TRADITIONS OF EUROPEAN MELODRAMA IN I.P. KOTLIAREVSKY’S PLAY “NATALKA POLTAVKA”

Abstract

The article explores the development of the melodrama genre in various national literatures of Europe (French, English, German), and the role of I.P. Kotliarevsky’s play “Natalka Poltavka” in the context of leading tendencies in late 18th – early 19th century European drama. It is noted that “Natalka Poltavka” bears some features of the genre of melodrama, however they are transformed by the author, which indicates his creative approach to tradition and his active innovation. European melodrama is characterized by vivid descriptions of the characters’ feelings as backed by vibrant emotional situations and contrasts. At the same time, melodramatic plots would generally stay within the confines of family topics. In “Natalka Poltavka”, the plot is also based on a love story (love-separation-waiting-reunion of Natalka and Petro), though it is complicated by many family and social circumstances. In French and English melo- dramas, the fate of a girl or woman suffering from poverty and abuse on part of rich masters was a traditional plotline. However, while European melodramas took this plot to an exotic realm, I.P. Kotliarevsky made it a realistic one, deter- mined by particular life circumstances. As a genre, melodrama is characterized by breathtaking intrigue, constant dramatic tension, “shocking” situations and unexpected plot twists. In European melodramas this was generally achieved through the employment of mysterious situations. Compared to similar European plays, the secrets in I.P. Kotliarevsky’s play are not separated from reality. All the secrets in “Natalka Poltavka” are determined by the characters’ life circumstances and personal traits. European melodramas tend to lean towards strong moral imperatives and clear division between positive and negative characters. At first glance, “Natalka Poltavka” seems to fall in line with this tradition. Natalka and Petro are positive characters personifying kindness and human virtues, while Vozniy and Vyborniy seem to illustrate the evil threatening the young couple’s happiness. In the end, however, the viewers witness a flip of the traditional melodramatic model. Petro’s generosity moves the hearts of Vozniy and Vyborniy. In the end of “Natalka Poltavka”, we can see a happy-end (which is traditional for melodrama), combined with catharsis. However, the characters act like contemporary Poltava dwellers rather than heroes of Ancient Greek or Roman drama. In European melodramas we tend to see exaggerated depictions of the characters’ passions, emotions and suffering. This is also noticeable in I.P. Kotliarevsky’s play “Natalka Poltavka”. The characters’ psychological states are described through various kinds of intertext (folk songs or original lyrics and music created by the author). In contrast to European melodramas, I.P. Kotliarevsky introduced a number of folk songs into the structure of melodrama. While the lyrical elements in European melodrama were generally determined by love issues, I.P. Kotliarevsky enriched the play with new topics and motives through the musical and lyrical intertext, which allowed him to transcend the boundaries of a love story. The songs used in “Natalka Poltavka” deal with topics like love, history of the Ukrainian people, the hard fate of a Cossack, morals and sins of the world, human fate, relationships between generations, deep religious feelings and the like. Accordingly, the characters’ life stories unravel in the context of the past, present and future. Mentions of Ukrainian Cossacks’ participation in wars, of the Poltava Battle, of the challenges faced by the Ukrainian people are intertwined with contemporary events. In this way, time and space in the play are expanded. In “Natalka Poltavka”, not only individual life stories are described, but the fate of Ukrainian folk as a whole.