Historically, the Ukrainian people have always been creative, loved to sing and dance, invent poems and songs, myths and legends. Therefore, for many centuries, truly great and talented people have worked in all corners of Ukraine.

Ukrainian literature is phenomenal and unusual in its essence. Each historical stage is famous Ukrainian writers described metaphorically and topically. That is why very real characters look at us through the lines from yellowed sheets of paper. And we, delving deeper into the narrative, begin to understand what worries the author, inspires, frightens and encourages. It is quite possible to learn history from the masterpieces of Ukrainian literature - events are described so truthfully and sometimes painfully.

Who are all these geniuses of the pen who penetrate the soul with words and make us laugh and cry with them? What are their names and what did they do? How did they achieve success and did they find it at all? Or maybe they never learned that their creations brought them eternal fame and veneration, forever inscribing their name in the classics of Ukrainian literature?

Unfortunately, not all Ukrainian writers were able to enter the world literary arena. Many masterpieces have never been in the hands of the Germans, Americans, or British. Hundreds of wonderful books did not receive their well-deserved awards in literary competitions France or Germany. But they are really worth reading and understanding.

And although hundreds of talented people have written on the “nightingale language,” perhaps it’s worth starting with a unique and phenomenal woman. This brilliant poetess, whose lines express a storm of emotions, and whose poems remain deep in the heart. And her name is Lesya Ukrainka.

Larisa Petrovna Kosach-Kvitka

Lesya, being a weak and small woman, showed incredible fortitude and courage, becoming an example to be followed by millions of people. The poetess was born in 1871 into the noble family of the famous writer O. Pchilka. At birth, the girl was given the name Larisa, and her real name there was Kosach-Kvitka.

Since childhood, suffering from a terrible disease - bone tuberculosis - Lesya Ukrainka was bedridden almost all the time. Lived in the South. The beneficial influence of the mother and passion for books (especially the master of Ukrainian literature - Taras Shevchenko) bore fruit.

From a young age, the girl began to create and publish in various newspapers. Like many famous Ukrainian writers, in her works Larisa adhered to the sentiments and traditions of T. G. Shevchenko, creating several cycles of lyrical and philosophical poems.

About Lesya's work

Intrigued by magical mythology and world history, Lesya devoted many books to this topic. Most of all, she liked novels about Ancient Greece, Rome, Egypt, about humanism and human qualities, about the fight against despotism and evil, as well as Mystic stories about the undead and nature of Western Ukraine.

It should be noted that Lesya Ukrainka was a polyglot and knew more than ten languages. This gave her the opportunity to make high-quality literary translations of the works of Hugo, Shakespeare, Byron, Homer, Heine and Mickiewicz.

The most famous works that everyone is recommended to read are “The Forest Song”, “Possessed”, “Cassandra”, “The Stone Lord” and “Songs about Freedom”.

Marko Vovchok

Among the famous writers of Ukraine there was another extraordinary woman. Many called her the Ukrainian George Sand - just as her patron Panteleimon Kulish dreamed. It was he who became her first assistant and editor, giving her the first impetus to develop her potential.

Woman with a fiery heart

Marko Vovchok was a fatal woman. As a child, her mother sent her to a private boarding school, away from her father’s bad influence, then to Orel to live with a rich aunt. There the endless love cycles began. Marko Vovchok - Maria Vilinskaya - was very beautiful girl, so it’s not surprising that crowds of gentlemen revolved around her all her life.

Among these gentlemen were famous writers, whose names are familiar to us. Even though she tied the knot (as she later admitted, not for love) with Opanas Markovich, her husband could not do anything with the attractive energy of this young lady. Turgenev, Kostomarov and Taras Shevchenko fell at her feet. And everyone wanted to become her teacher and patron.

"Marusya"

The most famous work of Marko Vovchok is the story “Marusya” about a girl who gave her life to help the Cossacks. The creation impressed readers and critics so much that Maria was awarded honorary award French Academy.

Men in Ukrainian literature

The creativity of Ukrainian writers was also under the auspices talented men. One of them was Pavel Gubenko. Readers know him under the pseudonym Ostap Cherry. His satirical works made readers laugh more than once. Unfortunately, this man, who smiles at us from newspaper pages and literature textbooks, had few reasons for joy in his life.

Pavel Gubenko

Being a political prisoner, Pavel Gubenko honestly served his required 10 years in a forced labor camp. He did not abandon creativity, and when his stern superiors instructed him to write a series of stories from the lives of prisoners, even there he could not resist irony!

The writer's life path

But life put everything in its place. The one who previously accused Ostap Vishnya himself ended up in the dock and became an “enemy of the people.” And the Ukrainian author returned home ten years later and continued doing what he loved.

But these long years in correctional camps left a terrible imprint on Pavel Gubenko’s condition. Even after the war, returning to the already free Kyiv, he still could not forget the terrible episodes. Most likely, the endless inner experiences of a man who always smiled and never cried led to his tragic death from heart attack at the age of 66.

Ivan Drach

A short excursion into the work of Ukrainian writers ends with Ivan Drach. Many modern authors still turn to this master of (self-)irony, witty words and humor for advice.

Life story of a genius

Mine creative path Ivan Fedorovich Drach began, while still a seventh grader, with a poem eagerly published in a local newspaper. As soon as the writer graduated from high school, he began teaching Russian language and literature in a rural school. After the army, Ivan entered the philological department of Kyiv University, which he never graduated from. And all because a talented student will be offered a job in a newspaper, and then, after the course, the writer will receive the specialty of film playwright in Moscow. Returning to Kyiv, Ivan Fedorovich Drach begins working at the famous film studio named after A. Dovzhenko.

For more than 30 years creative activity From the pen of Ivan Drach came a huge number of collections of poems, translations, articles and even film stories. His works have been translated and published in dozens of countries and appreciated throughout the world.

An eventful life tempered the writer’s character, fostering in him an active civic position and a unique temperament. The works of Ivan Fedorovich express the sentiments of the sixties and children of war, thirsting for change and praising the achievements of human thought.

What's better to read?

It is better to start getting acquainted with the work of Ivan Drach with the poem “Pero”. It is precisely this that is the credo of life and conveys the leitmotifs that permeate all creativity genius poet and writer.

These famous Ukrainian writers made an invaluable contribution to the domestic and world literature. Decades later, their works convey to us current thoughts, teach and help in various life situations. The work of Ukrainian writers has enormous literary and moral value, is perfect for teenagers and adults and will bring pleasure from reading.

Each of the Ukrainian authors is unique in their own way, and their unusual individual style will help you recognize your favorite writer from the first lines. Such a writer’s “flower garden” makes Ukrainian literature truly extraordinary, rich and interesting.

Sovetskaya U. l. developed in an atmosphere of intense class struggle. As a result civil war in Ukraine, the defeat of the bourgeoisie and international intervention, the decisive and final victory of the socialist revolution, a significant part of the bourgeois intelligentsia, including its leading representatives, emigrated abroad. In bourgeois-imperialist countries, these enemies of the people continued their dirty work of slander, insinuation, sabotage and espionage directed against Soviet Ukraine, the Land of Soviets, its culture and literature. The other part of the bourgeois intelligentsia, which declared its “loyalty” to the Soviet government, actually only adapted to legal opportunities and continued its hostile line, resorting to double-dealing methods of struggle, seeking support in the class of the rural bourgeoisie and partly the industrial bourgeoisie, which had not been liquidated in the early years of the Soviet government. , and later - in the external capitalist environment. Suffering defeat after defeat on the literary front, she embarked on the path of underground counter-revolutionary activity. One of its groups (“SVU”) was liquidated in 1929. Nationalists, Trotskyists, “left” and right-wing traitors for many years, right up to the defeat of the dictatorship of the proletariat by their organs, tried in every possible way to retard the growth of Soviet literature, tried to corrupt it from within , subject to one's influence. However, despite subversion enemies, Soviet Ukrainian literature grew steadily, strengthened and achieved significant success, becoming in the forefront of the literature of the great Soviet Union.

Soviet U. l. developed under the beneficial influence of the liberating ideas of the great Russian literature, especially the socialist ideas of the Russian proletarian literature, its greatest representative, founder, brilliant writer A. M. Gorky. This influence was combined with a critical development of the Ukrainian revolutionary-democratic literary heritage. Soviet U. l. has grown and is growing stronger in close cooperation with the literature of the fraternal peoples of our great Union, making extensive use of the riches of Soviet folklore in the process of its development. The works of Ukrainian writers - T. Shevchenko, M. Kotsyubinsky, Lesya Ukrainka, I. Franko, and on the other hand, Russian writers - A. Pushkin, N. Nekrasov, M. Saltykov-Shchedrin, - the live communication of writers with A. M. Gorky and the participation of Ukrainian Soviet writers in the practice of building socialism - all this taken together had a great impact influence on the process of formation of young Ukrainian Soviet literature, on the development of its language, genres and style.

