In chronicle sources, in contrast to epics and songs, Alyosha Popovich is called Alexander (Olesha). Moreover, he was in fact the son of a priest, that is, the son of a priest from Rostov, where such a person actually existed. Moreover, he even has a position - “brave”, which means belonging to a special caste of selected warriors, the best of the best.
He became famous for his friendship with epic heroes and personal exploits, as well as for the fact that he almost stole the wife of his comrade-in-arms Dobrynya Nikitich, who was sent by the prince on urgent business and was slightly delayed for twelve whole years. So who is Alyosha Popovich, a real Russian hero, thoughtlessly rushing into a fight, despite the obvious inequality of forces, or a savvy strategist of bygone times. Let's look at it in order, without getting ahead of ourselves.
History of creation
Perhaps the hero Alyosha Popovich had a real prototype - a boyar from Rostov named Alexander, also Popovich. Chronicles describe this man as a famous warrior who served first with the Grand Duke of Vladimir Vsevolod the Big Nest, then with Konstantin Vsevolodovich, his son. This Alexander acted on the side of the latter against Yuri, his brother, who wanted to seize the Vladimir princely throne.
Alyosha Popovich has a prototype - boyar Alexander Popovich
A series of fights are described where Alexander Popovich defeated the strongest warriors of Yuri Vsevolodovich. As a result, Yuri nevertheless becomes the Prince of Vladimir, after Konstantin dies, and the prototype of Alyosha is forced to leave for Kyiv, where he goes to serve the Grand Duke Mstislav, nicknamed the Old. In 1223, Alexander Popovich died along with the new prince in the Battle of Kalka.
Alesha Popovich
Some scientists, however, argue that the situation is exactly the opposite, and it was the epics about Alyosha Popovich that influenced how the chronicles talk about the actually existing boyar Alexander. The image of Alyosha Popovich himself was formed on the basis of ideas about a certain ancient mythological hero. Scientists see archaic features and connections with the chthonic element in the descriptions of the hero.
Gods of the Slavs
Alyosha Popovich and the beautiful maiden, Artist K. Vasiliev
ALOSHA - hero, hero of the SLAVIC EPIC
ALOSHA POPOVICH is a mythologized image of a hero in the Russian epic. Alyosha Popovich, as the youngest, is the third in importance in the heroic trinity, along with Ilya Muromets and Dobrynya Nikitich.
PEDIGREE: In the epics of the ancient Slavs, Alyosha Popovich is the son of the Rostov priest Levontius (Simpler - Leonty, but sometimes they also say that Fedora, which is quite likely, a person often has two names: one is given in infancy, the other at baptism) . Alyosha later married Elena-Krasa.
They say that his small homeland is the village of Selishche, in the Rostov district of the Yaroslavl region. He was born and raised there.
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SERVICE: All heroes are united by a common origin from North-Eastern Rus' (Murom, Ryazan, Rostov), a trip to Kyiv, involving a duel with a monster, heroic service in Kiev at the court of Prince Vladimir the Red Sun.
ABILITIES: Alyosha Popovich is distinguished not by strength (sometimes his weakness is even emphasized, his lameness is indicated, etc.), but by courage, daring, onslaught, on the one hand, and resourcefulness, sharpness, cunning, on the other. Sometimes he is cunning and is ready to deceive even his sworn brother Dobrynya Nikitich, encroaching on his rights; he is boastful, arrogant, excessively 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, the image of Alyosha Popovich reflects a certain inconsistency and duality.
Alyosha Popovich, Art Director Losev
FIGHT WITH TUGARIN: One of the most archaic stories 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). Having defeated Tugarin, Alyosha Popovich dissected his corpse and scattered it across an open field (similar to Indra’s actions in relation to the defeated Vritra). A similar version of the plot about the fight between Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin is the epic “Alyosha Kills Skim the Beast,” where Alyosha Popovich’s opponent reminds many of Tugarin.
Alyosha Popovich and Elena Krasa, Art director B. Olshansky
HERO'S LIFE:
The birth of Alyosha Popovich was miraculous, reminiscent of the birth of Volkh: it was accompanied by thunder;
“Alyoshenka the Wonderful Young,” as soon as he was born, asks his mother for a blessing to walk around the world, not to swaddle him in swaddling clothes, but in chain mail; 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 Volkh’s “wisdom tricks,” and his jokes and tricks are similar to Volkh’s magical transformations.
