Dialogue with a Classic: The University Community at the Presentation of a New Monograph on Lesya Ukrainka

An important cultural and academic event took place within the university’s scholarly environment – the presentation of the new monograph “The Works of Lesya Ukrainka: National-Cultural Codes and the European Tradition” (Warsaw, 2025), dedicated to rethinking the legacy of one of the most prominent figures of Ukrainian literature, whose 155th anniversary was celebrated this year. The presentation was held in a hybrid format at the Institute of Ukrainian Studies of the University of Warsaw. Lecturers and philology students of the Social and Humanitarian Faculty of Berdyansk State Pedagogical University took part in the event, for whom the meeting became an opportunity to immerse themselves more deeply in contemporary research on the writer’s works.

The monograph was published under the scientific editorship of scholars from the University of Warsaw (Katarzyna Jakubowska-Krawczyk, Svitlana Romaniuk) and Lesya Ukrainka Volyn National University (Viktor Yaruchyk, Olena Malanii).

During the presentation, the main ideas of the book were introduced. The monograph examines the works of Lesya Ukrainka through the prism of national-cultural codes and their interaction with the European literary tradition. Researchers analyze the playwright’s dramaturgy, the linguistic features of her texts, her epistolary heritage, as well as the sources of her creative inspiration and the interpretation of her works in the European cultural space.

Particular attention during the presentation was paid to the relevance of Lesya Ukrainka’s works for contemporary readers. The authors of the monograph propose new approaches to interpreting her texts, demonstrating that the writer’s ideas – personal freedom, spiritual strength, and national dignity – remain extremely significant in today’s cultural and social context.

For philology students, participation in such an event was a valuable experience. They had the opportunity to hear the reflections of contemporary scholars, learn about new directions in studying Lesya Ukrainka’s works, and observe how modern literary discourse is formed. Valeriia Nepeipyvo, a student of the 4UML AM group, noted that she was particularly impressed by the statement of Professor Yaroslav Polishchuk from Poznań University (Poland) about the possibility of applying different approaches to analyzing Lesya Ukrainka’s works. Such meetings contribute to the development of scholarly thinking, broaden academic horizons, and inspire young people to pursue their own research.

The presentation of the monograph once again confirmed that classical Ukrainian literature remains a powerful source of intellectual inquiry and new interpretations. For the university community, such events become an important space for a living dialogue between tradition and modern scholarship.

Olha Kharlan
Head of the Department of Ukrainian and Foreign Literature and Comparative Literature