УДК 821.161.2-31.09:947.7 “1945/2015”

A. Vitruk

UKRAINIAN NATIONAL STORY IN THE MIRROR OF HISTORICAL FICTION: FOLLOWING THE TRANSFORMATIONS

This article studies the national narrative in the post-War Ukrainian historical novels. The phenomenon of the unified national story is discussed in a liaison with the changes in the discourse of history in the . The article draws a connection between the perception of history, historical fiction, and the national narrative in . In that perspective, it examines the story from the late Stalinist years to the present time and demonstrates gradual correlating transformations in historical fiction and national narrative.

Keywords: historical novel, national narrative, post-War fiction, Socialist Realism, post-Independence fiction, Ukraine.

Introduction form and content. Since the 1950s, Ukrainian historical novels experienced the stylistics of The idea of this article derives from the problem Socialist Realism; a strong modernist stream; and with the classification of Ukrainian historical the elements of postmodern culture. Under this novels that was not able to describe the recent influence, historical fiction acquired different forms modifications of the genre. This concerns the texts and embraced a vast topical range, some elements of Valery Shevchuk, Yuriy Vynnychuk, Oksana of which were banned in Soviet Ukraine. Naturally, Zabuzhko and also the novels of alternative history after the declaration of Independence, such elements of Vasyl Kozhelianko and Oleksandr Irvanets that broke through and diversified the field of historical do not fit into the taxonomy of classical historical novels, which immediately expanded the limits of fiction. However, they still describe the past of the genre expanded. As a result, one can encounter Ukraine. In this article, I suggest that the concept historical texts of Pavlo Zahrebelny and Oles of the national narrative can serve as a basis for a Honchar along with the novels of Valery Shevchuk, new classification of Ukrainian historical novels. Yuriy Vynnychuk, and Oksana Zabuzhko. However, Extracted from novels, they reflect changes in since I examine the most recent trends in historical ideological direction of texts and also affect their fiction, such diversity is considered not a problem, form. I propose to analyse a large period of time, but a consequence of a multidirectional literary over fifty years, in order to follow the modifications process. Not least due to this large variety, the field of the genre and extract the national narrative from is rich with questions that are worthy of proper the texts. As Socialist Realist historical novels investigation. Here are only a few of them. Why do normally start the classification of Ukrainian certain topics continue to circulate in historical historical fiction, I also choose them as a zero point fiction and why do the old ones cease to do so? in the analysis of the national narrative. However, Why do new topics acquire a particular form and contrary to the traditional classifications of the why are the old ones restricted to certain formal genre, the systematisation based on the national solutions? Approaching these problematic points narrative demonstrates the double nature of the will shape a more important perspective and a post-Socialist Realism texts. On the one hand, they general pattern of the Ukrainian historical novel in reject the Communist paradigm of art, but on the the late 20th century. other hand, they inherit essential features from the Literature on this topic is both vast and Socialist Realist narrative. ambiguous. The studies published before 1991 cast ideologically distorted light on the problem of National Narrative and Historical Fiction: historical novels. Even the most sophisticated of the Ukrainian Context them, like Ilnytsky’s Liudyna v istorii (The human in history) [8], ignore certain novels and, thus, From today’s point of view, transformations in constrict the analysis. Moreover, recent novels of the domain of Ukrainian historical fiction are the 21st century are seldom considered as historical prominent. Over the last fifty years, this genre novels and, therefore, are excluded from the progressed considerably towards the liberation in paradigm of historical fiction. © Вітрук А. Я., 2015 58 НАУКОВІ ЗАПИСКИ. Том 176. Філологічні науки

