Duma z dum ukraińskich. Pieśni i szkice

Abstract

We would like to present you an edition of songs, dumas, tales, parables (with explanations), critical articles, and original poetic works, with Duma z dum ukraiń­skich (The Pride of Ukrainian Dumas) by Erazm Izopolski. The works by Izopolski have been studied for some decades by Ukrainian scientists (including: Volodymyr Hnatiuk, Roman Kyrchiv, Mariya Bracka) and Polish researchers (including: Julian Krzyżanowski, Jan Mirosław Kasjan). However, so far a complete edition of his works has not been published. This is the first edition of Izopolski’s works since the 19th century. It is published under the grant of the National Programme for the Development of Humanities, entitled “The Continuation of critical editions of outstanding yet forgotten works of 19th century Polish Romantic literature in the Scientific Series of Publications ‘Black Romanticism’, in 12 volumes”. The grant is being realised at the Faculty of Philology of the University of Białystok as part of the studies on Black Romanticism that were initiated by Professor Halina Krukowska (1937–2019). “I am a Ukrainian by birth, but a Cossack in my heart and soul, since time immemorial”. This is how Izopolski wrote about himself in the introduction to the Duma z dum ukraińskich. Erazm Izopolski had two souls: Ukrainian and Polish. Most importantly, they complemented each other to create a harmonious whole. The available biographical data are incomplete. He probably lived in the years 1810–1876. He was (most likely) born in Monasterishche, in the Kiev County. He attended school in Human, and then continued education in Mohyliv. He was a Catholic priest, a parish priest in Bila Tserkva. Later, he left the Church, got married and converted to the Orthodox religion. He lived in Poltava, worked as a teacher in Piratyn, and as a superintendent in Lokhvytsia. He had been interested in folk legends, songs and tales of the Ukrainian nation since childhood. He collected these stories, wrote them down and memorised. As an adult, he started publishing them, among others, in the Polish magazine “­Athenaeum” in Vilnius (mainly the series: Badania podań ludu (Studies on Folk Legends) and Śpiewy historyczne Ukrainy (Historical Songs of Ukraine)). He gather­ed a large collection of folklore, which he later used to write the epic poem Duma z dum ukraińskich. Pieśń lirnika o ukraińskim Kozactwie (Pride of Ukrainian Dumas. A song of the Lyrnyk about Ukrainian Cossacks) (Warsaw 1858). In this work, which is valuable both for Polish and Ukrainian literature, he skilfully included fragments of various songs, tales, but also autobiographical elements. The works of Izopolski belong to the so­‑called Ukrainian school in Polish Romantic poetry. The volume was edited by dr Kamil K. Pilichiewicz, an employee of the Department of Philological and Bibliographical Studies of Książnica Podlaska of Łukasz Górnicki in Białystok. He is also the author of the footnotes and the introduction. The second introduction was written by Professor Mariya Bracka from the Department of Polish Philology of the Kiev National University of Taras Shevchenko. The project was financed from the funds of the Ministry of Education and Science.