Рукописна та книжкова спадщина України (Jan 2020)
Ukrainian historical figures in biographical editions from late 18th to first half of 19th century
Abstract
The aim of this study is to substantiate the estimation of late 18th century and the first half of the 19th century as an important stage in the development of Ukrainian biography marked by the establishment of its patriotic ethnographic vision, combined with mastering of achievements of modern European science. The study methodology involved approaches of source criticism, historiography and bibliology. Scientific novelty lies in the proposed revision of some widespread in scientific literature notions about the late development of historical biography in Ukraine, allegedly only from the second half of the 19th century. The interaction in the Ukrainian biography of two directions is analyzed: the so-called ‘name collecting’ (systematization and presentation of Ukrainian figures in reference literature, with roots in the ‘Malorossian’ autonomistic ideals, common among the Cossack elite) and the emergence of its romantic-heroic counterpart, a direction fertilized by the national revival ideas of the Slavic peoples, offering a different conception, that of a national heroes pantheon with figures of strong and self-sufficient fighters for the common cause. Conclusions. The initial stage of the Ukrainian National Revival from the late 18th century to the European Spring of Nations in 1848 was the time when modern Ukrainian biography emerged. During this period it gained character of an original and independent (in terms of external ideological influences) branch of domestic science and culture, closely connected to the very core of national movement, the struggle of Ukrainians for self-affirmation among other European nations.
