Lesya Ukrainka (real name Larisa Petrivna Kosach) is a Ukrainian poetess, writer, playwright, translator.
Childhood
Kosach was born on February 25, 1871 in the city of Novograd-Volynskyi in the family of Olga Drahomanova-Kosach (Olena Pchilka) and Petro Kosach. His uncle was a well-known public figure and scientist Mykhailo Drahomanov.
Meetings of cultural figures were often held in the Kosach family house: writers, artists and musicians came, literary evenings and home concerts were held.
The future poetess received her education at home. Already at the age of 6, she began to master embroidery.
Since 1881, she has been fighting tuberculosis. Despite her serious illness, Kosach studied Greek and Latin. In the fall of 1883, she underwent surgery on her left arm – doctors removed the bones that were affected by the disease.
In December, Kosach returned from Kyiv to Kolodyazhne. Her health improved markedly, and together with her mother, she began to learn French and German.
Since 1884, she was actively engaged in poetry – she wrote poems, including “Lily of the Valley”, “Sappho”, “Summer Is Blushing Past” and others. It was during this period that she began to use the pseudonym “Lesya Ukrainka” and published her works in the magazine “Zorya”.
In 1885, a collection of translations of Mykola Gogol’s works was published in Lviv, which she prepared together with her brother Mykhailo. In general, Lesya translated a lot, among her works are the works of Mykola Gogol, Adam Mickiewicz, Heinrich Heine, Victor Hugo, Homer and other authors.
Maturity
In 1891, she visited Galicia, and later Bukovina, where she met famous cultural figures of Western Ukraine – among them were Ivan Franko, Mykhailo Pavlyk, Olga Kobylianska, Vasyl Stefanyk, Osyp Makovei and Natalia Kobrynska.
In 1894, Kosach began studying at an art school, which was opened in Kyiv by Mykola Murashko. In May of the same year, she went abroad to her uncle Drahomanov. Due to the need for treatment, she had to travel a lot – she visited Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Egypt, repeatedly visited the Caucasus and the Crimea. Travels left a mark on her worldview.
During 1902, Kosach underwent treatment in San Remo, Italy, and lived for some time in Odessa and Kyiv. In Chernivtsi, her collection of poetry called “Reviews” was published.
In 1903, she wrote the dramatic poem “Babylonian Captivity” and the poem “Smoke”. In the period 1904 – 1905, new works appeared: the poems “The Daughter of Jephthah” and “The Inscription in Ruin”, an updated edition of the collection “On the Wings of Songs”, as well as such works as “Autumn Fairy Tale”, “Songs from the Cemetery”, “Songs of Freedom”, poems “Dreams, Do Not Betray!”, “Drunk at Bloody Feasts…” and dialogue “Three minutes”.
In early March 1907, Lesya Ukrainka left Kolodyazhne and moved to Kyiv.
On August 7, 1907, she and Kliment Kvitka got married in a church, after which they began to live in the Crimea. During this period, Lesya completed work on the dramatic poem “Cassandra”.
Last years of life
During 1908, she lived in different cities — she lived in Yalta, Kyiv, Odessa, Yevpatoria, Batumi, Tbilisi. She also traveled to Berlin, where she consulted with a professor about a possible kidney operation.
The last years of Lesya Kosach-Kvitka’s life were spent in constant trips for treatment – she repeatedly visited Egypt and the Caucasus. She died on August 1, 1913 in Suram, at the age of 42.
Interesting Facts
Here are some interesting facts from the life of Lesya Ukrainy:
- already from the age of 5, Kosach began to write plays on her own, and at the age of 8 she wrote her first poem;
- she spoke more than 10 foreign languages, including European and Slavic, including Polish, Bulgarian, Russian, as well as Latin and Ancient Greek;
- the asteroid “2616 Lesya”, which was discovered on August 28, 1970, is named after her;
- only three grand pianos of rare value are preserved in Ukraine, and one of them belonged to Lesya Ukrainka;
- The drama-extravaganza “The Forest Song” is considered one of the first prototypes of the fantasy genre in Ukrainian literature.