Previously, scholars used a diverse instrumentation Bhabha. He analyses their structure and origin and of literary theory to classify historical fiction. For finds them ambiguous – that is, highly stabile but example, in one of the recent dissertations on flexible at the same time. In two constituent streams, historical novels, the author proposes to categorize the ‘pedagogical’ and the ‘performative’ (Bhabha’s the texts according to the temporal classification of terms), the former stabilises and maintains, whereas literary movements – from Realism to Postmodernism. the latter introduces innovations into a stable story. Another researcher simply classifies texts according While the pedagogical provides the narrative with a to the personalities of novelists. While the second certain continuity, the latter constantly introduces principle is merely ineffective, the first oversimplifies new elements to maintain the narrative’s validity. the matter and ignores the specifics of the Ukrainian Many extra- and intra literary reasons may exist for literary process. As a result, both authors fail to national narrative to become a part of fiction. It can recognise the Ukrainian historical novels’ ideological fall prey to propaganda. But there is an opposite component, which is the object of this article. To variant, as Bhabha claims: the narrative can clear up this situation, this study proposes to find a represent a platform for minorities to set up their concept that would be capable of describing the own mature and independent community, and I development of historical fiction. To do that, the suggest that this is the case of Ukrainian narrative. article will turn to the ideological foundation of the In reality, this apocalyptic vision is not as novels. terrifying as described. It should be comforting to realise that Ukrainian nation follows the steps of National Narrative every collective that is willing to maintain its continuity. It longs to construct its own narrative, Numerous studies show the connection of which has a mythical nature, but it still cannot be national narrative and political discourse of nation. drawn too far from reality without losing credibility More specifically, they put the narrative both in a [16, p. 202]. That is why even under the Soviet rule, broad context of the nation and narrow limits of one cannot speak of Ukrainian narrative’s “pure various specific discourses. Thus, James Wertsch fabrication” [1, p. 178]. It means that the society examines how the Russian national story affects all gets involved in the reconstruction of the past, and spheres of public life, from international politics to its drive is only partially forced. Using George literature and mass media [18]. As for the Ukrainian Kateb’s words, it can be said that community narrative, Volodymyr Kulyk analyses national members feel a psychological urge to give aesthetical narrative in the media [13], and Karina Korostelina explanations to sociological and political demonstrates differences of regional Ukrainian phenomena. Therefore, community members, the stories [12]. Ukrainians in this case, inevitably engage into a National narratives predefine the perception of convention to share the narrative [1, p. 19]. Kateb certain politicised aspects of life. For instance, they also argues that “[t]he most inclusive social involve and elaborate the past so that it could fit the aestheticism holds that the more a society’s form, as narrative’s direction. As a result, the past follows it is, can be grasped as a single narrative or as a strictly defined tracks of the story. A past like that is novel or a play or a painting, the better; when it visible from any corner of the human spirit. can’t, it has to be transformed by political methods, Connected to the present, it exemplifies individual as ruthless, as they have to be” [10, p. 16, 17]. and collective behaviour, which means that the Thus the periods of political transformations in recipients of the narrative support it and exist in its Ukraine required adjusted national narratives. tight frameworks. It also means that if some Ukraine has undergone four stages of such elements fail to commit to such stories, participants transformations and their implementations. First, it of the community excise them as foreign and reject was the adjustment to the general Soviet narrative them. On the other hand, if the ‘foreign’ voice with its cult of personality and the idea of collective sounds loud and coherent enough, it can be separated goodness. The second stage came with more liberal in a ‘minority’ narrative. Clearly, this is the case of interpretation of history. At that time, both Ukrainian national narrative. ideological and aesthetical restrictions of historical fiction were moderated. Yet the texts were still Ukrainian National Story: following the conjuncture and obeying the rules. The Narrative in Transformation However, in the third type, this tendency was broken, and the texts had lead the national narrative The nature of unbalanced narratives, similar to into a different direction. This crucial change Ukrainian, is described in the studies of Homi mapped a narrative of a new type and established Вітрук А. Я. Трансформації українського національного наративу в історичних романах 59 the Ukrainian story. More than ten year after 1991, These texts were particularly appreciated by the it grew into the fourth and the last type of the Party functionaries because of their unambiguous national narrative. Reflected in the respective representation of the present in historical masks. In historical novels, these narratives defined the the ’ novels of Le, Panch, and Mushketyk, attitudes of population. In the following part of this personifies all the traits of the article, I will show that the astonishing succession positive sovereign. He presents an up-to-date idea of the narratives demonstrate their high stability of Ukraine and ’s union; meanwhile, being of along with the transformational capacity. It will noble origin, he does not remind the reader of the become obvious that Soviet-Ukrainian narrative feudal system: Khmelnytsky, as Stalin, stands above and its expanded versions bequeathed some of its class prejudice [19, p. 135]. The same is true of the elements (motifs) to the story of a new nation. I will Kyivan Rus 1 novels of Skliarenko, where Kyivan also demonstrate the differences and similarities of princes personify the image of a ‘good ’ who Ukrainian national story. Stable and varied oppose ‘bad feudals’ and support ‘simple people’. components of national narrative in Ukrainian Under such conditions, the national narrative in historical novels are discussed in the novels of Petro these novels acquires interesting forms. The scheme Panch, Pavlo Zahrebelny, Volodymyr Malyk, Valery is repeated in almost all texts and, vacillating from Shevchuk, Yuriy Vynnychuk, and Oksana Zabuzhko. good to bad, develops as a sinusoid. Ukrainian national narrative, having experienced rises and In principio erat Verbum. Socialist Realism falls, collapses, merging with a Russian narrative. and Ukrainian National Narrative: At the beginning, it acknowledges all the positive An Ideological Amalgam traits of the people: their diligence and kindness, loyalty and compassionate nature, their courage and At the beginning of the Soviet era, Mikhail bravery. Supported by the evidence of substantial Pokrovsky, a Soviet historian and functionary, historical continuity, these traits signify the core of described history as “politics projected into the Ukrainian identity and the start of the narrative. past” [4, p. 17]. This famous line reflects the Next, the narrative enters the first turning point, development of history-related disciplines in the where the positive traits and legacy are compromised Soviet Union for many decades. Though Pokrovsky by foreign interference. In the Cossack fiction, it is himself, his students and followers were banned and always from Polish barons; in the medieval physically annihilated, the general direction of reconstructions it is Byzantium, the Cumans, and so historical discourse in the USSR ironically followed on. But the narrative centres on a worse evil than his slogan. In these circumstances, history was a external pressure. This type of the story blames the mirror, where the Soviets saw only themselves. This Ukrainians for internal friction. Out of this, the overall intention resulted in Russian chauvinism, narrative builds a powerful second motif of internal and the rejection of Ukrainian history as ‘bourgeois quarrels that tears up the nation and the country. In nationalism’ was part of its parcel [15, p. 40]. Thus the Socialist Realist historical novels, this the publication of numerous novels on Ukrainian component of the narrative is based mostly on the history is at least surprising. class struggle of feudals and peasants. Due to Few authors were able to write and publish barons’ intrigues, the good ‘tsar’ loses control over historical novels during and after the War. It was the country, as in Panch’s Ukraine Was Humming, more urgent to document and assess the damage of or even is killed, as in Skliarenko’s Sviatoslav. war. However, when the first shock of the losses Important battles are lost; former friends betray began to be absorbed, history returned to claim its each other and become enemies. So is portrayed former position. Along with the war epos, the same Adam Kysil, a famous colonel of the Cossack army, writers were engaged in publishing historical fiction. who ends up on the Polish side. Despite all obstacles, In the late 1940s-early 1950s, the production of the wise sovereign does not give up his struggle, in historical novels started with Natan Rybak’s despair he is forced to ask for help. Pereiaslavska rada (The Pereiaslav council 1948– Help comes from the East. After exchanges of 1953) and Nalyvaiko (1953), which were followed embassies, the Orthodox tsar, Oleksii Mykhailovych by Ivan Le’s Khmelnytsky (1957–1965); Petro (Alexis of Russia, 1629–1676), sends food and Panch’s Homonila Ukraina (Ukraine Was Humming weapons to Khmelnytsky. A conventional 1954); Semen Skliarenko’s Sviatoslav (1957) and attitude towards this resolution is condensed in a Volodymyr (1963); Yuriy Mushketyk’s Haydamaky

