THE SYNDROM OF COLONIAL STATE IN THE STUDIES OF SERHIJ JEFREMOV

Abstract

Introduction. Serhiy Yefremov's preocupation with the state of the new Ukrainian literature, its development conditions and peculiarities of its history is studied in the article as a sort of "syndrom", which has predefined both the field of Serhiy Yefremov's scholarly work and the character of his research and critical work. Colonial state of the nation leads to an unquestionable conclusion that language and literature as the nation's only heritage and treasure become the ultimate measurement standard for everything. From this standpoint a matter of special interest is the destinies and work of writers that were tempted to leave their "native soil" and dedicated themselves to the literature of the metropoly. Purpose is to study the Syndrom of Colonial State in the works of Serhij Jefremov. Methods. The analytical and biographical methods are more or less realized in the article. Results. Specifically, in this regard Yefremov focuses on the figures of Volodymyr Korolenko and Mykola Gogol. In his works Yefremov approached the issue of the historical fate of Ukrainian literature and its situation in the Russian empire not only as a scholar, but also as a political publicist. This ladds to the unique author's style. Originality. In the article “Outlaw” Yefremov analyzes the status of the Ukrainian writer “been not only illegal but even outside the provisional rules on the press”, fixes on the obvious, self-evident and more problematic, deep reasons of this position. Furthermore, Yefremov opens the law of the unitary ideology. The researcher put the question bluntly: who needs, who benefits by literature of the multimillion nation was in such poor and such profoundly abnormal situation. It’s accented that the status of the Russian writer is much better. The whole point is in the imperial hierarchy and imperial psychology, deep-seated until the subconscious and then carefully cherished. Hopeless and unfavorable historical circumstances shaped the character of the Ukrainian literature. Moreover, they also formed the character and style of its famous researcher. “The history of the Ukrainian literature” as the fundamental work, a matter of his life and a main theme has been saturated with the exhausting struggle for the existence of this literature. Natives of Ukraine which became Russian writers are one on the most painful for Yefremov problems. He is interested with the historical backgrounds and personal-psychological peripeteias of this phenomenon, consequences and lessons. Conclusion. Seeking to understand the nature of this “catastrophe”, this “psychological riddle” Yefremov looks for origins and causes and provides a retrospective assessment of the specific competition of 1860-1870^th years between “Ukrainophilism” on the one side and the influence of “neighboring Great public life” on the other. Inferences of Yefremov may be unexpectedly interesting and useful for us nowadays.