"The teachings of Vladimir Monomakh" is a twelfth-century literary monument written by the Grand Duke of Kiev Vladimir Monomakh. Some sources refer to the work as “The Instruction of Vladimir Vsevolodovich, ” “Testament of Vladimir Monomakh to Children, ” “Instruction to Children.” The work is called the first secular sermon.
The “lecture” was kept in the collection of manuscripts of Count Musin-Pushin, who collected monuments of Russian antiquity. Only by chance the work did not disappear during the Moscow fire of 1812: it was taken shortly before the disaster by Karamzin. It was with the “Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh” that the tradition of discussing ethical issues in Russian literature began.
Composition history
The essay contains more detailed than in the "Tale of Bygone Years" information about the events of the 1070-1110s. The history of the work has nearly a thousand years. It is imbued with faith in the exaltation of moral standards, exalts faith in good, directs descendants to the path of peace, advising to forget all disagreements for the sake of a common common goal.
When studying an ancient literary monument in full, it is necessary not only to carefully read the text, but also to pay attention to the historical context. It was against this background that the wisdom of the advice of the ruler stood out more vividly. Vladimir Vsevolodovich headed various regions of Russia before becoming the Grand Duke of Kiev in 1113. He was a monomakh by the nature of his mother, who was the daughter of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomakh.
The future Grand Duke grew up in a tense atmosphere. He happened to survive a whole series of internal strife, military conflicts with the Polovtsy, which became a serious threat to the ancient Russian state. Some facts from the personal biography of Vladimir Vsevolodovich need to be paid attention to when analyzing the work. Vladimir Monomakh was distinguished from many young princes by his amazing peacefulness. So, he refused claims to the Kiev throne after the death of his father in favor of his older brother.
Priority, of course, was provided for in the traditions, but in many similar situations conflicts began between a relative for power, which weakened the country.
The main postulates
The main position of Monomakh was faith in God. From this follows his chosen strategy of behavior, approved and supported by Christianity. The prince kept his oaths, helped the poor and weak, esteemed the elders, and led a righteous lifestyle. In his essay, he pointed out the need for a righteous life.
The ruler also noted the need for prayers. In the will of Monomakh, a more ancient motive is also traced. It is noticeable that the reverence of the guest was of particular importance to the ruler. From time immemorial there was an unwritten code according to which the acceptance of a guest in the house was mandatory regardless of the time and living conditions. The only acceptable condition for meeting a stranger was the fabulous "feed, drink and put to bed."
The traveler who looked at the light was inviolable. Not even a question was asked about who came from and where. Only the traveler himself could tell this at will, even after being accepted by the hosts. The test reflects the totality of ideas of everyday and religious morality. As a wise politician, Monomakh opposed state fragmentation. He became convinced that the thirst for power broke the stability of the state. In internecine battles with the use of intrigue and the involvement of external military forces, the author saw only shattering the well-being of Russia.
Vladimir Vsevolodovich himself did not increase the influence of his order. According to history, it is known what the reluctance of descendants resulted in analyzing the “Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh” and listening to the wise advice given there. The Tatar-Mongolian troops swept through Russia defeated the princes who had fallen apart from each other, establishing their own rule for centuries.
The subject of Christian values has also been raised. The author called to believe in God, to help those in need. At the same time, the ruler did not advocate a complete rejection of wars. As a politician, it is impossible to ensure the security of the people and the country as a whole without military power.
Features of the work
A historical source demonstrates that Monomakh took part in many campaigns and concluded dozens of agreements. This is the story of the prince himself. It cannot be argued that all the actions of the author are objectively fair. But they always express the interests of his country. So, after accepting a request for help from an impostor, claiming the throne of Byzantium, Monomakh understood that there was a deception. The fighting between Constantinople and Kiev ended in the absence of serious success, and the agreement sealed a dynastic marriage.
Vladimir Vsevolodovich was an educated man. There are many quotes in his work, especially from the Bible. This confirms not only the ruler’s developed morality, but also his study of the issue before writing his will to the children. The composition mentioned many Russian cities. They have become major centers, for example, Kursk, Novgorod, Vladimir, Rostov. Others have lost their former meaning. Their examples are Starodub, Berestye, Kordno. Thanks to the prince's notes on the hunt for boars, deer, tours, scientists made conclusions about their habitats. It turns out that with the help of a literary monument various sciences received information.
It is impossible to read the ancient text in the original without special preparation. The reason is the too strong difference between the Russian language of the twelfth century and the modern one. It is expressed not only by writing, but also by pronunciation. For example, the letters "nus small" and "nus large" have disappeared, for a long time there is no letter "yat". Modern readers do not know what sounds previously signified hard and soft signs.
Reading the original text is a serious problem. Therefore, translations are used for analysis. Adaptations are usually accompanied by many notes. This greatly simplifies the work with text. Comments are written by professional historians. This allows you not to refer to the encyclopedia and other sources while studying each question. Despite the huge difference in spelling, no significant changes have occurred in the structure of the grammar of the Russian language. This situation provides the opportunity to see the stylistic features and literary techniques used by the author.