Poetic activity of the largest Ukrainian poet Pavlo Tychina walked along the line of overcoming symbolist poetics. Already in 1917-1919, Pavlo Tychina spoke with revolutionary realistic poems (“There are poplars near the fields in the wild”, “The thought of the three winds”, “On the Maidan there is a church”, “How a man fell from a horse”), which took a prominent place in Ukrainian Soviet poetry. A little later, Vladimir appeared in print Sosyura with poems (“Chervona Winter”) and verses (“Vidplata”, “Before Us”, “It’s Not Without Reason”, etc.) written in the style of revolutionary romanticism (collections “Poetry”, 1921, and “Chervona Winter”, 1922) .

The period of transition to peaceful reconstruction work National economy expanded and deepened the growth process Soviet literature generally; at this time a number of new poets appeared (M. Bazhan, P. Usenko, L. Pervomaisky), prose writers (Yu. Yanovsky, YU. Smolich, A. Golovko, A. Kopylenko, P. Punch, A. Lyubchenko, I. Senchenko), S. Vasilchenko continued his work, and A. Korneychuk began his literary activity, who later rose to the forefront of the Union’s playwrights.

The literature of this period paid a lot of attention to the depiction of the civil war, showing the struggle of the working people of Ukraine against the enemies of the revolution (A. Golovko, collection of stories “I Can”, A. Kopylenko, collection “Buiny Khmil”, P. Punch - story “Without a Trump” ", "Pigeons of Echelon", A. Lyubchenko, stories "Zyama", etc.); L. Pervomaisky published the poem “Tripil's Tragedy”, dedicated to the heroic campaign of Komsomol members against kulak gangs; P. Usenko sang in verse about the Komsomol - Sat. "KSM". The class struggle in the village, the struggle of the poor peasantry against the kulaks was reflected in the best story of this time - “Weeds” by Andrei Golovko. In this story, A. Golovko, based on the plot known fact the murder of worker reporter Malinovsky with his fists, managed to translate into vivid images characteristics Ukrainian villages in the first years of the revolution, to give an exciting work, filled with hatred of class enemies, which has firmly become part of the asset of Soviet literature.

A significant contribution to Ukrainian Soviet prose are the post-revolutionary short stories of Stepan Vasilchenko, Kotsyubinsky’s best student. In stories dedicated to depicting the life of schoolchildren, S. Vasilchenko (for more details, see the section “Ukrainian literature of the late 19th and early 20th centuries”) talks about how children’s abilities flourish in the conditions of a free Soviet school. Using a specific example of the work of an aviation circle (“Aviation Group”), Vasilchenko paints a typical picture of the development of children’s ingenuity, the initiative of pioneers, and their love for aviation. In the most significant both in size and in artistic merit In the work “Olive Ring” (Tin Ring), Vasilchenko, with deep lyrical warmth and gentle humor, talks about the acquaintance of urban pioneer students with the village, about the selfless help of their peasants in harvesting. The plot is complicated and complemented by a subtle display of the emerging feelings of falling in love among teenagers. In poetry, an outstanding event was Tychyna’s collection “Wind from Ukraine,” which testified to the further ideological and artistic growth of the poet. In this collection, the themes of the struggle of workers at various stages of history for free, joyful work are combined with new searches in the field of poetic form.

Mikola Bazhan, an outstanding master of verse, also began his poetic career with a romantic celebration of the heroics of the revolution (the collection “17th Patrol”, 1926); his early poems were distinguished by the emphasized tension of the situation and psychological states, and the influence of the poetics of early Mayakovsky was clearly felt in the stylistic means.

During the period of transition to peaceful work and the struggle for socialist industrialization, the class struggle in literature became especially intensified in the phenomenon of the so-called. “Khvylevism” (on behalf of Khvylevy, a representative of counter-revolutionary bourgeois nationalism). Khvylevy sought to orient Soviet literature towards bourgeois Europe. In this he was actively helped by the neoclassicists, one of the movements of bourgeois-nationalist literature, the work of which Khvylevy declared the only true and desirable. Khvylevism reflected the influence on W. l. rural and urban bourgeoisie, which became active in the 20s. As an agent of the capitalist encirclement, going hand in hand with a similar manifestation of nationalism on the political front - “Shumskyism” - Khvylevism sought to separate Ukraine from Soviet Russia in order to restore capitalism in Ukraine. These attitudes of Khvylovy were clearly revealed during the literary discussion (1925-1928). The party led by Comrade Stalin, promptly revealed the counter-revolutionary essence of Khvylevism, neoclassicism and other hostile movements and put an end to the “discussion” with a resolution of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Ukraine (Bolsheviks) published on May 15, 1927. Having extended its temporary influence to a number of writers who began to go over to the side of the Soviet regime or were already standing on Soviet positions, Khvylovy’s group, after the dissolution of its literary organization (“Vaplite”, 1927), continued its corrupting activities in disguised forms (allegorism, Aesopian language), in its supposedly “out-group” magazines “Literary Fair”, “Literary Front”. The party also exposed this maneuver of the nationalists. Then a certain part of the bourgeois-nationalist intelligentsia, which had made its way into literature and related ideological fields - theater, philosophy, etc. - went underground for counter-revolutionary subversive activities, but was exposed and liquidated by the organs of the dictatorship of the proletariat.

In addition to the neoclassics, who covered up their hostility to the revolution with “apoliticality” and “neutralism,” the futurists waged a stubborn struggle against proletarian literature. Ukrainian futurists, who took as a basis the Trotskyist thesis of the negation of proletarian literature, were conductors of counter-revolutionary Trotskyism. Under the guise of “destruction of form,” they engaged in subversive “work.” Some of them went underground in the fight against Ukrainian people subsequently descended into methods of terror. Having taken the path of counter-revolutionary underground activity, representatives of the futurists, neoclassics, Khvylevists and other literary organizations were finally defeated and uprooted during the years of the second Five-Year Plan.

In terms of style, the literature of the period of transition to peaceful work presented a motley picture. YU. Yanovsky, who already at that time had established himself as an outstanding stylist, but ideologically succumbing to nationalist influences, followed the path of abstract romanticism. Kopylenko and Sosyura, captivated by the heroics of the civil war, mainly developed in line with revolutionary romanticism, although in Sosyura’s poems, for example. sometimes decadent moods prevailed, which testified to the poet’s misunderstanding of the political essence of NEP. Golovko, partly Punch, Lyubchenko, Kopylenko reflected impressionistic influences in their work, although they mainly moved towards realism. Smolich cultivated the science fiction and adventure genres. Rylsky’s poems were influenced by neoclassical “apolitism”; ignoring the surrounding reality and struggle, he plunged into the world of dreams and an imaginary Greco-Roman idyll. Tychina, on the contrary, successfully overcame cosmic symbolism, moving on to realism, enriching his skills with the experience of in-depth study of reality and the use of folk art. Starting from the period of the struggle for socialist industrialization and collectivization of agriculture, Tychyna became more and more inclined towards political poetry and became a prominent singer of Soviet patriotism (collection “Chernigov”, 1931, “Party of Vede”, 1934). Rylsky began to move away from apoliticality, approaching modern times, becoming more and more interested in social themes (collection “Gomins in Vedgomin”, “Deaths Converging”, 1929). Bajan in his philosophical poems(“Budivli”, “Number”), rich in synthetic images, showed himself to be an outstanding poet-thinker. In his works, the poet made a bold attempt to understand the historical path of human development, to present past formations in generalized images, critically comprehend the social past, trying to more deeply and organically perceive the era of socialism, which the poet pathetically asserts. This work was not free from idealistic breakdowns. There were also moments when the poet did not see a way out of the contradictions and was tormented by the consciousness of Hamlet’s duality (“Hoffman’s Nich”). But in such major works as “Rozmova Serdets” (Conversation of Hearts) and “The Death of Hamlet”, Bazhan subjected to devastating criticism the instability of petty-bourgeois psychology, Hamletism, mercilessly castigating the “romance of double souls.” Bazhan’s stage of ideological awareness of the era ends with a picture of a merciless struggle against the remnants of capitalism in human psychology (“Trilogy of Addiction”, 1933). The poet deeply understood that “the only great and true humanity is the Leninist humanity of the last battles.”

The prose of this period sought to depict socialist construction, highlighting to some extent the processes of industrialization (V. Kuzmich, “Kryla”, L. Smilyansky, “Machinisti”, “Mechzavod”), putting forward the problems of the relationship between the intelligentsia and the working class (Kopylenko, “Vizvolennya”) , questions of the social significance of labor and science in capitalist countries and here (Smolich, “The Dominion of Dr. Galvanescu,” “What Happened Then”), class struggle in colonial countries (Smolich, “Another Beautiful Catastrophe”). Some of the works of this period did not escape nationalist influences (“Chotiri shablі” by Yanovsky, “Heart” by Sosyura, “False Melpomene”, “Po that bik heart” by Smolich), naturalistic tendencies (“Solid material” by Kopylenko), decadent sentiments, Yeseninism (“When the acacias bloom” by Sosyura). The decadence was reflected in the confusion of some writers in the face of the difficulties of the revolutionary struggle.