Alyosha Popovich and Petrovich's sister, artist Raisa Smirnova
The wife of Alyosha Popovich in the epics about him and the sister of the Zbrodovichs (Petrovichs, etc.) becomes Elena (Petrovna), aka Elenushka, Olena, Olenushka (Volkh’s wife is also called Elena). This female name is, as it were, adjusted to the name of Alyosha Popovich (options Olesha, Valesha and Eleshenka - Elena and Olenushka, and thus a “name-name” married couple is formed, similar to Volos-Veles - Volosynya or Els - Elesikha.
Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin, art director Raisa Smirnova
PROTOTYPES:
The opinion previously accepted by researchers that the historical prototype of Alyosha Popovich was a certain Alexander Popovich, who died in the Battle of Kalka in 1223, as reported in the chronicle, is being seriously questioned: the actualization of the theme of Alexander Popovich in later chronicles may reflect familiarity with epics about Alyosha Popovich. Archaic relics are characteristic in the descriptions of Alyosha Popovich himself and all three heroes of which he is a part: in all these characters their once closer connections with the chthonic element shine through, and therefore, with a deep reconstruction, the three epic heroes can be compared with the fairy-tale triad - Gorynya, Dubynya and Usynya.
COMPUTER GAMES.
Found in the game "Three-Ninth Kingdom".
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(220) Information found on the Internet and partially edited.
Article from the PANTHEON OF SLAVIC GODS, spirits and heroes
Biography
Alyosha's father is Leonty Rostovsky, priest. As the main character, Alyosha Popovich is present in two epics - “Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin” and “Alyosha Popovich and the Zbrodovich’s sister.” The hero appears in fifty other texts, but is by no means always presented as a positive character. For example, in the epic “Dobrynya at his wife’s wedding,” Alyosha’s role is frankly negative.
Alyosha Popovich and Dobrynya Nikitich
In epics, the hero’s shortcomings, his lameness, weakness, etc. are often pointed out. Alyosha's strengths are cunning and resourcefulness, pressure and daring. The hero knows how to play the harp. At the same time, Alyosha does not behave honestly, even towards “his own people”. The hero Dobrynya Nikitich is the hero’s sworn brother, however, Alyosha encroaches on his wife Nastasya. Having decided to take this woman as his wife, the hero spreads a false rumor that Dobrynya has died.
Alyosha has an ambiguous and contradictory character. The hero is prone to evil jokes, Alyosha is characterized by boastfulness, arrogance, evasiveness and slyness. The hero is often reproached by his own fellow heroes, who treat him with condemnation. Alyosha’s main occupation, as well as the possible historical prototype of the hero, was military service with the prince.
Alyosha Popovich and Elena
A number of legends are associated with the image of Alyosha. When a hero is born, thunder roars. As a baby, Alyosha asks to be wrapped in chain mail, and not in swaddling clothes, and immediately demands that his mother bless the hero, because he can’t wait to walk around the world. Having barely been born, the hero already knows how to ride a horse and wield a saber and spear, shows dexterity and cunning, and is prone to all sorts of tricks and jokes.
The epic “Alyosha Popovich and the Zbrodovich Sister” tells how Alyosha finds his wife Elena (Alyonushka) and is exposed to danger from her brothers. In one version of this plot, the hero's head is even cut off.
Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin Zmey
The duel with the evil hero Tugarin is the most archaic plot of those where Alyosha Popovich is mentioned. This fight takes place either in Kyiv, or on the way there. Tugarin bombards the hero with threats - he threatens that he will swallow him alive, burn him with fire, suffocate him with smoke, etc. Often the fight scene takes place near the water, and Alyosha, after defeating Tugarin, chops up the corpse and scatters it across an open field. The victory over Tugarin became Alyosha's main feat.
IMAGE OF A BOGATYR
Alyosha Popovich is as unusual in his character as Dobrynya Nikitich. Still, for the most part, the brave fellows were famous for their remarkable power, but for their ignorance, like Dobrynya. So what can we say about those traits that are attributed to Alexei Leontyevich...
This hero not only does not have any special strength - on the contrary, some epics say that he is lame and therefore weak. But Alyosha is cunning, quick-witted, and resourceful. Can these be considered qualities worthy of praise? It's difficult to judge.
In his passion for the fair sex, Alyosha Popovich does not disdain outright, unsightly lies. While his godbrother Dobrynya Nikitich is performing feats of arms, he tells his wife Nastasya Mikulishna that he saw Dobrynya’s corpse in the field. By this he is trying to persuade the beautiful maiden to marry.
Alyosha is crafty, arrogant and boastful, and his jokes contain more deceit than harmless laughter. Other heroes continually reproach him for this.
Cartoons
Nowadays, Alyosha Popovich is known mainly from the series of animated films “Three Heroes” from the Melnitsa studio. The hero is present in four of them:
- “Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin the Serpent” (2004);
- “Three Heroes and the Shamakhan Queen” (2010);
- “Three heroes on distant shores” (2012);
- “Three Heroes and the Sea King” (2017).
