Исследовательская работа по английскому языку Сравнительный анализ русских и английских сказок

Муниципальное общеобразовательное бюджетное учреждение средняя общеобразовательная школа №11 городского округа город Нефтекамск Республики Башкортостан
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ENGLISH AND RUSSIAN FAIRY TALES
Author: Kornyakova S.I.
Research adviser: Akhtamova E.Z.
Neftekamsk 2016
Contents
1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………...3
1.1. Elements of Fairy Tales…………………………………………………………..5
1.2. Types of Fairy Tales……………………………………………………………...8
2. Fairy tales’ Characteristics………………………………………………………..10
2.1. Characteristics of Russian Folk Tales………………………………………......10
2.2. Characteristics of English Folk Tales…………………………………………...13
3. Comparative Analysis……………………………………………………………..16
4. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………...19
5. List of Literature…………………………………………………………………..20
Introduction
In our days the English language has become the international language of communication. Knowledge of English language has become an integral part of modern life. So reading the English- language literature is one of the most important aspects of effective learning. We learn new words and expressions, necessary for us for free communication. Reading of books, texts in English with an intuitive understanding of unfamiliar words simplifies the process of learning. And folklore, a genre of children’s literature, is always considered as one of the most mysterious and interesting genres. And one of the most popular parts of folklore is a fairytale. It has got interesting plot, unusual characters and a happy end that really attracts readers. It is common when Russian native speakers read some English folk fairytale they start comparing them with Russian one and they notice some similarities.
It should be said that it is worthy to study the similarities and the differences between Russian fairytales and English fairytales. English and Russian folklore belongs to the different kinds of folklore. One represents the western folklore and another - north-west folklore. It also shows the difference between their cultures and difference between people’s mentality. So it makes comparative study of both culture’s fairytales actual. By examining people will learn more about their own and others’ heritage, moral world, and lifestyles among different cultural groups of people. Nowadays when we should pay attention on differences of people’s cultures and respect it for keeping the world in peace.
The aim of the study is to find out similarities and the differences between Russian fairytales and English fairytales.
Object of research - the British and Russian fairy tales.
Subject of research - similarities and the differences between Russian and English fairytales.
Research methods: observation, comparison and analysis.
Research tasks:
The research questions in the study are presented as follows:
1. What common elements do fairytales include?
2. What kind of fairytales exists in both Russian and English cultures?
3. What are the similarities and differences between two cultures’ fairytales?
The research work consists of introduction, main part, conclusion and a list of literature. Main part includes theory of studying types and characteristics of fairytales and practice of comparing Russian and English fairytales. We have read nearly 10 fairytales which we have found in websites and in the English folk tales book adapted for Russians.
1.1. Elements of Fairy Tales
A fairy tale or fairy story is a fictional story that usually features folkloric characters (such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, witches, giants, and talking animals) and enchantments, often involving a far-fetched sequence of events. In modern-day parlance, the term is also used to describe to something blessed with unusual happiness, as in "fairy tale ending" (a happy ending) or "fairy tale romance", though there are notable examples and genres of fairy tales that do not end happily. Colloquially, a "fairy tale" or "fairy story" can also mean any far-fetched story.
Fairy tales are a genre in literature. They have their roots in the oral tradition. Fairy tales with very similar plots, characters, and motifs are found spread across many different cultures. Fairy tales also tend to take on the color of their location, through the choice of motifs, the style in which they are told, and the depiction of character and local color.
 Fairy tales are special stories that are different from other kinds of stories. How can you tell when a story is a fairy tale? Well, there are things in the story called elements that will help you decide. Let's take a look at some of the elements of fairy tales. Not every fairy tale has all of these elements, but a story must have at least a few of them to be called a fairy tale.
The elements are:
Special beginning and/or ending words
One of the elements of fairy tales is that they often start and end with special words like "once upon a time," "a long, long time ago," and "they lived happily ever after." When you read those words, you know that the story could be a fairy
2) Good character
Fairy tales always have at least one good character, or person, in the story.
Do you see a kind, innocent character? Is the good character clever? Is s/he helped by others?