The bulk of writers decisively and irrevocably switched to Soviet positions. The VUSPP, which did not notice the restructuring of these writers, continued to bully and defame them. Having become a brake on the further development of Soviet literature and the unification of its forces, the VUSPP, like similar organizations in other republics and their association “VOAPP”, was liquidated by a resolution of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks of April 23, 1932.

Resolution of the Central Committee of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks “On the restructuring of literary and artistic organizations”, instructions from Comrade. Stalin about the struggle for socialist realism, his definition of the role of writers as “engineers of human souls”, his high assessment of V. Mayakovsky, emphasizing the enormous importance of political poetry, All-Union Congress writers, the organization of the Writers' Union and the tireless leadership of A. M. Gorky, the Stalin Constitution - created all the prerequisites for the flourishing and new rise of Soviet literature, which came during the years of the second Five-Year Plan. The period of struggle for socialist industrialization and collectivization of agriculture was marked by glorious victories and achievements on the front of collectivization and industrialization of the country, the fruit of which was the Stalinist Constitution. The USSR became a country of victorious socialism, an unshakable outpost of the world revolution. This was the reason that the enemies of the people - Trotskyists, nationalists and other agents of counter-revolution - with particular ferocity, through individual terror, sabotage, sabotage, and espionage, tried to slow down the powerful forward movement of socialism on all fronts of construction, including in literature. But the enemies were completely defeated. Some members of literary organizations, including the VUSPP, were exposed as enemies of the people, who in every possible way also harmed the cause of the development of Soviet literature. Despite the subversive activities of the enemies, Soviet literature continued to develop intensively. The Second Five-Year Plan was a very intensive period in the development of Soviet artistic literature; its ideological and artistic level increased significantly. Poets such as P. Tychyna, M. Bazhan, M. Rylsky, prose writers - A. Golovko, Yu. Yanovsky, Yu. Smolich, A. Kopylenko, playwrights - A. Korneychuk, I. Kocherga, became prominent figures in Soviet literature. ry. The tireless leadership of the party, personally Comrade Stalin, A. M. Gorky, and the literary process contributed to the development of Soviet U. L. in the spirit of socialist realism, although literature continued to lag behind the tasks that the cultural construction of the country put forward to it.

Topics of Soviet U. l. of this period is as varied as it is significant. The literature of these years reflected the processes of building socialism, further growth industrialization, collectivization, created images of a new man, reflected the period of the civil war, the recent past - from the revolution of 1905 to October. As for previous historical eras, the life of the Ukrainian people in the historical past, writers began to approach these topics closely only in this period. In 1933, M. Rylsky’s poem “Marina” was published, depicting the hard life of a serf woman and the wild morals of the serf-owning gentlemen. It vividly reflects the era of serfdom in Ukraine. One of the best plays by I. Kocherga, “The Song of the Candle,” truthfully depicts the struggle of the Ukrainian people against the feudal lords in the 16th century.

Socialist construction in in a broad sense words were reflected in a number of works of this period. Majority poetic works showed the achievements and victories of the socialist era, developing the motives of defending the country and fighting international reaction; the poets called for vigilance, expressing hatred and contempt for traitors to the motherland - Trotskyists, nationalists and all kinds of counter-revolutionaries. They sang of the new, socialist man, a joyful, cultural, prosperous life, love for the motherland, the party and the leader, Comrade. Stalin. Under their pen, unforgettable pages of the history of the Civil War came to life, they were inspired by the exploits of the heroes of the Soviet Union, the Stakhanov movement, the desire of the international proletariat for world revolution, the heroic struggle of the Spanish and Chinese peoples for their independence.

A significant ideological and political upsurge is characteristic of the work of many poets of this time, and especially of outstanding masters of poetry. So Tychina, in his wonderful collections of poems - “Chernigov” and “Party of Veda”, based on the organically deep use of folklore, gave a number of exciting songs about tractor drivers, about Kotovsky, poems about the heroism of youth and caustic satires on all sorts of lords and enemies of the motherland. He created brilliant examples of politically sensitive poetry. Maxim’s ideological turn is very significant Rylsky precisely from the end of the first five-year plan: the poet decisively moved away from neoclassicism and began to perceive the real Soviet reality more deeply. An indicator of this turning point was the collection “The Sign of Tereziv”, which was soon followed by the poem “Marina”, the collections “Kiev”, “Summer”, “Ukraine”. If Rylsky’s first two collections (“The Sign of Tereziv” and “Kiev”) still bore the imprint of contemplation in search of a new path, as well as individual relapses of neoclassical poetics, then the last two - “Summer” and “Ukraine” - already provided examples of the poetry of a mature master, depicting the achievements of socialist construction. His “Song about Stalin” enjoyed significant success. It gained popularity throughout the Soviet Union and became truly popular. At the same time, Rylsky is keenly interested in the historical past of Ukraine; The poet contrasts the tragic past of the enslaved Ukrainian people with the bright present - the victories and cheerfulness of the Stalin era. Ukrainian Soviet poetry created images of a positive hero, as the embodiment of the best typical features of a socialist person. This is, for example, the image of S. M. Kirov in the poem “Immortality” by M. Bazhan, which reproduces three main stages in the life and work of Kirov: underground work in Siberia, participation in the civil war and the role of Kirov - the builder of socialism, the leader of the party. This poem is a major victory for M. Bazhan. In it, the poet showed himself to be one of the best political lyricists. For Soviet poetry as a whole, this poem is a significant achievement. Having gotten rid of his previously characteristic traits of idealistic thinking, ponderous style and archaic vocabulary, Bazhan in “Immortality” created a majestic image of a heroic, energetic, tireless in work, humane, devoted to the people Bolshevik, full of bright joy, faith in the victory of socialism, inexhaustible optimism and intransigence to the enemy. The poem is distinguished by its broad outlook, it deeply feels the vast expanse of our homeland, the scale and grandiose scope of the construction of socialism, this whole picture is imbued with the majestic pathos of socialist creativity and life conquering death, defeating the vile machinations of the enemy. The poem ends with a hymn to the free socialist creative labor of liberated humanity. Characteristic style feature poems: power of expressiveness, aphoristic conciseness, synthesis of thought and emotional tension. The second poem by M. Bazhan - “Fathers and Blues” (Fathers and Sons, 1938) - is a poem about the brave selfless struggle of workers for Soviet power, it is a hymn to Soviet patriotism. In this poem, M. Bazhan embodied the thoughts of Comrade. Stalin that “the blood shed abundantly by our people was not in vain, that it gave its results.” The poem captures the pathos of majestic truth, heroism and hatred of the enemies of the revolution.

From positive images Particular attention of poets is attracted by the image of the leader of the peoples, Comrade. Stalin, to whom many poems are dedicated by Rylsky, Tychina, Bazhan, Sosyura, Usenko, Golovanivsky, Kryzhanivsky and others. The legendary heroes of the Red Army - Kotovsky, Shchors, Frunze, the iron people's commissar Voroshilov, their exploits and victories inspire many poets. Of these poems, it should be noted “Song about Kotovsky” and “Poem about Kotovsky” by Tychina, L. Dmiterko’s great poem about the national hero Shchors - “The Oath of the Faithful”, in which the poet painted an expressive image of the glorious commander of the Red Army. Formal growth and deeper ideological aspiration are visible in such poets as V. Sosyura, L. Pervomaisky, S. Golovanivsky, P. Usenko. In the collection “New Poetry,” V. Sosyura sang the heroism of the defenders of Madrid and created heartfelt images of the leaders of the revolution. His poems are imbued with optimism; you can feel the boiling of young creative forces in them.

L. Pervomaisky with his collection “New Lyrics” (poems 1934-1937) showed that he successfully overcomes the dryness, some artificiality and ideological breakdowns characteristic of his previous works. The last poems and songs of this poet acquire transparency of form and greater simplicity of expression. Their distinctive quality is the cheerfulness and solemn elation with which the poet speaks of love for his homeland, for comrade. Stalin, to the heroic people and youth of the Soviet country.

S. Golovanivsky in new poems in the collection “Zustrich Maria” is freed from mannerisms, his poems become more natural and smooth; He works best with song motifs.

A number of young poets are working tirelessly to improve the culture of poetry and expand their ideological and thematic range. During this period, new talented youth came to poetry: Andrei Malyshko, Igor Muratov, K. Gerasimenko, Vyrgan, Yu. Karsky, A. Novitsky, G. Plotkin, A. Kopshtein. Andrey Malyshko is characterized by an active and cheerful interpretation of current socialist themes; he is primarily concerned with the life and exploits of the people of our era. A remarkable fact of the development of creativity of broad masses liberated by the October Revolution, is the arrival of poets from the people into literature (Maria Mironets and others. See the section “Oral Folk Art”). The Ukrainian has stepped far forward Soviet prose, which in its most significant works reflected the processes of industrialization and collectivization, the construction of socialist cities, the psychology of new people, and the cultural revolution. The subject matter of prose is varied.

