nation and memory in eastern europe lecture 10 national literature and national poets week 11

Nation and Memory in Eastern Europe

Lecture 10National Literature and National

Poets

Week 11

Outline

1. National Literature and National Poets2. Reading Clubs and Literacy3. Russia: Alexander Pushkin4. Poland: Adam Mickiewicz5. Ukraine: Taras Shevchenko6. Conclusion

Many nations have adopted a poet who is perceived to represent the identity, beliefs and principles of their culture. This person, whether officially or by popular acclaim, is often referred to as the national poet or national bard. Some nations have more

than one national poet.

Preconditions

National literary language Themes which are relevant for the nation Expresses the national essence Educated elite – reading public and literary

criticism Market for publications in the national

language

Measures

Education programme for the people – literacy and reading clubs

Celebrating the bard – commemorations, monuments, renaming of streets, public buildings

Mass production of his/her works, in almanacs, calendars, peasant journals and so on

Functions

Integration: reading and celebrating the national poet

National pride: high quality literature, literary language

“Foreign propaganda”: presenting own national culture as a high culture

Identity: Identification with the nation

Outline


Case study: The Prosvita society 1st Prosvita society founded in Lviv in 1868, mostly intellectuals Educative and cultured society to ‘know and edify the people’. to ‘collect and publish all the fruits of oral folk literature.’ (1870) to promote education among the Ruthenian (Ukrainian)

people by means of popular publications in the vernacular and the organisation of county committees

in 1876: the admission fee was abolished, annual dues were drastically reduced, and all members received a free popular booklet each month

In 1881–5 there were 320 reading rooms in Galicia under the care of Prosvita, but unconnected

Between 1891 and 1914 the number of reading rooms within Prosvita increased from 5 to 2,944, and the number of branches from 7 to 77

In 1914, 75% of the cities, towns, and villages in Galicia had a reading room, and 20% of the province's Ukrainian population belonged to Prosvita

Ukrainian Society of Prosvita

Meeting of the Ukrainian Society of Prosvita

Members of the Ukrainian Society of Prosvita in Kamenyca in 1934)

The importation into the Russian Empire, without special permission of the Central Censorship over Printing, of all books and pamphlets in the Little Russian dialect, published abroad, is forbidden, The printing and publishing in the Empire of original works and translations in this dialect is forbidden with the exception of (a) historical documents and monuments; (b) works of belles lettres but with the provision that in the documents the orthography of the originals be retained; in works of belles lettres no deviations from the accepted Russian orthography are permitted and permission for their printing may be given only by the Central Censorship over Printing. All theatrical performances and lectures in the Little Russian dialect, as well as the printing of text to musical notes, are forbidden

Ems Ukas (1876), Excerpts

Outline


Alexander Pushkin

Proud charger, whither art thou ridden?

Where leapest thou? And where, on whom

wilt plant thy hoof?

Alexander Pushkin, The Bronze Horseman

1824

Etienne-Maurice Falconet: The BronzeHorseman, 1782

Nikolai Gogol, 1809-1852

Leo Tolstoy, 1828-1910

Fyodor M. Dostoevsky, 1821-1881

Outline

1. National Literature and National Poets2. Russia: Alexander Pushkin3. Poland: Adam Mickiewicz4. Ukraine: Taras Shevchenko5. Conclusion

Adam Mickiewicz, 1798-1858

‘But the Polish nation alone did not bow down … And Poland said, ‘Whosoever will come to me shall be free and equal for I am FREEDOM.’ But the Kings, when they heard it, were frightened in their hearts, and they crucified the Polish nation, and laid it in its grave, crying out ‘We have slain and buried Freedom.’ But they cried out foolishly….For the Polish Nation did not die. Its Body lieth in the grave; but its spirit has descended into the abyss, that is into the private lives of people who suffer slavery in their own country … For on the Third Day, the Soul shall return again to the Body; and the Nation shall arise, and free all the peoples of Europe from Slavery.’

Adam Mickiewicz, Books of the Polish Nation and Pilgrimage, 1832

Zygmunt Krasinski, 1812-1859 Juliusz Slowacki, 1809-1849

Henryk Sienkiewicz, 1846-1916

Outline


Shevchenko MonumentKiev, Ukraine, June 8, 2000

Do Not Forget Our Native Land Ukraine

Published by D. MarkovKiev 1908

Taras Shevchenko

Testament" (Zapovit’)When I die, buryMe in a grave,Among the wide steppes,In my beloved Ukraine,So that the wide-brimmed plains,And the Dnieper, and steep slopesThere could be seen, could be heard,How the wailing wail.When from Ukraine is carriedInto the blue seaThe blood of the enemy. . . then IAnd the plains and hills—

Will drop everything and bowTo God HimselfPraying. . . until thenGod I do not know.Bury me and arise,Break your chains,And with the enemy's evil bloodBaptize freedom.And myself in a big family,In a family free, new,Don't forget to rememberWith a pleasant quiet word.24 December 1845, Pereyaslav

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pereyaslav

Lesya Ukrainka, 1871-1913

Ivan Franko, 1856-1916

Outline


What is the connection between literature and nation building?

Creation of a national high language Poets who represent the national spirit High literature – “cultural capital” in nation

building Use of texts in national language to

nationalise the peasantry Novels, stories, poems with historical topics

show the greatness and the suffering of the nation

nation and memory in eastern europe lecture 10 national literature and national poets week 11

Documents

national literature

national language slide

national culture

national poet national

national bard

national essence

nation slide

prosvita society