“Wyjrzałem w za-świat” [I Glanced into the Nether-world]. Some Remarks on the Tradition of the Conversations among the Dead in Cyprian Norwid’s Works The study focuses on the tradition of the conversations among the dead in Cyprian Norwid’s works, especially in the poem Vendôme. While noting Norwid’s transformations of classical and classicist conventions, the author points to the mannerist and baroque contexts, and on the other hand, to ekphrastic qualities of Norwid’s literary imagination.
Cyprian Norwid’s Wanda and the Old-Polish Tradition Norwid as a revolutionary and a visionary who reaches towards the roots of Polish literature and himself adds “only a few words” [“tylko parę słów”]? Such a vision of the poet, thinker, and dramatist emerges from the analysis of the mystery play Wanda; this text was once lost and the author edited it for the second time in 1851. The article focuses on three elements of the text that are crucial for its structure: the subtitle, the dedication, and the motto. The analysis of the subtitle “Rzecz w obrazach sześciu” [Object in six images] reveals a discursive composition of the text that is characteristic of Old-Polish dialogues. Reading of the original “Mogile Wandy” dedication while taking into account the contexts of Sęp-Szarzyński and Kochanowski makes apparent Norwid’s reflection on the mythical time and the sacrum time. The interpretation of the motto, which is taken from a seventeenth-century song by Wespazjan Kochowski, emphasizes spatial and at the same time deeply symbolic and political aspects of Norwid’s drama. The mystery play is supposed to furnish spiritual weapons for the people ‘of the North’ to fight the invaders who partitioned Poland. The cursed soil, thanks to the intercession of Wanda who is experiencing her compassio with Christ, will be reintegrated and will become a Blessed soil anew.
Norwid’s concept of Literary Originality in the Light of the History of Poetics The article presents Norwid’s concept of literary originality with reference to selected terms from the European theory of poetry. Norwid’s reflections about writing function predominantly within the confines of his philosophical concepts, which were mostly inspired by the philosophy of Plato and Christian thought and were related to his vision of God, the world, man, and artist. One can discover, however, a rich set of terms coming from traditional poetics in the works of the author of Quidam. Norwid’s thinking about originality is firmly rooted in tradition and links diverse inspirations and threads in a distinctive way. As such it shows telling paradoxes by containing unequivocal objection to imitating nature and exemplary works. At the same time, it underscores Norwid’s reliance on the old masters, advocates for the freedom and authenticity of artists, and highlights the role of the form in the creative process. While not dismissing the contradictory categories of ‘obscurity’ and fragmentariness, Norwid also pays attention to the value of artistic perfection. His concepts do not form a closed system of aesthetic views. Instead, they constitute an elastic catalogue of indications whose employment requires combined work of the imagination, intellect, and emotions as well as the alertness of one’s conscience and spiritual energy. Norwid believed that the primary duty of art was expressing the truth about the world.
The article discusses the connections of the latest poetry to Adam Mickiewicz’s works. The author selects the works of five contemporary poets: Tadeusz Dąbrowski, Klara Nowakowska, Tadeusz Pióro, Jerzy Jarniewicz and Przemysław Wątorek to present literary allusions, quotations, references to the ballad Romantyczność by Mickiewicz. The researcher pays attention to intertextual poetic dialogue and makes an attempt to define its goals. The article raises also the issue of literary tradition and build on it poetic imagination.
Artykuł dotyczy problemu konstruowania pojęcia „nowej kobiety” w dziedzinie modernizmu literackiego i pokazuje kompleksową zmianę roli oraz miejsca kobiety poprzez porównanie dwóch modernistycznych obrazów „nowej kobiety”, przedstawiających dwie różne narodowości. Kluczowymi punktami tej analizy są: pozycja autorki wyrażana poprzez jej styl pisania, proces rewizji tradycji literackiej i zmiana tradycyjnych ról społecznych kobiety (matka, córka, przyjaciółka). Artykuł pokazuje główne cechy pojęcia „nowej kobiety”, a także podobieństwa i różnice wdrażania jej w dwóch modelach narodowych modernizmu literackiego.
The article offers a new reading of Antoni Malczewski’s poetic novel Maria as an innovative – in terms of its form – work of early Romanticism. The author argues that the form of a classicist historical narrative was essentially modernized through the exemplary Romantic construction of the narrator (characteristic of syncretic genres in Romanticism) as well as an innovative – as far as Byron’s model is concerned – project of a Romantic hero. Furthermore, Malczewski’s narrative poem is presented by the author as the most accusatory text among the early Romantic new poetry works. Stelmaszczyk claims that it targets the socio-political system of old Poland that violated the balance of social forces and lead to the demise of ethos, which in turn resulted in the destruction of individual heroes, annihilation of moral values, and the emergence of deep pessimism that overshadowed the future fate of people. That pessimism is quoted as the reason behind the negative reception of Malczewski’s narrative poem among his contemporaries.
