What is a legend? The meaning of the word "legend"

How often do we hear cliché words and expressions like "the birth of a legend" today, without thinking about what a legend is, actually. If you turn to the original sources, then the word legenda comes from the Latin language. Thus, there is reason to believe that legends are the know-how of Romans, but this claim is controversial. Translation of it sounds like "reading", "readable". About this form of the traditional genre there are monographs of the n scientist of the XIX century, the classic of linguistics R.O. Shor.

And where is the reading, when it comes to oral folklore? This question is quite natural. Indeed, the legends were once intended for illiterate citizens in Rome, they contained historical, religious information that was understandable to them. Of these, people drew knowledge, moral principles.

Legends and legends. What is the difference?

The meaning of the word "legend", which is borrowed, is close to the meaning of the Old Russian word "tradition". The latter came from the words "to convey," meaning from mouth to mouth. Tradition, as a rule, is tied to a specific locality, people. The legend originally differed in the evaluation of events and people according to religious norms.

The Christian legend traditionally includes an assessment of events according to the Christian norms of life. It is more generalized than the legend. Common to both the narrative and the legend is their common basis - certain historical events. The latter, as a rule, are dramatic.

A thorough understanding of the legend

Let's try to answer in more detail the question of what a legend is. Religious legend, as already noted, can take the form of a dramatic miracle (a medieval story of miracles performed by saints). However, there are legends in other religions: Buddhism, Judaism, Islam. Genre has acquired a broader, extra-ritual significance. His subject became the narrative of a hero, a historical figure or an event. Examples of similar works will be considered below.

Famous legends

Let's remember what a legend is. To do this, we give some of the most famous examples of this genre. This is the story of the journey of the hero Jason with his comrades on the ship Argo in search of a golden rune to Colchis. This story has survived centuries and has reached our days. Through the thickness of time also passed a legend about the Trojan War, its heroes and the drama of confrontation. Even today, Achilles and Hector inspire creative people to make numerous remakes of this legend in various forms of art.

Allegory and instructive story about the victory of the hero Theseus over the monster Minotaur, who lives in the palace labyrinth of King Crete. "Aeneid" tells us about the brave founder of Rome - the hero of Aeneas, a Trojan who fled after the Greeks destroyed the native city-kingdom.

Three hundred Spartans, who gave a heroic battle to the Persians in the gorge of Thermopylae, also became a legend.

Widely mentioned in the literature is the legend of the "Flying Dutchman". The captain brought a curse on his ship, swearing his mother's bones that no one would go ashore, and condemned his soul to eternal wandering. Meeting with this ship, which appears in the Indian Ocean, promised seamen death, and other ships - a wreck.

The Middle Ages are decorated with knightly and heroic legends. There are also Russian legends about the miraculous victory of George the Victorious over the serpent, about the heroes.

The French are proud of their national hero - Knight Roland.

In the British folklore, the legend of King Arthur is known, which unites around himself the knights of the Round Table.

School program

In the general educational institutions as a genre, a legend is studied in literature. The 5th grade in the program includes both the most famous works and local legends. This kind of folklore is adapted to the child's perception. Legend is a genre of literature that refers to small forms of folklore. It is capacious, rather laconic, which is important for children's perception. In addition, this genre traditionally uses expressive artistic means, affecting the concepts of love and hate, good and evil, justice. It is something like a fairy tale.

Genre of the legend was developed in the XIX century by the titans of literature: L. N. Tolstoy, F. M. Dostoyevsky, I. S. Turgenev. For example, Leo Nikolayevich's pen belongs to the composition "Destruction of Hell and Restoration of It", "Christmas Legend". Fyodor Mikhailovich wrote a monumental work - "The Legend of the Grand Inquisitor." Ivan Sergeevich - "Eastern legend", "The Legend of St. Julian the Most Gracious. "

Conclusion

This genre is very dynamic. Therefore, when talking about what a legend is, it should be noted that today this genre is experiencing a second birth. The society, faced with the unknown, unknown, begins to create new legends. For example, about extraterrestrials abducting people, about the monster of Loch Ness, about the system of pyramids and other objects that prevent the destruction of civilization, about heroic people-our contemporaries. In addition, legends are born also from literary works, if, of course, they were written by a real master. For example, Tolkien's novel "The Lord of the Rings" was perceived by the English as an epic. The stories in this trilogy have become legends.