Taras Shevchenko

  Taras Hryhorovych  Shevchenko was born in a serf family in the village of Moryntsi of Kyiv Governorate of the Russian Empire (now Cherkasy region) March 9, 1814. Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was a Ukrainian poet, artist and humanist. His literary heritage is regarded to be the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature and, to a large extent, the modern Ukrainian language. Shevchenko also wrote in Russian and left many masterpieces as a painter and an illustrator.

     Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven. He was taught to read by a village precentor, and loved to draw at every opportunity. Shevchenko went with his Russian aristocrat landlord Pavel Engelhardt to Vilna, 1828–31, and then to Saint Petersburg. There he met the Ukrainian artist Ivan Soshenko, who introduced him to other compatriots such as Yevhen Hrebinka and Vasyl Hryhorovych, and to the Russian painter Alexey Venetsianov. Through these men Shevchenko also met the famous painter and professor Karl Briullov, who donated his portrait of the Russian poet Vasily Zhukovsky as a lottery prize, whose proceeds were used to buy Shevchenko's freedom on May 5, 1838. In the same year Shevchenko was accepted as a student into the Academy of Arts in the workshop of Karl Briullov.

  He began writing poetry while he was a serf and in 1840 his first collection of poetry, «Kobzar», was published. Shevchenko also wrote plays. In 1842, he released a part of the tragedy «Mykyta Hayday» and in 1843 he completed the drama «Nazar Stodolya». While residing in Saint Petersburg, Shevchenko made three trips to the regions of modern Ukraine, in 1843, 1845, and 1846.

   In 1844, distressed by the condition of Ukrainian regions in the Russian Empire, Shevchenko decided to capture some of his homeland's historical ruins and cultural monuments in an album of etchings, which he called «Picturesque Ukraine».

  Shevchenko was sent to prison in Saint Petersburg. He was exiled as a private with the Russian military Orenburg garrison at Orsk, near Orenburg, near the Ural Mountains.

  Taras Shevchenko spent the last years of his life working on new poetry, paintings, and engravings, as well as editing his older works. But after his difficult years in exile his final illness proved too much. Shevchenko died in Saint Petersburg on March 10, 1861, the day after his 47th birthday.

This list of dates connected with life and heritage of Taras Shevchenko. Your task is to write the events connected with the dates.

May 5, 1838 – 

Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was born in a serf family in the village of Moryntsi of Kyiv Governorate of the Russian Empire (now Cherkasy region) March 9, 1814. Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was a Ukrainian poet, artist and humanist. His literary heritage is regarded to be the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature and, to a large extent, the modern Ukrainian language. Shevchenko also wrote in Russian and left many masterpieces as a painter and an illustrator.

     Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven. He was taught to read by a village precentor, and loved to draw at every opportunity. Shevchenko went with his Russian aristocrat landlord Pavel Engelhardt to Vilna, 1828–31, and then to Saint Petersburg. There he met the Ukrainian artist Ivan Soshenko, who introduced him to other compatriots such as Yevhen Hrebinka and Vasyl Hryhorovych, and to the Russian painter Alexey Venetsianov. Through these men Shevchenko also met the famous painter and professor Karl Briullov, who donated his portrait of the Russian poet Vasily Zhukovsky as a lottery prize, whose proceeds were used to buy Shevchenko's freedom on May 5, 1838. In the same year Shevchenko was accepted as a student into the Academy of Arts in the workshop of Karl Briullov.

  He began writing poetry while he was a serf and in 1840 his first collection of poetry, «Kobzar», was published. Shevchenko also wrote plays. In 1842, he released a part of the tragedy «Mykyta Hayday» and in 1843 he completed the drama «Nazar Stodolya». While residing in Saint Petersburg, Shevchenko made three trips to the regions of modern Ukraine, in 1843, 1845, and 1846.

   In 1844, distressed by the condition of Ukrainian regions in the Russian Empire, Shevchenko decided to capture some of his homeland's historical ruins and cultural monuments in an album of etchings, which he called «Picturesque Ukraine».

