Sprung Rhythm in the Poetry of Stanisław Barańczak
Sprung Rhythm in the Poetry of Stanisław Barańczak

Summary/Abstract: This article demonstrates the influence of G. M. Hopkins's poetry, especially his idea of {sprung rhythm}, on the works of S. Barańczak. Barańczak translated Hopkins's poems in the late 1970s. He is also the author of articles addressing Hopkins's life and poetry. During the process of translation Barańczak had the opportunity to investigate not only Hopkins’s philosophical and religious poems, but also his concept of {sprung rhythm}. This specific rhythmical form was an interesting translation issue for Barańczak, which he analysed in his articles. The author of this paper shows that sprung rhythm which was encountered during the process of translation permeated Barańczak's own poems. The rhythmical form in Hopkins' poems is similar to the Polish tradition of accentual long-line verse, originating from Mickiewicz's poetry. Barańczak used this pattern in translations and in his own poems, but he modified it make it similar to Hopkins's model of {sprung rhythm}. The author also proves that Barańczak was inspired by Hopkins's prosodic effects, especially instrumentation of verse and paronomasia.

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