Historical Memory and Necropolitics in Fiction by Olexandr Irvanets

This article is focused on the literary representation of historical memory about totalitarian past Ukraine in dystopias by Olexandr Irvanets. The aim research to analyze how phenomenon necropolitics, substantiatiated theory Cameroonian scholar Achille Mbembe as a sovereignty’s right decide who can live and must die, artistically reflected Irvanets’s works “Rivne / Rovno (The Wall)”, “Ochamymria”, “Libenkraft’s Disease”, “Kharkiv 1938”. Achievement this presupposes completion such tasks: specify content necropolitics Mbembe’s theory, make clear genre above-mentioned Irvanets, outline nuances interpretation Ukraine’s colonial above works, which way nectopolitics these texts overlapped with material Ukrainians’ memory. offered particularly relevant, since its key concept, despite prevalence social sciences, was utilized criticism very rarely, never used moment Ukrainian studies. Therefore, analysis contemporary writer’s from position considered broadens range multidisciplinary approaches work. Division fictional space into open closed zones, alienation shown states other countries, unlimited power state over citizens’ lives deaths, display characters’ corporeality permanently threatened are main ways realization dystopian worlds prose. Social unification, stigmatization characters, different others, their deprivation unique individuality symbolical equivalent physical extermination. In all analyzed symbolical, moral destruction deindividualization personalities, transformation them obedient faceless mass. Means include technological inventions (“thoughts unifying radial aggregate” novel Wall)”), common exhausting senseless labor (in tale “Ochamymria”), political repressions against dissidents 1938”), mysterious dangerous disease Disease”). most complete detailed picture necropolitical society represented Disease” that contains high number scenes violence. Characteristically, author puts regulation question “who die” within human population one row size animals – impressive scene dog’s extermination pages work proves it. Like many classical dystopias, has no happy end, moreover, protagonist who, due infecting Libenkraft’s disease, gains shrewd all-seeing eyes, sees necropower final victory individuality.