to call their own heroes that way, as if hinting at godlikeness. Moreover, some heroes of the Russian land were identified with ancient deities, such as Svyatogor. And although at the time of the emergence of this concept, Rus' had already been baptized, the process of full-fledged Christianization itself took several centuries, and Orthodoxy took root only because it 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 times of Vladimir the Great. Because of this, disputes about the nationality of the knights do not subside. After all, they are simultaneously claimed by Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians.

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. Pay attention, according to the chronicles, during the time of Kievan Rus, the lands of Novgorod, Smolensk, Vladimir, Ryazan, Rostov and Galich were not considered Russian.

The spread of Christianity is tightly intertwined with the concept of "Rus". By the XIV century. in the annals, it was precisely the lands where Orthodoxy was spread that began to be called Russian. And all of the above cities also began to be referred to 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, according to historians, indicates that the concept of "Russian" was a synonym for "Orthodox" in the minds of the people of that time.

In this way, this name spread to the inhabitants of other Slavic territories, which were not originally considered as such. And after the final collapse of Kievan Rus, it was Novgorod, Smolensk, Vladimir, Ryazan and Rostov who were able to increase their influence in this region and took responsibility for protecting it from the steppes. They became the core on the basis of which the Moscow principality arose and strengthened in the future, which turned into Russia years later. And its indigenous inhabitants, according to tradition, began to call themselves Russians. This name 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 the borders from the Mongols and other steppe dwellers, but also the defense of the Christian faith. This feature of theirs is repeatedly emphasized in legends.

Therefore, when talking about the heroes of the Russian land during the existence of the Kyiv state, the Ukrainians and Belarusians have every right to classify them as part of their own culture. Indeed, 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 her people also have rights 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 peoples are unlikely to ever stop. But they do provide some benefit. The fact is that Belarusians, Russians and Ukrainians have their own view 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 that are characteristic 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 the epic heroes and knights of the Russian land

Scientists also argue about how to classify the heroes of legends and legends. The most famous 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 the ancient pagan deities.

While the heroes of the era after the baptism of Rus' are often more humane. Most of them accomplished their exploits during the reign of Vladimir the Great. This is probably because this period was considered the most successful in the history of the Kievan state. And although the years of the reign of Yaroslav were the highest point of development, 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 respected by them began to be associated with the era of its implementer. By the way, he himself was declared a saint, but meanwhile he was a rapist and murderer, as mentioned in the annals.

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.

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 Rus' - in the Holy Mountains.

This character is unlikely to have had one prototype and is prefabricated, and besides, borrowed. Legends about him describe, as a rule, 3 fragments from life:

• Death due to boasting of one's own strength.
• Finding the predicted spouse.
• The betrayal of his wife and acquaintance with Ilya Muromets, to whom Svyatogor before his death gave his sword and part of his strength.

Svyatogor, who is identified with some pagan deity, exists outside the Kyiv or Novgorod epic cycles. While Mikula Selyaninovich and Ilya Muromets are one of 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 hero-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 the origin, this image is 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 by epics about other heroes.

It is noteworthy that there is no information about Mikula's wife, but two glorious daughters are known.

By the way, when Christianity appeared, the character of 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 Vseslavievich).

He was not only strong, but also able to understand the language of animals, birds and fish, and also turn into some of them.

It is believed that he was the son of Princess Marfa Vseslavievna and a 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 birthright. 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, then Volga is hardly worth setting as an example. The story of meeting Mikula describes the bogatyr as a mediocre ruler, strangling the people with taxes.

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 different 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 his soldiers to be torn to pieces. So Volga is more of an anti-hero, especially in comparison with the noble plowman Mikula.

Some identify this character with Prophetic Oleg. There are those who compare him with Prince Vladimir. Agree, there is a lot in common between their destinies. In addition to the same patronymic, in the life of Vladimir 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.

golden trinity

Most of the other 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 what the names of the heroes of the Russian land were. 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 the age of 33 (perhaps this date is given as an analogy with Christ), but then the wandering magicians heal him and punish him to go to Vladimir's squad, where Muromets accomplishes most of the feats. At the same time, the hero’s attitude towards 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 was tonsured in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where he spent the last years of his life. After his death, he was canonized. The announcement of Elijah as a saint contributed to the preservation of his remains to our times. Thanks to this, in the 80s they were investigated. Scientists have confirmed that their owner suffered from paralysis of the legs 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 in 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 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 the era of Vladimir. Ilya Muromets is identified with the biblical prophet Elijah and the pagan god of thunder. Rumor equates Dobrynya with George the Victorious, who slew the Serpent. This is reflected in the legends about the victory over the snake that 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 deceive him into marrying the knight's wife.

Little is known about the last years of his life. According to legend, he died in the battle of Kalka. On the site of his grave, a mound was poured, which still bears the name "Dobrynin".

The positioning of Alyosha Popovich as the youngest arose not because of age or physical data, 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 penetrated tightly into most epics about heroes. In them, he often plays a completely negative role and is distinguished by boasting and cunning, and not daring. In this he is close to Volga and, perhaps, "borrowed" several plots from him.

What do we know about his life from epics? He was the son of a priest and from childhood he was distinguished by 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 battle with Tugarin on the way to Kyiv.

As for his heartfelt preferences, in addition to trying to deceive him into marrying Nikitich's wife, there are many stories about his relationship with his sister Alena Zbrodovich. According to one version, due to the fact that Popovich disgraced the girl, her brothers cut off his head. In other versions of this story, the hero manages to avoid death.

The Rostov boyar Olesha Popovich is considered the real prototype of Alyosha.

Seven popular heroes with unusual stories

Folk epics are alive not only with the heroes of Vasnetsov's painting. They often feature other characters as well. 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.

