Optron #38 18 августа 2000

Pages of History - Tolkien: continuation of the story about the life znaminitogo writer.

                  Tolkien


        Continued. Beginning in | 37


  {} I. Bozhenko, 2000



  8 Three sources and three constituents of the

    tolkinizma


  "Three sources and three constituents of
Marxism - the so-called Article IV Stalin, who for half a 
century hammered into the heads of the population of the USSR. 
But - unsuccessfully. We do not have orthodox Marxists, not to 
mention the fact, to understand what it is. Well, try to do

something similar with tolkinizmom, perhaps, to
This time out. At least that would be
from which the "push".

  But first - understand, finally, with the terminology.

  All of modern fiction is usually divided into two types:


  1) Science Fiction (SF).

  In the literal translation from English - the scientific 
fiction. As the Russian-speaking term - Science Fiction (SF).



  2) Fantasy.

  Literally - a fantasy. In Russian as a term - and it is 
written: "fantasy." Explain it is usually as "Fairytale 
Fantasy" (SF) - as opposed to "NF". 


  However, there is another form that applies to fiction as it 
is not accepted: 


  3) Fairy Tale (FT).

  Fairy translated as a fairy, magic,
fantastic, wonderful. Tale - the story, history, fiction. 
Together - a fairy tale, fiction, fiction. And as a term - a 
fairy tale. 


  Well, just the sort of thing, then, to present an overall 
picture, I will call at the same time three type - to their 
fiction, too, does not include, although they are such, in 
principle, and are. And that's more to this issue has not come 
back immediately and give examples of such kind of literature:



  4) Horror.

  Of course, Stephen King.


  5) Occult and esoteric literature.

  Kryzhanovskaya Rochester. Magee. And yet - Abraham Merritt. 
Seven Steps to Satan. 


  6) Historical Fiction.

  Joseph Roney. Fighting for the fire: Ivan Efremov. At the 
edge of ecumene. 


  And now - sources:


  1) Myth (first of all - the Nordic) and raised on the basis 
of their heroic Epic:




      Origin of Name-Age

                  Khoj
                 assertion Days Soz
                         tviya Denmark


      Cuchulainn Ireland I-III V

      Kalevala, Karelia V IX

      Beowulf England VII X

      Arthur "VI XII

      Sid Spain X "

      Nibelungen Germany V-VI XIII

      Roland France VIII "

      Velsung Iceland IX "

      Edda "IX-XI"



  They are complemented by religion (particularly -
Christian) and the popular fairy tales.
Recent provide additional details and simplified versions of 
the mythical episodes and characters. 

  In this case, I note that the epic of Northern Europe
was originally a pagan and Christian
myths came there from outside. Further, they
evolved together, complementing and enriching
each other.

  The main motivation here is everywhere
Present:

  - Creator of all things;

  - The lost homeland (Scandinavian
Asgard, ie "Upper World", a Christian
Paradise);

  - Promised Land (Midgard, Middle
World), where the chosen people iznichtozhaet their 
predecessors, and then - encroaching at her new Sinister;


  - Lower World (Utgard, Hell), where rod
notwithstanding that evil individuals (Bad People, Demons);

  - Great Lord (Christ, King Arthur, Charlemagne);

  - Companions of the Lord (a knight errant, the apostles).


  2) History, especially early Middle Ages.

  About him we znem, perhaps, much smaller
What about the antiquity, so it seems to us hateful Atlantis, 
something far more distant from us in time, than, say, ancient 
Greece. The main source of information here - not documented 
and, again, the epic. As wrote the Roman historian Tacitus: 
"These Song replace the barbarians of their history. "(A

that the "new barbarians" and is now replaced
us the history of myths - that's another
story.)

  The average age for us - "Dark," "Mysterious". But this is - 
a key period of history, the collapse of the ancient and the 
beginning of the creation of modern empires, countries, cities 
and nations! IV-VI centuries. - It's great migrations Nations 
when the waves following one after other migrations swept from 
the Volga and the Caucasus to Scandinavia and the Pyrenees. 
Therefore not surprising keen interest in the that period.



  3) "Knight," "Gothic," "romantic, fairy tale, historical, 
fantastic, finally, the" Victorian "(about her - See "Optron" | 
34) literature XI-XIX centuries. 

  Here it is sufficient to name only: Thomas
Mallory. Death of Arthur. (La Morte Arthur.
1485). But let us remember and contemporaries
Pushkin: Jan Potocki (1751-1815); Hoffman
(1776-1822), Washington Irving (1783-1859);
Mérimée (1803-1870), Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849).


