Dissertation is devoted to research of metatext of Taras Shevchenko's poetry and its correlation with Ukrainian literature ancient and new epoch. The "metatext" term suggested in theses is based on synthesis of several methodologies above all proposed in works of Y. Lotman, M. Bahtin, A. Popovich, S. Kinser and others). The author's understanding of the concept is a text (or its element), which has "secondary" semantics relatively to the basic (main) text, depending on their themes and images, and develops its communicative possibilities. During the investigation the traditions of previous texts in T. Shevchenko's poetical creative work were selected and indicated, which images, themes and motives were adopted by T. Shevchenko and which were created. The idea of Ukrainian literature code was formulated and confirmed in the work, giving us universal significance, used in certain texts and was enriched national features. The religious (Biblical) source of Ukrainian literature was discussed in the dissertation, particularly, сhristological motives, as well as aspects of Christian ethic present in Ukrainian mentality and culture. And as a matter of fact, the existence of Christian code, as a structure, which elements are transformed, depending on context, circumstances and individual author's desire, ensures wholeness and completeness of Ukrainian literary process. Taras Shevchenko's poetical creativity is represented as metanarration, that accumulated traditions of previous Ukrainian literature. In the dissertation the attention was paid to the most important images and motives (the theme of freedom of will, сhristological motives ? suffering, patience, love to every man, humility and others, images of spiritual leader, suffering mother, warrior-defender). The thesis deals as well with metatextual elements in Ukrainian literature and T. Shevchenko's poetry, which devised the character and arranged multilevel construction (author's insertions; autometadescription, which includes author's interpretations, exegesis and critical analyses of own poetical texts; critical commentary and so forth). In Taras Shevchenko's poetry author's insertions ("messages") for readers (as metatextual elements) made "conversation" with them and what is more they are brought into the text. So metatextual elements are as inevitable constructions of communication between the author and his readers. Also in work there was analyzed T. Shevchenko's translation from "Word about Igor's campaign" as a model of prototext (original text). In this case we define metatext as the result of textual translation in one culture and literary tradition, in others words, as intraliterary translation.
