Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures

SLA 429F, Taras Shevchenko, 2001 Fall Term

Class meets in UC 51, Thursdays 2:00 - 4:00 PM

Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures

Slavic 429F, Taras Shevchenko, 2001-02

Mid-Term Examination

Due: Thursday, October 25, 2001 2:10 PM at the beginning of class

You must write two short essays on the questions assigned. For the second essay you may choose either question 2A or question 2B. Be specific in your answers. Document your arguments by reference to examples in the poems. Essays should be typed. Citations from Shevchenko should be typed in Ukrainian (Cyrillic) where possible, otherwise in transliteration. If you transliterate, do so consistently, using either the Library of Congress or the international phonetic system of transliteration.

Question 1.

Write a short essay (3-4 typed, double-spaced pages) on this topic.

Shevchenko often turns to historical subjects in his poems. How does he approach history? What role does he give history in his poems? Does his view of history change? Discuss this issue against the background of all of Shevchenko's poetry up to his arrest.

Question 2.

Write a short essay (3-4 typed, double-spaced pages) on either of these two topics. Whichever topic you choose, you should address the question of how Shevchenko's poems from the "Try lita" period differ from his earlier works.

Choice A:

Compare Shevchenko's presentation of madness in "Prychynna" and in "Vid'ma" (Osyka).

Choice B:

Compare Shevchenko's depiction of the Kobzar in "Perebendia" and in "Slipyi" (Nevol'nyk).