MYKHAILO STARYTSKY AND SHOLOM-ALEICHEM: TYPOLOGICAL PARALLELS

Abstract

Introduction. Mykhailo Starytsky and Sholom-Aleichem are at first sight quite different figures but providing profound comparative studying on their life and literary biographies we could reveal actually eloquent analogies. Significantly that not only typological coincidences but also potential (read as hypothetical) contact links are realized. Purpose is to realize typological study of Mykhailo Starytsky’s and Sholom-Aleichem’s literary personalities in the space of the Ukrainian-Jewish connections, determine writers’ position in the cultural life of the second half of the 19th and the early 20th centuries, analyze Mykhailo Starytsky’s and SholomAleichem’s life and literary biographies, their worldview and aesthetic vectors, literary works in which the Ukrainian and the Jewish interethnic and intercultural relations become obvious, outline analogies and divergences, points of contact and contrasts. Methods. The typological, comparative, intertextual, analytical methods are more or less realized in the article. Results. 1) It is noticed that two cultures, two ethnic groups (Autochthonous/income, native/alien) actively engaged, influenced each other on the common area, experienced simultaneous and often tantamount harassments by the ruling empires although some conflicts and confrontations have occurred; the problem of assimilation has not received an unambiguous assessment. 2) Mykhailo Starytsky and Sholom-Aleichem are seemingly united only by Time and Birthplace. But really not only typological coincidences but also potential (read as hypothetical) contact links are realized. Mykhailo Starytsky and Sholom-Aleichem are significant figures in the cultural and social life of the second half of the 19th and the early 20th centuries. Starytsky has positioned a coryphaeus of the Ukrainian professional theatre, the author of number of neologisms. Sholom-Aleichem is a revolutionary-helmsman of the Yiddish literature, perhaps the most famous, or even cult figure in the Jewish-Ukrainian cultural process. 3) In the article the attention is paid to the selfless, sacrificial character of both writers, versatility of these literary personalities, literary debut of each of them, lingual factor (as one of the national identity expressions), problematic and thematic dominants, stylistic specific of the Ukrainian and Jewish writers’ literary heritages, their typological propinquity. 4) Social-politic and cultural conditions in which Mykhailo Starytsky and Sholom-Aleichem grew and brought are studied. 5) Religiousness as common factor is determined. 6) Attraction of both to mythology and folklore, music art is pointed. 7) Young Mykhailo Starytsky’s and Sholom-Aleichem’s reading interests are outlined, particularly significant influence of Taras Shevchenko’s literary works is fixed. 8) Author’s attention is paid to the drama of the Ukrainian and Jewish writers’ biographies. 9) Symbolic of the homeland in destinies and literary works of both writers is accented. 10) Jewish-Ukrainian dialogue revealed in Mykhailo Starytsky’s and Sholom-Aleichem’s literary works is analyzed. Originality. In the article the first typological studies of Mykhailo Starytsky’s and Sholom-Aleichem’s literary personalities in the space of the Ukrainian and the Jewish connections are realized, writers’ position in the cultural life of the second half of the 19th and the early 20th centuries is determined, Mykhailo Starytsky’s and Sholom-Aleichem’s life and literary biographies, their worldview and aesthetic vectors, literary works in which the Ukrainian and the Jewish interethnic and intercultural relations become obvious are analyzed, analogies and divergences, points of contact and contrasts are outlined. Conclusion. Significantly that not only typological coincidences but also potential (read as hypothetical) contact links are realized.