(1954) and Semen Palii (1954); and others. 1 Here and further in the text, the author uses Ukrainian transliteration of geographical names. 60 НАУКОВІ ЗАПИСКИ. Том 176. Філологічні науки touching scene of the Muscovy ambassador’s, ‘reunites’ with Velykorosia (‘Great Russia’), which Hryhory Unkovsky’s, arrival. According to Petro underlines the failure of the Ukrainian narrative. As Panch, the Russian receives warm greetings from one of the personages (a legendary Cossack otaman, Bohdan Khmelnytsky who humbles the colonels, Maksym Kryvonis) formulates it, “the Ukrainian daring to disrespect His Excellency: “You brought people will go to waste for nothing without great joy, dear Ambassador, to Zaporizhian Cossacks Velykorosia’s power” [17, p. 51]. Demonstrating and all our people. You said that His Grace the Tsar the gravitation of Ukraine and Velykorosia, Panch does not withhold accepting us under his reign. This recreates the political model of the Soviet Union will never be violated: thinking about reuniting with and places it in a different temporal dimension. His Russia day and night, neither I nor the Cossacks intention is quite clear, as he would like readers to Army had ever sworn allegiance to the new king of believe that the mutual affection of two countries Rzeczpospolita and will never do so!” [17] 2. This existed a long time ago. In fact, their people always positive description of the Russian Ambassador longed for reunion. A narrative like this justifies the contrasts the image Adam Kysil 3 and other ‘pro- existence of the super-state and legitimises it by Polish’ colonels. From here it becomes obvious that appealing to legendary leaders of the Ukrainian the legation is a blessing for the Ukrainians. In people. The future of Ukrainians is clearly tied to general, it is described as a salvation to starving the Russians. Yet, further versions of the national peasants whom the Tsar sends grain. Again, Oleksii story are not unambiguous. Mykhailovych appears a saviour of the common people, which puts him above the class struggle. The Cult Is Dead. Long Live the Cult? Moreover, in the novel, Petro Panch portrays him as The Novels of the 1960s and the Narrative’s similar to a saint: “His young fair face with big Transformational Capacity transparent eyes reminded one of a finely tuned icon” [17, p. 459]. This role of a wise sovereign The next group of historical novels is quite vast. equates the Tsar and Khmelnytsky in the novel. Historical novels of this type occupied the literary However, the consistent logic of the narrative is space to the extent when their impact could be violated throughout the novel. Firstly, the reader compared only to the War novels. The texts Oles finds an ideological lag: amidst the purely atheistic Honchar, Pavlo Zahrebelny, Volodymyr Malyk, intentions, Petro Panch motivates his heroes by Zynaida Tulub, Raisa Ivanchenko and others are religious stimulus. He states that Ukraine and notable for the increased interpretational capacity Poland cannot form a union because of the Poles’ and space that followed the great revision of history Catholicism. Instead, the main reason to reunite in the USSR. with Muscovy is its Orthodox Christianity. Secondly, In the 1960s–1970s, the Cult of Personality has Panch inserts distinct biblical allusions in the text. been criticised twice by the highest Soviet Thus, he writes, “Old Jonah was sitting at the bar, authorities. First, Mykyta Khrushchev denounced counting fish” [17, p. 66]. This reference to the Old Stalin’s tyranny and switched the attention of Testament apostle softens the emasculated language Soviet historiographers to Lenin [15, p. 47, 48]. of the text. So do cautiously used ‘formalistic’ Then, after being ousted from power, Khrushchev devices. For example, this alliteration is sharp himself had fallen prey to his liberating directives against the finely formulated but dry and neutral and was criticised for his “subjectivism and fabric of the text: “Prylii prynis povnu polu polunyts voluntarism” [15, p. 46]. i prylig sobi bilia kozakiv (Prylii brought a flapfull This change had a crucial impact on historical of strawberries and lay down near the Cossacks)” fiction. As a result, historical novels escaped the [17, p. 57]. Artistic details that escaped the attention conceptual cage of the Cult. In the later Ukrainian of a careful censor bring a special taste to the rigid novels, the images of princes, and other text and the commanded narrative. However, sovereigns already have multiple dimensions. They whether intentional or not, these inconsistencies are more human, with holographic reflections of demonstrate a highly artificial nature of the text. negative and positive traits, which reflect various In spite of these occasional outbreaks, the attempts to reassess the national past. However, it is narrative ends quite conventionally: Ukraine hard to say that these personages are less engaged in the discourse of imperialism. Though textual 2 Here and further in this article, Ukrainian texts are translated by Anna Vitruk. rhetoric became more diverse, the overall direction 3 Frank Sysyn published a major study on Adam Kysil and his remained the same. That is, imperial narrative age. See Frank E. Sysyn, Between Poland and the Ukraine. The Dilemma of Adam Kysil, 1600–1653 (Cambridge, Massachusetts : acquired more whimsical forms that hid colonial Harvard University Press, 1985). intentions in the labyrinth of human relationships. Вітрук А. Я. Трансформації українського національного наративу в історичних романах 61

