The Role of Folklore in the Formation of the Genre of the Satirical Novel (based on the Material of the Mari Literature of the First Third of the XX Century)

Belyaeva Tatyana Nikolaevna PhD in Philology Associate Professor of the Department of Finno-Ugric and Comparative Philology at Mari State University 424039, Russia, Republic of Mari El, Yoshkar-Ola, Druzhby str., 77, sq. 113 beljaeva1978@rambler.ru Other publications by this author

IntroductionThe folklore intertext of the first works in the genre of the novel in national literatures, as a rule, consists of prose genres of folklore: fairy tale, oral narrative, legends, legends, epics, rhythmized prose, for example, prayers, proverbs, sayings, etc.

They are an active component of texts, on their basis the artistic components of their structure are formed.

The purpose of this article is to identify the role of folklore traditions in the formation of the genre of the satirical novel. It will show the influence of folklore images-characters and genres of oral folk art (fairy tale, proverb, saying, etc.) on the development of Mari national literature, on the birth of the first Mari satirical novel – the novel by N. V. Ignatiev "Savik". In this theoretical aspect, this work of Mari literature is being studied for the first time.

The research method is structural and semantic, which allows us to see the comic component of a satirical novel both at the level of its genre content and its poetics. 

Folklore basis of the Mari national literature of the first third of the twentieth centuryOral folk art became the basis of the emerging Mari national literature.

The vivid imagery and expressiveness of the folk word gave sharpness to all types and genres of satirical works in the first third of the twentieth century - journalistic articles, feuilletons, short stories, novels by classics of Mari literature M. Shketan, Shabdar Osyp, N. Ignatiev. Their satire was directed against the old way of life, outdated mores, religious traditions of the past. It was certainly actualized within the framework of the dominant artistic strategy in the literature of the 1920s-1930s – socialist realism. The writers glorified the new society, the new man, the new (communist) ideology; ridiculed the "bestial" essence of those who were connected with the former way of life and who were struck by the "proprietary ideology" (kulaks, speculators, merchants); called for the eradication of the past in the everyday life and consciousness of the people, welcomed everything new and asserted the inevitability of victory the proletarian era. So, relying on national folklore sources and the experience of new, Soviet writers, M. Shketan creates the image of the Red Hero ("Red Hero", 1925) – in the image and likeness of the eponymous fairy-tale hero from the Mari fairy tale. Hyperbolic comparisons borrowed from folklore texts (strong as thunder; his saber is sharp as lightning) already characterize the strength and power of the red hero - a communist soldier: "He waves a Red saber to the east - dissects one enemy. If he waves to the south, another one will fall on the Black Sea" ^{[9, p. 47]}.

The multifaceted talent in the artistic interpretation of the folklore tradition is indicated in the work of the classic of Mari literature Nikon Vasilyevich Ignatiev (1895-1941) – the author of lyrical, prose and dramatic works, as well as various subspecies of the novel genre. It was his first poetic works of the 1920s ("Huda uly gyn" - "If it's bad", "Kytyrymash" – "Conversation", "Yom communist" – "I'm a Communist", etc.), published in the newspapers "Nezeryn Shamakshi" ("The Voice of the poor Man"), "Tr" ("Pravda"), "Red Labor", marked the beginning of the development of the genre of political satire in Mari literature. In them, as well as the feuilletons and the writer's stories, the white generals (Wrangel, Denikin, Kolchak, Petlyura) are ridiculed, the essence of bourgeois society is criticized. For example, in the poem "Denikin's Song" ^{[10, p. 105]}, the dream of General Denikin is described in satirical colors: he shines with glory on the throne in Moscow and joyfully listens to the bells of Moscow churches, while the Bolsheviks are on the gallows. However, the victorious roar of the guns of the Red Army increasingly distanced the general from the Moscow throne, the money of the English and French bourgeoisie did not help him win - in the end he remained at the "broken tray".

Nikon Ignatiev was one of the first in Mari literature to widely use the possibilities of folklore genres (songs, proverbs, sayings, fairy tales, legends, legends, ritual prose, etc.) to form genres of fiction. A striking example of this is his novels "Steel Wind" ("Vurs Mardezh", 1931) ^[6] (this is the first Mari novel in the history of national literature) and "Savik" (1933). The artistic collective creative activity of the people helped the writer to show the life, way of life, views, ideals of his native people more deeply, more broadly and realistically.

N. V. Ignatiev's Savik is the first satirical novel in the history of Mari literatureThe main character of the novel Savik is a comic character, he appears as a joker and a joker, at the same time as an intelligent and active son of the people.

