HISTORICAL- AND THEORETICAL-LITERARY ASPECTS OF THE BALLAD GENRE

The article discusses the controversial aspects of studying the genre of the ballad in the Russian literature. In particular, attention is focused on the genesis of the ballad genre, its generic specifics, synthetic nature. The authors claim that the ballad genre has come a long way in its formation and development. On this way the ballad changed its content and formal features: from folk epic songs to the poetic versions of modern poets. It is ascertained that the Russian literary ballad is largely formed under the influence of folklore ballads, both national and Western European, and represents the heterogeneous genre formation, specific features of which are formed due to the synthesis of the generic fundamentals of the epic and the lyrics. Identifying the genre specificity of the ballad, the authors indicate possible ways of its development in the contemporary Russian poetry.