In the cartoon “Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin the Serpent,” viewers learn about the hero’s childhood. He was born into the family of a Rostov priest and grew up to be a strong, but unlucky guy - he constantly created trouble. The hero gets a chance to show himself when a horde of nomads attacks the city. The adversaries demand tribute in gold, and Alyosha, together with old Tikhon, comes up with a “brilliant” plan: put the collected gold in a huge pile under the mountain, and when the enemies enter the cave to take the tribute, block the entrance with a stone and wall up the villains there.
Alyosha Popovich in the cartoon “Alyosha Popovich and Tugarin the Serpent”
The heroes did not take into account the laws of physics: the thrown stone rolled down the gentle slope of the mountain and fell on the city, causing unprecedented destruction, and the enemies disappeared along with the gold. After this, Alyosha’s “rating” in the eyes of his compatriots plummets, and the hero goes in search of the missing gold. Behind him are old Tikhon, the loving maiden Lyubava on a donkey and a bent grandmother. Along the way, the heroes meet a talking horse - Yuli's horse, and then - the old hero Svyatogor, who accidentally sends them on the wrong trail. The heroes quarrel, make peace, save Julius from the talking tree, defeat the army of nomads and Tugarin the Snake, and then the greed of the Prince of Kyiv, and return to their native Rostov with the gold.
Alyosha Popovich in the cartoon “Three Heroes and the Shamakhan Queen”
In the cartoon “Three Heroes and the Shamakhan Queen” by Alyosha Popovich, his comrades begin to find out which of them is the best hero in Rus', and they quarrel. Meanwhile, the Shamakhan queen has bewitched the prince of Kyiv and wants to force him to marry herself. Alyosha Popovich receives a letter written by the horse Julius, who asks to get him and the prince out of the possessions of the Shamakhan queen.
Alyosha Popovich in the cartoon “Three Heroes on Distant Shores”
The three of them go on a mission, but when they get there, they do not immediately storm the gate, but go to rest. Alyosha, who climbed into the palace alone at night, is bewitched. The hero stuns his own comrades and drags them to prison. The heroes overcome obstacles set up by their enemies, fight monsters and even end up in China, and evil ultimately defeats itself.
In the cartoon “Three Heroes on Distant Shores,” the dishonest merchant Kolyvan and Baba Yaga seize power in Kyiv, and the prince and his horse Julius go underground. The conspiracy against the official government succeeds thanks to Baba Yaga, who lures the heroes into an enchanted barrel and throws them into the ocean, depriving Rus' of its main defenders.
Alyosha Popovich in the cartoon “Three Heroes and the Sea King”
The place of the heroes is taken by magical “clones” who blindly obey Baba Yaga, while the real Alyosha, Ilya and Dobrynya find themselves on a tropical island in the middle of the ocean, where they manage to both relax and defeat the local monster at their leisure. Meanwhile, arbitrariness reigns in the principality, the disgraced prince organizes a partisan movement, and the wives of the heroes - Lyubava, Alyonushka and Nastasya Filippovna - together with the Serpent Gorynych come to deal with the usurpers...
In the latest cartoon, “Three Heroes and the Sea King,” Alyosha Popovich and his companions go to China to get a dragon tooth. In all parts of the series, Alyosha was voiced by actor Oleg Kulikovich.
