Authors

Mariia Pshenychna¹;  ¹ University of Stirling, UK

Discussion

There are many tragic pages in the history of Ukrainian literature, as well as in history, that need to be known and understood because they are part of lives of the people who strive for freedom and preservation of their identity. Today, the Ukrainian people are also experiencing one of these pages, when the genocide of our nation is taking place, when Russian terror is once again destroying strong in spirit Ukrainians who, with great love and respect for their land, are devotedly defending our bright future. The Executed Renaissance (1920s-1930s) is a unique period in the history of Ukrainian literature and culture in general, which gave us the finest examples of art in literature, music, painting, and theatre. However, the great masters of the word, who, through their work, were striving not only to elevate Ukrainian culture to the highest level of the world literary process, but also to show the oppressed Ukrainian that he/her was part of a great nation, whose language and culture were worth hearing, were all ruthlessly destroyed by the totalitarian Stalinist regime. Mykola Khvylyovyi, Mykola Kulish, Ostap Vyshnia, Borys Antonenko-Davydovych, Ivan Bahrianyi, and many other prominent authors who worked in different directions, significantly expanding literary genres marked by innovation, originality, psychology and sublime nationalism, became a new revolutionary breath in the revival of our country’s culture. With Russia’s full-scale invasion of the territory of the unitary state of Ukraine, where its citizens are dying defending their right to national self-determination, fighting for their own ideals and beliefs, the problem of national identity has become inevitable and relevant than ever.  Almost a hundred years ago, during the Executed Renaissance, each of its representatives tested the repressive machine of the totalitarian system of the same destructive power and was shot, sent into exile, forced to commit suicide. Therefore, one of the most important tasks of contemporary Ukrainian scientific thought is to draw parallels between the experience of the artists of the Executed Renaissance and contemporary events, as well as to immerse ourselves in the historical background, without which Ukraine’s continuous quest for statehood, independence, and the search for its identity would seem inevitable. To address this challenge, the study delves into the concept of national identity in the literary texts, which is based on the relationship “Self – Other”, on the recognition of the “Other”, and, unlike the ethnic one, is focused on conscious choice and dependence on rational factors – the subject’s awareness of identification (a person, an ethnic group, a nation) of historical, civic, political values. This study provides valuable insights into the ongoing pursuit of Ukrainian identity and the preservation of cultural heritage in the face of adversity.