The article is devoted to the study of the role of epic traditions in the formation of the fundamental principles of realism in Ossetian literature. The fact is that realism as a method of artistic reflection of reality in Ossetian literature was not borrowed, but formed on its own national soil, on the traditions that grew up in the epic consciousness, on the experience of the folklore type of artistic consciousness, on folklore realism. Even Ossetian educators, the first national writers, and especially the founder of Ossetian literature Kosta Khetagurov, forming their unique concept of realism that has stood the test of time, constantly turned to the experience of folklore and epic consciousness, seeing in it the sources of realism. And they built its fundamental principles on the basis of this experience. The article is written on a topic that is relevant for modern Ossetian literary criticism. The fact is that the current level of development of scientific thought about literature requires a deeper understanding and interpretation of the main literary terms and concepts that contribute to a deep disclosure of the essence, features and patterns of the literary process. The scientific novelty of the study is also obvious. For the first time in Ossetian literary criticism, the deep sources of realism, the features of the formation of its fundamental principles are revealed. The purpose of the study in the article is to study the national foundations of realism in Ossetian literature, in particular the role of epic traditions in the formation of its basic principles. The results obtained can be used in further study of realism in Ossetian literature.