Social practices of the «high society» lifestyle in the work of O. Makovei «Biography of Osyp Yurii Fedkovych-Hordynskyi»

Abstract

The work of O.Makovei «Biography of Osyp Yurii Fedkovych-Hordynskyi» is analyzed in the article. The goal of the article is to find in the text representations of social practices, which were peculiar for the high society lifestyle in the medium of the educated middle class – intelligentsia – in the Duchy of Bukovyna throughout the 19th.century. In the discourse of the author’s biographical work and in used memories of Fedkovych’ contemporaries it is stressed that noble standards of living were the ideal of the social life in Bykovyna and Chernivtsi, herewith negative connotations were present in such statements.

The lifestyle of Y.Fedkovych’s parents suited this definition, while the poet in his conscious age tried to oppose to such a lifestyle. That is why his behavior in front of the audience was characterized by displays of protest against following elite standards of living in the society. Probably, his demonstrational wearing of rustic (Hutsul) clothing was also connected with his goal.

Despite the fact that his participation in social practices of the high society lifestyle allowed Fedkovych to gain support of his writing talent in the 1860s, in the 1870-1880ss he was demonstratively violating accepted behavioral norms, which were generalized as the rules of common courtesy. Furthermore, he tried to stress that he is equal with villagers, he called himself Hutsul. But O.Makovei found out that Hutsuls still considered Fedkovych to be a stranger – «lord in disguise», «German».

While analyzing life and works of Y. Fedkovych, O.Makovei described poet’s social surrounding – intelligentsia- and its peculiar social practices such as following the common courtesy rules in self-representation (manners, clothes, communication), different types of intelligentsia leisure (clubs, salons parties, theatre) and cooperation.

Keywords: social practices, life style of the high society, Y.Fedkovych, O. Makovei, intelligentsia, middle class, Bukovyna, Chernivtsi.