In Memoriam: Mark Sokolianskyi (1939–2025)

With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of Mark Sokolianskyi, a distinguished Ukrainian Shakespearean scholar, on 5 March 2025, at the age of 85, in Luebeck, Germany.

Born in Yaroslavl in 1939, he was mostly associated with Odessa and dedicated much of his life to the study of William Shakespeare, enriching the field with his keen insights and erudition. For many years, he was a respected professor at Mechnikov Odessa State University, where he inspired generations of students with his passion for Elizabethan drama and literary criticism. His scholarly contributions, characterized by depth, precision, and a profound love for the Bard, earned him recognition both in his homeland and abroad.

In 1993, he made his home in Germany, where he continued his intellectual pursuits, engaging with the academic community and sharing his knowledge with fellow scholars and students. His work will remain a lasting testament to his devotion to Shakespearean studies.

He was an incredibly active person who participated in a wide variety of academic, cultural, and educational projects. A member of the editorial board of Multicultural Shakespeare since 2004, he had also been a member of the international editorial board of the Polish literary journal Zagadnienia Rodzajów Literackich since 1994 and was a long-standing member of the editorial board of Toronto Slavic Quarterly (2002–2020). The bibliographic index of his published works, which includes 464 items, contains eight monographs. Among them are in-depth studies devoted to the works of Henry Fielding (1975), Oscar Wilde (1990), Alexander Pushkin (1999), William Shakespeare (2000), Nikolai Gogol (2009), a study of the typology of the novel of the Enlightenment (1983), Genre studies (2012), and a book of essays From the History of Literary Studies (2019) and Etudes in Comparative Literature (2021). The scholar’s oeuvre includes 50 Shakespearean publications and theatre reviews of Shakespearean productions in theatres around the world.

In addition, Mark Sokolianskyi has written a biographical novel about Vladimir Zhabotinsky and two non-fiction books, which contain memories of people he met throughout his life and of Odessa, the city where he spent his best years. For his significant contribution to the development of culture and science, the Council of the World Club of Odessans awarded Professor Sokoliansky the title of Honorary Citizen of Odessa.

In 2009, Professor Sokolianskyi initiated a public discussion on the state of Shakespeare studies in Ukraine, drawing attention to their critical condition. He soon became actively involved in creating the Ukrainian Interuniversity Shakespeare Centre in Zaporizhzhia and participated in the editorial board of the academic journal Renesansni Studii. In the plenary sessions of seven International Shakespeare conferences held in Ukraine, Professor Sokoliansky delivered topical presentations that not only broadened research horizons but also opened promising new directions for Ukrainian Shakespeare studies.

Mark Sokolianskyi will be remembered not only for his academic achievements but also for his kindness, humor, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to the world of literature. He leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire scholars and readers alike.

He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, colleagues, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Nataliya Torkut and Daria Moskvitina, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine