The Tale of Bygone Years its composition. The originality of “The Tale of Bygone Years” as a chronicle collection:

Tale of Bygone Years Chronicle– Old Russian chronicle, created in the 1110s. Chronicles – historical works, in which events are presented on the so-called yearly principle, are combined into annual, or “weather” articles (they are also called weather records). “Yearly articles”, which combined information about events that occurred during one year, begin with the words “In the summer of such and such...” (“summer” in Old Russian language means "year"). In this regard, the chronicles, including The Tale of Bygone Years, are fundamentally different from the Byzantine chronicles known in Ancient Rus', from which Russian compilers borrowed numerous information from world history. In the translated Byzantine chronicles, events were distributed not by years, but by the reigns of the emperors.

The earliest list extant Tales of Bygone Years dates back to the 14th century. It got the name Laurentian Chronicle named after the scribe, monk Lawrence, and was compiled in 1377. Another oldest list Tales of Bygone Years preserved as part of the so-called Ipatiev Chronicle(mid 15th century).

The Tale of Bygone Years- the first chronicle, the text of which has reached us almost in its original form. Thanks to careful textual analysis Tales of Bygone Years researchers have found traces of more early works included in its composition. Probably the oldest chronicles were created in the 11th century. Greatest recognition received the hypothesis of A.A. Shakhmatov (1864–1920), which explains the emergence and describes the history of Russian chronicles of the 11th–early 12th centuries. He resorted to the comparative method, comparing the surviving chronicles and finding out their relationships. According to A.A. Shakhmatov, approx. 1037, but no later than 1044, was compiled The most ancient Kyiv chronicle code, which told about the beginning of history and the baptism of Rus'. Around 1073, in the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, probably the monk Nikon completed the first Kiev-Pechersk Chronicle Code. In it, new news and legends were combined with the text The most ancient arch and with borrowings from Novgorod Chronicle mid 11th century In 1093–1095, it was here, based on the Nikon code, that the second Kiev-Pechersk vault; it is also commonly called Beginners. (The name is explained by the fact that A.A. Shakhmatov initially considered this particular chronicle to be the earliest.) It condemned the foolishness and weakness of the current princes, who were contrasted with the former wise and powerful rulers of Rus'.

The first edition (version) was completed in 1110–1113 Tales of Bygone Years- a lengthy chronicle collection that has absorbed numerous information on the history of Rus': about the Russian wars with Byzantine Empire, about the calling of the Scandinavians Rurik, Truvor and Sineus to reign in Rus', about the history of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery, about princely crimes. The probable author of this chronicle is the monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery Nestor. This edition has not been preserved in its original form.

First edition Tales of Bygone Years the political interests of the then Prince of Kyiv Svyatopolk Izyaslavich. In 1113 Svyatopolk died, and Prince Vladimir Vsevolodovich Monomakh ascended the Kiev throne. In 1116 by the monk Sylvester (in the Promonomakhian spirit) and in 1117–1118 by an unknown scribe from the entourage of Prince Mstislav Vladimirovich (son of Vladimir Monomakh) text Tales of Bygone Years has been redesigned. This is how the second and third editions arose Tales of Bygone Years; the oldest list of the second edition has reached us as part of Lavrentievskaya, and the most early list third - in the composition Ipatiev Chronicle.

Almost all Russian chronicles are vaults - a combination of several texts or news from other sources of an earlier time. Old Russian chronicles of the 14th–16th centuries. open with text Tales of Bygone Years.

Name The Tale of Bygone Years(more precisely, Tales of Bygone Years- V Old Russian text the word "story" is used in plural) is usually translated as The Tale of Past Years, but there are other interpretations: A story in which the narrative is distributed by year or Narration in a time frame, The story of the last times - telling about the events on the eve of the end of the world and the Last Judgment.

