Folk traditions, superstitions and signs before Christmas. Lesson project on literature "the night before Christmas" - an encyclopedia of folk traditions, beliefs, rituals I. Updating of basic knowledge
Writing
At present, it is difficult to meet a person who would not be familiar with the heroes of N.V. Gogol's book "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka" and especially the story "The Night Before Christmas". They have become an integral part of our lives, they help us to better know and understand the past and the present. The main theme of N.V. Gogol's work was the theme of the people. He lovingly reflected the same theme in the story "The Night Before Christmas", picturesquely recreated in his work the way of life of Ukrainians, their way of life, traditions and customs.
The story describes Christmas Eve - the evening before Christmas. According to the Bible, Christmas marks the birth of Jesus Christ. Since ancient times, Christmas Eve has been considered a magical time among the people. At this time, the birth of a different, unknown life was taking place, and people always attribute extraordinary properties to everything new and unknown. So the night before Christmas is attributed the ability to endow ordinary objects with magical powers. In addition, it was believed that on this evening any unclean force manifests itself with the greatest fullness. It is no coincidence that Gogol depicts on this very night the appearance of a witch and the devil in the sky, the theft by the devil of the month.
Gogol, who knew the traditions of the Ukrainian people well, describes the celebration of Christmas very reliably, with all the details. For a long time this event was accompanied by various folk rituals, such as fortune-telling, caroling and others. People believed that if you make a wish that evening, it will certainly come true. In each family, a festive table was laid, where kutya was always present - a sign of a rich harvest, as well as fish, borscht, dumplings, all kinds of pies, "varenukha, vodka distilled for saffron and a lot of things to eat."
In the story "The Night Before Christmas" we see young boys and girls who go from house to house with carols. “Crowds of lads and girls showed up with bags. The songs rang out, and carolers did not crowd under a rare hut. Carols are funny songs, jokes, wishes of happiness and well-being to the owners of the house. As a reward, the hand of the hostess “with a sausage in her hands or a piece of pie” protrudes from the windows every now and then. Even before morning, the whole village gathers in the church: here are elderly women “in white cloth scrolls”, and noblewomen “in green and yellow jackets, and others even in blue kuntush with golden mustaches behind”, and girls, “whose heads are there was a whole shop of ribbons, and around the neck was a monist, crosses and ducats, ”and in front of everyone were nobles and simple peasants with mustaches and forelocks,“ in horses, from under which a white, and others had a blue scroll poked out. And on the faces of all - a sense of celebration.
The whole story is filled with a joyful, bright atmosphere of the holiday. The great master of words, N.V. Gogol so vividly depicted the Christmas customs of the people that, while reading his work, we ourselves seem to plunge into the atmosphere of a folk holiday, become its participants. The story "The Night Before Christmas" allows you to better know folk traditions, the whole way of life of the Ukrainian peasantry.
Other writings on this work
Characteristics of the characters in Gogol's story "The Night Before Christmas" Christmas Eve Characteristics of the image of Vakula the blacksmith The combination of the real and the fabulous in the story of N. V. Gogol "The Night Before Christmas" (2) What I Liked About The Night Before Christmas LOVE WORKS MIRACLES (based on the novel by N. V. Gogol "The Night Before Christmas") The image of the blacksmith Vakula (based on the story by N. V. Gogol "The Night Before Christmas") (1) Fabulous in Gogol's story "The Night Before Christmas" Fantastic and funny episodes in the story of N. V. Gogol "The Night Before Christmas" (Plan)One of the main events of January is the Nativity of Christ, which is preceded by Christmas Eve, and after - until the very - Christmas time lasts.
We will not dwell on the history of the appearance of the Messiah, because the New Testament tells about this in detail. As for the exact date of the birth of the Son of God, it is not known for certain. On this occasion, there are many versions, argued by various facts (scientists often talk about September 12 BC).
Orthodox Christians have been celebrating this day on January 7th for centuries. Each era has contributed to the traditions of the celebration, resulting in an intricate kaleidoscope of beliefs, rituals, rituals and signs. We offer you to get acquainted with a small selection of the most interesting and important of them.
Christmas: Traditions and Customs
Christmas Eve is the end of Lent. Dinner is served after the evening service, when the first star has already appeared in the sky.