Dunay Ivanovich. This knight is known not for exploits, but for a 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 the Danube escape from death by ransoming him from the executioners and letting him go to Kyiv.

During the next visit to Lithuania, the hero no longer pays attention to his savior. Offended, 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, past feelings prevailed, and the knight took her as his wife.

At the wedding, Danube boasted of his prowess, and his wife - of accuracy. The newly-made husband decided to shame his wife and demanded to show his skill. Nastasya shows accuracy, from which even William Tell and Robin Hood would cry in the corner with envy - she hits a 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. Such an unusual name for the inhabitants of Rus' belongs to the hero, who became famous for fighting the Tatars. Perhaps he himself was from the steppes, but then he went to the service of Prince Vladimir, who again played a bad role in this story. He ordered the knight to deliver a white swan to him, either for the zoo, or this is an allegorical name for the bride.

Sukhman could not fulfill the order because he was badly wounded in 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 words of the hero. Vladimir is going to reward him, but the proud hero chooses death.

By the way, the distrust of the prince and the resentment of the knight testify in favor of the version that Sukhman was a stranger.

Another hero of the period of Vladimir the Great is Nikita (Cyril) Kozhemyak, mentioned in The Tale of Bygone Years. According to her, this knight defeated the Pecheneg hero in a duel, and after the popular rumor attributed to him the victory over the serpent.

Perhaps the legends about him are partially borrowed from the Bible. So, the duel with the enemy is a clear reference to the story of David and Goliath. And the victory over the serpent makes him similar to George the Victorious. Although, maybe the snake is a metaphorical description of the Pecheneg.

Duke Stepanovich. This is another hero of the time of Prince Vladimir. However, he can be called a hero of the Russian land only reluctantly. Since he was originally from Galich, which, as we remember, did not belong to the Rus' of Vladimir. It is difficult to understand why this character is called a hero, because apart from wealth and bragging, there are no other special "feats" behind him. According to legend, he comes to Kyiv and begins to actively criticize it and all its inhabitants. To prove his case, he has to participate in a boasting marathon, in which he wins, and proud of his "achievement", leaves the princely city.

Khoten Bludovich - the hero, whose name bears an undisguised sexual context, became famous for his desire to marry. Epics tell that, despite his strength and glory, he was very poor. Because of this, the mother of his beloved China Sentry (another "Slavic" name in this story) refused the noble knight. This did not stop the brave hero, who systematically finished off all the relatives of his beloved, and at the same time laid down the army of the local prince. In the finale, he combined the bonds of marriage with his charmer, and at the same time took away the wealth left after the dead.

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 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 retaliation for the destruction of the city. Unfortunately, he died, but his courage earned respect even from his enemies.

The warrior monk Alexander Peresvet, who participated in the Battle of Kulikovo, also belongs to the heroes. Although he is more positioned as a monk, and then a warrior. However, combat skills do not arise out of thin air, and, therefore, before taking the tonsure, Peresvet had its heroic history. He, too, was numbered among the saints.

Belarusian asilki

Standing apart from other heroes are such epic heroes as velets or asilki. The most common stories about them are in Belarusian folklore.

Asilks are called pre-Christian giant heroes. They not only fought snakes and other enemies, but created rivers and mountains. It is believed that for pride they were cursed by God and turned to stone or left alive in the ground. Mounds arose on the site of their graves.

Some researchers attribute Svyatogor to this category. Other scholars correlate velets with ancient Greek titans or biblical giants (children of angels who rebelled against God).

Women-knights

At all times, the Russian land was glorious for heroes. But they were not always men. The people's memory has preserved the mention of several heroes, who were usually called "logs".

These women were able to resist not only enemies, but also seriously compete with the epic heroes, and sometimes even surpass them.

The most famous raspberries 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 men's clothes and winning the competition.

The second went for Dobrynya, having previously defeated the knight in a duel.

The aforementioned wife of the Danube hero Nastasya also belongs to the logs.

Many stories about heroes are associated with Ilya Muromets. Apparently, before taking the tonsure, he loved a lot of strong women. His wife Savishna (she saved Kyiv from Tugarin), as well as her temporary beloved Zlatygorka, who gave birth to his mighty son Sokolnik, is considered a woodpile. Also, the nameless daughter of Muromets was a hero - another random fruit of love, seeking to avenge her mother.

Marya Morevna stands apart from the others. She is considered one of the most popular female characters and is the prototype for Vasilisa the Wise and Princess Marya. According to legend, this steppe warrior defeated Koshchei the Immortal. So modern feminists have someone to look up to from domestic heroines.

Children-heroes

The chanting of heroes and their deeds 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 multiplied. 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 that you need to be equal to.

Often adult characters with 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 legends about them were more often characters for Ukrainian literature, but they were also found among other peoples.

Heroes could be both boys and girls, as well as twins.

One of the first stories about the boy-knight concerns the period of Vladimir's father, Prince Svyatoslav. In those days, a nameless boy got out of Kyiv, surrounded by the Pechenegs, and managed to bring help to his native city.

So the tradition to set as an example the heroes of the Russian land for preschoolers and schoolchildren has very deep roots.

Interesting facts

Worth noting:

• In Mikhail Lermontov's poem "Borodino", his hero-narrator compares the generation of the classic with the epic knights, not in favor of the first ("Yes, there were people in our time, Not like the current tribe: Heroes - not you!"). But if we talk about physical data, then 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 Yurievich, such growth was clearly not heroic.
• According to legend, the father of Svyatogor is considered to be a certain supernatural creature that kills with a glance. Many identify him with Gogol's Viy.
• The Budyonovka hat, which for a long time was part of the mandatory uniform of a Red Army fighter, outwardly looked a bit like a erihonka helmet, in which artists often depicted knights. Therefore, among the soldiers, she was often called the "hero".

