Zakhar Berkut

One of the most famous works of Ivan Franko. In this historical novel, the writer combined his political views and poetic romance of ancient heroic times, using historical facts, chronicles and folk legends. The main idea of ​​the work is the protection of spiritual, political and economic freedom both for the community as a whole and for each individual person.

"I am writing a historical novel from the 13th century (the time of the Mongol attack)," the writer reported in the letter, "in which I try to show, on the basis of historical events, the self-governance, immediacy and federalism of our communities, the struggle for a secular-federal system against the destructive power of princes and boyars, as well as against the Mongol conquerors. The views expressed by the hero Zakhar Berkut can be considered as a characteristic of the views of the common people on princes and their conflicts. Despite the fact that there are many historical and artistic details in the story, I still hope that it will arouse a lively interest in modern readers."