Traditionally, before a meal, all household members should try juicy (other names for the dish: kutya, kolivo).
There are many ways to prepare this delicacy. Previously, housewives simply steamed wheat grains, and before serving, they poured them with uzvar.
Nowadays, culinary specialists improve the recipe at their discretion, most often they use the following ingredients: raisins, poppy seeds, nuts, honey. Some add vanilla, caramel, candied fruits, chocolate.
The total number of dishes on the table should correspond to the number of apostles - 12. According to the Church Charter, food should be hot, cooked in vegetable oil. Although many who break the fast forget this nuance.
For those who are going to observe church traditions and customs at Christmas, here is a list of dishes suitable for the festive table: dumplings with potatoes or canned cherries, fried or oven-baked fish, pancakes, vinaigrette, a variety of pickles, potato pancakes and cabbage with mushrooms. Baking options appropriate for the occasion: gingerbread, pies, kulebyaka.
Christmas is the second most important (after the Resurrection of Christ) twelfth holiday.
Temples are decorated in advance in a special way, using coniferous branches and fresh flowers (often lilies and chrysanthemums), they also put up real Christmas trees. Priests put on a solemn golden vestment.
The first service is held on the morning of January 6 - royal hours, the all-night vigil begins at 17.00, the next day at 10.00 - a festive liturgy, in the evening - a solemn service.
Believers exchange congratulations, and red lamps are lit in front of home iconostases.
Folk traditions and signs associated with Christmas Eve and Christmas
All the most important fabulous mystical takes place on the night before Christmas.
Our ancestors believed that after 24.00 good and evil meet, but in the end a balance is established.
The most important event of Christmas Eve is a gala family dinner.
Traditions for Christmas
Orders in the house and outfits were put in place, prepared in advance. We have already mentioned the components of the menu for the Holy Evening, now let's dwell on the ancient features of serving.
According to tradition, the table was set in the middle of the room, covered with an elegant white tablecloth, hay was spread under it, and garlic was placed in the corners, protecting it from evil spirits.
An obligatory attribute of the holiday is a vessel with grain, in which a lit candle was placed.
It was impossible to put out the fire until it went out on its own. The grains were not thrown away, but mixed with the seed.
The remains of the dinner were not removed, but symbolically left on the table for deceased loved ones.
After dinner, the fun began - the mummers walked through the yards, singing sacred hymns or perky carols. It is customary to meet such visitors cordially, treat them and generously bestow gifts.
You can break your fast the next day. In some regions, it is customary to visit the mother-in-law or mother-in-law, in others - to the godparents. Household chores and bad thoughts on a holiday under the strictest ban.
Signs on Christmas
- In order for the coming year to be satisfying and successful, feed your pet “to satiety”.
- On January 7, the first to cross the threshold of the dwelling must be a representative of the stronger sex, otherwise the women in the family will get sick.
- Any find on this day is a big financial profit, a loss is a significant loss.
- Clear weather and a starry sky on Christmas night symbolize a generous harvest.
- Accidentally stepping into excrement is a great success (and don't be fooled, the first word is the key).
Divination before Christmas
Let us first recall that, according to church canons, divination, divination at Christmas is an ungodly thing. There is also a belief that categorically forbids unmarried young ladies to guess on the night before Christmas.
However, all these stern warnings usually don't stop anyone. In Russia, they began to predict the future precisely on Christmas Eve, a fun and interesting entertainment was repeated every evening, while Christmas time continued.
What will be the year, and will the expected event happen in it
In order to find out the answer to this question, important words were written on pieces of paper, for example: “wedding”, “birth of a child”, “buying something”. All this stuff was hidden under the pillow and put to bed. Before dawn, you need to get out of bed and randomly pull out a prediction.
What will the husband be like?
The girls had fun by launching a rooster into the room. Previously, various objects were laid out on the floor: money, coals, jewelry, grains, and a cup of water was placed. What the bird chooses, so will the betrothed. It’s bad, if it spoils, it means that treason cannot be avoided.
Married couples told fortunes on the floor of future children
To do this, a wedding ring was lowered into a glass of water, left overnight outside the window. A prerequisite is frosty weather. The water should turn into ice, on the surface of which conclusions were drawn (the presence of tubercles means that a boy will be born, pits - a girl).
