As we remember from childhood, Vasilisa the Wise is one of the characters in Russian fairy tales, a girl endowed with wisdom and prudence. This is one of the most attractive heroines, especially since in addition to these unchangeable traits of her character, she is characterized by purity of soul, kindness and modesty. We will give a more detailed description of Vasilisa the Wise in this article.
What is the story of Vasilisa the Wise?
The most famous fairy tale about Vasilisa the Wise is perhaps “The Frog Princess”. There, the heroine appears as a sorceress who was bewitched by her own father, Koschey the Immortal, since his daughter surpassed him in the skill of magic (according to other versions, Vasilisa refused to marry him, and for this she was bewitched). By chance, she becomes the bride of Ivan Tsarevich, and after passing the tests - his wife. As we remember, she uses her gift to carry out the king’s orders - to weave a carpet, bake bread. When the king gives a feast, she temporarily sheds her frog skin and appears before the guests in her true form- a written beauty.
Ivan, seeing what his wife really is, naturally wants her to remain in this form forever and burns her skin. But it turns out that he should not have done this under any circumstances, since Vasilisa is forced to return to Koshchei. After numerous difficulties that Tsarevich Ivan had to face in search of his wife, he finally finds her and fights Koshchei the Immortal, defeating him, thereby saving Vasilisa from evil spells.
A few words about the name
The name Vasilisa, by the way, may be an indication of her high origin, since one of the translations of this word from Greek sounds like “royal.” Thus, the image of Vasilisa the Wise is decorated with additional meanings.
Another version of the fairy tale with Vasilisa the Wise
In another fairy tale, where the main character is Vasilisa the Wise (in other versions - Vasilisa the Beautiful, but this epithet is much less common, in essence, it does not have direct relationship to the meaning of this fairy tale), she is a young girl who is sent into the forest by her evil stepmother and no less evil sisters to serve Baba Yaga. Contrary to their expectations, the sorceress does not eat Vasilisa instantly, but keeps her with her.
When the girl fulfills all the instructions of Baba Yaga correctly and on time (in fact, the heroine is helped by a magic doll that she inherited from her mother), she, surprised that the girl succeeds in everything so successfully, learns that her mother’s blessing is helping her and lets her go, giving her farewell is a pole with a skull on the end. His eyes glow - so as not to get lost on the way home. When Vasilisa returns home, the eyes of the skull begin to shine even stronger and incinerate the stepmother and sisters. The subtext of this tale is analyzed in detail in “The Wolves Runner” by Clarissa Pinkola Estes, a famous researcher of fairy tales. Therefore, to read more detailed description Vasilisa the Wise, it is worth turning to this work.
Appearance of Vasilisa the Wise
To give short description Vasilisa the Wise, it is worth mentioning her appearance. However, as with most fairy tales, appearance Almost not a word is said to the heroine - only at the royal feast Vasilisa looks like a written beauty, but this is a rather vague definition. From this it becomes clear that the main thing is not the character’s appearance, but his character traits - the inner meaning that he carries within himself.
In “The Frog Princess,” where Vasilisa first wears the skin of a frog, this is expressed as precisely as possible, as well as the fact that the epithet after the heroine’s name indicates primarily not beauty, but her wisdom. But, in essence, appearance is not important for one more reason - Vasilisa is not so much a person as a function - a prize that Ivan Tsarevich will receive after passing the required tests. Therefore, here Vasilisa is more of a collective female image.
In another fairy tale, appearance, in principle, does not have much significance, since attention is really concentrated on the heroine’s life line (which, according to researchers, is an image of female initiation, the transformation of a girl into a woman by receiving wisdom from someone older in age and experience).
Characteristics of Vasilisa the Wise: her personality
In “The Frog Princess” her intelligence, majesty and at the same time simplicity come to the fore. In “Vasilisa the Wise” the girl appears brave, persistent, also obedient to her elders and restrained. And finally, in both fairy tales the heroine has the ability to make decisions and maintain peace of mind in any circumstances.
In fact, many heroines of magical Russian fairy tales have similar traits, including the ability to transform and other magical properties, which allows us to identify them - Marya Morevna, and Vasilisa the Wise, and Marya the Princess, and Elena the Beautiful. However, we can characterize Vasilisa the Wise and other similar heroines based only on the words and deeds that belong to them.