 3) Evil character
An example of a bad character is the evil witch in Hansel and Gretel. Do you see a witch? A demon? An evil stepmother? A sinister gnome? In the end, the evil character usually loses somehow…
 4) Royalty
Is there a castle? A prince? A princess? A king? A queen? Very often, one of the characters is royalty, which means that the person is a king, a queen, a prince, or princess.
5) Setting
Another element of a fairy tale is that the story often takes place in a castle, a forest, or a town. This is called the setting. The setting is where the story takes place. Little Red Riding Hood is set in the forest, and part of Cinderella is set in the castle of the prince.
6) Poverty
Do you see a poor working girl, a poor family, a poor shepherd? – Do you see poor people trying to eke out a living to have enough to eat?
 7) Magic and Enchantments
Magic is often an element of fairy tales.
Do you see magical things happening? Do you see talking animals/objects? You might see fairies, trolls, elves, goblins, etc.
8) Problem
One of the most important elements in a fairy tale is that they always have a problem that must be solved. For example, in the Princess and the Pea, the prince wants to find a real princess to marry. His mother, the queen, helps him find a real princess by putting a pea in the bed to find out if the princess can feel it.
 9) Reoccurring Patterns / Numbers
Do you see any patterns? Often, you’ll see things, phrases, tasks appear in “threes," “sixes,” and/or "sevens"
 10) Universal Truths
The tale probably touches on some universal experiences (i.e., coming of age) or hopes (i.e., to have enough food and love)
Fairytales usually have common motifs. They are:
Talking animals / objects
Cleverness / trickster / word games
Traveler’s tales
Origins ~ where do we come from?
Triumph of the poor
Human weakness explored (i.e., curiosity, gluttony, pride, laziness, etc.)
Human strengths glorified (i.e., kindness, generosity, patience, etc.)
Trickster (sometimes a hero, sometimes on the side of evil but humans benefit)
Tall story (slight exaggeration – hyperbole)
Magic words or phrases; repetition of phrases/words (abracadabra!)
Guardians (fairy godmothers, mentors, magical helpers, guides, etc.)
Monsters (dragons, ogres, evil creatures, etc.)
Struggle between good and evil, light and dark
Youngest vs. Oldest (sons, daughters, sibling rivalry)
Sleep (extended sleep, death-like trances)
Impossible tasks (ridiculously mind-numbing, fantastic effort needed to complete, etc.)
Quests
Gluttony / Starvation (there’s a fine line between eating for survival and succumbing to temptation)
Keys, passes (opening new doors)
Donors, Benefactors, Helpers
Most children are familiar with a least a few fairy tales. These stories are shared folk tales that are passed down to children all around the world. They are often moralistic, told to instill values. Most fairy tales can be divided into a few broad categories, although some bleed into multiple categories. Fairly tales are traditionally shared orally or read from books, but many have been adapted into films or television shows.
In conclusion we can say that all fairy tales have Common Elements such as:
1. A fairy tale begins with "Once upon a time...”
2. Fairy tales happened in the long ago.
3. Fairy Tales have fantasy and make believe in them.
4. Fairy Tales have clearly defined Good characters vs. Evil characters.
5. Royalty is usually present in a fairy tale, a beautiful princess/handsome Prince.
6. There may be magic with giants, elves, talking animals, witches or fairies.
7. Fairy tales have a problem that needs to be solved.
8. It often takes three tries to solve the problem.
9. Fairy tales have happy endings – “they all lived happily ever after.”
10. Fairy tales usually teach a lesson or have a theme.
1.2.Types of Fairy Tales
1. Animal Tales
A large number of fairy tales feature animals prominently. Many of these stories are quite old and might also be considered folk tales or fables. The animals in these stories can often talk and act like people. They are used to convey simple morals as the animals are symbolic of abstract ideas. Such stories as "Cat and Mouse in Partnership," "The Billy Goats Gruff" and any of Aesop's fables fall into this category.
2.Tales of Magic
One motif that figures prominently in a large number of fairy tales is magic. Most fairy tales present some magical or fantastic element, but these stories are ones where the narrative is centered on magical elements. Well-known stories, such as "Rumpelstiltskin" and "The Princess and the Frog," feature magic spells and supernatural elements. In some cases, a magical force imprisons characters, while in others; magic seems to be a device to move the story forward.
