The main genre varieties of fairy tales. What kind of fairy tales are there? Full classification

It is difficult to imagine childhood without fairy tales. At any time, even the most hard time, in every country, mothers are sure to tell their children legends, traditions and fictional stories. It should be noted that fairy tale folklore is most widespread in the poorest countries.

Fairy tales help not only pass the time. They develop the child’s imagination and simulate situations that can occur in real life. It is from these, sometimes simple, stories that we first learn about good and evil, learn to feel and empathize, gradually preparing to enter adulthood.

What kind of fairy tales are there?

Writers distinguish 2 main types: folk and author's. Folklore was passed down from mouth to mouth and came to us from ancient times. But the author's fairy tale is a full-fledged literary work written a certain person. Such tales are relatively young. However, they are often based on folk art. Let us consider these flows in more detail.

Folk tale

Since ancient times, legends have been a way to escape from the hard work of everyday life, to brighten up a long winter evening or monotonous work, express your attitude towards life. Passed from mouth to mouth, fairy tales were transformed, enriched with new ones. storylines and heroes.

Getting acquainted with folk art, you can notice a desperate desire for justice. Here, truth will always triumph over falsehood, reason will prevail over stupidity, courage and hard work are emphatically superior to laziness and cowardice. Ancient folklore allows you to fully feel the connection with your ancestors, becoming familiar with the origins of culture.

There are three types of folk tales:

  • tales about animals.

These are the very fairy tales that should be read very first (up to 5-6 years). They involve permanent characters (bear, wolf, fox, hare, hedgehog, etc.). Basically, the constant characteristics of animals are indicated (fox - cunning, bear - strong, cat - smart, hare - timid, etc.). Of these fairy tales, the most notable ones are the covulative ones - selected according to the principle of plot connection (“Turnip”, “Kolobok”, “Teremok”). Many of them have a childish language connotation (mouse-norushka, cat-little belly);

  • everyday tales.

They show real life, social content, ridicule negative human qualities. High moral qualities do not belong to the rich and people of high rank, but to representatives of the people (soldiers, old people). It is not money and strength that win, but intelligence and skills. Are given spicy negative characteristics master, priest, king and others. Such tales appeared when there was a desire to change the social system, and they expressed the democratic spirit of the people (the author). In social fairy tales, puns, humor, reversals, laughter, and satire are widely used;

  • fairy tales.

They involve romantic heroes, which embodies the most best qualities person. Required for this fairy tale: the image of a positive hero + helpers + magic objects. The main thing in such fairy tales is: the struggle for love, for truth, for good. They are characterized by rich language, colorful definitions, negative characters– fantastic (Baba Yaga, Leshy, Kikimora, Zmey-Gorynych). As for the structure of fairy tales, there must be a fairytale beginning (once upon a time), a middle (the morning is wiser than the evening, how long is it short) and an ending (and I was there, I drank honey and beer);

Animals have been an integral part of human life from time immemorial.

It is thanks to animals that humanity has survived throughout its thousands of years of history. Therefore, it is not surprising that four-legged and feathered animals are very often found in folk tales. Animals may be the only characters in a fairy tale, or they may coexist with humans, and on equal terms. A distinctive feature is that the action takes place in the real world.

A fairy tale is called a fairy tale, the action of which is transferred to a fictional world.

They have their own laws, different from those on earth. This fable is replete with magical events and adventures.

A feature of an everyday fairy tale is an attempt to reflect the essence everyday life and everyday folk life. They usually go up here social problems and negative human qualities are condemned. However, these stories may contain fairy tale elements. As a rule, greedy priests are ridiculed here, and the hero is a man or a soldier who will definitely emerge victorious from all troubles.

Literary fairy tale

Literary tales are more varied in plot, the narrative is more intense.

By genre literary tales:

  • a fairy tale about animals;
  • fairy tale;
  • short story tale;
  • anecdotal tale;
  • fable.

