„U nas mówią, z pieśni słowa nie wyrzucić”. Rycerskie ceremoniały i zwyczaje w polskiej powieści historycznej XIX wieku (Dzieje Polski Józefa Ignacego Kraszewskiego)
“U nas mówią, z pieśni słowa nie wyrzucić”. Knightly Ceremonials and Customs in the Polish Historical Novel in the 19th century (Dzieje Polski (The History of Poland) by Józef Ignacy Kraszewski)

Author(s): Maciej Gaździcki
Subject(s): History, Language and Literature Studies, Literary Texts, Studies of Literature, Philology
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Śląskiego
Keywords: Kraszewski; Middle Ages; knight; historical novel; medievalism; king’s sons
Summary/Abstract: The article is devoted to the depiction of medieval knights in selected historical novels by Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, including those in the cycle Dzieje Polski (The History of Poland). The author of the article focuses on how the author of Stara baśń (An Ancient Tale)showed the elements of the caste’s ethos, rituals such as knighting, routines, competitions and symbols (sword). He concentrates on Królewscy synowie (The King’s Sons) (times andbattles of Bolesław Wrymouth and Zbigniew), where knighthood together with its ritualsand customs were particularly extensively described. Kraszewski’s novel is also interpretedthrough the prism of chansons de geste, and particularly The Song of Roland; its main protagonists being seen as counterparts of Roland (Wrymouth) and Ganelon (Zbigniew). The author also refers to the perception of a warrior as a „warrior of Christ”, studying Kraszewski’s characters of crusaders or Teutonic knights, and pondering over the place of Christian faith in the life of men at arms. He also demonstrates the gradual decline of the caste described by Bolesławita with regard to the progressing degeneration of values, the passing of heroes, development of military technology and changes in human mentality. In conclusion, the author indicates the virtues of knighthood that Kraszewski valued in particular and the aimhe pursued when emphasizing them in historical fiction.

• Details
• Contents