FUNCTIONING OF ETHNO-IMAGES OF “THE ETERNAL CALENDAR” BY VASYL MACHNO WITHIN THE BORDERLAND CONTEXT

Abstract

The article employs an imagological approach to explore the interplay of national images within the ethnocultural confines of Vasyl Machno’s novel “The Eternal Calendar”. It delves into the artistic representation of “own” and “other” in literary discourse, particularly within the framework of imagological studies, which gained prominence in the latter half of the 20th century amid post-war realities, globalization, and the development of social mobility. Scholars have turned to the texts that reflect the functioning of auto- and heter-images, addressing the issues of ethnoidentity and the polyphony of voices within the topos of borderland. Makhno’s novel “The Eternal Calendar” intricately weaves a diverse artistic tapestry against a broad historical backdrop, depicting the interaction of various cultures – Ukrainian, Polish, Jewish, Turkish, and others – in the frontier zones. 
The article analyzes the coexistence of cultural traditions and daily habits of diverse ethnic images within the novel’s borderland setting.
The Ukrainian village of Yazlоvets serves as the topos, providing the backdrop against which the narrative unfolds. Spanning from the 17th to the 20th centuries, the history of Yazlоvets as a border region is marked by numerous wars, leading to the multicultural composition in the topos, hosting Armenians, Jews, Poles, etc. The article examines the interaction of these ethnic images across various historical periods and contexts, encompassing the themes of war, religion, architecture, language, etc. Additionally, it explores other multicultural Ukrainian toposes such as Mytnytsia, Buchach, and the heterospace of Jerusalem (Israel).
Through its analysis, the article demonstrates that despite inevitable conflicts, the delineation between “own” and “other” within the ethno-cultural borderland becomes less rigid through the openness to understanding the customs and traditions of different ethnic groups. Makhno’s novel underscores that each nation retains its identity amidst the cultural polyphony of frontier zones.