Yanka Kupala
This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
Yanka Kupala Янка Купала | |
---|---|
Viazynka, Minsk Governorate, Russian Empire | |
Died | 28 June 1942 Moscow, Soviet Union | (aged 59)
Occupation | Poet and writer |
Nationality | Belarusian |
Period | 1903–1942 |
Yanka Kupala (Belarusian: Янка Купала; July 7 [O.S. June 25] 1882 – 28 June 1942), was the pen name of Ivan Daminikavich Lutsevich (Іван Дамінікавіч Луцэвіч, Russian: Иван Доминикович Луцевич), a Belarusian poet and writer.
Biography
Early life
Kupala was born on July 7, 1882, in
He took part in the
In 1909-1913 he studied at Cherniaev’s courses in St Petersburg, then in 1915 he spent a year at
Personal life
The names of two women are still remembered when it comes to Yanka Kupala’s personal life: his wife Vladislava Stankevich (Lutsevich ) and his muse Paulina Miadzyolka . Miadzelka met Yanka Kupala in 1909 at her friend Stankevich's house in Vilnya (Vilnius). From her memoir Сцежкамі жыцця (Paths of life):
"Kupala was making jokes, asking if there are many beautiful girls in Vilnya. I frowned and kept silent, unhappy with the playful nature of the conversation."
The encounter with Paulina Miadzelka sank so deep into Kupala’s mind that in four years he named his new play Paulinka and even invited Miadzelka to play a lead role. The aspiring actress accepted the offer and kept communicating with the author.
Kupala married Vladislava Stankevich in 1916 in Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, Moscow . There is a comment in Paulina Miadzelka’s memoir that she only learned about the marriage of Kupala and her friend a full year after the ceremony.
The marriage of Yanka Kupala and Vladislava Lutsevich lasted for over 25 years. When the poet died in 1942, his always energetic wife took it very heavily. She decided to devote her life to preserving the memory of her late husband. It was Vladislava Lutsevich[2] who created and became the director of the Museum of Yanka Kupala in Minsk.
Literature career
Kupala's first serious literary attempt was Ziarno, a Polish-language sentimental poem which he completed around 1903–1904 under the pseudonym "K-a." His first Belarusian-language work ("Мая доля") was dated July 15, 1904. Kupala's first published poem, "Мужык" ("Peasant"), was published approximately a year later, appearing in Belarusian in the Russophone Belarusian newspaper Severo-Zapadnyi Krai (Northwestern Krai) on May 11, 1905. A number of subsequent poems by Kupala appeared in the Belarusian-language newspaper Nasha Niva from 1906 to 1907.[3]
In Vilnius and St. Petersburg
Kupala moved to Vilnius in 1908, where he continued with his career as a poet. The same year the first published collection of his poems, Жалейка (The Little Flute) brought on the ire of the czarist government, which ordered the book confiscated as an anti-government publication. The order for Kupala's arrest was revoked in 1909, but a second printing was again confiscated, this time by the local authorities in Vilnius. He ceased working for the Nasha Niva in order to avoid ruining the reputation of the newspaper.
Kupala left for Saint Petersburg in 1909. The subsequent year saw the publication of several works, including the poem Адвечная песьня (Eternal Song), which appeared as a book in St. Petersburg in July 1910. Сон на кургане (Dream on a Barrow)– completed in August 1910 –symbolised the poor state of Kupala's Belarusian homeland. Among those influencing Kupala in the 1910s was Maxim Gorky. Kupala left St. Petersburg and returned to Vilnius in 1913, where he started working at Nasha Niva again.[1]
During the Soviet period
Kupala's writing changed to an optimistic tone following the October Revolution of 1917. Among Kupala's numerous translations into the Belarusian language were the internationalist-Marxist anthem The Internationale and an ancient epic poem The Tale of Igor's Campaign (translated in 1921).[4][5] He started working in the People’s Commissariat of Education of the BSSR, then headed the library in the "Belarusian hattsy", edited magazines 'Run' (1920) and 'Volny stsyag' (1920–1922).[1]
Nevertheless, Kupala maintained his connections with the
Kupala was awarded the
Legacy
Kupala became recognised as a symbol of the
A special field in the Belarusian literary studies dedicated to Kupala's legacy is called 'Kupalaznaustva'.[6]
At the Arrow Park in Monroe, New York there is a monument to Yanka Kupala that was created by Belarusian sculptor Anatoly Anikeichik and architect Sergey Botkovsky. Since 1973 it is presented to the American Side.[8] A monument to Kupala is located on a square in the city of Ashdod in Israel.
The biopic
References
- ^ a b c d e f "Yanka Kupala and Yakub Kolas: the chronicles of life and work". National Library of Belarus. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ Жена Янки Купалы была характером в мать-француженку, а внешностью - в отца-белоруса
- ^ Yanka Kupala: personality and work
- ^ "The tale of Igor's campaign".
- ^ Виктор Корбут (2 November 2011). "Исполнилось 90 лет первому переводу "Слова о полку Игореве" на белорусский язык" [the first translation of The Tale of Igor's Campaign into Belarusian was made 90 years ago] (in Russian). Российская газета. Archived from the original on 21 September 2020.
- ^ a b c "Yanka Kupala: personality and work". Archives of Belarus. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Today is 125th anniversary of Yanka Kupala". Euroradio. 7 July 2007. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ Flowers laid at Yanka Kupala monument in Arrow Park, Monroe, New York
- ^ Yankovskiy, Vladimir, Kupala (Biography, Drama, History), Belarusfilm, retrieved 23 July 2022
External links
- Janka Kupala's sonnets translated by Vera Rich