THE POETRY OF S. ZHADAN IN THE CONTEXT OF MILITARY THEMES

Abstract

The article is devoted to a comprehensive literary analysis of the evolution of S. Zhadan’s poetry in the context of military themes.
Scholarly papers on S. Zhadan’s work are analyzed through the prism of the leading motifs in his poetry and prose, which reveal the system inherent in the writer’s individual style. The author’s work is examined within the context of the leitmotif of war, highlighting that military motifs are not exclusive to S. Zhadan’s recent works but constitute a constant element throughout his books. A number of leading motifs in S. Zhadan’s work are identified in the context of implementing the leitmotif of war; furthermore, the specific motifs that shape the author’s individual style are characterized. The transformation of the artist’s idiostyle from 2014 to the period of the full-scale invasion is investigated. The focus of scholarly interest is the poetic macrostructure (a kind of trilogy consisting of “Life of Mary”, “Templars”, and “Antenna”), as well as the collections “List of Ships”, “Psalm of Aviation”, and “Skrypnykivka”.
Particular emphasis is placed on the relevance of existential issues, which are an inherent component of society’s life during wartime. Military themes have played a significant role in S. Zhadan’s work since his early writings, manifesting in the imagery of transit characters, marginalized individuals engaged in internal and external wars for space; apocalyptic scenes that actively interface with biblical texts regarding the realities of our time; and associations drawn from the military sphere, catastrophes, accidents, deaths, etc. Centrally, the analyzed works by S. Zhadan focus on the human being and their transformation during war.
The study determines that the reflection on military events led to systemic shifts at various levels of S. Zhadan’s literary text: a departure from classical syllabo-tonic versification in favor of free verse, a change in the protagonist, and the imagery of language. Special attention is paid to the functioning of biblical and historical allusions, the landscape code, as well as the metaphorization of language as a key marker of national self-awareness and overcoming trauma in wartime.