Taras Shevchenko

Perhaps any blog concerning Ukrainian culture should begin off with the life of Taras Shevchenko, who is Ukraine's most famous poet. However, to the Ukrainian people he is more than just a famous poet, he is their national bard and the literary spokesman for the Ukrainian soul. Similar attitudes can be found in the way Russians look upon Alexander Pushkin, the Poles upon Adam Mickiewicz, or the English upon William Shakespeare.

Taras Shevchenko was not only a great poet, but was a staunch Ukrainian nationalist. His poems are filled with nationalistic themes; particularly glorifying the great Kozaks of the past who fought for Ukraine's freedom against the Russians and Poles. Shevchenko was also active in the Brotherhood of Cyril and Methodius, which wished to promote Slavic nationalism based on Christian values. For his activity in the Brotherhood, Shevchenko would eventually be arrested and exiled to Siberia.

Shevchenko's most famous literary achievement was the Kobzar, which was named after the famous traveling poets of Kozak times(they were in many ways similar to the troubadours of Medieval Europe). The Shevchenko museum has a wonderful collection of English translations of his other poems here. One of my personal favorites is My Friendly Epistle, especially the last verses which read:

Then shall our day of hope arrive,
Ukrainian glory shall revive,
No twilight but the dawn shall render
And break forth into novel splendour....
Brother, embrace! Your hopes possess,
I beg you in all eagerness!