Since ancient times, fairy tales have been an integral element of the culture and creativity of any people. Each country has its own stories for them, its own kind and evil characters. For us, one of our favorite heroines is Vasilisa the Wise from the fairy tale “The Frog Princess”. For many generations of children, she has become a symbol of kindness and intelligence, caring and modesty. The description of Vasilisa the Wise is accompanied by many vivid epithets and is a celebration of the beauty and greatness of the original Russian female character.
The fairy tale “The Frog Princess” and its main character
The plot of the fairy tale “The Frog Princess” is known to everyone from an early age. Vasilisa the Wise is a sorceress bewitched by her father because she surpassed him in the art of witchcraft. In the fairy tale, she becomes the bride, and then the wife of Ivan Tsarevich. As the plot develops, the girl shows her skills by carrying out the king's orders: she bakes bread, skillfully weaves a silk carpet (or in other versions, a shirt). The description of Vasilisa the Wise at the feast, where she turns into fairytale beauty and amazes guests with its magical art.
Ivan, wanting his wife to always remain in the guise of a princess, burns the frog's skin. After this, Vasilisa disappears. To find his love again, the prince has to go through many dangers and, most importantly, fight with his wife’s father, Koshchei the Immortal. The fairy tale has a happy ending - Ivan and Vasilisa overcome all difficulties and end up together forever.
What is so attractive about Vasilisa the Wise? Russian folk tale is not only a figment of fantasy, but also a reflection real life of people. Keeping this in mind, we can trace in the image of Vasilisa the most valuable feminine qualities for the Russian people.
Appearance of the main character Vasilisa the Wise
It is interesting that practically nothing is said about the appearance of the main character in the fairy tale. The description of Vasilisa the Wise is given to the reader by characterizing her actions and words. Only at the royal ball is the heroine portrayed as a written beauty. But this description is quite typical for most fairy tales.
This once again confirms that the image of Vasilisa the Wise is a collective, generalizing one. Moreover, for a fairy tale, it is much more important to depict not the external, but the internal merits of the heroine.
Character traits of Vasilisa the Wise
Vasilisa the Wise is loved not because of her beauty, but because of her character. The fairy tale emphasizes that it is not bright appearance (it would seem that there could be something uglier than a frog) and not wealth (“the girl’s competitors in the palace were the boyar’s and merchant’s daughters”) that leads the heroes to happiness. And understanding and desire to be together.
From the fairy tale is given through her actions. The way she consoles Ivan Tsarevich, with what skill she carries out the king’s tasks, and how she behaves during the feast, speaks about her better than any description. Her character combines both deep intelligence and the majestic simplicity of the Russian soul, pride in herself and modesty.
Many people ask why Vasilisa is called the Wise? In fact, this epithet suits her perfectly. The fact is that she perfectly mastered magical wisdom and even surpassed her father, a powerful sorcerer, in this. It is also characteristic that in the fairy tale she is called that in those moments when she works and shows her skills as a needlewoman, housewife or sorceress. In addition, the heroine has the ability to remain calm and make the right decision even in the most difficult trials.
Why was Vasilisa turned into a frog?
The question often arises about why Vasilisa the Wise was turned into a frog by Koshchei the Immortal. The fairy tale does not give a direct answer to it. However, different researchers offer their own options.
For example, we can recall that one of the leading artistic techniques in a fairy tale there is an antithesis, a opposition (for example, good and evil, day and night, living and dead water, beauty and ugliness). Already the name of the heroine - Vasilisa - speaks for itself. From Greek it can be translated as royal, sublime. On the other hand, what could be more unattractive and mundane than a frog living in a swamp.
The image of Vasilisa in other Russian fairy tales
The description of Vasilisa the Wise can be found not only in the fairy tale about the frog princess. She is also depicted in other works of the Russian people. For example, you can remember the fairy tale about Vasilisa and Baba Yaga. A similar image appears under the names of Marya Morevna, Elena the Beautiful and Marya the Princess. All these heroines have wisdom and magical knowledge, in particular the ability to transform. This allows them to be identified.
