Ukrainian Itinerant Students — Bearers of the Humanistic Ideas of the 17—18 Centuries

Abstract

The current importance of the research. The current importance of the research stems from the fact that there is a need to define the common features of the life and work of Ukrainian students who in different historical times managed to bring to the people the ideas of humanism and the Enlightenment. Among the oldest forerunners were Ukrainian itinerant students popularly called “itinerant deacons”, “myrachi”, “vahanty”(Ukrainian words for the goliards). Today, in the times of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war, Ukrainian students are playing the role of humanism bearers. Their activities highlight the importance of the present – victory over the enemy. Among the modern bearers of justice and the ideas of humanity, there are many volunteers, singers, musicians, poets, chaplains, scientists – creators of good and light. Although a lot of time has passed, what they have in common remains. Ukrainian itinerant students were bearers of the ideas of world culture, their own creative work, important political, public and social news. Isn’t the same mission being carried out today by Ukrainian students and educational institutions that are being aggressively destroyed by the Russian army?The aim and objectives of the research. The aim of the paper is to analyse the creative heritage of the itinerant students of the 17-18 c. as a manifestation of humanistic ideas, moral and ethical principles through burlesque and travesty poems. To achieve this aim, it is necessary to meet the following objectives: – to consider the socio-cultural circumstances of the life and work of itinerant students; – to identify the characteristic features of the composition and genre of carols and songs; – to outline the forms of understanding poetic works of itinerant students.Research methods: analytical – to study the original sources of itinerant students’ poetic creativity; theoretical – to generalise the characteristic features of the forms of itinerant students’ poetic creativity; descriptive – to characterise the educational activities of itinerant students as bearers of humanistic ideas.The results of the research. The paper analyses the satirical work of the itinerant students of the 17-18 c. in Ukraine. It is noted that burlesque and travesty poetry fits into the culture of the Enlightenment; it is aimed at affirming human dignity, ridiculing the shortcomings of contemporary society. Priests and the social elite of the time, called to set a moral example of ordinary people, were particularly criticised. The work of itinerant students confirms the basic thesis of the Enlightenment: art is designed to cultivate high moral qualities in people.