«I CANNOT NOT BE UKRAINIAN ANYMORE»: AGATHANGEL KRYMSKY IN AN EPISTOLARY DIALOGUE WITH BORYS HRINCHENKO

Abstract

The article examines the life and creative phenomena of A. Krymsky through the prism of his correspondence with B. Hrinchenko in 1890–1895. The author emphasizes the uniqueness of the figure of A. Krymsky. It is noted that the scientist boldly interpreted the Ukrainian issue. This was the reason why he was destroyed by the Soviet totalitarian system. The article emphasizes that the key to understanding the life and creative phenomena of A. Krymsky should be his letters. His letters, in addition to aesthetic, also have an undeniable existential significance.It is noted that B. Hrinchenko was the addressee with whom A. Krymsky was most sincere and frank. First of all, it is emphasized that A. Krymsky's letters to B. Hrinchenko outline the addressee's path to Ukrainophilia. These letters outline the essence of A. Krymsky's Ukrainophile concept. Krymsky's Ukrainophile concept. These letters reveal his reception of M. Drahomanov's ideas. The author analyzes Krymsky's views on language, which he considered the first sign of a nation. It is emphasized that the letters to B. Hrinchenko record the addressee's thoughts on the independence of the Ukrainian language.A. Krymsky's letters to B. Hrynchenko convince us that the addressee was concerned about the issue of publishing literature for the people. He argued that these books should be both useful and accessible. A. Krymsky pointed to the low quality of existing products. He was not impressed by the primitive plots of books with Ukrainian themes. He was outraged by the fact that Moscow publishers violated the norms of Ukrainian spelling and syntax.A. Krymsky's letters to B. Hrynchenko contain a lot of information about the publication of Ukrainian books in the late nineteenth century. The addressee stated that after passing through censorship, the book changed beyond recognition.It is emphasized that A. Krymsky's correspondence with B. Hrynchenko concerned not only national affairs.Borys Hrynchenko was the addressee with whom Agatangel Krymsky also shared his personal feelings. These letters outline the psychological type of the addressee. They resemble the anatomy of the addressee's soul, who suffered from nervous disorders. It is emphasized that the epistles show the exquisite delicacy of A. Krymsky. This manifested itself in the desire not to offend the addressee either by word or tone of the epistolary conversation.Letters to Borys Hrinchenko record Krymsky's extreme demandingness to himself. These letters demonstrate his extreme modesty. These are traits inherent in neurotic natures.