The Influence of Ivan Kotliarevskyi on the Formation of Symbolic Topos in the Cultural Landscape of Naddniprianshchyna in the Second Half of the 19th Century

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to conduct a cultural analysis of Ivan Kotliarevskyi’s legacy, ideas, and persona through the lens of their connections with topographical markers and memorial sites, which later became well-known tourist destinations. This analysis makes it possible to identify their role in shaping Ukrainian national identity and cultural heritage. The research methodology employs a wide range of general and specialised methods, including analysis and synthesis, comparison, generalisation, as well as genetic and biographical approaches. Additionally, historical-cultural and contextual frameworks are applied. These methods facilitate a detailed examination of Ivan Kotliarevskyi’s contributions, the impact of his figure and legacy, and their connections to the development of the cultural and social environment, tourist sites, and national identity within the social context of Naddniprianshchyna in the second half of the 19th century. The scientific novelty of the results presented in this article lies in addressing a significant research task: analysing the role of Ivan Kotliarevskyi in the development of symbolic topos, memorial and tourist sites, as well as in the formation of modern Ukrainian identity and its expression in the topographical markers of Naddniprianshchyna. This analysis provides a deeper understanding of the influence of the local cultural and educational context on the formation of Ukraine’s national and cultural values. Conclusions. As a result of this study, it was established that Ivan Kotliarevskyi holds one of the key positions not only in the formation of Ukrainian literature and education but also in the development of culture, symbolic topos, memorial sites, and Ukrainian national identity. It is worth noting that Kotliarevskyi’s literary works, legacy, ideas, and persona had a significant influence on the evolution of sociocultural and political processes in Ukraine during the second half of the 19th century, contributing to the development of modern national self-identification. It has been established that Kotliarevskyi’s work and legacy were based on the ideas of spiritual revival, the preservation of historical memory, and the formation of new social trends, and the development of Ukrainian society. Furthermore, his figure and memory became an important educational and unifying factor in various social processes of the second half of the 19th century. These processes were rooted in the study and preservation of ethnocultural traditions and the formation of the Ukrainian nation-building idea.