The name of Russian heroes. Little-known Russian heroes

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

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

Methods and techniques:

Collecting 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 exploits of our people, our heroes. They are an example of courage and valor, the pride of our land and nurture the Russian spirit in us.
Modern heroes are not completely similar to heroes, but they have absorbed part of their power. They are also strong in spirit, they stand guard over peace and life, they show the power and strength of our Motherland.
If you combine the qualities of athletes, military leaders and people's volunteers together, then you will get the image of a real hero.
Nowadays, Russia needs heroes (they are dying environment, culture is dying, the real values of life are being lost).

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Regional research competition

"Start in Science"

MBOU Lyceum No. 3

Russian bogatyrs:

Who are they?

Completed:

Student of 4th grade

Mityanov Dmitry

Supervisor:

Mokrova O.V. teacher primary classes

Consultant:

Mityanova A. A.

Kulebaki

2013

1. Introduction. Why did I choose this topic…………………………………………...3

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

2.1 Where did the word “hero” come to us from? …………………………………4

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

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

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

2.5. Questionnaire…………………………………………………………….15

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

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

5. Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………21

5. 1. Essays………………………………………………………………...21

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

Glory to the Russian side!

Glory to Russian antiquity!

And about this old thing

I'll start telling you

So that people can know

About business native land.

1. Introduction. Why did I choose this topic?

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

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

Russian epics are a kind of encyclopedia of people's life, a source of ardent patriotism and our national pride. No wonder they inspired 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 any heroes now and who they are?

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

The object of the study is Russian heroes.

Hypotheses:

Let us assume that heroes are defenders from enemies, warriors who have great strength.
It is possible that the heroes lived a very long time ago and are no longer there.
What if the hero is an example of the great spirit of the 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, questioning, analysis, comparison. Generalization.

My mother and my teacher helped me with the research.

2. Main part.

2. 1. Where did the word “hero” come to us from?

Nowadays the word “hero” can be heard often: “heroic health”, “heroic strength”, “heroic sleep” we say, “heroic” 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 their 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 is in various forms: bagadur, batur, batyr, bator. It is assumed that the word has a meaning of a historical nature, that its original form of the word was “hero” and that it was originally used in the meaning of “Tatar governor” and a title like the present “lord”.

2. Other scientists, Shchepkin and Buslaev, derived “hero” from the word “God” through “rich”.

3. O. Miller and others believed that the word “hero” is Russian and dates back to ancient Slavic history (pre-Aryan and Sanskrit languages). The opinion was based on the position that the word “bagadur” is not Tatar, but borrowed from the Sanskrit baghadhara (possessing happiness, successful).

Currently, 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.

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

Our opinion about the word “hero” also supports Slavic origin. It didn’t come from anywhere, but was always originally 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 ancient culture and the history of our people. It was very interesting to read about the worldview of our ancestors. It turns out that they were not savages, as they are described, for example, in our book “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, fairy tales, and epics.

Epics are also the ancient wisdom of our people, only for the older generation. The epic comes from the word “byl”, and it comes from the ancient Slavic verb - “to be”, that is, what was and happened. The epics were composed by storytellers - guardians of Russian antiquity, bearers of the historical memory of the people. They walked from village to village and chanted (like a song) about the great events of our homeland, about the heroic heroes, their exploits, about how they overcame evil enemies, defended their land, showed their bravery, courage, ingenuity, and kindness.

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

We learned that according to legends and ancient epics, there first existedgiant heroes.Let's get to know some of them.

Bogatyr-element

Bogatyr	Description and skills
Gorynya (Sverni-gora, Vertigor)	A mountain giant with superhuman strength turned up stones, broke mountains, violated (changed) the nature of things: “Captures the mountain, carries it to the ravine and makes a road, or rocks the mountain with his little finger.”
Dubynya (Dubynech, Vernidub, Vyrvi-oak)	A forest giant with superhuman strength. In his forests he behaved like a caring owner:“The oak tree lays out (levels): which oak is tall, it pushes into the ground, and the oak tree that is low, pulls it out of the ground” or “the oak tree tears out”
Usynya (Usynych, Usynka, Krutius)	River giant, rules water element : “he stole the river with his mouth, he catches fish with his mustache, he cooks and eats on his tongue, he dammed the river with one mustache, and along the mustache, as if on a bridge, people walk on foot, horses gallop, carts ride, he’s as long as a fingernail, a beard is as long as an elbow, his mustache drags along the ground , the wings lie a mile away.”
Danube Ivanovich	mighty hero,“The Danube is not like other heroes; obviously a stranger from other countries, exuberant in spirit, he is distinguished by some special proud posture.”He was in the service of the Lithuanian king, and was married to the king’s youngest daughter Nastasya, a “woodpile warrior.” In the epic, the Danube hits Nastasya in a competition, and she dies. In despair, he threw himself on his spear and died next to his wife, flooded by the Danube River, and his wife by the Nastasya River: “And he fell on the knife and with a zealous heart; Since that time, from the hot blood, Mother Danube River flowed»
Svyatogor	A giant hero of incredible strength. "Taller than the dark forest, his head props up the clouds. He gallops across the Holy Mountains - the mountains shake beneath him, he runs into the river - water splashes out of the river. Svyatogor has no one to measure his strength with. He would travel around Rus', walk with other heroes, fight with enemies, shake the hero’s strength, but the trouble is: the earth does not support him, only the stone cliffs do not collapse or fall under his weight.”