Narration in Tales of Bygone Years begins with a story about the settlement of the sons of Noah on earth - Shem, Ham and Japheth - along with their families (in the Byzantine chronicles the starting point was the creation of the world). This story is taken from the Bible. The Russians considered themselves descendants of Japheth. Thus, Russian history was included in world history. Goals Tales of Bygone Years there was an explanation of the origin of the Russians ( Eastern Slavs), the origin of princely power (which for the chronicler is identical to the origin of the princely dynasty) and a description of the baptism and spread of Christianity in Rus'. Narration of Russian events in Tales of Bygone Years opens with a description of the life of East Slavic (Old Russian) tribes and two legends. This is a story about the reign in Kyiv of Prince Kiy, his brothers Shchek, Khoriv and sister Lybid; about the calling of the three Scandinavians (Varangians) Rurik, Truvor and Sineus by the warring northern Russian tribes, so that they would become princes and establish order in the Russian land. The story about the Varangian brothers has the exact date– 862. Thus, in the historiosophical concept Tales of Bygone Years two sources of power are established in Rus' - local (Kiy and his brothers) and foreign (Varangians). The elevation of ruling dynasties to foreign families is traditional for medieval historical consciousness; Similar stories are found in Western European chronicles. Thus, the ruling dynasty was given greater nobility and dignity.

Main events in Tales of Bygone Years- wars (external and internecine), the founding of churches and monasteries, the death of princes and metropolitans - the heads of the Russian Church.

Chronicles, including Tale…, - Not works of art in the strict sense of the word, and not the work of a historian. Part Tales of Bygone Years included agreements between the Russian princes Oleg the Prophet, Igor Rurikovich and Svyatoslav Igorevich with Byzantium. The chronicles themselves apparently had the meaning of a legal document. Some scientists (for example, I.N. Danilevsky) believe that the chronicles and, in particular, The Tale of Bygone Years, were compiled not for people, but for Last Judgment, in which God will decide the fate of people at the end of the world: therefore, the sins and merits of the rulers and people were listed in the chronicles.

The chronicler usually does not interpret events, does not look for their remote causes, but simply describes them. In relation to the explanation of what is happening, the chroniclers are guided by providentialism - everything that happens is explained by the will of God and is viewed in the light of the coming end of the world and the Last Judgment. Attention to the cause-and-effect relationships of events and their pragmatic rather than providential interpretation is insignificant.

For chroniclers, the principle of analogy, the overlap between events of the past and present, is important: the present is thought of as an “echo” of events and deeds of the past, especially the deeds and deeds described in the Bible. The chronicler presents the murder of Boris and Gleb by Svyatopolk as a repetition and renewal of the first murder committed by Cain (legend Tales of Bygone Years under 1015). Vladimir Svyatoslavich - the baptizer of Rus' - is compared with Saint Constantine the Great, who made Christianity the official religion in the Roman Empire (the legend of the baptism of Rus' in 988).

Tales of Bygone Years unity of style is alien, it is an “open” genre. The simplest element in a chronicle text is a brief weather record that only reports an event, but does not describe it.

Part Tales of Bygone Years traditions are also included. For example, a story about the origin of the name of the city of Kyiv on behalf of Prince Kiy; tales about Prophetic Oleg, who defeated the Greeks and died from the bite of a snake hidden in the skull of the deceased prince’s horse; about Princess Olga, cunningly and cruelly taking revenge on the Drevlyan tribe for the murder of her husband. The chronicler is invariably interested in news about the past of the Russian land, about the founding of cities, hills, rivers and the reasons why they received these names. Legends also report this. IN Tales of Bygone Years the share of legends is very large, since the initial events described in it ancient Russian history separated from the time of the work of the first chroniclers by many decades and even centuries. In later chronicles telling about modern events, the number of legends is small, and they are also usually found in the part of the chronicle dedicated to the distant past.

Part Tales of Bygone Years stories about saints written in a special hagiographic style are also included. This is the story about the brother-princes Boris and Gleb under 1015, who, imitating the humility and non-resistance of Christ, meekly accepted death at the hands of their half-brother Svyatopolk, and the story about the holy Pechersk monks under 1074.

A significant part of the text in Tales of Bygone Years occupied by narratives of battles, written in the so-called military style, and princely obituaries.

Editions: Monuments of literature of Ancient Rus'. XI – first half of the XII century. M., 1978; The Tale of Bygone Years. 2nd ed., add. and corr. St. Petersburg, 1996, series “Literary monuments”; Library of Literature of Ancient Rus', vol. 1. XI – beginning of XII V. St. Petersburg, 1997.

