If you want to understand Ukraine — read Ukrainian literature.
 Three key figures without whom it is impossible to imagine Ukrainian culture are Taras Shevchenko, Ivan Franko, and Lesya Ukrainka. Their works have been translated into many languages and are accessible to readers around the world. In this post, we briefly introduce them and recommend classic works worth reading if you are interested in Ukraine.

Ukrainian classical literature is a polyphonic space of ideas, genres, and styles: from philosophical treatises to lyrical poetry, from social realism to modernism. It reflects the struggle for freedom, the lives of ordinary people, women's voices, folk motifs, and national dignity.

Hryhorii Skovoroda, Ivan Kotliarevsky, Panteleimon Kulish, Ivan Nechuy-Levytsky, Panas Myrny, Olha Kobylianska, Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky, Vasyl Stefanyk, and other outstanding classic writers represent various literary eras — from Baroque to modernism. Their works are not only artistically valuable but also help to understand Ukrainian society more deeply, its historical traumas, and spiritual strength.

Interestingly, portraits of four of the most famous writers — Taras Shevchenko, Ivan Franko, Lesya Ukrainka, and Hryhorii Skovoroda — are depicted on Ukrainian banknotes. This is a kind of recognition of their contribution to the culture and identity of the country.

Taras Shevchenko is the most famous Ukrainian poet, artist, and thinker of the 19th century. In his works, he depicted the beauty of Ukrainian nature, the hard life of peasants, colonial oppression, and the longing for freedom. His collection Kobzar is a symbol of Ukrainian culture. That’s why he is called the "voice of the nation."

Ivan Franko was a writer, poet, translator, philosopher, and political activist. He wrote about social contradictions, national liberation, and human psychological experiences. His work — spanning from romanticism to modernism — helped form the national self-awareness of Ukrainians.

Lesya Ukrainka was a poet, playwright, translator, and intellectual. Her works combine deep philosophy, European sophistication, and Ukrainian mythology. Lesya Ukrainka portrayed strong and free women, the struggle for dignity, and a spirit of resistance — that is why she is called the "poet of courage and struggle."

Here is a selection of classic works that will help you feel the Ukrainian culture more deeply. They are translated into foreign languages, including English and German:

  • Ivan Kotliarevsky — Eneida (1798)
     A satirical adaptation of Virgil’s Aeneid in a Ukrainian style. Full of humour, folk language, and observations of daily life. It’s called the "encyclopedia of Ukrainian life in the 18th century."

  • Taras Shevchenko — Kobzar (1840, 1860); Haidamaky (1841)
     Poetry about the fate of the Ukrainian people, love for the homeland, historical memory, and resistance to enslavement.

  • Lesya Ukrainka — Contra spem spero! (1890); The Forest Song (1911)
     The first is a poem of heroic defiance against life’s hardships, the second — a drama where reality and mythology intertwine in a story of love and freedom.

  • Olha Kobylianska — A Melancholic Waltz (1898)
     A modernist short story about three women and art, which challenged gender stereotypes and became a manifesto of women’s emancipation in literature.

  • Vasyl Stefanyk — The Stone Cross (1900)
     A deeply psychological story about emigration, loss, and the unbreakable connection between a person and their homeland.

  • Ivan Franko — The Cross-Paths (1900); Moses (1905)
     The first is a novel about social conflicts and moral choices, the second — an allegorical poem about a prophet leading his people to freedom.

  • Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky — Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1911)
     A masterpiece of Ukrainian modernism that immerses the reader in the unique Hutsul culture and tells a tragic love story.

Ukrainian classical literature is not just fiction. It is a mirror of people who have fought for their freedom, language, and dignity for centuries. Familiarising yourself with it will help you see the depth of the Ukrainian character. If you are studying Ukrainian as a foreign language, ask your teacher for advice on texts appropriate for your level. If you are reading Ukrainian works in translation, choose texts translated into your native language. Many are available online.

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