Highlight of the state formation problem in literature (based on the autobiographical work by Roman Ivanychuk «Bless the lord…»)
The article tackles a vital problem of nowadays. The topicality of the title selected is determined by insufficient literary research of the motive of Ukrainian state formation highlighted in the writers’ works. A special role among the writers who raised the issues of state formation is played by R. Ivanychuk. This is a prominent writer of nowadays, the author of many collections of stories and short stories as well as the author of more than twenty historical novels. All the novels by Ivanychuk are united into one cycle and are based on the same material, the common historical events and characters as well as symbols and cross-cutting themes and ideas. The most significant of those ideas is the one of love for the homeland and for the nation as the sense of human existence. His book «Bless the Lord…» was published in 1993. In the foreword MP of Ukraine R. Ivanychuk as a writer and politician traces the history of his generation and the formation of its national consciousness after proclaiming the independence of Ukraine. The author shows how through parliamentary battles and party wars the brand new literary process emerged with a focus on literary and political leaders he knew well enough. This peculiar chronicle is based on a great number of memories of the difficult events associated with the creation of independent Ukraine after the collapse of the empire – the USSR. The author presents his memories as an integral part of the Ukrainian literature. From a writer’s point of view, a master of words cannot get rid of these age-old questions if he is truly hurt by the fate of the nation. The work is composed of two parts: «Literature and state» and «State and literature». This is a peculiar view of the problem – an artist and the power, the problem of the past and the future of our nation. In the writer’s view, the master of the word cannot evade from these everlasting questions if he or she really cares for the nation’s fate. Focusing on the high purpose of the writer, R. Ivanychuk in the second part of his memoirs mentions the difficult relationship between the writers and the authorities. This work evidences the main assignment of writing – building a new democratic Ukraine. Both in the analyzed work and in his numerous speeches, the writer emphasized that literature is a temple. And in this temple there should be no place for artisans from literature, who carry dirt into the spiritual life, disdain for man, for his future. The second part of the book abounds in the writer’s speculations about the role of literature in society and in requirements as per its high artistry level. The writer thinks that literature is a temple that cannot give any room for bunglers from literature who bring garbage to their works as well as disrespect for the human being and for his / her future.