The most famous storytellers are A.S. Pushkin, K.D. Ushinsky, Kh.K. Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, E. Schwartz, V. Bianchi, J.R.R. Tolkien and many other wonderful fairy tale authors.

Regardless of the type and genre of fairy tales, they all have a unifying principle - goodness. Therefore, read fairy tales to your children, even if it seems to you that they have long since passed this age.

Life of a fairy tale - continuous creative process. Every new era there is a partial or complete renewal of the fairy tale plot. When it concerns a rearrangement of ideological accents, a new fairy-tale version arises. This feature of the fairy tale requires careful study of each fairy tale text.

In a fairy tale, there are constant values ​​that have developed as a result of its traditional nature, and variables that have arisen as a result of endless retellings.

The most important feature of a fairy tale is its special form of construction, its special poetics. Narrativeness and plot, an orientation towards fiction and edification, a special form of narration - these signs are found in various genres epic cycle.

A fairy tale as an artistic whole exists only as a combination of these features. Fairy tales in general were one of the most important areas of folk poetic art, which had not only ideological and artistic, but also enormous pedagogical and educational significance. The divergence in views on a fairy tale is associated with what is regarded as the main thing in it: an orientation toward fiction or the desire to reflect reality through fiction.

However, as often happens in science, the absence of a classical definition does not at all affect the phenomenon itself and has very little effect on life in public consciousness. The essence and vitality of a fairy tale, the secret of its magical existence is in the constant combination of two elements of meaning: fantasy and truth.

On this basis, a classification of types of fairy tales arises, although not entirely uniform.

Classification of fairy tales (according to T.D. Zinkevich-Evstigneeva):

· psychotherapeutic tales;

· didactic tales;

· meditative tales.

Classification of fairy tales (according to V.Ya. Propp):

· magical;

· adventurous;

· household;

· tales about animals;

· cumulative.

The most widespread classification of fairy tales is based on the problem-thematic approach, which distinguishes:

· fairy tales dedicated to animals;

· fairy tales;

· social and household;

· fairy tales of mixed type.

The groups of fairy tales do not have sharply defined boundaries, but, despite the fragility of the demarcation, such a classification allows you to start a substantive conversation with the child about fairy tales within the framework of a conventional “system” - which, of course, makes the work of parents, educators or teachers easier.
The following can be said about fairy tales included in the reading range of younger schoolchildren.

Tales about animals. Folk poetry hugged the whole world, its object was not only humans, but also all living things on the planet. By depicting animals, the fairy tale gives them human traits, but at the same time it records and characterizes habits, “way of life,” etc. Hence the lively, intense text of fairy tales. These are fairy tales" Gray neck"D. Mamin-Sibiryak, "The Frog Traveler" by V.M. Garshin, "Three Bears" by L. Tolstoy, "The First Hunt" by V. Bianki, "Rikki Tikki Tavi" by Kipling, "The Little Fox" by V.I. Dahl.

Man has long felt a kinship with nature; he truly was a part of it, fighting with it, seeking its protection, sympathizing and understanding. The later introduced fable, parable meaning of many fairy tales about animals is also obvious.

Fairy tales. Fairy tales of the fairy type include magical, adventure, and heroic. At the heart of such fairy tales is a wonderful world. The wonderful world is an objective, fantastic, unlimited world. Thanks to unlimited fantasy and a wonderful principle of organizing material in fairy tales with a wonderful world of possible “transformation”, amazing in their speed (children grow by leaps and bounds, every day they become stronger or more beautiful). Not only the speed of the process is surreal, but also its very nature (from the fairy tale “The Snow Maiden”). “Look, the Snow Maiden’s lips turned pink, her eyes opened. Then she shook off the snow and a living girl came out of the snowdrift.” "Conversion" in fairy tales of the miraculous type usually occurs with the help of magical creatures or objects. So, in the fairy tale by A.S. Pushkin, Prince Guidon turns to his assistant for help and she turns him into a mosquito, a fly, or a bumblebee.
Basically, fairy tales are older than others; they bear traces of a person’s primary acquaintance with the world around him. Fairy tales with elements of magic include C. Perrault “The Little Thumb”, G. H. Andersen “Thumbelina”, P. P. Bazhov “The Jumping Fire Girl”, S. T. Aksakov “ The Scarlet Flower».

