THE TRADITIONS OF THE GENRE OF THE MILITARY STORY IN RUSSIAN LITERATURE OF THE XIX-XX CENTURIES

Abstract

The genre of the military story is a kind of historical genre based on a folk legend presented as a fact. The military story is characterized by a teleological plot, in particular, related to the ideology of "Moscow – the Third Rome", and a didactic orientation. The general motives of military stories include prayer-a request for help, the motive of the intercession of heavenly powers, the motive of the "mortal cup", the rite of farewell kissing. The military story includes the folklore genre of lamentation, the book genre of vision, and Christian symbols. The "Legend of the Mamaev Massacre" uses the image of a vine as a symbol of the Kingdom of Heaven, numerical symbols are associated with church worship. In Leo Tolstoy's novel War and Peace, the white color becomes a symbol of redemptive sacrifice, the sun is a sign of the presence of divine help. Here, as in the Old Russian military stories, the rite of farewell kissing is shown. Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The White Guard correlates with The Tale of Batu's Devastation of Ryazan. The city in these works symbolizes the human soul, gripped by vices. The destruction of Kiev in Bulgakov's novel, in the context of St. Augustine's work, is perceived as the completion of the old and the transition to a new, more perfect dispensation, which is associated with the "Moscow text." Elena's prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary is heard in Bulgakov's novel, and her brother is granted life. Russia is represented in Russian literature as the inheritance of the Most Holy Theotokos, as a Christian power that is under the protection of heavenly powers.