Об эпитафиях Амвросию Дубневичу в черниговской поэтике середины XVIII века
On Epitaphs to Ambrose Dubnevich in the Chernihiv Poetics of the Mid 18th Century

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this publication is to examine the epitaph’s theory and practice in the Chernihiv poetics of 1749–1750 against the background of Ukrainian literary theory as well to analyse from a philological point of view the epitaphs dedicated to a remarkable personality of his time – the Bishop of Chernihiv and Novgorod-Siverskyi Ambrose Dubnevich – in comparative context. The research paper is based on the study of the little known, even in academic circles, handwritten Ukrainian treatises. The chapter on the epitaph in the Chernihiv poetics 1749–1750 is large and substantial compared to other Ukrainian courses; epitaph’s samples are chosen very carefully. The paper analyzes the epitaph’s theory in the Chernihiv poetics: definition, methods of epitaph’s presentation – narrative and by prosopopeia, epitaph’s species – rhetorical and poetic epitaphs, genologic functions of the samples. The epitaph genre in the Chernihiv poetics of the mid 18th century is seen as a kind of curious poetry. This is a trend of old Ukrainian literary theory (along with understanding of the epitaph as an epigram and as an inscription). In the Chernihiv poetics of 1749–1750 the epitaph’s samples supplement the theory of genre. The paper focuses attention on the variety of formal solutions and features of an epic epitaph-epicedium, of lyrical elogia – an abuse elogium and the poetical one, rhetorical (historical) epitaph, the epitaphs’ cycle and a Christian epitaph written in leonine verse. The epitaphs of the Chernihiv poetics of the mid 18th century have not only historical value; they are also important for the reconstruction of our theoretical knowledge of old Ukrainian literature, and present a certain aesthetic value to the modern reader. Epitaph’s theory and practice in the Chernihiv poetics of 1749–1750 show how important it is to take into account not only the poetics of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, but also courses of regional Ukrainian institutions. A future task is to consider student funeral poems dedicated to Ambrose Dubnevich which are attached to the Chernihiv poetics.

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