"And Laurels, and Flowers, and Thorns": the Theme of the Artist and art in Lesya Ukrainka’s Poetry (Floristic Discourse)

Abstract

The article is
devoted to the study Lesya Ukrainka’s lyrical works, which are distinguished by the
theme of the artist and art expressed through the artistic conceptualization of plant
images. The floristic discourse in the texts selected for research is represented by
images, that are pervasive in Lesya Ukrainka’s work, and their actualization, which
serves as a means not only for aestheticization but also for the sacralization of poetry.
The biographical factor taken into account has a great influence on the formation, and
hence on the general concept of floral motifs within and outside the texts. The
author’s evolution of plant image’s using is traced: from mostly allegorical and
articulated in the traditional "format", to symbolic with the introduction of new
authorial meanings and shades, which allows to interpret them as metatextual units.
The study of Lesya Ukrainka's poetry from the literary floristics standpoint made it
possible to deepen the motives and ideological and semantic palette of her work, to
expand the boundaries of understanding the author's lyrical work through the
proposed new scientific reading’s level. Also, the specifics of the functioning and
floristic’s influence conceptosphere on the text and its recipient, the specifics of the
author's topic reception stated in the title of the article, which, in fact, is set as a goal, are analyzed. The theoretical basis of intelligence was recent yearse’s research, the
authors of which are S. Romanov, T. Gundorova, N. Maftin and others. It was found
that Lesya Ukrainka willingly uses a generalized flower’s image to express her own
ideas and beliefs about who the artist is and what defines his work. It was found that
the thorns crown image is closely related to the image of the laurel and is an
invariable true artist’s feature, which consciously chooses the path of creativity
despite the many trials that await him. The research’s results prove that Lesya
Ukrainka affirms the new ideal of the modernist artist for the national tradition. The
vocation of such an artist is not only in abstract ideal’s confession, the unceasing
struggle for a better future and selfless patriotism. First of all, the poet talks about the
individual's awareness of his own purpose through creativity, introspection,
knowledge of the world and in general the perception and "play" of life as a creative
act. In conclusion, we can say that a true artist, and he is Lesya Ukrainka herself,
accepts with dignity flowers, laurels and thorns, always paving the way for self-improvement and spiritual and intellectual growth.