Poland in the Period of Partitions 1795–1914

The present book “Poland – History, Culture and Society. Selected Readings” is the third edition of a collection of academic texts written with the intention to accompany the module by providing incoming students with teaching materials that will assist them in their studies of the course module and encourage further search for relevant information and data. The papers collected in the book have been authored by academic teachers from the University of Łódź, specialists in such fields as history, geography, literature, sociology, ethnology, cultural studies, and political science. Each author presents one chapter related to a topic included in the module or extending its contents. The book contains the extensive bibliograph

The Role of Michaś Skobla in the Belarusian Literary Process

The many-sided work of Michaś Skobla (b. 1966) takes a variety of forms, including that of prose writer, critic, editor, anthologist, parodist, translator, radio correspondent and lyric poet. The article aims to outline the main features of his writing, with particular emphasis on his parodies and lyric poetry, in this way showing his central role in the Belarusian literary process of today

"Arising from the depths" (Kupala) : a study of Belarusian literature in English translation

Using Belarusian as a case study of a ‘minority’ European literature, this thesis explores the role of literary translation in the negotiation and promotion of a national identity (represented by two opposing discourses of “Old/European” and “New/Soviet” ‘Belarusianness’) as accomplished through translation from a lesser-known European tongue into the current global hegemonic language. In so doing, the research provides a wide historical panorama of all known literary translations from Belarusian to English, focusing on those published in the 20th and 21st centuries. While outlining the major tendencies of the translation process, the study considers the issues of both reception (focusing on the TL literary system) and representation (focusing on the negotiation of a Belarusian identity), recognising complex ideological, historical and political processes which accompany and, in many cases, predetermine translations and translation strategies. After examining the available terminology for the description of ‘minority’ in literary theory and translation studies, this research considers Belarus’ position as an Eastern European, post-Soviet country and discusses the case for the adoption of a postcolonial approach to the interpretation of ‘Belarusianness’. Another innovative aspect of the study lies in the contribution of a non-Western perspective to the current discussion of European minority languages in translation studies (Baer 2011; Branchadell and West 2005; Cronin 1995, 2003; Tymoczko 1995, 1999). A pioneering work on the history of Belarusian-English literary translation, this research defines several periods of translation activities: the ‘early’ translations of the 1890s – 1940s which mark the discovery of Belarusian folklore; the translations of the ‘Cold War’ period (1950s – 1980s) with two opposing ‘camps’ producing works provoked by nationalist (Western-based translations) or socialist (Soviet Union) ideologies; and, finally, the current post-independence period of Belarusian-English translation (1991-2012), with an analysis of the reasons for a relative inactivity. The evidence is based on a wide range of translations published as individual books and anthologies of poetry and prose, as well as those found in periodicals. It also includes previously unpublished findings from materials located in personal and national archives in Russia, Belarus, and the UK

Three states, one common past: chance or malediction? The role of history and historiography in the formation of collective identities and mutual relations in Belarus, Lithuania and Poland

Common experiences and a common past offer a special possibility for good relations. But having a common past also can create disharmony. If one has to share traditions with others, it becomes more difficult to find specific elements to call one’s ‘own’. So especially in a situation of intensive search for identity a common past may be harmful to the formation of one’s own identity and to mutual relations as well. In the case of Belarus, Lithuania and Poland after 1989, both generalisations hold true. While Polish-Lithuanian relations are excellent, Lithuanian-Belarusian relations are rather complicated. The reasons for this are not only political or economic, but mainly a consequence of the important role history and historiography play in the process of collective identity formation. The present article will examine the structure of this process

Dreams of Minsk: A Journey through Aesthetics of Utopia within a European Experience

Minsk, the capital city of Belarus, is in search of a cultural text. As writers and artists have done for many today iconic cities, Artur Klinau provides Minsk with such text, in his book Minsk: The Sun City of Dream. The aim of the present article is to explore and interpret this text, approaching it through cultural semiotics.  In Klinau’s literary work, notions of architecture, art, history, philosophy intertwine with personal memory and aesthetic experiences, drawing the exceptional image of a Soviet utopian city with a soul of “provincial sentimentalism”. At the periphery of the Russian and then Soviet Empires, after the Cold War East-West divide, Minsk developed a nostalgia “for something which is not”: Europe. This text shows how Minsk, with its ‘Eastern’ heritage, is instead deeply rooted in Europe.  Addressing many aspects of Minsk’s and Belarus’ historical identity, Klinau shows also the tension between the city and the Empire, manifesting its coercion on the urban space in various forms, in a dialectic relation with philosophic and aesthetic traditions of Utopia. As a result, the proposed text bridges between “actual Minsk” and “potential or desired Minsk”, finally letting the city’s oppressed ego meet with its own manifestation

Carefully guarded borders

Carefully Guarded Borders is a collection of poetry that focuses on the experiences of individuals often seen as other--deviant women, gender transgressors, and immigrants. The poems, along with the critical introduction, present a challenge to linear trajectories of poetic descent by offering openness of interpretation, as well as openness of form. The collection is arranged associatively, and its thematic threads recur rhizomatically. Although at its inception Carefully Guarded Borders was a biographical account of the migration from Tajikistan to the United States, at the time of the manuscript\u27s completion, this theme was subverted by cross-currents; the finished work questions borders at the same time as it reinforces their necessity in defining openness

Эмоцыа і рацыа ў беларускай санетыстыцы – на прыкладзе вянка санетаў Яна Чыквіна "Святая Студня" і перакладаў "Крымскіх санетаў" Адама Міцкевіча на беларускую мову

