Who were the three heroes really? What was Alyosha Popovich's main occupation? Characteristic qualities of Alyosha Popovich About the hero Alyosha Popovich

Alesha Popovich- a folklore collective image of a hero in the Russian epic epic. Alyosha Popovich, as the youngest, is the third in importance in the heroic trinity along with and.

The image of Alyosha Popovich in epics

Alyosha Popovich is the son of the Rostov priest Leonty (rarely Fedor). Alyosha Popovich is also considered a fellow countryman in Piryatyn (Poltava region). According to local legend, he often visited Piryatinsky fairs, helped people and had heroic strength.

What distinguishes Alyosha Popovich is not his strength (sometimes his weakness is even emphasized, his lameness is pointed out, etc.). He is characterized by daring, pressure, sharpness, resourcefulness, and cunning. He knew how to play the harp. Alyosha is ready to deceive even his sworn brother Dobrynya, encroaching on his marital rights (Alyosha spreads a false rumor about the death of Dobrynya in order to marry his wife Nastasya Nikulishna). In general, Alyosha is boastful, arrogant, crafty and evasive; his jokes are sometimes not only funny, but also insidious, even evil; his fellow heroes express their censure and condemnation to him from time to time. In general, Alyosha’s image is characterized by inconsistency and duality.

Sometimes traits characteristic of Alyosha are transferred to: his birth is accompanied by thunder; Alyosha the baby asks to be swaddled not with swaddling clothes, but with chain mail; then he immediately asks his mother for a blessing to walk around the world: it turns out that he can already sit on a horse and wield it, use a spear and saber, etc. Alyosha Popovich’s cunning and dexterity are akin to Volga’s “cunning wisdom,” and his jokes and the tricks are close to Volga’s magical transformations.

The wife of Alyosha Popovich in the epics about him and the sister of the Zbrodovichs (Petrovichs, etc.) becomes Elena (Petrovna), aka Elenushka, Alena, Alyonushka (Volga’s wife is also called Elena). This female name is, as it were, adjusted to the name of Alyosha Popovich (options Olyosha, Valesha and Eleshenka) - Elena and Alyonushka, and thus a “name-name” married couple is formed. In one version of the epic about Alyosha and the Zbrodovich sister, the brothers cut off Alyosha’s head for disgracing their sister (in other versions of this plot, Alyosha is also in danger, but everything ends well).

The most archaic story associated with Alyosha Popovich is his fight with Tugarin. Alyosha Popovich defeats Tugarin on the way to Kyiv or in Kyiv (there is a known variant in which this fight occurs twice). Tugarin threatens Alyosha Popovich to choke him with smoke, cover him with sparks, burn him with fire-flames, shoot him with firebrands, or swallow him alive. The fight between Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin often takes place near the water (Safast River). Sometimes, having defeated Tugarin, Alyosha dissects and scatters his corpse across an open field.

Alesha Popovich- one of the three most famous epic heroes, the youngest of them at the Bogatyrskaya outpost. According to legend, he was from. Alyosha Popovich is weaker than Ilya Muromets and Dobrynya Nikitich, but more than compensates for this with his cunning and sharpness. It was not for nothing that Alyosha had the nickname “Popovich” - the sons of priests were popularly considered very dexterous and cunning. The image of Alyosha Popovich differs significantly from his older colleagues. If Ilya Muromets personifies confident strength, wise thoroughness and experience, Dobrynya Nikitich - nobility and intelligence, education and culture, then Alyosha Popovich - perky youth with its possible shortcomings. Alyosha Popovich is brave and cheerful, hot-tempered and unrestrained, witty and loves to joke, and at the same time frivolous, self-interested, arrogant and boastful. He can deceive a friend and seduce someone else's wife. But when the time comes to fight enemies, Alyosha Popovich is always ready to act as a defender of his native land.