The literary tradition is treated more and more ambivalently in school practice. However, it is not only what subsequent generations of readers find – it is shaped by them in a process of constant choice, while depreciating it is also a way of definingthe tradition as chosen by the next generation. As for the literature of the Baroque era – knowledge about it has undergone the deepest change over the last half-century – the main barrier seems to be the archaic language and the scale of references to the Greco-Roman tradition. However, there is no adequate motivation to overcome it. The way to break the distance to the literature of the past is, first of all, to update the tradition at least partially; some of the works present in the school programs were selected a hundred years ago and are often not adequate to contemporary problems. There are no specific proposals for change, although the names of Wacław Potocki, Jan Andrzej Morsztyn and other poets of that time are mentioned. School literary education gives students the opportunity to find themselves in the here and now reality, builds in them a system of assessment and ways of understanding that will remain part of the intellectual and aesthetic formation of a high school graduate.
PL
Tradycja literacka w szkolnej praktyce jest traktowana coraz bardziej ambiwalentnie. Nie jest jednak wyłącznie tym, co czytelnicy kolejnych pokoleń zastają – jest kształtowana przez nich w procesie nieustannego wyboru i jej deprecjonowanie to także sposób określenia tradycji wybranej przez kolejne pokolenie. W stosunku do literatury epoki baroku – wiedza o niej zmieniła się najbardziej w ciągu ostatniego półwiecza – podstawową barierą wydaje się archaiczny język oraz zakres odwołań do tradycji grecko-rzymskiej. Do jej przekroczenia brakuje jednak odpowiedniej motywacji. Sposobem przełamania dystansu do literatury dawnych wieków jest przede wszystkim przynajmniej częściowa aktualizacja tradycji, utwory obecne w szkole zostały wybrane często już przed stu laty i bywają mało adekwatne do współczesnych problemów. Nie są to to konkretne propozycje zmiany, choć przywołane zostają nazwiska Wacława Potockiego, Jana Andrzeja Morsztyna i innych poetów tego czasu. Szkolne kształcenie literackie daje uczniom możliwość odnalezienia się w rzeczywistości tu i teraz, buduje w nich system oceny i sposoby rozumienia, które pozostaną częścią intelektualnej i estetycznej formacji. absolwenta szkoły średniej.
The article shows forms that neo-romantic messianism takes in Wojciech Wencel’s poetry volumes Epigonia and Polonia aeterna. The Polish nation, understood as a primordial community, is depicted through the prism of national-conservative clichés, taken from freely interpreted Sarmatian literature and Mickiewicz’s romanticism. The hero of Wencel’s poems has a sense of mission as a guide for his compatriots through the traps of late modernity and as a guardian of national memory. The language of this poetry, ostentatiously old-fashioned, serves to sacralize history seen as a continuum of struggle and martyrdom. Both books demonstrate a strongly internalized, martyrological-heroic concept of the messianic calling of Poland – although not expressed as directly as in the preceding volume, De profundis.
This article examines a cycle of poems by Maria Kurecka, the acclaimed writer and translator, in which she mourns the loss of her husband, Witold Wirpsza, who died in 1985. Held by the archives of the Pomeranian Library in Szczecin, these unpublished poems were written in the final years of her life. In this article they are positioned and read against the background of Polish funerary poetry and its traditions. Apart from having single poems published in literary magazines, Maria Kurecka produced just one volume of poetry, Trzydzieści wierszy (Thirty Poems, 1987). In fact, though, there may be quite a lot of poems that she chose to keep private. Remembered as an outstanding translator of German literature, Maria Kurecka the poet is virtually unknown. It is hoped that by drawing attention to her poetic work this article will contribute to a better appreciation of her achievement.
Julian Wołoszynowski w zbiorze Opowiadań podolskich sygnalizuje tragiczny finał świata Podola, który w dzieciństwie i młodości autor poznał jako swoje naturalne środowisko. Wskazywana wcześniej przez krytyków i badaczy tradycja romantyczna i neoromantyczna jest rzeczywiście obecna w tej twórczości, jednakże trzeba w niej też zauważyć liczne i różnorodne sygnały dystansowania się od tradycyjnych wzorców. Obok tych romantycznych i neoromantycznych wskazać trzeba zastosowaną w opowiadaniach poetykę realizmu, czasami również groteski. Autorka artykułu zdecydowanie opowiada się za stanowiskiem tych, którzy widzą w Julianie Wołoszynowskim pisarza dużej klasy, dotychczas niedocenionego.
