ОБРАЗ ЛАЙОША КОШУТА У ФОЛЬКЛОРНІЙ ТРАДИЦІЇ СЛОВ’ЯН

Abstract

The question of historicism, historical authenticity of folklore works has long been of interest to researchers, since oral history not only complements historical sources, but often presents a mixed interpretation of events and characters. In their own way, the people also interpreted the events of the Hungarian liberation revolution of 1848-1849 under the leadership of Layosh Koshut against the Hapsburg dynasty, combined with such a pressing issue for peasants as the abolition of the serfdom. The slavic folklore about Layosh Koshut is represented by folk songs and legends, and reproduces the main points of the liberation war: the mobilization of the local population, its struggle for freedom, the arrival of the Russian army and defeat, the capitulation and escape of Koshut, etc., as well as such a pressing issue for peasants as the elimination of the serfdom, which peasants associate with Koshut or with the Cossier. People’s views on Koshut in songs are controversial. They partially contain anti-Hungarian motives, Koshut’s condemnation, in others his defeat is sympathy. The peasants are struggling for national and social freedom, as opposed to the serfdom, which is devoted to many places in the folk narratives of the region. Over time, in folk works, there is a permutation of time and space, some historical characters and places are replaced by others, changing and actualizing. The article addresses the problem of historical authenticity of folklore works, peculiarities of reproduction of events by artistic and poetic means, their parallels with Hungarian sources, transformation and actualization over time.