The Role of Folk-Songs in the Russian Folk-Plays

THE folk-theatre is generally considered to be one of the less artistically successful genres of Russian folk-literature and, indeed, many aspects of the plays bear out such a view the rudimentary plots, the roughly delineated characters, the simple dialogue and often crude nature of the humour. Nevertheless, an examination of certain techniques used by the folk-actors to elaborate the content and improve upon the dramatic impact of their plays shows a considerable degree of artistic awareness. This is certainly the case with the use made of borrowings from other types of literature, in particular the use of folk-songs and excerpts from poetry of nonfolk origin widely known and popular among the ordinary people. The Russian folk-plays, in general, abound in song and this is especially true of 'Tsar Maximillian',1 the most popular and most complex play in the repertoire. Here, in particular, the greater sophistication of the texts allows wide scope for imaginative embellishment

Art · Folk song · Folklore · Literature · Discourse Analysis and Cultural Communication · Folklore, Mythology, and Literature Studies · History · Themes in Literature Analysis

• Folklore and Literature

  H R Ellis Davidson•Folklore•1975

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