Pupil 4 - B class MBOU Lyceum No. 3 Mityanov Dmitry

Goal of the work- to find out who the heroes are and whether there are heroes in modern life now.

Methods and techniques:

• Collection of information from books, magazines, online articles, films
• Observation
• Analysis
• Comparison
• Generalization
• Questionnaire

Main results

• The topic of our research is very important for any generation, because we must know our past, the great deeds of our people, our heroes. They are an example of courage and valor, the pride of our land and bring up the Russian spirit in us.
• Modern heroes are not completely like heroes, but they have absorbed part of their strength. They are also strong in spirit, stand guard over peace and life, show the power and strength of our Motherland.
• If you combine the qualities of athletes, military leaders and people's volunteers together, then, just, you get the image of a real hero.
• In our time, Russia needs heroes (the environment is dying, culture is dying, the real values ​​​​of life are being lost).

Download:

Preview:

Regional competition of research works

"Start in Science"

MBOU lyceum №3

Russian bogatyrs:

Who are they?

Completed:

Student 4 "b" class

Mityanov Dmitry

Supervisor:

Mokrova O.V. primary school teacher

Consultant:

Mityanova A. A.

Kulebaki

2013

1. Introduction. Why I chose this topic……………………………………....3

2. Main part…………………………………………………………………..4

2.1 Where did the word "hero" come from? …………………………………4

2.2. Epic heroes………………………………………………………..5

2.3. Epic heroes in Russian culture…………………………………10

2.4. Modern heroes………………………………………………………12

2.5. Questioning…………………………………………………………….15

3. Our conclusions………………………………………………………………..19

4. Materials used…………………………………………….......20

5. Application……………………………………………………………………21

5. 1. Works………………………………………………………………...21

5. 2. Drawings……………………………………………….…………………..23

Glory to the Russian side!

Glory to Russian antiquity!

And about this old

I'll start telling

So that people can know

About the affairs of the native land.

1. Introduction. Why I chose this topic.

I really like to explore the world around me. I made many discoveries for myself from books that I love to read.

Once my mother gave me a book with epics about ancient Russian heroes for the holiday of the Defender of the Fatherland (February 23), and it was as if I opened the door of time and saw the ancient times of our people. Powerful images of Russian heroes and their great feats in the fight against evil, protecting our native land, appeared before my eyes. I admire their courage, prowess, strength, will, but most importantly, their ardent love for the Motherland.

Russian epics are a kind of encyclopedia of folk life, a source of ardent patriotism and our national pride. No wonder they inspired the great Russian poets, writers, composers and artists. The great feats of Russian heroes, their selfless love for the Motherland and me inspired my research. I wanted to know:Why are they called heroes? get to know them better, and also find out if there are heroes now and who are they?

That's why the purpose of my research is to find out who the epic heroes are and whether there are heroes in modern life now.

The object of the study are Russian heroes.

Hypotheses:

• Let's say that heroes are defenders from enemies, warriors with great strength.
• It is possible that the heroes lived a very long time and now they are gone.
• But what if the hero is an example of the great spirit of a Russian person.

Tasks:

Find out who the heroes are and conduct a survey among children and adults;

Get acquainted with literature and works of art about Russian heroes;

Get to know the "great" people of our time;

Compare the qualities of epic and modern heroes; draw conclusions.

Research methods:reading books, survey, analysis, comparison. Generalization.

My mother and my teacher helped me with the research.

2. The main part.

2. 1. Where did the word "hero" come from?

Now the word "hero" can often be heard: "heroic health", "heroic strength", "heroic dream" we say, "hero" we call every strong and healthy person, athlete, commander, war veteran.

But even 150-200 years ago, every Russian, saying "hero", compared someone with the epic defenders of his native land.

What does this word "hero" mean and where did it come from in our language? At first, the opinions of scientists were of three types:

1. Some believed that the word "hero" was borrowed from the Tatar and Turkic languages, where it appears in various forms: bagadur, batur, batyr, bator. It is assumed that the word has a historical meaning, that its original form of the word was "bogatyr" and that it was originally used in the meaning of "Tatar governor" and the title, as the current "master".

2. Other scientists, Shchepkin and Buslaev, deduced "bogatyr" from the word "God" through "rich".

3. O. Miller and others believed that the word "hero" is Russian and goes back to ancient Slavic history (the Proto-Aryan beginning and the Sanskrit language). The opinion proceeded from the position that the word "bagadur" is not a Tatar one, but is borrowed from the Sanskrit baghadhara (possessing happiness, successful).

At present, after new archaeological discoveries, discoveries of hidden historical facts and historical research, it seems that a revolution in history is planned, since the information is very contradictory to that in textbooks and the accepted history of Russia. And discussions on the origin of the word "hero" resumed.

The philologist V. Kozhinov and the historian L. Prozorov are against borrowing from the Tatar language in favor of Slavic origin. They argue that the word "bogatyr", much closer to the epic form, appeared in the inscriptions of the Bulgarians - "bogotur" (some of these bogoturs have quite Slavic names - Slavna, for example).

Our opinion about the word "hero" is also in support of the Slavic origin. It did not come from anywhere, but was always primordially Russian. This opinion is based on the ancient Slavic culture of our people in the period before the Baptism of Rus'. This is confirmed by many scientists and historians that Russia has a great past and is much older than previously described.

2.2. Epic heroes.

The theme of heroes takes us more and more into the ancient culture and history of our people. It was very interesting to read about the world outlook of our ancestors. It turns out that they were not savages, as they are described, for example, in our book "The History of Russia for Children and Adults." We learned that our ancestors were wise with a great culture and cared about the spiritual future of the people from childhood. This is reflected in sayings, proverbs, fables, tales, epics.