In the novel “48 Hours,” Yu. Smolich shows the achievements of socialist construction during the years of the first five-year plan.

A. Kopylenko in the novel “Narodzhuyetsya Misto” (A City is Born, 1932), using the material of the construction of a socialist city, showed differentiation in the ranks of the old intelligentsia, the growth of young, Soviet technical personnel, new forms of socialist labor, and the overcoming of kulak resistance. The novel by the same author “Duzhe Dobre” (Very Good, 1936) is dedicated to the Soviet high school, exposing enemies who tried to get into school, relationships between students, with parents and teachers, home education. This work is rich in concrete material, everyday drawings, gives a number of types dedicated Soviet teachers, draws a gallery of various figures of excellent children and social activists. Thematically, it is related to Nathan Rybak’s novel “Kiev” (Kyiv, 1936), depicting a Soviet university, the struggle against nationalism, and stratification in the ranks of the intelligentsia. This topic is also developed by Yu. Smolich. In the novel “Our Secrets,” Yu. Smolich showed a pre-revolutionary gymnasium during the World War, creating a whole gallery of socially and individually diverse figures of students who, by the beginning of the social revolution, as revolutionary events developed and their political consciousness grew, diverged in different directions as representatives various social groups and parties. “Our Secrets” is a work that gives truthful and big picture old school, reveals the methods of pre-revolutionary education; it ranks in U. l. one of the prominent places.

In the sense of outlining a historical era, the introductory part to this novel is the autobiographical “Childhood” (Childhood, 1937) by the same author, depicting the life of the provincial intelligentsia, its attitude towards workers and landowners in the period between the revolution of 1905 and the imperialist war.

From the extensive range of prose works dedicated to the depiction of the civil war and revolution of 1905, one should highlight “Vershniki” (Riders) by Yu. Yanovsky. “Riders” is essentially not a novel, but a series of short stories, organically united into one whole by the unity of characters, material, and ideological aspiration. Original, rich language, unique syntax, creative use of folklore, skill in creating monumental heroic images make this work one of the best examples of Soviet Ukrainian prose.

The revolution of 1905 was vividly reflected in Golovko’s novel “Mati” (Mother, 1935). The writer made an interesting and valuable attempt to develop the same topic and the same period of time, which are given in the classic work of M. Kotsyubinsky “Fata Morgana”. The novel “Mother” illuminates in more detail the leading role of the urban proletariat in the revolutionary movement of the poor peasantry. In addition, in the novel “Mother,” which is the first part of the planned trilogy, Golovko depicted the Ukrainian intelligentsia, its differentiation during the period of the first revolution, and exposed the treasonous role of its bourgeois-nationalist part. “Obloga Nochi” (Siege of the Night, 1935) and “Peace” by Petro Panch, “The Desna Battalioni Crossed the Desna” (The Battalions Crossed the Desna, 1937) by Ol. Desnyak, “Road to Kiev” (Road to Kyiv, 1937) S. Sklyarenko, the first part of the novel by N. Fisherman"Dnipro" (Dnepr, 1937). Punch showed the struggle of Donbass miners against the enemies of the homeland, the hetman, Petliurists, Denikinites, against their attempts to restore capitalism and exploitation, and illuminated the process of growing activity and revolutionary consciousness of the working masses. Desnyak, knowing the material well, gave a detailed picture of the struggle of the former deserters of the imperialist war, who became the head of the partisan movement against the kulaks and the bourgeois central council, foreign interventionists. The writer managed to give a bright heroic figure of Shchors. Although the latter is not the main character in the novel, the author managed to characterize his individual characteristics - courage, determination, speed of action, courage, strategic talent of this truly folk hero-commander. In Sklyarenko’s novel “The Road to Kyiv” the author’s image of Shchors was less successful. This novel is rich in historical events, depicting in detail not only the complex domestic, but also the international situation. N. Rybak’s novel “Dnepr” is also adjacent to the works devoted to the theme of the civil war, although the author touches on the topic of foreign occupation only at the end of the first book. Basically, this work broadly depicts the life, morals of timber raftsmen and pilots, their struggle with entrepreneurs. N. Rybak created a colorful figure of the active, cruel and treacherous, greedy money-grubber, merchant and entrepreneur Kashpur. A. Shiyan’s novel “The Thunderstorm” includes quite extensive material, covering the period of time from the imperialist to the civil war. "The Thunderstorm" depicts the struggle of the poor peasantry against the bourgeoisie. V. Sobko’s novel “Granite” is distinguished by the freshness of its concept and the author’s ability to construct an entertaining, dynamic plot. The novel shows courage and endurance Soviet people, ideologically it is directed against imperialism. A. Risberg's story "Creativity", where the author makes a successful attempt to penetrate psychology Soviet man, is built on the idea of ​​creativity, characteristic of the people of the Soviet land, be it an artist, a pilot, a parachutist, or a Stakhanovite in the canning industry.

The growth of Ukrainian Soviet drama. She appeared on the all-Union stage. Of the five prizes at the All-Union Drama Competition in 1934, two were awarded to Ukrainian Soviet playwrights: A. Korneychuk (“The Death of the Squadron”) - the second, I. Kocherga (“The Watchmaker and the Chicken”) - the third.

The talented writer Alexander Korneychuk rose to the forefront of the Union's playwrights during the years of the second Stalinist Five-Year Plan. Korneychuk is primarily interested in the image of a new, socialist person, his distinctive features, whether he is a party member or a non-party member, a red commander or an ordinary Soviet worker in a civilian position. Korneychuk is especially successful in showing a positive hero, a man devoted to revolutionary duty, a Soviet social activist who fundamentally puts the public above the personal. These people are endowed high qualities mind, will and feelings, the artist expressively emphasizes the creative, active, organizing and heroic quality inherent in the best people of the Soviet era. That is why Korneychuk’s plays (the best of them are “The Death of the Squadron” and “Bogdan Khmelnitsky”) enjoy well-deserved success on the stage of theaters throughout the Union. In plays about the civil war ("The Death of the Squadron"), about the revolution ("Pravda"), about Soviet construction ("The Banker", "Platon the Krechet") Korneichuk strives to embody the characteristics of the new, socialist man, clearly revealing them in the development of intense action. Korneychuk's plays are an outstanding phenomenon in Ukrainian and all-Union drama. Korneychuk enjoys well-deserved popularity among the masses. In 1937 Korneychuk was elected to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, and in 1938 to the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR.

Ivan Kocherga in his plays gravitates mainly towards philosophical issues; reflecting Soviet reality, he strives to comprehend it philosophically and generalize it. Thus, in the play “The Watchmaker and the Chicken” he is interested in the problem of time, its meaning in social life, in the play “Pіdesh - you will not return” (If you go - you will not return) - the problem of space in the physical and psychological sense.

Kocherga's dramaturgy is distinguished by formal mastery, originality and ease of language. Not limiting ourselves to the depiction of Soviet reality, people of Bolshevik strength, overcoming the vast spaces of our vast homeland, Kocherga gives vivid pictures from the history of the civil war (“Maistri Chasu”) or the historical past of Ukraine: his “Song of the Candle” is a moving picture of the struggle of the Ukrainian people against the feudal lords in the 16th century.

In the field of drama, it should also be noted that V. Sukhodolsky’s historical play “Karmelyuk” is about the national hero Karmelyuk, who led the movement of the Ukrainian people against the landowners and autocracy. In the “Duma about Britannia” Yu. Yanovsky juicy tongue depicts the courageous struggle of the Red partisans against the Denikin, Petlyura and Makhnovist gangs. The author created a number of original images of staunch fighters for the revolution. The musical comedy by L. Yukhvid “Fun in Malinovtsi” (Wedding in Malinovka, 1938) enjoyed great success among the audience. The author managed to overcome the usual operetta stencils and, based on the material of the civil war in Ukraine, write a play with lyrical and dramatic images of positive heroes and sharp comedic situations. At the All-Ukrainian competition of plays on collective farm themes in 1938, Yu. Mokreev’s drama “Tsvit’ Zhita” (Rye is Blooming) and E. Krotevich’s comedy “Sad Tsvite” (The Garden is Blooming) were recommended for production.

Ukrainian children's literature has also grown significantly. Not only “children’s” writers work in this area, but also “adult” writers. Thus, P. Tychyna, P. Punch, M. Rylsky, L. Pervomaisky, A. Golovko, O. Donchenko wrote for children. The poets gave not only their original works, but also translations from the classics (Pushkin and Goethe, adaptations from Franco) and modern writers of fraternal peoples - K. Chukovsky, S. Marshak and others. In stories and stories for children by A. Golovko (“Chervona Hustin"), P. Pancha ("Sin of the Tarashchansky Regiment", "Small Partisan") reflects the heroism of the civil war, the participation of children in it. Master of the children's genre in Soviet U.L. is N. Zabila. She successfully uses the animal epic and adventure genre, putting the story into a light poetic form. M. Prigara's poems for children are simple and entertaining, V. Vladko cultivates the genre science fiction. Having begun his work under the strong influence of Jules Verne and Wales (“The Wonderful Generator”, “Argonauts to the World”), Vladko set out on an independent path in his further works (“12 Povidan”). O. Ivanenko develops a fairy tale for children, using not only folk art, but also literary classics (Andersen). Most prolific children's writer O. Donchenko knows how to build a fascinating plot and interest the reader with a variety of material. The story “Batkivshchyna” (Fatherland) is interesting because of the contrast between raising children here and abroad. The result of the collective work of children's writers was the almanac “Lenin and Stalin in works for children” (Lenin and Stalin in works for children), published for the 20th anniversary of the October Revolution.

