Stawanie się romantyzmu. Wokół przedmowy do I tomu Poezyj Mickiewicza
Originating of Romanticism. Around the Preface to Volume I of Poezyje by Mickiewicz

Summary/Abstract: The article describes the content, the role and historical meaning of the preface to volume I of Poezyje by Adam Mickiewicz dating back to 1822 in the light of the so-called struggle between classics and romantics and in the perspective of originating of Polish Romanticism. The author confronts the formed ex post legend concerning the origins of Romanticism and later historic-literary interpretations of the preface with its rhetorical structure and Mickiewicz’s literary attitude that he actually presented at the beginning of 1820s. The content and the structure of the preface, according to the author, reveal that the initial intention of the Polish poet was not unconditioned condemnation of Classicism in general but, quite contrary, a distinction of the great tradition of the Greek Pericles Classicism and minor forms of Roman and French court classicism. Contrary to the later legend, which viewed the preface of 1822 as an explicit proclamation of Romantic ideas and a total break-off with Classicism, Mickiewicz, as an educated classic philologist himself, presented in the preface an interesting an innovative for Polish conditions concept of a synthesis of selected Romantic plots and the great heroic tradition of Greek Pericles Classicism. The argument between the Classics and the Romantics made the postulate of the Classicism-Romanticism synthesis less relevant in the 1820s, 1830s and 1840s, in the eyes of Mickiewicz and his contemporary. Then the poet’s attitude evolved towards messianism, mysticism and towianism. Thus, it is a historic paradox, that the preface and volume I of Poezyje by Mickiewicz obtained, in the course of originating of Polish Romanticism, the meaning which is contrary to the original, while Mickiewicz himself, being under the influence of his supporters and excitable patriotic public, became a Romantic extremist. The trend towards Classic époque turned into a retreat from it, while the Classic breakthrough unexpectedly became Romantic.

• Details
• Contents