Epics are also the ancient wisdom of our people only for the older generation. The bylina came from the word "truth", and it is from the ancient Slavic verb - "to be", that is, what was and happened. Epics were composed by storytellers - the keepers of Russian antiquity, the bearers of the historical memory of the people. They went from village to village and spoke in a singsong voice (like a song) about the great events of our country, about the heroic heroes, their exploits, about how they overcame evil enemies, defended their land, showed their courage, courage, ingenuity, kindness .

In our study, we tried to include ancient figurative thinking and get to know the epic heroes better.

We learned that, according to legends and ancient epics, there first existedgiants-bogatyrs.Let's get acquainted with some of them.

Hero-element

Epics about the heroes-elements, in our opinion, sing of the majesty and spirituality of nature and bring us through the centuries the wisdom of the unity and interconnection of everything in the world. The epic heroes-elements are not people, but they fully correspond to the original image of the hero. The power of natural elements is superior to human, powerful and of divine origin (creative and destructive). She is generous with natural gifts and patronizes everything: animals, vegetation, humans. We assume that therefore the elements were represented in a heroic image.

To replace the hero-element camehero-man. According to historians, epics about the same hero were written for centuries (in different centuries) and reflect the exploits of real warriors. That is, the images of most epic heroes are collective (collected from various folk heroes and events). Let's get acquainted with some heroes from the epics "Volga and Mikula Selyaninovich", "Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin the Serpent", "Dobrynya and the Serpent", "Ilya Muromets and Svyatogor", "Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber", "Healing of Ilya Muromets", "Ilya Muromets and Kalin - Tsar”, “Ilya Muromets and Idolishche”.

Bogatyr-man

The epic hero-man also correspond to the original meaning of the word "hero". The performers of epics gave a very simple explanation to the most incredible epic episodes.: "In the old days, people were not at all the same as they are now - heroes."According to epics, heroes are endowed with superior strength from birth or upon reaching spiritual maturity. According to legend, such power was given only to spiritually mature people, because a less spiritual person can use such power to harm the environment. It seems like a fairy tale, but even my great-grandfather and great-grandmother told about such unusual people in their time. And also the heroes are spiritually strong. The strength lies in the fact that they perform feats for the benefit of all the people, not for rewards, but for the triumph of truth, justice, and freedom; protect Mother Rus' without sparing their lives under any circumstances (unequal battle and more). Bogatyrs show the best qualities - love for their native land, selfless courage and fortitude, independence of spirit, struggle for justice, truth, honor, etc.

We think that the unification of Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich is a call and aspiration of the people for unity. The strength of the people is in unity. The combination of the qualities of the three heroes suggests that for the defense of the motherland, victory, not only the strength of the onslaught is important, but also resourcefulness and the ability to resolve the issue peacefully. "Three heroes" is an image of the heroic spirit and power of the Russian people. In the old days they said:“The hands of a Slav are in work, and the mind is with the Almighty.”

2.3. Epic heroes in Russian culture.

Epics of our people inspired many creative people. Now we can get acquainted with the great heroes-heroes by visual, musical, sculptural, works of art.

Russian artists introduce us to the heroes: V. Vasnetsov "Bogatyrs", "The Knight at the Crossroads", etc.; N. Roerich "Ilya Muromets", "Morning of the Heroism of Kyiv", etc.; K. Vasiliev “Ilya Muromets liberates the prisoners”, “The Gift of Svyatogor”, etc.; I. Bilibin "Ilya Muromets And Nightingale the Robber ”, “Dobrynya Nikitich” and others.

V. Vasnetsov "Bogatyrs"

For example, for the figurative embodiment of the heroes beloved by the people, Viktor Vasnetsov managed to find such artistic solutions that made Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich, and Alyosha Popovich “alive”. The images of all three are life-truthful, deeply humane, revealed in their personal identity. A mighty, unshakable outpost stands the bogatyrs on the eternal guard of their native land, vigilantly peering into the distance and sensitively listening to everything around them. not a man, not even a bird from abroad will fly by. An irresistible force emanates from the heroes. They are full of folk beauty, they have the indomitable spirit of the people, ready at any moment to give everything for "the honor and freedom of their native land."

In each of the heroes, the artist managed to embody the best, typical features of the Russian character, Russian strength and valor. The majestic calm, coming from the consciousness of the heroes of their rightness and strength, saturates the whole picture. The horses under the mighty riders are to match the riders - powerful, fearless, they boldly and vigilantly look from the canvas. In the background of the picture is the Russian land, their homeland, which they are ready to defend.

Russian music also acquaints us with heroic images: A.P. Borodin "Bogatyrskaya", M.P. Mussorgsky "Bogatyr Gates", N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov "Sadko", A. Grechaninov opera"Nikitich" and others.

For example, Alexander Borodin in his symphony No. 2 "Bogatyrskaya" part 1 (based on Vasnetsov's painting "Bogatyrs") depicted a collection of Russian heroes.

The music of this movement is based on two themes:

The first theme is formidable, resolute, and sounds rather heavy. This is the image of heroes, heroic strength.

The second theme is soft, melodious, lyrical. Here the composer "draws" the image of native Russian nature.

Folk proverbs also acquaint us with heroic images:

1. The hero is not glorious by birth, but by a feat.
2. There is no better thing than defending your native land from enemies.
3. My wealth is a heroic strength, my business is to serve Rus', to defend from enemies.
4. In the Russian heart there is a direct honor and love for Mother Rus'.
5. The hero will die, but his name will remain.