A fairy tale is a lie, but there is a hint in it
Maxim Gorky called Vasilisa one of the most perfect female images created by the imagination of the Russian people. How many wonderful qualities she combines in herself, educating and admonishing all the new younger generations. But let us remember that initially fairy tales were written not for children, but for adults. Those in which Vasilisa the Wise is present are no exception. The Russian folk tale, with its inherent wisdom and poetry, reminds us of what true role women in the family - to be a helper and support to their husband.
We will also find out what qualities have long been valued in Rus'. Intelligence and modesty, caring and kindness, the skill of a needlewoman and homemaker, uniting, give rise to true wisdom and beauty. And the image of Vasilisa the Wise fully combines all these wonderful qualities.
The description of the Frog Princess from the fairy tale “The Frog Princess” will help you remember everything about this hero in detail.
“The Frog Princess” description of Vasilisa the Wise
The image of a frog reflects the people's dream of an ideal heroine, smart, modest, hardworking, capable of defeating the forces of evil and creating a new happy and fair world.
Description of Vasilisa from the fairy tale “The Frog Princess”: She knew how to work beautifully and deftly, She showed dexterity in any task, She baked bread and wove tablecloths, She sewed shirts, embroidered patterns, She danced like a white swan...
Vasilisa the Wise is an image created by the people, it is collective, it concentrates best features Russian national character. Vasilisa the Wise is characterized by majestic simplicity, gentle pride in herself, a remarkable mind, and a deep heart full of inexhaustible love.
The main role of the heroine fairy tale- to be an assistant to your fiancé or husband. Only thanks to her do the heroes of fairy tales end up together. That is why the people created such a majestic image of Vasilisa the Wise, combining the truth of life, warmth and kindness of the soul, love, and intelligence.
“The Frog Princess” characterization of Vasilisa the Wise
When his younger brother's arrow fell on a muddy swamp, he lost all interest in life, since he got a frog as his wife. From that moment on, he begins to be constantly haunted by bitter reflections that fate has dealt very cruelly with him, giving him a disgusting, bug-eyed frog as his wife. However, he suggests that the Frog Princess is actually a beautiful and sweet girl who was bewitched because she disobeyed her father, as a result of which she was bewitched and had to wear a frog skin for three whole years.
The Frog Princess does all the housework at night, since the groom should not see her in the form of a girl. When the king orders each bride to sew a caftan for him, the Frog Princess turns out to be a wonderful needlewoman and sews such a caftan in which the king is not even ashamed to go out on a holiday. When the king wanted each of the brides to bake bread, he did not even imagine what beautiful bread the bride would bake youngest son. The bread was decorated with printed patterns, and on top it was decorated with cities with outposts. When Ivan Tsarevich and his bride came to the feast, she amazed him with all her extraordinary beauty. During the feast, the heir to the throne commits a rash act; he finds a frog skin and throws it into the fire.
Vasilisa the Wise was very sad, since she had only three days left to wear the frog skin, the Frog Princess turned into a gray cuckoo and flew away to the kingdom of Koshchei the Immortal. Now real adventures begin for him, since his bride ends up in Koshchei’s castle and in order to save her, he needs to go through a lot and experience a lot of difficulties.
During his journey to the kingdom of Koshchei, Ivan Tsarevich encounters other animals, namely: a hare, a drake and a pike. At first he was going to kill them, but then he feels sorry for the animals and lets them go. Animals show their gratitude and become his true friends and assistants on his difficult path to the kingdom of Koshchei.
The image of the Frog Princess was previously considered as an archetype of the totemic wife whom the primitive hunter had to marry in order for the hunt to be successful. A myth was considered that explains this meaning of the ritual and explains that marriage is necessary so that the culture hero can obtain certain benefits for people.
You can expand the description of Vasilisa the Wise from the fairy tale “The Frog Princess” through the comment form.
Introductory talk What is a fairy tale? Where do fairy tales have such power over time? Did you like the fairy tale “The Frog Princess”? What type of fairy tale does it belong to? Prove your opinion. What are the features folk tale you can name (saying, beginning, ending, repetitions, constant epithets)? Give examples from the text.
