THE LITERARY FUNCTION OF “JEREMIAH’S PRAYER”: A ROUGH WORKPIECE OR AN EPIGRAPH TO SHEVCHENKO’S MANUSCRIPT COLLECTION OF POEMS “THREE YEARS”?

Abstract

The paper clarifies the literary function of Shevchenko’s “Jeremiah’s prayer”. At the same time, it raises the question of the poet’s identification and self-identification with Prophet Jeremiah because these issues can only be addressed in conjunction. Based on the findings of many researchers on “Jeremiah’s prayer” function and the discussion between Shchurat and Franko in 1904 about Shevchenko and Jeremiah, the author concludes that “Jeremiah’s prayer” is an epigraph and not a rough workpiece as it is presented in the last collection of Shevchenko’s works. Th is fact is important because it may deepen the understanding of Shevchenko’s creative pursuits in 1843—1845, the reasons for his self-identification with Jeremiah, and the interpretation of his collection “Three years” where Moscow captivity is a metaphorical Babylonian one, the ruins of Chyhyryn remind the lost Jerusalem, and Russia is shown as a new Babylon. In this context, the researcher points out the image of Jeremiah at the beginning of the collection “Three years”; the use of “Jeremiah’s prayer” as an epigraph to it; the David’s Psalm 136 (137) about the first Babylonian captivity and the retribution upon Babylon, which may be considered a pretext for Jeremiah’s understanding of the second Babylonian captivity of Judea; the destruction of Jerusalem and its restoration; and finally the motive of atonement taken by Ukrainians for the sins of their fathers in Moscow’s captivity. Shevchenko developed the last theme following the sample of Jeremiah who saw the cause of all Judea’s misfortunes in its sins against the Lord. Th e motive of Ukrainian atonement for national sins, especially evident in the poems from “Three years” having historical connotations, as in the mystery poem “The Great Cellar”, shows that Shevchenko in 1843—1845 identified himself with Prophet Jeremiah and with King David because these biblical poets and their artistic models helped him create an original literary image of Ukrainian captivity in the Russian Empire and the Ukrainian future aft er overcoming the empire.