The monument to Ilya Muromets (sculptor V.M. Klykov), which was installed in 1999 in the city park of Murom, is very famous.

It is like a formidable reminder to all foreign invaders that heroes have not yet died out on Russian soil - heroes and there is someone to protect Russia, that the heroic spirit is alive in each of us.

2.4. Modern heroes.

Are there heroes in the modern world now? To find out, we decided to meet some of the "great" people of the past centuries and our time.

Table 4

Prominent people of Russia

We tried to compare the "great" people of our Motherland with the characteristics of a hero.

Characteristics of the hero:

• Physical strength - very strong and powerful, endowed with superior strength from birth or later, when spiritually ready.
• Strength of mind - brave, noble, resolute, with a sense of justice, self-worth, has independence of mind, willpower, ingenuity, resourcefulness, loves his native land and the world around him, is ready to fight to the end even without hope of victory, to give his life for his homeland and people .
• Martial arts - may or may not be trained in martial arts. Free in decisions and from duty.
• The life's work is to protect the people and native land from a deadly threat, not out of duty or personal benefit (reward), but at the behest of the soul.

We could not find a hero in the native sense of the word among the "great" people of modern times. Warlords are more like knights. Athletes compete in competitions without a threat to the life of the country, and if suddenly there is a war, they may not go to it. Volunteers are strong in spirit, but may not exceed strength and participate in not all wars. But we do not want to say that there are no heroes. Maybe we don’t know about them, they don’t compose modern epics about them. And the meaning of the word "hero" is now, as it were, blurry.

2.5. Questionnaire

We conducted a survey of children and adults, where we wanted to know the awareness, the opinion of others: how important the topic of Russian heroes is in our time. 12 primary school children and 12 adults took part in our survey.

Poll results:

• To the question "who are the heroes?" children and adults wrote similar responses. General description: Bogatyrs are powerful people of the Russian land, brave, courageous (strong in spirit), warriors, defenders of their homeland and people.
• The most famous heroes:

Among children and adults, the most famous were Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich.

75% of children and 58% of adults would like to be like Ilya Muromets. Because he is the strongest, he always defended his native land and was our countryman.

8% of children - for Dobrynya Nikitich, because he was wise, and of adults 20% - for Alyosha Popovich, because he is strong, the youngest and most savvy.

2% of adults - on Peresvet and Oslyabya - who, after military life, thought about the high meaning of life, went into monasticism. 17% - 20% of children and adults wanted to be like themselves.

• The main qualities of a hero

Children Adults:

Physical Strength (67%) - Physical Strength (75%)

Spirit (33%) - Spirit (16%)

Fortitude marked - love for the Motherland, courage, masculinity, resourcefulness, willpower, kindness, a sense of justice and others.

Military art (9%)

Children see the hero not necessarily as a warrior, but as a person who is always very powerful and strong in spirit. Adults see the hero not only as a powerful and strong spirit, but also knowledgeable in military affairs. Mighty strength is highlighted as the main quality.

• Attracts in heroes

But both children and adults in heroes are attracted by their spiritual qualities (courage, self-confidence, nobility, helping the weak, fighting for justice, love for the Motherland and its defense).

• How did you find out about the heroes?

Children Adults:

Books (epics, tales) (67%) - books (epics, tales) (50%)

Movies and cartoons (25%) - movies and cartoons (33%)

Stories, excursions (8%) - stories, excursions (17%)

Children and adults learned about heroes mainly from books.

• Can a woman be a hero?

67% of children and 25% of adults believe that they cannot, because a woman has less strength and this is not a woman's business, a woman is the keeper of the hearth and family. And 33% of children and 67% of adults believe that they can, because female wisdom, cunning and ingenuity help a woman win.

• Are there any heroes now? Who can be named?

83% of children and 25% of adults believe that there are no real heroes anymore, because over time people have changed or do not know about them, and the heroes remained the heroes of antiquity. But 7% of children and 67% of adults believe that even now there are heroes - these are athletes, soldiers of war, commanders.

• Is it possible to become rich?

Most children and adults think they can. To do this, you need to believe in yourself, go in for sports, be fair, kind, wise, honest, train willpower, spirit, help people, be a patriot. But some children and adults believe that it will not work. Because physical and spiritual data are laid from nature (God). You can become a good person, a strong athlete, a hero, but not a hero.

• Is it honorable to be a hero in our time?

Half of the adults and some of the children believe that now it is not honorable to be a hero. Because over time, the character traits for which the heroes were respected ceased to be valued, and the aspirations of people changed towards the achievement of material values. But most children and 42% of adults think it's an honor. Because we lack such people as heroes, they believe in eternal human values, they look with hope and optimism into the future.

3. Our findings

As a result of our study, we conducted a survey among children and adults, learned their opinion about the heroes of the past and present; learned the origin of the word "hero"; got acquainted with literature and works of art about Russian heroes; got acquainted with epic heroes; get acquainted with the "great" people of our and past time; compared the qualities of epic and modern heroes.

I am sure that the topic of our research is very important for any generation, because we must know our past, the great deeds of our people, our heroes. They are an example of courage and valor, the pride of our land and bring up the Russian spirit in us.

Although modern heroes do not completely look like heroes, they have absorbed part of their strength. They are also strong in spirit, stand guard over peace and life, show the power and strength of our Motherland. And as long as we have such heroes, as long as we remember them, the heroic spirit of the Russian people is also alive.

We think that if we combine the qualities of athletes, military leaders and people's volunteers together, then we will get the image of a real hero.

In our time, Russia needs heroes (the environment is dying, culture is dying, the real values ​​​​of life are being lost).

Let's awaken the heroic spirit in each of us and fight back any enemy!