  Now - about the constituent parts.


  1) The world of action.

  This world - otherwise, not ours. And, unlike
SF, not the one that could not exist without
result of the development of our world. That -
Never-Never Land. It has never been and never
maybe. Not because "It can not
be, because there can never be "
they belong to Presets
author and reader. But at the same time, the world
This should be valid (within
Rules of the game, of course), internally consistent.


  2) "attributes" (features and details of the created world).

  This, above all, the absence of firearms and all subsequent 
technical advances. And the presence of all kinds of magic. In 
a word, "Might and Magic." In addition, preferably the presence 
of "non-human" intelligent beings (humanoid and not a).



  3) The plot.

  Its basis - Quest (from quest - a search). In
exaggerated form, it looks like
manner.

  It includes:

  - Country Goodness and Order, which is located
West (the option - in the North);

  - Evil Empire in the East (option - on the
South);

  - The Legend and purpose;

  - Hero-naïve, currently living in their
pleasure in a more or less the countryside (option - Good King, 
devoid throne, and inheritance).


  Suddenly there is a mysterious one and
According to our simpleton, it's time to campaign, because this 
depends on the fate of the world. For evil is going to throw 
good, and the only thing that could save - it's Magic Is That 
There, hidden Somewhere Tam, God knows where. And find it's 
something urgently needs to, until it fell into the clutches of 
the Enemy. 

  Gaby makes big eyes, but the output
No, I must go. To help him quickly going Brave Militia Good
Well done. And begins the Great Trek -
Quest ...

  In short,


  As the call of alarm sounded in the night

                           difficult steps -

  This means that soon we leave and say goodbye

                                without words.

  On stride stomped horse

                                  horse

  It is not known which end of the carrying

                               riders ...

                               Vladimir Vysotsky


  Hero of supporting good creatures and good magic. And 
pursuing forces of evil and chaos. 

  Squad overcome mountains, forests, marshes
and Desert with a strange name. Adventures in the dreadful 
place, from which freezes blood in the veins, alternate 
holidays in Places Friendly.


  And finally, the final representation
The main Resident Evil. Here one of the vigilantes shmyaknut 
necessarily, but the rest win. Evil show gruel, in

Anyway, before continuing, because then
Evil "reborn" and - "all over again" ...

  Optimal use of all reviewed and creates a "tolkinovskuyu" 
fantasy. The predominance of the same only one motive (for 
example, Christianity in Heinlein) or replacement components 
(for example, Christianity Hinduism in Zelazny) makes a fantasy 
of "non-tolkinovskoy. 

  For this scheme, and that's bare is now constructed a "cheap" 
fantasy, the same name it - are legion. But in the best samples 
and, above all, near the Tolkien is just a form for

embodiment of "the philosophical aspect", "Christian-pagan" 
self-motivation, compassion, sacrifice, coming Doomsday and 
subsequent revival. Tolkinovskie characters move from the 
position "Everyman" to a willingness to take on a

"Sins of the world, rule out simple and prompt decision, ask not
"WHAT" and "HOW" to do. After completing their mission, they 
did not gain any benefits, except moral. At home waiting for 
them at best case, the ashes, and at worst - "care in the world

another (and hope to return back to -
in the distant future). In general, both from the same
Vysotsky:


  ... And to me the princess and the gift is not necessary,

  A miracle, and so I Yudu pobidyu!


  But as Tolkien himself formulates his
the concept of a fairy tale:


  This is the story, no matter what the genre -
adventure, moralistic etc. -
on Neverland. Her magic polar
opposed to the vulgar methods carefully, acting under the laws 
of the "magic of science" sorcerer. And - a precondition: a 
fairy tale, even if it satire can not laugh at the magic (such 
as Mark Twain and GK Chesterton - IB) It has to be taken 
seriously and without a rational explanation.


  Of course, a fantastic story
possible and otherwise. For example, as Chesterton
introducing the fantastic element in the household
prose. This might also make sense that describe the world - it 
is absolutely a fantastic country, lost in the depths of the 
unknown is whether the past, or future - even if the input fi 
quite decorative elements or accidental. But in a fairy tale 
fantasy TRUE should be the nucleus of the story ... 

  One of the main functions of fairy tales - of escapism. 
Therefore, it is one of the brightest

forms the so-called "Escapist literature."


  In a word ...