Everyday tales. A characteristic feature of everyday fairy tales is the reproduction of everyday life in them. The conflict of an everyday fairy tale often consists in the fact that decency, honesty, nobility under the guise of simplicity and naivety is opposed to those personality qualities that have always caused sharp rejection among the people (greed, anger, envy).
As a rule, in everyday fairy tales there is more irony and self-irony, since good triumphs, but the randomness or singularity of its victory is emphasized. These include “The Tale of the Priest and His Worker Balda” by A.S. Pushkin, “Masha the Confused” by L. Voronkova, D. Mamin-Sibiryak “The Tale of brave hare– long ears, slanting eyes, short tail.”

The diversity of “everyday” fairy tales is characteristic: social-everyday, satirical-everyday, novelistic and others. Unlike fairy tales, everyday fairy tales contain more significant element social and moral criticism, it is more definite in its social preferences. Praise and condemnation sound stronger in everyday fairy tales.

Fairy tales of mixed type. IN Lately V methodological literature Information began to appear about a new type of fairy tales - fairy tales of a mixed type. Of course, fairy tales of this type have existed for a long time, but they have not been given of great importance, because they forgot how much they can help in achieving educational, educational and developmental goals. In general, fairy tales of a mixed type are fairy tales of a transitional type.

They combine features inherent in both fairy tales with a wonderful world and everyday fairy tales. Elements of the miraculous also appear in the form of magical objects, around which the main action is grouped.
Fairy tale in different forms and scale strives to realize the ideal human existence. For example, the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “A Pot of Porridge”.

The fairy tale's belief in the intrinsic value of noble human qualities and the uncompromising preference for good are also based on a call to wisdom, activity, and true humanity. Fairy tales from our blue planet broaden our horizons, awaken interest in the life and creativity of other peoples, and foster a sense of trust in all the inhabitants of our Earth engaged in honest work. Often it is a literary fairy tale that belongs to this type.

In literary criticism there is still no single definition of genre literary fairy tale, no single classification has been created. Exists a large number of definitions of a literary fairy tale, which can be divided into two types. The first type of definition is an enumeration individual characteristics, which are usually inherent in a literary fairy tale, but in specific works these characteristics may be absent.

The second type of definition is an attempt at a generalized universal definition. Yu.F. Yarmysh noted that “A literary fairy tale is such a genre literary work“, in which moral, ethical or aesthetic problems are solved in a magical, fantastic or allegorical development of events and, as a rule, in original plots and images in prose, poetry and drama.”

A literary fairy tale intertwines elements of fairy tales about animals, everyday and fairy tales, adventure and detective stories, science fiction and parody literature.

In textbooks on literary reading Grades 1-4 include literary fairy tales of Russian and foreign writers. The task of teaching in each class is to deepen children’s knowledge about works of folk art, expand and enrich reading experience, and introduce literary ideas and concepts. From class to class, the range of reading expands and the level of erudition increases. Gradually, children form the concept of literary (author's) fairy tales, types of fairy tales (magical, everyday, about animals), and comparison of author's fairy tales by foreign and Russian writers makes it possible to highlight similarities and differences, “similarity” of plots, and the peculiarities of their language.


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A fairy tale is a miracle! A wonderful world, familiar from childhood, where good always triumphs over evil. On the pages of fairy-tale books live talking animals and dragons, brave heroes and beautiful princesses, good fairies and evil sorcerers. Fairy tales encourage not only to believe in miracles, but also teach kindness, compassion, not giving in to difficulties, listening to parents and not judging others by appearance.

What kind of fairy tales are there?