And strong, mighty heroes in glorious Rus'!

Do not jump enemies on our Earth!

Do not trample their horses on the Russian Land,

Do not overshadow our red sun!

Rus' stands for a century - it does not stagger!

And it will stand for centuries - it will not move!

4. Used materials.

1. Pictures from the site on the Internet

2. Anikin V.P. Epics. Russian folk tales. Chronicles. Moscow: Higher school, 1986.

3. Epics. Russian folk tales. M.: Children's literature, 1986.

4. Epics. Russian folk tales. Old Russian stories / Anikin V.P., Likhachev D.S., Mikhelson T.N. M.: Children's literature, 1979.

5. Rybakov B.A. Rus': Legends. Epics. Chronicles. M.: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences, 1963.

6. Selivanov V.I. Bogatyr epic of the Russian people / Epics. M.: Soviet literature, 1988. v.1. - p.5-25.

7. Wikipedia website

5. Application

5. 1. Compositions.

Composition based on the painting by V. M. Vasnetsov “Heroes” of a student of grade 4-B MBOU Lyceum No. 3 Bogatov Ilya

The painting by V. M. Vasnetsov depicts three heroes. Bogatyrs are powerful, brave. They vigilantly look into the distance, fulfill their heroic duty. The expression on their faces is serious, their eyes are formidable, they are very collected, ready to fight at any moment. The heroes are very confident in themselves and are ready to die for Rus'.

Ilya Muromets is wearing chain mail, has gray mittens on his hands, and boots to match his brown pants. He is holding a large spear. And the mighty hero himself sits on his black horse in the center of the picture.

Dobrynya Nikitich is to the right of Ilya Muromets. He is also dressed in heroic style, and holds a shield and a sword in his hands. His beard is long and well groomed.

Alyosha Popovich is the youngest of the heroes, he is without a beard and rather thin. He has a bow in his hand.

Bogatyr horses are well-groomed and beautiful. Their manes and tails flutter in the wind. The artist depicted the Christmas trees in the foreground of the picture as small, and the heroes as large, this emphasizes the power and strength of the heroes. The sky in the picture is gloomy, everything is covered with heavy gray clouds, and a strong wind that sways the grass and waves the horses' manes.

I really liked this picture. I am proud of our Motherland, its heroes - heroes who, in difficult times, defended the country and the common people.

Composition based on the painting by V. M. Vasnetsov “Heroes” by a student of grade 4-A MBOU Lyceum No. 3 Kurova Anastasia

Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov worked on the painting "Bogatyrs" for twenty years. And on April 23, 1898, it was completed and bought by Tretyakov for his gallery.

The painting depicts three heroes - Dobrynya Nikitich, Ilya Muromets and Alyosha Popovich. Ilya Muromets is powerful, wise, he is in the center on a black horse. He is the oldest of the heroes. And the horse suits him. He is dressed in chain mail. He has a spear in one hand and a club in the other. On the left, on a white horse, is a resolute, impetuous, noble hero - Dobrynya Nikitich. He is the only one of a noble family. He is dressed in chain mail, has a pointed helmet on his head, and overseas boots on his feet. The horse has an elegant harness, with three golden crescents, this is a sign of victory over the Tatars. On the right, on a bay horse, Alyosha Popovich holds a bow with arrows in his hands. Compared to his comrades, he is young and slim. On Alyosha's side is a quiver. His horse bent his head so that the rider could shoot at any moment.

Three heroes stand on a wide plain, turning into a low hill, in the middle of which we see withered grass and occasionally small Christmas trees peeping through. The sky in the picture is cloudy and disturbing, which means the danger threatening the heroes.

Vasnetsov wanted us to be proud of our heroic ancestors, to remember them, to love the land where we were born.

The picture evokes a feeling of confidence that the heroes are invincible.

5.2. Drawings.

Drawing "Ilya Muromets"4-B class student Ilya Chekhlov

https://accounts.google.com

Slides captions:

Russian heroes: who are they? Completed by: Pupil of 4 "b" class MBOU Lyceum No. 3 Mityanov Dmitry Head: Mokrova O.V. primary school teacher Consultant: Mityanova A. A.

And strong, mighty heroes in glorious Rus'! Do not jump enemies on our Earth! Do not trample their horses on the Russian Land, Do not overshadow our red sun! Rus' stands for a century - it does not stagger! And it will stand for centuries - it will not move!

The purpose of the study is to find out who the epic heroes are, whether there are heroes in modern life. Hypotheses: Let's assume that the heroes are defenders from enemies, warriors with great strength. It is possible that the heroes lived a very long time and now they are gone. But what if the hero is an example of the great spirit of a Russian person. Russian heroes: who are they?

Study plan

The study of the word "bogatyr" "Bogatyr" in those distant times when this word was born meant - the one who surpasses the exorbitant (impossible to measure) power from God and carries it in himself (spiritually strong), "rich" - not in gold and diamonds, but spiritually and bodily.

Epic heroes Gorynya (Sverni-mountain, Vertigor) Dubynya (Dubynech, Vernidub, Tear-oak) Usynya (Usynych, Usynka, Krutius) Dunai Ivanovich Svyatogor

Epic heroes Mikula Selyaninovich Alyosha Popovich Dobrynya Nikitich Ilya Muromets

Epic bogatyrs in Russian culture Painting by V Vasnetsov “Heroes” Excerpts from the essays on the painting “Heroes” by 4th grade students of MBOU Lyceum No. 3: “I am looking at the painting by V. M. Vasnetsov “Heroes”. On it we see three heroes, three heroes, whom the people sang in their epics and legends ... "(Levkin E.) "... In the center of the picture is the most important of the heroes - Ilya Muromets. Next to him are Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich…” (Sukhareva L.) “…Powerful, brave heroes. They vigilantly look into the distance, fulfilling their heroic duty. The expression on their faces is serious, their gaze is formidable ... They are ready to rush into battle at any moment ... ”(Bogatov I.)