According to one version, one of the historical prototypes of the epic hero is the “Rostov brave” Alexander (Olesha) Popovich, who is mentioned in various chronicles of the 15-17 centuries. (most fully - in the Tver Chronicle of 1534). To what extent Alexander Popovich was a real historical figure, or whether stories about him were included in the chronicles from epics, is a rather complex question. According to the Tver Chronicle, Alexander was the son of the Rostov priest Leonty and lived in the late 12th - early 13th centuries. He served the Grand Duke of Vladimir Vsevolod Yuryevich the Big Nest, and then his eldest son, the first Rostov prince Konstantin. Alexander Popovich was an excellent warrior and became very famous. He took part in the internecine war between the sons of Vsevolod the Big Nest, including the Battle of Lipitsa in 1216, in which Constantine fought against his brothers Yuri (Grand Duke of Vladimir) and Yaroslav (father of Alexander Nevsky). Constantine won and became the Grand Duke himself, but died in 1218. Nothing good could be expected from Yuri, who had regained the throne, and Alexander Popovich went into the service of the Grand Duke of Kyiv Mstislav. In 1223 he took part in the battle with the Mongols on Kalka, in which he died. Probably, over time, the life of Alexander Popovich was layered with different plots, as a result of which his image underwent a complex evolution. And since Alexander had the nickname Popovich, he was given the features of a “real popovich.”

Anecdote: Once Ilya Muromets (IM) met with Alyosha Popovich (AP).

– AP: Hello, hero!
– IM: Hello, hello!
– AP: What’s your name?
– IM: Ilya Muromets!
– AP: What places will you be from?
– IM: From Murom! And what's your name?
– AP: My name is Alyosha Popovich, but I won’t say from what place!

Alyosha Popovich is the youngest of the three heroes, the main heroes of the Russian epic. The name Alyosha in Ancient Rus' was a diminutive of Alexander. The chronicles mention several Alexander Popovichs who lived at different times. One of them fought with the Polovtsians in 1100, the other was a warrior of the Rostov prince Konstantin Vsevolodovich and in 1216 participated in the Battle of Lipitsa against the Vladimir prince Yuri; the third died in the battle with the Tatars at Kalka in 1223.

The question of whether any of these heroes served as the prototype of Alyosha Popovich or whether the reverse process occurred, and the chroniclers who compiled the chronicles several centuries after the events described in them endowed real characters with the name of the epic hero remains open.

The epics say that Alyosha was born in Rostov the Great and was the son of a “Rostov priest.”

In different epics, the image of Alyosha Popovich takes on different facets. In the more ancient ones, he is primarily a warrior, brave, although somewhat reckless - “brave in appearance.” Later, Alyosha often appears as a frivolous braggart and a “woman’s charmer.”

The central epic from the cycle about Alyosha Popovich tells about his victory over Tugarin Zmeevich. At its core, this epic is one of the most ancient. In it, Alyosha Popovich is not yet in the service of Prince Vladimir, but is an independent wandering warrior, traveling around the world with his fellow squire in search of exploits and adventures. In the image of Tugarin, two characters merged: the more ancient, mythical one - the winged serpent, and the later, historical one - the Polovtsian Khan Tugor-kan, killed in Kyiv in 1096.

Tugarin’s serpentine nature is evidenced by his middle name, Zmeevich, as well as his ability to fly through the air. But in the epic, the wings are not his integral part: he “puts them on,” and in almost all versions of the epic it is indicated that the wings are “paper.”

It is historically reliable to mention that servants carry Tugarin “on a golden board” - this method of transportation was characteristic of the steppe rulers.

He defeated Alyosha Tugarin and brought Tugarin’s head to Kyiv to the prince’s court and threw it in the middle of Vladimirov’s court. “Hey, come on, Alyosha Popovich is young! You gave me light, perhaps you should live in Kyiv, serve me, Prince Vladimir!” - was the joyful word of the Prince of Stolnokiev to him. The prince’s joy was reflected in joy throughout Kyiv, spreading from Kyiv throughout Rus'...

The image of Princess Apraxia, the unfaithful wife of Prince Vladimir, is interesting. Eupraxia Vsevolodovna, the sister of Vladimir Monomakh, can be considered her prototype. Eupraxia was married to the Saxon Count of Staden, soon widowed and became the wife of the Holy Roman Emperor Henry IV. Contemporaries called Eupraxia “a shameless, depraved woman.” Subsequently, she fled from her husband, accusing him of many atrocities, and returned to Kyiv. Popular rumor could attribute her connection with Tugor-kan, although in reality he was killed a year before her return to Kyiv.

The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense conducted a brilliant special operation to combat the “Russian threat.” It took place not in Donbass and not on the border with Crimea, but in ... Wikipedia.

As reported by the Ukrainian “Vesti”, representatives of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine in an article in the Internet encyclopedia dedicated to Ilya Muromets.

Instead of the village of Karacharovo, which is near Murom in the Vladimir region, the Ukrainian military indicated the city of Morovsk near Chernigov, which in ancient times was called Murom.

