IWAN BUNIN W POLSCE MIĘDZYWOJENNEJ (W SETNĄ ROCZNICĘ URODZIN)
THE RECEPTION OF IVAN BUNIN’S WORKS IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD IN POLAND

Summary/Abstract: The remarkable author of ‘The M an from San Francisco’ contrary to many of hiscontemporaries remained unknown to polish readers over a long period of time. Before World War I only a few critics, following new trends in Russian literature, were interested in Bunin. A similar situation took place in the twenties. The Nobel Prize - which he received in 1933 brought about translations of his most prominent works, whereas before only two of his short stories, namely: ‘Cornet Yelagin's Case’ and ‘A Sunstroke’ appeared in a collection among the works written by various authors. The survay which has been made leads us to the conclusion that in the thirties Polish readers become sufficiently familiar with Bunin’s works and generally acknowledged his talent. Nonetheless, the attitude of the majority of Polish readers and critics to Bunin was unfriendly and not free from reservations. There are two reasons of it, the first being the fact that Bunin was a representative of the Russian literature of emigration which was disregarded in Poland particularly by the Soviet Union sympathizers motivated by their ideology. Secondly Bunin’s dispassionate spectator’s attitude to the presented reality and the avoidance of social commitment did not meet with approbation. Another influential factor was the political situation in Poland, full of tension and ideologicalfrictions, evident in Polish literature of the time. Only as late as now, when the mentioned factors are not being taken into consideration Polish readers are in the position to receive Bunin’s works in a more objective way and can take advantage o f admiring their subtle artism.

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