Andrey Ranchin

Literature:

Sukhomlinov M.I. About the ancient Russian chronicle as a literary monument. St. Petersburg, 1856
Istrin V.M. Notes on the beginning of Russian chronicles. – News of the Department of Russian Language and Literature of the Academy of Sciences, vol. 26, 1921; v. 27, 1922
Likhachev D.S. Russian chronicles and their cultural and historical significance. M. – L., 1947
Rybakov B.A. Ancient Rus': legends, epics, chronicles. M. – L., 1963
Eremin I.P. “The Tale of Bygone Years”: Problems of its historical and literary study(1947 ). – In the book: Eremin I.P. Literature of Ancient Rus': (Sketches and Characteristics). M. – L., 1966
Nasonov A.N. History of Russian chronicles XI – early XVIII V. M., 1969
Tvorogov O.V. Plot narration in chronicles of the 11th–13th centuries.. – In the book: Origins of Russian fiction . L., 1970
Aleshkovsky M.Kh. The Tale of Bygone Years: Fate literary work in Ancient Rus'. M., 1971
Kuzmin A.G. Initial stages ancient Russian chronicles. M., 1977
Likhachev D.S. Great legacy. "The Tale of Bygone Years"(1975). – Likhachev D.S. Selected works: In 3 vols., vol. 2. L., 1987
Shaikin A.A. “Behold the Tale of Bygone Years”: From Kiya to Monomakh. M., 1989
Danilevsky I.N. Biblicalisms "The Tale of Bygone Years". - In the book: Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature. M., 1993. Issue. 3.
Danilevsky I.N. The Bible and the Tale of Bygone Years(On the problem of interpreting chronicle texts). – National history, 1993, № 1
Trubetskoy N.S. Lectures on Old Russian literature (translated from German by M.A. Zhurinskaya). – In the book: Trubetskoy N.S. Story. Culture. Language. M., 1995
Priselkov M.D. History of Russian chronicles of the 11th–15th centuries. (1940). 2nd ed. M., 1996
Ranchin A. M. Articles about ancient Russian literature . M., 1999
Gippius A.A. “The Tale of Bygone Years”: about the possible origin and meaning of the name. - In the book: From the history of Russian culture, vol. 1 (Ancient Rus'). M., 2000
Shakhmatov A.A. 1) Research on the most ancient Russian chronicles(1908). – In the book: Shakhmatov A.A. Research about Russian chronicles. M. – Zhukovsky, 2001
Zhivov V.M. About ethnic and religious consciousness Nestor the Chronicler(1998). – In the book: Zhivov V.M. Research in the field of history and prehistory of Russian culture. M., 2002
Shakhmatov A.A. History of Russian chronicles, vol. 1. St. Petersburg, 2002
Shakhmatov A.A. . Book 1 2) The Tale of Bygone Years (1916). – In the book: Shakhmatov A.A. History of Russian chronicles. T. 1. The Tale of Bygone Years and the most ancient Russian chronicles. Book 2. Early Russian chronicle XI–XII centuries St. Petersburg, 2003

The Tale of Bygone Years is an ancient Russian chronicle created at the beginning of the 12th century. The story is an essay that tells about the events that happened and are happening in Rus' during that period.

The Tale of Bygone Years was compiled in Kyiv, later rewritten several times, but was not greatly changed. The chronicle covers the period from biblical times until 1137, with dated entries beginning in 852.

All dated articles are compositions beginning with the words “In the summer of such and such...”, which means that entries were added to the chronicle every year and told about the events that occurred. One article for one year. This distinguishes the Tale of Bygone Years from all the chronicles that were conducted before. The text of the chronicle also contains legends, folklore stories, copies of documents (for example, the teachings of Vladimir Monomakh) and extracts from other chronicles.

The story got its name thanks to its first phrase that opens the story - “The Tale of Bygone Years...”

The history of the creation of the Tale of Bygone Years

The author of the idea of the Tale of Bygone Years is considered to be the monk Nestor, who lived and worked at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries in the Kiev-Pechersk Monastery. Despite the fact that the author's name appears only in later copies of the chronicle, it was the monk Nestor who is considered the first chronicler in Rus', and The Tale of Bygone Years is considered the first Russian chronicle.