Epic epics about elemental heroes, in our opinion, glorify the majesty and spirituality of nature and bring us through the centuries the wisdom of unity and interconnection of everything in the world. The epic elemental heroes 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 this is why the elements were represented in a heroic image.

The elemental hero was replaced byhero-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 different 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 Nightingale the Robber”, “Healing of Ilya Muromets”, “Ilya Muromets and Kalin - Tsar”, “Ilya Muromets and Idolishche”.

Bogatyr-man

Bogatyr	Description and skills
Mikula Selyaninovich	A mighty hero-plowman (oratai). He is stronger not only than Volga, but also his entire squad "...the good squad is spinning the bipod around, but they can’t pull the midges out of the ground...Then Oratay-Oratayushko came to the maple bipod. He took the bipod with one hand, he pulled the bipod out of the ground...”Mikula helped defend his land from enemies, but did not give up his agricultural work. He said: "Who will feed Rus' then?”Mikula's strength is in connection with the land and the common people.
Alesha Popovich	A Russian young hero from Rostov, who was distinguished by strength, courage, daring, pressure, audacity, resourcefulness, cunning and cunning. Where strength was lacking in battle, he won with ingenuity. He is boastful, overly crafty and evasive. He is distinguished by his determination, wit and cheerfulness. Able to call on natural phenomena for help (rain, hail...)“...Alyosha had a profitable plea...”
Nikitich	Russian hero from Ryazan, hero-warrior and diplomat (negotiated without bloodshed). He combined great strength, boundless courage and courage, military skill, nobility of thoughts and deeds, education, foresight and foresight. He knew how to sing, play the harp, was skilled in chess, and had extraordinary diplomatic abilities. Dobrynya expresses his heroic qualities in all epics, jealously guards the dignity of the Russian warrior, he is reasonable in his speeches, restrained, tactful, a caring son and a faithful husband.
Ilya Muromets	The great Russian hero from near Murom, a peasant hero. He is distinguished by great spiritual strength. And endowed with powerful physical strength. He is distinguished by a selfless, limitless love for his homeland (patriotism), a sense of justice, self-esteem, courage, boldness and daring. He is honest to the last detail and straightforward. He is generous and kind when it does not concern his enemies. This is a mature and experienced defender of the Russian land.

The epic hero-man also corresponds 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 like 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 could use such power to the detriment of others. It seems like a fairy tale, but even my great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers talked about such unusual people in their times. And also the heroes are spiritually strong. The strength lies in the fact that they perform feats for the benefit of the entire people not for rewards, but for the triumph of truth, justice, and freedom; they defend Mother Rus' without sparing their lives under any circumstances (unequal battle, etc.). Bogatyrs show best qualities- love for the native land, selfless courage and perseverance, independence of spirit, struggle for justice, truth, honor, etc.

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

2.3. Epic heroes in Russian culture.

The epics of our people have inspired many creative people. Now we can get acquainted with the great heroes-heroes through visual, musical, sculptural, and works of art.

Russian artists introduce us to the heroes: V. Vasnetsov “Bogatyrs”, “Knight at the Crossroads”, etc.; N. Roerich “Ilya Muromets”, “Morning of the Heroism of Kyiv”, etc.; K. Vasiliev “Ilya Muromets frees 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-true, deeply human, revealed in their personal originality. The heroes stand as a mighty, unshakable outpost, eternally guarding their native land, vigilantly peering into the distance and sensitively listening to everything around them. Through such an outpost, full of majestic calm, courage, consciousness of power, courage, the righteousness of their cause and the readiness to give their lives for their beloved homeland, no one will pass Not a person, not even a bird, can fly from abroad. An irresistible force emanates from the heroes. They are full of folk beauty, they contain 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 Russian character, Russian strength and valor. The majestic calm that comes from the heroes’ awareness of their rightness and strength saturates the whole picture. The horses under the mighty riders match the riders - powerful, fearless, they look boldly and vigilantly from the canvas. In the background of the picture is the Russian land, their Motherland, which they are ready to defend.

Russian music also introduces us to heroic images: A.P. Borodin “Bogatyrskaya”, M.P. Mussorgsky “Bogatyr Gate”, 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 meeting of Russian heroes.

The music of this part is based on two themes:

The first theme is menacing, decisive, and sounds quite heavy. This is an image of heroes, heroic strength.

The second theme is soft, melodious, lyrical. Here the composer “paints” the image of his native Russian nature.

Folk proverbs also introduce us to heroic images:

The hero is not famous by birth, but by his feat.
There is no better thing than defending your native land from enemies.
My wealth is heroic strength, my business is to serve Rus' and defend it from enemies.
In the Russian heart there is direct honor and love for Mother Rus'.
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 there are still heroes on Russian soil - heroes and there is someone to defend Russia, that the heroic spirit is alive in each of us.