Despite numerous modifications in rhetoric, the upper class in general. It depicts the Mongol-Tatar general strategy of national narrative did not invasion into the territory of Eastern Ukraine and change much. The texts of the 1960s – early 1970s the siege of . As is well-known, the Mongols consist of almost the same set of motifs: rich were stopped in the Rus’ forests and steppes, but not cultural (historical) legacy/acknowledgement of by the forces of princes. Instead, all credit for that unique personal qualities of the Ukrainian people; goes to strong Ukrainian communities that were wise and caring sovereign; deceitful barons who able to unite under the threat of invasion. Mykhailo, ruin the hopes of the Ukrainians; failure of the the prince of Kyiv, fled, and sotnyk Dmytro had to Ukrainian state. However, it can be seen that the take care of defence. Malyk argues that the lack of last motif of the Socialist Realist novels dissolved accord in the actions of elites and the people led to under new circumstances. There is no more tragic consequences. “Batyi’s force is not big, emphasis on the reunification of Ukraine and though it is big enough, but it was the princes’ Russia, and the narrative ends with the general quarrels, lack of wisdom, and ambitions that split motif of failure. the mighty country into separate princedoms, This pattern is used in most of the late Khrushchev domains, and fiefs, which did not allow a stand and early Brezhnev era novels. Thus, Pavlo together against the terrible enemy and led to Zahrebelny praised the founder of , Yuriy calamity” [14, p. 119]. Dovhoruky, and accused local princes in his novel Analysing The candle is burning, I have moved Smert u Kyievi (Death in Kyiv 1973). This text to the next type of national narrative that developed represents a period when novelists retreat from the in the early pre- and post-Independence era. Indeed, sovereign-centred structure of novels; instead, they this development was not obvious. In this remarkable put a collective or its prominent representative in group of texts, the narrative itself has not changed the heart of the conflict. Thus, Zahrebelny uses this much since the Socialist Realist times. Though these device in the novel Dyvo (The Wonder 1968), where novels naturally avoid the former declarative he describes the life of a young genial artist, Syvook, rhetoric, they preserve the general paradigm and who built the St. Sofia Cathedral in Kyiv. In contrast, tone of narrative. Here Yuriy Mushketyk, the author Prince Yaroslav the Wise appears cruel, sunk in of Haydamaky (1957) and Yasa (1970–1974), intrigues, and struggling for power. The heroes are switches to nationalistic topics and writes so distinctly assigned positive and negative roles patriotically charged novels Hetmansky skarb (The according to their class affiliation that the reader can treasure of the hetman 1993) and Ostannii hetman be sure that no protagonist could belong to the upper (The last hetman, 2010). The same is applicable to class in these novels. many ‘transitional’ authors: Volodymyr Malyk, The same is true for Volodymyr Malyk’s Pavlo Zahrebelny and many others. Thought these tetralogy Taiemny posol (The Secret Ambassador novels choose up-to-date topics, they still preserve 1968–1977). Here, the main character, Arsen an established scheme of the narrative. Zvenyhora, is portrayed as one of the first mythical A good example of the ‘new topic – old ‘super-heroes’ in Ukrainian literature. He is not like narrative’ incoherence provide Roman Ivanychuk’s all previous conventional personages of Socialist novels, which were also not readily published, Realism. Though Arsen is exaggeratedly positive, similarly to Valery Shevchuk’s texts. Censors and his dignity and courage do not look artificial. Malyk literary functionaries criticised his famous novel presents him as an almighty leader and generous Malvy (Mallows, 1968) as well as Cherlene vyno friend, a loyal lover and vassal. In general, he is an (Dark-red wine 1979), Manuskrypt z vulytsi archetypal knight of the first historical novels. Ruskoi (Manuscript from Ruska Street, 1979). Naturally, Arsen’s image eclipses the figures of Zhuravlyny kryk (The spindle cry) was written in princes and kings, the representatives of the upper 1968 and published twenty years later because of class, who appear greedy and deceitful. In general, the censorship [11]. And yet these texts are built compared to the previous type of historical fiction, according to the old narrative scheme. Both the novels of Malyk and Zahrebelny reject the idea Mallows and Orda (The horde) end, picturing the of a ‘good tsar’. Their obscure motivation can be nation’s misery and despair. For all the misfortunes, two-fold: either they were extremely disappointed Ivanychuk blames traitors – Ukrainians who chose with the Cult or they have just been following the to serve the enemy. This motif, constantly repeated, general current in revisions of history. In relation to coincided with the one in the Socialist Realist this thought, it is worth noting Malyk’s later novel historical novels. The only difference, the Horyt svicha (The candle is burning, 1992) that nationalistic mood, could not change the general describes the life of the community and ignores the tendency. 62 НАУКОВІ ЗАПИСКИ. Том 176. Філологічні науки