EN
Julian Wołoszynowski in the collection entitled „The Podolian Stories” signals the tragic final of the Podolian world which he got to know as his natural environment during his childhood and the youth period. The romantic and neoromantic tradition, which was earlier indicated by the critics and researchers, is indeed present in these writings, however one should notice numerous and various signals of distancing from traditional patterns. Besides romantic and neoromantic patterns the realism poetry or even grotesque should be noticed. The author of the article definitely pronounces for the position of those who perceive Julian Wołoszynowski as a first class, yet underestimated writer.
The article analyses strategies utilised by Wilhelmina Zyndram-Kościałkowska, a translator of the novel Dopo il divorzio by Grazia Deledda, to introduce Deledda’s works on the polish literary market. The text shows ways in which characteristics of Deledda’s works and Kościałkowska’s translation strategies serve to minimise the effect of foreignness and to present Deledda’s works as important argument in the polemics between the literary tradition and the modernity. In consequence, the Polish translation of Dopo il divorzio may be viewed as an act of an influence on a Polish literary system.
The article is a review of Agata Seweryn’s book Between the Worlds. Studies in the Literature of the Enlightenment and Romanticism. The review’s author presents the composition of the book and examines the research problems raised in it in greater detail. She comments on the studies included in the publication as interesting suggestions for interpretive supplements of selected romantic poems and works. She draws attention to those aspects that reveal the richness inherent in the works, and not yet described enough. They are introduced by references to the Baroque tradition or reflection on normative poetics and rhetorics.
PL
Artykuł jest recenzją książki Agaty Seweryn Pomiędzy światami. Studia z literatury oświecenia i romantyzmu. Autorka omawia kompozycję książki oraz szczegółowiej przygląda się problemom badawczym w niej poruszonym. Zamieszczone w publikacji studia komentuje jako interesujące propozycje uzupełnień interpretacyjnych wybranych wierszy i dzieł romantycznych. Zwraca uwagę na te aspekty, które odsłaniają tkwiące w utworach a nie wystarczająco dotąd opisane bogactwo. Wprowadzają je odniesienia do tradycji barokowej i refleksja nad poetyką normatywną i retoryką.
Szkic, napisany z bardzo osobistej perspektywy, poświęcony jest sposobowi, w jaki prof. Marian Maciejewski wykorzystywał lirykę polskiego oświecenia do przedstawienia źródeł i inspiracji polskiej poezji romantycznej (przede wszystkim A. Mickiewicza), a także wskazuje, co w poezji osiemnastowiecznej interesowało tego badacza, w jaki sposób opisywał cechy szczególne poezji czasów Stanisława Augusta, w czym upatrywał jej roli prekursorskiej wobec dokonań poezji XIX wieku oraz w jaki sposób rozwinął wcześniejsze badania Czesława Zgorzelskiego, poświęcone literaturze tego czasu.
EN
The sketch, written from a very personal perspective, is evoted to the way, in which Prof. Marian Maciejewski used lyrical poetry of the Polish Enlightenment to present sources and inspirations of Polish Romantic poetry (first of all that by A. Mickiewicz), and also it indicates what was interesting for this scholar in the 18th century poetry, how he described the characteristics of the poetry written in Stanisław August's times, where he perceived its pioneering role for the achievements of 19th century poetry, and in what way he developed the earlier studies by Czesław Zgorzelski devoted to the literature of that time.
The paper, starting from the analysis of Northanger Abbey, suggests reflection on the attitude of Jane Austen to her predecessors, Ann Radcliffe, Fanny Burney and Maria Edgeworth etc., but also the other both fertile and popular authors of the end of 18th and the beginning of 19th century. Using the research of Dale Spender and Brian Corman, the author presents the novelist as a conscious heiress of a significant, though successfully marginalised in the Victorian period and overlooked even today, female literary tradition. Taken from Linda Hutcheon, the definition of parody allows to compare in the end Northanger Abbey to Strach w Zameczku of the first Polish novelist, who referred in a very similar way to her foreign predecessors, Anna Mostowska.
Issues concerning history of literary research in Poland constitute content of the paper. The author aimed at examining possible relations between contemporary researches on intertextuality and so called Polish school of ”influenceology” – a popular trend in Polish literary study in two first decades of the 20th century. Ruminations on scholarly achievements of Stanisław Windakiewicz who is the main representative of this trend are included in the paper, as well as detailed critical reception of his works at that time. An outline of differences of opinions between supporters of researches on literary influences and interrelations and opponents of such way of analyzing of literature were presented. The author aimed at emphasizing both advantages, as well as disadvantages of comparative investigations of that time. Finally, similarities and differences between ”influenceology” and intertextuality were pointed. Definitions of intertextuality proposed by i.e. Polish literary theoreticians ( H. Markiewicz, M. Głowiński) were used in the paper.