Essay on the topic my favorite epic hero Alyosha Popovich
I. Introduction. Ilya Muromets is the main character of Kyiv epics. II Main part. Why is Ilya Muromets dear to me? 1.The strength and courage of Ilya. 2. Ilya’s selflessness, his love for Rus'. 3.Ilya is the defender of the poor, weak, and offended. 4.Independence of Ilya. Ilya and Prince Vladimir. III. Conclusion. Ilya Muromets is the favorite epic hero of the Russian people. My favorite epic hero is Ilya Muromets. I really like the description of this hero in the epic about Ilya Muromets and Nightingale the Robber. Ilya Muromets, a true defender of the Russian land. He cannot drive past defenseless people. In the epic, this is described by the fact that Ilya Muromets, on his way to Kyiv - the city, passed by Chernigov and, seeing the untold power, decided to help the Chernigov residents. He beat all their enemies and did not demand anything in return, but only asked to show him the direct route to Kyiv - the city. The people of Chernigov, feeling sorry for their savior, asked not to go this road, because Nightingale, the robber Odikhmantyev’s son, was sitting at Levanidov’s cross. With his screams and whistles, he showers all the azure flowers and kills people. But even here Ilya Muromets showed his courage. He was not afraid, did not listen to the Chernigovites and drove straight along the road. And since he was a hero from birth, the deadly scream and whistle of the robber did not destroy him. Ilya Muromets shot at the robber and knocked out his right eye with his braid. Arriving in Kyiv - the city, he did not boast. He bowed properly to the prince and those present and waited for the prince to ask about his arrival in Kyiv. During his story, he did not exalt himself at all and calmly invited the prince to look at the robber who was in his yard. In order to amuse the prince, Ilya Muromets ordered the Nightingale the Robber to whistle at half the whistle of a nightingale and scream at half the cry of an animal. But the nightingale whistled with all its might and screamed with all its might. Everyone except the frightened Prince Vladimir and Ilya Muromets ended up dead. After such an action by Nightingale the Robber, Ilya Muromets killed him. The general character traits of Ilya Muromets are courage, ingenuity, fearlessness, love for his people and hatred for the enemies of his homeland. Ilya Muromets is a hero whose exploits are admired and sung by people. ========= Ilya Muromets is the central character of the Kyiv cycle of epics: “The Healing of Ilya Muromets”, “Ilya Muromets and the Nightingale the Robber”, “Ilya and the Foul Idol”, “Ilya and Kalin the Tsar”, “Three trips of Ilya Muromets." Ilya Muromets is the ideal image of a hero, the most beloved hero of Russian epics. He is endowed with high moral qualities and selfless devotion to the Motherland. This is a hero of mighty strength, which gives him confidence and endurance. He is characterized by a sense of self-esteem, which he will not compromise even before the prince. He is the defender of the Russian land, the defender of widows and orphans. It is Ilya Muromets who more often than other heroes acts as a brave and duty-conscious guardian of his native land. He stands at the heroic outpost more often than others, and more often than others enters into battle with enemies, winning victory. The image of the outpost clearly reflects the unification of the sons of Rus' to fight the enemy, while the theme of the capital Kyiv is the people's idea of a united and invincible Kievan Rus.
Film adaptations
In addition to the famous series of cartoons from the Melnitsa studio, you can also watch a number of films where Alyosha Popovich is present. The first, the film fairy tale “Ilya Muromets,” was released back in Soviet times. This film became the first Soviet film released for the wide screen. The film was based on epic plots and fairy tales of Pushkin, and the role of Alyosha Popovich was played by actor Sergei Stolyarov.
Sergei Stolyarov as Alyosha Popovich
Much later, in 2010, the film “Adventures in the Thirtieth Kingdom” was released with Alexei Shutov in the role of Alyosha. There, modern children, fans of computer games, go to the seashore and find themselves in a fairy tale. The film received mostly negative reviews from viewers and a low rating.
Anton Pampushny as Alyosha Popovich
The film “Real Fairy Tale”, released a year later, was already rated much higher. This is an alternative fairy tale story where fairy tale characters moved into the modern world and live among people. Koschey became an oligarch, the heroes now work as his guards, the goblin turned into a homeless person, and Ivan the Fool became an airborne soldier. The role of Alyosha Popovich in the film is played by Anton Pampushny.
Interesting Facts
Images of heroes inspired Russian artists. Many people remember Vasnetsov’s painting “Bogatyrs” from school, where a trio of heroes in an open field looks out for an enemy. All the heroes are depicted with weapons, Alyosha Popovich holds a bow in his hands.
Painting by Vasnetsov “Bogatyrs”
Alyosha Popovich was painted separately by the painter and portraitist Vereshchagin. The painting was intended for the palace of Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich in St. Petersburg (now it is the House of Scientists on the Palace Embankment).
Vereshchagin's painting “Alyosha Popovich”
In the second half of the twentieth century, the young artist Konstantin Vasiliev, who has a painting “Alyosha Popovich and the Beautiful Maiden,” began to develop the epic-mythological theme. There is no clear description of the hero’s appearance, so artists mainly relied on their creative imagination.
Vasiliev’s painting “Alyosha Popovich and the beautiful maiden”
In the 19th century, the hero “leaked” into literature; Nikolai Radishchev and Alexei Tolstoy wrote poems and ballads about him.
Quotes
“I'm afraid of a serious relationship?! Ha ha! Yes, I don’t smile at myself in the mirror because I’m so serious!”
“Are you hungry, shaggy one? Try the heroic silushka!”
“Is it a heroic thing to do a woman’s housework?!”
“Lyubava: - Don’t disturb the composition!... Alyonushka: - Finally, have a conscience! You are disrupting our competition “Image of Heroes in Folk Art”!
Alyosha: “If only the adversaries would come and taste the heroic strength!” Dobrynya: What adversaries now, they killed everyone... Ilya: Yes... we were in a hurry.”