2.4. Modern heroes.

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

Table 4

Prominent people of Russia

FULL NAME.	Brief information and merits
Athletes : legendary champions - wrestlers I.M. Poddubny and I. S. Yarygin; champions - weightlifters V.I. Alekseev and L.I. Jabotinsky; our fellow countryman (Kulebachan) - champion weightlifter V.P. Sadovnikov and others. We would especially like to mention I.M. Poddubnova.
(1871-1949) professional wrestler and athlete	Comes from a poor peasant family from the Poltava region to a poor peasant family. WITH early years helped his father plow the land and thresh rye. The simplicity of the peasant way of life and hard physical labor instilled extraordinary tenacity in the boy’s character and helped him accumulate powerful strength, for which the Russian nugget would become famous in the future. While working as a loader in the port of Sevastopol, he would lift a huge box onto his shoulders, which was beyond the strength of even three people, rise to his full enormous height and stride along the trembling gangplank. Honored Artist of Russia (1939), Honored Master of Sports (1945). Knight of the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1939) “in the development of Soviet sports.” In 1905-08. world champion in classical wrestling among professionals. He fought in the circus arena until he was 70 years old. In 40 years of performances, he has not lost a single competition. He won brilliant victories over almost all the strongest professional wrestlers in the world, for which he was recognized as the “champion of champions.” This title was awarded to him by popular rumor. People called him “Ivan the Invincible”, “Thunderstorm of Champions”, “Man-Mountain”, “Ivan the Iron”. When the German occupation began in the Second World War, Poddubny already had a heart problem at that time, he was 70 years old, but he refused to be evacuated and stayed. The Germans offered him to train German wrestlers, but he remained loyal to his homeland:“I am a Russian wrestler. I will remain so» After the liberation of Yeysk, Ivan Maksimovich traveled to nearby military units and hospitals, spoke with his memories and raised the morale of the people. A monument was erected in Yeisk, there is a museum and a sports school named after him. On the gravestone of I.M. Poddubnogo is carved: “Here lies the Russian hero.”
Military leaders : great Russian commander A.V. Suvorov; Russian commander, Field Marshal General M.I. Kutuzov; marshals commanders of the Great Patriotic War A.M. Vasilevsky and G.K. Zhukov; air marshalsI.N. Kozhedub And A.I. Pokryshkin and others. We would especially like to mention A.V. Suvorov.
Alexander Vasilievich Suvorov (1730-1800) great Russian commander	Born into a military family of noble origin. He spent his childhood on his father's estate in the village. Suvorov grew up weak and was often sick, but his desire for military affairs from an early age and the decision to become a military man inspired Suvorov to strengthen his body. He is tempering himself and practicing physical exercise, in any weather, makes long journeys on foot, and develops endurance. In all my life legendary commander fought 63 battles, all of them victorious; passed all the steps army service- from private to generalissimo. In two wars against Ottoman Empire Suvorov was finally recognized as “the first sword of Russia.” He was awarded numerous awards. Possessing extreme personal courage, he rushed into the heat of battle, paying for it with repeated wounds. Unselfishness, generosity, good nature, simplicity of manner attracted all hearts to him. Suvorov showed a humane attitude towards civilians and prisoners, and severely persecuted looting. Suvorov's patriotism was based on the idea of service to the fatherland, a deep belief in the high fighting abilities of the Russian warrior (“There is no braver Russian anywhere in the world”).Suvorov entered the history of Russia as an innovative commander who made a huge contribution to the development of military art, developed and implemented an original system of views on the methods and forms of warfare and combat, education and training of troops. Suvorov's strategy was offensive in nature. Suvorov's strategy and tactics were outlined by him in his work “The Science of Victory.” The essence of his tactics is the three martial arts: eye, speed, pressure. His name became synonymous with victory, military excellence, heroism and patriotism. Suvorov's legacy is still used in the training and education of Russian troops. “My offspring, please follow my example!..”
Officers and privates of the Great Patriotic War.They are all true heroes of our Motherland. They showed perseverance, courage, ardent love for the Motherland, and fought without sparing their lives for our future and the future of Russia. We will always remember their feat!

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 spirit - brave, noble, decisive, with a sense of justice, self-esteem, has independence of spirit, 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 .
Military - may or may not be trained in martial arts. Free in decisions and from duty of service.
The work of a lifetime is to protect the people and native land from a mortal threat, not out of duty or personal gain (reward), but at the behest of the soul.

We could not find a hero in the native meaning of the word among the “great” people of modern times. Military leaders are more like knights. Athletes compete in competitions without threatening 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 be superior in strength and may not participate in all wars. But we do not want to say that there are no heroes. Maybe we don’t know about them; modern epics aren’t written about them. And the meaning of the word “hero” is now somewhat blurred.

2.5.Questioning

We conducted a survey of children and adults, where we wanted to find out the awareness and 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.