For the development of many Ukrainian Soviet poets, prose writers, playwrights and writers for children, Ukrainian oral folk art had a great positive influence, enriching them with new ideas, images, and language culture (see section U. L. “Oral Folk Art”).

Ukrainian Soviet writers have done a great deal of work in the field of translating into Ukrainian the works of the best representatives of Russian literature and other literary works of the fraternal peoples of our Union (Pushkin in the translation by Rylsky, Shota Rustaveli in the translation of Bazhana, Gorky, Nekrasov, etc.).

Soviet art, in its best examples, has reached the level of advanced art of the Soviet Union, is one of the powerful manifestations of the creativity of the great Ukrainian people liberated by the Great October Socialist Revolution. Her ideological and artistic achievements are the result of the correct Leninist-Stalinist national policy, the tireless leadership of the Lenin-Stalin party and the victories won in the fight against enemies of all stripes in building socialism. The inalienable victories and every day growing achievements of socialism, the indestructible power of the Soviet Union, the close unity of all the fraternal peoples of the great Soviet country, the blood connection with the people of writers armed with Marxism-Leninism, devoted to the party, inspired by faith in the world revolution - are the key to the further flourishing of the Soviet W. l. in an atmosphere imbued with the spirit of the great Stalinist Constitution.

Literary encyclopedia

This article is part of a series of articles about the Ukrainian people... Wikipedia

UKRAINIAN LITERATURE- UKRAINIAN LITERATURE, literature of the Ukrainian people; develops in Ukrainian. Beginning of U. l. dates back to the 9th-12th centuries, to the era of Kievan Rus; its primary source and common (for Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians) root is Old Russian... ... Literary encyclopedic dictionary

Ukrainian SSR (Ukrainian Radyanska Socialistichna Respublika), Ukraine (Ukraine). I. General information The Ukrainian SSR was formed on December 25, 1917. With the creation of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on December 30, 1922, it became part of it as a union republic. Located on... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Ukrainian Radyansk Socialist Republic flag of the republic coat of arms of the republic Motto: Workers of all lands, unite! ... Wikipedia

Ukraine, represented in the best works of our writers, is gradually finding its way to the minds and hearts of readers all over the world. In our selection, we take it for granted that the works of our classics are known and loved by Ukrainian scholars and students of departments of Ukrainian language and literature in other countries. We don't mention writers either. Ukrainian origin who lived and worked abroad without positioning themselves as representatives Ukrainian culture: the same Joseph Conrad, who was born in Berdichev, but is known throughout the world as British writer. Writers of the Ukrainian diaspora more than deserve a separate article. Here we tried to gather representatives of modern Ukrainian literature: authors who live and work in Ukraine, whose works are translated and published in other countries of the world.

Polish investigation into Ukrainian sex

Oksana Zabuzhko, Comora

Even if you are one of those who don’t like Zabuzhko, you cannot but agree that she is a master of modernism, a deep connoisseur Ukrainian history and a keen student of human relations. Some novels come to us exactly when we should read them: this one is about the danger of complete immersion in another person, about total love, which requires a woman to renounce herself, her talent, mission and space, her soul and destiny. The novel was published in English, Bulgarian, Dutch, Italian, German, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Serbian, Swedish, Czech. Other works by Oksana Zabuzhko: “Sister, Sister”, “The Tale of the Kalinov Sopilka”, “The Museum of Abandoned Secrets” are also published in translation abroad.

Perversion

Yuri Andrukhovich, “Lileya”

A completely crazy plot, and it’s clear why foreign readers liked it. Imagine a scientific symposium in Venice, the theme of which is: “Post-carnival world: what’s in store?” Ukrainian writer Stanislav Perfetsky gets to the symposium through Munich, driven by a strange married couple: Ada Citrina and the mute Doctor Janus Maria Riesenbock. In Venice, Perfetsky, rushing for a prostitute, ends up in a sectarian worship service: representatives of migrants of different nationalities worship a new deity, to whom they sacrifice at the end of the ceremony big fish. And then the plot twists in such a way that Perfetsky finds its ending only on the remote island of San Michele, having finally discovered the only priest who can listen to his confession and talk to him about Ukraine. The novel was published in many languages, as was another cult work of the author, “Moscoviada”.

Mesopotamia

Sergey Zhadan, “Family Dozville Club”

"Mesopotamia" is nine stories in prose and thirty poetic clarifications. All the texts in this book are about the same environment, the characters move from one story to another, and then into poetry. Philosophical digressions, fantastic images, exquisite metaphors and specific humor - everything that is so attractive in Zhadan’s works is here. These are the stories of Babylon, retold for those interested in questions of love and death. Stories about the life of a city lying between two rivers, biographies of characters who fight for their right to be heard and understood, chronicles of street clashes and daily passions. The novel is very popular abroad.

Cult

Lyubko Deresh, “Kalvarya”

“Cult” is the first novel by Lubomir (Lyubka) Deresh. Back in 2001, the young author was 16 years old. Some people define the genre of this work as fantasy, but, be that as it may, Deresh’s novel “says hello” to such masters of gothic and fantasy as Poe, Zelazny or Lovecraft. The novel has been translated and published in Serbia, Bulgaria, Poland, Germany, Italy and France.

Picnic on Ice/Death of a Stranger

Andrey Kurkov, “Folio”

Kurkov is perhaps one of the most published Ukrainian writers abroad; his translations of “Picnic on Ice” were published by the best publishing houses. The book was published in English under the title Death and the Penguin, and many languages ​​have retained this version. Today the novel has been translated into five languages, including English, German, and Italian. Why did the plot interest foreign readers? Because it's very interesting intelligent detective. Journalist Viktor Zolotarev receives an unusual assignment from a major newspaper: to write obituaries of prominent influential people, although all of them are still alive. Gradually, he realizes that he has become a participant in a large game of shadow structures, from which it turns out to be an almost impossible task to get out of it alive. Kurkov's works have been translated into 37 languages.

Tango of Death

Yuriy Vinnichuk, “Folio”

The novel was named the 2012 BBC Book of the Year. The novel takes place in two storylines. In the first we meet four friends: a Ukrainian, a Pole, a German and a Jew who live in pre-war Lviv. Their parents were soldiers of the UPR army and died in 1921 near the Bazaar. Young people experience all the vicissitudes of their age, but never betray their friendship. Second story line has other characters, and its action takes place not only in Lviv, but also in Turkey. Both lines intersect in an unexpected ending. Vinnichuk's works were published in England, Argentina, Belarus, Canada, Germany, Poland, Serbia, USA, France, Croatia, and the Czech Republic.

Difficulties

Taras Prokhasko, “Lileya”

Difficulties - who are they? Hutsuls call this people who differ from others in knowledge and skills, which can benefit or harm other people. The novel is dedicated to the “alternative” history of the Carpathians, its action takes place in the period from 1913 to 1951. The Carpathians were both a very archaic environment and, paradoxically as it may sound, a very open zone of intercultural communication. This second myth, about the open Carpathians, is his alternative history. Prokhasko's works have been translated into English, German, Polish, and Russian.

Licorice Darusya

Maria Matios, “Pyramid”

The most famous novel by Maria Matios, rightly called “a tragedy adequate to the history of the twentieth century,” and Darusya herself - “in an almost biblical way.” The action takes place in Bukovina, in a mountain village where Darusya and her parents live, and where the NKVD officers come after the occupation of Western Ukraine by Soviet troops. Now Darusya, whom her fellow villagers consider crazy and for some reason call her “sweet,” lives alone. It's the 70s outside. Darusya remembers her young and loving parents, who were “grinded” by the millstones of the regime, and sometimes reminds people living around her of the sins they committed. But a moment comes and Darusya’s life changes. The novel went through 6 reprints. “Licorice Darusya” was released in Polish, Russian, Croatian, German, Lithuanian, French, Italian.

Oko prіrvi/Chotiri romani

Valery Shevchuk, “A-BA-BA-GA-LA-MA-GA”

Valery Shevchuk is a living classic. The publishing house of Ivan Malkovich has released a book with four of the author’s most famous novels, including “Tear the Eye.” The genre of this novel is a historical-mystical dystopia. Its action takes place in the distant 16th century, but the author hints, of course, at the totalitarian regime of the USSR. Shevchuk’s works have long been published in English, Polish and German.