The oldest version of the chronicle that has reached the present day dates back to the 14th century and is a copy made by the monk Laurentius (Laurentian Chronicle). The original edition of the creator of the Tale of Bygone Years, Nestor, has been lost; today only modified versions exist from various scribes and later compilers.

Today there are several theories regarding the history of the creation of The Tale of Bygone Years. According to one of them, the chronicle was written by Nestor in Kyiv in 1037. The basis for it was ancient legends, folk songs, documents, oral histories and documents preserved in monasteries. After writing, this first edition was rewritten and revised several times by various monks, including Nestor himself, who added elements of Christian ideology to it. According to other sources, the chronicle was written much later, in 1110.

Genre and features of The Tale of Bygone Years

The genre of the Tale of Bygone Years is defined by experts as historical, but scientists argue that the chronicle is neither a work of art nor historical in nature. in every sense this word.

Distinctive feature The chronicle is that it does not interpret events, but only talks about them. The attitude of the author or copyist to everything described in the chronicle was determined only by the presence God's Will, which determines everything. Causal relationships and interpretation from the point of view of other positions were uninteresting and were not included in the chronicle.

The Tale of Bygone Years had an open genre, that is, it could consist of completely different parts– starting from folk tales and ending with notes about the weather.

In ancient times, the chronicle also had legal significance, as a set of documents and laws.

The original purpose of writing the Tale of Bygone Years was to study and explain the origins of the Russian people, the origin of princely power and a description of the spread of Christianity in Rus'.

The beginning of the Tale of Bygone Years is a story about the appearance of the Slavs. The Russians are presented by the chronicler as descendants of Japheth, one of the sons of Noah. At the very beginning of the story there are stories telling about the life of the East Slavic tribes: about the princes, about the calling of Rurik, Truvor and Sineus to reign as princes and about the formation of the Rurik dynasty in Rus'.

The main part of the content of the chronicle consists of descriptions of wars, legends about the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, the exploits of Nikita Kozhemyaka and other heroes.

The final part consists of descriptions of battles and princely obituaries.

Thus, the basis of the Tale of Bygone Years is:

Legends about the settlement of the Slavs, the calling of the Varangians and the formation of Rus';
Description of the baptism of Rus';
Description of the life of the great princes: Oleg, Vladimir, Olga and others;
Lives of Saints;
Description of wars and military campaigns.

The significance of the Tale of Bygone Years can hardly be overestimated - it was it that became the first document in which history was recorded Kievan Rus from its very inception. The chronicle later served as the main source of knowledge for subsequent historical descriptions and research. In addition, thanks to the open genre, The Tale of Bygone Years has high value, both cultural and literary monument.

“The Tale of Bygone Years” is an ancient Russian chronicle created by the monk Nestor at the beginning of the 12th century.

The story is a large work that describes the events taking place in Rus' from the arrival of the first Slavs to the 12th century. The chronicle itself is not a complete narrative; it includes:

historical notes;
yearly articles (starting from 852); one article talks about events that happened in one year;
historical documents;
the teachings of princes;
lives of saints;
folk tales.

The history of the creation of “The Tale of Bygone Years”

Before the appearance of The Tale of Bygone Years, there were other collections of essays and historical notes in Rus', which were compiled mainly by monks. However, all these records were local in nature and could not represent full story life of Rus'. The idea of creating a single chronicle belongs to the monk Nestor, who lived and worked in the Kiev Pechersk Monastery at the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries.

There are some disagreements among scholars about the history of the story. According to the generally accepted theory, the chronicle was written by Nestor in Kyiv. The original edition was based on early historical records, legends, folklore stories, teachings and records of monks. After writing, Nestor and other monks revised the chronicle several times, and later the author himself added Christian ideology to it, and this edition was considered final. As for the date of creation of the chronicle, scientists name two dates - 1037 and 1110.

The chronicle compiled by Nestor is considered the first Russian chronicle, and its author is considered the first chronicler. Unfortunately, the ancient editions have not survived to this day, the most early version, which exists today, dates from the 14th century.