Divination for the future
Figures, symbolizing the future, were poured out of wax, determined by the contours of burning paper.
There are many more traditions, ceremonies and rituals associated with Christmas. The nuances depend on the regions of residence and the degree of trust in folklore.
The Christmas holiday was and remains one of the most beloved among Russian people. It so happened that in Russia these days they celebrated "Svyatki". No matter how hard the church representatives tried to eradicate the pagan faith and its symbols from Orthodoxy, they failed to do this to the end. Therefore, the Christian holiday was and is taking place along with the Christmas festivities and is associated with them with signs, traditions and superstitions. Many signs for Christmas have survived to this day.
Weather notes.
If a blizzard howls at Christmas, then there will be a lot of honey. Another belief says that the trees will leaf out ahead of time.
If the holidays are frosty, the summer will be warm.
Warm weather at Christmas to cool spring.
Water on the Christmas holiday was charged with magical energy, she could wash herself and wash her children.
Snow on Christmas night means a good year. Starry clear sky for the harvest of legumes.
The first Christmas week was not allowed to sweep rubbish out of the hut, and after the festivities, it was necessary to collect it and burn it in the yard. It was believed that everything bad flies away with the smoke.
What was forbidden on Christmas?
In baptized Russia, it was strictly forbidden to guess at Christmas, this belonged to the pagan faith and was considered a great sin. But paganism remained in the lives of newly converted Christians, for example, in such traditions as divination and caroling.
On the festive table after the night service, one should not put and drink plain water, otherwise thirst will torment when there is no water.
We must not forget the dead these days. It was believed that they are always present at the festivities. Covering, put dishes for them.
Despite the prohibitions, young girls always guessed on Holy Days after Christmas, calling on the souls of departed relatives. It was believed that at this time the souls were always nearby.
Divination beliefs:
Extinguishing candles in the process of divination meant the unwillingness of the spirits to make contact, divination should have been stopped.
A mirror broken in the process meant dissatisfaction with the spirits, they should definitely be appeased.
The first heard name of a passerby predicted the name of the future husband.
It was forbidden to tell about your desires to others, otherwise they would not come true.
Fortune-telling had to take place in thin clothes, without belts, ribbons and other strings.
It was possible to guess in a house where someone was dying, especially during the year. It was believed that such a spirit was easier to summon.
It was not good to ask the same question twice, it could anger the souls of the dead.
Signs and superstitions when divining for a betrothed. The girls also checked what the groom would be like, the girls had a lot of such signs for Christmas in stock.
For example, roosters, personifying the masculine principle, were often used for these purposes. They put a mirror, a plate of grains, a plate of water, a chicken in front of the rooster. Whatever the rooster reaches for faster, such will be the character of the betrothed.
To the mirror means the groom will be handsome.
To the grain, will love to eat well.
By water, it means that it will be economical, even greedy.
To the chicken, which means that he will always love his wife.
There were many signs for the Christmas holiday, mostly people were looking for answers to questions about health, luck, wealth and love.
Christmas omens for good luck and wealth.
On Christmas days, be sure to be showered with millet or grain, this will bring good luck and wealth.
In order for good luck to be found in the house, you should put festive food behind the stove and for the brownie. Bowls with grain were placed around the house for wealth.
Christmas signs in each region, even in each village, could be different. This is explained by the fact that any folk signs arise due to natural conditions, living conditions, as well as customs, customs and habits. Great importance was attached to Christmas and Christmas time, everything that happened these days could potentially become a sign. And if the case was repeated, it was definitely affirmed and took root for centuries.
IMAGE OF FOLK CUSTOMS. Nowadays it is difficult to meet a person who has not been
would be familiar with the heroes of the book by N. V. Gogol “Evenings on a farm near
Dikanka" and especially the story "The Night Before Christmas". They
have become an integral part of our lives, they help us to be better
to know and understand the past and the present. The main theme of creative
NV Gogol's theme was the theme of the people. He lovingly reflects the same theme
zil and in the story "The Night Before Christmas", picturesquely recreated in
in his work, the way of life of Ukrainians, their way of life, traditions and
customs.
