Russian Heroic Epic

Main Ideas

• Vladimir Propp uncovers the inner architecture of the Russian heroic epic, delving into its deepest layers and identifying the patterns that shape bylina plots, where every motif and image follows a strict narrative logic.
• The author investigates the origins and evolution of the heroic epic, tracing how the image of the bogatyr—a bearer of collective hopes, honor, and strength, embodying the ideal defender of the Russian land—emerges and takes shape in the popular imagination.
• Propp analyzes the structure of bylinas, highlighting stable elements and functions that, like links in a chain, connect individual episodes into a coherent narrative, giving it a special rhythm and inner harmony.
• The book reveals the symbolism and poetics of epic images, where each hero, their actions, and trials reflect not only historical realities but also the eternal archetypes of folk consciousness.
• The author raises the question of the relationship between the historical and the mythological in the epic, showing how real events and figures intertwine with fantastic motifs, creating a unique blend of truth and fiction characteristic of the Russian bylina tradition.