Genethliacon Barbarae Bogołębskiej, czyli o potrzebie świętowania urodzin i jubileuszy
The Genethliacon of Barbara Bogołębska: On the Need of Celebrating Birthdays and Jubilees

Author(s): Beata Gaj
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: genethliacon;tradition;celebration;genre
Summary/Abstract: The majority of popular Polish dictionaries of literary terms, which define even longextinctand specific genres, ex. Japanese or Indian drama, probably do not containany basic information on the genre, appearing in European (and not only) literaturefor at least 23 centuries until this day. Genethliakon is a confirmed genre since thetimes of Kallimach (3rd century B.C.), which honors the birth or anniversary of birth, sometimes of a lyrical, dramatized or rhetoric-epic nature. Nowadays, it is still cultivatedin many languages of the world (also in Latin, accordingly to its tradition). This article shows progression of this genre in the European tradition. First birthdaysongs (most often by recalling the Apollonian connotations), connected the birthof man with light and poetry. What is particularly interesting, the basic features ofgenethliacon’s „genes” have not undergone significant changes over the centuries.Celebrating birth, anniversaries or other jubilees is still associated with wishes,offering gifts – including the creation of poetry. Perhaps such beautiful traditionis worth maintaining by giving someone a self-written song like… Genetliacon Barbarae Bogołębskae dedicatum.

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