War and Galatea: «Heavenly Clay» by Stanislav Novytskyi and the Interpretation by Tadei Karabovych

Abstract

In contemporary literary and artistic creation, one of the most prominent phenomena is the literary output of soldier-defenders (combatants). While the poetry of soldiers may not be the most numerous literary phenomena, it is undoubtedly the most noticeable within the corpus of modern Ukrainian literature. The poetry of soldiers, participants in the current wave of liberation struggles, is perceived as a logical part of European and world literature, though it remains insufficiently studied. It is clear that soldier-writers are influenced by the legacy of their predecessors in struggle, particularly those involved in several waves of national liberation movements, including the works of Taras Shevchenko and Vasyl Stus (their challenges to two empires and prolonged prison sentences played a key role in shaping the tradition, ecumenization, and dialogue). Among global literary influences are the works of the lost generation (Erich Maria Remarque, Ernest Hemingway, Francis Scott Fitzgerald) as well as the displaced generation (Taras Melnychuk, Vasyl Ruban, Hrytsko Chubai).