A CONCEPT MODEL OF NATIONAL SPIRIT THROUGH THE LENS OF THE UKRAINIAN LITERARY TRADITION

Abstract

As the problem of a person’s cultural and existential self-identification in the Ukrainian society nowadays is a pressing issue that requires discussing and solving, the authors insist that it should be considered at the ontological level. The purpose of the research is analysing some intentional concepts that present Ukrainian mentality in literary and artistic works, and constructing a hypothetical model of national spirit. National spirit is viewed as a substantial formation that develops historically, under the influence of a great many different factors, remains unchanged for quite a time, and makes the basis of the national character. The authors find Ukrainian cultural heritage amazingly enduring and long-lasting, and believe that its strength is a result of the tradition which is outlined as a mechanism of self-preservation and self-renewal of culture. The cultural process in Ukraine is characterised as never-stopping, even in the years when Ukraine was not an independent state. The reason for this is its ancient culture, mentality, and language. Some intentional concepts essential for the Ukrainian language are considered, such as heart, soul, temple, love. These words have been used by generations and have become, so to say, realities of national being. Together with other intentional concepts, they began to determine the national spiritual space. The focus is on the age of Ukrainian Baroque, one of the most important periods in the evolution of the national character and the formation of the Ukrainian cultural tradition. The phenomenon of Ukrainian Baroque in literature is understood as if it was a ‘key’ to our realising the historic development of Ukrainian literature. Through this, we can get closer to understanding the Ukrainian national character. The conclusion that, in the development of our culture, Baroque is something more than a mere aesthetic style, helps us consider Baroque as the process of formation of a Ukrainian creative personality’s style. The thesis is put forward about the enduring and long-lasting nature of the Baroque way of thinking in Ukrainian culture — in particular in literature (e. g. works by Lina Kostenko). In conclusion, the authors emphasise how necessary it is to humanise higher technical education and reinforce its humanitarian component, to form national self-awareness in young people, and how important is a person’s ethnical and cultural self-identification that helps oppose the dehumanising tendencies in modern science and education.

Авторы анализируют интенсионал-концепты, характерные как для многих поколений создателей устной народной поэзии, так и для профессиональных писателей и поэтов, что позволяет рассматривать эти концепты в качестве определителей культуры, духовности, национального духа. Речь идет о периоде украинского барокко как процессе формирования стиля украинской творческой личности, в частности, о барочных тенденциях в творчестве мировой поэтессы Л. Костенко. Акцентируется важность этнокультурной самоидентификации личности как противостояние дегуманистическим тенденциям в современной науке и образовании под влиянием глобальных универсалистских доктрин.

Автори аналізують найхарактерніші інтенсіонал-концепти, вживані як багатьма поколіннями творців усної народної поезії, так і письменниками і поетами-професіоналами, розглядають ці концепти як визначники культури, духовності, національного духу. Йдеться про добу українського бароко як процес формування стилю української творчої особистості, зокрема, барокові тенденції у віршах світової поетеси Л. Костенко. Наголошується важливість етнокультурної самоідентифікації особистості як протидія дегуманістичним тенденціям у сучасній науці й освіті під впливом ґлобальних універсалістських доктрин.