„Samotny idę po mizernym stepie”. Wokół poezji Jana Huskowskiego

The aim of the article is to present Jan Huskowski, outline his biography and to generally identify his literary strategy. This outline is a reconnaissance, focusing on the motifs and characteristic elements of Huskowski’s poems, typical of his creative imagination. The subject of study is the poetry book Po drodze (Along the way), published in Lviv in 1907, which is a collection of poetry published mostly in the Lviv press.The aim of the article is to present Jan Huskowski, outline his biography and to generally identify his literary strategy. This outline is a reconnaissance, focusing on the motifs and characteristic elements of Huskowski’s poems, typical of his creative imagination. The subject of study is the poetry book Po drodze (Along the way), published in Lviv in 1907, which is a collection of poetry published mostly in the Lviv press

„Zwierciadło i zwierzyniec pana Mikołaja Reja”, czyli słów kilka o japońskim odkrywaniu literatury polskiej

Despite the rise in availability, Polish literature is viewed in Japan as exotic and unavailable. An attempt to fill this gap is being undertaken by Tokimasa Sekiguchi who familiarises the Japanese readers with selected aspects of Mikołaj Rej’s writing in an original work entitled Zwierciadło i zwierzyniec pana Mikołaja Reja (Mirror and Preserve by Mr. Mikołaj Rej), published in 2021 in Tokyo. In the course of the book, the author presents carefully selected works by the Polish poet and prose writer of the Renaissance period, complementing the respective fragments with commentary and references to both the history of Poland and the Japanese context. Tokimasa Sekiguchi’s text constitutes a significant contribution to the understanding of Polish culture and history in the land of cherry blossoms.Despite the rise in availability, Polish literature is viewed in Japan as exotic and unavailable. An attempt to fill this gap is being undertaken by Tokimasa Sekiguchi who familiarises the Japanese readers with selected aspects of Mikołaj Rej’s writing in an original work entitled Zwierciadło i zwierzyniec pana Mikołaja Reja (Mirror and Preserve by Mr. Mikołaj Rej), published in 2021 in Tokyo. In the course of the book, the author presents carefully selected works by the Polish poet and prose writer of the Renaissance period, complementing the respective fragments with commentary and references to both the history of Poland and the Japanese context. Tokimasa Sekiguchi’s text constitutes a significant contribution to the understanding of Polish culture and history in the land of cherry blossoms

„Przeczuwał o wiele późniejszą teorię Hipolita Taine’a…”? Piotr Chmielowski o postawie krytycznoliterackiej Maurycego Mochnackiego

Piotr Chmielowski considered Maurycy Mochnacki’s attitude in literary criticism as an expression of the 19th-century culture viewed as a diverse, dynamic and ever-changing whole which had a number of consistent characteristics that helped define it. Mochnacki was incorporated into the discourse concerning the 19th century, so in a sense on modernity as well, because the experience of modernity was what characterised the rapidly-developing civilisation of the 19th century. For Chmielowski, this modernity was personified by Hippolyte Taine, a positivist and philosopher, whose theory was supposedly predicted in one way or another by Mochnacki. The point is not about the correctness of Chmielowski’s diagnosis as it can be questioned, discussed and rejected. It is about the fact that Mochnacki, especially from the point of view of his domestic activity (before the November Uprising) could have been perceived in the 19th century and could still be today, as a literary critic and opinion journalist who was thoroughly modern in his own time.Piotr Chmielowski considered Maurycy Mochnacki’s attitude in literary criticism as an expression of the 19th-century culture viewed as a diverse, dynamic and ever-changing whole which had a number of consistent characteristics that helped define it. Mochnacki was incorporated into the discourse concerning the 19th century, so in a sense on modernity as well, because the experience of modernity was what characterised the rapidly-developing civilisation of the 19th century. For Chmielowski, this modernity was personified by Hippolyte Taine, a positivist and philosopher, whose theory was supposedly predicted in one way or another by Mochnacki. The point is not about the correctness of Chmielowski’s diagnosis as it can be questioned, discussed and rejected. It is about the fact that Mochnacki, especially from the point of view of his domestic activity (before the November Uprising) could have been perceived in the 19th century and could still be today, as a literary critic and opinion journalist who was thoroughly modern in his own time

