Poezja religijna masonów polskich epoki oświecenia – rekonesans
Polish Mason Reliogious Poetry

A Reconnaissance

Summary/Abstract: Contrary to publishing a few crucial papers in the poetry of Polish Freemason poetry of the 18th c. and beginning of 19th c. (until circa 1831), the issue of Masonic religious verse has so far been discussed only marginally. It is uncertain whether, in general, we can use the term Masonic “religious” poetry, though it seems that, facing the continuously reappearing issues and a plethora of sacral motifs found in the pieces used in Freemasonic practice, we can resort to such category. The analysis is performed on a few collections of Masonic poetry from the beginning of the 19th c., namely by Józef Elsner (1811), Feliks Gawdzicki (1814), Tadeusz Wolański (1817 and 1818), Franciszek Budziszewski (circa 1820) and other. The analysed threads and motifs indicate that the Masonic circle naturally applied characteristic phraseology, explicitly differentiating brethren from laymen, and a set of special Masonic songs connected with the rite; additionally they used the commonly known literary pieces that primarily reflected the attitudes to all forms of transcendence that were peculiar to the 18th c. Enlightenment poetry. They eagerly resorted to Ignacy Krasicki’s songs, and the Mason stylistics proved to have much in common with clusters or words as well as with formulas of poetry typical of both Classicism and Sentimentalism. Condemnation of fanatism, ignorance, and superstition, accusations of grand institutions for unpardonable overuse in the past went parallel to a positive programme, a symptom of the 18th c. humanitarianism and strive to enlighten wide social groups, as well as led to sacralisation of such categories as Charity, Virtue, Friendship, Education, and also Homeland.

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