Folk wisdom is an inexhaustible source of his energy in the fight against the bureaucratic system of tsarist Russia, an instrument of exploitation and enslavement of the common peasant, as well as with clergymen who use religion for the purpose of stupefying, economic enslavement and subjugation of the people. It is these substantial layers of the image of the main character that make up the problematic of the novel.

At first glance, Savik, like the main character of Yaroslav Hasek's unfinished novel "The Adventures of the Brave Soldier Schweik during the World War" ^[3], gives the impression of a simple-minded and stupid person. In fact, he skillfully plays this role. Once upon a time, having received the sad news of his father's death (three years after his arrest), a fifteen-year-old young man begins working first as a raftsman, then at a factory. He returns to the village already with established progressive beliefs, freed from religious prejudices, which was reflected both in his speech and in his actions. His behavior is a kind of rebellion against despotism, the tyranny of the serf system. He is somewhat rude in his antics, but always honest, fair and unselfish.

Note that Savik is not exactly a fictional character. His prototypes were Semyon Iordanov (der. Aktushevo=Aktusela) and Savva Fedorov (village Chalomkino=Salymsola). The first was arrested for preventing the collection of taxes. The second, S. Fedorov, is more identical to Savik with his open statements against the rural rich, kulaks and priests, funny and awkward appearance, difficult biography.

Even as a child, Savik realized that the village headman and the sergeant were profiting from duties and dues, that the rural rich forced the peasants to work for themselves for nothing. At the same time, Savik began to notice the deceptive behavior of the priest Serga, and once caught him stealing bread in his own barn, for which Savli (Savik's father) tipped a bucket of tar on his head. And the "fast court, the right court" sentenced not the priest (the real criminal), but Savik's father to six years in prison: The whole blame of the priest Sergey blamed on Mikhalan Savliya. He was accused from all sides: Saul himself started the fight first, he was also the instigator. In addition, he blasphemed ^{[7, p. 9]} (Here and further a literal translation from the Mari nash. – T. B.). The story about the venality of judges, church servants and local officials contains unconditional elements of the journalistic style of narration: the use of emotionally colored words, for example, tushkaltash" – to slip, to give a bribe; abundance of sentences with negative particles: It seems there is no need to talk about how to judge ^{[7, p. 9]} – etc. In this way, the writer strives to influence the reader's perception as much as possible.

Numerous journalistic digressions characteristic of folklore texts organically fit into the artistic fabric of the novel; in them the narrator speaks openly about autocracy and Christianity in satirical tones. Let us give as an example a journalistic digression about priests: "Priests are a rope pole. Religion is a tied rope. A man has been tied to this post, this man is more stupid; tied up, he runs around the post incessantly. But, even running, you can't run far from the post. You will still be tortured, forced to do what a capitalist country needs, forced to pay all sorts of taxes. Even if they cut your hair like a sheep every time, you won't say a word, you won't stand up against the officials who are robbing you: they will scare you with God, they will talk about hell <...>. Thus, religion helps the state, the rich and the landlords to deceive the Mari people in many ways" ^{[7, p. 11]}. Such anti-religious statements almost always end with generalizing didactic conclusions that resemble the ending of fairy-tale plots and storylines of other folklore genres with a didactic, allegorical-allegorical component, for example, a short story in verse or prose (almost always contains a directly formulated moral lesson, has an allegorical meaning) or a fable (always has a moral conclusion placed at the end, and sometimes at the beginning of the work). In such conclusions there is always a ridicule of the shortcomings of certain major social phenomena and the vices of people.

The journalistic character of the novel sometimes turns into a pamphlet directed against the political system of the country of the late XIX – early XX centuries, against the exploiting classes, religious prejudices and reactionary customs.

