W kręgu literatury antyżydowskiej w dawnej Polsce – „Prognosticon, albo zalecenie cielęcia smrodliwego [...]”
In the Circle of Anti-Jewish Literature in Old Poland – “Prognosticon or Recommendation of a Stinky Calf [...]”

Summary/Abstract: The object of this study is the text that can be placed in a wide range of polemical libelous literature. The article raises the problem of social and political relations in the Poland of the first half of 17th century. The aim of the study is to show the rhetorical and generic contexts of this type of literature, in particular the features of language, persuasive measures, and finally the genre determinants of these statements. This text also reveals a certain way of thinking of at least some Christians about the Jewish population at that time. Starting from the title, through the communication in the text and at last its erudite dimension, the reader has the impression that the whole text has some features of a scholarly treatise or that it is an opinion of a significant group of intellectuals (academics, Christian/Christianity scholars) on religion and the way of living of this social class. "Prognosticon [...]" is filled with many insults, written, inter alia, in German. It underlines the strangeness of Jewish customs, and also indicates a number of imaginary threats that were magnified for political purposes. "Prognosticon [...]" raises the question about the limits of freedom of public discourse.

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