The heroic poem - a poem ... The heroic literature

What heroic poem?Obviously, this is a term denoting a specific literary genre.What it is characterized and different from the rest?Which countries have created such works?What can serve as an example of this genre?Answers to these questions can be found in the article.

composition concepts

Definitely, "heroic poem" - a composite term.It is based on two concepts: "Poem" and "hero".It makes sense to consider each separately and then combine sense.

poem (from the Greek. Poiema «creation») as a literary genre is a large volume of work in the verses relating to the lyric-epic race.This work consists of several parts, united by one story, which is transmitted in narrative form any important event.Features of the poem as a literary genre:

  • unwrapped plot (multiple scenes and events);
  • Latitude narrative (sometimes covers the years and generations);
  • deeply lyrical way open.

poem origins lie in ancient and medieval epics.

Hero (from the Greek. Geros «a brave, strong man, a demi-god" and French. Heros «Hero") - in literature, the word can be the following concepts:

  • protagonist of a work;
  • brave brave man, a performer of feats.

formed from the noun "hero", the adjective "heroic", respectively, can mean the following:

  • capable of heroism;
  • describing any heroic events.

Heroic Poem:

definition Using definitions of "Poem" and "hero" can be formulated, which means "heroic poem."This literature multipart poetic work, the theme of which some are important and heroic events commonly associated with the legendary characters and their exploits or travel.

heroic poem - is, above all, a work of art, which is a folk epic literary processed, characteristic of many cultures and existed since antiquity.

heroic poem in one form or another exist in almost every nation of the world.Epic folk tradition gradually merged into poetic cycles, then get the fame and popularity.

Typically, the epic is the author, combined and processed disparate literary legends.Examples of ancient heroic epic are: Indian "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata", Greek "Iliad" and "Odyssey", Old Norse "Edda", the Finnish "Kalevala", Germany's "Song of the Nibelungs", the French "Song of Roland", Italian"Jerusalem Delivered" Anglo-Saxon "Beowulf" and so on. n.

From Antiquity to Classicism

Genre heroic epic inspired poets like ancient time and the following centuries.His heyday it reached in the XVIII century., And has been enthusiastically taken up by the representatives of classicism.Genre of historical poem attracted them to their heroic pathos, sublimity and citizenship.The lyrical hero of the poem necessarily have to be a moral model.Classicists called the pinnacle of poetic works of art.It was believed that each nation should strive to create their own heroic poems.

At heyday of classical heroic poem - a poetry written sublime style and consisting of a number of chapters, often referred to as "songs".The theme of the narrative invariably became historical events significant for the people of the country and all of humanity.Another name for this genre - the epic.

Content heroic poem

According to the canons of classicism, such work must necessarily include the following components:

  • start telling about the subject of the narrative;
  • appeal to those who inspired the poet;
  • more details described battle scenes;
  • fantastic plot elements and mythological characters;
  • allegorical characters representing vice, virtue, justice, power, envy and so on. N .;
  • line of the future set out as a prophecy.

In Russian tradition

Russian heroic poem was developed in the works of MV Lomonosov Moscow State University ("Peter the Great"), VK Trediakovsky ("Tilemahida"), AP Sumarokov ("Dimitriadi")and AN Maikov ("the liberation of Moscow") and MM Kheraskov ("The Battle" and "Rossiada").All these works were written in the classical style.The story went on one of the alternative routes: the predominance of historical or artistic in the plot.In the first case, emphasis was placed on the preservation of historical authenticity, and the second - on the artistic interpretation of past events and the development of their moral evaluation.Therefore, some Russian heroic poems are very different from each other in style and focus.

In the Eastern tradition

heroic poems in the East is a small epic genre known as "Dastan" (in Persian "story").Such work may be written poetry, prose, and even mixed language (ie can combine poetry and prose).

Usually in a plot dastan lay folk legends and fairy tales.For this genre are frequent fi and adventure stories with a variety of complex twists and turns.The image of the main character is a moral ideal.Thus, the eastern epos is an analogue of the European heroic poem.

This literary genre is represented in the work of the Tajik-Persian, Uzbek and Kazakh poets.Examples of Oriental heroic poem "Layla and Majnun", classic Persian poetry Nizami Ganjavi, the epic poem "Shahnameh" by Ferdowsi, poetry Uzbek poet Alisher Navoi and the Persian-Tajik poet Jami.

trace the historical path that took heroic poem, we can confidently assert that this genre was characteristic of humanity at all stages of its existence, and has been developed in many parts of the world.