The purpose of the article is to analyze a short novel «Zakhar Berkut», in particular the image of Myroslava as an ideal of a Ukrainian woman. A female image in the historical short novel «Zakhar Berkut» by I. Franko was studied in the article. The features of a national character as elements of a female character such as the desire for freedom (to fight for the freedom of own nation, to choose own life and defend own love, to be faithful to the chosen person; to participate in men’s pastime/hunting); to care of the motherland; firmness and courage, developed imagination, curiosity, desire for personal development; a combination of elegiac mood with irresistible optimism; deep emotionality, cordocentrism, antheism, sophiology; community life; restraint, honesty, sincerity and devotedness in love were singled out and analyzed.It was convincingly proved that Ivan Franko in the historical short novel «Zakhar Berkut» outlined the image of an ideal Ukrainian woman – a strong person, honest, faithful, brave, courageous, ready to defend her land from enemies with weapon in the hands.Attention on such philosophical categories of Ukrainians as cordocentrism, antheism, sophiology was accentuated, which found a creative embodiment in such qualities of the main woman character as life by the will of the heart, unity with the native land, desire for wise organization of own family being.The writer generalized the features of the best representatives of Ukrainian women in the image of Myroslava, because the girl does not have only attractive appearance, but she is characterized by the features of a woman-warrior, sagacious commander, wise politician, while remaining gentle, faithful, sincere, loving and being a model for copying. Therefore, a beloved girl, a woman-mother in Ukraine were and remain a «bright face» of pre-Ukrainian civilization, the model of its high spiritual, intellectual and cultural level.

У статті розглянуто жіночий образ історичної повісті «Захар Беркут» І. Франка. Виокремлено та проаналізовано риси національного характеру як складники образу героїні: прагнення свободи (боротися за свободу свого народу; обирати свою долю та відстоювати своє кохання, бути вірною своєму обранцеві; брати участь у чоловічих забавах/полюванні); турбота про батьківщину, рішучість і хоробрість, розвинена уява, допитливість, прагнення особистого розвитку; поєднання елегійних настроїв з нездоланним оптимізмом; глибинна емоційність, кордоцентризм, антеїзм, софійність; життя в громаді; стриманість, чесність, щирість і вірність у коханні.