Ostannє bazhanya

Evgenia Kononenko, “Anneta Antonenko’s show”

How do writers who lied their whole lives die? They served the regime, wrote books that no one read, although the writer’s family lived in abundance for the fees. No one will leave this life until they tell the truth. Even if a notebook with an autobiography falls into the hands of his son, having lain in a pile of unnecessary drafts for a decade and a half. Evgenia Kononenko is a wonderful author and translator fiction. Her works have been translated into English, German, French, Croatian, Russian, Finnish, Polish, Belarusian and Japanese.

Modern Ukrainian literature is created by writers of a new generation, such as: Yuri Andrukhovich, Alexander Irvanets, Yuri Izdrik, Oksana Zabuzhko, Nikolai Ryabchuk, Yuri Pokalchuk, Konstantin Moskalets, Natalka Belotserkovets, Vasily Shklyar, Evgenia Kononenko, Andrey Kurkov, Ivan Malkovich, Bohdan Zholdak, Sergey Zhadan, Pavel Ivanov-Ostoslavsky, Alexandra Barbolina and others.

Yuri Andrukhovich – one of the most famous Ukrainian cultural figures. His works are very popular not only in Ukraine, but also abroad. Andrukhovych’s books and journalistic works are translated and published in many European countries.

1993: Laureate literary prize Blagovist

1996: Ray Lapika Award

2001: Herder Prize

2005: Received a special prize as part of the Peace Prize. Erich Maria Remarque

2006: Prize for European Understanding (Leipzig, Germany)

Western criticism identifies Andrukhovych as one of the most prominent representatives of postmodernism, comparing him in importance in the world literary hierarchy with Umberto Eco. His works have been translated into 8 European languages, including the novel “Perversion” published in Germany, Italy, and Poland. The book of essays was published in Austria.

Alexander Irvanets - poet, prose writer, translator. Born on January 24, 1961 in Lvov. Lived in Rivne. In 1988 he graduated from the Moscow Literary Institute. Author of 12 books, 5 of which are poetry collections. Collaborated with many periodicals. Now he has an author’s column in the magazine “Ukraine”. One of the founders of the popular Bu-Ba-Boo society, which also included Yuri Andrukhovich and Victor Neborak. A. Irvanets teaches at the Ostroh Academy. Lives in Irpen.

Yuri Izdryk

In 1989 he founded the magazine “Chetver”, which he has edited since 1992 together with Yuri Andrukhovich.

He became actively involved in artistic life in the late 1980s. He took part in many exhibitions and events, worked on the design of books and magazines, and recorded music. At the same time, the first publications appeared - the cycle of stories “The Last War” and the poetic cycle “Ten Poems about the Motherland”. Some of it was later published in the Warsaw magazine Belching. Acquaintance with the writer Yuri Andrukhovich, as well as the unification of young Ivano-Frankivsk authors around the magazine “Chetver” turned out to be an important factor in the formation of Izdryk as a writer. The result was the emergence from the “countercultural underground” and the first “legitimate” publication of the story “The Island of Krk” in the magazine “Suchasnist”. The story was positively assessed by critics and eventually appeared in a Polish translation in Literatura na Swiecie.

He also appears as an artist (a number of collective and personal exhibitions) and a composer (two piano concertos, musical composition“Medieval Menagerie” based on poems by Yuri Andrukhovich)

Prose: Krk Island, Wozzeck, Double Leon, AMTM, Flash.

Translations: Czeslaw Miłosz “Kindred Europe”, together with Lydia Stefanowska.

Oksana Zabuzhko – one of the few Ukrainian writers who live on royalties from the books they write. Although, a significant share of income still comes from books published abroad. Zabuzhko’s works were able to conquer European countries, and also found their adherents in the USA, and moreover, in a number of exotic countries.

In 1985, Zabuzhko’s first collection of poems, “Travneviy іnіy,” was published.

Oksana Zabuzhko is a member of the Association of Ukrainian Writers.

In August 2006, the Korrespondent magazine included Zabuzhko among the participants in the TOP-100 “Most Influential People in Ukraine” rating; before that, in June, the writer’s book “Let my people go” topped the “Best Ukrainian Book” list, becoming the choice of the readers of Korrespondent no. 1.

Yuri Pokalchuk - writer, translator, candidate of philological sciences, member National Union writers since 1976. From 1994 to 1998 - Chairman of the foreign branch of the NSPU. In 1997-2000 - President of the Association of Ukrainian Writers.

In the USSR he was the first translator of the Argentine cultural writer Jorge Luis Borges. In addition to him, he translated Hemingway, Selinger, Borges, Cortazar, Amada, Mario Vargas Llosa, Kipling, Rimbaud and many others, and wrote more than 15 fiction books.

Author of the books “Who are you?”, “First and foremost”, “Colorful melodies”, “Cava from Matagalpi”, “The Great and the Small”, “The Pattern and the Arrow”, “Chimera”, “Those on the Underside” , “Doors to...”, “Lake Wind”, “Another Week of the Month”, “Another Sky”, “Odysseus, Father Icarus”, “It Seems to Stink”, “Beautiful Hour”.
Among Pokalchuk’s most famous books are “Taxi Blues”, “The Ring Road”, “Forbidden Games”, “The Intoxicating Smell of the Jungle”, “The Kama Sutra”.

Konstantin Moskalets - poet, prose writer, literary critic, musician.

One of the founders of the Bakhmach literary group DAK. He served in the army, worked at a radio factory in Chernigov, and was a member of the Lviv theater-studio “Don’t Jury!”, performing as an author-performer of his own songs. Laureate of the first all-Ukrainian festival “Chervona Ruta” (1989) in the “author’s song” category. Author of the words and music of the famous song “She” in Ukraine (“Tomorrow I’ll come to your room...”). Member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine (1992) and the Association of Ukrainian Writers (1997). Since 1991, he has lived in the village of Mateevka in the Tea Rose Cell, which he built with his own hands, doing exclusively literary work.

Konstantin Moskalets is the author of the poetic books “Dumas” and “Songe du vieil pelerin” (“Song of the Old Pilgrim”), “Night Shepherds of Life” and “The Symbol of the Rose”, the book of prose “Early Autumn”, the philosophical and literary essay “Man on an Ice Floe” " and "The Game Lasts", as well as the book of diary entries "The Cell of the Tea Rose".

The prose of Konstantin Moskalets has been translated into English, German and Japanese; Numerous poems and essays have been translated into Serbian and Polish.

Prize winner named after. A. Beletsky (2000), named after. V. Stus (2004), named after. V. Svidzinsky (2004), named after. M. Kotsyubinsky (2005), named after. G. Skovoroda (2006).

Natalka Belotserkovets – her first book of poetry "Ballad of the Undefeated" was published in 1976 while she was still a student. Poetry collections underground fire(1984) and November(1989) became real signs of Ukrainian poetic life of the 1980s. Her careful, refined lyrics became a serious competitor to the powerful male verses of the 1980s generation. For everything younger generation In post-Chernobyl Ukraine, her poem “We Will Not Die in Paris” was a kind of prayer. Her name is often associated with this poem, although she wrote many other wonderful poems. The last book Belotserkovets Allergy(1999) is considered the peak of her poetry.

Vasily Shklyar

One of the most famous, widely read and “mystical” modern writers, “the father of the Ukrainian bestseller.” Graduated from the philological faculties of Kyiv and Yerevan universities. While still a student, he wrote his first story “Snow” in Armenia, and in 1976 the book was already published, and he was accepted into the Writers’ Union. Armenia, of course, remained forever in his soul, it left a mark on his worldview, consciousness, feelings, because he lived in this country in his youth, at the time of his formation as a person. All his books, stories, and novels contain Armenian motifs. After graduating from university, he returned to Kyiv, worked in the press, was engaged in journalism, wrote prose and translated from Armenian language. The first translations are the stories of the classic Axel Bakunts, poems by Amo Saghyan, Vahan Davtyan, and “Hunting Stories” by Vakhtang Ananyan. From 1988 to 1998, he was engaged in political journalism and visited “hot spots.” This experience (in particular, the details of the rescue of General Dudayev’s family after his death) was then reflected by him in the novel “Elemental”. As a result of a fishing accident, he ended up in intensive care, and after “returning from the other world,” he wrote his most famous novel, “The Key,” within a month. For it, Vasily Shklyar received several literary awards (Grand Prix of the action-packed novel competition “Golden Babai”, prizes from the capital’s magazines “Modernity” and “Oligarch”, prize from the international science fiction convention “Spiral of Centuries”, etc.). Of these, his favorite is “the author whose books were most stolen from stores.” “The Key” has already gone through eight reprints, translated into several languages, published twice in Armenian, and it also contains Armenian realities. Shklyar headed the Dnepr publishing house, within which he publishes his translations and adaptations of foreign and Russian classics(“Decameron” by Boccaccio, “Taras Bulba” by M. Gogol, “Poviya” by P. Mirny) - in an abbreviated form and modern language, without archaisms, dialectisms, etc.

About two dozen of his prose books were published, which were translated into Russian, Armenian, Bulgarian, Polish, Swedish and other languages.

