The image of a bogatyr in the Mansi heroic songs (plot about the attack on other people’s settlements)
English
journal number:
Journal’s Subject Headings:
Philology
About author:
Ob-Ugric Institute of Applied Researches and Development, Yugra State University, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russian Federation, [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Introduction: the genre of “heroic songs” stands out in the folklore of the Mansi people. They poetically tell about the war era of the Mansi – a special period in history called the heroic time. The main characters in the songs are ōtyrs ʻbogatyrsʼ.
Objective: to characterize the image of a bogatyr in Mansi heroic songs with a plot about the attack of them on other people’s settlements.
Research materials: heroic songs of the Mansi people published in folklore collections.
Results and novelty of the research: for the first time, in the work the image of a bogatyr of Mansi heroic songs is analyzed in the aspect of one specific plot theme. Analysis of the reviewed texts shows that the main character and his enemies play an important role in their construction. A bogatyr attacks other people’s settlements with a specific purpose (revenge for a murdered relative, kidnapping a woman as a wife to his brother, etc.). He can attack alone or with a small troop (warriors-sons). Heroic songs tell about the battles of a bogatyr with an army of equal strength, which do not always
end with his victory. The death of a hero usually occurs due to the betrayal of a trusted person or a dishonorable act of an enemy. Such plots are rare. In general, the heroic epos is in the circle of special attention of folklore researchers, but at the same time it is insufficiently studied. The Mansi heroic songs also did not become a subject of special study.
Key words: folklore, Mansi people, song, heroic songs, plot, bogatyr, image.
For citation: Gerasimova S. A. The image of a bogatyr in Mansi heroic songs (plot about the attack on other people’s settlements) // Vestnik ugrovedenia = Bulletin of Ugric Studies. 2021; 11 (4): 624–631.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: the genre of “heroic songs” stands out in the folklore of the Mansi people. They poetically tell about the war era of the Mansi – a special period in history called the heroic time. The main characters in the songs are ōtyrs ʻbogatyrsʼ.
Objective: to characterize the image of a bogatyr in Mansi heroic songs with a plot about the attack of them on other people’s settlements.
Research materials: heroic songs of the Mansi people published in folklore collections.
Results and novelty of the research: for the first time, in the work the image of a bogatyr of Mansi heroic songs is analyzed in the aspect of one specific plot theme. Analysis of the reviewed texts shows that the main character and his enemies play an important role in their construction. A bogatyr attacks other people’s settlements with a specific purpose (revenge for a murdered relative, kidnapping a woman as a wife to his brother, etc.). He can attack alone or with a small troop (warriors-sons). Heroic songs tell about the battles of a bogatyr with an army of equal strength, which do not always
end with his victory. The death of a hero usually occurs due to the betrayal of a trusted person or a dishonorable act of an enemy. Such plots are rare. In general, the heroic epos is in the circle of special attention of folklore researchers, but at the same time it is insufficiently studied. The Mansi heroic songs also did not become a subject of special study.
Key words: folklore, Mansi people, song, heroic songs, plot, bogatyr, image.
For citation: Gerasimova S. A. The image of a bogatyr in Mansi heroic songs (plot about the attack on other people’s settlements) // Vestnik ugrovedenia = Bulletin of Ugric Studies. 2021; 11 (4): 624–631.
