On Reading Ukrainian Literature in the 1920s and Now

Achilli, Alessandro

2024-01-01

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Abstract

Literature, as is widely known among those conversant with Ukrainian culture, has always played a significant role in Ukraine’s nation-building process. This was especially true in the nineteenth century, but it is no less true of Ukraine’s collective resistance effort against Russia’s full-scale aggression today. With Ukraine fighting for its freedom and dignity and the international community torn between solidarity and hesitation, Ukrainian writers today often serve as ambassadors for their country in cultural and political venues all around the globe. The interest in Ukrainian literature that international publishers and literary institutions have shown since 2022 is often focused on poetry and prose that have a direct link with the ongoing war. However, both the war-related creativity boom that we are witnessing and the belated discovery of Ukrainian literature by international readerships should not lead to the conclusion that only recent writing from Ukraine is of interest. Ukrainian literature in its historical development has both much to offer readers and many unexplored sides awaiting scholarly work. In this contribution, I will explore two articles that deal with issues pertaining to the circulation of Ukrainian literature among Ukrainian and international readers.