Epic heroes in the drawings of students Drawing "Ilya Muromets" by a student of 4-B class Chekhlov Ilya Drawing "The struggle of a hero with dark forces" by a student of 4-B class Dmitry Mityanov

Epic heroes in Russian culture Monument to Ilya Muromets in the city of Murom (sculptor V.M. Klykov) Composer A.P. Borodin Symphony No. 2 "Bogatyrskaya"

Modern heroes Ivan Maksimovich Poddubny (1871-1949) professional wrestler and athlete Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov (1730-1800) great Russian commander Nikolai Gastello Alexey Meresyev Alexander Matrosov

Public opinion poll Who are the heroes? What heroes do you know? How did you find out about the heroes? What qualities and skills are endowed with heroes? What attracts in bogatyrs, why are epic bogatyrs national heroes? Which hero would you like to be like? Why? What do you think, can a woman be a hero? Why? Are there any heroes now? List who you know. Can we call heroes those who defended our Motherland in the Great Patriotic War? Why? Is it possible to become rich? How? Is it honorable to be a hero in our time? Why?

Poll results 1. Bogatyrs are powerful people of the Russian land, brave, courageous (strong in spirit), warriors, defenders of their homeland and people. 2. The most famous heroes: 3. The main qualities of a hero: Children: Adults: - physical strength (67%) - physical strength (75%) - strength of mind (33%) - strength of spirit (16%) - military art (9% ) 4 . Attracts in heroes - spiritual qualities (courage, self-confidence, nobility, help to the weak, struggle for justice, love for the Motherland and its protection).

Poll results 5 . How did you find out about the heroes? Children: Adults: - books (epics, tales) (67%) - books (epics, tales) (50%) movies and cartoons (25%) - movies and cartoons (33%) stories, excursions (8%) - stories , excursions (17%) 6. Can a woman be a hero? 67% of children and 25% of adults believe that they cannot 33% of children and 67% of adults believe that they can 7. Are there heroes now? Who can be named? 83% of children and 25% of adults believe that real heroes are already 7% of children and 67% of adults believe that there are heroes even now

9. Is it honorable in our time to be a hero? Poll results 8. Is it possible to become a hero?

My conclusions The topic of our research is very important for any generation, because we must know our past, the great deeds of our people, our heroes. They are an example of courage and valor, the pride of our land and bring up the Russian spirit in us. Modern heroes are not completely like heroes, but they have absorbed part of their strength. They are also strong in spirit, stand guard over peace and life, show the power and strength of our Motherland. In our time, Russia needs heroes (the environment is dying, culture is dying, the real values ​​​​of life are being lost).

Slavic history is rich in events, knowledge of which is passed down from generation to generation not only orally, but also in writing. In these legends, narratives and essays about the lives of some absolutely fantastic people have been preserved, but in reality, in most cases, behind each of these heroes, real people were hiding, who many centuries ago inhabited the Slavic lands and were in such high esteem among the people, what about them legends began...

The basis of ancient Russian legends is, as a rule, heroes. If we talk about the etymology of the word "hero" itself, then it is interpreted as a demigod man, or a man endowed with the power of a god. The origin of this word has long been a subject of intense debate. Versions were put forward about borrowing it from the Turkic languages, and even from Sanskrit. It is now generally accepted that the word "bogatyr" was borrowed from the Tatar language.

Russian scientists distinguish two main categories of heroes - older and younger. It is customary to classify Svyatogor, Mikula Selyaninovich, Volga Svyatoslavich, Sukhan as senior heroes. This group, according to scientists, is the personification of various natural phenomena, in most cases - formidable phenomena, hostile to the common man.

The group of junior heroes includes the famous "Vasnetsov" trinity of Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich. They are also the personification of natural phenomena, but only favorable for humans.

Traditional folk writings became the reason that the heroes of the epic were no longer just heroes, and brave warriors who opposed the invaders, but real fighters against evil spirits. Indeed, very often you can find works in which heroes have to fight against dragons, witches and other otherworldly creatures.

In addition, the heroes were assigned a big role in the life of the people, because they were a kind of psychological subtext of the invincibility of Rus', evidence that among the common people there are people who are always ready to defend their native land from any misfortune ... Let's consider the most striking among them.

Svyatogor

One of the most mysterious characters of the Slavic epic is Svyatogor. This is a real giant, which even the earth cannot hold. He is endowed with great power that even the most noble heroes do not dare to fight him.

It is noteworthy that he does not take part in any battles, does not perform any feats. Its main purpose is limited to slaying enemies with its wisdom and fantastic strength. In the image of this hero, the philosophical meaning of the ancient Slavic population about the veneration of the holy hero simply for his existence is hidden.

Mikula Selyaninovich, despite the fact that he was not mentioned among the Kyiv heroes, was nevertheless one. He was the real pride of the Slavic people, because the plowman-hero was the real embodiment of the Russian spirit, which, by its existence, claims that a simple farmer can fight real heroes.

Another no less striking image is Volkh Vseslavievich. This is a fantastic character of the epic. According to legend, he was born from a snake, so he grew up very quickly. Not even an hour and a half had passed from the moment of birth, when they put damask armor on him. He very quickly mastered magic and all kinds of sciences. He was considered a pagan priest, sorcerer and warrior.

Unlike Volkh, another famous epic hero Dunay Ivanovich is a historically reliable character. His story begins from the very moment when he enters into a duel with Dobrynya Nikitich. Separates them, according to legend, Ilya Muromets, after which fraternization occurs. Later, the Danube was looking for a bride for Prince Vladimir and, having killed the Lithuanian prince, takes away his daughter Apraksia.

