Stepchuk Y. Shevchenko's studies of Mykhailyna Kotsyubynska in the context of Ukrainian literary studies in the second half of the XX – beginning of the XXI centuries.

For the first time in Ukrainian literary criticism the thesis presents the complex comprehension of the Shevchenko heritage of Mykhailyna Kotsyubynska on the basis of clarification of the aesthetic and theoretical bases of the Shevchenko methodology, her interpretation of Kobzar's aesthetics and poetics. The Shevchenko's activity of is explored scientist in the context of the historical epoch. Based on the analysis of a significant array of scientific works, memoirs of M. Kotsyubynska, the connection between her Shevchenko`s heritage and literary-critical discourse of the 60s of the twentieth century against the background of the social atmosphere of the time is defined. As a result of reviewing the literary works of M. Kotsyubynska in the 50's - late 90's the creative evolution of the scientist is revealed. The problem of the Shevchenko`s concept on the background of the literary thought of Ukraine in the second half of the twentieth century is attracting more and more attention of researchers. Creating of the holistic picture of Taras Shevchenko`s vision in the sixties is a rather complex process, impossible without a thorough understanding of the place and role of each creative individual. In the 1960s, Shevchenko's theme found its extensive coverage in the in-depth studies of I. Svitlychny, E. Sverstiuk, I. Dziuba, I. Drach, V. Stus and others. Shevchenko scholars of the sixties in the face of ideological oppression makde great efforts to free the image of a genius poet from the power of stereotypes, opposed the vulgar sociological Shevchenko studies. And due to this literary studies of that time approached to a truly scientific, not ideological, coverage of the figure of Taras Shevchenko. In the study demonstratethat of M. Kotsyubynska`s close contact with the artists of the 60s, who showed an open attraction to Shevchenko's work, caused the growth of Kotsyubynska- scholar, who despite oppression, prohibitions and silences created more than thirty self-sufficient results from his evolution:from socialist-realist perception of art to a deeper awareness of its aesthetic essence. The study outlines the basic aesthetic and theoretical foundations of the Shevchenko`s methodology of literary criticism. The scientific issues stated in the thesis, the range of theoretical issues and the specifics of the research material led to the use of appropriate methodology. Descriptive, biographical, hermeneutic and system-functional methods were used.