«The Diary»

Description

“On June 12, 1857, Shevchenko broke the pocketknife, cutting the notebook into his daily notes, and began his “memorable book” with this seemingly worthless episode. The last record was marked on May 20, 1858. The beautiful poem “Dream” was recorded separately. The whole life of the poet between those two dates, with all his small everyday life and important events, with memories of the past and dreams of the future, with creative impulses and moments of despair and downfall, with a whole gallery of living images, portraits, with a treasure trove of thoughts and disgust of environment – appears before us in these notes – day by day….” Serhii Efremov, “Literary self-portrait of Shevchenko” (1927)