Reflection in historical songs and dumas the topics of the national liberation struggle in the Hetmanate

The article analyses the features of reflection of the national liberation struggle of the Hetmanate population in the second half of the XVII – the beginning of the XVIII century in historical songs and dumas. The folk songs and dumas in the context of the Hetmanate’s history are the significant sources for an objective determining of the level of Ukrainian state idea, social ideals and reflections, the subculture of different classes, as well as the relations of representatives of ethnic groups (Ukrainians, Russians, Poles, Moldovans, Turks, Tatars, etc.). This paper uses analytical-synthetic, historical-comparative and problem-chronological methods. With the help of critical analysis of sources, systematization and classification some controversial facts from the past, connected with the struggle for national and religious independence, have been revised and redefined. It was found that historical songs and dumas devoted to the struggle of the Hetmanate population for the national and religious independence in the second half of the XVII – early XVIII centuries are especially colourful. They are full of facts and descriptions of events. The storylines of fidelity to the Orthodox faith and the Motherland in the fight against aggressive enemies, protests against social and national oppression are dominant. A significant place in the song folklore is dedicated to the clarification of the relationships between I. Mazepa, S. Paliy and Peter I, their role in social processes. There are several clear directions in the folk poetry: first, the categories of “friend” or “foe”; and secondly, traditionally favorite characters are “bad people” and their bad things. It is proved that the specific names of individuals, the exact names of the places and the sequence of events are not obligatory for this cycle, where the views of different social groups, the characteristics of individuals and events are often garbled. Over time, in the same works the new details, new images and events appeared. The author comes to the conclusion that in the second half of the XVII – the beginning of the XVIII century the main idea of the folk poetry is the reflection of the opposition to the Polish gentry and social oppression. In contrast to the works of the previous period, the folk poetry of that time shows the struggle of the broad strata of the Ukrainian people for the national liberty and social rights more widely