The article is devoted to the poem Rośliny [Plants] from the volume of poems Korzec maku [The Poppy Seed Flower] (1951) by Kazimierz Wierzyński (1894–1969). In this poem, the author tries to present a new way of using the motive of Orpheus and Eurydice. He analyzes the poem and takes into account its structure and biographical, historical and literary contexts. These analyses confirmed that among the works by Wierzyński, in which the author refers to Orpheus and Eurydice, the poem has its own place and, at the same time, it reflects an important stage in the development of post-war poetry of the author.
PL
Artykuł został poświęcony interpretacji wiersza Kazimierza Wierzyńskiego (1894–1969) pt. Rośliny z tomu Korzec maku (1951). Autor starał się ukazać inny sposób wykorzystania przez poetę mitu orfickiego niż te dotychczas omówione przez badaczy. W tym celu przeprowadził dokładną analizę utworu, w której uwzględnił budowę wiersza oraz konteksty biograficzne, historyczne i literackie. Rozważania potwierdziły, że wśród utworów Wierzyńskiego zawierających motywy orfickie Rośliny zajmują miejsce osobne, a przy tym odzwierciedlają ważne stadium rozwoju powojennej twórczości poetyckiej tego autora.
This paper presents and discusses two main theses. Firstly, the author claims that, contrary to what is commonly thought, neither the subject matter nor the meaning of Kazimierz Wierzyński’s later poems diff er significantly from the topics taken up in his debut volumes. The poet never lost his youthful faith in the order of the world, nor did he quench his admiration for the work of creation. It is the main and essential feature of his poetry. Secondly, an important element of Wierzyński’s poems, which reveals itself in various forms and shapes, is prayer. This form of expression is referenced directly in many titles and often functions as the central theme of the poems. Moreover, many of Wierzyński’s works represent exactly this speech genre. His volumes contain poetic prayers differing thematically and functionally, for all seasons and all times of a day, for various holidays, celebrations, and other occasions. The poetry by Kazimierz Wierzyński is in fact one big prayer of supplication, humility, delight, and thanksgivings.
The review devoted to the epistolography of Polish emigration in the last century on the example of correspondence between Jan Lechoń and Kazimierz Wierzyński, issued by Beata Dorosz and Paweł Kądziela (Warsaw 2016). The author presents the main problems with the correspondence of emigrants in the context of biographies and history, and analyzing the issue of Lechoń and Wierzyński letters.
The paper is devoted to the one and only drama of Kazimierz Wierzyński (1894–1969) ‘Comrade October’, written in 1950, and released only in 1992. Its aim is to explain why it was not published immediately after the writing. The author attempts to reconstruct the circumstances of the creation of the work and to effort to publish and exhibit it, as well as to present the state of research. He show the ‘Comrade October’ against the background of emigratory dramaturgy and theater life, which serves to reflect on the political character of the drama and to analyze the reception of his public readings in èmigrè circles (Theatre ‘Pro Arte’ by Olga Żeromska, 1954).
Artykuł dotyczy wojennych i powojennych losów Józefa Wittlina i jego rodziny. Najpierw omówione zostały perypetie pisarza od momentu wyjazdu do byłego opactwa w Royaumont pod Paryżem w czerwcu 1939 aż do odpłynięcia do Stanów Zjednoczonych z Lizbony w styczniu 1941. Od czasu przybycia do Ameryki Wittlin stale mieszkał w Nowym Jorku, borykając się z licznymi problemami zdrowotnymi i finansowymi. Mimo to nie przestał tworzyć, a nawet był laureatem amerykańskich nagród literackich. W roku 1948 postanowił ostatecznie zostać w Ameryce. Jego wspomnienia (spisywane do końca życia, choć nie zawsze publikowane) ukazują ten kraj jako nieprzyjazny emigrantom. Prawdą jest jednak, że polscy pisarze pozostawili też inny obraz Ameryki (np. Aleksander Janta-Połczyński, Kazimierz Wierzyński, Czesław Miłosz). Głos Wittlina nie może być zatem jedynym odzwierciedleniem rzeczywistości amerykańskiej, gdyż prawie zupełnie pomija jej pozytywne strony. Pisarz daje jednak prowokacyjną wizję tego kraju i zmusza do dyskusji o micie Ameryki.
EN
The article refers to war and post-war life of Józef Wittlin and his family. It initially depicts his trials and tribulations from the moment of the poet’s departure to the former Royaumont Abbey near Paris in June 1939 till his voyage from Lisbon to the USA in January 1941. From the moment Wittlin reached America he permanently lived in New York, struggling with numerous health and financial problems. In spite of that he continued his writing, and was even laureate of American awards for literature. In the year 1948 he finally decided to stay in America. His memories (continued till his death, though not always published) depict America as an emigrant-unfriendly country. Truly, however, Polish writers (e.g. Aleksander Janta-Połczyński, Kazimierz Wierzyński, Czesław Miłosz) left also a different images of this country, and Wittlin’s voice should not be seen as the only reflection on American reality since it almost completely neglects its positive sides. All in all, Wittlin gives a provocative vision of the country and compels to a discussion on the American myth.
The text is based on unpublished letters between Mieczysław Grydzewski and Kazimierz Wierzyński and between Jerzy Giedroyc and Jan Lechoń. It gives an account of the talks in 1946 about potential publishing a magazine by Grydzewski in Rome under the auspices of 2nd Polish Corps (talks held before establishing „Kultura” in 1947) and also of the efforts made to gain Lechoń as a co-worker for the periodical and discussions about printing in „Kultura” the poet’s journal (it was earlier than the printing of Witold Gombrowicz’s journal in 1953). The cited extensive letters are a testimony of unknown events from the culture-literary life of Polish pro-independence emigration after World War II.
The article discusses several still unpublished letters from Janina and Wacław Kościałkowski to Kazimierz Wierzyński, which have been found in the archives of the Polish Library in London. The article not only presents artistic and intellectual profiles of both the authors and the addressee, but also provides the analysis of the letters’ content and language. Thus, describes the archives as a supplemental yet important information on Janina Kościałkowska’s oeuvre.
PL
Artykuł dotyczy niepublikowanych listów Janiny i Wacława Kościałkowskich do Kazimierza Wierzyńskiego, które znajdują się w zbiorowym archiwum Biblioteki Polskiej w Londynie. W tekście przedstawiono biografię nadawców i odbiorców, ustalono okoliczności nawiązania znajomości oraz jej charakter. Poddano analizie aspekty tematyczne i językowe tej korespondencji. Wymienione archiwa uzupełniają dotychczasowe badania nad powojenną emigracją, w szczególności zaś nad twórczością Janiny Kościałkowskiej.
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