Mysticism and National Narrative window, 1983) were published a decade after they in Valery Shevchuk’s Novels had been written, when liberal conditions of perestroika allowed this to be done. In the 1980s, the tendency was to ‘sovereignize’ At the time, the writers were given a chance to national history by detaching it from the USSR [9, approach Ukrainian history differently. If the p. 9]. Naturally, literary intelligentsia supported previous kind of historical novels political history this patriotic move and produced texts that took the first positions, in the new type of historical emphasised national traumas and national heroes. fiction, culture moved to the fore. What made his This process embraced most of the perestroika and texts so controversial is their complete attention to post-Independence years and constituted a serious the national past. Both novels are set in Baroque, challenge. Nationalised history, according to one of the most prolific epochs in Ukrainian culture. Georgiy Kasianov, used “archaic cognitive and Implicitly the reader would know that this epoch is classifying apparatus,” oriented on “satisfying also known for its liberation struggle, but on the ideological demand,” and closed up in “intellectual surface of the texts, Shevchuk disregards political hermeticism” [9, p. 22]. Affected by this history. If texts approached political history, movement, historical fiction readily incorporated metaphor and metonymy concealed these moves. it. In the 1980s, authors emphasised “the nation’s For example, in the Three Leaves, the author struggle for survival with internal and external presents three centuries in Ukrainian history, where enemies” [9, p. 20]. In the 1990s, numerous novels he describes primarily cultural phenomena: the style touched previously forbidden topics on the of life, philosophical maxims, key concepts and Holodomor of 1932–1933 and Ukrainian Insurgent archetypes of the time. However, a closer analysis Army (UPA). Those intellectuals whose reveals a political message in the novel. nationalising effort seemed weak were criticised In three chapters of the text, Shevchuk by their own fellows. consistently implements the strategy of However, another group of texts that functioned estrangement. He carefully constructs each of at the same time had a different intention. While the them and inhabits them with the appropriate hero. novels of Malyk still contained the remains of In a time of historical turbulence, these typical Soviet rhetoric, the new branch of the genre personalities embody their respective historical presented a special type of national narrative. This time and display its most prominent features. new national story rose precisely in a community of Illya Turchynovsky is a vagabond scholar the new intelligentsia that differed from the Soviet (Ukrainian goliard) who travels from town to intellectual elites at the time. While the regime town searching for the answers to his numerous produced various kinds of loyal intellectuals, the philosophical questions. The second chapter is a group of writers, artists, actors, scientists and so on detective story, where Petro Turchynovsky, a opposed them. Their cohort was not supported by court clerk, investigates a murder case. In the any economic or political platform, as Antonio third chapter, a provincial schoolteacher, Kyriyak Gramsci suggested [5, p. 7, 8]. Nevertheless, the Satanovsky, documents the sins of his friends and Soviet intellectual tradition did not dare to displace foes in the Black Book. the national intellectual tradition that provided a The personages of the novel acquire a great dais for them. At the same time, the voice of truly symbolical meaning. Opposing Turchynovsky- Ukrainian intellectuals required a different type of senior and Satanovsky, Valery Shevchuk compares national narrative, which could embrace a more two historical epochs and political regimes: a liberal specific national past. In their fertile surroundings, a Cossack state and the . He new type of national narrative was born. demonstrates how the power of the latter devours This kind of historical novel is represented both the individual and the collective. He shows that mostly by the texts of Valery Shevchuk. In his in Satanovsky’s stuffy provincial town, no creative writing, he not only resiled from the old rhetoric of spirit or noble heart can survive. For that purpose, sociological history, but also introduced a completely Shevchuk kills his misfortunate character but leaves new pattern of narrative. Unfortunately, his Satanovsky’s “Black Book” safe from the fire. revisionist initiatives coincided with revanchist At first thought, Shevchuk’s novel supresses the moods of the Soviet authorities, which in the early national narrative, which functions deep inside the 1970s resumed a “witch-hunt against a new type of textual canvas. Indeed, Three Leaves dissimulate intelligentsia” [15, p. 218]. As a result, Shevchuk’s the previous type of narrative, but instead they novels Na poli smyrennomu (On a humble field, produce a new and improved one. Its skeleton is 1982) and Try lystky za viknom (Three leaves in the considerably modified compared to the earlier Вітрук А. Я. Трансформації українського національного наративу в історичних романах 63