Survey results:

To the question “who are the heroes?” children and adults wrote similar responses. general description: Bogatyrs are mighty people of the Russian land, brave, courageous (strong in spirit), warriors, defenders of their Motherland 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, always defended his native land and was our fellow countryman.

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

2% of adults - in Peresvet and Oslyabya - who, after military life, thought about the higher 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%)

Fortitude (33%) - fortitude (16%)

Strength of spirit is marked by love for the Fatherland, courage, masculinity, resourcefulness, willpower, kindness, sense of justice and others.

Martial art (9%)

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

Attracts in heroes

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

How did you learn about the heroes?

Children Adults:

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

Cinema and cartoons (25%) - cinema 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 it cannot, because women have less power and it is not a woman’s business, a woman is a guardian hearth and home and families. And 33% of children and 67% of adults believe that it can, because female wisdom, cunning and ingenuity help a woman win.

Are there any heroes now? Who can you name?

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, but the heroes remained heroes of antiquity. But 7% of children and 67% of adults believe that even now there are heroes - these are athletes, war soldiers, and generals.

Is it possible to become a hero?

Most children and adults believe that it is possible. To do this, you need to believe in yourself, play 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 down by nature (God). You can become a good man, 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 it is not honorable to be a hero now. Because over time, the character traits for which heroes were respected ceased to be valued and people’s aspirations changed towards achieving material values. But most children and 42% of adults think it is honorable. Because we lack such people as heroes, who believe in eternal human values, look with hope and optimism into the future.

3. Our conclusions

As a result of our research, we conducted a survey among children and adults, found out their opinions 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; met the epic heroes; meet the “great” people of our and past times; 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 exploits of our people, our heroes. They are an example of courage and valor, the pride of our land and nurture the Russian spirit in us.

Even though modern heroes do not look completely like heroes, they have absorbed part of their power. They are also strong in spirit, they stand guard over peace and life, they 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 man is 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.

Nowadays, Russia needs heroes (the environment is dying, culture is dying, the real values of life are being lost).

Let us awaken the heroic spirit in each of us and repel any enemy!

And strong, mighty heroes in glorious Rus'!

Don't allow enemies to gallop across our Earth!

Do not trample their horses on the Russian Land,

They will not outshine our red sun!

Rus' stands a century - it does not waver!

And it will stand for centuries without moving!

4. Materials used.

1.Pictures from the website on the Internet

2. Anikin V.P. Epics. Russians folk tales. Chronicles. M.: 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 / Bylina. M.: Soviet literature, 1988. vol.1. – p.5-25.

7. Website Wikipedia

5. Application

5. 1. Essays.

An essay based on the painting “Bogatyrs” by V. M. Vasnetsov, a student of grade 4-B at MBOU Lyceum No. 3, Ilya Bogatov

The painting by V. M. Vasnetsov depicts three heroes. Bogatyrs are powerful and brave. They vigilantly look into the distance, fulfilling their heroic duty. The expression on their faces is serious, their gaze is menacing, 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, gray mittens on his hands, and boots that match the color of 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 like a hero, and in his hands he holds a shield and a sword. His beard is long and well-groomed.

Alyosha Popovich is the youngest of the heroes; he has no beard and is quite thin. He has a bow in his hands.

The 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 there is a strong wind that sways the grass and flutters the horses' manes.

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

An essay based on the painting “Bogatyrs” by V. M. Vasnetsov, a student of grade 4-A at MBOU Lyceum No. 3 Anastasia Kurova

Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov worked on the painting “Bogatyrs” for twenty years. And on April 23, 1898, it was completed and purchased 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 eldest of the heroes. And the horse is a match for 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 decisive, impetuous, noble hero - Dobrynya Nikitich. He is the only one from a noble family. Dressed in chain mail, he has a pointed helmet on his head, and foreign boots on his feet. The horse has 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 and arrows in his hands. Compared to his comrades, he is young and slender. Alyosha has a quiver at his side. His horse bent his head so that the rider could shoot at any moment.

Three heroes stand on a wide plain that turns into a low hill, in the middle of which we see withered grass and occasionally small fir trees peeking through. The sky in the picture is cloudy and alarming, meaning danger threatening the heroes.

Vasnetsov wanted us to be proud of our heroic ancestors, remember them, and 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 grade student Ilya Chekhlov

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Slide captions:

Russian heroes: who are they? Completed by: Student 4 “b” class MBOU Lyceum No. 3 Mityanov Dmitry Supervisor: Mokrova O.V. primary school teacher Consultant: Mityanova A. A.

And strong, mighty heroes in glorious Rus'! Don't allow enemies to gallop across our Earth! Do not trample their horses on the Russian Land, Do not eclipse our red sun for them! Rus' stands a century - it does not waver! And it will stand for centuries without moving!

The purpose of the study is to find out who the epic heroes are, whether there are heroes in modern life now. Hypotheses: Let’s assume that heroes are defenders from enemies, warriors with great strength. It is possible that the heroes lived a very long time ago and are no longer there. What if the hero is an example of the great spirit of the Russian person. Russian heroes: who are they?

