Anthropological Concept of the Person in the Poetry of Kyivan Neoclassics

Author

Siryk Liudmyla

Dr. habil., a professor, adiunkt at the Department of Literary Studies of the Institute of Neophilology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University, Lublin (Poland)

Anthropological Concept of the Person in the Poetry of Kyivan Neoclassics

Abstract

Ideological and semantic content of the anthropological concept of the person is considered in the article.  This conception has been formulated in the poetry of literary group of Kyivan neoclassics Mykola Zerov, Maksym Rylskyi, Pavlo Fylypovych, Mykhailo Drai-Khmara and Yuriy Klen (his real name is Oswald-Eckard Burghardt) as the leading representatives of neoclassicism and European trend in the Ukrainian literature of the 20th century. The issue is investigated after the materials of the works of the period of 1914–1934. It is ascertained that the concept is based on such categories as kalokagathos (moral and physical perfection, unity of the beautiful and good), truth, love, wisdom, nobleness, assiduity, stoicism, cognition (of myself and the world), courage, self-completion, harmony, freedom, social activity, solidarity, dialogue, collaboration, creation, patriotism, sincerity, steadiness, temperance, composure, gladness, tradition, right and duty. These positively connotated categories are used to determine the premise of the person’s happiness. Anthropocentric nature of the culture with the primacy of imperative of morality and humanism is promoted in the considered model. High demands are brought forward the person by the conception. At the same time, it appeals to the impartial social order, where the person’s rights for life, freedom and dignity and also democratic rights are esteemed. Ideological and axiological content of the concept has been the negation of the Soviet totalitarian regime and at the same time the courageous call against its antihumanism, the theory of small screws and mass character.

Keywords

Kyivan neoclassics, a person, anthropological concept, poetry, kalokagathos, humanism, love, stoicism, morality, harmony, dialogue, community, tradition.

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