CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN TYT REVAKOVYCH AND OLEKSANDR BARVINSKYI (1885–1895)

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the epistolary legacy ofTyt Revakovych addressed to Oleksandr Barvinskyi within the context of the formation of Ukrainian national discourse during the years 1885–1895. The research methodology is based on an interdisciplinary approach. Specifically, methods of historical source criticism are employed to determine the context of the creation and functioning of Revakovych’s correspondence. Content analysis is used to identify key thematic lines, ideological positions, and semantic emphases in the letters. The application of discourse analysis enables the examination of rhetorical strategies employed by the author, including the construction of oppositional identities (Ukrainian vs. “Katsap”), models of national mobilization, and argumentative tactics directed at the addressee. A hermeneutic approach allows the interpretation of the epistolary material not only as acts ofcommunication but also as reflections of broader cultural and ideological processes of the period. Elementsof prosopographical analysis make it possible to consider the correspondence in relation to the biographicalcircumstances, intellectual interactions, and personal networks among Ukrainian public figures. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the integrated analysis of Revakovych’s letters to Barvinskyi as an importantsource for studying the processes of Ukrainian national identity formation in Eastern Galicia at the end of the 19th century. The study outlines the role of epistolary communication as a tool for mobilizing the Ukrainian intelligentsia, demonstrating that letters functioned not only as private messages but also as instruments ofpublic influence aimed at shaping national discourse. The article reveals certain aspects of Revakovych’s civicposition, in particular his criticism of pro-Russian tendencies, his active support of cultural and educational initiatives, and his contribution to the formation of a Ukrainian intellectual milieu. The research deepens our understanding of the intellectual networks and internal tensions within the Ukrainian national movement of the late 19th century. It also highlights the significance of the epistolary genre as a valuable source for reconstructing the cultural and ideological dynamics of the time. Conclusions. The analysis of the epistolary legacy of Tyt Revakovych addressed to Oleksandr Barvinskyi (1885–1895) reveals the considerable potential of private correspondence as a source for studying the socio-cultural and ideological development of the Ukrainian national movement in Eastern Galicia at the end of the 19th century. The letters examined in this studyrepresent not only personal communication between two prominent figures but also a broader discourse ofthe Ukrainian national movement under the complex political conditions of the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.