Ukrainian Studies

Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures

SLA248. Women and Women's Themes in Ukrainian Literature. Spring 2023


Lesia Ukrainka

Class meets Tuesdays 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM.


Instructor:Maxim Tarnawsky121 St. Joseph St. Alumni Hall 403
tarn@chass.utoronto.ca 416–978–8972

Schedule of reports
Course Schedule


Jan 10 Introduction. "Duma about Marusia Bohuslavka." "Iaroslavna's lament (Igor's Tale)"
17 Taras Shevchenko. "Kateryna," "Maria." . You can also have a look at this alternative translation of Shevchenko's Kateryna by Mary Skrypnyk.
Marko Vovchok. "Instytutka". Another version, trans. O. Kovalenko. Click here.
Marko Vovchok. "Kozak Girl," and "Odarka."
24 Olena Pchilka. "Artichokes."
Natalia Kobrynska. "For a Crust of Bread."
Liubov Ianovs'ka, "My Romance,"
in For a Crust of Bread, pp. 4–31; 36–68, 72–155.
  31 Hryts'ko Hryhorenko, "Fate."
Ievhenia Iaroshyns'ka, "Accursed Mill," "Marriage Contract," "Gold Heart," "Final Refuge."
in For a Crust of Bread, pp. 314–62, 370–96.
Feb 7 Ol'ha Kobylians'ka. A Human Being in For a Crust of Bread, pp. 160–218. Please listen to Chopin's "Improptu Phantasie," op. 66 or the MP3 file
Assignment 1 due.
  14 Ol'ha Kobylians'ka. On Sunday Morning .... Original text in Ukrainian.
  21Reading Week. No class!
  28 Lesia Ukrainka. Cassandra. Also please read the epilogue, not included in the Vera Rich translation. Original text in Ukrainian.
Mar 7 Lesia Ukrainka. The Stone Host. Original text in Ukrainian.
  14 Ol'ha Kobylians'ka. "Impromptu Phantasie."
Mykola Khvylovyi. "Puss in Boots."
Vasyl' Stefanyk. "The Pious Woman."
Misc poems. Marjana Savka. 1, 2, Lyuba Yakimchuk. 3, 4, 5, 6.
Assignment 2 due.
21 Valerii Shevchuk, "The Devil Who Is (The One Hundredth Witch)." in Ukrainian Literature, Volume 1, 2004. pp. 227–49.
Oksana Bilotserkivets, poems. in From Three Worlds, pp. 148–61.
Svitlana Kasianova, "Cold Medicine." in Two Lands, New Visions, pp. 77–86.
Valerii Shevchuk, "The Moon's Cuckoo." in From Three Worlds, pp. 100–36.
28 Maria Matios. Sweet Darusya
Apr 4 Oksana Zabuzhko, "Girls" . This file contains both the translation and the original Ukrainian text.
Oksana Zabuzhko, "I, Milena" Two Lands, New Visions, pp. 125–61.
Concluding Test, in-class.


The table above lists the works that must be read for each class. Where the title is a link, the work is available on the internet. Where readings are in books that you must purchase, they are identified by a short title and page numbers. Consult the Reading List for more details.


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Ukrainian Studies at the University of Toronto