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Scroll through this page to select the literary period and the writer in which you are interested. Most of the literary period essays do not have entries as yet, since this section is still early in its development.

Background

As a starting point for dividing Belarusian literary history into periods, most of the brief essays that introduce the periods between 1828 through 1971 are derived from Vera Rich's divisions in Like Water, Like Fire (1971), but are updated, modified, and expanded from several sources (including my own comments). (Note: Ms. Rich is very supportive of these efforts to share examples of and information about Belarusian literature, especially poetry.)

In addition, any divisions for the literary history of Belarus are of course arbitrary, and some overlap. History (that is, literary history) is quite complex and a continuum; as with the use of any labels and categories, the ones used here are provided to help us get a handle on much more complicated subjects (but should not be confused with them). The following divisions are in that tradition, and are provided as an aid to our understanding of Belarusian literary history, and are not intended to be an end unto themselves. If you have suggestions about them, please contact me.

The identification of certain authors, scholars, etc., with a specific period is also somewhat arbitrary. Some of these writers can be philosophically identified with a particular movement but many cannot. The writers are listed within a chronological scheme, and the section essays and introductory notes are intended to provide background to the era in which they wrote so that we can better understand (and more easily discuss) Belarusian literary history. Some authors appear in more than one period since, for example, some were able to survive Soviet imprisonment, exile, torture, etc.

Source Materials

A Chronology of Belarusian Literature

Note: Some of these writers appear in more than one category / chronological period.

Introduction

Spiritual Writing from the 12th through the 15th Centuries

• Saint Euphrosyne of Polatsk   (approx. 1110 to 1120 - May 23, 1173)



• Kyril Turovski   (approximately 1130 - 1182)   [ also   Cyril of Turau ]



• Also see Alies' Artsyukhovič's Old Belarusian Poetry Web page

Writing from the 16th and 17th Centuries

• Also refer to the book: Testament to Ruthenian: A Linguistic Analysis of the Smotryc'kyj Variant, by Stefan M. Pugh; 1996, concerning 'Ruthenian', the predecessor of literary Ukrainian and Belarusian.
  
  
• Simon Budnii   (approx. 1530 - 1593)
  
  
• Mikola Husouski   (1480 - 1533) -- Belarusian & Polish Poet
  • (Also: "Nikolay (Nikolai) Gusouski", "Gusovski", and "Husowski")
  
  
• Andre Rymsha   (about 1550 - 1595)
  
  
• Francishak Skaryna   (1490 - 1552) -- Belarusian Renaissance Scholar, Bible Translator, & Printer   (The most important Belarusian literary figure.)
  
  
• Myaletzi Smatriitzki   (1577 - 1633)
  
  
• Simiaon of Polatsk   (1629 - 1680)
  
  
• Vasil' Tzyapinski   (approx. 1540 - 1604)
  
  
• Yahn Vislitzki   (approx. 1485 - 1520)
  
  
• Also see Alies' Artsyukhovič's Old Belarusian Poetry Web page

Writing from the 18th Century

The Early Period of Belarusian Nationalism (1828 - 1905)

• Anonymous -- (Refer to this page for some notes about various, unatributed works, such as The Aeneid Inside Out and Taras on Parnassus from the early 19th century.)

  
  

• Vincent Dunin-Marcinkievič   (1808 - 1884) -- First Major Belarusian Poet & Playwright of 19th Century

  
  

• Vikentzi Paulavič Ravinski   (1786 -- 1855 (about); Poet & Dramatist; Вікенці Паўлавіч Равінскі)

  
  

• Yan Barshcheivski   (1794 - 1851)

  
  

• Frantzishak Bagushevič   (Bagushevich; 1840 - 1900) -- Poet
  See the Francisak Bahusevic (Fraciszak Bahuszewicz)   Web site in the UK.

  
  

• Adam Mickiewicz   (1798-1855) -- Polish Poet

  
  

• Kastus Kalinouski   (1838 - 1864) -- Patriot/Pamphleteer

  
  

• Jauchim Karski   (January 1, 1861 - April 29, 1931) -- foremost Belarusian linguist

  
  

• Taras Shaovchenka   (1814 - 1861) -- Poet

  
  

• Kanstantzin Vasilevič Veranitzin   (1834 - 1904; Poet & Teacher; Канстанцін Васілевіч Вераніцын)

  
  

The Nasha Niva (nashaniustva; "Our Soil-ism") Period (1906 - 1914/5)

• Maksim Bahdanovič   (Bahdanovich; 1891 - 1917) -- Writer

  
  