3.Monster Stories
In monster stories, the protagonist encounters some sort of ghoul, ogre, witch or troll. These monsters are invariably the antagonist and present an obstacle that the hero must overcome. Stories like "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Hansel and Gretel" fall into this category. Monsters may represent punishment for disobeying an authority figure or a general threat that children should be wary of.
4.Princess Stories
Princesses and other royals figure prominently in many fairy tales. These stories have been the subject of several film and television adaptations. These stories often play into children's fantasies about royalty and often feature commoners marrying royalty or discovering they are royalty themselves.
Tales of Russian and Western countries are original, but passing through the epochs they have common elements and types.
2. Fairy tales’ Characteristics
2.1. Characteristics of Russian Folk Tales
Folk tales carry the history, knowledge, beliefs, and morals of a people for centuries before their societies develop literature. Folk tales exist in almost every society, but few have such a rich tradition of storytelling, as do the people of Russia. Full of witches, talking animals, foolish yet lucky men, and wise people of all ages, Russian folk tales entertained and enlightened generations of Russians.
Folk tales from Western Europe are often called Fairy Tales because many stories, such as Cinderella, use fairies as characters. In Russia, on the other hand, there is no tradition of fairy people who occasionally appear and help humans. Instead of unreal people, magical animals or objects more often assist characters in Russian tales. Russian stories are more likely to be filled with things people see every day than with fantasy creatures.
Animals play an important part in many Russian stories. In many tales, they are highly intelligent and able to communicate with people. A few stories, such as The Wolf and the Goat, have animals as the sole characters. In most stories, animals are helpers or advisors to humans. For example, in Prince Ivan and the Grey Wolf, a young boy is helped on an adventure by a shape-shifting wolf. In Koschei the Deathless, Prince Ivan goes hunting, but spares three animals (the stories vary as to which three) that later reappear when he needs help. Unlike Western stories with magical, unusual, or monstrous creatures, which were never seen but were believed to exist, Russian stories more often made use of things commonly seen animals with special abilities.
1) Uncommon Characters
There are three unseen characters that sometimes make appearances in stories. Possibly originating from the story of St. George, a few stories feature dragons. Another imaginary animal is the firebird. Originating in pre-Christian legends, the firebird must have fascinated Russians as much as it did the characters they told of. One of the few non-human, non-animal characters that sometimes appear is devil or evil spirit. Though not commonly encountered in daily life, Russians through the Russian Orthodox Church knew the devil.
2) Amazing Objects
Talking or animate objects rarely appear in Russian folklore. An exception is the popular story of Vasilisa the Beautiful. In it, the witch Baba Yaga has an animated, talking gate and tree. Her house doesn't seem to be intelligent, but it moves on command. More often, objects have special properties, which help their users. In story The Soldier and Death, a wanderer is given a deck of cards with which he wins every game and a sack that pulls in anything he commands to go inside. Much as with the animal characters, familiar objects often play an important role in helping folk tale characters.
3) Wondrous Places
One of the most imaginative aspects of many Russian folk tales is their locale. Some stories take place in an underground kingdom. In The Three Kingdoms, a young man is lowered into an underground land where he finds a copper, a silver, and a gold kingdom. Often, each place a character passes through is richer and more glorious than the next. When someone traveled a long way, they were often said to pass through the thrice-tenth kingdoms. That is, thee groupings of ten kingdoms. The final kingdom is, according to many tales, a place of magic, but also a place of evil. It is here that some stories say Baba Yaga and Koschei the Deathless live. Using common objects or animals in stories, Russian storytellers often imagined fascinating places to set their stories in.
4) Fascinating People
If the locations were places that common people could only dream of, many of the characters were drawn from people they knew well. One of the most common characters is the simpleton who makes good. In a few stories he is known as Ivan-who-lies-on-the-stove (the stove being the warmest place in a house). This is always a lazy, good-for-nothing who, through strength, cunning, or just luck, becomes a hero. Another popular character is the wise young girl. Often a beauty, this character uses cunning against those who try to do her harm or place her in difficult circumstances. In Vasilisa the Beautiful, a favorite of many Russians, a young girl finds herself in the house of a witch, but manages to escape owing to her quick thinking and kindness to others. Though most stories are about ordinary people who do great things, some stories tell of adventurous members of the royal family. Though these characters hold the highest positions in society, they often are characterized in the same way as ordinary people. For example, many stories tell of the adventures of a young prince. Often called Prince Ivan, these characters often start off as something of a simpleton who finds his way into adventure. Perhaps because Prince Ivan is young his character still seemed familiar to the people. The Tsar himself rarely plays anything more than a peripheral role in any folk story.