Krytyk – renegat. O Wacławie Jabłonowskim

The article presents Wacław Jabłonowski (c. 1810–1870), an émigré publicist and literary critic who published one of the first reviews of Juliusz Słowacki’s Beniowski, included in “Trzeci Maj” (The third of May) in 1841. Liberally using the notion of nationality as an axiom, he demonstrated the superiority of Słowacki’s long poem over Mickiewicz’s epic poem Pan Tadeusz. Jabłonowski’s writings on literature (consisting of nine articles) constitute an example of amateur manipulation, dilettantism and arbitrariness of opinion devoid of aesthetic grounds. They are, in fact, the background of Jabłonowski’s Pan-Slavic views which the community of Polish migrants living in Paris after the November Uprising unequivocally deemed to be in line with the ideas of the Russian Empire. The community considered him an apostate and a Russian spy, indicating his unclear financial activity and cases of fraud which forced him to go into hiding and escape from France, first to Algier and then to Galicia, in order to seek his brother’s protection. Relatively few archive sources concerning Jabłonowski’s life survive to this day, hence his biography suffers from numerous gaps and uncertainties.The article presents Wacław Jabłonowski (c. 1810–1870), an émigré publicist and literary critic who published one of the first reviews of Juliusz Słowacki’s Beniowski, included in “Trzeci Maj” (The third of May) in 1841. Liberally using the notion of nationality as an axiom, he demonstrated the superiority of Słowacki’s long poem over Mickiewicz’s epic poem Pan Tadeusz. Jabłonowski’s writings on literature (consisting of nine articles) constitute an example of amateur manipulation, dilettantism and arbitrariness of opinion devoid of aesthetic grounds. They are, in fact, the background of Jabłonowski’s Pan-Slavic views which the community of Polish migrants living in Paris after the November Uprising unequivocally deemed to be in line with the ideas of the Russian Empire. The community considered him an apostate and a Russian spy, indicating his unclear financial activity and cases of fraud which forced him to go into hiding and escape from France, first to Algier and then to Galicia, in order to seek his brother’s protection. Relatively few archive sources concerning Jabłonowski’s life survive to this day, hence his biography suffers from numerous gaps and uncertainties

Nieznany list Jana Kasprowicza

The article constitutes an edition of a previously-unpublished letter by Jan Kasprowicz. The epistolary testament offers some new knowledge about the poet’s life and work, especially in the area of translation.The article constitutes an edition of a previously-unpublished letter by Jan Kasprowicz. The epistolary testament offers some new knowledge about the poet’s life and work, especially in the area of translation

Dwa listy Kazimierza Przerwy Tetmajera do Józefa Jankowskiego

The article is an editorial work on two letters from Kazimierz Przerwa Tetmajer to a catholic poet and journalist, Józef Jankowski. The letters complement to some extent the biographical knowledge about Tetmajer, especially his participation in the literary life of the Young Poland and the interwar period.The article is an editorial work on two letters from Kazimierz Przerwa Tetmajer to a catholic poet and journalist, Józef Jankowski. The letters complement to some extent the biographical knowledge about Tetmajer, especially his participation in the literary life of the Young Poland and the interwar period

Skarnawalizowany świat „Tajemnicy lorda Singelworth”

The article is an attempt at reading Norwid’s Tajemnica lorda Singelworth (Lord Singelworth’s secret) in the light of Mikhail Bakhtin’s carnival theory. This novella exhibits three constitutive traits of the “seriousness-laughter” literature, which the carnivalesque literature stems from, as well as a number of characteristics of Menippean satire considered by Bakhtin to be the most representative genre of this literary movement. In the article, the author demonstrates that the novella also shows other features of Menippean satire presented in Bakhtin’s theory. This is followed by an analysis of the jester character, Tonin di Bona Grazia, who stands in opposition to the titular character, and by a reflection on Venice – the carnival city – and the city’s significance to deciphering the meanings hidden in the novella. These analyses support the hypothesis that Tajemnica lorda Singelworth exhibits characteristics traits of carnivalesque literature.The article is an attempt at reading Norwid’s Tajemnica lorda Singelworth (Lord Singelworth’s secret) in the light of Mikhail Bakhtin’s carnival theory. This novella exhibits three constitutive traits of the “seriousness-laughter” literature, which the carnivalesque literature stems from, as well as a number of characteristics of Menippean satire considered by Bakhtin to be the most representative genre of this literary movement. In the article, the author demonstrates that the novella also shows other features of Menippean satire presented in Bakhtin’s theory. This is followed by an analysis of the jester character, Tonin di Bona Grazia, who stands in opposition to the titular character, and by a reflection on Venice – the carnival city – and the city’s significance to deciphering the meanings hidden in the novella. These analyses support the hypothesis that Tajemnica lorda Singelworth exhibits characteristics traits of carnivalesque literature

Z życia romantyka. Dwa nieznane listy Władysława Wężyka: do Lucjana Siemieńskiego i do Eleonory Karwickiej