Evgenia Kononenko

Writer, translator, author of more than 10 published books. Works research fellow Ukrainian Center for Cultural Research. Winner of the award named after. N. Zerova for translating an anthology of French sonnets (1993). Winner of the Granoslov literary prize for a collection of poetry. Author of short stories, children's books, stories, novels and many translations. Some of Kononenko's short stories have been translated into English, German, French, Finnish, Croatian, Belarusian and Russian.

A book edition of Kononenko’s collection of short stories is being prepared in Russia.

By analogy with Balzac, who wrote “The Human Comedy” all his life, Evgenia Kononenko can be called the demiurge of the “Kyiv comedy”. But unlike the French classics, the genre forms here are much smaller, and the means are more compact.

Andrey Kurkov (April 23, 1961, Leningrad region) - Ukrainian writer, teacher, filmmaker. I started writing in high school. Graduated from the school of translators Japanese language. Worked as an editor at the Dnepr publishing house. Since 1988 member of the English Pen Club. Now he is the author of 13 novels and 5 books for children. Since the 1990s, all of Kurkov’s works in Russian in Ukraine have been published by the Folio publishing house (Kharkov). Since 2005, Kurkov’s works in Russia have been published by the Amphora publishing house (St. Petersburg). His novel “Picnic on Ice” sold 150 thousand copies in Ukraine - more than the book of any other contemporary writer in Ukraine. Kurkov's books have been translated into 21 languages.

Kurkov is the only writer in the post-Soviet space whose books are in the top ten European bestsellers. In March 2008, Andrei Kurkov’s novel “The Night Milkman” was included in the “ long list"Russian literary award "National Bestseller". He worked as a screenwriter at the A. Dovzhenko film studio. Member of the Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine (since 1993) and the National Union of Writers (since 1994). Since 1998 - member of the European Film Academy and permanent member of the jury of the European Film Academy "Felix" award.

More than 20 feature films and documentaries have been produced based on his scripts.

Books: Don't bring me to Kengaraks, 11 extraordinary things, Bickford's world, Death of a Stranger, Picnic on Ice, Good Angel of Death, Dear Friend, Comrade of the Dead, Geography of a Single Shot, last love president, Favorite song of a cosmopolitan, The Adventures of the Nonsense Boars (children's book), School of Cat Aeronautics (children's book), The Night Milkman.

Scenarios: Exit, The Pit, Sunday Escape, A Night of Love, Champs Elysees, The Blob, Death of a Stranger, Dead Man's Buddy.

Ivan Malkovich - poet and book publisher, - author of the collections White Stone, Key, Virshi, Iz yangol on the shoulder. His poems became a symbol of the generation of the 80s (a review of the first collection of poems was written by Lina Kostenko). Malkovich is the director of the children's publishing house A-BA-BA-GA-LA-MA-GA. Publishes children's books. Known for his unshakable convictions not only regarding the quality of the book, but also the language - all books are published exclusively in Ukrainian.

One of the first in Ukraine to begin to conquer the foreign market - the rights to the books A-BA-BA were sold to leading publishing houses in ten countries, including such a giant of the book market as Alfred A. Knopf (New York, USA). And Russian translations Snow Queen and Tales of Foggy Albion, the rights to which were bought by the publishing house Azbuka (St. Petersburg), entered the top ten best-selling books in Russia.

A-BA-BA, one of the most nominated publishing houses in Ukraine. His books won the Grand Prix 22 times and took first place at the All-Ukrainian Publishers Forum in Lviv and in the Book of Fate ranking. In addition, they consistently lead in sales rankings in Ukraine.

Zholda ́ to Bogda ́ n Alekseevich (1948) - Ukrainian writer, screenwriter, playwright.

Finished Faculty of Philology Kievsky state university them. T. G. Shevchenko (1972). He was the presenter of several television programs on UT-1 and the “1 + 1” channel and a weekly radio program on the first channel of the National Radio “Breaks - literary meetings with Bogdan Zholdak.” Works at the Ros film studio at the Ros Company JSC, teaches screenwriting skills at the Kyiv Film Faculty state institute theatrical arts them. I. Karpenko-Kary. Member of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine and the National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine and the Kinopis association.

Books: “Spokusi”, “Yalovichina”, “Like a Dog Under a Tank”, “God Blows”, “Anticlimax”.

Sergey Zhadan - poet, prose writer, essayist, translator. Vice-President of the Association of Ukrainian Writers (since 2000). Translates poetry from German (including Paul Celan), English (including Charles Bukowski), Belarusian (including Andrei Khadanovich), Russian (including Kirill Medvedev, Danilo Davydov) languages. Own texts were translated into German, English, Polish, Serbian, Croatian, Lithuanian, Belarusian, Russian and Armenian.

In March 2008, Zhadan’s novel “Anarchy in the UKR” in Russian translation was included in the “long list” of the Russian literary award “National Bestseller”. The nominee was a writer from St. Petersburg, Dmitry Gorchev. Also, this book was shortlisted in 2008 and received certificate of honor competition "Book of the Year" at the Moscow International Book Fair.

Poetry collections: Quotation Book, General Yuda, Pepsi, Vibrations of poetry, Baladi about the war and the Great Patriotic War, History of culture from the beginning of the century, Quote Book, Maradona, Ethiopia.

Prose: Big Mak (collection of stories), Depeche Mode, Anarchy in the UKR, Anthem of Democratic Youth.

Pavel Ivanov-Ostoslavsky - poet, publicist, local historian, public giver. In 2003, Pavel Igorevich published his first poetry collection, “Sanctuary of Fire.” This book was later reprinted several times. In 2004, Pavel Ivanov-Ostoslavsky organized and headed the Regional branch of the International Association of Russian-Speaking Writers in Kherson, as well as the regional branch of the Union of Writers of the South and East of Ukraine; became the editor of the poetic almanac "Milky Way". In the same year, the poet published a collection of poems, “You and Me.”

2005 - laureate of the First All-Ukrainian Literary Festival "Pushkin Ring" in the nomination "For the aristocracy of creativity."

2006 - laureate of the Nikolai Gumilyov International Literary Prize (awarded by the central organization of the International Association of Russian-Speaking Writers). This award was awarded to the poet for his debut collection “Sanctuary of Fire”.

In 2008, Pavel Ivanov-Ostoslavsky became chairman of the jury of the All-Ukrainian independent literary award "Art-Cimmerick".

The poet is a member of the Interregional Union of Writers of Ukraine, the Union of Russian Journalists and Writers of Ukraine, and the Congress of Russian-Speaking Writers of Ukraine. His poems and articles are published in newspapers and magazines: “Moscow Bulletin”, “Bulava”, “Reflection”, “Kherson Bulletin”, “Hryvnia”, “Tavriysky Krai”, “Russian Enlightenment”, etc.

Alexandra Barbolina

He is a member of the Interregional Union of Writers of Ukraine, the Union of Writers of the South and East of Ukraine, the Congress of Russian-Speaking Writers of Ukraine and the International Association of Russian-Speaking Writers, deputy chairman of the jury of the All-Ukrainian Independent Literary Award "Art-Cimmerick".

The poetess's work is characterized by lyricism and technicality. Her collection of poems, Love Like God's Grace, published in 2000, contains the theme of intimate relationships between a man and a woman. The author touches on the deep psychology of these relationships in his poems. Art world Alexandra Barbolina is full of nobility. The intimacy of the poetess’s poems suggests that for her lyrical heroine, love is like precious nectar enclosed in a cup. This cup must be carried carefully, without spilling a single drop, otherwise there will not be enough nectar to quench the thirst for love.

Alexandra Barbolina’s later poems are a complex search for inner harmony, the author’s desire to comprehend his true purpose.

Alexandra Barbolina prefers poetic miniatures. Her creative credo is to write about complex things briefly and, if possible, simply.

Ukrainian literature has passed long haul formation in order to reach the level that exists at the moment. Ukrainian writers have contributed throughout time, from the 18th century in the works of Prokopovich and Grushevsky to modern works by authors such as Shklyar and Andrukhovych. Literature has developed and been enriched over many years. And it must be said that modern Ukrainian writers are very different from the authors who laid the foundation for Ukrainian literature. But one thing has remained unchanged - love for the native language.

19th century literature

In this century, Ukrainian literature acquired figures who glorified the country throughout the world with their works. With their works, Ukrainian writers of the 19th century showed all the beauty of the language. It is this era that is considered the beginning of the formation of national thinking. The famous "Kobzar" became an open statement that the people were striving for independence. Ukrainian writers and poets of that time made a huge contribution both to the development of the language itself and drama. Many different genres and trends in literature have appeared. These were novels, stories, short stories, and feuilletons. Most writers and poets took the direction of political activity. Schoolchildren study most of the authors in school curriculum, reading works and trying to understand the main idea of ​​​​each work. Analyzing each work separately, they come up with the information that the author wanted to convey to them.

