'... Beyond the Possible': Vasyl Stus’ Camp Narrative Through the Prism of Gabriel Marcel’s Philosophy of Hope

Abstract

The article examines the camp narrative of Vasyl Stus through the philosophy of hope of a classic of French existentialism, Gabriel Marcel. Turning to ego documents, the discourse of the dissident poet’s confrontation shall be analysed, firstly, against the totalitarian regime of the former USSR and, secondly, against the very circumstances of his detention in the camp which befell him. Self-esteem, insubordination, constant introspection, self-sufficiency with optimism in spite of cruel ordeals – this is how V. Stus appears before us. Within the 'imprisoned space' with its numerous prohibitions and punishments, the poet not only cherishes his Muse, saving himself by translations, writing a diary, letters and poems, but also develops – despite a deep sense of fate – a philosophy of hope, consonant with the phenomenology and metaphysics of Marcel. The poet was aware that the road was paved for him as 'Golgotha sent by God', along which he had to walk (straightened) 'through a hundred despairs', so he sincerely admitted: 'My path hurts'. These concepts – path and pain, as well as the constant appeal to the one hundred number as an attempt to multiply his strength a hundredfold in a difficult struggle, permeate both his poetry and ego-documents.