Authors

Discussion

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the country became one of the top three origins of displaced persons globally. However, amidst this turmoil, the Ukrainian people exhibited an unprecedented display of agency and subjectivity. This talk examines how (non-)agency is constructed and articulated in the poetic personae of contemporary Ukrainian lyric poetry, particularly in the context of displacement and war.

Through close readings of selected poems, the analysis identifies diverse modes and models of agency that emerge in these works. It explores how poets navigate the complexities of displacement, using literary techniques and devices to assert subjectivity and reclaim agency. These devices include intertextuality, irony, mockery, the use of first-person verb forms, and multilingualism as a strategy for bridging and navigating different cultural spaces.

A particular focus is placed on the agency of women or female poetic personae. Women constitute a significant proportion of those displaced by Russia’s war of aggression; for many women, writing, speaking, and bearing witness to the war become acts of agency and ways of contributing to the collective memory and resistance.

The theoretical framework for this analysis is grounded in postcolonial studies, particularly the concept of postcolonial agency. In this context, agency is understood as the capacity of both real and fictional subjects to articulate their emotions, perspectives, and needs. This framework is particularly relevant in the Ukrainian context, where the legacy of colonial domination intersects with the ongoing realities of war and resistance. By analyzing the specific ways in which poetic agency is constructed, this talk sheds light on the cultural dimensions of Ukrainian resilience. It highlights how poetry not only documents the experiences of displacement but also actively contributes to the reclamation of agency.