Genre and idea of “The Tale of Bygone Years”

The main goal and idea of creating the story was the desire to consistently present the entire history of Rus' since biblical times, and then gradually supplement the chronicle, painstakingly describing all the events that took place.

As for the genre, modern scientists believe that the chronicle cannot be called purely historical or purely artistic genre, since it contains elements of both. Since “The Tale of Bygone Years” was rewritten and expanded several times, its genre is open, as evidenced by the parts that sometimes do not agree with each other in style.

“The Tale of Bygone Years” was distinguished by the fact that the events told in it were not interpreted, but were simply retold as dispassionately as possible. The chronicler's task is to convey everything that happened, but not to draw conclusions. However, it is worth understanding that the chronicle was created from the point of view of Christian ideology, and therefore has a corresponding character.

In addition to its historical significance, the chronicle was also a legal document, as it contained some codes of laws and instructions of the great princes (for example, “The Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh”).

The story can be roughly divided into three parts:

at the very beginning it tells about biblical times (the Russians were considered the descendants of Japheth), about the origin of the Slavs, about the reign, about the formation, about the Baptism of Rus' and the formation of the state;
the main part consists of descriptions of the lives of princes (Princess Olga, Yaroslav the Wise, etc.), descriptions of the lives of saints, as well as stories of conquests and great Russian heroes (Nikita Kozhemyaka, etc.);
the final part is devoted to a description of numerous wars and battles. In addition, it contains princely obituaries.

The meaning of "The Tale of Bygone Years"

"The Tale of Bygone Years" became the first written document, in which the history of Rus' and its formation as a state were systematically outlined. It was this chronicle that later formed the basis of all historical documents and legends, it is from it that modern historians have drawn and continue to draw their knowledge. In addition, the chronicle became a literary and cultural monument Russian writing.

The story got its name thanks to its first phrase that opens the story - “The Tale of Bygone Years...”

The history of the creation of the Tale of Bygone Years

Today there are several theories regarding the history of the creation of The Tale of Bygone Years. According to one of them, the chronicle was written by Nestor in Kyiv in 1037. The basis for it was ancient legends, folk songs, documents, oral stories and documents preserved in monasteries. After writing, this first edition was rewritten and revised several times by various monks, including Nestor himself, who added elements of Christian ideology to it. According to other sources, the chronicle was written much later, in 1110.

Question 41. Contents and structure of “The Tale of Bygone Years”

Genre and features of The Tale of Bygone Years

The genre of the Tale of Bygone Years is defined by experts as historical, but scientists argue that the chronicle is neither a work of art nor historical in the full sense of the word.

A distinctive feature of the chronicle is that it does not interpret events, but only talks about them. The attitude of the author or scribe to everything described in the chronicle was determined only by the presence of God's Will, which determines everything. Causal relationships and interpretation from the point of view of other positions were uninteresting and were not included in the chronicle.

The Tale of Bygone Years had an open genre, that is, it could consist of completely different parts - from folk tales to notes about the weather.

In ancient times, the chronicle also had legal significance, as a set of documents and laws.

The main part of the content of the chronicle consists of descriptions of wars, legends about the reign of Yaroslav the Wise, the exploits of Nikita Kozhemyaka and other heroes.

The final part consists of descriptions of battles and princely obituaries.

The significance of the Tale of Bygone Years can hardly be overestimated - it was it that became the first document in which the history of Kievan Rus was recorded from its very inception. The chronicle later served as the main source of knowledge for subsequent historical descriptions and research. In addition, thanks to its open genre, The Tale of Bygone Years is of high importance as a cultural and literary monument.

“The Tale of Bygone Years” is one of the most ancient monuments of Russian literature, the creation of which dates back to 1113.

The life of Nestor the Chronicler, creator of The Tale of Bygone Years

Nestor the Chronicler was born in Kyiv in 1056. At the age of seventeen he went to become a novice at the Kiev Pechersk Monastery. There he became a chronicler.

In 1114, Nestor died and was buried in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. The Orthodox Church commemorates him on November 9 and October 11.