The article includes the first edition of two letters written by Władysław Wężyk, a forgotten writer and activist from the 1840s. The first one, discovered in the Stefanyk National Science Library in Lviv, Ukraine, documents the young domestic writers’ interest in Towianism. In the second one, kept in the Jagiellonian Library, Wężyk expresses his intentions towards his future wife and considers his life plans, which include his participation in the awaited uprising. The newly-discovered letters document both the initial enthusiasm in the country towards Towiański’s doctrine and the author’s involvement in the conspiracy network in the 1840s.The article includes the first edition of two letters written by Władysław Wężyk, a forgotten writer and activist from the 1840s. The first one, discovered in the Stefanyk National Science Library in Lviv, Ukraine, documents the young domestic writers’ interest in Towianism. In the second one, kept in the Jagiellonian Library, Wężyk expresses his intentions towards his future wife and considers his life plans, which include his participation in the awaited uprising. The newly-discovered letters document both the initial enthusiasm in the country towards Towiański’s doctrine and the author’s involvement in the conspiracy network in the 1840s

Noblista w ogniu krytyki. Sienkiewicz – dzisiaj (i wczoraj)

The works of Henryk Sienkiewicz, the first Polish Nobel Prize winner, awarded for literature in 1905, have been and still are broadly resonating. The author of Quo vadis and Trylogia (The Trilogy) – “der Liebling der Massen” – is the victim of his own success as the popularity of literature reduces its meanings, it creates and then replicates the stereotypes in their reading. Sienkiewicz, a Catholic writer who represented Poland in his Trilogy as “the bulwark of Christianity” was always a convenient tool for shaping conservative attitudes. The article focuses on the reception of Sienkiewicz’s works at the end of the rule of Zjednoczona Prawica (the United Right) in Poland (2015–2023). It recalls, among others, the 2019 book Sienkiewicz z nami (Sienkiewicz with us), written by the writer’s great-grandson and politician Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, part of which is the project aimed at deconstructing the right-wing reception of Henryk Sienkiewicz’s works. The author of the article also refers to earlier evidence concerning their reception over the course of the 20th century. The focus is on the texts which were accusatory and rejecting towards them, published ever since they became widely-read (opinions by S. Brzozowski and W. Gombrowicz, among others), as well as those written by past and contemporary experts in Sienkiewicz’s writings.The works of Henryk Sienkiewicz, the first Polish Nobel Prize winner, awarded for literature in 1905, have been and still are broadly resonating. The author of Quo vadis and Trylogia (The Trilogy) – “der Liebling der Massen” – is the victim of his own success as the popularity of literature reduces its meanings, it creates and then replicates the stereotypes in their reading. Sienkiewicz, a Catholic writer who represented Poland in his Trilogy as “the bulwark of Christianity” was always a convenient tool for shaping conservative attitudes. The article focuses on the reception of Sienkiewicz’s works at the end of the rule of Zjednoczona Prawica (the United Right) in Poland (2015–2023). It recalls, among others, the 2019 book Sienkiewicz z nami (Sienkiewicz with us), written by the writer’s great-grandson and politician Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz, part of which is the project aimed at deconstructing the right-wing reception of Henryk Sienkiewicz’s works. The author of the article also refers to earlier evidence concerning their reception over the course of the 20th century. The focus is on the texts which were accusatory and rejecting towards them, published ever since they became widely-read (opinions by S. Brzozowski and W. Gombrowicz, among others), as well as those written by past and contemporary experts in Sienkiewicz’s writings

Maria Seweryna z Trojackich Pawlikowska jako „Maciuś” na kartach dziennika Maryli Wolskiej z I wojny światowej

The subject of the article is Maryla Wolska’s diary from World War I preserved in the form of a typescript in the National Library of Poland (BN 15273). The document was created between August 15 1914 and April 12, 1918; from June 21, 1915 it was written as a continuous letter to “Maciuś”. This pseudonym referred to Maria Seweryna née Trojacka, the first wife of Michał Pawlikowski, the writer’s a long-time collaborator. The key subject of research is the relation between Wolska and Maria Seweryna – “Maciuś” – preserved in the diary and immersed in the perspective of the author’s World War I experiences. Some of the questions asked in the article are: who is “Maciuś” as a character in Wolska’s text, why “Maciuś” was chosen by the diary’s author as the addressee of her entries and what are the meaning behind the pseudonym given toTrojacka.The subject of the article is Maryla Wolska’s diary from World War I preserved in the form of a typescript in the National Library of Poland (BN 15273). The document was created between August 15 1914 and April 12, 1918; from June 21, 1915 it was written as a continuous letter to “Maciuś”. This pseudonym referred to Maria Seweryna née Trojacka, the first wife of Michał Pawlikowski, the writer’s a long-time collaborator. The key subject of research is the relation between Wolska and Maria Seweryna – “Maciuś” – preserved in the diary and immersed in the perspective of the author’s World War I experiences. Some of the questions asked in the article are: who is “Maciuś” as a character in Wolska’s text, why “Maciuś” was chosen by the diary’s author as the addressee of her entries and what are the meaning behind the pseudonym given toTrojacka