Study plan

Study of the word “hero” “Bogatyr” in those distant times when this word was born meant one who is superior in immeasurable (cannot be measured) power from God and carries it within himself (spiritually strong), “rich” - not in gold and diamonds, but spiritually and physically.

Epic heroes Gorynya (Sverni-gora, Vertigor) Dubynya (Dubynech, Vernidub, Vyrvi-oak) Usynya (Usynych, Usynka, Krutius) Danube Ivanovich Svyatogor

Epic heroes Mikula Selyaninovich Alyosha Popovich Dobrynya Nikitich Ilya Muromets

Epic heroes in Russian culture Painting by V. Vasnetsov “Bogatyrs” Excerpts from essays on the painting “Bogatyrs” by 4th grade students at MBOU Lyceum No. 3: “I am looking at the painting by V. M. Vasnetsov “Bogatyrs.” 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.) “... Mighty, brave heroes. They vigilantly look into the distance, fulfilling their heroic duty. The expression on their faces is serious, their gaze is menacing... They are ready to rush into battle at any moment..." (Bogatov I.)

Epic heroes in the drawings of students Drawing “Ilya Muromets” by 4-B grade student Ilya Chekhlov Drawing “The Fight of a Hero with Dark Forces” by 4-B grade student Dmitry Mityanov

Epic heroes in Russian culture Monument to Ilya Muromets in 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 learn about the heroes? What qualities and skills are endowed with heroes? What is attractive about heroes, why are epic heroes national heroes? Which hero would you like to be like? Why? Do you think a woman can be a hero? Why? Are there any heroes now? List who you know. Can those who defended our Motherland during the Great Patriotic War be called heroes? Why? Is it possible to become a hero? How? Is it honorable to be a hero in our time? Why?

Survey results 1. Bogatyrs are powerful people of the Russian land, brave, courageous (strong in spirit), warriors, defenders of their Motherland and people. 2. The most famous heroes: 3. The main qualities of a hero: Children: Adults: - physical strength (67%) - physical strength (75%) - fortitude (33%) - fortitude (16%) - military art (9% ) 4 . What attracts heroes is spiritual qualities (courage, self-confidence, nobility, helping the weak, fighting for justice, love for the Motherland and its defense).

Survey results 5 . How did you learn 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 he cannot, 33% of children and 67% of adults believe that he can 7. Are there any heroes now? Who can you name? 83% of children and 25% of adults believe that there are real heroes; 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? Survey 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 exploits of our people, our heroes. They are an example of courage and valor, the pride of our land and nurture the Russian spirit in us. Modern heroes are not completely similar to heroes, but they have absorbed part of their power. They are also strong in spirit, they stand guard over peace and life, they show the power and strength of our Motherland. Nowadays, Russia needs heroes (the environment is dying, culture is dying, the real values of life are being lost).

These people are often credited with superhuman capabilities. They are described as strong and powerful men sitting astride huge horses. They always held a spear or other heavy weapon in their hands. Epics and songs about heroes were rewritten more than once. New details and details were added there. Sometimes the character of the hero himself underwent changes. This began to be especially evident after the adoption of Christianity in Rus'.

These people are often credited with inhuman capabilities // Photo: pereformat.ru

Although our man was not distinguished by belligerence, there were still strong representatives of it among the people. Thus, history stores many names of people with heroic strength: Svyatogor, Peresvet, Mikula Selyaninovich and others. They shed their blood for their native territories and their brothers.

Over time, the heroes changed. They began to serve not the people, but the princes. The most famous such heroes were Dobrynya, Ilya and Alyosha. They were sung most of all in songs. They were portrayed famous artists, such as Vasnetsov. However, his painting “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. Besides them, on Russian soil there was also a large number of strongmen.

Great Svyatogor

One of the most mysterious and oldest Russian heroes. His story overshadows the exploits of even Muromets himself. His name completely matches his appearance. In the paintings he appears as a real giant. However, there are few reliable facts about this man. His death is especially incomprehensible. Svyatogor allegedly found a bag with all the “heaviness of the earth.” And he died while trying to move it.

Great Svyatogor // Photo: zoroastrian.ru

There is a legend that describes the joint campaign of Muromets and Svyatogor. She colorfully describes how the younger generation is replacing the old. The legend says that during the journey of two heroes, a coffin, thrown by fate itself, appears on their way. Nearby there was a prophecy that said that only those who were destined to fall into it would fall into it. Ilya was the first to go there, but the coffin seemed too huge for him. Then it was Svyatogor’s turn. As soon as the hero lay down in it, the lid immediately slammed shut. The giant was never able to get out of there. In this legend, the hero’s feat is that the hero transferred all his powers to Muromets.

Mikula Selyaninovich

Mikula was a simple peasant. In epics he appears as a god-plowman, protector of peasants and their lands. If you believe the legends, then it is thanks to him that we can use the gifts of Mother Earth.

