The ultraviolet spectra of the stars RY Tau and HD 115043 from the Hubble Space Telescope are analyzed. RY Tau belongs to the classical T Tauri stars, while HD 115043 is a young (t similar to 3 x 10(8) years), chromospherically active star. The most intense emission lines were identified, and their fluxes were measured. Low-resolution spectra of RY Tau and HD 115043 in the wavelength range 1160-1760 Angstrom exhibit almost the same set of emission lines. However, first, the luminosity of RY Tau in these lines is approximately a factor of 300 higher than that of HD 115043, and, second, the relative line intensities differ greatly. The intensity ratio of the C IV lambda 1550, Si IV lambda 1400, and NV lambda 1240 doublet components is close to 1 : 2 in the spectra of both stars. Judging by the continuum energy distribution, the spectral type of RY Tau is later than that of HD 115043. Synchronous flux variability in the C IV lambda 1550 and He II lambda 1640 lines in a time of similar to 20 min was detected in RY Tau. The flux rise in these lines was accompanied by a redshift of the intensity peak in the profiles by similar to 50 km s(-1) Intermediate-resolution spectra are used to study line profiles in the spectrum of RY Tau. In particular, the profiles of (optically thin) Si III] lambda 1892 and C III] lambda 1909 lines were found to be asymmetric and about 300 km s(-1) in width. The (optically thick) C IV lambda 1550 doubler lines have similar profiles. The Mg II lambda 2800 doublet lines are also asymmetric, but their shape is different: they consist of a broad (similar or equal to 750 km s(-1) at the base) emission component on which an interstellar absorption line shifted from the line symmetry center by about 20 km s(-1) is superimposed. The intensity ratio of the Mg II lambda 2800 doubler components is similar or equal to 1.4. Whether there are molecular hydrogen lines in the spectrum of RY Tau is still an open question. It is shown that the emission lines in the ultraviolet spectrum of RY Tau cannot originate in a hydrostatically equilibrium chromosphere. It is argued that quasi-steady accretion of circumstellar matter is responsible for the emission. (C) 2000 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".