Lesia Ukrainka’s cooperation with the Ukrainian press (1905–1907)

Abstract

The aim of the study is to define on the basis of archival documents and epistolary heritage of Lesia Ukrainka the circumstances of her cooperation with mass media of the Russian Empire in the period 1905–1907, when Ukrainian newspapers and magazines were created in the Dnieper region and other cities. The object of the study is mass media (projected periodicals and those published at that time), which published mostly literary works of art of the writer. Methods. The research methods include biographical method, study of epistolary heritage, analogy, comparison, generalization, etc. The analysis includes archival materials (Manuscripts and Textual Studies, Shevchenko Institute of Literature, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine; Russian State Historical Archive in St. Petersburg; Central State Historical Archives of Ukraine in Kyiv) related to projects and programs of the Ukrainian press of the early XXth century and creative activity of Lesia Ukrainka. Results and conclusions. It was found out that during 1905–1907 Lesia Ukrainka was actively interested in new Ukrainian periodicals, expressed a desire to work as an editor, chronicler, columnist, and in general to cooperate with the media. The writer has published a number of works (stories, poetry, translations, etc.) in the magazines «Yuzhnyie Zapiski / Southern Notes» (Odesa, 1902–1905), «Shershen / Hornet» (Kyiv, 1906), «Vil’na Ukraina / Free Ukraine» (St. Petersburg, 1906), «Zoria / Dawn» (Moscow, 1906), «Nova hromada / New Community» (Kyiv, 1906), «Ridnyj kraj / Native Land» (Poltava, 1905–1906, Kyiv, 1907–1914; Hadiach, 1914–1916); she has agreed to join the newspaper «Pratsia / Labor» (Kyiv, 1905) and the children’s magazine «Zirka / Star» (Poltava, 1907), which were never published.