Topos of Donbas as a Narrative Phenomenon in the Ukrainian Culture of the XX–XXI Centuries: Observations, Analysis, Summarizing

Abstract

In this article the course of Donbas representation in the Ukrainian literature and culture of the 20–21th is described. Artworks of that times have been analyzed here in context of geographical metaphors forming and presentativeimpressions about Donbas as a whole socio-cultural area. Three types of Donbas's perception in Ukrainian literature have been identified. The first one is based on metaphorical comprehension of vision of steppe and hard work. This type was formed in Ukrainian literature in the first decades of XX century. For example, in the works of Spyrydon Cherkasenko or Mykola Cherniavsky. The second one is based on the idea of heroic labor and industrialization. Its formation dates back to the 1920s and 1930s. This was especially shown in the artistic and journalistic works that were published on the pages of magazines “New Generation”, “Zaboy”. And in the 1970s it came out in Peter Shelest’s and Oleksiy Tykhogo’s publications. The third type of the Donbas perception appeared as a result of social changes at the end of the XX century. Its main component is the motive of existential emptiness. In the article, this is described on the example of the analysis of Serhiy Zhadan’s works and in the public speeches of Yaroslav Hrytsak and Olena Styazhkina. Aspects of topic exploring in the context of memory investigation in modern humanities have been outlined in the article.