The Merchant and Love. The Imagological. Look at “The American” by Henry James  and “The Doll” by Bolesław Prus Cover Image

Kupiec i miłość. Imagologiczne spojrzenie na „Amerykanina” Henry’ego Jamesa i „Lalkę” Bolesława Prusa
The Merchant and Love. The Imagological. Look at “The American” by Henry James and “The Doll” by Bolesław Prus

Author(s): Mirosław Gołuński
Subject(s): Polish Literature
Published by: Towarzystwo Literackie im. Adama Mickiewicza
Keywords: Bolesław Prus; Henry James; imagology; literary comparatistics; Max Weber; society

Summary/Abstract: The article presents a comparative imagological analysis of the main characters in the James’ “The American” (Christopher Newman) and Prus’ “The Doll” (Stanisław Wokulski). By using the aforementioned methodology, the author demonstrates the formation of the model of the merchant in the American and Polish societies. Despite the structural similarities in the creation of both threads, visible differences indicated a difference, on the one hand, in the self-perception of the merchant in relation to the world, on the other hand, in their relations with the society. The author, referring among other things to the classic work of Max Weber, demonstrated the importance of the differences present between different nations on account of religion, which translate into historical and social relations within particular societies.

  • Issue Year: LI/2016
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 505-520
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Polish