The Precariousness of Human Existence in William Shakespeare’s Plays: A Ukrainian Perspective

Olha Bandrovska; Nataliya Torkut

doi:10.18778/2083-8530.31.11

Autor

Olha Bandrovska Uniwersytet Lwowski https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0027-2802
Nataliya Torkut Zaporizhzhia National University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8905-6769

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/2083-8530.31.11

Słowa kluczowe:

Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, Henry V, Richard II, Richard III, precariousness, precarity, vulnerability, Judith Butler, human existence, race, epidemics, disability, political power, war, Ukraine

Abstrakt

The study of precarity has emerged as a new theoretical interest in the humanities in response to contemporary global crises such as military conflicts, terrorist attacks, the COVID-19 pandemic, ecological disasters, and climate change. In the Ukrainian context, where war and geopolitical instability remain ever-present, the exploration of precarity resonates deeply. This article examines the exploration of the precariousness of human existence in William Shakespeare’s plays through a distinctly Ukrainian lens. It engages with the ongoing war in Ukraine, the nation’s experiences of trauma, loss, resilience, and with the therapeutic potential of Shakespeare-related programmes. Drawing on Judith Butler’s theory of precariousness and precarity, this essay analyses how Shakespeare’s plays address the fundamental vulnerabilities of human life linked to health, race, and social inequities. It pays particular attention to the precariousness of human existence, with a focus on the realities of war, political power, and the system of government. The plays used in the analysis are Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, Henry V, Richard II, and Richard III. The paper concludes that Shakespeare’s exploration of precarious existence speaks not only to the fragility of life in his time but also mirrors the existential challenges faced by Ukrainians today, making his works relevant to both local and global audiences.

Biogramy autorów

Olha Bandrovska - Uniwersytet Lwowski

Olha Bandrovska is Professor of World Literature at Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Ukraine. Her research focuses on British modernism and postmodernism, with particular attention to the dialogue between Shakespeare and twentieth-century modernist writers such as James Joyce, T. S. Eliot, and Aldous Huxley. She has also written on cinematic reinterpretations of Shakespearean drama, including a study of Paolo and Vittorio Taviani’s film Caesar Must Die. Her current research examines precariousness in literature across historical periods, addressing global civilization crises and representations of human vulnerability, as explored in her Civilization Configurations and Global Precariousness in Post-9/11 Fiction (2023).
Nataliya Torkut - Zaporizhzhia National University

Nataliya Torkut is D. Philol. Sci., Prof., and the Head of the Ukrainian Shakespeare Centre. She is Leading Research Fellow of Shevchenko Institute of Literature of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Professor of Zaporizhzhia National University, an Honorary Senior Research Fellow of the Shakespeare Institute, as well as a Visiting Scholar at King’s College of London (01.10.2025–31.09.2028). She is an author of over 170 papers on Renaissance Literature, a member of the European Shakespeare Research Association, a member of the Board of The International Shakespeare Association. On 24.02.2022, she organized the volunteer group “Shakespeare” which has successfully worked for the Armed Forces of Ukraine and for civilians.

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