Ukrainian literature

Ukrainian literature refers to literature written in the Ukrainian language. Ukrainian literature had a difficult development. The difference between spoken Ukrainian and written Ukrainian was at times very large, due to Ukraine being constantly dominated by other states such as Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and Austria-Hungary, and at many times the use of the Ukrainian language was prohibited in print. However, Ukrainian has a rich literary heritage, and Ukraine has produced many notable authors.

Kievan Rus

The original literature in Kievan Rus was written in the Church Slavonic and was strong between the 11th and 13th centuries. One major work was the "Tale of Bygone Years" by Nestor the Chronicler. Another key work includes the "Slovo o polku Ihorevim" (The tale of Igor's campaign).

Decline of Rus and Lithuanian-Polish Commonwealth period

The Ostrih Bible was printed in 1581. Other works included anonymous Perestoroha and the writing of Hypatius Ponti

Bandura

The sixteenth century included the folk epics called dumy. These songs celebrated the activities of the Cossacks.

The Aeneid

The father of Ukrainian literature in the modern vernacular form of the Ukrainian language is Ivan Kotlyarevsky, who wrote a travesty of Virgil's Aeneid (1798). This mock epic poem turns Virgil's characters into Ukrainian Cossacks. Its language was based on the spoken Ukrainian of the Poltava region.

Romantic Period

Shevchenko

Realism

Modernism, Expressionism, and Impressionism

As in all European countries, literature in Ukraine was involved in the modernism process. Topics of feminism were raised in the works of Lesya Ukrainka and Olha Kobylyanska. Other two important writers were Valerian Pidmohylny and Viktor Petrov. Their writing was inspired by existentialism.

Revolution and Avant Garde

Soviet Realism and 1960s opening

Post-Communist writing

Ukrainian writers list

Ukrainian writers include: Hryhori Skovoroda, Ivan Kotlyarevsky, Taras Shevchenko, Marko Vovchok, Panteleimon Kulish, Ivan Franko, Olha Kobylyanska, Lesya Ukrainka, Panas Myrny,Vasyl Stefanyk, Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, Volodymyr Vynnychenko, Pavlo Tychyna, Mykola Khvylovy, Valerian Pidmohylny, V. Domontovych, Mykola Kulish, Mykola Bazhan, Maksym Rylsky, Mykola Zerov, Mykhail Semenko, Ostap Vyshnia, Borys Antonenko-Davydovych, Olena Teliha, Ivan Bahrianyi, Oles Honchar, Vasyl Symonenko, Lina Kostenko, Ivan Drach, Yevhen Hutsalo, Hryhir Tiutiunnyk, Pavlo Zahrebelnyi, Valerii Shevchuk, Ihor Kalynets, Emma Andijewska, Vasyl Stus, Yuri Andrukhovych, Oksana Zabuzhko, Oleksandr Irvanets, Viktor Neborak, Yuri Vynnychuk, Izdryk, Serhii Zhadan, Svitlana Pyrkalo, Natalka Snyadanko, Maria Matios, Joseph Oleskiw

References

*Danylo Husar Struk. [http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?linkpath=pagesLILiterature.htm Literature] at the [http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/default.asp Encyclopedia of Ukraine]