Folklore (translated from English. "Folklore" means "folk wisdom") is a folk art that encompasses all cultural layers of society. The life of people, their views, ideals, moral principles - all this is reflected both in artistic folklore (dancing, music, literature) and material (clothing, kitchen utensils, dwelling).
Back in 1935, the great Russian writer Maxim Gorky, speaking at the First Congress of Writers of the USSR, accurately described folklore and its significance in public life: "... the most profound artistic images of heroes exist in folklore, the oral art of the people. Svyatogor and Mikula Selyaninovich, Vasilisa Wise, ironic Ivan the Fool who never discourages, Parsley, always defeating everyone. These images are created by folklore and they are an integral part of the life and culture of our society. "
Folklore ("folk knowledge") is a separate scientific discipline in which surveys are conducted, essays are created, dissertations are written. In 19th-century Russian literature, the terms "folk poetry" and "folk literature" were widely used.
Oral folklore, folklore genres
Songs, tales, legends, epics - this is not a complete list. Oral folk art is an extensive layer of Russian culture that has been formed over the centuries. Genres of folklore are divided into two main areas - non-ceremonial and ceremonial.
The ritual folklore category includes the following types:
- Calendar - Shrovetide songs, Christmas carols, spring songs and other examples of folk songwriting.
- Family folklore - wedding songs, lamentations, lullabies, family stories.
- Occasional - spells, counters, spells, castings.
Non-ritual folklore includes four groups:
1. Folk drama - religious, crib, theater Parsley.
2. Folk poetry - ballads, epics, spiritual poems, lyric songs, ditties, children's poetry songs.
3. Folklore prose is divided into fabulous and non-fabulous. The first includes animal tales, domestic, magic, chain tales (for example, the story of Kolobok). Ineffable prose is life stories telling about human encounters with images of Russian demonology - mermaids and waterwitches, sorcerers and witches, ghouls and ghouls. This subcategory also includes stories about the shrines and miracles of the Christian faith, about higher powers. Forms of fabulous prose:
- Legends
- mythological stories;
- epics;
- dream books;
- traditions;
4. Folklore verbal verbal: tongue twisters, well-wishes, nicknames, proverbs, curses, riddles, teasers, sayings.
The genres of folklore, examples of which are given here, are considered basic.
Folklore genres in literature
These are poetic works and prose - epics, tales, legends. Many literary forms belong to folklore, which reflects three main directions: dramatic, lyrical and epic. Of course, the genres of folklore in literature are not limited to this, there are much more of them, but the categories listed are a kind of empiricism that has been developed over the years.
Dramatic imagery
Drama folklore includes folk dramas in the form of fairy tales with unfavorable developments and a happy ending. A legend may be dramatic in which the struggle between good and evil takes place. The characters defeat each other with varying success, but in the end, good triumphs.
Genres of folklore in literature. Epic component
Russian folklore (epic) is based on historical songs with an extensive theme, when guslars can spend hours telling stories about life in Russia under silent string busts. This is a genuine folk art, transmitted from generation to generation. In addition to literary folklore with musical accompaniment, there are oral folk art, legends and epics, legends and tales.
Epic art is usually closely intertwined with the dramatic genre, since all the adventures of the epic heroes of the Russian land are somehow connected with battles and feats for the glory of justice. The main representatives of epic folklore are the Russian heroes, among whom Ilya Muromets and Dobrynya Nikitich stand out, as well as the unflappable Alyosha Popovich.
The genres of folklore, examples of which can be ad infinitum, are built on heroes fighting monsters. Sometimes an inanimate object with fabulous power helps a hero. It can be a sword-treasure, chopping dragon heads in one fell swoop.
Epic tales tell about colorful characters - Baba Yaga, who lives in a hut on chicken legs, Vasilisa the Beautiful, Ivan Tsarevich, who is nowhere without the Gray Wolf, and even about Ivan the Fool - a happy fairytale character with an open Russian soul.
