Niepamięć – pamięć o ojczymie, doktorze Auguście Bécu
Oblivion – Remembrance of Dr. August Bécu

Author(s): Leszek Libera
Subject(s): Studies of Literature, Polish Literature, Philology
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: trial of Vilnius youth; traitor – stepfather; expulsion (Verdrängung); Lacan’s psychoanalysis; killing of father
Summary/Abstract: The central place in Slowacki’s life was taken by his mother, Salomea Januszewska. His biological father, Eusebius Słowacki died when his son barely turned 5 and was poorly remembered by his son. The mother got married to doctor August Bécu, who died from lightning, when Słowacki was 14 years old. Słowacki’s scholars treat this man, who appears in Mickiewicz’s "Dziady" (“Forefathers’ Eve”) part III, as a traitor during the Vilnius youth process, as if he was not present in poet’s life. The study shows how great mistake it is. August Bécu did play a great role in Słowacki’s life, he left a great mark on his work, more important than his mother. This paper is an attempt to show the psychological processes pushing the memory of the damned stepfather to oblivion, which is a kind of specific memory revealed in the poet’s literary works. The concept of repression (Verdrängung) allows revealing the power of this creative inspiration in poetic creations of father in such works as "Wacław", "Lilla Weneda", "Beatryks Cenci" (“Beatrix Cenci”), "Ojciec zadżumionych" (“The Father of the Plague-stricken”), "Poema Piasta Dantyszka" (“Poem of Piast Dantiscus”) or "Samuel Zborowski"; it also expounds Jacques Lacan’s theory about defining father’s role over the centuries and the meaning of his death. The killing of father by son (children) is the center of Lacan’s interest (also Simone de Beauvoir) and is regarded both as a nondescript element of the human psyche and one of the biggest hidden fears. Słowacki felt guilty for the death of his stepfather, the father – son and children – father relations shown in his works are inevitably branded by this death.

• Details
• Contents