„Swój urząd czynić”. Profil obywatelski twórczości Jana Kochanowskiego
Civic profile within the output by Jan Kochanowski

Author(s): Krystyna Płachcińska
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, Polish Literature, Philology, Theory of Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: rhetoric; Polish renaissance poetry; Old-Polish political system; lordly patronage; civic-oriented literary works; Kochanowski Jan; Myszkowski Piotr; Zamojski Jan; obywatel Rzeczypospolitej; Radziwiłłowie
Summary/Abstract: Throughout his whole writing career, Jan Kochanowski continuously addressed the issue of citizenship, applying various literary genres and expressing his beliefs in both Polish and Latin. The issue was rooted in the ideological foundation constituting the constans within his views: on the value of virtue, moderation and serving one’s country, and thus, it was deeply embedded in axiology and ethics. Paradoxically, however, it was conducted simultaneously to his intense economic operations, which turned the indigent heir to half of Czarnolas into a wealthy man, at the end of his days. Kochanowski’s civic-oriented works stretch between the tools of lyrics and rhetoric, and yet any action taken for the benefit of public welfare requires concrete solutions and a properly channelled driving force. In such cases, the main role of literature is not to express the author’s feelings, but to inculcate beliefs and emotions in his audience. And the quality of any given civic-oriented literary work is measured by its effectiveness. This also begs the question about the subjectively and objectively comprehended validity of the propagated opinions. Firstly, did the poet perceive as congruent with actual public interest (which was always explicitly declared) the resulting actions which any given work provoked? Secondly, was this perception sound? Thus, we inquire about effectiveness (here, tantamount to beauty), about persuasive integrity, and finally, about the author’s wisdom. This is the specific look at Jan of Czarnolas that the book offers.

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