  Shevchenko was sent to prison in Saint Petersburg. He was exiled as a private with the Russian military Orenburg garrison at Orsk, near Orenburg, near the Ural Mountains.

  Taras Shevchenko spent the last years of his life working on new poetry, paintings, and engravings, as well as editing his older works. But after his difficult years in exile his final illness proved too much. Shevchenko died in Saint Petersburg on March 10, 1861, the day after his 47th birthday.

This list of dates connected with life and heritage of Taras Shevchenko. Your task is to write the events connected with the dates.



1840 – 

Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was born in a serf family in the village of Moryntsi of Kyiv Governorate of the Russian Empire (now Cherkasy region) March 9, 1814. Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was a Ukrainian poet, artist and humanist. His literary heritage is regarded to be the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature and, to a large extent, the modern Ukrainian language. Shevchenko also wrote in Russian and left many masterpieces as a painter and an illustrator.

     Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven. He was taught to read by a village precentor, and loved to draw at every opportunity. Shevchenko went with his Russian aristocrat landlord Pavel Engelhardt to Vilna, 1828–31, and then to Saint Petersburg. There he met the Ukrainian artist Ivan Soshenko, who introduced him to other compatriots such as Yevhen Hrebinka and Vasyl Hryhorovych, and to the Russian painter Alexey Venetsianov. Through these men Shevchenko also met the famous painter and professor Karl Briullov, who donated his portrait of the Russian poet Vasily Zhukovsky as a lottery prize, whose proceeds were used to buy Shevchenko's freedom on May 5, 1838. In the same year Shevchenko was accepted as a student into the Academy of Arts in the workshop of Karl Briullov.

  He began writing poetry while he was a serf and in 1840 his first collection of poetry, «Kobzar», was published. Shevchenko also wrote plays. In 1842, he released a part of the tragedy «Mykyta Hayday» and in 1843 he completed the drama «Nazar Stodolya». While residing in Saint Petersburg, Shevchenko made three trips to the regions of modern Ukraine, in 1843, 1845, and 1846.

   In 1844, distressed by the condition of Ukrainian regions in the Russian Empire, Shevchenko decided to capture some of his homeland's historical ruins and cultural monuments in an album of etchings, which he called «Picturesque Ukraine».

  Shevchenko was sent to prison in Saint Petersburg. He was exiled as a private with the Russian military Orenburg garrison at Orsk, near Orenburg, near the Ural Mountains.

  Taras Shevchenko spent the last years of his life working on new poetry, paintings, and engravings, as well as editing his older works. But after his difficult years in exile his final illness proved too much. Shevchenko died in Saint Petersburg on March 10, 1861, the day after his 47th birthday.

This list of dates connected with life and heritage of Taras Shevchenko. Your task is to write the events connected with the dates.



1814 – 

Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was born in a serf family in the village of Moryntsi of Kyiv Governorate of the Russian Empire (now Cherkasy region) March 9, 1814. Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was a Ukrainian poet, artist and humanist. His literary heritage is regarded to be the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature and, to a large extent, the modern Ukrainian language. Shevchenko also wrote in Russian and left many masterpieces as a painter and an illustrator.

     Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven. He was taught to read by a village precentor, and loved to draw at every opportunity. Shevchenko went with his Russian aristocrat landlord Pavel Engelhardt to Vilna, 1828–31, and then to Saint Petersburg. There he met the Ukrainian artist Ivan Soshenko, who introduced him to other compatriots such as Yevhen Hrebinka and Vasyl Hryhorovych, and to the Russian painter Alexey Venetsianov. Through these men Shevchenko also met the famous painter and professor Karl Briullov, who donated his portrait of the Russian poet Vasily Zhukovsky as a lottery prize, whose proceeds were used to buy Shevchenko's freedom on May 5, 1838. In the same year Shevchenko was accepted as a student into the Academy of Arts in the workshop of Karl Briullov.

