THE FIGURE OF HRYHORIY SKOVORODA AND SKOVORODA'S SENSES IN THE POETRY BY OLEXII SOFIYENKO

In: Ukrai͏̈noznavčyj alʹmanach, Heft 31, S. 40-46

Abstract

In this research, the works with the Skovoroda theme were analyzed, written by the talented poet from Kaniv, Oleksii Sofiyenko (1952-2011). Considering the relative little-known status of the writer, the study contains basic biographical information about him. O. Sofiyenko's poetic language is analyzed in sufficient detail based on all six of his collections; its metaphorical saturation and complexity, intellectuality, problem-thematic richness, versification variety and mastery are noted. The poet's formal and substantive experimentation, the originality of his visual poetry as an echo of baroque stylistics, is especially emphasized, which to some extent brings Sofiyenko's work closer to baroque features in the works of Hryhorii Skovoroda. Other possible typological similarities between the works of Skovoroda and Sofiyenko are noted, namely, the philosophical and expressive saturation of the contemporary artist's poetic texts with biblical, religious, and spiritual imagery and symbolism. It is also noted that O. Sofiyenko's semantically and figuratively complicated poetry requires active reader cooperation and empathy. Other semantic contexts, particularly stylistic ones, of this poet's works are indicated. The article focuses on the analysis of O. Sofiyenko's poem "Apostle of Freedom", written on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of the death of Hryhorii Skovoroda (1994) and published only in the poet's posthumous collection "Singing Blood" (2013). Detailed attention is paid to the structuring of the poem and its versification pattern, to the realization of the key idea of the work in it - the idea of will (in H. Skovoroda's - freedom), to the semantics of the concept of will in the world of chaos ("hell of will") and in the harmonized world ("infinity of will"). It is noted that, according to O. Sofiyenko, world harmony is realized to a large extent by the confession of humanistic values, including spiritual and religious values, through the idea of God. The evolution of imagery and tonality of the poem is traced. Considerable attention of the study was paid to the analysis of other "Skovoroda" poems in O. Sofiyenko's collections ("Skovoroda", "Truth", "Happiness", "Create Yourself", etc.), to the semantics artistically reproduced in them, as well as to epigrams and intertexts "from Skovoroda" in the works of a modern poet.