  9 PUSH on the "ESC"!


  I can not deny myself the pleasure
quote the definition of the term "escapism" in "times of ones:


  Escapism (from the English. Escape - escape, flee) - 
sovr.burzh.obschestva social phenomenon consisting in the 
pursuit of personality escape from the oppressive reality of 
the world illusions and fantasies. Escapism and impose

cultivate the ideologists of the bourgeoisie through
"Popular culture". By means of escapism
ruling class is trying to instill burzh.obschestva a lot of 
social passivity and mental limitations, to distract them from 
fighting for the solution of social problems. 


  But this is what Tolkien wrote:


  Fantasia did not dull the thirst for scientific discovery and 
does not interfere with their take. In contrast, the clearer 
and sharper mind the brighter the imagination, they generated. 
If Suddenly, people do not want to know

truth, fantasy, too, would have withered (which
actually happened in the USSR from fiction in the 70th - IB).

  Applying the term "escapism", many are confused and do not 
always sincere, "escape the prisoner" and "escape the 
deserter." Why should despise a man who, once in prison, trying 
by all means get out of it, and if it is not possible to think 
not about the warden and prison bars, and about something else?


  Here's a simple example. Ignore the street
lights (because of their abhorrent) - is
already escapism: they will not disappear!
But, as Chesterton pointed out, any thing that "will not go 
anywhere", could soon be hopelessly outdated and will be

replaced. Escapism is not so slavishly subordinate
erratic fashion, as his opponents. AND
There are no guarantees that he fled from
actually limited to: a sudden he
rouse people to riot and they tumble down these
lights? After all, the basic property of escapism
especially hated his opponents, it is
ability to counteract.

  The creators and the readers of fairy tales are not
should be ashamed of escape from reality into the archaic. 
After all, it is possible that reasonable person, on second 
thoughts (outside any connection with dragons and knights Deputy

kami), to condemn such "inevitable and inexorable conquest of 
progress", as machine guns and bomb. But such condemnation is 
felt is that escapist literature on

They said nothing.


  Escape - escape, but ...


  Special joy arises, if any particular fairy tale turns out to 
be original "true", which has real roots and devoted to a 
historical event, not losing their mythical

and allegorical significance. For while
there is no need to imagine something quite
too unfamiliar. Joy will be the same as
from a happy plot twist in the tale:
because it smells the truth of the real world.


  And so it is necessary to consider a
her fantasy ...



  10 Irish roots


  Ireland, due to its geographical
position, and happily escaped the Great
Relocations, and occupation - the Roman, anglosakskoy, Norman. 
Her "native population" were the Celts ... 


  With VI. BC on the IV. BC Celts inhabited the Balkans, 
western Germany, northern Italy, France and Spain. In IV. BC 
they invaded the British Isles and drove out their predecessors 
- the Iberians and the Picts, whom they called "nedomerkami", 
"underground people." A culture of Celtic was sufficiently high 
and complex at least, higher than that of German

tribes (Saxons, and then - Norman) who, starting with V in. BC, 
Celts began to crowd out so well that from the were now only 
Irish, Scottish Highlanders (haylendery), Welsh and Bretons. 
Catch the analogy with the "gnomes" "Elf" and "people"? And 
here - another example: "Zadohlikami, whom at the meeting," Raza

nada, the Vikings thought the Eskimos and American Indians, and 
at the same time - and the Huns Attila (Etzel for their 
language). 

  Frankly, I learn that the myths about the "magical peoples" 
have the very real background, was just as disappointed as 
Then, when I learned that Bulgakov Great Ball of Satan - it is 
just taking U.S. Embassy, ​​where Bulgakov was his calling.

However, it is quite another story,
so back to our Irish.


   ... For all that Ireland has Christianized in the III. - 
Much earlier other than Northern Europe. Monasteries of the 
Church of Ireland became the focus of literacy and culture 
throughout the then Europe. In this case, the Irish Church was 
in the Spirit much closer to the early Christian and Byzantine 
than Roman. 

  And in the V-VII centuries. Tens of thousands of Irish
missionaries have flooded into Western and Central Europe, 
bringing back the word of God. Before Cyril and Methodius, they 
entered the Czech Republic and Moravia, and then - in Kiev and 
Novgorod. When They never fought with either his own or

with the local pagan myths and used them for their own purposes.

  So that the process of formation of the European
mythology was "bi": missionaries actively adjusted as Irish,
and Christian myths to local conditions. Something out of 
"Irish-Christian" motives they bring to local legend, something 
borrowed, and returning home enrich your own epic. In short,

Ireland was a "bridge" of Europe.

