Wierzenia i obrzędy polskiej wsi ukazane brytyjskiemu odbiorcy w powieści Jerzego Pietrkiewicza The Knotted Cord
Beliefs and Rituals of the Polish Countryside Shown to the British Reader in Jerzy Pietrkiewicz’s Novel The Knotted Cord

Summary/Abstract: The Knotted Cord – the first English novel by a Polish émigré writer, Jerzy Pietrkiewicz, was published in 1953simultaneously in London and New York. The book was published in Poland only 52 years later, under the titleSznur z węzłami (2005). The Knotted Cord was written in accordance with the conventions of a contemporary Britishnovel, which allowed Pietrkiewicz to succeed in the British market. The element of exoticism, which includedcolorful descriptions of peasant life in Polish villages, appeared to be one of the most attractive elements of thenovel, highly appreciated both by the critics and the readers. The cultural and social image of the pre-war Polishcountryside presented by the writer is shown with a great deal of realism, although in the world depicted in thenovel, reality is mixed with magic, and pagan superstitions with the Catholic religion. The two most importantrituals shown in the novel are Midsummer Night and the Empty Night ritual related to the funeral.

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