No article on Russian folk tales would be complete without a detailed description of one of Russia's most enduring characters, the witch Baba Yaga. There are a few other magical people in Russian folk tales, Koscheibeing one of the best known. But no other character finds their way into so many stories as Baba Yaga. Baba Yaga lives in the forest in a house made of bones standing up on chicken legs. Unlike western witches, who were said to travel on brooms, Baba Yaga travels in a pestle by banging the mortar up and down. It is also said that she eats children. In many stories children find her house and must avoid being eaten. The place where Baba Yaga lives is often described as a place of wonders. As stated above, she lives in the magical thrice-tenth land. Her horses are said to be the fastest in the world. Koschei rides one, and Prince Ivan needed one to out run Koschei. In her home, she has a talking cat, talking horses, talking mice, and a tree and a gate, which are intelligent and animated. Often the creatures in her home loath her and help her captive children to escape. In some of the stories involving children, it is a stepmother or other relative who send them to Baba Yaga to get rid of them. One can imagine parents telling their children these tales, and then warning them to behave or Baba Yaga would get them.
5) Religious Influence
It is often said that the Russian Orthodox Church has been the greatest cultural influence on the Russian people. However, overtly Christian themes or subjects rarely find their way into folk tales. When religious symbols or characters do appear they may be mixed with folk beliefs or practices. Priests occasionally appear in stories, but it is often their children or grandchildren that the stories focus on. Higher-ranking clergy who ordinary people would have met only rarely are seldom mentioned. Perhaps the sacred nature of the Church prevented storytellers from creating stories with religious themes. Another possibility is that the vast amount of literature that already existed chronicling the lives of the saints.
Interim conclusion:
Russian folk tales have elements that vary from the mundane to the fantastic. Most stories feature ordinary people who are thrust into extraordinary situations. These tales entertained young and old and helped them to understand their past and present. Many stories held hidden warnings against greed or bad behavior. Others provided encouragement to people in difficult situations. Russian folk takes have flowed like a river through the history of the Russian people, carrying along with them the heart of the people.
2.2. Characteristics of English Folk Tales
What is a fairy tale and whence did it come, and how are we to find its beginning? Having found it, how are we to follow it down through the ages? How shall it be classed, what are the available types, which seek to include it and show its nature? And lastly, what are the books that are to be the main practical sources of fairy tales for the teacher of little children? The remaining pages attempt to give some help to the scholars who wishes to increase their resources with an intelligent knowledge of the material.
Many times the question, "What is a fairy tale?" has been asked. One has said: "The fairy tale is a poetic presentation of a spiritual truth." George MacDonald has answered: "Undine is a fairy tale." Mr. G. K. Chesterton has said: "A fairy tale is a tale told in a morbid age to the only remaining sane person, a child. A legend is a fairy tale told to men when men were sane." Some, scorning to reply, have treated the question as one similar to, "What poem do you consider best in the English language?" As there are many tales included here which do not contain a fairy, fairy tales here are taken to include tales which contain something fairy or extraordinary, the magic or the marvelous-fairies, elves, or trolls, speaking animals, trees, or a talkative Tin Soldier.
The origin of the word "fairy," as given by Thomas Keightley in his Fairy Mythology, and later in the Appendix of his Tales and Popular Fictions, is the Latin fatum, "to enchant." The word was derived directly from the French form of the root. The various forms of the root were:-
    Latin - fatum, "to enchant."
    French - fee, feerie, "illusion."
    Italian - fata.
    Provencal - fada.
The word "fairy" was used in four senses. Fairy represented:
    (1) Illusion, or enchantment.
    (2) Abode of the Faes, the country of the Fays.
    (3) Inhabitants collectively, the people of Fairyland.
    (4) The individual in Fairyland, the fairy Knight, or Elf.
The word was used in the fourth sense before the time of Chaucer. Fairies were identified with nymphs and elves.