The article deals with two directions of development in Belarusian sonnet writing; the first, named according to its initiator – kupalaŭski (Kupala’s), includes free sonnets; the second, named – bahdanovičaŭski (Bahdanovič’s), includes sonnets according to the classical canon. The author of this article draws attention to the fact that the sonnet, as a kind of verse, holds an important place in Belarusian poetry of the 20 th century and is still relevant today. Belarusian poets, however, often deliberately do not keep to strict sonnet rules: emotion in such works prevails over rationality. With the help of the comparative method it investigates the form and content of the crown of sonnets Śviataja studnia (The Holy Well) by Jan Čykvin compared with the translations of Sonety krymskie (Crimean Sonnets) by Adam Mickiewicz into Belarusian as well as similar works by some Belarusian authors (the crown of sonnets Narač (Lake Narač) by Nil Hilievič, and the crown of sonnets Apakalipsis dušy (Apocalypse of the Soul) by Źmitrok Marozaŭ). The author of this article considers separately the rhythmic structure of the sonnets in Śviataja studnia and the translations of Sonety krymskie. It is shown how the irregular rhythmic structure of the free sonnets creates additional levels of perception of the text. The article concludes that the two directions in Belarusian sonnet writing survived in parallel throughout the 20th century and continued into the 21st. And if the first direction (emotionally determined) dominated at the beginning, the second direction (rationally determined), at the current stage of the Belarusian literary process, has expanded significantly in the work of Belarusian authors.W artykule zostały omówione dwa nurty rozwoju białoruskiej sonetystyki: nurt klasyczny zainicjowany przez Maksima Bahdanowicza (tzw. nurt bahdanowiczowski) oraz nurt awangardowy, zapoczątkowany przez Jankę Kupałę (tzw. nurt kupałowski). Autor podkreśla, że sonet jako gatunek literacki zajmuje ważne miejsce w poezji białoruskiej XX w. i jest wykorzystywany również współcześnie. Białoruscy poeci często świadomie nie przestrzegali zasad kompozycyjnych sonetu, ponadto preferowali opisy własnych stanów emocjonalnych, elementy racjonalne odsuwając na dalszy plan. Dzięki zastosowaniu metody komparatystycznej analizie poddano formę i treść: cyklu sonetów Święta studnia (Святая студня),przekładów Sonetów krymskich Adama Mickiewicza na język białoruski oraz podobnych utworów poetów białoruskich (cyklu sonetów Narocz (Нарач) Nila Hilewicza oraz Apokalipsy duszy Zmitroka Marozaua). Dokonano również analizysposobu rytmizowania cyklu sonetów Święta studnia Jana Czykwina oraz  przekładu Sonetów krymskich. Wskazano, nieregularne rytmy sonetów wolnych pozwalają na wieloaspektową interpretację tekstu. W artykule udowodniono, że omówione nurty rozwojowe sonetystyki współistniały w w XX w. i funkcjonują w naszych czasach. O ile jednak w twórczości autorów białoruskich początkowo dominował nurt awangardowy, o tyle obecnie obserwujemy powrót do sonetu w jego klasycznej formie.У артыкуле разглядаюцца два кірункі развіцця беларускай санетыстыкі; да першага, названага паводле яго ініцыятара купалаўскім, належаць вольныя санеты, да другога, названага – багдановічаўскім – санеты, створаныя паводле класічнага канона. Аўтар артыкула звяртае ўвагу на тое, што санет як від верша займае важнае месца ў беларускай паэзіі ХХ ст. і дагэтуль з’яўляецца актуальным. Аднак беларускія паэты часта свядома не прытрымліваюцца строгіх правіл санета, эмацыянальнае ў такім творы пераважае над рацыянальным. Пры дапамозе кампаратывісцкага метаду даследуецца форма і змест вянка санетаў Святая студня ў супастаўленні з перакладамі Крымскіх санетаў Адама Міцкевіча на беларускую мову, а таксама з падобнымі творамі беларускіх паэтаў (вянок санетаў Нарач Ніла Гілевіча, вянок вянкоў санетаў Апакаліпсіс душы Змітрака Марозава). Асобна разглядаецца рытмічная структура вянка санетаў Святая студня Яна Чыквіна і перакладаў Крымскіх санетаў. Паказана, як іррэгулярная рытмічная структура ў вольных санетах утварае дадатковыя сэнсавыя ўзроўні ўспрыняцця тэксту. У артыкуле сцвярджаецца, што гэтыя два кірункі ў беларускай санетыстыцы паралельна праіснавалі на працягу ўсяго ХХ ст. і перайшлі ў ХХІ ст. І калі напачатку дамінаваў першы (эмоцыа дэтэрмінаваны), то на сучасным этапе беларускага літаратурнага працэсу другі (рацыа дэтэрмінаваны) значна расшырыў свае пазіцыі ў творчасці беларускіх аўтараў

Chapter Artistic Expression of the Translatio imperii Concept in the Latin Epic Poetry of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 16th Century and the European Literary Context

In this article the author analyzes how the Renaissance epic poetry of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth approaches the theme of translatio imperii, which is a concept and a political stereotype of transfer of metaphysical world domination from country to country. After the fall of Constantinople (1453), the concept of translatio imperii gradually lost its universal character and was interpreted within the confines of a nation. Among the analyzed poems are: Bellum Prutenum (1516) by Ioannes Visliciensis and Radivilias (1592) by Ioannes Radvanus. The artistic expression of both the “Jagiellonian” and Lithuanian (i.e., Grand Duchy of Lithuania) patriotism, which incorporated the concept of translatio imperii, had an enormous impact on the formation of the national identity of the Belarusian, Lithuanian, and Polish peoples