Mariya Shapovalova: life and creative path of the scholar

Abstract

The article deals with the life and creative path of Mariya Semenivna Shapovalova (1915–1994), a famous literary critic, long-term Associate Professor at the Chair of World Literature, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv. The paper aims at covering the most important stages in the activity of the University lecturer and scholar who worked in the field of Ukrainian Shakespearean Studies, English belles-lettres of different times and periods, the English working-class novel. Research methodology. The article employs a systemic approach combined with applying the historical-and-literary, genetic-and-comparative methods, based on which a clarification is made as to the contribution of the scholar to the history of Ukrainian Shakespearean studies, research into ancient and modern English literature, elaboration of substantial teaching manuals and textbooks on the history of Western European literatures of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance epoch. Results. The research presents an almost fifty-year long creative path of the scholar, a narrative about the idea and implementation of the valuable work on the entry of W. Shakespeare into the Ukrainian literary process. Scholarly novelty. The article is a pioneering exploration in Ukrainian literary studies on the multifaceted activities of Associate Professor Mariya Shapovalova, in particular concerning the development of a textbook on the history of Western European literature, the three editions of which present up till now a most authoritative university textbook. Practical value. The article can become a basis for an interested reading into the scholarly heritage of the literary theorist, study on the history of teaching of world literature at the Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.