A fairy tale is a story with fictional characters and a plot that is of an everyday, heroic or magical nature. They are folklore (composed by the people), literary (include features of folk tales, but belong to one author) and author's (written by one specific author). Folklore tales are divided into magical, everyday and about animals.

Folklore

They go a long way before reaching the reader. They are passed down orally from generation to generation until some collector of legends writes them down on paper. It is believed that the heroes of the first stories were the Earth, the Sun, the Moon and others natural phenomena, and images of people and animals began to be used later.

Folk tales have a fairly simple structure: a saying, a beginning and an end. The text is easy to read and does not contain complex words. But despite its apparent simplicity, it retains all the richness of the Russian language. Folklore tales are easily understood even by children, which makes them best choice for reading before bed. This will not only prepare the child for sleep, but also unobtrusively teach life values.

The main features of a fairy tale:

  1. Fairy-tale cliches “Once upon a time,” “In a certain kingdom.”
  2. Use of proverbs and sayings.
  3. Obligatory victory of good in the final.
  4. The tests that the heroes go through are educational and moral in nature.
  5. The animals saved by the hero help him get out of difficult situations.

Household

The action takes place in Everyday life, not “in the distant kingdom,” but an ordinary city or village. The life of that time, features and habits are described. The heroes are the poor and merchants, spouses, soldiers, servants and masters. The plot is based on ordinary life situations and conflicts that the heroes have to resolve with the help of skill, ingenuity and even cunning.

Everyday tales are ridiculed human vices greed, stupidity, ignorance. The main message of such stories is that one should not be afraid of work, not be lazy and confidently overcome obstacles. Treat others kindly, be responsive to the grief of others, do not lie or be stingy. For example, “Porridge from an axe,” “Turnip,” “Seven-year-old daughter.”

About animals

Often the characters are animals. They live and communicate like people, talk and play pranks, quarrel and make peace. There is no clear character among the characters division into positive and negative heroes . Each of them is endowed with one distinctive feature, which is played out in the plot of the fairy tale. A cunning fox, an angry wolf, a hardworking hare, and a wise owl. Such images are understandable to children and give ideas about intelligence and stupidity, cowardice and courage, greed and kindness.

Magical

What is a fairy tale? This mysterious world, filled with magic and enchantment. Where animals, nature and even objects can speak. The composition is more complex, it includes an introduction, a plot, a central plot, a climax and a denouement. The plot is based on overcoming a difficult situation or regaining a loss. For example, “Morozko”, “Finist Clear Falcon”, “Cinderella”.

The world of characters is incredibly diverse. G great heroes have everything positive qualities, that is, such as kindness, generosity, responsiveness, courage. They are opposed by evil, greedy and selfish negative heroes. In the fight against enemies goodies wonderful helpers and magical objects help. The ending is certainly happy. The hero returns home with honors, having overcome all adversity and obstacles.

Literary

Has a specific author, but is closely related to folklore. A literary fairy tale reflects the author’s view of the world, his ideas and desires at the time folk tales demonstrate generalized values. The writer empathizes with the main characters, expresses sympathy for individual acting persons and openly ridicules negative characters.

The basis is often the plots of folk tales.

  • the hero’s belonging to the world of magic;
  • hostility between adoptive parents and children;
  • the hero is helped by nature, living creatures and magical attributes.

To imitate folk tales, the same principles are applied: fairy-tale setting, talking animals, triplicate repetitions and vernacular. The images of the main characters of folk tales are often used: Ivan the Fool, Baba Yaga, Tsar Koschei and others. The author strives for greater detail, characters and personal qualities The characters are described in detail, the environment is close to reality, and two generations are always present: the older (parents) and the younger (children).

Vivid examples of a literary fairy tale include the work of A. Pushkin “ gold fish", G. Andersen " The Snow Queen" and C. Perrault "Puss in Boots".