The origin of fairy tales is a question which has kept many very able scholars busy and which has not yet been settled to the satisfaction of many. What has been discovered resolves it mainly into four different origins of fairy tales.
    Fairy tales are detritus of myth, surviving echoes of gods and heroes.
    Against this theory it may be said that, when popular tales have incidents similar to Greek heroic myths, the tales are not detritus of myth, but both have a more ancient tale as their original source. There was:
    (1) A popular tale, which reflected the condition of a rude people, a tale full of the monstrous and the miraculous.
    (2) The same tale, a series of incidents and plot, with the monstrous element modified, which survived in the oral traditions of illiterate peasantry.
    (3) The same plot and incidents, as they existed in heroic epics of cultivated people. A local and historical character was given by the introduction of known places and native heroes. Tone and manners were refined by literary workmanship, in the Rig Veda, the Persian King-book, the Homeric Epics, etc.
All scholars agree that some tales are evidently myths of sun and dawn. If we examine the natural history of savages, we do find summer feasts, winter feasts, rituals of sorrow for the going of summer and of rejoicing for its return, anxious interest in the sun, interest in the motion of the heavenly bodies, the custom of naming men and women from the phenomena of nature, and interest in making love, making war, making fun, and making dinner.
Making a conclusion we can say that in both cultures there were unreal people, magical animals, fairies, elves or trolls, speaking trees that assist characters.
3. Comparative Analysis
As it was said we have read more than 10 fairytales but we have found more common features in two fairytales called «The bun» («Колобок») и «The Gingerbread Man». So it was decided to make comparison analysis of these two fairytales.
Main characters of “The bun” fairytale are: the old man and the old woman, Bun, hare, wolf, bear and the fox. The characters of «The Gingerbread Man» are: the old man and the old woman, Gingerbread Boy, piggy, cow, horse, and fox. So as you see English folk tale includes mostly pets, but Russian tale shows animals living in a forest.
The problem of both fairytales is same: Kolobok (Bun) and Gingerbread man want to survive but animals and people want to eat them.
Character’s appearance of the main character a little bit differs. In Russian tale: Колобок  круглый, по  сусекам  поскребен, по  амбару  метен. Из  двух  горстей  муки,  замешан на сметане, изжарен  на масле. (I was scraped from the cupboard, Swept from the bin, Kneaded with sour cream, Fried in butter, and cooled on the sill.) In English tale: A chocolate jacket and raisins for buttons, and he had currants for eyes and a cherry for a mouth. (Он  плоский  со  смородинками  вместо  глаз, с  вишенками  вместо  пуговок. Похож  на  маленького  человечка.)
As it comes to the actions they both written in past tense and the actions go one after another. For example, Колобка  испекли  положили на  окно  остужаться. Ему  надоело  лежать на  окне, и  он  покатился  с  окна на  завалинку, с  завалинки  на  траву, с  травы  на  дорогу.… put the bun on the window sill to cool. The bun lay and lay there. Suddenly it rolled off the window sill to the bench, from the bench to the floor, from the floor to the door.
When it was time to take the Gingerbread Boy out of the oven, she opened the oven door, and took out the tin. But in a moment the Gingerbread Boy jumped on to the floor, and ran out of the back door and down the road.
Человечек  выпрыгнул  из  оловянного  подноса, выбежал  из  открытого  окна  и побежал  по  дорожке.
The little old man and the little old woman ran after him.Герои  бегут  за  человечком.
How characters call each other:
Колобок, колобок, я  тебя  съем.
"Little bun, little bun, I will eat you up.
Я  колобок,колобок, По  амбару  метён, По  сусекам  скребен, На  сметане  мешен, В  печку  сажен, Я  от  дедушки  ушел, я  от  бабушки  ушел: От  тебя, …, не  хитро  уйти.
I was scraped from the cupboard, Swept from the bin, Kneaded with sour cream, Fried in butter, And cooled on the sill. I got away from Grandpa, I got away from Grandma, And I'll get away from you!  "Stop, little Gingerbread Boy I want to eat you”
 Стой! Стой! Я  хочу  тебя  съесть.Run! Run! as fast as you can,You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!"Беги! Беги! Так  быстро  как  сможешь  ты, не  поймаешь  меня, потому  что  я  пряничный  человечек.
