The relashionship between Opanas Zalyvakha and Ivan Svitlychny

Abstract

In the context of identifying “blank spots” in the history of Ukraine, an important aspect is the study of the dissident movement in the 20th century, which is impossible without the awareness of its existence as a kind of elite community of the Ukrainian intellectuals. From this point of view, the current issue remains the reflection of the relationship between individual dissidents in ideological, professional and personal aspects. The purpose of the study is a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between the famous participants in the Ukrainian dissident movement – the artist Opanas Zalyvakha and the literary critic Ivan Svitlychny. The research methodology is characterized by the use of general scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, induction and deduction, special scientific genetic and comparative methods, as well as the principles of systematicity, objectivity and historicism. The results of the studyare reflected in the formation of its following tasks. The first of them is the analysis of the relationship between O. Zalyvakha and I. Svitlychny in the first half of the 1960s, when the process of their acquaintance and exchange of ideas within the framework of the development of patriotic beliefs took place. The second task of the study is to reflect the relationship between both dissidents during the period of arrest and imprisonment of O. Zalyvakha, which were characterized by mutual support. The third task is to establish the relationship between O. Zalyvakha and I. Svitlychny after 1970 and until the death of the literary scholar. The conclusions show that the close relationship between O. Zalyvakha and I. Svitlychny was justified by the presence of common beliefs of both dissidents and the multifaceted personality of the literary scholar. They were extraordinary figures, but the Soviet totalitarian regime did not contribute to the development of their talent. The work of both O. Zalyvakha and I. Svitlychny in the cultural sphere contributed to the development of awareness of other participants in the resistance movement of Ukrainian national self-identity. The relationship between O. Zalyvakha and I. Svitlychny depended on their perception of totalitarian reality as an obstacle to the realization of the Ukrainian national idea. In this aspect, I. Svitlychny played the role of a mentor to other members of the Sixties, including O. Zalyvakha, in their deeper study of the history of Ukraine and the formation of patriotic views, distancing themselves from the Soviet communist-totalitarian model. Since the literary scholar was one of the leaders of the Sixties and dissident movement, it was around him that dissidents in Ukraine, including O. Zalyvakha, largely rallied.