Mikula Selyaninovich // Photo: russkay-literatura.ru

The most famous story that describes the life of the hero is the epic about Volga and Mikula. In it, the hero goes to serve Prince Volkh in his squad to fight the Varangians. Before this, the epic describes how a man laughs at Volga and his associates because they cannot pull an ordinary peasant’s plow out of the ground.

Volkh Vseslavevich

He is known not only as a hero, but also as a werewolf and magician. Volkh was a Kyiv prince. And stories about him are very reminiscent of folk tales. Already the birth of the hero was shrouded in mystical events. Rumor has it that his father was Veles himself, who appeared to the hero’s mother in the form of a serpent. Immediately after the future hero was born, thunder was heard and lightning flashed.

Volkh Vseslavievich // Photo: zmajsvetovidov.blogspot.com

There are legends that say that Volkh often walked among his squad during his childhood. At night, he turned into a wolf and got food for the warriors. But the most famous epic is the one that tells about the victory of a hero over the Indian king. Noticing that the enemy was plotting evil against the Russian lands, Volkh used his magic and struck the entire enemy army at once.

The prototype for the hero is a real-life personality - Vseslav of Polotsk. The people were a little afraid of him, as they considered him a sorcerer. In fact, the prince was simply very cunning and took cities with his wits and extremely ruthlessly got rid of enemies.

Slavic history is rich in events, knowledge about which is passed on from generation to generation not only orally, but also in writing. In these legends, stories and essays about the lives of some absolutely fantastic people have been preserved, but in reality, in most cases, behind each of these heroes there were hidden real people who, many centuries ago, inhabited the Slavic lands and were held in such high esteem by the people that about them legends began to be made...

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 person endowed with the power of a god. About the origin of this word for a long time heated discussions took place. Versions have been put forward about its borrowing from Turkic languages, and even from Sanskrit. It is now generally accepted that the word “hero” was borrowed from the Tatar language.

The group of younger heroes includes the famous “Vasnetsov” trinity Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich. They are also the personification of natural phenomena, but only those beneficial to humans.

In addition, heroes were also given a large 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 adversity... Let's consider the most prominent among them.

Svyatogor

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

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

Another no less striking image is Volkh Vseslavyevich. This is a fantastic epic character. According to legend, he was born from a serpent, so he grew up very quickly. Less than an hour and a half had passed since his birth when damask armor was put 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 Danube Ivanovich is a historically reliable character. His story begins from the very moment when he enters into a duel with Dobrynya Nikitich. According to legend, Ilya Muromets separates them, after which fraternization occurs. Later, Danube was looking for a bride for Prince Vladimir and, having killed the Lithuanian prince, takes away his daughter Apraxia.

Another story related to the Danube is very interesting and entertaining. He is in love with Bogatyrka Nastasya, who agrees to become the wife only of the one who can defeat her. Of course, the Danube defeats her. When the wedding takes place, after a crazy argument, he kills his betrothed by shooting with a bow at the ring that was on Nastasya’s head. Unable to bear the grief, 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 traits that were mainly attributed to mythical and fantastic heroes - the miraculous acquisition of great strength. He was the son of simple peasant parents and was bedridden since childhood. This happens until the Kaliki wanderers appear. They order the boy to bring them water, and Ilya is healed.

Moreover, he gains 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 on who Nightingale really was - either a fictional hero, or one of the warriors of the Mongol-Tatar army, or a simple robber living in Murom and ruined the merchants forced to pass through the Murom forests.

Battle with the Nightingale the Robber

At a certain period of time, Ilya comes to serve in Kyiv 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 served in Kyiv. The heroic story 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 little 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 about the sorceress Marinka, who bewitched the hero, also looks a little fantastic. However, Dobrynya, with the help of her mother, a fellow witch, manages to defeat Marinka’s spell and deal with her. But its history contains not only a large number of fantastic tales.

Nikitich

IN Kievan Rus he carried out more important assignments, appearing before readers as a brave, wise warrior, who, among other things, is also the first assistant of Ilya Muromets.

Another famous hero- Alyosha Popovich, according to legend, was from the city of Rostov. He ended up in Kyiv completely 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 service at the court of Prince Vladimir.

Perhaps the most known history associated with Popovich is the legend about his fight with Tugarin (this, according to the epic, is a fictional character, so occasionally he bears the nickname Zmeevich and is presented as a monster). Tugarin is a foreign invader who can swallow an entire swan at a time, and is carried by servants on a golden stand. And Alyosha Popovich is always a young, brave and even sometimes 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.

Together with his squad, Vasily does not engage in the fight against enemies and invaders, but only gets drunk in taverns and fights. According to 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 it was forbidden to ride over it...).

Unlike Vasily, Nikita Kozhemyaka was a real warrior who served to the prince of Kyiv Vladimir. Together with him, Kozhemyaka went to battle against the Pechenegs, fighting one-on-one with the strongman 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 artisan, or as a real hero who is in service in Kyiv.

To believe that the Slavic heroes existed in reality, or 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, they played a big role in the history of the Slavs, becoming symbols of former times.

