Volga Svyatoslavovich - famous epic hero,which reflected the features of both historical and primitive communal system. The peculiarity of the character is that, according to legends, he knew how to understand the language of animals and birds, as well as turn into animals. In science, there is a point of view that in the person of this character the features of several actually existing ancient Russian princes are combined.
Opinions on the origin
In historiography there are several opinions aboutwho is Volga Svyatoslavovich. Some researchers see in his image the features of the primitive communal structure. They refer to the following plot moments in epics: a description of thunder and lightning at his birth, as well as the mythological fact that, according to fairy tales, his father was a serpent.
Some scientists see echoes in thisOld Slavic cults and pagan beliefs. However, other authors trace real historical roots in this character. For example, there is a version that Volga Svyatoslavovich was a prototype of the Polotsk prince Vseslav. There is a point of view that the hero reflected the features of the famous Prophetic Oleg, who, according to legends, died from a snake bite, in which parallels are found with the story of this fantastic character.
Birth
С именем героя связано несколько повествований, и The first one is dedicated to his birth. As mentioned above, its origin is shrouded in various kinds of mythological layers. At the time of his birth, according to the tale, there was thunder, lightning flashed, and all the animals were frightened. As in many other Russian folk tales, Volga Svyatoslavovich grew by leaps and bounds, by the hour, intensively gained strength. He quickly learned to read and write, as well as understand the language of animals. In this version of its origin, the influence of the pagan totemic ideas of the ancient Slavs on the connection of people and animals is clearly expressed.
Wars
Volga Svyatoslavovich, the epic of which is dedicatedhis campaigns in overseas countries, was one of the most popular folklore heroes of ancient Russian epos. His difference from other characters is that he achieves victory not by physical strength, like other knights, but by cunning, magic and magic. This is shown in a work dedicated to his campaign in India.
Согласно сказанию, он набирает дружину и sent to fight in foreign lands. An unknown author writes how he turns into a wolf, then a falcon, getting game for his soldiers for food. Before the siege, according to the myth, he turns the vigilantes into ants, and by taking the fortress again returns them to human form. After the victory, he marries the wife of the deceased ruler, and his warriors marry local women.
Historical motives
Многие ученые находят в этом эпизоде еще одно The important difference between the character’s story and the traditional knight tales. The fact is that usually the epic ancient Russian warrior did not remain in place, but continued to travel around the Russian lands, protecting them from enemies. The fact that the hero remained in the conquered city allows many authors to assert that there are echoes of the distant relocation times and tribal enmities among themselves in this legend, when the conquerors settled in the conquered territories and entered into marriage with local residents.
Meeting with Mikula Selyaninovich
On the reflection of many archaic features in the myths ofthe hero speaks their summary. Volga Svyatoslavovich not only travels to overseas regions, but also travels around the Russian lands. In one of the legends it tells how he received three cities in the province, where he intended to collect a tribute. He gathered his squad and hit the road. On the way, he met with a peasant plowman, who plowed the land.
The work provides a lengthy description of this.A new hero, a simple peasant peasant Mikula, who could with one hand lift a heavy plow that neither the warriors nor Volga could pull out of the furrow. According to the narration, the main character gave Mikule to the administration of these cities after he had brought order to the collection of tribute. The fact is that before tax collectors abused their powers, collecting more money than it was supposed to.
Historical realities
Главная мысль былины «Вольга Святославович» lies in the fact that it shows not only the feats of arms of warriors, but also simple peasant labor, as well as the occupation of the ancient Slavs. In the story of the Indian campaign hunting is shown, for example, as the main occupation of the people. If in other works this type of occupation was depicted as the fun of princes and their warriors, here it is shown that forestry gave people a livelihood. The work reflected the times when the population had not yet known either farming or cattle breeding, and led mainly the appropriating economy. So, it is due to the extraction that the squad of the character eats during the campaign.
The influence of foreign tales
Вторая часть, по общему признанию исследователей, less historical, since it reflected several cultural strata, for example, motifs of compositions about Alexander the Great, who also made a trip to India. In addition, there are a number of references to tales of other Eastern peoples. This affected, first of all, in the folklore moments associated with the transformation of the character into animals. However, in the epic there is a reference to the event from the ancient Russian history: it is a question of the campaign of the Prophetic Oleg to Byzantium. This prince built ships on wheels to lead an army. Volga also resorted to various tricks to achieve the capture of the city.
Novgorod roots
The story of the meeting of the hero with Mikula, according to the remarkmost professionals associated with the Novgorod realities. This is evidenced by the description of nature, which resembles the northern regions of the country. In these places, the soil was very difficult to plow, there were indeed stones in it, as it is said in epic. In addition, salt and pennies are mentioned in the work, which, according to some authors, is due to the fact that Novgorod, having its own salt in abundance, nevertheless bought it from German merchants, for which they paid great tribute. Related to this is the mention of unfair tax collectors. Also in the bylina, the city of Orekhovets is mentioned, in which many historians see a reference to the ancient city of Nut.
Another interesting point pointed outThe authors regarding this epic, this is how the relationship of the character with a simple peasant is shown. Mikula clearly outdid his Volga in strength and dexterity. His mare was faster and tougher than the horses of Volga. In this, the authors see references to the distant time when the Varangian teams and the local Slavic population were at enmity between themselves.
Features
The stories about this character are different.the fact that they reflected many archaic features inherent in the ancient Russian society. Therefore, Volga Svyatoslavovich combined several cultural traditions in his image. The cartoon, filmed in 2010, however, did not completely reflect the ancient Russian motifs characteristic of these works. But the legends showed a transitional period in the formation of the ancient Russian state with the preservation of elements of the communal system, but with the emergence of the political power of the rulers. This is the difference between legends and traditional epics, which show the already established social structure. But none of these features was shown by the cartoon “Volga Svyatoslavovich”, which was shot in a modern style without taking into account historical realities.
