5 Thursdays, April 16 -- May 14, 2015
by Svitlana Kobets, PhD
Eye of the
Abyss (1996) is a remarkable
contribution to the world literature by a renowned contemporary Ukrainian
author, Valerii Shevchuk. It is a philosophical and psychological novel, as
well as a travelogue, which goes beyond the actual travels, turning into a metaphysical
search for understanding of the enigmas of life, death, faith and selfhood. The
novel’s dynamic, engaging plot, multifarious discussions and inserted tales
make it comparable to Boccaccio’s The
Decameron and Umberto Eco’s The Name
of Rose. Yet Shevchuk’s novel was modeled on neither. In it, Shevchuk
invites the reader to ponder modernity through the lens of the Middle Ages,
whose colourful scene serves as an a-temporal setting for discussing questions
of both eternal and modern importance. In Eye of the Abyss, in pursuit
of the truth, miracles and faith, the four main characters set out on the
pilgrimage to a famous medieval saint, Mykyta of Pereyaslavl. Their travels,
insights and discoveries comprise the plot of the novel and provide the
framework for its major discussions. The latter reveal relevance to the
problems urgent not only for the contemporary Ukraine but for humanity in
general. We will read and discuss this novel in a superb English translation by
Olha Rudakevych, which is available online in
the 1 and 2 volumes of the journal of English translations, Ukrainian
literature http://www.UkrainianLiterature.org/. Part 1 containing chapters
1-13, and Part 2 containing chapters 14-24 and
Epilogue,
Schedule (last revised on May 9):
April 16, 2015
Class 1
Introduction:
Shevchuk, his work, his cultural and political contexts.
Eye of the Abyss,
Book 1 Chapters 1-4, pp. 1-13
April 23, 2015
Class 2: Eye of the Abyss,
Book 1, Chapters 5-6, pp. 13-18
April 30
Class 3: Eye of the Abyss,
Book 2, Chapters 7-13, pp. 18-49
May 7, 2015
Class 4
Eye of the Abyss, Book
2, Chapters 14-20, pp. 51-117
May 14, 2015
Class 5
Eye of the Abyss,
Book 2, Chapters 21-24 and the Epilogue, pp. 117-163
Additional reading:
The Way of the Ascetics:
Negative or Affirmative? By Kallistos Ware
Quest for Selfhood and Dystopia in Valery Shevchuk's The Eye of the Abyss by Svitlana Kobets
