Mikhailo Kotsiubynskyi

Mikhailo Kotsiubynskyi is a classic of Ukrainian literature. He described the life of the Ukrainian people at the end of the 20th century. He developed literary traditions created by Taras Shevchenko and Ivan Franko. Even today he is near and understood for his ideals of good, humanism and justice. His name is connected with public love and respect. There are monuments and memorial museums to the writer in Vinnytsia where he was born, and in Chernihiv, where he lived for several years and was buried. The writer was born into the family of a poor official(clerk) Mikhailo became the breadwinner in the family to support his sick mother and four younger brothers and sisters. At this time he also devoted his spare time to self-education. He read much, became acquainted with the works of Russian and Ukrainian writers, as well as with social-economics and philosophical literature. With the development of the social-liberation movement at the end of the 19th century, Kotsiubynskyi was in the heart of the struggle on the side of progress, democracy and socialism. The writer's first work appeared in April, 1890 on the pages, of the Lviv children's magazine"The Bell". He followed traditions of the school of realism of Levytskyi, Panas Myrnyi. He used manners characterizing the ones naturalistic school of Emile Zola, or resembling certain works by Guy de Maupassant. Kotsiubynskyi was also under the influence of the literary school of Scandinavian writers. At the same time the writer's style remained distinctly individual. Kotsiubynskyi's favourite genre became short stories, which dominated his writings. In 1902 he wrote his short story "On the Rocks" which can be a sort of boundary of two periods ofhis creations, and the transition to the new elaboration of topics having been begun yet in 1899. His famous works are"Persona Grata" (1907), "Intermezzo" (1908), "Apple Blossoms" (1902) As talented master Kotsiubynskyi was noticed as a writer in Russia and in other countries. His works were translated into Russian and Western European languages during his lifetime and gained popularity far, beyond the borders of Ukraine Kotsiubynskyi's works appeared in German, Czech, Polish, Rumanian and Swedish languages. Today it can be stated that the works by Kotsiubynskyi are a phenomenon of not only national Ukrainian literature but of world literature. His works have been translated into some 20 world languages, representing the best achievements of Ukrainian classical literature. Some works are already known to the English- speaking countries. The first English language translations appeared back in 1925.