FEMINISM IN THE BRITISH LITERATURE OF THE END OF XIX-th – BEGINNING OF XX-th CENTURIES; ITS MANIFESTATION FEATURES IN UKRAINIAN LITERATURE (COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS BASED ON THE EXAMPLES FROM VIRGINIA WOLF AND LESYA UKRAYINKA WORKS)

Abstract

The article goes through the problem of British and Ukrainian feminism nature in the literature of the end of XIX-th – beginning of XX-th centuries basing on comparative, historical, cultural, philosophic and biographical research methods; determining the phenomenon’s peculiarities within both cultural paradigms.  

It is determined and proven that the feminism as a phenomenon is a principle which determines society’s spiritual development, the epoch maturity and allows one to see historical traditions as well as mentality of nations and countries. So for the most distinct problem’s outline and its peculiarities definition we have analyzed works by Virginia Wolf as a bright representative of the feminist literature and works by Lesya Ukrayinka as one of the most progressive writers of her time.

It is determined and proven that features and peculiarities of feminism in British and Ukrainian literatures of the end of XIX-th – beginning of XX-th centuries are:  they both were developing under the influence of similar social and cultural tendencies which proves common spiritual space, nations’ and cultures’ dialogue; nature of British and Ukrainian feminism differs in the historical conditions under which the phenomenon appeared (in the UK a woman was traditionally limited in her rights, her behavior was strictly dictated by the social tradition, her fate was foreseen by the unequal laws, whereas in Ukraine a woman had a right for education, was eligible to receive inheritance, she lived in a more flexible mental and cultural surrounding); feminism and its ideas in British and Ukrainian literatures are quite different in their manifestation rate, its position aggression (in British literature the problem is strictly outlined, dissatisfaction is expressed, feminism postulates and propaganda are present; though in Ukrainian literature there isn’t any special accentuation on the problem, rather a strong woman depiction is obvious); to describe British literature of the end of XIX-th – beginning of XX-th centuries it is appropriate to use the strongest definition – Feminist movement, with its manifests and strong presence in literature, whereas in Ukrainian literature  having  a quite strong position of a woman in society being outlined it’s more appropriate to use determinations like feminist ideas, feminist philosophy.