Nestor the Chronicler is known as the first writer who was able to tell about the history of Christianity. His first famous work became “The Life of Saints Boris and Gleb”, and soon after it was followed by “The Life of St. Theodosius of Pechersk”. But main work Nestor, which brought him worldwide fame, is, of course, “The Tale of Bygone Years,” a literary monument of ancient Rus'.

The authorship of this story does not belong only to Nestor the Chronicler. Or rather, Nestor skillfully collected information from the most different sources and created a chronicle from them. For his work, Nestor needed chronicles and ancient legends; he also used the stories of traders, travelers and soldiers. In his time, many witnesses to the wars and raids of the Polovtsians were still alive, so he could listen to their stories.

Lists of "The Tale of Bygone Years"

It is known that The Tale of Bygone Years was subject to changes. Vladimir Monomakh gave the manuscript to her in 1116 last chapters were redone by Abbot Sylvester. Hegumen Sylvester went against the will of the rector of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, giving the manuscript to the Vydubitsky Monastery.

Significant parts of the “Tale of Bygone Years” were later included in such chronicles as the Laurentian, Ipatiev, and First Novgorod chronicles.

Typically, any ancient Russian chronicle consists of several texts, some of which relate to sources of an earlier time. The Tale of Bygone Years, a copy of which was made in the 14th century, became part of the Laurentian Chronicle, created by the monk Lawrence. More precisely, the monk Lawrence used the work of the monk Nestor as the main source for his chronicle. The name of the lists of the "Tale of Bygone Years" was usually created by the name of the monk who made the list, or by the place in which the list was made. In the middle of the 15th century, another ancient list of the “Tale of Bygone Years” was created called

The Tale of Bygone Years begins biblical stories. After the flood, Noah settled his sons - Ham, Shem and Japheth - throughout the Earth. The name of the lists “Tale of Bygone Years” also indicates the biblical origin of these chronicles. It was believed that the Russian people descended from Japheth.

Then the chronicler talks about the life of the East Slavic tribes and the establishment of the state in Rus'. The chronicler points out the legend according to which Kiy, Shchek, Khoriv and their sister Lybid came to rule the East Slavic lands. There they founded the city of Kyiv. The Slavic tribes living in the northern part of Rus' called upon their Varangian brothers to rule over them. The brothers' names were Rurik, Sineus and Truvor. The title of the lists, “The Tale of Bygone Years,” also has the purpose of exalting the ruling power in Rus', and for this purpose, its foreign origin is indicated. From the Varangians who came to Rus', the royal family in Rus' began.

Basically, the chronicle describes wars, and also talks about how temples and monasteries were created. The chronicle sees the events of Russian history in the context of world history and directly connects these events with the Bible. The traitor prince Svyatopolk killed the brothers Boris and Gleb, and the chronicler draws comparisons with the murder of Abel, which Cain committed. Prince Vladimir, who baptized Rus', is compared to the Roman Emperor Constantine, who introduced Christianity as the official religion in Rus'. Before baptism, Prince Vladimir was a sinful man, but baptism radically changed his life, he became a saint.

Legends as part of the “Tale of Bygone Years”

The Tale of Bygone Years includes not only historical facts, but also legends. Traditions served as important sources of information for the chronicler, since he no longer had the opportunity to learn about what happened several centuries or decades before him.

The legend about the founding of the city of Kyiv tells about the origin of the city and about who it was named after. The legend of the Prophetic Oleg, placed in the text of the chronicle, tells about the life and death of Prince Oleg. The legend about Princess Olga, telling how she strongly and cruelly avenged her death, was also included in the chronicle. “The Tale of Bygone Years” tells the legend about Prince Vladimir. Messengers came to him different nations and each offered his own faith. But every faith had its shortcomings. The Jews did not have their own land, Muslims were forbidden to have fun and drink intoxicating drinks, German Christians wanted to conquer Rus'.

And Prince Vladimir eventually settled on the Greek branch of Christianity.