The story describes Christmas Eve - the evening before Christmas.
According to the Bible, Christmas marks the birth of Jesus.
sa Christ. Since ancient times, Christmas Eve has been considered magic
time. At this time, the birth of another
unknown life, and everything new and unknown people always
attributed extraordinary properties. So are the nights before Christmas
ability is attributed to the ability to endow ordinary objects
magical power. In addition, it was believed that this evening with the most
any impure force manifests itself more fully. Do not serve
tea and Gogol depicts the appearance of a witch on that night
and a line in the sky, I steal the line of the month.
Gogol, who knew the traditions of the Ukrainian people well,
authentically, with all the details, describes the celebration of Christmas.
For a long time, this event was accompanied by various folk
rituals, such as divination, caroling and others. People
believed that if you make a wish that evening, it will certainly
come true. In each family, a festive table was laid, where everyone
where kutya was present - a sign of a rich harvest, as well as fish,
borsch, dumplings, all kinds of pies, "varenukha, distilled on
saffron vodka and a lot of other edibles.
In the story "The Night Before Christmas" we see young couples
her and the girls who go with carols from house to house. "Crowds
lads and girls appeared with sacks. The songs rang out and
carolers did not crowd under a rare hut. Christmas carols
are funny songs, jokes, wishes of happiness and well-being
whose owners of the house. As a reward, it pops out of the windows every now and then
the hand of the hostess "with a sausage in her hands or a piece of pie." Even before
early in the morning the whole village gathers in church: here are the elderly
women "in white cloth scrolls", and noblewomen "in green and
yellow blouses, and some even in blue kuntushas with gold backs.
mustaches, "and girls," who had a whole shop of ribbons on their heads, and
on the neck a monist, crosses and ducats, ”and in front of everyone - the nobles and
simple peasants with mustaches and forelocks, “in short coats, from under which
a white one showed up, while others had a blue scroll. And on the faces
all - a sense of celebration.
The whole story is filled with a joyful, bright atmosphere of celebration.
Nika. The great master of the word, N.V. Gogol so vividly depicted the birth of
childish customs of the people, that, reading his work, we ourselves
as if we are plunging into the atmosphere of a national holiday, we become
its participants. The story "The Night Before Christmas"
get to know folk traditions better, the whole way of life of the Ukrainian
peasantry.
Sections: Literature
Didactic purpose- to create conditions for students to realize the folk character of the work, to comprehend the spiritual and aesthetic ideal of the writer, to generalize knowledge on the work of N.V. Gogol by means of a new technology - the method of project activity.
The project type is combined: it combines communication-oriented, research, cultural aspects.
Content Goals:
to acquaint students with the traditions and rituals, with the life and beliefs of the Slavic peoples through the era reflected in the story "The Night Before Christmas"; contribute to the formation of concepts: "image-symbol", "ethical ideal", "nationality of the work".
- To study the literature on the topic "Gogol's nationality".
- Get acquainted with pagan Slavic mythology and Christian traditions in the celebration of Christmas.
- Link Gogol's interest in folk life with the facts of his biography.
- Reveal the moral and aesthetic ideal of the author through the analysis of the work.
- Draw up conclusions using a table and a multimedia project.
Means of education:
Literature : NV Gogol "The Night Before Christmas";
Music : MP Mussorgsky "Pictures at an Exhibition" ("Gopak");
TSO: use of computer programs: Power Point, Win amp.
During the classes
: True nationality does not consist in the description of a sundress, but in the very spirit of the people.(N.V. Gogol)
I. Knowledge update: The teacher shows students a colorfully designed Encyclopedia of Russian life. - M .: Alta-print, 2005. Students find the definition of this word in the dictionary of V.I.Dal. An encyclopedia is a reference work containing in abbreviation all human knowledge and sciences. What knowledge can we learn from this book? Let's look at the table of contents and read the name of the main sections: Domostroy. Folk calendar. Prayers. Signs. Names. (Scheme on the board)
What do the sections of an encyclopedia remind you of? How can we call the work we have just studied?
Students' guesses. The wording of the topic of the lesson with a note on the board: "The night before Christmas - an encyclopedia of folk traditions, beliefs, ideals."