The paper attempts to describe the concept of the medieval period built by Polish poets: Tadeusz Różewicz, Zbigniew Herbert and Czesław Miłosz. The authors use this concept for the evaluation of contemporary times. The image of the Middle Ages is, on the one hand, an ethical concept abounding in references to the category of Heritage (civilisational and spiritual), and on the other hand, a dark period in which the individual and the human God become lost. The poets prefer using Enlightenment and Romantic clichés, creating a clear ideological view by means of them.
PL
W artykule podjęto próbę opisu koncepcji średniowiecza zaproponowanej przez polskich poetów: Tadeusza Różewicza, Zbigniewa Herberta i Czesława Miłosza. Autorzy wykorzystują tę koncepcję do oceny współczesności. Obraz średniowiecza to z jednej strony koncepcja etyczna pełna odniesień do kategorii Dziedzictwo (cywilizacyjne i duchowe), z drugiej zaś mroczny okres, w którym człowiek i Bóg człowiek gubią się. Poeci wolą używać klisz Oświecenia i Romantyzmu, tworząc za ich pomocą klarowny pogląd ideologiczny.
Artykuł jest poświęcony kształtowaniu się idei narodowej w okresie formowania nowej literatury białoruskiej (XIX w.). Konsolidacja etniczno-kulturalna ludu białoruskiego, kształtowanie się zrębów nacji białoruskiej, charakteryzujące się powrotem do historycznych korzeni narodowych, kultury i języka ojczystego przebiegało w trudnych warunkach społecznych i politycznych. Przywrócenie pamięci historycznej i duchowej spuścizny narodu białoruskiego było wyraźnym impulsem dla pisarzy, a ich twórczość z kolei kształtowała ideę narodową, świadome dążenie do „stania się narodem”. Poszerzone o dotychczas jakby „niczyje” teksty badania literaturoznawcze otwierały nowe możliwości wyznaczania kierunku kształtowania się idei narodowej.
EN
The article is devoted to the forming process of national idea in Belarusian literature (20th century). Ethnic-cultural consolidation of Belarusian people, shaping of Belarusian nation proceeded in rough conditions. The restoration of historical memory and spiritual heritage of the Belarusian nation was a clear impulse to writers whose literary works shaped national idea, conscious striving for becoming a nation. Literary studies extended by so called nobody’s texts opened new possibilities to set new directions in the field of national idea.
Artykuł stanowi swoisty teoretyczny wstęp do zjawiska artystycznego zwanego liberaturą. Zostaje w nim podjęta jedna z pierwszych prób usytuowania liberatury w ramach tradycji literackiej, jednak bez szczegółowego badania konkretnych odniesień intertekstualnych. Na początku pokrótce przedstawiono zakres znaczeniowy terminu „liberatura”, przyrównując ową formę do innych form artystycznego wyrazu. Następnie zadano kilka kluczowych pytań dotyczących liberatury i wskazano możliwe odpowiedzi. Szkic ma na celu – poprzez postawienie szeregu problemów badawczych – zwrócenie uwagi na konieczność prowadzenia badań teoretycznych nad liberaturą.
EN
The article is aimed to be a theoretical introduction into the artistic phenomenon called liberature. One of the fi rst att empts to locate liberature within literary tradition is made, although without a detailed analysis of specifi c intertextual references. In the beginning, the scope of the notion of “liberature” is presented and compared to other forms of artistic expression. Subsequently, several key questions concerning liberature are asked and possible answers are indicated. The purpose of the essay is – through pointing to some of the research problems – to draw academics’ att ention to the need for a theoretical research on liberature.
The deconstruction of the literary tradition is one of the most frequently used postmodern motifs. It is the main point of many works of Russian postmodernists. Due to the exceptional achievements of Russian writers and the considerable influence on forming social consciousness their activity is subject to critical analysis in many works of all waves of Russian postmodernism. In this context Vladimir Sorokin's texts make their mark – for many of them the deconstruction of literary tradition and hermeneutics is a defining category.
The essay examines the references of Orpheus and Eurydice by Czesław Miłosz to earlier literary incarnations of myth of Orpheus (from Virgil and Ovid to Rilke). It indicates the internal context of a memorial poem, which are not only senilia of the poet, but also reflections on suffering, death, responsibility of the artist for words and rebellion of poetry against nothingness, dispersed in many earlier works starting from the 1930s.
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