The role of signs in The Tale of Bygone Years

If you carefully read the text of the chronicle, it becomes obvious that the chronicler pays great attention to various natural phenomena, connecting them with divine powers. He considers earthquakes, floods and droughts to be punishment from God, and solar and lunar eclipses, in his opinion, are a warning from heavenly powers. Solar eclipses played a special role in the lives of princes. Researchers note that the symbolism of dates and the title of “The Tale of Bygone Years” are also influenced by natural phenomena and the chronology of time.

The prince sees a solar eclipse in 1185 before the start of his campaign against the Polovtsians. His warriors warn him, saying no good. But the prince disobeyed them and went against the enemy. As a result, his army was defeated. Also, a solar eclipse usually foreshadowed the death of a prince. During the period from 1076 to 1176, 12 solar eclipses, and after each of them the death of one of the princes occurred. The chronicle was determined that the end of the world, or the Last Judgment, would come in 1492, and prepared its readers for this. Droughts and eclipses foreshadowed wars and the imminent end of the world.

Stylistic features of “The Tale of Bygone Years”

The name of the lists of "The Tale of Bygone Years" is determined genre features these chronicles. First of all, chronicles are typical works of ancient Russian literature. That is, they contain features of different genres. These are not works of art and not just historical works, but they combine features of both. The Tale of Bygone Years, a copy of which was found in Novgorod, also has these features.

The chronicle itself was obviously legal document. Scientist N.I. Danilevsky believes that the chronicles were not intended for people, but for God, who was supposed to read them at the Last Judgment. Therefore, the chronicles described in detail the actions of the princes and their subordinates.

The task of the chronicler is not to interpret events, not to search for their causes, but simply to describe. The present is thought of in the context of the past. The Tale of Bygone Years, the lists of which are legendary, has an “open genre” in which features of different genres are mixed. As is known, in ancient Russian literature there was not yet a clear division of genres; of the written works, only chronicles existed, therefore they combined the features of a novel, poem, story and legal documents.

What does the title "The Tale of Bygone Years" mean?

The name of the vault was given by the first line of the chronicle “Behold the Tale of Bygone Years...”. “The Tale of Bygone Years” means “The Tale of Past Years,” since the word “summer” in Old Russian meant “year.” Many are trying to find out what the title “The Tale of Bygone Years” means. In the broadest sense, this is a story about the existence of this world, which sooner or later awaits the Judgment of God. "The Tale of Bygone Years", a copy of which was found in the monastery, is considered the earliest work.

Previous codes

“The Tale of Bygone Years” was subjected to a thorough textual analysis. And it turned out that it was compiled on the basis of earlier chronicle writings.

“The Tale of Bygone Years” and the codes preceding it form a single whole, that is, “The Tale” largely repeats what was written before it. Modern history shares the opinion of Academician A.A. Shakhmatov, who studied all the ancient chronicles with the help comparative method. He discovered that the very first chronicle was the Ancient Kiev Chronicle, created in 1037. It talked about when the history of mankind began and when Rus' was baptized.

In 1073, the Kiev-Pechersk chronicle was created. In 1095, the second edition of the Kiev-Pechersk Code appeared, it is also called the Initial Code.

Symbolism of dates

Calendar dates in The Tale of Bygone Years were considered to have special meaning. If for modern man calendar dates have no meaning, then for the chronicler each date or day of the week on which the events took place was filled with a special historical significance. And the chronicler tried more often to mention those days or dates that had great meaning and carried more value. Since Saturday and Sunday were considered special, or sacred, days at that time, these days are mentioned in the Tale of Bygone Years 9 and 17 times, respectively, and weekdays are mentioned less often. Wednesday is mentioned only 2 times, Thursday three times, Friday five times. Monday and Tuesday are mentioned only once each. It can be argued that the symbolism of dates and the title of “The Tale of Bygone Years” are closely related to the religious context.

“The Tale of Bygone Years” was closely connected with the religious worldview, so all its features were based on this. The chronicler sees all events only in the context of the coming Last Judgment, so he looks at what is happening from the point of view of divine powers. They warn people about coming wars, droughts and shortages. They punish the villains who have committed murders and robberies, and raise the innocent to the divine throne. The relics of saints acquire unusual qualities. This is evidenced by the legends about the lives of Saints Boris and Gleb. Also, temples are sacred places where the wicked and pagans cannot penetrate.