V. YERMOLENKO’S NOVEL “THE OCEAN CATCHER. THE STORY OF ODYSSEUS” AS A PHILOSOPHICAL SEQUEL TO THE HOMERIC EPIC

Abstract

The article investigates the philosophical space of V. Yermolenko’s novel “The Ocean Catcher”, created as a continuation (sequel) of the well-known ancient heroic epic “Odysseus”. The peculiarities of the transformation of mythological and figurative material in modern Ukrainian literature are examined. The purpose of the article is to clarify the originality of the content transformation of the Homeric epic, ways of deepening the ideological content of the novel, and ways of modernizing the mythological image of Odysseus. The realization of the set purpose involves addressing a number of tasks, including: 1) clarifying the functions of the mythological image of Odysseus and of the female characters in the contemporary novel; 2) outlining the philosophical issues addressed in the work; 3) identifying the peculiarities of transforming traditional artistic material in postmodern literature. The article is based on the comparative method, and the method of philological analysis of the text is also applied. The scientific novelty of the article lies in clarifying the genre of V. Yermolenko’s novel. It is widely believed among researchers and reviewers that “The Ocean Catcher” can be categorized as a travelogue, as it portrays a journey of atonement from the burnt Ithaca to the fallen Troy, paralleling the adventures of Odysseus in the Homeric epic. However, the article provides arguments in favor of defining the genre of the novel as a sequel. In conclusion, the article emphasizes that the Ukrainian writer’s novel begins almost where the Homeric epic ends, but V. Yermolenko significantly expands the semantic scope of the work. The writer also portrays a range of female characters (Penelope, Nausicaya, Calypso, Circe) with psychological authenticity. The romantic and erotic element of the novel is complemented by profound reflections on love, betrayal, happiness, forgiveness, atonement, and other moral and ethical categories. “The Ocean Catcher” is one of the few examples of a sequel genre in Ukrainian literature. The author transfers the ideological and thematic focus from the external plot to the inner world of the characters. The image of Odysseus is deheroized. Instead, the internal motivation of his behavior is deepened, and a profound reassessment of his actions takes place from a humanistic perspective.