To the question about conceptsof the poetic creativity of Volodymyr Zabashtanskyi

Abstract

This article outlines the conceptual framework of Volodymyr Zabashtanskyi’s poetic work, particularly focusing on collections such as «Vaha slova (The Weight of the Word)», «Vira v liudynu (Faith in a Man)», «Zhaha zhyttia (Thirst for Life)», «Zapakh dalyny (The Scent of the Farness)», «Moia vuzkokoliika (My Narrow Gauge)», «Naikrevnisha ridnia (The Most Close Relatives)», «Nakaz kameniariv (The Stonemasons’ Order)», «Svichechkoiu slova (By The Candle of the Word)», and «Syni skeli (Blue Rocks)». The study concentrates on the peripheral aspects of Zabashtansky’s poetry, illuminating their ideological and artistic essence. Special attention is given to concepts viewed through solar motifs: the sun, stars, and sky. These motifs are projected onto the intimate world of the lyrical hero, revealing artistic and journalistic intentions and reflections related to the realization of national identity. The concepts of water and land further reinforce these themes, creating a foundation for outlining Zabashtansky’s creative evolution. They depict the essential realities of his

small homeland, painting a vivid image of Mother Ukraine.

The image-concept of the tree finds its highest embodiment in the concept of the family tree and the archetype of the World Tree, associated with the image of the mother, who brings the new birth of the world and rebirth, protection, and the renewal of the Ukrainian world. Conversely, the concept of flame and related images such as «fire», «blaze», «embers», and others hold significant contextual potential. These images are particularly crucial when transformed into the universal symbols for Ukrainian poetry: 

the fire of the soul and the fire of the word, which gained prominence at the end of the 19th century.

While the industrial perspective is generally not characteristic of Zabashtanskyi’s artistic world, it sporadically appears in the 1980s. This is especially evident in the image-concept of metal, where its ideological and artistic role manifests in the motif of strength — physical, psycho-emotional, and creative. This motif serves as a critical factor in shaping the author’s figure against the backdrop of his era.