II. Organizational moment. Motivation of students to work. Division into groups.
Why do we need knowledge about folk life? Why is interest in national traditions intensified in the age of globalization and the scientific and technological process?
We must know our roots, the peculiarities of our national culture, not be "Ivans who do not remember their kinship."
Quite right! Therefore, modern directors turn to plots related to folk life and historical traditions.
Which of you watched the film by Alexander Row "Evenings on a farm near Dikanka"? Why did he strike you?
Amazing humor, vivid fantasy and the game of famous actors: Georgy Miller (hell), Lyudmila Khityaeva (Solokha), Alexander Demyanenko (lad), Lyudmila Myznikova (Oksana).
A well-known modern director decided to create an animated film "The Night Before Christmas" and enhance the national flavor in it. Therefore, he turned to us with a request: to find in the story the details necessary for the script. To make the work go more efficiently, we will create four creative groups:
- Lubomudry;
- folklorists;
- ethnographers;
- Literary critics.
(The teacher appoints four assistant directors, they, in turn, choose assistants for themselves)
III. Goal setting. Formulation of problem questions for groups.
IV. Organization of activities of students in groups.
(The assistant director distributes responsibilities in the group and carries out a discussion on the forms of presenting the product of the activity. The teacher distributes cards with the response criteria prescribed for each participant).
Card number 1 with tasks for the "Lyubomudry" group:
- Which of the characters personifies goodness in the story? Dominating positive qualities of heroes?
- Heroes who embody evil? Intermediaries between good and evil?
- The story of Christmas: victory: (think and justify)
- How do the devil and the witch try to harm "good people"? Why can't they do it?
- Which of the heroes exorcise evil spirits outside the farm and from the souls of the heroes?
- What proverbs and sayings illustrate the powerlessness of evil over good?
Output: draw up a map-scheme "The struggle between good and evil forces on the pages of the story" The Night Before Christmas.
Card number 2 with tasks for the group "Folklorists":
- Find in the text of the story the pagan rituals of celebrating Christmas time in Russia.
- What Christian traditions of celebrating Christmas are described by N.V. Gogol?
- Create a Christmas calendar and illustrate it.
- Prepare masks and costume elements for the Christmas festivities.
- Choose from the collection "Russian folklore" carols for performance.
- Pick up classical music that illustrates the theme of Christmas.
Output: costume performance of carols in the classroom.
Card number 3 with tasks for the "Ethnographers" group:
- Find in the dictionary the definitions of the words "ethnography", household items and establish links between them.
- What subject details, acquiring the meaning of a symbol, characterize Oksana?
- What details of everyday life and interior create the image of Vakula? How do they characterize it?
- What detail becomes the subject of Vakula's temptation?
- How does the symbolism of color help to understand the author's intention?
- Subject-household details in the mirror of Christmas night.
Product: create a gallery of household items in their reverse mirror image.
Card number 4 for the group "Literary critics":
- Find the definition of the word "evolution" in the dictionary of S.I. Ozhegov and associate it with the topic of the lesson.
- How these proverbs characterize the main characters:
- "Beautiful as a Christmas tree, prickly as a needle";
- "Don't look at the forelock, look at the soul";
- "Not all that glitters is gold."
- Compare two portraits of Oksana (beginning and end of the story) and analyze how
- "What is beauty?" Moral and aesthetic ideal of N.V. Gogol.
the heroine changes.
Output: Compose a cinquain on the theme "Evolution of the beautiful Oksana".
V. Answers of students in groups.
Teacher: expressive reading of an excerpt from the story against the background of music by P.I. Tchaikovsky "The Seasons" ("Svyatki")
"The last day before Christmas has passed. A clear winter night has come. The stars have looked. The moon majestically rose to the sky to shine on good people and the whole world, so that everyone would have fun caroling and glorifying Christ: Then, through the chimney of one hut, smoke poured in clubs and went in a cloud across the sky , and with the smoke rose a witch riding a broom." So, along with the appearance of evil spirits in the story, unusual, fantastic events begin. Why exactly on Christmas Eve? To answer this question will help us a group of "lyubomudry".
