Read the texts about Taras Shevchenko.

Make up your own report about the great Ukrainian poet.

Present your report in class.

  1. Taras Shevchenko is a famous Ukrainian poet, artist and thinker.
  2. He was born on March 9th, 1814 in the village of Moryntsi.
  3. His parents’ names were Grigory and Catherina.
  4. Taras Shevchenko was a serf.
  5. The surname of his owner was Engelhardt.
  6. Shevchenko’s freedom from Engelhardt was bought in 1838 for 2,500 rubles.
  7. His first collection of verse was Kobzar.
  8. It was published in 1840.
  9. Taras Shevchenko painted the picture « Kateryna » in 1842 and expressed his strong protest against the tragic fate of the serf women.
  10. Shevchenko wrote his famous «Testament» in 1845 in Pereyaslav.
  11. Shevchenko marked a new stage in the development of Ukraine literature.
  12. His poems Kateryna, Haidamaky, drama Nazar Stodolya, and My Testament are focused on the theme of struggle against tsarist autocracy.
  13. In 1847 Taras Shevchenko was arrested and sent to the Orenburg steppes.
  14. T. Shevchenko was interested in English culture and literature.
  15. His favourite playwright was William Shakespeare.
  16. Shevchenko appreciated the novel by Daniel Defoe «Robinson Crusoe» and made a drawing to the novel.
  17. He painted over 150 portraits, 43 of them self-portraits.
  18. Taras Shevchenko wrote a textbook for Sunday schools (The South Russian ABC) in 1861.
  19. He died in 1861.
  20. I believe that written hundreds of years ago Shevchenko’s works are very popular nowadays.
  21. I think Shevchenko is one of the most famous and loved by people Ukrainian writers.

shevchenko-taras