Whatever the fairy tale, its goal is to teach a child not to despair, to boldly take on tasks, and to respect other people’s opinions. Looking at the bright illustrations, it’s easy to come up with your own plot based on an already familiar story. Even an adult will benefit from breaking away from the usual cycle of days and immersing himself in beautiful world magic.

Fairy tales, like any other works, literary genre, there is also its own classification, and not even just one. Fairy tales can be divided into several groups, firstly, by content, and secondly, by authorship. In addition, there is also a classification of fairy tales based on nationality, which is transparent and understandable to everyone. For example, "Russians folk tales», « German fairy tales" and so on. It is also not so difficult to say what kind of fairy tales there are by authorship. Everyone knows that there are folk tales, and there are original ones, written specific person. We will return to this later, but first we will talk about a more complex classification of fairy tales - by content.

Types of fairy tales by content

  • household
  • magical
  • fairy tales about animals

Each of these types is divided into several more, which we will talk about in the corresponding chapters. Let's start with everyday fairy tales.

Everyday tales

As the name suggests, everyday fairy tales include those that describe the life and way of life of a particular people. However, it should be noted that in this kind of fairy tales the usual description is rare, and most often it is supplemented by various humorous and satirical descriptions. For example, any qualities of a particular class of society or estate are ridiculed. Among everyday fairy tales, the following types of fairy tales are distinguished (we list them with examples):

  • social and domestic (“Shemyakin Court”, “Dividing the Goose”, “Chatty Old Woman”)
  • satirical-everyday (“The Man and the Priest,” “The Master and the Carpenter,” “The Master and the Man,” “How the Priest Hired a Worker”)
  • magical and everyday (with elements from fairy tales, vivid examples to that: “Morozko”, “Cinderella”)

In general, it should be noted that this classification was derived by literary scholars rather conditionally, since it is not always possible to say unambiguously which category a particular fairy tale belongs to. Many can be classified as both social-everyday and satirical-everyday, and, for example, in the well-known fairy tale “Morozko”, a certain amount of magic is added to these two features, so it is both everyday, satirical, and magical at the same time. And this is the case with many fairy tales - be sure to take this point into account when classifying.

Fairy tales

A fairy tale can be recognized, first of all, by its surroundings, which, as a rule, little correspond to the reality revealed to us in life. Heroes exist in their own fantasy world. Often such tales begin with the words “In a certain kingdom...”. Fairy tales can also be divided into several types:

  • heroic tales (with victory over various mythical creatures or with adventures in which the hero goes on in order to find some kind of magical object). Examples: " Rejuvenating apples", "Vasilisa the Beautiful";
  • archaic tales (tell about destitute and lonely people and those who were kicked out or left their family for some reason and about their adventures). Examples: “Twelve Months”, “Children of the Cannibal”;
  • tales about people endowed with magical powers. For example: “Marya the Mistress”, “Elena the Wise”.

Animal Tales

Let's see what tales there are about animals:

  • tales about ordinary animals (wild and domestic). For example: “The Fox and the Hare”, “The Fox and the Crane”, “The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats”;
  • tales about magical animals. For example: “Goldfish”, “Humpbacked Horse”, “Emelya” (“At the command of the pike”).

In addition, there are fairy tales like this:

  • cumulative (in which there is a repeating plot). For example: “Mitten”, “Kolobok”, “Turnip”;
  • fables. As an example, let us cite the well-known fables “The Crow and the Fox” and “The Monkey and the Glasses.” A small note: not all literary critics classify the fable as a fairy-tale genre, allocating a separate place for it among literary genres, however, for the sake of completeness, I decided to include fables here too.

As you probably know, these fables are not folk art, they have authors. Thus, fairy tales can be divided into folk and original. “The Fox and the Hare” is a Russian folk tale, and “The Little Humpbacked Horse” is an original one, since it was written by P.P. Ershov. Well, we have considered, perhaps, all the main types of fairy tales, both in content and in terms of authorship and nationality.

Some links

This page presents wonderful fairy tales.

And you will find several dozen famous fairy tales about animals.

