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'''''The Tale of Igor's Campaign''''' (Old Russian: ''Слово о плъку Игоревѣ'', ''Slovo o plăku Igorevě''; Modern Russian: ''Слово о полку Игореве'', ''Slovo o polku Igoreve'') is an anonymous masterpiece of East [[Slavic]] literature written in [[Old Russian language]] and tentatively dated by the end of [[12th century]]. It is also occasionally translated as ''The Song of Igor's Campaign'' and ''The Lay of Igor's Campaign''. Also, [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]] sources transliterate the name as ''Ihor''. |
'''''The Tale of Igor's Campaign''''' (Old Russian: ''Слово о плъку Игоревѣ'', ''Slovo o plăku Igorevě''; Modern Russian: ''Слово о полку Игореве'', ''Slovo o polku Igoreve'') is an anonymous masterpiece of East [[Slavic]] literature written in [[Old Russian language]] and tentatively dated by the end of [[12th century]]. It is also occasionally translated as ''The Song of Igor's Campaign'' and ''The Lay of Igor's Campaign''. Also, [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]] sources transliterate the name as ''Ihor''. |
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Many things are still disputed about the work: its originality, whether it is an [[epic]] or a literary work, as well as interpretations of many phrases. Part of the problem is that the known texts of this work were copied by hand and not without mistakes. An older copy from Pskov perhaps dating to the 1400s, served as a source for a later copy published in Moscow around 1800. |
Many things are still disputed about the work: its originality, whether it is an [[epic]] or a literary work, as well as interpretations of many phrases. Part of the problem is that the known texts of this work were copied by hand and not without mistakes. An older copy from [[Pskov]] perhaps dating to the [[1400s]], served as a source for a later copy published in [[Moscow]] around [[1800]]. |
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The release of this historical work into scholarly circulation created quite a stir in Russian |
The release of this historical work into scholarly circulation created quite a stir in Russian [[tsar]]ist literary circles. The dominant historical linguistic ideology of the era recognized one East Slavic language: Russian. The recognition of the language of this newly uncovered antiquity as non-Russian raised puzzling questions. The fall-back assumption that Old Slavonic would have been used, did not fit the liguistic evidence in the text: there were some Old Slavonic elements, but not the organic Old Slavonic language. Scholars uncovered words from Polish, too. The document could not be made to fit the historical linguistic schema of scholars of the Tsarist empire. |
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As the "Lay of Igor's Campaign" spread into wider circles of scholarly philology, the problem lessened somewhat. Scholars in the Austrian Empire |
As the "Lay of Igor's Campaign" spread into wider circles of scholarly philology, the problem lessened somewhat. Scholars in the [[Austrian Empire]] found, upon linguistic analysis, that the document contained transitional language between a) earlier fragments of the language of ''[[Ruthenia|Rus']] propria'' (the region of [[Chernihiv]], eastward through [[Kyiv]], and into [[Halych]]) and, b) later fragments from the [[Halych-Volynia]]n era of this same region in the centuries immediately following the writing of the document. These historical fragments showed large linguistic differences with the fragments from the areas of [[Suzdal]] and [[Novgorod]] to the north during the same time period. |
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The plot of this classic work is based on a failed raid of [[Kniaz]] [[Igor Svyatoslavich]] of [[Novhorod-Siverskyy]] (of the [[Chernihiv]] principality of ancient [[Rus']]) against the [[Polovtsian]]s or Cumans living in the southern part of the Don region in [[1185]]. Other East Slavic historical figures are mentioned, including Yaroslav Osmomysl (the eight-tongued) of [[Halych]], and Mstyslav of [[Tmutorokan]]. |
The plot of this classic work is based on a failed raid of [[Kniaz]] [[Igor Svyatoslavich]] of [[Novhorod-Siverskyy]] (of the [[Chernihiv]] principality of ancient [[Rus']]) against the [[Polovtsian]]s or Cumans living in the southern part of the [[Don]] region in [[1185]]. Other East Slavic historical figures are mentioned, including Yaroslav Osmomysl (the eight-tongued) of [[Halych]], and Mstyslav of [[Tmutorokan]]. |
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== Related articles == |
== Related articles == |
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*[http://www.litera.ru:8080/stixiya/themes/slovo/ SLOVO O POLKU IGOREVE] |
*[http://www.litera.ru:8080/stixiya/themes/slovo/ SLOVO O POLKU IGOREVE] |
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[[uk:Слово о полку Ігоревім]] |
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[[Category:Medieval literature|Tale of Igor's Campaign, The]] |
[[Category:Medieval literature|Tale of Igor's Campaign, The]] |
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Revision as of 16:15, 31 July 2004
The Tale of Igor's Campaign (Old Russian: Слово о плъку Игоревѣ, Slovo o plăku Igorevě; Modern Russian: Слово о полку Игореве, Slovo o polku Igoreve) is an anonymous masterpiece of East Slavic literature written in Old Russian language and tentatively dated by the end of 12th century. It is also occasionally translated as The Song of Igor's Campaign and The Lay of Igor's Campaign. Also, Ukrainian sources transliterate the name as Ihor.
Many things are still disputed about the work: its originality, whether it is an epic or a literary work, as well as interpretations of many phrases. Part of the problem is that the known texts of this work were copied by hand and not without mistakes. An older copy from Pskov perhaps dating to the 1400s, served as a source for a later copy published in Moscow around 1800.
The release of this historical work into scholarly circulation created quite a stir in Russian tsarist literary circles. The dominant historical linguistic ideology of the era recognized one East Slavic language: Russian. The recognition of the language of this newly uncovered antiquity as non-Russian raised puzzling questions. The fall-back assumption that Old Slavonic would have been used, did not fit the liguistic evidence in the text: there were some Old Slavonic elements, but not the organic Old Slavonic language. Scholars uncovered words from Polish, too. The document could not be made to fit the historical linguistic schema of scholars of the Tsarist empire.
As the "Lay of Igor's Campaign" spread into wider circles of scholarly philology, the problem lessened somewhat. Scholars in the Austrian Empire found, upon linguistic analysis, that the document contained transitional language between a) earlier fragments of the language of Rus' propria (the region of Chernihiv, eastward through Kyiv, and into Halych) and, b) later fragments from the Halych-Volynian era of this same region in the centuries immediately following the writing of the document. These historical fragments showed large linguistic differences with the fragments from the areas of Suzdal and Novgorod to the north during the same time period.
The plot of this classic work is based on a failed raid of Kniaz Igor Svyatoslavich of Novhorod-Siverskyy (of the Chernihiv principality of ancient Rus') against the Polovtsians or Cumans living in the southern part of the Don region in 1185. Other East Slavic historical figures are mentioned, including Yaroslav Osmomysl (the eight-tongued) of Halych, and Mstyslav of Tmutorokan.