GENRE ASPECTS OF NOBLE GAVENDAS WRITTEN BY JOSEPH-ANTONIY ROLLE
Authors:   Ivan Ohienko National University of Kamianets-Podilsky, Rynda Victoria 
Published: December 2023

The article deals with aspects of the literary genre “gavenda” and its varieties: “noble, historical, romantic, commoner, beggar, soldier gavenda.” Its uniqueness, diversity, artistic value and relevance are revealed. The research studied the literary aspects of the genre in short stories written by Joseph-Anthony-Apolinariy Rolle, who is also known under the pseudonym Dr. J. Rolle. His figure stands out among the outstanding “govendar writers” of the XIX century, who described the events of the region. He was a Doctor, historian, publicist and an interpreter of events in Volyn, Kyiv region, and Podilia. He lived most of his life in Kamianets-Podilsky, where he wrote “Zameczki Podolskie na kresach”, “multańskich”, “Opowiadania historyczne”, “Gawędy z przeszłości”, “Opowiadania”, “Szkice i opowiadki”, “History etc. The article highlights the problems of historical prose development on the Ukrainian-Polish background of the XIX century, the research reveals social and political conditions that influenced the formation of literature. In this article, we explored the trends observed within one genre, as well as the diversity of its forms and features. A. Rolle interpreted historical events in his pages, he also depicted images of his characters that are complemented by social and artistic generalisations. Many of the characters are extraordinary women of the 18-19th cen., their destiny and life’s events, which are a reflection of the historical epoch, traditions and mentality. Dr. A. Rolle reproduces both the external aspects of realities and the preconditions of one’s own position and motivation of actions. The narrator’s subjective point of view, the free form of the story-telling, which usually takes place in a friendly circle of listeners, are the main features of the genre. The peculiarity of gavenda is also that the person who retells was a participant or witness of events. The variety of images depicted by A. Rolle testifies to the breadth of his worldview, interest in the history of the region, his concern about social and political processes, folklore and literature. His consciously chosen active civic position prompted him to do some research. He has made a significant contribution into historiography, literature and other spheres of social activity. A. Rolle was the first to portray such figures of the Ukrainian liberation movement as Ivan Pidkova, Semen Nalyvaiko, etc. His great merit was that he had interpreted U. Karmeliuk in «Opryszek» and inspired M. Smotrytsky to write a novel «Karmaliuk robber». In his works he skilfully combines historical facts and folklore elements, which were appreciated by his contemporaries, including I. Franko and V. Antonovych. The interest in the past of the state was not accidental, because this is the period (XIX century) of the emergence of a new political and cultural thinking in Europe, which was formed in Podilia due to A. Rolle’s work. The research studied the author’s style in writing gavendas, his genre features in his works as a representative of the “Ukrainian school” of the Polish romanticism.