Another story related to the Danube is very interesting and entertaining. He is in love with Bogatyrka Nastasya, who agrees to become the wife of only the one who can defeat her. Of course, the Danube wins over it. When the wedding takes place, after a crazy argument, he kills his betrothed by shooting from a bow at the ring that stood on Nastasya's head. Unable to bear the grief, the Danube kills himself.

Despite the fact that there are enough references to these heroes in literature, the first name that comes to mind for most people is Ilya Muromets.

Ilya Muromets

This hero had those features that were mainly attributed to mythical and fantastic heroes - miraculously obtaining great strength. He was the son of simple peasant parents, from childhood he was bedridden. This happens until the wanderers-Kaliki appear. They order the boy to bring them water, and Ilya is healed.

Moreover, he has extraordinary strength. From that very moment, the heroic life of Ilya Muromets began, and his exploits became the basis for many epics and legends. However, the most famous epic is his battle with the Nightingale the Robber. By the way, until now, scientists have not been able to come to a consensus about who Nightingale really was - either a fictional hero, or one of the soldiers of the Mongol-Tatar army, or a simple robber living in Murom and ruined the merchants who were forced to pass through the Murom forests.

Battle with Nightingale the Robber

At a certain period of time, Ilya comes to serve in Kyiv in order to save Rus' from numerous misfortunes and perform incredible and even miraculous feats.

At the same time, another hero lived with Ilya Muromets, whose name was Dobrynya Nikitich. He was born in Ryazan, but like Muromets, he was in the service in Kyiv. The heroic history of Dobrynya begins from the moment when he defeated the Serpent Gorynych. The prince instructs him to engage in a fierce battle with the Serpent, on the way the hero is overcome by small snakes, but Dobrynya manages to fulfill the prince's order and free the girls and princes from the dragon caves.

Sometimes one gets the impression that Dobrynya is a mythological hero. The story of the sorceress Marinka, who bewitched the hero, also looks a bit fantastic. However, with the help of her mother, the same witch, Dobrynya manages to defeat Marinka's spell and deal with her. But not only a large number of fantastic tales are presented in its history.

Nikitich

In Kievan Rus, he carried out more important assignments, presenting himself to readers as a brave, wise warrior, who, among other things, is also the first assistant to Ilya Muromets.

Another famous hero - Alyosha Popovich, according to legend, was from the city of Rostov. He ended up in Kyiv quite by accident. In an open field, the hero found a stone on which three roads were indicated: one led to Chernigov, the other to Murom, and the third to Kyiv. He also begins to serve at the court of Prince Vladimir.

Perhaps the most famous story associated with Popovich is the legend of his duel with Tugarin (this, according to the epic, is a fictional character, so occasionally he bears the nickname Zmeevich and appears as a monster). Tugarin is a foreign invader who can swallow a whole swan at a time, and the servants carry him on a golden stand. And Alyosha Popovich is always a young, brave and sometimes even reckless warrior.

Alesha Popovich

There is always a connection between Ilya Muromets, Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich. There is also a great similarity between them not only in characters, but also in adventures and some life events.

And in conclusion, it is necessary to say a few words about such heroes as Vasily Buslaev and Nikita Kozhemyaka. All of them were real people. Vasily Buslaev was from Novgorod. By nature, this man has always been a rebel and even a drunkard. He inherited his heroic strength from his father. However, the young man does not use it in the same way as the rest of the heroes do. On the contrary, he violates the laws of the city in every possible way, gaining a squad from the same as him (the main selection criteria are the ability to drink a bucket of wine or withstand a blow to the head with a club).

Together with the retinue, Vasily does not enter into a fight with enemies and invaders, but only gets drunk in taverns, fights. According to the legends, he died as recklessly as he lived - on the way back from Jerusalem, he hit his head on a stone, falling from his horse (and it was written on the stone that you couldn’t ride over it ...).

Unlike Vasily, Nikita Kozhemyaka was a real warrior who served the Kyiv prince Vladimir. Together with him, Kozhemyaka went to battle against the Pechenegs, fighting one on one with a strong man and defeating him. This victory was the beginning of the victory of the Russian army over the invaders. In different periods, Nikita Kozhemyaka is presented either as a simple craftsman, or as a real hero who is in the service in Kyiv.

To believe that the Slavic heroes really existed, or else to adhere to the opinion that they were exclusively fictional characters, is a personal matter for everyone. However, this is not the main thing. And the main thing is that in any case it was they who played a big role in the history of the Slavs, becoming symbols of the past.

Often these people are credited with inhuman abilities // Photo: pereformat.ru

Over time, the heroes have changed. They began to be in the service not of the people, but of the princes. The most famous such heroes were Dobrynya, Ilya and Alyosha. They were the most sung in songs. They were portrayed by famous artists such as Vasnetsov. However, his picture "Three Heroes" is historically incorrect. They all lived in different times. So Dobrynya was born in the 15th century, Alyosha - in the 13th, and Ilya - in the 12th. In addition to them, there were still a large number of strong men on Russian soil.

Great Svyatogor

Great Svyatogor // Photo: zoroastrian.ru

Mikula Selyaninovich

Mikula Selyaninovich // Photo: russkay-literatura.ru

Volkh Vseslavevich

Volkh Vseslavievich // Photo: zmajsvetovidov.blogspot.com

The prototype for the hero is a real person - Vseslav Polotsky. The people were a little afraid of him, because they considered him a sorcerer. In fact, the prince was just very cunning and took cities with his mind and extremely ruthlessly got rid of enemies.