Scholarly Article

The totalitarian worlds of Merry Cemetery by Vasyl Stus and Little Apocalypse by Tadeusz Konwicki: differences and similarities

Mychajłowa, Tetiana

2025-07-24 · Poznańskie Studia Slawistyczne · Adam Mickiewicz University Poznan

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Abstract

The article is devoted to a comparative analysis of totalitarian worlds in Ukrainian and Polish literature based on the material of works published in the underground circulation and written in complete freedom from censorship restrictions (taking into account Konwicki's earlier novel Ascension). Numerous typological similarities are revealed (queues, poverty, falsehood, the motif of self-immolation as an extreme form of protest, etc.), differences in the description of totalitarian reality by the writers are noted, and the features of the author's individuality in presenting national issues are emphasized.

Keywords

ukraińskość, polskość, literatura nieoficjalna, drugi obieg, Ukrainianness, Polishness, self-publishing, second circulation

Citation Details

Poznańskie Studia Slawistyczne, pp. 195-216