The beginning of fairytales is almost same:
Жили-были  Старик  со  Старухой, и  попросил  испечь  колобка.
Once there lived an old man and old woman. The old man said, "Old woman, bake me a bun."  ONCE upon a time there was a little old man and a little old woman, and they lived in a little old house. They hadn't any children, so one day the little old woman made herself a little boy out of gingerbread.
The climax part of Russian fairytale folds between the main character bun and the fox as well as in English fairytale. It means that in both cultures a fox is shown like a cunning animal.
Колобок  поет, а  лиса   подкрадывается  и  просит  его  сесть  на  нос.
Come sit on my snout and sing your song again a little louder." The bun jumped up on the fox's snout and sang the same song. When he had gone a little farther, the fox said:
"You may get wet where you are. Jump on to my shoulder."
Лиса  помогает  пересечь  реку  и  предлагает  ему  двигаться  с  хвоста  до  носа, чтобы  не  размокнуть.
The end of these two fairytales is same: bun and gingerbread was eaten by the cunning fox. It doesn’t wonder that there is popular English idiom: to be as cunning as a fox which means to be very clever at getting what you want, especially by tricking someone.
Лиса  его – ам!- и  съела.
The bun foolishly jumped onto her tongue and- snatch! - she ate it. As soon as the fox reached the bank of the river, his teeth snapped at the Gingerbread Boy!
"Oh, I'm a quarter gone!" said the little Gingerbread Boy.
"Oh, I'm half gone!" he said a minute later.
"Oh, I'm three quarters gone!" he said the next minute.
Когда  он  добрался до  кончика  носа, лиса  подбросила  его  в  воздух  и  съела  по  кусочкам.
The comparisons of these two fairytales show that there are some similarities and differences in both countries’ fairytales. Even if they have similar plots they differ in using specific expressive means of language. The language of Russian fairytale is more figurative, full of epithets, historicisms and colloquial speech.
Conclusion
In the result of the research, we were able to solve the tasks and attain the goal of our research. We have reviewed the common elements of fairytales, the kinds of fairytales in Russian and English cultures and the similarities and differences between two cultures’ fairytales. The following conclusion was made:
1) Comparing the English with a Russian fairytale, we can say despite external similarity of the plot and characters Russian tale is more lively, bright, and figurative.
2) The Russian fairy tales and English fairytales teach the reader to distinguish between good, bright start from the evil, to empathize and help, to believe in justice.
3) Along with the Russian fairy tales, fairy tales, written in English, provide an opportunity to learn about the traditions, culture and folklore of the country.
4) We can come across to epithets, onomatopoeia, rhymes, and songs mostly in Russian fairytales.
5) Both the Russian tale and the English fairy tale have superimposition of the episode on the episode and repetitions.
6) English endings are more severe than Russians.
7) Both fairytales characterized with strict sequence of events
8) As Russian fairytales English fairytales are out of real time.
Tales of two countries have the same elements and types. Russian and English tales have the same beginnings with “Once upon a time...” and endings – “they all lived happily ever after”. Fairy tales happened in the long ago. Moreover fairy tales have a problem that needs to be solved and it often takes three tries to solve the problem. In both cultures tales have clearly defined Good characters vs. Evil characters. And despite of different culture and different languages tales can have the same plots, similar characters or their plots can differ totally, but they would have a similar moral lesson. Both cultures have used a variety of unreal people like Baba Yaga, Koschei the Deathless (in Russian tales) or fairies, elves or trolls (in English tales), magical animals and trees that are highly intelligent and able to communicate with people. Fairy tales like a mirror reflect culture, traditions, history and mentality of the country.
List of Literature
1. James Stephens, Irish fairytales. Publisher: New York, Macmillian, 1920 - 119 pp.
2. Joseph Jacobs, English fairy tales. LibriVox’s, 2006
3. Steven Swann Jones, The Fairy Tale: The Magic Mirror of the Imagination. Routledge New York, 2002 - 159 pp.
4. http://www.english-time.eu/
5. http://in.rbth.com/arts/6. http://www.kidsgen.com/
7. http://www.sacred-texts.com
8. http://en.wikipedia.org
9. http://www.proshkolu.ru10. http://festival.mggu-sh.ru
11. https://www.pearsonhighered.com12. http://www.englishforkids.ru/