Slavic history is rich in events, knowledge about which is passed on from generation to generation not only orally, but also in writing. Oral traditions are, as a rule, epics, including songs, tales, that is, everything that was composed directly by the people. Later, epics, legends and songs were written down and in this form have reached our time. In these legends, stories and essays about the lives of some absolutely fantastic people have been preserved, but in reality, in most cases, behind each of these heroes there were hidden real people who, many centuries ago, inhabited the Slavic lands and were held in such high esteem by the people that about them legends began to be made. 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 person endowed with the power of a god. The origins of this word have been the subject of intense debate for a long time. Versions have been put forward about its borrowing from Turkic languages, and even from Sanskrit. It is now generally accepted that the word “hero” was borrowed from the Tatar language.

Russian scientists distinguish two main categories of heroes - senior and junior. It is customary to rank Svyatogor, Mikula Selyaninovich, Volga Svyatoslavich, and Sukhan among the senior heroes. This group, according to scientists, is the personification of various natural phenomena, in most cases - menacing phenomena hostile to the common man. The group of younger heroes includes the famous “Vasnetsov” trinity Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich. They are also the personification of natural phenomena, but only those beneficial to 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, heroes were also given a large 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 adversity... Let's consider the most prominent among them.

One of the most mysterious characters of the Slavic epic is Svyatogor. This is a real giant that even the earth cannot support. He is endowed with enormous strength that even the most noble heroes do not dare to fight him. It is noteworthy that he does not take part in any battles and does not perform any feats. Its main purpose is limited to defeating enemies with its wisdom and fantastic strength. Hidden in the image of this hero is the philosophical meaning of the ancient Slavic population about the veneration of the holy hero simply for his existence.

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

Unlike Volkh, another famous epic hero, Danube Ivanovich, is a historically reliable character. His story begins from the very moment when he enters into a duel with Dobrynya Nikitich. According to legend, Ilya Muromets separates them, after which fraternization occurs. Later, Danube was looking for a bride for Prince Vladimir and, having killed the Lithuanian prince, takes away his daughter Apraxia. Another story related to the Danube is very interesting and entertaining. He is in love with Bogatyrka Nastasya, who agrees to become the wife only of the one who can defeat her. Of course, the Danube defeats her. When the wedding takes place, after a crazy argument, he kills his betrothed by shooting with a bow at the ring that was on Nastasya’s head. Unable to bear the grief, 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. This hero had those traits that were mainly attributed to mythical and fantastic heroes - the miraculous acquisition of great strength. He was the son of simple peasant parents and was bedridden since childhood. This happens until the Kaliki wanderers appear. They order the boy to bring them water, and Ilya is healed. Moreover, he gains 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 warriors of the Mongol-Tatar army, or a simple robber living in Murom and ruined the merchants forced to pass through the Murom forests. At a certain period of time, Ilya comes to serve in Kyiv to save Rus' from numerous misfortunes and perform incredible and even miraculous feats.

Sometimes it seems that Dobrynya is a mythological hero. The story about the sorceress Marinka, who bewitched the hero, also looks a little fantastic. However, Dobrynya, with the help of her mother, a fellow witch, manages to defeat Marinka’s spell and deal with her. But its history contains not only a large number of fantastic tales. In Kievan Rus, he carried out more important assignments, appearing before readers as a brave, wise warrior, who, among other things, is also the first assistant of Ilya Muromets.

Another famous hero, Alyosha Popovich, according to legend, was from the city of Rostov. He ended up in Kyiv completely 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 service at the court of Prince Vladimir. Perhaps the most famous story associated with Popovich is the tale of his fight with Tugarin (this, according to the epic, is a fictional character, which is why he sometimes bears the nickname Zmeevich and is presented as a monster). Tugarin is a foreign invader who can swallow an entire swan at a time, and is carried by servants on a golden stand. And Alyosha Popovich is always a young, brave and even sometimes reckless warrior.

And in conclusion, it is necessary to say a few words about such heroes as Vasily Buslaev and Nikita Kozhemyaka. They were all real people. Vasily Buslaev was from Novgorod. By nature, this man was always a rebel and even a drunkard. He inherited his heroic strength from his father. However, the young man uses it differently from the rest of the heroes. On the contrary, he violates the laws of the city in every possible way, recruiting a squad of people like 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 his squad, Vasily does not engage in the fight against enemies and invaders, but only gets drunk in taverns and fights. According to 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 it was forbidden to 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 the strongman 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 artisan, or as a real hero who is in service in Kyiv.

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Russian epics are a reflection historical events, retold by the people, and as a result, underwent strong changes. Each hero and villain in them is most often a real-life personality, whose life or activity was taken as the basis of a character or a collective image that was very important for that time.

Heroes of epics

Ilya Muromets (Russian hero)

Glorious Russian hero and brave warrior. This is exactly how Ilya Muromets appears in the Russian epic epic. Having served Prince Vladimir faithfully, the warrior was paralyzed from birth and sat on the stove for exactly 33 years. Brave, strong and fearless, he was cured of paralysis by the elders and gave all his heroic strength to the defense of the Russian lands from the Nightingale the Robber, the invasion of the Tatar yoke and the Foul Idol.

