Ivan Kotlyarevsky (29.08 (09.09) .1769, Poltava - 29.10 (10.11) .1838, Poltava) – Ukrainian writer, poet, playwright, the founder of modern Ukrainian literature, public figure. He is known to maintin contacts with the Decembrists. His poem "Aeneid" (1798) became the first Ukrainian literature work written in the vernacular.
Kotliarevsky’s works are fundamental in the history of the development of modern Ukrainian language. In terms of the decline of all kinds old Ukrainian written language, his poem "Aeneid", plays "Natalka Poltavka" and "Moskal the Wonder", written on the basis of the living speech of the people, launched a new stage of formation of the literary language.