Lyrical form
This folk genre includes works of folk art for the most part ritual: love songs, lullabies, funny ditties and lamentations. Much depends on intonation. Even sentences, spells, and bells and whistles in order to bewitch the beloved, and they can sometimes be considered folklore lyrics.
Folklore and authorship
Works of a fabulous literary genre (copyright) often cannot be formally attributed to folklore, such as, for example, Ershov's Tale of the Humpbacked Horse or Bazhov’s Tale of the Copper Mountain Mistress due to their belonging to a certain writer. However, these stories have their own folklore source, were told somewhere and by someone in one form or another, and then transferred by the writer in book form.
The genres of folklore, examples of which are well-known, popular and recognizable, do not need to be clarified. The reader will easily figure out which of the authors came up with their plot, and who borrowed it from the past. Another thing is when the genres of folklore, examples of which are heard by most readers, are disputed by someone. In this case, specialists must understand and draw competent conclusions.
Controversial art forms
There are examples when the tales of modern authors literally ask for folklore in their structure, but it’s known that the plot has no sources from the depths of folk art, but was invented by the author himself from beginning to end. For example, the work of Eduard Uspensky "Three in Prostokvashino." There is a folklore canvas - one postman Pechkin is worth it. And the story itself is fabulous in fact. Nevertheless, if authorship is defined, then folklore affiliation can only be conditional. Although many authors believe that differences are not necessary at all, art is art, regardless of form. Which genres of folklore coincide with the literary canons can be determined by a number of signs.
The difference between folklore and literary works
Literary works, such as a novel, a short story, a story, an essay, are characterized by a measured, unhurried narration. The reader gets the opportunity to analyze what they read on the go, while delving into the idea of the plot. Folklore works are more impulsive, in addition, they contain only their inherent elements, such as a saying, an introduction, a saying or a chorus. Often the narrator slows down the action for a greater effect, applies the duality or trinity of the narrative. Open tautology is widely used in folklore, sometimes even accented. In the course of parallelism and exaggeration. All these techniques are organic for folklore, although they are completely unacceptable in ordinary literature.
Different peoples, incompatible in their mentality, often unite factors of a precisely folklore nature. Folk art contains universal motives, such as a common desire for everyone to harvest a good harvest. Both the Chinese and the Portuguese are thinking about this, although they live on different ends of the mainland. The population of many countries unites the desire for a peaceful existence. Since people everywhere are the same in nature, their folklore is not much different, if you do not keep in mind external signs.
The geographical proximity of different nationalities promotes rapprochement, and this process also begins with folklore. First of all, cultural ties are being established, and only after the spiritual unification of the two peoples do politicians come to the forefront.
Small genres of Russian folklore
Small folklore works are usually intended for children. The child does not perceive a long story or fairy tale, but he listens with pleasure to the story of the gray top, which can grab by the barrel. In the process of raising children, small genres of Russian folklore appeared. Each work of this form contains a special semantic kernel, which in the course of the narrative turns into either moral or a small moralizing.
However, most of the small forms of the folklore genre are useful for the child’s development of speech, song, jokes. There are 5 genres of folklore that are successfully used in raising children:
- Lullaby is an ancient way to lull a child. Usually the melody of the song is accompanied by the swaying of the cradle or crib, so it’s important to find a rhythm when singing.
- Petals - simple rhymes, humming wishes, affectionate parting words, soothing lamentations for a newly awakened child.
- Nursery Rhymes - recitative songs that accompany the game with the arms and legs of the baby. Promote the development of the child, encourage him to act in an unobtrusive playful way.
- Jokes - short stories, often in verse, funny and sonorous, which the mother tells her children daily. Young children need to tell jokes according to their age, so that children understand every word.
- Counters are small rhymes that well develop the arithmetic abilities of a child. They are an indispensable part of collective children's games when it is necessary to draw lots.