The Fantastic and Phantasmatic Nature of the Novella “Premonition. The Tale at the Grey Hour” by Józef Bohdan Dziekoński

Abstract

The article aims to analyze the fantastic and phantasmatic nature of the novella Premonition. The Tale at the Grey Hour by Józef Bohdan Dziekoński (1816–1855) within the latest definitional contexts of these terms, which are often overlooked or completely unused in the research on this writer. In the first part, the author reviews recent attempts to define the essence of 'fantasy' in Dziekoński’s works as per well-known researchers such as Antoni Gromadzki and Michał Szargot, while also acknowledging the contributions of new or yet unrecognized scholars, and then supplements these conclusions. Furthermore, the author incorporates the concept of 'phantasm' as explored in Maria Janion’s study On Phantasmatic Criticism, which has not yet been applied in research on Dziekoński’s works. The second part is devoted to the analysis and interpretation of the fantastic and phantasmatic character of Dziekoński’s little-known novella Premonition. The Tale at the Grey Hour. In applying the theoretical issues from the first part to the reading of this story, the author highlights the novella’s significance, where the ideals and worldview of the writer are embodied. This underscores the researcher's belief in Dziekoński’s ideological consistency evident in his literary works. Dziekoński’s reflections on fantasy as a literary genre, or a broadly understood method of literary expression, are also discussed. According to him, fantasy literature must fulfill specific socio-cultural criteria to properly align with its era and gain acceptance. The novella Premonition. The Tale at the Grey Hour exemplifies the author’s implementation of these ideas and worldviews, a point strongly emphasized in the article.