THE RED AND BLACK COLORS IN THE LITERARY WORKS BY IVAN NECHUI-LEVYTSKY (FRAGMENT

Abstract

Introduction. Color is involved in creating of the psycho-emotional background of events. It’s the important means of character creation and facilitates to transfer stages of internal conflict deployment. The red and black colors are the most used colors in I. Nechui-Levytsky’s literary works. In the Ukrainian paradigm of color symbols the red color has the most prominent place both in the frequency of using and the number of symbolic meanings. Red is the color of activity, fire and pulsating blood, it transmits excitation and explosion of emotions, associates with wounds, suffering, death torture and purification; it means passion, sensuality and life-giving forces. Black corresponds to the stage of fermentation, rotting, darkening and repentance; black incarnates sin; it’s a feminine color; due to the association with darkness it means death, it is a symbol of the entire Evil. Purpose is to analyze profoundly the color palette of three novels by I. Nechui-Levytsky («Kaidash’s family», «Old-fashioned fathers and mothers», «Clouds»), point to using specifics of red and black colors, determine their art functions, identify the author's «presence» in each color image, determine emotional state of the writer by the color dominants, the individual features of the author's perception of the world. Methods. The hermeneutic method is realized in the article. Results. Red is the incarnation of the thirst, an unrestrained traction to the alive and active life. Nechui-Levytsky uses this color in the portraits and descriptions of nature. I. Nechui-Levytsky often portrays with red his young heroines in order to emphasize physical beauty, enthusiasm, activity, the ability to be a good mistress and to give birth to healthy children. I. Nechui-Levytsky uses a number of synonymous colored names of red: ruddy, pink, cherry, crimson, rusty, bright red etc. A negative value of red color (like the color of blood, wounds, death) is revealed in the novel «Kaidash’s family». In the Ukrainian folklore Black is a symbol of the prosperous life associated with the symbol of earth. At the same time, black is used in the sense of mismanagement, desolation. A white stick is the symbol of prosperity, sincerity and abundance but the black bread is the symbol of poverty or poor management. Black is also used in the sense of «hardworking, beautiful and natural». Black symbolizes a quiet, calm life of the Ukrainian peasant. For the interior I. Nechui-Levitsky uses black only in the story «Old-fashioned fathers and mothers». Black is a female color. I. Nechui-Levytsky uses black for the portrait characteristics of women. In the analyzed stories most female characters have black spits, black eyebrows and brown eyes. The old heroines of I. Nechui-Levitsky are also depicted with a black paint, they have black dresses. In the analyzed literary works by I. Nechui-Levytsky there are also «figures of the hell Bestiary» such as black creeks, spiders, black horses, black devils and black capons of the muzzle. In the story «Kaidash’s family» the quarrel between two families is painted with black colors. Originality. Thus, in the story «Kaidash’s family» by I. Nechui-Levytsky the red color with all its shades is used 85 times, 135 times in the story «Old-fashioned fathers and mothers», the frequency of repetition of red in «Clouds» reaches 197 times. The black color is used 162 times in the story «Clouds», 150 times in the story «Old-fashioned fathers and mothers»; there are 63 black markings in the story «Kaidash’s family». Conclusion. Consequently, color is important in revealing of the main themes and problems in literary works by I. Nechui-Levytsky. White – red – black are the most commonly used colors in Ukrainian folklore, as well as in I. Nechui – Levytsky’s works. In the analyzed stories we have only isolated cases of negative semantics of red color. Usually with red I. Nechui-Levytsky conveys the beauty of the gentry, inspiration, beauty of nature, emotions of joy and love. In the stories by I. Nechui-Levytsky we have as positive semantics of black color (maiden beauty, Ukrainian way of life) and negative, dark, ominous, connected with death, dusk, winter, aging. However, the negative semantics of black doesn’t affect the overall positive, virtuous orientation of I. Nechui – Levytsky’s literary works.