“That’s how he loved me” — that’s what her eyes say... (The image of Lykera Polusmak in the life and works of Taras Shevchenko)
Authors: Herasymchuk V. 
Published: June 2024

The article is devoted to consideration of the dramatic history of the relationship between Taras Shevchenko and Lykera Polusmak and its reflection in the lyrical poetry of Taras Shevchenko’s last creative period, the so-called Lykera’s cycle.
The relevance of the article lies in the search for new semantic accents and in the real history of relationship and in the works of the poet, in his intimate lyrics. The whole story of the long-cherished and finally found but then suddenly lost paradise, which is partially transformed into somewhat existential meditative understanding of paradise as incomplete lonely place, is reflected in three poems of Shevchenko dedicated to these events and experiences. The linguistic and philosophical understanding of the period of birth, flourishing and fading of feeling objectifies the various existential states of Taras. Emotional, spiritual and creative elevation of the poet, caused by the strengthening of the feeling of love, is emphasized (poetry “To Lykera”, her portrait); the existential elements of despair and irritation are traced in the material context of epistolary sources, in the memories of eyewitnesses and creativity (poetry “The periwinkle bloomed and turned green...”) and, ultimately, the existential elements of despair and awareness of inevitable loneliness are revealed (poetry “L.”). Lykera’s cycle continues in philosophical poems with frankly critical introspection of life journey and ironic anticipation of its end (“The summers of youth have passed...”, “If we had someone to sit down to eat bread with...”, “Why don’t we leave, niece, ...”).
The purpose of the article is to reveal the deep essence of the true relationship between Taras and Lykera, confirmed by the poet’s lyrics and bypassed by many researchers.
The methodology of the theoretical analysis. On the basis of the biographical approach, the complex life collision between lovers is revealed, caused by the provocative influences of Taras Shevchenko’s entourage.
Lord’s supremacy, emphasizing social inequality affected the breakdown in the relationship between Taras and Lykera. Entourage of Taras never understood that in women he wanted to see something from his childhood memories, from his first childhood fascination with Oksana Kovalenko, who captivated his soul for the rest of his life: sincere feelings, natural beauty. He dedicated many poems to Oksana and often reproduced her bright image (“We together used to grow up, we used to love when we were children...”, “You didn’t pray for me”, “I was thirteen years old...”). In this, the views of Taras correlate with the views of Henri-Louis Bergson — the French philosopher, the representative of intuitionism and philosophy of life, according to whom, a person has only the past, which in the course of his/her further life shapes his/her present, determines the future exclusively from the view of the past, which is extrapolated in thoughts, in deeds, etc.
The results. Therefore, it becomes quite clear that the image of Oksana lived in Shevchenko’s soul all his life, he looked for her features in every woman with whom he dreamed of connecting his fate. The article substantiates Lykera’s spiritual and emotional impulse after the death of Taras. With great human sacrifice, she paid respect and affection to the person whom, unfortunately, she lost so carelessly at one time, and only after deeply realizing the guilt for the lost happiness, she warmed the “lonely house” of Taras for many years.