1st group. "Good and Evil in the story "The Night Before Christmas"
The night before Christmas is special: the night before the greatest Christian holiday - the birth of Jesus Christ. But at the same time, on this night, evil forces - hell, a witch - behave most actively, they try to take out their evil on good people.
The devil and the witch are trying to destroy the beauty of the frosty night before Christmas, to steal the stars and the moon from the sky. They also pursue personal, selfish goals: the devil is trying to take revenge on Vakula, and Solokha wants to get ahead of his son and take control of Chub's wealth. So, on that night, a witch riding a broomstick and a “German”, but simply a devil, appear on this night in order to annoy people on the last night of their reign, to tempt Christian souls with power, greed, an easy victory.
Patsyuk, a Cossack, serves as an intermediary between man and the devil in the story. He tempts Vakula and points the way to hell, hoping to get his soul.
But all attempts of evil spirits to destroy the world of beauty and love ended in complete failure, and the evil that they directed against people turned against them.
"At the time when the nimble dandy with a tail and a goat's beard was flying out of the chimney and then back into the chimney, the palm hanging on a sling at his side, in which he hid the stolen moon, somehow accidentally caught in the stove, dissolved, and the moon Taking advantage of this opportunity, he flew out through the chimney of Solokhina's hut and smoothly rose through the sky. Everything lit up. The blizzards were as if they had never happened. The snow caught fire in a wide silver field and was sprinkled with crystal stars all over. The frost seemed to warm up. Crowds of lads and girls appeared with bags. Songs rang out , and carolers did not crowd under a rare hut.
Against the backdrop of a frosty Christmas night, under the vault of a high starry sky, goodness, beauty and love triumph. The devil, instead of getting the soul of Vakula, himself becomes his servant and is expelled in disgrace from the farm and from the soul of the wayward Oksana. (Picture No. 1) Solokha was also left with nothing, since Chub received his sight and saw her insidious essence.
Reading about the ridiculous attempts of the devil and the witch to conquer the light and good, we recall folk proverbs: "Don't dig another hole - you yourself will fall into it", "A goose and a loon - two pair of boots", "Here's your grandmother and St. George's day!", " Early the little bird sang, if only the cat had not eaten", "Not all the cat's carnival". The devil is banished from the farm, the witch is punished, and the stars, a symbol of purity and light, still shine in the sky:
Group 2 "Christmas traditions"
The teacher against the background of music by M.P. Mussorgsky's "Gopak" ("Pictures at an Exhibition") : "I just read" Evenings near Dikanka ". They amazed me. Here is real gaiety, sincere, unconstrained, without affectation, without stiffness. And in places what poetry! .. All this is so unusual in our current literature that I still have not come to my senses " . Pushkin was struck by the atmosphere of the holiday, folk humor, Christmas festivities in the story. The folklore group will not only tell, but also show how our ancestors celebrated Christmas.
In the popular consciousness of the Slavs, Christianity and paganism did not so much fight as they complemented each other. The dual faith (dualism) manifested itself most clearly in the peasant agricultural calendar, where the veneration of Christian saints was closely intertwined with pagan beliefs and rituals. Over time, many pagan rituals lost their primary meaning and gradually turned into fun and entertainment.
The favorite entertainment of young people on Christmas Eve on Christmas Eve (January 6) was caroling. Boys and girls walked around the village and sang carols under the windows - short ritual songs wishing the owners of the house good and prosperity. Those, in payment for the wishes, presented the carolers with tasty and satisfying food. The more plentiful the treat, the more satisfying the next year should be. (Picture No. 2 Appendix 1)
"Heaps of girls with bags broke into Chub's hut, surrounded Oksana. Shouts, laughter, stories deafened the blacksmith. Everyone vied with each other in a hurry to tell the beauty something new, unloaded the bags, boasted of the biscuits, sausages, dumplings, which they had already managed to get enough for their carols. Oksana, it seemed, was in complete pleasure and joy, chatting now with one, then with another, and laughing incessantly. With a kind of annoyance and envy, the blacksmith looked at such gaiety and this time cursed the carols, although he himself was crazy about them ".(Introducing carols)
Carols were sung in honor of the god Kolyada, who created the first calendar and founded the eternal cycle of life, the change of day and night, the eternal movement from darkness to light. Observing the character of Oksana and her exorbitant pride, the reader guesses her transformation in the kaleidoscope of Christmas rituals, the enlightenment of her soul.
