Russia: Asia or Europe? Reflections on the awareness of the Polish intelligentsia in the 19th century as the ideological context of Norwid’s work
Russia: Asia or Europe? Reflections on the awareness of the Polish intelligentsia in the 19th century as the ideological context of Norwid’s work

Summary/Abstract: The article discusses the views of the Polish intelligentsia in Cyprian Norwid’s lifetime on the issue of Russia’s membership in Europe. Among the discussed examples there are particularly frequent attempts to push Russia out of Europe by emphasising its Asian character. The examples of pan-Slavic ideas are less frequent. Against this background, Norwid’s views on the question of Russia’s Asianness seem to be exceptionally balanced. The poet noticed that Russia was different, but he believed that isolating it from Europe could be more detrimental than beneficial.

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