In the early period of development of historical ideas, the historiografic works were perceived with only the first elements of historical performances expressed through individual reproduction of certain events. Because of that, only by theoretically deliberated internal relations between the events, that forms the scattered facts in a realistic system of active relations, followed from the knowledge of certain historical facts towards the active erudition of history, while the historical knowledge are transformed into historical science7. Because historical works in the medieval period reflected the testimonies of the events, and by the mediation of the author’s interpretation the spirit of the epoch was represented, at the same time they fulfilled the function of historical sources and historiografic monuments.
During the medieval period different works united into one basic historiografic genre. This process recognizes the presence of three basic features: 1) expression of the historical connection and perception between events by following their consecutive chronology; 2) expression of a certain political tendency; 3) the practical course of the events8F. Therefore, while establishing the scope and the character of the Old Slavic historiography under no circumstances should the notions historical work and historical source is mixed. This brings up the question about the possible specification of the borders of the historiographic genre in relations to the other genres, taking into account the process of interwoven genre expression as a feature for medieval literature in general. In these works, the intertwinement of history with hagiography is obvious, as well as history with apocryphal literature, and between history and descriptive narratives etc9F. On the other hand, literary works that relate to other literary forms because of their genre characteristics, possess a certain historical level. The most dominating historical-genres formal transformations can be noticed in hagoigraphics, apocryphal and publicity texts. Because of that, in some cases, works that possess certain historical information or chronological elements, such as the works of Crnorizec Hrabar and Prezviter Kozma, who express current events of their time, are included in the historiographic genre. Further on, part of the hagiographical and hymnographical production and other works, varieties of official appeals in written form known as letters or epistles, legal objects and so on are also included in the historiographic genre. These literary compositions belong to other genre forms and the main reason for their intertwinement with the historiographical genre and not divided in a separate genre is in the nature of the Old Slavic literature. Basis of the distinction of genres was the subject or the theme of the dedicated work and their further use in practice. The modus (modus, a way of presenting or an aspect) appeared to be a significant factor of forming a given theme and function. Also, the style, the thematic material and the function of the presentation converted into a literary composition10F. So, the historical themes have a tendency to be connected with the only conventional sum of stylistic instruments, and as expected – with the narrative modus characteristic for the chronicles depending upon which genre they belong and whether they realized in a certain genre form. The literary features of the genre, as the basis for their distinction, were placed in the background.
A characteristical example of possessing a significant scope of historical information in its substance is the Old Slavic hagiographical works. The hagiographies are religious compositions by form, but because of their historical fund, they are important also to the medieval literary-historical idea. Hagiographical works of true historical events and facts are: The Spacious Hagiographies of the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius (Panon legends), the Greek Hagiographies of St. Clement of Ohrid – the larger one of the Archbishop Theophilact and the shorter one of Dimirija Homatijan, The First and the Second Slav Hagiography of Naum of Ohrid, the hagiographies devoted to the Slavs recluses: St. Jovan Rilski, St. Prohor Pchinski, St. Gavril Lesnovski and St. Joakim Osogovski, where the monasterial chronicle is elaborated hagiographically. Besides the political tendencies and the authencity of the historical information represented in the hagiographical compositions, this data plays a second – degree role in the hagiographical narratives because, according to the Christian tradition first of all the idolized character of the saint and his deeds are treated, and afterwards the hagiographical characteristics and deeds are added. And something more, when in a hagiography, thanksgiving note or writ, the author is talking about past events, he is not presenting the actions in the order as they follow, but mainly writes a summary, concentrating on their result, or approaches them in a symbolic way rather than relating them to their real period11F. That is why the hagiographical genre is considered part of this genre. The hagiographical genre had its own evolution, separate from the development of the historical-chronological genre, however, a reciprocal relation exists in the genre intertwinement process. An illustration of this reciprocal relation is the evolutionary development of the hagiographical genre, which in the initial period of its formation the historical facts and figures in the hagiographies were covered and presented within the probable. The hagiography, in its further evolution, was losing its credibility, the historiographical elements were weakening, and fantasy was slowly taking over offering interesting forms to the medieval man. D. Bogdanovic points out that the hagiography in the course of its development moved on the borders of history and legend12F, and in different periods domination by one of these two elements was noticeable. Confirming the process concerning the intertwining genres belonging to one general genre, or to different kinds of genres, was important in defining the features of the historiographical genre that, by its literary form, composition, and style was different from the rest.
In the process of studying medieval historical literature from the Old Slavic genre system we realize that there was constant use of the terms “historiographic”, “historical-descriptive”, and “historical – chronological” work. This kind of manipulation of terms, that mainly refers to the original Slav historiographic literature, was caused by the characteristics of the content in relation to those created in Byzantium and West Europe where mainly classical forms presented in the chronicles and histories prevailed. The conversion of the Slavs and their accepting Christianity as their official religion, and as a result of the literary-cultural diffusion by the Byzantine literature, acceptance of the chronicle as a classical form of historiography in Old Slavic literature can be noticed. At the same time, the adaptation of the local circumstances and influences took place, and as a result, the stimulation of the development of the original Slav historiographical literature in other forms and contents.
The works that we have today are witnesses of the diversity in the historiographical genre. These literary compositions differ in scope, form, conception and so on. This heterogeneous composition includes works of classical type in Slav chronicles, and also compositions with chronological content – notes and inscriptions, short stories and so on. Before the appearance of every new form and after the already existing form a mutual relation of approval and further improvement existed, not only to the style but also to the ideas represented in them. Thus, we can say that a historical-chronological tradition in the system of the Old Slavic literacy and culture fully existed.
The procedure of systematization of historiographical works is of a great importance in the course of defining the genre development of Old Slavic historical literary. By applying this procedure a better review of the works within the certain genre is made possible, as well as their essential typology in accordance with the preciseness of their characteristical structure, contents and functional distinction. In the course of classifying the literary-historical works, it is necessary, within the objective possibilities, to separate those literary works that according to their literature form, composition and style are detached from the works that belong to other genres in Old Slav literature. However, every attempt of systematization of the historiographical literary has a conditional character and represents more a working than a final classifying scheme. This conditioning also is a result from the fact that the exact systematization of the genre groups in the Old Slav literature did not receive a precise and final type13F. This entails the necessity of typology of the literary-historical works that would enable the classification into certain structural subgroups. The structural-compositional and thematically classified principle would be used, enabling us to follow through the development of the certain historiographical works within the literary-historical genre.
According to their function and scope of historical report, the literary historical-chronological works can be classified as: chronicles (original and translated), annal short stories, apocrypha chronicles and marginal-note-chronicles and inscriptions.
We must underline that within each of these structural subtypes, smaller groups according to their theme, structure and size of certain works can be differentiated, caused by the process of internal development of the historical genre and underlining the basic forms established as a permanent occurrence in the genres system of historiography14F.
#b
8. N.L. Rubinshtein, Russian historiography, Moskva 1941, pg.17.
9. Ivan Bozilov, Old Bulgarian Literature, Historical Events, part three, Sofia 1983, pg. 22.
10. Norman Ingm, Narative Mode and Literary kind in Medieval Orthodox Literatures: Theses, Old Paleobulgarica, Sofia 1993 (XVII), No.3, pg. 39-40.
11. Norman Ingm, Narative mode… pg.42.
12. Dimitrije Bogdanovic, Preface to “The Ways of Byzantine Literature” from Hans Georg Beck, Belgrade 1967, pg.51.
13. Krasimir Stancev, Styles and genres…, pg. 56-97.
14. Milijana Kaimakamova, Bulgarin medieval… , pg. 22.