I would like to note that the fairy tales presented on the pages of this site are perhaps the most famous from the Russian folk tales section.

The typology of fairy tales was first proposed by T.D. Zinkevich-Evstigneeva, from her point of view, fairy tales are divided into folk And artistic. According to V.Ya. Gulevsky, all fairy tales are divided into three main groups: artistic, special And patient's original stories.

Artistic tales

According to the depiction of reality in fairy tales, the following are distinguished:

1.1. household;

1.2. magical;

1.3. tales about animals.

Fictional tales can be traditional(folk) and copyrighted.

Traditional(folk) tales embody the collective intelligence and consciousness of a nation.

Everyday tales

They are usually sarcastic, witty, and playful. Subtle hidden mockery in everyday fairy tale permeates the entire plot, but it is never aimless.

In the fairy tale "Po pike command» Emelya is not a fool, but a kind, sympathetic, honest, but a little lazy person. The meaning of this tale is not the praise of tomfoolery, but the condemnation of the arrogant, greedy, evil and envious people, which surround Emelya.

In the fairy tale “How a man divided the geese” resourcefulness of the mind and wit are glorified and at the same time greed and stupidity are condemned. Any absurdity, absurdity from which they are trying to extract some benefit is popularly called “porridge from an axe.” This is also from a folk tale.

Fairy tales

The world of fairy tales has a fantastic character and knows no troubles and misfortunes. Justice always triumphs in it: heroes, even from seemingly hopeless situations, emerge victorious, and dark forces(monsters, sorcerers, villains, etc.) will definitely be punished. In a magical dead man's tale you can revive, turn a person into an animal, into a fish, a bird or an insect (“Morozko”, “The Scarlet Flower”, “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”, etc.). Fairy tale lives up to its name, bewitching children with a wealth of beauty, justice, faith and love.

Animal Tales

These tales are notable for the fact that animals and birds can talk. In fairy tales about animals, there is both truth and untruth at the same time: they are told about the behavior of animals, and real life situations, human actions, and actions are reproduced.

Fairy tales "Turnip" and "Ryaba Hen" They declare the postulate that in any matter one cannot refuse help, even a small force can be useful.

Fairy tale "Kolobok" warns young children of danger. You can’t go far from your mother: one step - it’s okay, two steps - it’s normal, three - still calm, four - anxious, five - they’ll eat... When asked what this fairy tale is about, the kids usually answer in unison: “We must obey your mother."

(a tale about animals by student I. Valeulova)

Once upon a time there lived a bear, and he had a large hut, and in the yard there was a well. The water in that well was not ordinary, but magical. Whoever drinks that water will have much, much strength. One day a bear came for water, but the well was half empty, and every day there was less and less water in it. Then the bear decided to watch for the thief, to find out who dared to take his water. The bear did not sleep for several nights, but no one came to the well. On the fifth night the bear saw someone jumping at the well. He crept up and threw the bag over the thief. But he was so sleepy that he took the bag to the barn and went to his hut. In the morning, the bear opened the bag, looked at the thief and was very surprised to see the little hare.

The little bunny cried and asked for forgiveness:

“We have a very old and leaky hut, but we don’t know how to build a new one.” Father could do this, but he is very old and does not have the strength, so we needed this water for father.

The bear felt very sorry for the little hare, and he decided to help the hares and built them a new hut. All the hares were happy and thanked the bear. And the little bunny promised that when he grows up and becomes big, he will definitely give the bear a bunch of red and tasty carrots.

What is this fairy tale about? This one is kind good story tells that the weak need to be taken care of and helped.

Special tales

This is a group of educational, educational and therapeutic tales. They are created not by writers, but by psychologists, teachers, psychotherapists, i.e. they are also copyrighted.

These tales have some special purposes. and therefore are divided into:

2.1. psychological:

2.2. psychocorrectional;

2.3. psychotherapeutic;

2.4.- meditative;

2.5. didactic.