Taras Shevchenko and Marko Vovchok: Interpretation of Interactions in Shevchenkiana

Abstract

The article analyzes literary interpretations of an interesting page of Taras Shevchenko's life in the multifaceted Shevchenkiana, namely, his relationship with Mark Vovchok (Maria Markovych). The novels "The Paths of Taras" and "Maria" by Oksana Ivanenko and the novel dilogy "Son of Freedom" by Vasyl Shevchuk were considered. It is noted that the tonality and semantics of the interpretations of the analyzed topic by the biographers to a significant or even decisive extent determined Shevchenko's famous dedicatory poem "To Marko Vovchok". It has been observed that in various memoirs or studies (by O. Konysky, B. Lepky, etc.) there is no mention of any special, intimate feelings in the relationship between the classics, except for "deep and sincere friendship" (O. Konysky). At the same time, the latest biographical works about Shevchenko, which deserve a separate study (G. Tarasiuk and others), present "more radical" interpretations of the relationship between Shevchenko and Marko Vovchok. More detailed attention in the study is paid to two novels by O. Ivanenko, in each of which the analyzed topic found interesting and somewhat different creative solutions, in particular due to the fact that "The Paths of Taras" is addressed to "middle and senior school age". It has been observed and noted that, despite the biographers' adherence to the "father-daughter" nature of the relationship between Shevchenko and Maria Markovych, their novels mostly subtly convey hints of deeper feelings between them, at least on Shevchenko's part. In V. Shevchuk's dilogy, these notes are embodied more directly, psychologically deeper, although the history of the relationship between the classics is written out more concisely. The opinion is expressed that the novels of O. Ivanenko and V. Shevchuk, in the part of the topic analyzed here, probably influenced the interpretations of this topic in Shevchenko's biography of the early 21st century.