The hero of the epics has a real prototype - Elijah of Pechersk, canonized as Ilya of Muromets. In his youth, he suffered paralysis of the limbs, and died from a spear blow to the heart.

Dobrynya Nikitich (Russian hero)

Another hero from the illustrious troika of Russian heroes. He served Prince Vladimir and carried out his personal assignments. He was the closest of all the heroes to the princely family. Strong, brave, dexterous and fearless, he swam beautifully, knew how to play the harp, knew about 12 languages and was a diplomat when deciding state affairs.

The real prototype of the glorious warrior is the governor Dobrynya, who was the uncle of the prince himself on his mother’s side.

Alyosha Popovich (Russian hero)

Alyosha Popovich is the youngest of the three heroes. He is famous not so much for his strength as for his pressure, resourcefulness and cunning. A lover of boasting about his achievements, he was guided on the right path by older heroes. He behaved in two ways towards them. Supporting and protecting the glorious troika, he falsely buried Dobrynya in order to marry his wife Nastasya.

Olesha Popovich is a brave Rostov boyar, whose name is associated with the appearance of the image of the epic hero-hero.

Sadko (Novgorod hero)

A lucky guslar from Novgorod epics. For many years he earned his daily bread by playing the harp. Having received a reward from the Tsar of the Sea, Sadko became rich and set off by sea to overseas countries with 30 ships. Along the way, his benefactor took him to him as a ransom. According to the instructions of Nicholas the Wonderworker, the guslar managed to escape from captivity.

The prototype of the hero is Sodko Sytinets, a Novgorod merchant.

Svyatogor (hero-giant)

A giant and hero with remarkable strength. Huge and powerful, born in the Mountains of the Saints. As he walked, the forests shook and the rivers overflowed. Svyatogor transferred part of his power in the writings of the Russian epic to Ilya Muromets. Soon after this he died.

There is no real prototype of the image of Svyatogor. It is a symbol of enormous primitive power, which has never been used.

Mikula Selyaninovich (plowman-hero)

The hero and the peasant who plowed the land. According to the epics, he knew Svyatogor and gave him a bag to lift full of earthly weight. According to legend, it was impossible to fight with the plowman; he was under the protection of Mother Damp Earth. His daughters are the wives of the heroes, Stavr and Dobrynya.

The image of Mikula is fictitious. The name itself is derived from Mikhail and Nikolai, common at that time.

Volga Svyatoslavich (Russian hero)

Hero-bogatyr of the most ancient epics. He possessed not only impressive strength, but also the ability to understand the language of birds, as well as to turn into any animal and turn others into them. He went on campaigns to Turkish and Indian lands, and then became their ruler.

Many scientists identify the image of Volga Svyatoslavich with Oleg the Prophet.

Nikita Kozhemyaka (Kyiv hero)

Hero of Kyiv epics. A brave hero with enormous strength. Could easily tear apart a dozen folded bull hides. He snatched the skin and meat from the angry bulls rushing towards him. He became famous for defeating the snake, freeing the princess from his captivity.

The hero owes his appearance to the myths about Perun, reduced to everyday manifestations of miraculous power.

Stavr Godinovich (Chernigov boyar)

Stavr Godinovich is a boyar from the Chernihiv region. Known for his good playing of the harp and strong love to his wife, whose talents he was not averse to boasting to others. In epics it does not play the main role. More famous is his wife Vasilisa Mikulishna, who rescued her husband from imprisonment in the dungeons of Vladimir Krasna Solnyshka.

There is a mention of the real Sotsk Stavr in the chronicles of 1118. He was also imprisoned in the cellars of Prince Vladimir Monomakh after the riots.

Antiheroes of epics

Nightingale the Robber (anti-hero)

An ardent opponent of Ilya Muromets and a robber who long years he robbed both foot and horsemen on the road he had laid out. He killed them not with a gun, but with his own whistle. In epics, he most often appears in human form with clearly expressed Turkic facial features.

It is believed that his image was taken from the Mordvichs who lived in Nizhny Novgorod. Their traditional names are the names of birds: Nightingale, Starling, etc.

Serpent Gorynych (serpent dragon)

The Dragon. A fire breather with three heads. This is the classic image of the Serpent Gorynych in Russian epics. The snake has one body, has wings, large sharp claws, and an arrow-like tail. It guards the bridge-passage to the kingdom of the dead and spews fire when it attacks. He lives in the mountains, hence the nickname “Gorynych”.

The image of the serpent is mythical. Similar ones are found in Serbian and Iranian mythology.

Idolishche Poganoe (villain)

An idol is also a hero, only from dark forces. Due to its gluttony, it has a huge shapeless body. Evil, unbaptized and not recognizing religions. He plundered cities with his army, simultaneously prohibiting alms and churches. Visited Russian lands, Turkey and Sweden.

In history, the prototype of the Idol was Khan Itlar, who carried out barbarian raids on the cities of Russian lands.