In the dissertation, for the first time the systematic study of the issue of
boundary identity of Ukrainian Renaissance Literature (late 15th–16th centuries) is
presented; it is also identified the specifics of its interpretations by writers as well
as artistic awareness of their own ethnic. This study proposes and substantiates
the definition of the “boundary” of Ukrainian Renaissance literature as its defining
feature, which significantly influenced on the peculiarities of the formation of
ideological and thematic paradigm and genre system of writing. It is emphasizedon the specifics of the implementation of these concepts in the literary works of
writers. The main factors in the formation of worldview systems
such as geopolitical location, the absence of own state, and cultural syncretism
have been identified. Considering the socio-political situation, the PolishUkrainian border had a decisive role.
It is emphasized on the integration of Ukrainian themes and ideas into the
European literary context in the discourse of boundary identity. It is analyzed the
literary works dedicated to the study of the specifics of Ukrainian Renaissance
literature written by O. Astafiev, P. Bilous, I. Holenishchev-Kutuzov, O.
Zilynskyi, I. Yeromin, Ya. Isaievych, I. Isichenko, P. Kraliuk, B. Kravtsiv, V.
Kolosova, V. Lytvynov, A. Nizhynets, D. Nalyvaiko, V. Nichyk, O. Myshanych,
L. Ovdiichuk, V. Peretts, R. Radyshevskyi, L. Savchynska, O. Slipushko, V.
Sobol, A. Sodomora, M. Sulyma, M. Trofymuk, I. Franko, D. Chyzhevskyi, I.
Shevchenko, V. Shevchuk, N. Yakovenko, V. Yaniv, V. Yaremenko, P.
Yaremenko and others. On the basis on historical-literary investigations, taking
into account new discoveries and the analysis of works (some of them are in the
original language) carried out in the dissertation, a thorough interpretation of the
genre and ideological paradigm of literature of the end of the 15th–16th centuries
were presented. Taking into account the existing scientific thematic studies and
ideas about specifics of national identity in the historical-literary tradition, its
manifestations in Ukrainian Renaissance writing have been deepened and
expanded.
Based on philological analysis of the works, the thesis that the identification
of foreign writers is determined by their belonging to boundary cultures and
literatures (primarily Polish-Ukrainian authors), which is represented in literary
creativity. After the Union of Lublin as well as the incorporation Lithuania into
Poland, the part of the Ukrainian lands, which were the part of Lithuania, was
being developed under the significant influence of European cultural paradigm
that was significantly different from the medieval Ruthenian tradition with its
identical literary language, church model, religion etc.After the union with Poland, culture in general, language and literature in
particular were assimilated and modified. The dissertation emphasizes on the
syncretism, polymorphism, and patriotic direction of literary monuments as well
as on their depictions of authentic Ukrainian and Western European traditions.
The work reveals the topic of choosing the Catholic faith as a personal choice of
a person in the context of Protestant and heretical movements.
The dissertation identifies the peculiarities of Ukrainian Renaissance
literature, its common European cultural and artistic trends, which are synthesized
with national characteristics, large-scale cross-cultural connections at the level of
worldview, ideas, themes, and genres. Analysis of artistic interpretations of the
national identity in the Renaissance literature is characterized by the awareness of
Ruthenia as the Motherland and a humanistic worldview. The cohort of Ukrainian
Renaissance writers included the majority of authors, who were of the Catholic
faith, represented “Catholic Rus”, added the pseudonyms Rusyn, Rutenets,
Roksolanyn, etc. to their own names in order to emphasize their Russian ethnicity.
In Ukrainian Renaissance literature, a system of such genres as a poem and
prose was developed and studied in the work. A detailed analysis of the poetic
texts of Jerzy Drohobycz (Kotermak), Paulus Ruthenus Crosnensis, Vigilantius,
Georgius Ticzensis Ruthenus, Szymon Szymonowic, the anonymous work
“Epicedion”, the poem by the anonymous author “The Battle of Orsha in 1515”,
Sebastian Fabian Klonowic “Roxolania”, Maciej Stryjkowski “Chronicle ...”,
“About the defeat of the Perekop Tatars near Vyshnivets in 1512”, Jan Henryk
Dąbrowski Polish “Dnipro Stones”, Szymon Pękala “About the Ostroh War near
Pyatka”, Mikołaj Hussowczyk “The Song about the Bison”, prose works of Jozef
Wereszczynski, Jan Szczęsny Herburt, Stanisław Orzechowski in terms of their
artistic manifestations of Renaissance specificity and national-ethnic identity.
Using his pseudonym, Jerzy Drohobycz (Kotermak) testified to his
connection with Ruthenia.