Taras Shevchenko

Rightfully considered the founder national literature and a symbol of the country's patriotic forces. Years of life - 1814-1861. The main work is considered to be “Kobzar”, which glorified both the author and the people throughout the world. Shevchenko wrote his works in Ukrainian, although there are several poems in Russian. The best creative years in Shevchenko’s life were the 40s, when in addition to “Kobzar” the following works were published:

• "Haydamaki".
• "Hired woman."
• "Khustochka."
• "Caucasus".
• "Poplars".
• "Katerina" and many others.

Shevchenko's works were criticized, but the works appealed to the Ukrainians and won their hearts forever. While in Russia he was received rather coldly, when he came home, he always received a warm welcome. Shevchenko later became a member of the Cyril and Methodius Society, to which other great Ukrainian writers belonged. It was the members of this society who were arrested for Political Views and exiled.

The poet's life was full of events, both joyful and sorrowful. But all his life he never stopped creating. Even when he served as a recruit, he continued to work, and his work was imbued with love for his homeland.

Ivan Franko

Ivan Yakovlevich Franko is another prominent representative literary activity that time. Years of life - 1856-1916. Writer, poet, scientist, he almost won the Nobel Prize, but early death prevented him from doing this. Extraordinary personality The writer evokes many different statements, since it was he who was the founder of the Ukrainian radical party. Like many famous Ukrainian writers, in his works he revealed various problems that worried him at that time. Thus, in his works “Gritseva School Science” and “Pencil” he shows the problems of school education.

It is worth noting that Franko was a member of the Russophile society that existed at that time in Transcarpathia. During his membership he wrote his works " folk song" and "Petria and Dovbuschuk." Famous work Frank is also his translation into Ukrainian of “Faust”. For his activities in society, Ivan was arrested for nine months, which he spent in prison.

After leaving prison, the writer temporarily dropped out of literary society, so he was ignored. But this did not break the poet. During the time that Franco spent in prison, and later when he was released, he wrote many works that revealed human shortcomings and, conversely, showed the breadth of the human soul. His work “Zakhar Berkut” received a prize at a national competition.

Grigory Kvitka-Osnovyanenko

The years of the writer’s life are 1778-1843. The main stage of his work occurred precisely in the 19th century; it was during this period that he created most of his masterpieces. Being a very sick boy, and blind until the age of six, Grigory began his creative path only in student years. He studied in Kharkov and it was there that he began to write and send his works to a magazine for publication. He wrote poems and short stories. This was the beginning of his creativity. The real works that deserved attention were the stories written in the 30s in Ukrainian:

• "Marusya".
• "Konotop Witch"
• "Soldier's Portrait".
• "Heart-hearted Oksana" and others.

Like other Ukrainian writers, Gregory also wrote in Russian, as evidenced by the novel “Pan Kholyavsky”. The author's works are distinguished by a beautiful literary style and simple expressions that are easily perceived by the reader. Kvitka-Osnovyanenko showed excellent knowledge of all aspects of the life of both peasants and nobles, which can be observed in his novels. Based on Gregory’s story, the play “Trouble in the District Township” was released, which was the predecessor of the famous “Inspector General”.

20th century literature

Ukrainians distinguished themselves with their works due to the fact that many of them dedicated their works to the Second World War. Difficult period Ukrainian literature experienced development at this time. Partially prohibited, then studied at will, it has undergone many corrections and changes. But all this time, Ukrainian writers did not stop creating. Their works continued to appear and delight not only the Ukrainian reader, but also other connoisseurs of literary masterpieces.

Pavel Zagrebelny

Pavel Arkhipovich Zagrebelny is a writer of that time who made a huge contribution to literature. His years of life are 1924-2009. Pavel spent his childhood in a village in the Poltava region. Then he studied at the artillery school and went to the front. After the war, he entered the university in the city of Dnepropetrovsk and only there he began his creative path, publishing the collection “Kakhovsky Stories” in the magazine “Rodina”. Among the author’s works there are such famous ones as:

• "Steppe flowers".
• "Europe, 45".
• "Southern Comfort"
• "Wonderful."
• "I, Bogdan."
• "Pervomost" and many others.

Anna Yablonskaya

Anna Grigorievna Yablonskaya is another literary figure I would like to talk about. The years of the writer’s life are 1981-2011. Since childhood, the girl was interested in literature and drama. Firstly, her father was a journalist, wrote feuilletons, and largely because of him, she developed a passion for literature. Secondly, since school Anna began to write poems and read them with pleasure from the stage. Over time, her works began to be published in Odessa magazines. On the same school years Yablonskaya performed at the Natalia Knyazeva Theater in Odessa, who subsequently staged a play based on Yablonskaya’s novel “The Door.” One of the most famous works The author that Ukrainian writers are talking about was the play “Video Camera”. In her works, Anna skillfully showed the pros and cons of society, combining different faces family life, love and sex. At the same time, there was no hint of vulgarity, and not a single work shocked the viewer.

Anna died very early as a result of a terrorist attack at Domodedovo airport. She did not manage to do much, but what she did leave an indelible mark on the literature of that time.

Alexander Kopylenko

Alexander Ivanovich Kopylenko was born in the Kharkov region. Born 08/1/1900, died 12/1/1958. I have always strived for knowledge and learning. Before the revolution, he studied at the seminary, then traveled a lot, which gave him a lot of experience and impressions for further literary activity. Been to Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Georgia. During the war of 1941-1945. worked on the radio, where he broadcast for partisan detachments. Afterwards he became the editor of the Vsesvit magazine and worked closely with many directors, screenwriters and writers. His poems first appeared in 1922. But most of all he wrote prose:

• "Kara Krucha"
• "Rampant hops."
• people."
• "Solid material", etc.

He also has children's works, such as:

• "Very good".
• "Tenth graders."
• "In the forest".

In his works, the writer wrote about many problems of that time, revealed various human weaknesses, covered historical events and battles during the Civil War. Kopylenko's works have been translated into many foreign languages ​​of the world.

Contemporary Ukrainian writers

Modern Ukrainian literature does not lag behind in quantity outstanding people. Nowadays, there are many authors whose works are worthy of being studied in schools and translated into different languages peace. We present to you a list of not all modern authors, but only the most popular ones. Their popularity was taken in accordance with the rating. To compile the rating, Ukrainians were interviewed and asked several questions about modern authors and their works. Here's the list:

1. L. Kostenko.
2. V. Shklyar.
3. M. Matios.
4. O. Zabuzhko.
5. I. Karp.
6. L. Luzina.
7. L. Deresh.
8. M. and S. Dyachenko.

Lina Kostenko

He is in first place in the ranking of modern Ukrainian writers. She was born on March 19, 1930 in a family of teachers. Soon she herself went to study at the Pedagogical Institute, and then at the Moscow Literary Institute. Her first poems, written in the 50s, immediately attracted the attention of readers, and the book “Journeys of the Heart” put the poetess on the same level with outstanding literary figures. Among the author's works are such works as:

• "Over the banks of the eternal river."
• "Marusya Churay".
• "Uniqueness".
• "Garden of Unfading Sculptures"

All works by Lina Kostenko are individual literary style and a special rhyme. The reader immediately fell in love with her work and looks forward to new works.

Vasily Shklyar

While still a student, Vasily created his first work - “Snow”. Living in Armenia at that time, he wrote about the culture of this people, about their way of life and customs. In addition to the fact that Shklyar created his own work, like many Ukrainian writers, he translated a lot of works from the Armenian language, which earned him special respect. Readers are well aware of his works “Elemental” and “Key”. His works have also been translated into different languages ​​of the world, and book lovers from different countries enjoy reading his prose.

Maria Matios

Maria published her first poems when she was fifteen years old. Later, Matios tried her hand at prose and wrote the short story “Yuryana and Dovgopol.” The writer is loved for full of meaning works. Her books of poetry include:

• "Women's fence in the garden of impatience."
• "From grass and leaves."
• "The Garden of Impatience"

Maria Matios also created a number of prose works:

• "Life is short"
• "Nation"
• "Sweet Darusya"
• "Diary of an Executed Woman and many others."

Thanks to Maria, the world met another talented Ukrainian poet and writer, whose books are read with great pleasure abroad.

Ukrainian children's writers

We should also talk about those writers and poets who create works for children. It is their books that children read with such pleasure in libraries. It is thanks to their works that the guys from the very early age have the opportunity to hear beautiful Ukrainian speech. Rhymes and stories for toddlers and older children are what authors such as:

• A. I. Avramenko.
• I. F. Budz.
• M. N. Voronoi.
• N. A. Guzeeva.
• I. V. Zhilenko.
• I. A. Ishchuk.
• I. S. Kostyrya.
• V. A. Levin.
• T. V. Martynova.
• P. Punch.
• M. Podgoryanka.
• A.F. Turchinskaya and many others.

Ukrainian writers, the list of which is presented here, are familiar not only to our children. Ukrainian literature in general is very multifaceted and vibrant. Its figures are familiar not only in the country itself, but also far beyond its borders. Works and quotes of Ukrainian writers are published in many publications around the world. Their works are translated into dozens of languages, which means that the reader needs them and is always waiting for new and new works.