THE DISCOURSE OF VIOLENCE IN T. SHVCHENKO’S POEM “HAIDAMAKS”

Abstract

The article examines the discourse of violence in T. Shevchenko’s poem “Haidamaky”. From the time of its contemporaries, the work received cautionary evaluations, for example, Dragomanov disputed the progressiveness of the Haidamak movement. In contrast, Soviet criticism approved of the social aspect of the struggle. Modern interpretations, such as that of H. Hrabovych, highlight the connection between the poem’s themes and the biblical context, particularly the idea of herem, divinely sanctioned retribution, and sacrifice. Honta’s act of killing his children is viewed as such a sacrifice, reflecting the values of the collective. According to L. Biletsky, this represents the idea of sacrifice for the liberation of the people against national, social, or religious oppression. The archetype of sacrifice, in modern psychological interpretations, holds positive meaning as it is associated with the need to rethink behavioral stereotypes. The future requires the creation of new models of individual development, as attachment to the familiar, traditional, and beloved will hinder adaptation to new challenges. Sometimes, it is necessary to sacrifice what one loves. Therefore, Honta claims that his children die for the future of Ukraine, embodying behavior deemed unacceptable from the people’s perspective, serving as the hero’s tragic mistake. In contrast to this image stands Yarema, who unites the personal and the public. His revenge is driven by personal motives, and his hatred is not total. Despite accusations that Shevchenko aestheticizes the massacre in “Haidamaky”, the work lacks “imagos of the fragmented body”, which are symptoms of aggression according to J. Lacan’s theory. Instead, folkloric hyperbolized euphemistic images dominate. The image of blood is particularly highlighted, symbolizing sacrifice to the chthonic Great Mother while simultaneously resonating with the spilled blood of Abel and the revenge for it. In the climactic scene, from the perspective of Lacanian psychoanalytic theory, the priest is the chosen “Other” for Honta. This “Other” calls upon the subject, but due to the rejection of the paternal metaphor in the unconscious, this incites violence from Honta and suicidal tendencies, signifying the metaphysical deadlock of the path of revenge. It is concluded that Shevchenko sought to truthfully depict the Haidamak movement in all its contradictions.