Introductory conversation Name the main characters of the fairy tale. Why is the fairy tale called “The Frog Princess”, although she is not the only heroine of this fairy tale? Why is Vasilisa called the Wise? The fairy tale is called so because the first and main miracle is the meeting of Ivan Tsarevich with Vasilisa the Beautiful, bewitched by her own father. The angry Koschey the Immortal turned his daughter into a frog, and she picked up the arrow of the younger prince
Retelling a fairy tale. Drawing up a plan for a fairy tale 1. The king’s order to his sons about matchmaking. 2. Matchmaking of princes. 3. Meeting of Ivan Tsarevich with a frog. 4. Test of daughters-in-law: a) bake a loaf of bread; b) weave a carpet overnight; c) come to the royal feast. 5. Feast at the king's. 6. Meeting of Ivan Tsarevich with the old man. 7. Meetings of Ivan Tsarevich with a bear, hare, drake, pike. 8. Ivan Tsarevich at Baba Yaga's. 9. Ivan Tsarevich at the Koshcheev oak tree. 10. Happy ending to the fairy tale.
Working on episodes. The matchmaking of princes 1. Read the episode expressively. 2. In what words and expressions of the text read do magic, mystery, and fabulousness appear? 3. What will change if the text sounds different: “There lived a king in the state... Ivan was scared and wanted to run away”? 4. How long did Ivan Tsarevich search for his arrow? Why did he want to “Give up from his find”, “escape”?
Of course, appearance The “swamp beauty” frightened the prince. Where have you seen frogs married? This is impossible. Everyone will laugh, and the prince exclaims sadly: “How can I marry you?” People will laugh at me! But the frog princess patiently and stubbornly insists on her own, repeating the request: “Take it, Ivan Tsarevich, you won’t regret it!” What finally made the hero change his attitude towards the frog, kept him from quickly deciding to abandon the green “beauty”? (The unusual character of the heroine, the ability to speak, the mystery of what happened, the unclear desire to find out what will happen next.)
First test. “Baking bread in one night” Reading the episode by role. What feelings gripped the frog princess at the moment when Ivan Tsarevich returned? Seeing the saddened Ivan Tsarevich, she realized that something serious had happened. She tries to calm her husband down with her gentle speech. Her words are sincere and warm: “Don’t worry, Ivan Tsarevich. Better go to bed and get some rest: the morning is wiser than the evening!” Why does she hide from the prince the idea of how she is going to carry out the king’s order?
First test. “Baking Bread in One Night” What character traits of the heroine were revealed to us in this episode? How does Vasilisa the Wise bake bread? Let's reread the lines of the fairy tale and hear their extraordinary rhythm and smoothness: She took white sieves, small sieves, sifted wheat flour, kneaded white dough, baked a loaf - loose and soft, decorated it with various intricate patterns: on the sides - cities with palaces, gardens and towers, above - flying birds, below - prowling animals. How the bread turned out for Vasilisa and the wives of the senior princes. Prove that the heroine has extraordinary virtues. Which ones? What do people call Vasilisa at the moment when she is working?
Second test. "Weaving a carpet overnight" Expressive reading episode Compare the descriptions of how the wives of the senior princes wove carpets and the description of the work of Vasilisa the Wise. Why are the shortcomings of older daughters-in-law so greatly exaggerated? For what purpose is this done? (To emphasize the art of Vasilisa the Wise, the desire to surprise Ivan Tsarevich, earn the praise of elders. Mothers and nannies rushed to help the wives of the older princes, and Vasilisa worked herself.) Watch how Vasilisa works? Where the needle pricks once a flower blooms, where it pricks another time, cunning patterns go, where it pricks a third time birds fly. Conclusion: the rhythm has changed again, the prose text is again similar to the poetic text, again “magic sounds” What new character traits of the heroine did you see in this episode? (Hard work, does everything with his own hands, does not waste his magic in vain, did not let the prince down a second time.) Is it possible to determine how Ivan Tsarevich feels about Vasilisa’s work? Take, hubby, the carpet that I wove for your father last night.