• Alies' Harun   (1887 - 1920)   poet, playwright, publicist, & political activist
  • also "Ales' Garun"; [ pen name of   Aleksandr Uladzimirarvič Prushinski ]

  
  

• Janka Kupala   (1882 - 1942)     [ pen name of   Ivan Dominikovič Lucevič (Lucevich) ]

  
  

• Jakub Kolas   (1882 - 1956)     [ pen name of   Kanstancin Miskievič (Miskievich) ]

• Vaclau Lastouski   (1883 - 1938) -- Historian, Writer, & Politician (Dzisna-born)
  • also "Vatslav Lastovsky"

  
  

The Years of Adjustment (1917 - 1939)

• Francishak Alachnovič   (March 9, 1883 - March 3, 1944) -- Playwright   [ also spelled "Alekhnovitch" ]

  
  

• Uladzimir Dubouka   (1900 - 1976) -- Poet / Writer

  
  

• Vaclau Lastouski   (1883 - 1938) -- Historian, Writer, & Politician (Dzisna-born)
  • also "Vatslav Lastovsky"

  
  

• Maksim Tank   (1912 - 1995)   [ pen name of   Yaugen Skurko ]

  
  

• Yadvigin Sh.   (1868 - 1922)   [ pen name of   Anton Ivanovič Lyavitzki ]

Interlude - Western Byelorussia (1921 - 1939)

• Branislau Adamavič Tarashkievič   (Tarashkievich; 1892 - 1938)   Belarusian philologist and political leader

• Natalya Arsen'neva   (1903 - 1997) -- poet   [ also spelled "Natalla Arsiennieva" ]

Destruction of Belarusian Literary Opposition (1930 - 1936/7)

The Years of Reconstruction (1945 - 1953)

• Larysa Hienijush   (August 9, 1910 - April 7, 1983)   poet and nationalist
  • Also " Larysa Heniyush," & "Larisa Geniush"

The Thaw - And After (1954 - 1989)

• Ales Adamovič (Adamovich; b. 1927 ) -- fiction writer

  
  

• Kastus Akula   (b. 1925 ) -- fiction writer

  
  

• Ryhor Baradulin (Rygor Borodulin)   (contemporary; born: 1935)

  
  

• Yanka (Janka) Bryl -- Writer & Academic   (contemporary; born: July 22, 1917)

  
  

• Henadz Buraŭkin   (contemporary; born: August 28, 1936)   (also: Gennady Buravkin)

  
  

• Vasil Bykaŭ -- Fiction Writer   (contemporary; 1924 -- )

  
  

• Ivan Chigrinov   contemporary

  
  

• Uladzimir Dubouka   (1900 - 1976) -- Poet / Writer

  
  

• Nil Hilevič   (Ніл Сымонавіч Гілевіч Gilevich; Hilevich)   (born: September 30, 1931) -- contemporary poet

  
  

• Uladzimir Karatkievič   (November 26, 1930 - July 25, 1984; [also, "Karatkevich"] Уладзімір Караткевіч) -- Author and Playwright

  
  

• Henadz' Kisyaliou   (Генадзь Кісялёў; contemporary; born March 19, 1931) -- Literary Historian

  
  

• Kandrat Krapiva     [pen name of   Kandrat Atrakhovič Atrakhovich]   (March 5, 1896 - January 7, 1991)

  
  

• Adam Mal'dzis   (contemporary [Адам Восіпавіч Мальдзіс]; born August 7, 1932) -- Historian, editor, writer, and teacher

  
  

• Ivan Paŭlavič Mielež   (February 8, 1921 -- August 9, 1976; (Melezh) Іван Паўлавіч Мележ) -- Author and Playwright

  
  

• Ales Razanau   contemporary; born: December 5, 1947;   (also: Ales Ryazanov)

  
  

• Ryhor Siemaškievič   (September 12, 1945 -- June 11, 1982; also, Rygor Siemashkievich)

  
  

• Janka (Yanka) Sipakoŭ   (January 15, 1936; poet (Янка Сіпакоў) )

  
  

• Vasily Syomukha   (contemporary, born: January 18, 1936); poet and translator (from German and Latvian to Belarusian)

  
  

• Maksim Tank   (1912 - 1995)   [ pen name of   Yaugen Skurko ]

  
  

• Kastus' Tsvirka   (Кастусь Цвірка; contemporary; born March 28,1934) -- Author & Literary Editor

  
  

The Post-Soviet Belarusian Nationalism Revival (1989 - 1994)

The Lukashenka Years - Return to Cold War Isolation (late 1994 - )

• Slavamir Adamovič   (Adamovich; b. March 8, 1962) -- poet

  
  