According to Ukrainian journalists, the special operation was carried out not by chance, but in connection with the release in the fall of 2017 of the first Ukrainian fantasy film “Strong Outpost”, where well-known heroes will act. At the same time, the film insists that the heroes are not Russian, but Ukrainian.

Everything that is happening cannot be called anything other than insanity. If only because, regardless of whether Ilya Muromets was born near Chernigov or near Murom, he, like his comrades in arms, without a doubt, was Russian or, if you like, a Rusich. None of the prototypes of Ilya Muromets, Dobrynya Nikitich and Alyosha Popovich could call themselves “Ukrainians” even theoretically, since the heroes acted in a period when the division of one ancient Russian people into three branches, which are now called Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians, had not yet occurred .

When they talk about heroes, it is not for nothing that they mention that they are “epic”: over centuries of oral legends, their biography has been repeatedly supplemented with new adventures, so it is quite difficult to discover where it all began.

There are many versions about who exactly was the prototype of the heroes, but now we will talk only about those that seem the most convincing, and to which most historians are inclined.

A. P. Ryabushkin. Ilya Muromets. Illustration for the book “Russian epic heroes”. Reproduction

Ilya Muromets - Ilya Chobotok, Saint Elijah of Pechersk

The relics of a monk rest in the Near Caves of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra Elijah of Pechersk, canonized in the 17th century. This man lived in the 12th century and in his social life bore the name Ilya Chobotok. He received his nickname because, possessing extraordinary strength, he once fought off enemies with a chobot, that is, a boot.

Ilya Chobotok was a native of the Vladimir village of Karacharovo, where not only legends about him have been preserved, but people who are considered his descendants still live: Gushchin family. It is famous for its extraordinary strength: according to legend, men of this kind until the 19th century were forbidden to participate in such a popular pastime in Rus' as fist fights.

Ilya Chobotok entered the service of the Kyiv prince's squad and occupied a high position among the warriors.

Relics of Ilya Pechersky. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

An examination of the remains in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, carried out in Soviet times, showed that Ilya Pechersky was a physically strong, tall man who had traces of numerous wounds. This is typical of a warrior. In addition, traces were found indicating a spinal disease. As we remember, the epic says that Ilya could not walk until he was 33 years old.

It is believed that, most likely, Chobotok became a monk after another wound he received made him unfit for further service.

At the same time, it is very likely that the monk Elijah of Pechersk died in battle. In 1204, Prince Rurik Rostislavich, together with the Polovtsians, captured Kyiv and destroyed the Lavra. An experienced warrior, even after being seriously wounded, the monk Elijah could not help but stand in the way of the invaders.

Andrey Ryabushkin. Nikitich. 1895. Illustration for the book “Russian epic heroes”. Reproduction

Dobrynya Nikitich - Dobrynya, voivode of Prince Vladimir Red Sun

In epics Nikitich most often appears as a hero in the service Prince Vladimir, and extremely close to it. Therefore, the most likely prototype should be considered the governor of Prince Vladimir Dobrynya, who was the uncle of the Baptist of Rus' and was the brother of his mother Malusha.

His exact place of birth is unknown. Some researchers point to the environs of modern Vladimir-Volynsky. It is known that Dobrynya was an influential person during the reign of Vladimir’s father, Prince Svyatoslav, and that is why he turned out to be the mentor of young Vladimir, sent by his father to reign in Novgorod.

Dobrynya was very active during the period when Vladimir was fighting for the right to become the prince of Kyiv. The chronicle claims that it was he who inspired the prince to take tough actions against Polotsk, including the rape of the bride of Prince Yaropolk Rogneda. There was nothing extraordinary in seizing women by force at that time, but Dobrynya, irritated by Rogneda’s and her entourage’s hints about the “slave” status of his sister Malusha, convinced Vladimir to act, as they say now, with particular cynicism.

After Vladimir became the prince of Kyiv, Dobrynya was appointed governor in Novgorod, and, apparently, remained so until his death. The son of Dobrynya was also the governor in Novgorod, Konstantin Dobrynich. Being a Companion Yaroslav the Wise, Konstantin Dobrynich fell into disgrace, then was transferred to Murom, where he died in 1022.