Third test. “At the Tsar’s Feast” An expressive reading of the episode. How do the senior princes and their wives behave until Vasilisa the Wise appears at the feast? What struck everyone about the frog the moment she arrived at the ball? For what purpose does the author-people force the wives of senior princes to repeat the actions of Vasilisa the Wise? What is being contrasted in this episode? Can we say that the beauty of Vasilisa the Wise was revealed to everyone with special power? Read the lines telling about the princess’s dance.
Let's draw conclusions. Why do people call Vasilisa the Wise? What qualities do the people glorify in the image of Vasilisa? Vasilisa the Wise is an image created by the people, it is collective, it concentrates the best features of the Russian national character. According to M. Gorky, Vasilisa the Wise is characterized by majestic simplicity, gentle pride in herself, a remarkable mind, and a deep heart full of inexhaustible love. The main role of the heroine of a fairy tale is to be an assistant to her fiancé or husband. Only thanks to her do the heroes of fairy tales end up together. Beauty - the combination of truth and goodness gives birth to wisdom in the image of beauty. IN AND. Dahl
Homework 1. Find examples of a special tale in the text and write down 12 examples in a column, like a poem. (You will find help on page 26, question 4, page 27.) 2. Prepare a reading in person from the episodes “Meeting of Ivan Tsarevich with a bear, drake, hare, pike”, “Meeting with an old man”. 3. Page 26 questions 5.6 (oral). 4. Prepare a story about Vasilisa the Wise. (Based on lesson materials.)
One of the topics for essays in high school is the characteristic of Vasilisa the Wise of all famous fairy tale"Princess Frog". Children are invited to analyze this image, highlighting the main features of the heroine. Such work helps to understand the meaning of the fairy tale, as well as to get an idea of the values of the Russian people reflected in folklore. This article describes the characteristics of Vasilisa the Wise (5th grade). Readers do not immediately meet the main character of the fairy tale, the Frog Princess. She appears in her real form closer to the middle. At first it is an ordinary swamp frog, to which Tsarevich Ivan was led by an arrow he shot. He is forced to marry this creature because he cannot disobey his father. This event greatly upsets him, because his older brothers have normal wives. One is a merchant’s daughter, the second is a boyar’s, and he has some kind of frog. Time passes and everything changes. When the king gives tasks to his daughters-in-law, the frog performs them better than anyone else. She is a jack of all trades. He knows how to weave, bake bread, and do any other work in such a way that everyone takes their breath away when they see the creation. The wife of the younger prince carries out tasks at night, and he is surprised how she manages to do it. When you have to go to a feast in the palace, the frog turns into a beautiful maiden, and Ivan is completely speechless. She is very beautiful, but the main thing is not her appearance, but her intelligence, which is why the heroine was called the Wise. Vasilisa knows how to get along with everyone mutual language, knows manners well, she is proud, but at the same time modest. All the guests pay attention to the prince’s wife and admire her. He is no longer ashamed of his partner. On the contrary, he is very proud of her. Vasilisa the Wise is perfect wife. She supports her husband in everything, helps him, loves him selflessly, gives him advice right decisions problems. She is beautiful, kind, affectionate, smart. At the same time, he does not put himself on display, but remains modest. She doesn't need fame and fortune. The main thing for her is love and respect. a brief description of Vasilisa the Wise helps us understand what kind of girls were valued by the Russian people who invented the fairy tale. For such a wife, everyone is ready to go to the ends of the earth. This is what Ivan Tsarevich does when Vasilisa disappears. He finds her, saves her from Koshcheevsky’s imprisonment, and the young people live happily ever after in love and harmony.
In “The Frog Princess” her intelligence, majesty and at the same time simplicity come to the fore. In “Vasilisa the Wise” the girl appears brave, persistent, also obedient to her elders and restrained. And finally, in both fairy tales the heroine has the ability to make decisions and maintain peace of mind in any circumstances. In fact, many heroines of magical Russian fairy tales have similar traits, including the ability to transform and other magical properties, which makes it possible to identify them - Marya Morevna, Vasilisa the Wise, Marya the Princess, and Elena the Beautiful. However, we can characterize Vasilisa the Wise and other similar heroines based only on the words and deeds that belong to them.