Soviet versions. In the narrative, the careful reader He accuses both Turchynovskys and Satanovsky of can still allocate the motifs of rich culture (expressed insufficient resistance to subjection. Demonstrating by Illya Turchynovsky), gradual decay (the story of Kyriyak Satanovsky’s misery, Shevchuk underlines Petro Turchynovsky and Kyriyak Satanovsky), and his “desire to survive” [3, p. 7] at any rate, “a the final failure (Satanovsky’s death). However, as pervasively exploiting desire” [3, p. 7] that makes far as the narrative is centred on culture, it does not the subject “the very venue of power” [3, p. 15]. end abruptly, proposing a finite number of choices. Shevchuk does not offer any solution to this Instead, it fixates on critique of power and detects crisis. Instead, his later novels obscure the past and its locations over historical epochs. Examining the trap history in chimerical prose. Ptakhy z text for the changes from positive to negative, the nevydymoho ostrova (Birds from the invisible reader may notice them on the verge of epochs. island, 1989), Oko prirvy (Eye of the abyss, 1996), Thus, Illya is freer than Petro; Petro in his turn is Sribne moloko (Silver milk, 2002), and Temna more happy and self-concerned than Kyriyak, muzyka soson (The dark music of pine-trees, 2003) whose subjection reaches the apogee. Being trapped represent this vivid tendency. Fantastical elements in the imperial system of governance, all three deflect attention away from political history, yet personages suffer from such subjection. Together, they underline the overall direction of individual their stories form Shevchuk’s version of Ukrainian subjection. Using historical material, Shevchuk national narrative, that is, a history of subjection, complexly analyses human subjection and effects of though which Shevchuk explains the failure on a the power. With these texts, historical fiction in national scale. Ukraine makes a sharp turning, as chimerical novels Though the national narrative suffers a fiasco, demonstrated great capacity of national narrative. Three Leaves in the Window does not end the They separate national story from its conventional narrative abruptly. It continues the tradition with form and introduce considerable changes in the set Satanovsky’s “Black Book” that survives the fire. of motifs. As a result, before the end of the 2010s, While the fire has mercy upon Satanovsky’s gossipy Ukrainian writers produce another kind of fiction pictures of provincial vanity, it destroys the writings that promotes the next type of narrative. of Illya and Petro Turchynovskys that had some value for Ukrainian culture. Thus, the cultural and Present Perfect and Future Continuous historical heritage of Ukraine disappears in the of National Narrative metaphorical fire of subjection to imperial power. It is undoubtedly a failure and a loss, which, however, New narrative is vital for an establishing nation, lacks “lacrimogenesis” [6, p. 665] of the but the new story must have a conceptually different 1980s–1990s novels, where Ukraine appears as an approach to the past. Ukraine, as a newly independent “innocent victim of other nations in a litany of nation, required a special type of national story. In valiantly heroic but ultimately tragic (previous) the case of the Ukrainian narrative, “lacrimogenesis” struggles for national independence” [6, p. 665]. It should have been replaced, as it presents no does not root the troubles of Ukraine in the constructive resolution. No perspective is seen outspoken black-and-white world of allies and through the dark ages of collective pain. The new enemies, whom Shevchuk does not indicate directly. type of the narrative should neither mourn nor Instead, he merely points at the problem of bewail the past but connect it to the present. It subjection, discussing it from multiple points of should explain and clarify, and also retrace cause- view. And political subjection of Ukraine does not effect relations between the past and the present. seem to be of his, Shevchuk’s, primarily concern. The closest attempt to that ideal model are Instead, he falls into humanistic pathos and represented by Oksana Zabuzhko’s and Yuriy demonstrates the individual’s capacity to obey, Vynnychuk’s historical novels. In general, Muzei which progresses in time and reaches the eclipse in pokynutykh sekretiv (The museum of abandoned positivistic thinking with its predefined paths for secrets, 2010) and Tango smerti (The tango of death, human spirit. 2012) revise the very recent past. The first novel Shevchuk does not seem to propose any solution excavates the historical strata of the World War II to the problem. In Three Leaves, the readers are left and approaches contemporary time via the analysis with an unknown problem: they are forced to think of the 1970s. The second novel makes no obvious of a national failure not as the enemy’s fault. Neither transition and presents the War with a direct class struggle nor the imperial power were to be connection to the present. Clearly, these novels are blamed for the defeat. Instead, Shevchuk does not very different in their mood, intentions, and sources. release Ukrainian intellectuals from responsibility. They also diverge in their generic affiliation. Yet, I 64 НАУКОВІ ЗАПИСКИ. Том 176. Філологічні науки analyse them as a group, based on their approach to are to tie all the cut