• Svetlana Aleksiyevič   (Alekseyevich; born: May 31, 1948) -- Writer   contemporary

  
  

• Uladzimir Arlaŭ (Arłoŭ)   contemporary; born: August 25, 1953;   (also: Vladimir Orlov)

  
  

• Vasil Bykaŭ -- Fiction Writer   (contemporary; June 19, 1924 -- June 22, 2003)

  
  

• Volha Ipatava   (contemporary, born: January 1, 1945) -- (Olga Ipatova)   author & chairperson of the Belarusian Writers' Union

  
  

• Karlos Sherman   (contemporary poet and translator)

  
  

• Anatol Viarcinski   (b. November 18, 1931) -- Contemporary Poet, Writer, Critic, Journalist, & Dramatist   (Вярцінскі, Анатоль Ільіч; Вярцински, Анатолий; Вяртински, Вяртинский, Вертинский)

Emigre Writers (1945 - )

• Anton (Anthony) Adamovič   (Adamovich; June 26, 1909 - June 12, 1998)
  
  See reference to one of his works, Opposition to Sovietization in Belorussian Literature (1917 - 1957), 1958.

  
  

• Kastus Akula   (b. November 16, 1925) -- fiction writer

  
  

• Natalya Arsen'neva   (1903 - 1997) [ also   Natalla Arsiennieva ] -- poet

  
  

• Mikola Celesh   (1900 - 1976 (?))   -- writer

  
  

• Uladzimir Dudzicki   (1910 - 1970's (? ))   [ real name   Uladzimir Hutska ] -- writer of articles, poetry, and prose

  
  

• Sakrat Janovič   (Janovich; b. September, 4, 1936) -- Prose writer

  
  

• Janka Juknavets   (Янка Юхнавец b. 1921)   -- writer of poems, prose, and drama

  
  

• Vitaut Kipel   (Вітаўт Кіпель; contemporary; born 1927) -- Belarusian-American community leader & writer

  
  

• Zora Kipel   (Зора [Савёнак] Кіпель; contemporary; born July 1, 1927) -- Literary translator & writer

  
  

• Ryhor Krushyna   (1907 - 1978) -- Writer

  
  

• Valzhyna Mort   (b. 1981; pen name of Valhyna Martynava) -- Contemporary Poet

  
  

• Guy de Picarda (Havriil Pichura)   (July 20, 1931 - April 20, 2007) -- author, musicologist, librarian, barrister

  
  

• Barys Rahulia   (b. 1920)   -- writer of memoir and doctor

  
  

• Masei Sednev   (also, "Siadneŭ"; Масей Іларыёнавіч Сяднёў)   (September 1, 1913 -- February 5, 2001) -- Poet and Author

  
  

• Jurka Vicbich   [ Юрка Віцьбіч   real name   Jurka Stukalich; Юрка Стукаліч ]   (1905 - 1975)   -- writer of fiction, history, articles, and essays

  
  

• Liavon Yurevich   (Лявон Юрэвіч)   contemporary   -- writer of biography, Belarusian cultural history, and librarian

  
  

• Jan Zaprudnik - historian   contemporary
  Refer to descriptions of his books:
  • Belarus: At a Crossroads in History, (1993) the most complete (and accurate) one-volume history of Belarus in English -- and probably in any language.
    Note: The Belarusian translation of this book was expurgated and produced without his permission.

  • The Historical Dictionary of Belarus (1998)

Source Material

• Belarus: At a Crossroads in History, Jan Zaprudnik (1993).

• Belarusian Literature in the 1950s and 1960s, by Arnold B. McMillin; Germany; (1999).

• Belaruskaya Mova: Entziklapediya (edited by Mikhevich, A. Ya. et.al.; in Belarusian, (1994).

• Belorussia: The Making Of A Nation, a case study, by Nicholas P. Vakar (1956).

• Historical Dictionary of Belarus, Jan Zaprudnik (1998).

• A History of Byelorussian Literature (Die Literatur der Weissrussen): From its Origins to the Present Day, by Arnold B. McMillin; Giessen, W. Germany (1977).

• Like Water, Like Fire: An Anthology of Byelorussian Poetry from 1828 to the Present Day, translated with introductory comments, analysis and explanatory essays by Vera Rich (1971).

• Opposition to Sovietization in Belorussian Literature, Anthony Adamovich (1958).

• Testament to Ruthenian: A Linguistic Analysis of the Smotryc'kyj Variant, by Stefan M. Pugh; 1996, concerning 'Ruthenian', the predecessor of literary Ukrainian and Belarusian (approximately 15th to 17th centuries).