In Russian fairy tales, features of a human character are manifested in all breadth. In general, the tale of each people is characterized by national characteristics. So, despite the fact that many plots of fairy tales from different countries are similar to each other, the characters are purely national. They reflect, rather, not a Russian character, but an ideal idea of it.
Classification of fairy tales
The most popular is the classification of Afanasyev's tales. According to her, there are three main groups:
- tales of animals;
- fairy tales;
- household tales.
Let us dwell on the magic. They are the oldest and tell about any miraculous events.
Features of a fairy tale
Motherhood in a fairy tale is given great importance. The absence of children in the family is a great grief. “The Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise” first tells the story of the life of a royal childless family. Well done in a fairy tale is often passive and acts only with the help of the magical power of a lover or assistants. Ivan Tsarevich fulfills the orders of the king only with the help of the magic of Vasilisa the Wise. The fairy-tale maiden seems beautiful. For example, Vasilisa the Wise was one of the twelve sisters, the most attractive.
The fairy tale “The Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise” also testifies to the fact that, by reason and cunning, the daughter surpasses the parent (in the scene of the chase of the tsar's retinue for fugitives), for which he incurs his anger. With the help of magic, cunning and intelligence, she saves Ivan Tsarevich from imminent death.
Old people are revered, they are listened to. Meeting the old woman, Ivan Tsarevich first dismissed her, but, thinking, decided to turn and received valuable advice.
Sources of fairy tales
The sources of fairy tales are rather difficult to trace today. One thing is clear: many fairy tales have survived to this day in a mixed and altered form, being passed from mouth to mouth. Often in Russian tales, faith in God is intertwined with faith in miracles, be it spells, witchcraft, and so on. For example, the sea king and Vasilisa are representatives of the magical underwater kingdom. The nationality of the tale is also explained by the fact that it has always existed in all sectors of the population, starting with the royal family and ending with peasants.
The main function of a fairy tale is to instill in people a sense of beauty and fairness. Children brought up in fairy tales, early begin to appreciate this word, well distinguish good from evil, hard work from laziness.
English fairy tale
Many scientists and researchers approached the question of why fairy tales of different peoples of the world are so similar at times. After conducting numerous investigations, they agreed that the reason for the similarity of fairy tales created in different parts of the world is a certain unified human psyche, the nature of mankind.
We turn again to the tale "The Sea King and Vasilisa the Wise." Widespread English tale called "The daughter of the king of the sea." Its plot boils down to the fact that the maiden seal, together with the sisters and brothers, took the skin and turned into a girl of indescribable beauty. The fisherman who saw her fell in love and hid the hide, and then took the maiden as his wife. They healed and brought the children together, but somehow the wife found her missing and immediately returned to the sea kingdom, not regretting the abandoned children for a minute. The tale ends with a sad phrase, from which tears well up. Once the virgin looked back at her house, where her children were waiting, and then joyfully sailed into the sea.
The English fairy tale contradicts the spirit of the Russian reader. For us, this behavior of the wife and mother is incomprehensible. No call of the sea to a Russian woman can replace a maternal instinct.
Russian fairy tale
The Russian fairy tale has a similar plot at first. The king of the sea has thirteen daughters. Vasilisa the Wise, one of them, takes off her shirt when bathing and turns into a beautiful maiden. At this moment, taught by the old woman, Ivan Tsarevich picks up the shirt and does not go to the girl until she calls him his betrothed. The sea king sets Ivan difficult tasks, and Vasilisa the Beautiful helps her beloved to fulfill them, and even later - to escape home, to Holy Russia. Moreover, helping her husband, Vasilisa the Wise already knows that Ivan Tsarevich, having returned to his father's house, will immediately forget her. All the other way around, if you compare with an English fairy tale. There, for the sake of the sea, a maid abandons a house, children and a husband, and here the prince forgets the sea princess with joy that he returned to Holy Russia. And only the devotion of Vasilisa the Wise saves their marriage. Vasilisa forgives her husband treason.
Many fairy tales, like this one, end with the hero returning home with the young Vasilisa. This once again emphasizes the importance of family ties for a Russian person. Also of great importance is the Russian man assigns fate. No wonder the husband is narrowed, the one whom fate has determined.
Attention should also be paid to the fact that in the Russian fairy tale they were sensitive to this promise. Caught the sea king of the earth king over his beard. He promised the Sea Tsar to give back what he does not know at home. When he found out that he had promised, he became sad. But there is nothing to do. The promise needs to be fulfilled. And the king after some time nevertheless brings his son, and the sea king is waiting.
Russian fairy tale reveals all aspects of human life. Having passed through centuries and years, the fairy tale absorbed all the most important and inalienable features of the Russian national character. She accompanies from childhood to late old age, makes us kinder, fairer.