  Enlightenment and worship in the area
missionary work was conducted in the native language, "the 
natives". To be able to give writing nonliterate peoples, the 
Irish have been stocked in store more than two hundred 
"National Language" (remember one of the Tolkien's hobby?)


  Naturally, Rome could not tolerate such
strong competition and began a stubborn struggle,
which resulted in the Irish Church
was to the IX. transformed into a Roman Catholic Benedictine 
Order and safely oblivion ...


  And so it happened that the Irish and
more precisely, a Celtic epic became the oldest extant Nordic 
myths. 

  By irlantsam rises and the most famous
European myth - of King Arthur. He is forever rooted in the 
English-speaking culture, and why most others used as source 
material for fantasy. 

  And now look at the fantasy of ...



  11 Slavic branch


  There is an opinion, and very thorough, owned and connoisseur 
of modern A. Sapkowski fantasy classic (it was -

see Optron "| 23), for the Slavic peoples arturiansky myth ...


  This is just a culturally alien to us the legend is the same 
as the traditions of Indian Union of the Six Tribes.


  Slavic mythology identified with
paganism, and therefore we have pending
Christianity was nothing but chaos
and the darkness, made it clear that only brought us to the 
Cross. 

  Magic and sword? What is this magic? Yes it is
Well devilish exercise, engage in koim impossible without 
abandoning God and signing with the Evil! And there are 
different brownies and mermaids - it's the personification of

Unclean. Holy water on them, heathens!

  Never-Never Land? Ever-continuing
there is the struggle between good and evil? But in our Fairy 
was never good and evil, and only one only evil ...



  Agreed. Myth, like arturianskomu,
we have not. Yes, and how he had come from?
"Screw 'stories as sausage (segments of almost 20 years old), 
started with us not even with the introduction of "fire and 
sword" of Christianity, and even earlier - with the arrival in 
Kiev Rurik and violent setting

the cult of Perun. "King of daily remakes the native chronicles 
according anger of the moment" - said the French writer of XIX 
century. Marquis de Custine of Nicholas I. 

  But what, then, to explain our attraction to
Fantasy? The desire to immerse themselves in someone else's
Prehistory in the absence of its own?
Aping? Elementary promiscuity?

  Assertion that for us tolkinistskaya
fantasy, in the words of Joseph Stalin - "this
chyuzhda, much can be countered.

  Delve into the story.

  On the "Irish wake" in Kievan Rus
already mentioned.

  And here's another example of communication "East-West.

  With the IV. tribes Russov (aka - "Rugi"
"Rogue") begin to move from the Baltic to the
south, west, east and to the XI century. settled before
Line Denmark-Switzerland-Northern Italy. K
XII century. they are merged with the Slavs, and as such are 
perceived and themselves and their neighbors. In the X century. 
their way to repeat the Vikings (aka - the Vikings, the 
Normans). 

  However, this is just one theory.
Anyway, in X. documents Empire
Franks called Kievan Rus Rugiey, and
Franco-German epic featured many "Russian" dukes, counts and 
knights, for example, "Gut Ritter Ilias von Rusia". 

  And the Cossacks? Well it's tracing of the Western European 
knights of the Order! 

  Now - on Russian folklore.

  Something identical plots of some
Russian fairy tales and episodes of "Songs
of the Nibelungs, "" biography "Beowulf and the aforementioned" 
Ritter's "Elijah of Murom. A the entire cycle of Murom? Do not 
like it at Arthur '?


  Pereydem to the literature.

  I think all of you, especially without straining, be able to 
list a dozen other Russian Writers XIX-XX centuries. whose work 
with peace of mind can be attributed to the genre of fantasy. I 
have the same names here just one my favorite: AK Tolstoy. And 
yet - names, for someone, maybe unexpected:

Vas.Shukshin with his "third-cocks and
Vl.Vysotsky with his song cycle "Tales," "Alice," "Robin Hood".

  And of Ukrainian literature noting: Oleksandr Ilchenko. 
Kozatska old dumb translation abo Well Mamay i chuzha young 
woman. 1958. This corresponding to all the canons of fantasy

thing, enjoyed in their time of great
popular, but now, due to the changed political situation was
unjustly forgotten.

  And in the Belarusian literature can also be
something to find.

  Well, that Pan Andrei all its
creativity refutes himself, and say no.

  It only remains, to paraphrase the notorious Yegor Ligachev, 
exclaiming: Andrew, you're wrong! 


            To be completed