Traditionally, in Russian literature, the use of the format of folklore genres, for example, fairy tales, helped writers to expose social vices and official insolvency, bypassing strict censorship. Such a strategy can be traced to a certain extent in Nikon Ignatiev's Savika. The main character of the Mari writer resembles Ivanushka, the fool from Russian fairy tales, the Mari fairy-tale character Koksha, who deftly fools a rural rich man, greedy merchants, clerks and priests. At the very beginning of the work, the surrounding people, because of the ridiculous appearance (one foot is shod in felt boots, the other in old leather boots ^{[7, p. 18]}; in winter he puts on a cap, in summer - a woolen cap ^{[7, p. 14]}), take Savik for a fool, but the villagers who know him understand that even awkward actions, a sharp tongue and sparkling sarcasm, because of which, for example, the face of a volost foreman who is going to submit, then gleefully lights up, then trembles and it seems that he is about to burst with anger, are not able to hide the wisdom of Ignatiev's character in speeches and prudence in household chores. His sarcastic attacks on local officials, spies and informers at every opportunity make Savik look like a (twin brother) to the folklore character of short comic miniatures of the Muslim East and some peoples of the Mediterranean and the Balkans of Khoja Nasreddin ^[1]. Savik's sharp and sarcastic speech always ends with a brief and weighty conclusion: "Dear!.. You're arguing for nothing. What, did they really regret one ruble like that? <...> This money is just the cost of one sheep," Savik continues. How not to pay such a good person? (Smorkalov looked at him with greasy eyes). Why not pay? A ruble from each county, not a lot, not a little, fifteen thousand will gather!.. This dandy will have enough for a lifetime to live without worries" ^{[7, p. 23]}. Savik's deep sarcasm, like the sting of a wasp, wounds the sergeant Smorkalov: his lips droop, his eyes widen like cakes, his hands themselves rise high in his fist ^{[7, p. 24]}. Such caricature situations and images with "talking" surnames (Smorkalov, Meshkyr Metri, Nebeimenyatkin, Ksen Ptyr, Kolotilov, etc.) certainly have a satirical meaning, help in revealing the true intentions, insidious and evil intentions of a certain social stratum of society.

Folklore traditions in the poetics and stylistics of the novel

The use of nicknames that ridicule/emphasize the shortcomings or specific features of people is associated with the everyday traditions of the Mari people and with folklore and verbal art forms. In fiction, this tradition is transformed into the technique of "talking names" ^[2], used to reveal the characteristics of the characters' character, to express the author's thought, the main idea of the work. This technique was widely used by Russian writers. For example, a character named Prostakov in D. I. Fonvizin's comedy "Nedorosl" ^[11], according to the caustic remark of Mrs. Prostakova, is a "simpleton"; and the surname Skotinin emphasizes the cruelty, rudeness and bestial attitude of the hero to the servants. The hero of the play by A. S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit" ^[5] Molchalin has a surname that emphasizes his taciturn character associated with a life position to serve and grovel before high-ranking officials for his own benefit. The surname of Judge Lyapkin-Tyapkin from N. V. Gogol's "Auditor" ^[4] indicates that he performs his work "tyap-blunder", that is, quickly and carelessly. And the surname of the central character of this comedy Khlestakov has several meanings hidden in the root of the word: whip – lie, empty–mouthed; whip, coxcomb – dandy, rake, philanderer; whip, whip - impudent, impudent, gossip. In the surnames of other Gogol characters: doctor Gibner, private bailiff Ukhovertov and police officer Derzhimorda - the imperfection of the healthcare and police system is emphasized.

In the novel by the Mari prose writer Nikon Ignatiev, the sergeant Nebeimenyatkin and the policeman Kolotilov each time, on occasion, severely beat debtors, "malicious defaulters" of taxes, rebels and all ordinary peasants who like to express their opinion, their point of view. Local kulaks and speculators: K?sen P?tyr (lit. P?tyr with a pocket), M?shkyr Metriy (lit. A pot-bellied Metri, a man with a big belly and who loves to eat well) – the first was enriched by the resale of calico (money "drips" into his pocket), the second - grain and bread (therefore he always has a "stuffed belly").

The originally constructed toponymic names of villages, which often took place in folklore texts and are used in the work of Nikon Ignatiev - as the proper names of the elders of these settlements, also sound satirically acute. For example, the village headman Pudiysola (lit. The village is a tick), as a blood-sucking parasite, lives at the expense of someone else's labor; and ordinary residents of Mushkyndosol (lit. Village-kulak) the headman is subjected to frequent beatings. Nikon Ignatiev specially selects such names and titles that from the very beginning expose the base essence, the low public "rating" of these characters. All this plays a significant role in creating a generalized image of the satirical type presented in the novel "Savik". The same socio-functional burden is borne by the names of poor peasants and the poor: Sh?Ryn V?dyr (lit. oblique, crooked V?dyr), Kogyl Petya (meaning a dried-up pie), Ondri Ytyr (Ondri footcloth) and others.

Nikon Ignatiev actively uses folklore-type parody. Thus, by parody of obedience, a vulgar joke, a whipping laugh, the author denounces religion; exposes the foundations of the autocratic system (its rottenness and hostility to the common people), class and class inequality, the aggressive nature of the imperialist powers for the partition of semi-feudal China and Korea in the Russian-Japanese war of 1905:

– Here we will take everything from Japan and immediately enrich ourselves.–Well, well," the foreman confirms.

– The land of the Japanese…

Buildings... <...>– Will they give you a lot of land?

