The Genre and Thematic Range of Thanatological Lyric Poetry by Maksym Rylsky

Abstract

This article investigates the thanatological aspects of Maksym Rylsky’s lyric poetry. Thanatological issues are defined as those concerning life, death, immortality, and the human afterlife, specifically focusing on how they are conceptualized and artistically interpreted within the poet’s work. The primary goal of this research is to analyze, systematize, and characterize the paradigm of thanatological motifs in Rylsky’s oeuvre. The analysis reveals that the poet’s thanatological works can be divided into several distinct thematic categories. These include dedications to anonymous or unidentified individuals, reflections on the loss of family members, and poetic tributes to the memory of outstanding Ukrainian writers and cultural figures from previous generations, such as Taras Shevchenko, Ivan Franko, and Mykola Gogol. Furthermore, the thanatological motifs are closely intertwined with the tragic historical fate of Ukraine, as well as the author’s autoreceptive reflections on posthumous glory and the philosophical essence of immortality. The study concludes that despite Rylsky’s occasionally pessimistic self-assessments regarding his future relevance, his creative legacy remains an undeniable asset to Ukrainian culture, and the thanatological dimensions of his poetry warrant further, in-depth academic exploration.