Belarusian literature
Encyclopedia
Belarusian literature is the writing produced, both prose
and poetry
, by speakers (not necessarily native speakers) of the Belarusian language
.
and Russian literature
. A separate literary tradition of Belarus
became apparent only in 14-15th centuries. The old Belarusian literature experienced its golden age in the 16-17th centuries, when the Old Belarusian language was the official language of the Great Duchy of Lithuania. The Statutes of the Great Duchy of 1529, 1566 and 1588, as well as polemic religious literature were all published in Old Belarusian language. Since early 16th century Belarusian literary works have been printed. The first printed Belarusian book (in the version of Old Belarusian) was Psaltyr, which was printed in Prague
by Francysk Skaryna in 1517 (this was the first book to be printed in an East Slavonic language). During the 16th and 17th century poetry and drama (see Simeon Polatsky) appeared in Belarusian literature under the influence of a more developed Polish literature
.
within the Rzech Pospolita and of Russian language
within the Russian Empire
, Belarusian literary tradition was severely damaged in the 18th century. Its renaissance began in the first half of the 19th century, when an anonymous satirical poem 'Taras na Parnase' was published. First novels have been authored by Pauljuk Bahrym, and several works have been contributed by Polish poets born in Belarus
(Jan Barszczewski
, Jan Czeczot
, Adam Mickiewicz
, Vintsent Dunin-Martsinkyevich, Andrej Rypinski). Books were often published in the Latin alphabet
(Lacinka), not the Cyrillic, which is the norm today. In the second half of the 19th century there was a rise in the literary tradition of Realism
(Francisak Bahusevic
, Adam Hurynovic, Jan Lucyna).
). Belarusian literature of the time combined elements of Romanticism, Realism and Modernism.
Outside of Belarus Belarusian literatured developed as well - in Vilnius, Kaunas, Prague (Mikhal Mashara, Kazimir Svajak). In 1934 Union of Writers of BSSR was established in Minsk. Tradition of Socialist Realism appeared in the 1930s.
There are several Belarusian authors who have left Belarus and now work in emigration (for instance, Natallya Arsenneva and Ales' Salavej)..
Leading literary magazines of Belarus are Litaratura i mastatstva (since 1932) and Polymia (since 1922).
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
and poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, by speakers (not necessarily native speakers) of the Belarusian language
Belarusian language
The Belarusian language , sometimes referred to as White Russian or White Ruthenian, is the language of the Belarusian people...
.
Pre-17 century
Belarusian literature was formed from the common basis of Kievan Rus literary tradition, which also gave rise to Ukrainian literatureUkrainian literature
Ukrainian literature is literature written in the Ukrainian language. Ukrainian literature had a difficult development because, due to constant foreign domination over Ukrainian territories, there was often a significant difference between the spoken and written language...
and Russian literature
Russian literature
Russian literature refers to the literature of Russia or its émigrés, and to the Russian-language literature of several independent nations once a part of what was historically Russia or the Soviet Union...
. A separate literary tradition of Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
became apparent only in 14-15th centuries. The old Belarusian literature experienced its golden age in the 16-17th centuries, when the Old Belarusian language was the official language of the Great Duchy of Lithuania. The Statutes of the Great Duchy of 1529, 1566 and 1588, as well as polemic religious literature were all published in Old Belarusian language. Since early 16th century Belarusian literary works have been printed. The first printed Belarusian book (in the version of Old Belarusian) was Psaltyr, which was printed in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
by Francysk Skaryna in 1517 (this was the first book to be printed in an East Slavonic language). During the 16th and 17th century poetry and drama (see Simeon Polatsky) appeared in Belarusian literature under the influence of a more developed Polish literature
Polish literature
Polish literature is the literary tradition of Poland. Most Polish literature has been written in the Polish language, though other languages, used in Poland over the centuries, have also contributed to Polish literary traditions, including Yiddish, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, German and...
.
18th and 19th centuries
Due to cultural dominance of Polish languagePolish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
within the Rzech Pospolita and of Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
within the Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
, Belarusian literary tradition was severely damaged in the 18th century. Its renaissance began in the first half of the 19th century, when an anonymous satirical poem 'Taras na Parnase' was published. First novels have been authored by Pauljuk Bahrym, and several works have been contributed by Polish poets born in Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
(Jan Barszczewski
Jan Barszczewski
Jan Barszczewski was Polish and Belarusian writer, poet and editor. He wrote both in Belarusian and Polish languages....
, Jan Czeczot
Jan Czeczot
Jan Czeczot of Ostoja was a noble of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of Belarusian origin, romantic poet and ethnographer. Fascinated by folk lore and traditional folk songs of the former Grand Duchy of Lithuania, confederal part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, he recollected hundreds of...
, Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Mickiewicz
Adam Bernard Mickiewicz ) was a Polish poet, publisher and political writer of the Romantic period. One of the primary representatives of the Polish Romanticism era, a national poet of Poland, he is seen as one of Poland's Three Bards and the greatest poet in all of Polish literature...
, Vintsent Dunin-Martsinkyevich, Andrej Rypinski). Books were often published in the Latin alphabet
Latin alphabet
The Latin alphabet, also called the Roman alphabet, is the most recognized alphabet used in the world today. It evolved from a western variety of the Greek alphabet called the Cumaean alphabet, which was adopted and modified by the Etruscans who ruled early Rome...
(Lacinka), not the Cyrillic, which is the norm today. In the second half of the 19th century there was a rise in the literary tradition of Realism
Realism (arts)
Realism in the visual arts and literature refers to the general attempt to depict subjects "in accordance with secular, empirical rules", as they are considered to exist in third person objective reality, without embellishment or interpretation...
(Francisak Bahusevic
Francišak Bahuševic
Francišak Bahuševič -Biography:Was born in Ambary manor in Vilna uezd of Vilna Governorate. As known, this manor in the end life was got by Vasily Tyapinsky. The participant of January Uprising of 1863-1864. After January Uprising left Belarus. Lived in Ukraine. Studied in Nezhinsk legal liceum....
, Adam Hurynovic, Jan Lucyna).
Early 20th century
New period started after the Russian Revolution of 1905, when first Belarusian language newspapers were established in Vilnius (Nasa Dolia and Nasha Niva). They brought together a circle of writers, who were arguing for developing Belarusian language and its literature (including Maksim Bahdanovich, Zmitrok Biadulia, Maksim Harecki, Yakub KolasYakub Kolas
Yakub Kolas , real name Kanstantsin Mitskievich was a Belarusian writer, People's Poet of the Byelorussian SSR , and member and vice-president of the Belarusian Academy of Sciences.In his works, Yakub Kolas was known for his sympathy towards the ordinary Belarusian peasantry...
). Belarusian literature of the time combined elements of Romanticism, Realism and Modernism.
First World War
During the World War 1 and proclamation of the Belarusian People's Republic (1918) the key themes within the Belarusian literature were patriotism and common life.Inter-war period
After the establishment of BSSR in 1919 literary life in Belarus was concentrated around magazines Maladnjak (1923-1928) and Uzvyshsha (1926-1931), which were published by a group of Belarusin writers. Besides the authors from the previous periods (Zmitrok Biadulia, Yakub Kolas), this was a period of active work of poets Mihkal Charot, Uladzimer Dubouka, Adam Dudar, and writers Maksim Harecki, Tsishka Hartny and Kuz'ma Chorny.Outside of Belarus Belarusian literatured developed as well - in Vilnius, Kaunas, Prague (Mikhal Mashara, Kazimir Svajak). In 1934 Union of Writers of BSSR was established in Minsk. Tradition of Socialist Realism appeared in the 1930s.
After-war years
After the end of the World War 2 key themes for the new Belarusian literature were war time experiences, life of Belarusians in the USSR and national history (in particular, novels by Ivan Melezh and Ivan Shamiakin). Since 1960s a new theme of morality appeared in the Belarusian prose. Many writers have been fighting for freedom of speech of the authors (in particular, Vasil Bykau and Uladzimer Karatkevich).There are several Belarusian authors who have left Belarus and now work in emigration (for instance, Natallya Arsenneva and Ales' Salavej)..
Leading literary magazines of Belarus are Litaratura i mastatstva (since 1932) and Polymia (since 1922).
Inter-war period
- Mikhas' Charot
- Kuz'ma Chorny
- Yakub KolasYakub KolasYakub Kolas , real name Kanstantsin Mitskievich was a Belarusian writer, People's Poet of the Byelorussian SSR , and member and vice-president of the Belarusian Academy of Sciences.In his works, Yakub Kolas was known for his sympathy towards the ordinary Belarusian peasantry...
- Yanka KupalaYanka KupalaYanka Kupala — was the pen name of Ivan Daminikavich Lutsevich , a Belarusian poet and writer. Kupala is considered one of the greatest Belarusian-language writers of the 20th century.-Early life:...
- Francisak Umestouski
After-war years
- Ales' AdamovichAles AdamovichAles Adamovich was a Soviet writer and a critic, Professor and Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Doctor of Philosophy in philology, Doctorate in 1962 ; the people's deputy...
- Uladzimer Arlou
- Ryhor Baradulin
- Yanka Bryl'
- Vasil Bykau
- Larysa Geniyush
- Uladzimer Karatkevich
- Hienadz KliaukoHienadz KliaukoHienadz Kliauko was a Soviet Belarusian poet and translator.- Biography :...
- Ivan Shamyakin
- Sakrat Yanovich
Contemporary writers
- Raisa Baravikova
- Mikalaj Charginets
- Ryhor Marchuk
- Eduard Skobeleu