___ group "Life and clothing of the Cossacks"
Teacher: Gogol was a connoisseur not only of human souls, Christmas rites, but also of the everyday life of the Cossacks. Where did he get this knowledge from?
First, from childhood. After all, he spent his young years in Ukraine, in the village of Vasilievka near Poltava. In the evenings, he listened to stories about miracles and tricks of evil spirits. Every autumn, together with his parents, he went to the Sorochinskaya Fair, where he got acquainted with the folk life.
When Gogol studied at the Nizhyn Gymnasium of Higher Sciences, he began to keep the "Book of all sorts of things, or the Handy Encyclopedia", in which he wrote down old words, curious surnames, nicknames, folk traditions, legends and rituals.
In St. Petersburg, this interest intensifies, and he asks his mother in a letter: "Most respected mother, my kind guardian angel: You have a subtle, observant mind, you know a lot about the customs and customs of our Little Russians, and therefore, I know, you will not refuse to tell me them in our correspondence. I really, really need this:" With the same request, he turns to his sister and friends.
Teacher: while working on the book Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka, Gogol creates a special dictionary of rare, little-used words that are used in his stories and give them a unique national flavor. The following group of students will introduce you to these words:
Before formulating the topic we were working on, we want to check how you read the story and focused on expressive details, that is, artistic details related to the life and traditions of the Cossacks.
Letter dictation
1. A meal that was prepared on Christmas Eve.
2. The name of vodka with spices.
3. Cotton fabric like wool.
4. Wool tartan petticoat.
5. Cloth cloak with a cloth hat sewn on at the back.
6. Antique top dress like a caftan.
7. Pieces of dough boiled in broth.
8. Small flat bread.
9. Red paint.
10. Large chest.
Answer options:
1. Kutia - E; kulich - Yu; kulebyaka I;
2. Gorilka - R; varenukha - T; mead - C;
3. Chinese - L; garus - H; nanke fabric - M;
4. Spare wheel - U; paneva - Y; plakhta - O;
5. Kobenyak - G; hood - D; hood -J;
6. Scroll - P; zhupan - R; casing - K;
7. Dumplings - A; dumplings - And; donuts - Y;
8. Greek - X; cake - C; burners - F;
9. Vohra - Z; yar - Sh; cormorant - AND;
10.Aganets - H; hiding - I AM; chest - Sh.
Having correctly answered all the questions, you will find out the name of the science that studies the life and customs of any people. What word did you get? That's right, ethnography. The task of our group is to analyze household details in order to show them in the film in close-up. It is well known that the details of national life, becoming symbols, brightly and convexly draw heroes. Let's try to analyze these images - symbols and the qualities of the characters that they emphasize.
Oksana: mirror, cherevichki- pride, narcissism, selfishness;
Vakula: icon, chest, pen in the Royal Palace, painted hut- skill, purity of soul, love for beauty, faith in God, fidelity in love:
Solokha: spindle- cunning, resourcefulness, deceit;
Patsyuk: tub, dumplings, dumplings- gluttony, laziness, godlessness;
Forelock: boar- stupidity, naivety, laziness, short-sightedness.
Color symbolism also helps to understand the writer's intention. At the beginning of the story, Oksana is unattainable and beautiful for Vakula. Describing the chest that the blacksmith made for her, he enthusiastically speaks of the wonderful, bright painting: "And how it will be painted! .. Red and blue flowers will be scattered all over the field. They will burn like heat!"
The symbolism of the color is quite definite: red is the color of beauty and love; blue - holiness, divinity, fidelity in love. Golden color - love, constancy, wisdom. (Picture No. 3 Appendix 1)
At the end of the story we read: "And whose painted hut is this?" - "Blacksmith Vakula": The windows were all circled with red paint; on the doors everywhere there were Cossacks on horseback, with pipes in their teeth: (He) painted the entire left wing (church) for free with green paint with red flowers. "(Figure No. 4) Green is the color of hope, spring rebirth, youth, the Garden of Eden So, with the help of color, Gogol tells the reader that devoted, unselfish love can perform a miracle: an inaccessible beauty has become earthly and understandable, meek and loving wife and mother.
