WAR POETRY AS A MEANS OF SELF-IDENTIFICATION OF UKRAINIANS (based on the material of the texts of the period of the full-scale russian invasion)

Abstract

Introduction. The article has examined the Ukrainian-language poetic texts of the period of the full-scale Russian invasion regarding the specifics of the semantic realization of the image of Ukrainians. We think this analysis allows to trace the worldview transformations of representatives of the Ukrainian nation in terms of their self-awareness.
Such studies of poetic speech make it possible to investigate the expressive possibilities of language
as the main means of communication and at the same time to consider the changes in worldview orientations of representatives of the modern generation of Ukrainians by means of linguistic tools.
The purpose. We have investigated semantic and peculiarities of the linguistic expression of the concept “Ukrainian people” in modern poetic texts.
The methods. Ukrainian-language poetry posted on the Internet resources from February 2022 to September 2023 was chosen as issue for analysis. The choice of issue is determined by the specificity of poetic texts: they are the first among the works of verbal art to broadcast reaction to events. Complex linguistic analysis has been used in the article with the advantage of the descriptive method.
The main results of the study. According to our observations in the analyzed poetic texts the image of Ukrainians acquires many actual realizations in particular victims of war, immigrants, indifferent, fighters, winners, etc. The last-mentioned interpretations clearly testify about changing in the self-worth paradigm of the Ukrainian society and departure from the feeling of inferiority typical for a large part of modern Ukrainians.
We found out the tendency to represent Ukrainians through religious discourse in the analyzed poetry: the images of Ukrainians were singled out – saints / Jesus / God, etc. It determines the treatment of representatives of our nation as the nation of fighters against evil, warriors of light, bearers of light missions, etc.
Originality. The article examines Ukrainian modern poetic texts posted in social networks. The poems reflect the real emotions of Ukrainians during the war.
Conclusions and specific suggestions of the author. The studying of the war poetry texts makes it possible to make kind of slice of the emotional state of society, to trace the collective emotion and understand transformation processes regarding self-awareness of Ukrainians. In our opinion, the emergence of interpretations that Ukrainians are fighters against evil, winners, warriors of light, bearers of light missions, testify changes of the self-worth paradigm of the Ukrainian society and the deprivation of the feeling of inferiority that is typical for most Ukrainians.