– Three.

– Three tithes?

– Three... yards!..

<…>– Three yards is very small, isn't it?

– exclaim the Mari. – After death, this will no longer be necessary, – says Savik ^{[7, pp. 77-78]}.

A powerful means of individualizing satirical characters are their speech characteristics and comic situation (these means were actively used in folklore texts). For example, the "narrow-minded mind" of the village headman is ridiculed like this: "Soon the police officer Smorkalov drove up and stopped at the Meshkyr Metri. Calls the headman. Stomps:– To rebel?!

– No, no, your frying pan…

– What kind of "frying pan" am I to you?

"Your Honor"!– Yours…

Your high city... – says the headman.– Not a vegetable garden, donkey!..

Your Honor.– High - brodit…

– Fool!..

Go, gather the people..." ^{[7, p. 79]}.

Comic situations in Nikon Ignatiev's novel are often based on parodying the essence of religion, religious rites and institutions. So, in the spring every year, the priest Sergeyev with an assistant sexton went out to the field before the start of spring work to consecrate the land, for which the peasants paid him with a piece of canvas and copper money. In the midst of prayer, Savik appears at his strip of land, and immediately everyone turns their eyes to him. After kissing his index and middle fingers, he blows a kiss in the direction of the worshippers, then, pressing his right hand to his chest, as if greeting everyone, bows his head. Despite the laughter coming from all sides, Savik began to nail something to the other end of the pointed stick with a serious look. Realizing that it was an icon, the crowd that came up to him began to scream. After a short silence, Savik also spoke: "I am a deep believer in the divine saints… I love them very much. I want to live with their help. Do you know how? After all, God has bequeathed to love each other. Maybe because of your love for the tsar, maybe because of your love for officials, you took my horse away from me? Perhaps the emperor is starving? Maybe he doesn't have bast shoes to get out? Or did you lose the entire treasury at cards or did you drink it? Even if he drinks, sells the whole state, you can't help but love him, feel sorry for him. After all, he is appointed by God. They say that “All power is from God.” Therefore, so that the sick king could get drunk, I gave my horse. And God will help me. The saints will help. Here, for example, take Elijah the prophet. His horse is not harnessed now. There is no thundercloud to be seen anywhere. The firmament is as clear as a bottle of vodka… I ask Elijah the prophet to help with field work..." ^{[7, p. 38]}. The priest cursed him for blasphemy. Everyone has plowed everything, and the strip of Savik with icons on pegs is overgrown with grass. Savik scolded the peasants for inaction, while the peasants laughed at him. But it was an "epiphany" laugh. Although some (mostly elderly) he was scolded, many still realized that they, like fools, believe everything.

Nikon Ignatiev, as a man and a writer, sincerely believed in the social function of laughter. His satire, like the satire of his character, is active, purposeful. Savik laughs indignantly at the fact that people sincerely believe that the saints will be able to help everyone and in everything. His laughter reaches its goal: the thoughtful people "remove the veil from their eyes", begin to understand the true meaning of many of the "tricks" of the eccentric. The villagers elect Savik as a walker to the king himself with a request to improve their situation. He gets to St. Petersburg on the day of bloody Sunday. Here he saw with his own eyes the "mercy" of the tsar and the "kindness" of the priest Gapon, was convinced that neither the tsar nor god intended to help ordinary people in freeing them from poverty and disenfranchisement. The Mari writer was convinced that only the people themselves, together with the Bolshevik party in the vanguard, should become the true masters of the country and their future. Hence, it is not surprising that the writer ends his novel with the events of the October Revolution of 1917 – the hope of the people for a better future.

ConclusionsSo, the folklore intertext of a novel, including a satirical novel, in national literatures consists mainly of prose genres of folklore, their structural elements.

They are an active component of the Mari novel texts of the first third of the twentieth century, on their basis the artistic components of their structure are formed.

Folklore images-characters, elements of poetics and stylistics of genres of oral folk art (fairy tale, proverb, saying, etc.) had a great influence on the birth of the first Mari satirical novel – the novel by N. V. Ignatiev "Savik". The main satirical techniques and means in it are sarcasm, specific nomination of characters ("talking names"), "sounding" toponymy, parody, comic situation, etc. Fictional names, nicknames, names of villages are also used by the Mari prose writer as an important means of satirical typification of social relations; as a kind of metaphor capable of emphasizing, concentrating attention on some social phenomenon, to indicate not so much the type of activity, but the peculiarity of the character of the character. They play an essential role in the creation of a literary and artistic text, are integral components of its poetics and stylistics, are closely related to the author's ideas, the time and space depicted, the essence of the images created.