Towianizm – kreacja legendy
Towianism – creation of a legend

Author(s): Jakub Pyda
Subject(s): Cultural history, Studies of Literature, Polish Literature, 19th Century, Theory of Literature
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: Towianski; Towianism; legend; discourse; phantasm; revision; reception
Summary/Abstract: In this article, I look at the controversial legend of Andrzej Towiański, the self-proclaimed prophet of the Romantic era. From the very beginning, his activities aroused radically different opinions, which over time became his “golden” and “black” portrayals. The interpretive mechanisms behind this process remain as yet unexplored. In the creation of Towiański’s legend, an important role was played not only by writers and thinkers but also by representatives of the scientific world. For this reason, I trace the presence of legend-making mechanisms primarily in the works of Towianism researchers. Thus, the article is an overview of the history of reception, but its purpose is an attempt at historical-literary revision. Rather than doing justice to individual scholars, I critically screen various scientific discourses. I demonstrate the deep connection between academic language and methaporical thinking, as well as ideological and emotional characterization. In conclusion, I pose the question of the possibility of transcending the legend-making writing of Towianism. I answer this methodological dilemma positively and outline research perspectives for the future.

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