Representation Of Folklore Traditions In Modern Kalmyk Literature

Abstract

Folklore traditions played a key role in spiritual development of the Kalmyk people and served the fertile ground for the national fiction. Due to ethnic changes many genres of Kalmyk folklore were lost in the era of globalization, however some examples of small oral poetic genres: йөрәлмүд (wishful thinking), магталмуд (praises), үлгүрмүд (proverbs), etc. are important for modern society since they preserve the national identity of the Kalmyks. It shall be noted that the use of aphoristic expressions representing reminiscence of Kalmyk national wishful thinking is one of the popular traditions in modern Kalmyk fiction. Thus, wishful thinking along with other small folklore genres is organically embedded into a compositional literature complex. They perform various functions: characterize a hero, are used at the beginning of a plot, a narration, at the end of some of its parts, express the emotional state of characters. In their figurative system they reflect the originality of material and spiritual culture of the nation at different stages of historical development. It is clear that throughout its long period of existence the genre of wishful thinking of the Kalmyks did not lose its informative, social, esthetic and educational value. Further comprehensive study of the aphoristic poetry of the Kalmyks in comparison with works of other Mongolian people seems quite relevant. The methodology of the study includes system analysis, use of data from modern domestic and foreign historiography, study of world literary criticism and achievements of western representatives of historical and philological school and Russian scientists.