  He began writing poetry while he was a serf and in 1840 his first collection of poetry, «Kobzar», was published. Shevchenko also wrote plays. In 1842, he released a part of the tragedy «Mykyta Hayday» and in 1843 he completed the drama «Nazar Stodolya». While residing in Saint Petersburg, Shevchenko made three trips to the regions of modern Ukraine, in 1843, 1845, and 1846.

   In 1844, distressed by the condition of Ukrainian regions in the Russian Empire, Shevchenko decided to capture some of his homeland's historical ruins and cultural monuments in an album of etchings, which he called «Picturesque Ukraine».

  Shevchenko was sent to prison in Saint Petersburg. He was exiled as a private with the Russian military Orenburg garrison at Orsk, near Orenburg, near the Ural Mountains.

  Taras Shevchenko spent the last years of his life working on new poetry, paintings, and engravings, as well as editing his older works. But after his difficult years in exile his final illness proved too much. Shevchenko died in Saint Petersburg on March 10, 1861, the day after his 47th birthday.

This list of dates connected with life and heritage of Taras Shevchenko. Your task is to write the events connected with the dates.



1845 – 

Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was born in a serf family in the village of Moryntsi of Kyiv Governorate of the Russian Empire (now Cherkasy region) March 9, 1814. Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was a Ukrainian poet, artist and humanist. His literary heritage is regarded to be the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature and, to a large extent, the modern Ukrainian language. Shevchenko also wrote in Russian and left many masterpieces as a painter and an illustrator.

     Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven. He was taught to read by a village precentor, and loved to draw at every opportunity. Shevchenko went with his Russian aristocrat landlord Pavel Engelhardt to Vilna, 1828–31, and then to Saint Petersburg. There he met the Ukrainian artist Ivan Soshenko, who introduced him to other compatriots such as Yevhen Hrebinka and Vasyl Hryhorovych, and to the Russian painter Alexey Venetsianov. Through these men Shevchenko also met the famous painter and professor Karl Briullov, who donated his portrait of the Russian poet Vasily Zhukovsky as a lottery prize, whose proceeds were used to buy Shevchenko's freedom on May 5, 1838. In the same year Shevchenko was accepted as a student into the Academy of Arts in the workshop of Karl Briullov.

  He began writing poetry while he was a serf and in 1840 his first collection of poetry, «Kobzar», was published. Shevchenko also wrote plays. In 1842, he released a part of the tragedy «Mykyta Hayday» and in 1843 he completed the drama «Nazar Stodolya». While residing in Saint Petersburg, Shevchenko made three trips to the regions of modern Ukraine, in 1843, 1845, and 1846.

   In 1844, distressed by the condition of Ukrainian regions in the Russian Empire, Shevchenko decided to capture some of his homeland's historical ruins and cultural monuments in an album of etchings, which he called «Picturesque Ukraine».

  Shevchenko was sent to prison in Saint Petersburg. He was exiled as a private with the Russian military Orenburg garrison at Orsk, near Orenburg, near the Ural Mountains.

  Taras Shevchenko spent the last years of his life working on new poetry, paintings, and engravings, as well as editing his older works. But after his difficult years in exile his final illness proved too much. Shevchenko died in Saint Petersburg on March 10, 1861, the day after his 47th birthday.

This list of dates connected with life and heritage of Taras Shevchenko. Your task is to write the events connected with the dates.



1861 – 

Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was born in a serf family in the village of Moryntsi of Kyiv Governorate of the Russian Empire (now Cherkasy region) March 9, 1814. Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was a Ukrainian poet, artist and humanist. His literary heritage is regarded to be the foundation of modern Ukrainian literature and, to a large extent, the modern Ukrainian language. Shevchenko also wrote in Russian and left many masterpieces as a painter and an illustrator.