A. P. Ryabushkin. Alesha Popovich. Epic hero. Reproduction

Alyosha Popovich - Alexander Popovich, Rostov boyar, comrade-in-arms of Dobrynya of the Golden Belt

In the chronicles of the early 13th century appears Alexander Popovich. “Someone from Rostov, a resident Alexander, called Popovich, and his servant named Torop; Serving both Alexander and Grand Duke Vsevolod Yuryevich...”, says the historical document.

According to information that has reached us, a native of Rostov, Olesha or Alexander Popovich, was a noble boyar and at the same time one of the strongest warriors in his homeland. He was in the service of the prince Vsevolod's Big Nest, whose descendants ruled Russia until the extinction of the Rurik dynasty.

Alexander Popovich served the son of Vsevolod, Konstantin Vsevolodovich, and was drawn into his confrontation with his brother, Yuri Vsevolodovich. After the death of Constantine in 1218, the boyar feared problems and had good reason: he personally killed several of Yuri's best warriors. Therefore, Alexander Popovich left for Kyiv, where he entered the service of the prince Mstislav the Old.

And here his fate unexpectedly intersects with another contender for the role of the prototype of Dobrynya Nikitich: a native of Ryazan Dobrynya Golden Belt. This warrior received his nickname from his father’s profession, who was engaged in trade with foreigners. Famous merchants during this period were called “golden belts.”

Dobrynya mastered the art of war early and entered the service of the Rostov prince Konstantin Vsevolodovich, becoming a fellow soldier of Alexander Popovich.

After the death of the prince, he was among those who went to serve in Kyiv.

Chronicles claim that Ryazan Dobrynya and Alexander Popovich took part in the first battle of the Russians with the Tatar-Mongols, which took place on the Kalka River in May 1223.

Among those killed at Kalka were at least nine princes, including Mstislav the Old. Many Russian soldiers died there, including Alexander Popovich and Dobrynya Zolotoy Belt.

They died without even realizing that 800 years later their descendants would diligently rewrite their biography to suit the current political moment.

The hero Alyosha Popovich occupies a prominent place in our epic. The Russian people did not treat him with the same sympathy as the heroes Ilya Muromets and Dobrynya Nikitich. Epics often depict Alyosha Popovich not in his best form, often in them he is called “Alyosha”. And the heroes treat him with condescension.

So, when they stood at the heroic outpost and overlooked the visiting hero-enemy, and in the morning Ilya Muromets invited the one who wanted to go to catch up with the enemy, Alyosha volunteered first. He stated that he was “more distant than everyone else.” The heroes began to dissuade him from the trip: he had “envious eyes”, he had “raking hands”, they saw that he was bragging about his prowess. And indeed, Alyosha returned broken - he was riding a horse, staggering. Boasting and arrogance put Alyosha in an awkward position. Alyosha found himself in the same position in the epic about his failed attempt to marry Nastasya Mikulishna.

What characterization can we give Alyosha Popovich?

There are good traits in Alyosha’s character. This is courage, daring. In his songs he is constantly accompanied by the epithet “brave”. He has a desire to defeat the enemy. He is pious. The hero Alyosha wins battles not so much with strength and courage as with cunning and deception. In these ways, he twice killed his main enemy, the snake Tugarin (like a mythical creature, the snake killed by Alyosha then comes to life): once Alyosha pretended that he did not hear from a distance what the snake was saying, and when he came close, he suddenly hit him; another time he forced the snake to look back - what kind of innumerable power was behind him (according to Alyosha), and at that time he cut off his head.

But Alyosha is not a straightforward person: he is always prone to deception. It cost him nothing to deceive Dobrynya, his wife, Prince Vladimir.

Alyosha is also inclined to dominate other people, he also has a love of power: taking advantage of the mental simplicity of his named brother Yakim Ivanovich, he turned him almost into his servant - he pitches tents in the field and leads his horse to watering.

But here Alyosha almost got into trouble once: having coveted the colored dress of Tugarin, whom he had killed, he took this dress off the enemy and put it on himself. And Yakim Ivanovich mistook him for a snake, attacked him and beat him.

In the Russian epic, Alyosha Popovich is the third most important Russian hero. Nature gave him less strength than Ilya or Dobrynya, but he is courageous and courageous, and most importantly, savvy and cunning. These qualities were also highly valued in Rus'. Especially when with the help of these qualities it was possible to defeat the enemy.

The negative traits that were characteristic of Alyosha did not turn him into a negative image. Yes, Alyosha is sometimes careless and frivolous, but he is cheerful, certainly loves his Motherland, intolerant of its enemies, and selfless.