knots of history and to make the national narrative. Specifically, both novels critically parallel paths cross. It is not an easy task, and revise intertemporal relationships, rather than Zabuzhko’s heroes painfully struggle to complete merely describe the past. their mission. Sometimes they lack material proof Zabuzhko’s and Shevchuk’s revisionist intentions of the past because of burned archives or unreliable are in tune with a general mood; they complement witnesses, and in that case, they simply ‘recall’ the and elaborate Valery Shevchuk’s direction of past. Indeed, they are able to recollect somebody narrative. Quite the same as Shevchuk, they try to else’s lives because their souls had accumulated the locate cultural strata that would become a starting ancestors’ experience. point for the nation. Surprisingly, these novels do not Excursion in The Museum culminates in an turn to the ‘legendary’ past of Cossacks and hetmans. artistically inappropriate happy end. Main characters Nor do they operate crude nationalistic rhetoric of fall in love and the heroine expects a child, which patriotic novels of Vasyl Shkliar (Chornyi voron clearly should become a symbol of a ‘new (The black crow, 2009)) and the likes who reconstruct beginning’. However, this rather down-to-earth the UPA’s activity. Though these texts have no resolution looks more relevant in the context of intention to nationalise history, they make an attempt Ukrainian national narrative and sounds in tune to detach the Ukrainian past from the Soviet one, with the “I will survive” direction. A similar which for many decades, the majority of non- aftereffect is left after the melody of Vynnychuk’s Ukrainians perceived as one. Tango. While the motifs of a lost manuscript that For this purpose, the texts focus on traumas that can explain the whole universe, the references to are common for both Ukraine and Russia. In this Sufism and other mystical practices whimsically sense, World War II events constituted productive twist the story, the novel itself sends a message material for claiming part of the past. Vynnychuk about the War to describe Ukrainian experience of tells the story of four friends whose fathers were German aggression. “We had it differently”, killed in Bazar. It is hard to say that they are typical Vynnychuk wants to say. “We survived it owing to a representatives of their respective nationalities mythical tango melody”. (Ukrainian, Polish, Jewish, and German), rather I suppose that the pathos of survival is the apogee they embody the spirit of Lviv, their native city. of the national narrative in contemporary historical Actually, their multicultural surrounding merely novels. Taking two very different texts, Zabuzhko’s reflects the authentically multinational city of Lviv, and Vynnychuk’s, we can make sure of the where Ukrainians, Poles, and Jews “managed to narrative’s general direction – to appeal to those develop a dense network of cultural, academic, and alive. No commemorational obsession is legitimate educational institutions” [7, p. 236]. In this city, to explain another wave of lacrimogenesis. No Vynnychuk feels safe to raise the painful memories sorrow can justify another wave of mourning of the Holocaust. This city, he considers, is the most convulsion in literature. Owing to this tendency, suitable to secure the Ukrainian identity in the history accompanies national narrative in Ukrainian middle of the last century and to recreate it in a fiction. This article means to demonstrate both newly independent society. ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ consequences of such Oksana Zabuzhko, on the contrary, does not pay cooperation. As it happened with history, historical attention to ethnic questions. Her focus is primarily novels exist between the dangerous Scylla of on Ukrainian nationality and its survival in times of unproductive nationalism and no less alarming turbulence. Numerous heroes of The Museum Charybdis of denial of national idea. It is rather represent both Eastern and Western Ukraine, and soon to predict the narrative’s behaviour on the still thus Zabuzhko disposes of a question of Ukrainian land; however, I suppose that it will concern other unity and identity. As with most regular museums, aspects of life besides survival. Zabuzhko’s textual memorial displays horrors of the The first signs of that appeared in a very recent past. In its every ‘room’, readers can find and novel Feliks Avstriia (Felix Austria, 2014) of Sofia examine skeletons. In the next ‘room’, they will Andrukhovych. This new kind of historical novel encounter small artefacts of the past that will tell the emphasises Homi Bhabha’s performative, rather story of their forefathers’ survival. And as the text than the pedagogical, as it focuses on “scraps, moves from the 1950s to the 2000s, it leaves more patches, and rags of daily life” [2, p. 297] to artefacts and less remains, and aims at one goal – to transform them into the “signs of national culture” explain how we had become our current selves. As a [2, p. 297]. Andrukhovych allows her readers to take sharp lightning, a desire to explain the origins of us only a quick glimpse at significant personages of the illuminates Zabuzhko’s novel. Her primary tasks Ukrainian past. Carefully concealing legendary Вітрук А. Я. Трансформації українського національного наративу в історичних романах 65