     Shevchenko was orphaned at the age of eleven. He was taught to read by a village precentor, and loved to draw at every opportunity. Shevchenko went with his Russian aristocrat landlord Pavel Engelhardt to Vilna, 1828–31, and then to Saint Petersburg. There he met the Ukrainian artist Ivan Soshenko, who introduced him to other compatriots such as Yevhen Hrebinka and Vasyl Hryhorovych, and to the Russian painter Alexey Venetsianov. Through these men Shevchenko also met the famous painter and professor Karl Briullov, who donated his portrait of the Russian poet Vasily Zhukovsky as a lottery prize, whose proceeds were used to buy Shevchenko's freedom on May 5, 1838. In the same year Shevchenko was accepted as a student into the Academy of Arts in the workshop of Karl Briullov.

  He began writing poetry while he was a serf and in 1840 his first collection of poetry, «Kobzar», was published. Shevchenko also wrote plays. In 1842, he released a part of the tragedy «Mykyta Hayday» and in 1843 he completed the drama «Nazar Stodolya». While residing in Saint Petersburg, Shevchenko made three trips to the regions of modern Ukraine, in 1843, 1845, and 1846.

   In 1844, distressed by the condition of Ukrainian regions in the Russian Empire, Shevchenko decided to capture some of his homeland's historical ruins and cultural monuments in an album of etchings, which he called «Picturesque Ukraine».

  Shevchenko was sent to prison in Saint Petersburg. He was exiled as a private with the Russian military Orenburg garrison at Orsk, near Orenburg, near the Ural Mountains.

  Taras Shevchenko spent the last years of his life working on new poetry, paintings, and engravings, as well as editing his older works. But after his difficult years in exile his final illness proved too much. Shevchenko died in Saint Petersburg on March 10, 1861, the day after his 47th birthday.

This list of dates connected with life and heritage of Taras Shevchenko. Your task is to write the events connected with the dates.



1847 – 1857

 Complete the sentences:

1.Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko __________in a serf family in the village of Moryntsi.

 Complete the sentences:

2. He began writing poetry while he was a serf and in 1840 his first collection of poetry, ___________, was published.

Complete the sentences:

3. Although he probably was not _______________of the Brotherhood, during the search his poem «The Dream» («Son») was found.

Complete the sentences:

4. Shevchenko was sent to prison in___________.

Complete the sentences:

5. Shevchenko_______ in Saint Petersburg on March 10, 1861, the day after his 47th birthday.

Complete the sentences:

6. His works and life are revered by Ukrainians and his impact on_____________ is immense.

Read and say if the statements are true or false.

1. Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was born in a serf family in the village of Moryntsi.

 Read and say if the statements are true or false.

2. Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was a Russian poet, artist and humanist. 

 Read and say if the statements are true or false.

3. He began writing poetry while he was a serf and in 1870 his first collection of poetry, «Kobzar», was published. 

Read and say if the statements are true or false.

4. While residing in Saint Petersburg, Shevchenko made three trips to the regions of modern Ukraine, in 1843, 1845, and 1846.

Read and say if the statements are true or false. 

5. Shevchenko was sent to prison in Saint Petersburg.

 Read and say if the statements are true or false. 

6. Shevchenko died in Orenburg on March 10, 1861, the day after his 47th birthday.

Complete the sentences with a), b), c) .

1. Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko was born in the family of ___________.

Complete the sentences with a), b), c) .

2. His first teacher was __________ .

Complete the sentences with a), b), c)

3. ___________, a Russian artist, noticed Shevchenko’s talent and bought him out of serfdom.

     a) Pavel Engelhardt;   b) Karl Bryullov;     c) Vasyl’ Zhukovsky.

Complete the sentences with a), b), c)

4. In 1844 the poet wrote his satirical poem ___________.

Complete the sentences with a), b), c)

5. His friends helped Shevchenko to return from exile in ________.

    a) 1857                           b) 1840                      c) 1860

               Put the dialogue in the right order.

    1  ---- I like to read poems and dramas.

    2 ---- Who is your favourite poets?

    3---- What kind of books do you like to read?

    4 ---- Of course, I am.

     5---- Are you fond of reading?

    6 ---- I like many Ukrainian poets. T.H.Shevchenko,  I.Ya.Franko, Lesia Ukrainka are among them.