EVOLUTION OF THE HERO’S IMAGE IN SERHII ZHADAN’S WORK: A REVIEW OF LITERARY STUDIES

Abstract

The article provides a systematic review and analysis of contemporary literary approaches to the work of Serhii Zhadan, one of the leading figures in modern Ukrainian literature. The study focuses on the evolution of the protagonist's image in the author's prose and poetic texts over more than three decades. Based on the analysis of works by prominent Ukrainian scholars such as I. Dziuba, T. Hundorova, Y. Holoborodko, A. Babenko, and others, the transformation of the character is traced: from the infantile, marginalized youth of the post-Soviet 1990s to a mature personality undergoing profound existential trials in wartime conditions.
The research details three main stages of Zhadan's creative work: the experimental (urbanistic) stage, the searching stage (the period of prose style formation), and the turning point (military stage) that began after 2014. It is determined that the artistic images in the writer's texts not only reflect the individual author's concept of identity but also serve as a mirror of large-scale socio-cultural changes in Ukrainian society. Particular attention is paid to the artistic means of this evolution – from irony in early works (Depeche Mode) to eschatological motives and biblical allegory in later texts (The Orphanage, The Life of Maria).
The article demonstrates that while Zhadan’s early prose was dominated by the image of the "Eternal Teenager" without stable life goals, in the later period, the hero emerges as a conscious citizen responsible for his choice in the face of historical catastrophes. The paper summarizes existing scholarly achievements and outlines prospects for further studies, particularly regarding the analysis of the writer's work after the full-scale invasion of 2022.