IV group. Moral and aesthetic ideal of Gogol.
Teacher : "The moon: flew out through the chimney of Solokhina's hut and smoothly rose through the sky. Everything lit up. The blizzards were as if they had never happened. The snow caught fire in a wide silver field and was sprinkled with crystal stars all over.. We see that against the backdrop of a frosty Christmas night, under the vault of a high starry sky, goodness, beauty, and love triumph. Gogol, a romantic, wanted to see love happy and mutual, beauty harmonious and imperishable, goodness all-conquering. A group of literary scholars will help us trace how the characters evolve, how the writer gradually leads the reader to his romantic ideal.
Evolution is a process of gradual development, improvement, change of heroes for the better. The spiritual evolution of the heroes can be traced by analyzing folk proverbs:
- Beautiful as a tree, prickly as a needle.
- Don't look at the forelock, look at the soul.
- Not all that glitters is gold.
These proverbs characterize the main characters through the details of appearance.
Oksana is a narcissistic and selfish coquette with amazing external beauty. But she does not love anyone but herself, constantly humiliates Vakula, laughs at his feelings, hurts the sensitive heart of the young man with her ridicule. (Picture #5)
Vakula is a simple Cossack, a village blacksmith, but he has a rich inner world, his soul is drawn to everything beautiful: painting, music, religion. He amazes the reader with loyalty, devotion, selfless service to his ideal.
The third proverb is a kind of result that Oksana comes to as a result of life's trials (remorse, feelings of guilt). She begins to understand that the true value is not gold, not wealth (she did not even look at the royal little boots), but "gold" the souls of Vakula are devotion, kindness, nobility, self-sacrificing love. So, Vakula expels the devil not only from the farm, but also from the soul of a narcissistic beauty. (Picture #6)
Oksana's soul is freed from arrogance, exorbitant pride and becomes gentle and meek. And against the backdrop of an enlightened soul, external beauty blooms even more. "The blacksmith came closer, took her by the hand; the beauty lowered her eyes. She had never been so wonderfully good. The delighted blacksmith kissed her softly, and her face lit up more, and she became even better."(Picture No. 7)
So Gogol, through the ornament of national life, brings the reader to his moral ideal - the harmony of external beauty and internal perfection.
VI. Presentation of products of activity. Application number 2.
VII. Reflection. Representatives of the teams choose from the proverbs proposed by the teacher those that demonstrate the development of the theme and the evolution of the main characters through the atmosphere of the Christmas holiday.
The task for all groups to comprehend the educational function of the work: compose an acrostic for the word "BEAUTY". (One of the options is given)
- Oksana was proud of the race,
- Odom important and slender camp,
- And Vakula, he lived only a dream,
- With a humble guy with an open mind,
- Oh, he got little slippers from heaven,
- Darkness and the devil drove away,
- And then resurrected and love! She triumphs again and again!
VIII. Lesson results.
So, we got acquainted with the work of creative teams that collected material for the script of the cartoon "The Night Before Christmas". Is it possible to get an idea of the national traditions of the Little Russians from the text of the story and call "The Night Before Christmas" an encyclopedia of folk life?
Yes, because in Gogol's work we find information about the traditions and customs of celebrating Christmas, get an idea of folk moral and aesthetic ideals, faith and superstitions, signs and prejudices, get acquainted with the life of the Cossacks: with clothes, utensils, Christmas table dishes and holiday festivities.
Let's return to the epigraph. Do you agree with the point of view of N.V. Gogol? (There are different points of view.)
The nationality of the work was highly appreciated by V. G. Belinsky. It is with his words that we conclude the lesson: "These were poetic sketches of Little Russia, essays full of life and charm. Everything that nature can have is beautiful, the rural life of commoners is seductive, everything that the people can have is original: all this glitters with rainbow colors in these first poetic dreams of Gogol."
(The final words of the teacher sound against the background of music from the opera "Cherevichki" by P.I. Tchaikovsky).
Application No. 1. Drawings of students for the story "The Night Before Christmas"
Application number 2. Presentation of products of activity.
Application number 3. Computer presentation of the lesson.