Ukrainians in the provincial routine of Stanislaviv, In the end, the clear and rigid rhetoric of the late she forces the recipient to make his or her own way Stalinist historical novels allowed to extract the through it. Hitting this road, readers stumble upon ‘primary’ narrative and to dissect it into motifs. fractions in the performative only to find the Starting with this model of narrative made it easier continuity of the pedagogical. Any small detail, like to understand its vacillations of the 1960s. It also mentioning His Grace Andrei (Sheptytskyj), can allowed to demonstrate the new type of narrative lead to the solid strata of tradition. Owing to that emerged in opposition to positivistic intentions internalising the tension between the pedagogical of Socialist Realism. With the texts of Valery and performative in Felix Austria, the novel for the Shevchuk, the national story developed a new first time in Ukrainian literature has become the branch. It included different set of motifs and aimed only site of writing the nation. at detaching history from the Soviet past. While the old ‘socialist realist’ type of narrative successfully Conclusion functions until now, the efforts of Shevchuk did not go in vain. Instead, they laid the foundation to other Though this article starts with references to the texts, like Oksana Zabuzhko’s and Yuriy texts of Ivan Le and Petro Panch, the author Vynnychuk’s, that elaborated his story and adjusted acknowledges their marginal place in the current it to the new political, social, and cultural tendencies literary process, also realising the impact of other in Ukraine. historical novels mentioned here. Yet this study did Finally, the article points at the latest Ukrainian not aim to assess the quality of literary material. The historical novel, Sofiia Andrukhovych’s Felix author’s goal was primarily to study the actual field Austria, which eventually gives a new form to the of the genre, making no drawbacks and substantial national story. New texts of this kind is important in exclusions. The result must have demonstrated both Ukrainian literature. Not only they are aesthetically a broad panorama of literary process and the narrow innovative but also they reinvent the national pillar, the national narrative, that was its source. narrative, adjusting it to the needs of modern society.

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Вітрук А. Я.

Трансформації українського національного наративу в історичних романах

У статті розглянуто національний наратив у повоєнних історичних романах. Феномен єдиної національної оповіді вивчається у зв’язку з дискурсом історії в Радянському Союзі. Демонструється зв’язок між сприйняттям історії, історичною прозою і національним наративом в Україні. У цьому світлі розглянуто національну оповідь від останніх сталінських років і дотепер, демонструючи трансформації в історичній прозі, пов’язані з національним наративом.

Ключові слова: історичний роман, національний наратив, повоєнна проза, соцреалізм, проза після незалежності.

Матеріал надійшов 31.10.2015