Biblical Saul in the Interpretation of Lesya Ukrainka

Abstract

This article is an attempt to understand the essence of the author’s interpretation of Saul’s artistic image. The search for deep meanings encoded in Lesya Ukrainka’s poem was conducted by taking into account the biblical and historical context. It is noted that the image created by the author is deeply tragic. Saul, who has lost touch with God and is trying to restore his inner integrity through art, is seen as a symbol of the fin de siècle. A number of characteristic features that bring the tsar-prophet closer to the decadent hero in Lesya Ukrainka’s version are emphasised: alienation from the outside world and a concentration on the inner, a vulnerable psyche, and thanatological impulses. At the same time, Saul’s inner world is full of contradictions: despair and the anticipation of death give rise to melancholy, anger and a desire to kill David, which does not prevent the king from feeling paternal love for his rival and the new chosen one of God. The music in the work is the Divine power that is able to restore the lost integrity and connection with the sacred realm.