WRITERS AS CHARACTERS IN THE HISTORICAL AND ADVENTURE PROSE OF OLEKSANDR HAVROSH

Abstract

The article highlights the features of artistic construction of Ukrainian writers' images in the historical-adventure prose of Oleksandr Havrosh. It analyzes the novellas Save Taras Shevchenko and Brilliant Love from the Museum of Adventures series, in which the author combines biographical material, historical reconstruction, and artistic interpretation to create vivid, multidimensional portraits of prominent cultural figures – Taras Shevchenko, Ivan Franko, Oleksandr Afanasyev-Chuzhbynsky. The first novella tells the story of how the museum director Roman Popadynets, his son Yas, and the employee Yana travel back to Taras Shevchenko’s time and intend to save him from arrest and exile; the second describes how they attend Ivan Franko’s wedding.The article notes that portraying the writer as a character opens possibilities for actualizing or rethinking their role in history and culture. Using the motif of a magical journey through time, an adventurous plot, and psychological characterization, O. Havrosh brings historical figures closer to contemporary young readers, fostering emotional engagement and cognitive interest.O. Havrosh’s historical-adventure novellas are marked by a thorough study of documentary sources and skillful artistic interpretation of historical events and figures. By developing main and subsidiary plot lines, the author maintains reader tension and intrigue through new characters, facts, and mysteries. The action occurring simultaneously “here” and “there” adds narrative dynamism and multidimensionality. Special attention is paid to the artistic features of portraiture, character depiction, the inner world of writer-characters, their behavior, and the sociocultural context of the era, enabling readers to better understand the historical complexity and significance of these personalities.The novellas combine educational and entertaining functions, cultivating in young recipients not only knowledge but also respect for the national heritage and motivation to preserve historical memory and national identity.