THE THEME OF WAR IN THE SHORT STORIES AND NOVELS OF KOST HORDIENKO: ARTISTIC ANALYSIS

Abstract

This article presents an artistic analysis of the theme of war in the short stories and novels of Kost Hordienko, identifying the features of depicting military events, character images, moral and ethical aspects, and the genre and stylistic characteristics of his works.The writer's literary legacy holds a significant place in 20th-century Ukrainian literature, as he not only artistically comprehends the events of military conflicts but also delves into the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by individuals in extreme conditions. His works reflect the psychological states of his characters, the problems of choice, honor, and humanity, making them relevant not only in the context of historical memory but also in contemporary social discourse.The methodological foundation of the study is based on the comprehensive use of historical-literary, comparative-typological, artistic- aesthetic, psychoanalytic methods, and narratological analysis. The historical-literary approach allows for tracing the connection between Hordienko’s works and the socio-historical conditions of their creation, while the comparative-typological method helps identify common and distinctive features in the depiction of war compared to other 20th-century Ukrainian writers. The psychoanalytic analysis reveals the inner world of the characters, their experiences, and transformations under the influence of military events, whereas the artistic-aesthetic method highlights the stylistic and genre-specific features of his works.Special attention is given to the analysis of Hordienko’s war prose within the context of socialist realism and the official «social mandate», which defined the thematic and ideological standards of literature at the time. World War II had a profound impact on the writer’s work, altering not only thematic emphases but also the overall conception of his artistic world. The analysis demonstrates that Hordienko combines realistic depictions of war with deep psychological insight, allowing his prose to be considered a valuable source for studying both historical realities and the moral-philosophical issues of war.This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the writer’s literary heritage, expands literary studies on the war theme in Ukrainian prose, and helps determine the place of his works within the broader context of the development of 20th-century Ukrainian artistic thought.