«Natalka Poltavka» by Ivan Kotlyarevsky in the Ukrainian linguistic and cultural space

Abstract

The article attempts to look at Natalka Poltavka's play in a broad linguistic and cultural dimension. The work is considered as the first attempt in a new Ukrainian language to speak about Ukrainian truthfully, brightly and wisely. Particular attention is paid to songs of drama that live separate artistic lives. The importance of the work of I. Kotlyarevsky for the musical realm, in particular, the opera of Mykola Lysenko based on the play "Natalka Poltavka" as a landmark event in the Ukrainian cultural space, is considered. Natalka Poltavka Opera is a real pearl of Ukrainian music. It clearly reveals national life, typical characters and traditions thanks to the folklore-based music. Key opera songs have long gone beyond it and are perceived in various parts of the world as symbols of Ukrainian culture. Natalka Poltavka is the first work of the new Ukrainian dramaturgy, combining signs of sentimentalism and educational realism. At the time when the play was written, sentimentalism began to develop rapidly in European literature, which was characterized by the desire to recreate the world of the feelings of the common man and to evoke sympathy for the heroes of the work. We notice these tendencies in drama, watching I. Kotlyarevsky appeal to human feelings, focusing on their strength, sincerity and depth. Respect for moral purity, spiritual strength, popular wisdom and language, love and respect for ordinary people are all we see in Ivan Kotlyarevsky's talented play.