Bibliotekarz Podlaski

Konstanty Ildefons Gałczyński – Biography and Imagination. The 2nd National Scientific Conference. On the 70th Anniversary of the Writer’s Death: 1953–2023, Pranie, September 20–21, 2023. Report

Wojciech Kass — 2024-03-12

International Scientific Conference “Multicultural Vilnius: Tradition and Modernity. Jubilee Session for the 700th Anniversary of the City of Vilnius”, Vilnius, September 28–29, 2023. Report

Andrzej Baranow — 2024-03-12

Faces of Loneliness in the Epistolography of Russian Emigrants of the First Wave

Nel Bielniak — 2024-03-12

A strong sense of loneliness and alienation was a common feature among Russian emigrants of the first wave, who were suddenly forced to leave the country due to
the revolutionary events of 1917 and the civil war. They were unexpectedly deprived of contact with their loved ones and familiar places, losing their common denominator: their homeland. Thrown into a foreign world, they desperately missed their relatives and friends, the sounds of their native language, and the familiar materiality of life. The resulting feeling of loneliness led to various types of problems: lack of adaptation to new socio-cultural realities, social isolation, identity crisis, deteriorating mental and (or) physical condition, and creative impotence. Coping strategies for the traumatic experience of emigration included voluntary ghettoization, linguistic purism, and an extremely active exchange of letters with relatives and friends, which somewhat compensated for the lack of physical contact and direct conversation. Through correspondence, some sought information about loved ones left behind, while others sought deeper understanding, sympathy, and the chance to share their problems and fears. The analyzed epistolary material reveals similarities in the fates of the first wave of Russian emigrants, who, regardless of their origin and financial status, experienced similar problems and emotions. This is evident in the correspondence of both well-known emigrants (Mikhail Arcybashev, Ivan Bunin, Vera Muromtseva-Bunina, Aleksandr Kuprin, Nadezhda Teffi, Boris Zaitsev) and less well-known representatives of the post-October diaspora (Klaudia Fłorovskaya, Alexei Gvozdiński).

Virtual Reality of the Post-Modern World (Examples from Contemporary Russian Literature)

Katarzyna Duda — 2024-03-12

The aim of the article presented here is to define virtual reality in a post-modern world in which revolutionary technological transformations are taking place before our eyes. Thus, we are witnessing the implementation into our existence of new entities created in the first instance by the sciences including information technology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, and nanotechnology. The latter fields of knowledge have become our research object, with examples drawn from selected works of contemporary Russian literature. It turns out that transhumanism in Russia has its prehistory, for example, the cosmism of Nikolai Fyodorov, and is intensively developing in the present day, for example, the organisation, the Russian Transhumanist Movement. In terms of fiction related to the desire to transform homo sapiens into homo superior, Andrei Platonov, Yevgeny Zamiatin, Mikhail Bulgakov highlight this trend. In contemporary times, the themes of transhumanism, immortalism, cryonics, and artificial intelligence have been taken up by Tatyana Tolstaya, Olga Slavnikova, Victor Pelevin, Vladimir Sorokin, among others. On the pages of their novels, they present how utopia understood as a pipe dream is transformed into utopia – an experiment. The rapid development of civilization forces us to have moral doubts: “unfrozen” after a few hundred years, man may not adapt in a new environment. Artificial intelligence threatens to transform human beings into their replicas, cyborgs, taking over people’s jobs and threatening unemployment. This in turn contradicts the idea of eternal life, raising questions about whether replicas of humans will be endowed with consciousness and emotions, or whether humans transformed from creatures to creators will still remain human.

On the need for optimism in science fiction

Mariusz M. Leś — 2024-03-12

This article examines the role of optimism, a philosophical-psychological category, in science fiction literature discourse. Pessimism, the counterpoint to optimism,
clearly dominates the contemporary form of this genre. Conversely, optimism in science fiction increasingly demands a deliberate stance from writers and readers, challenging the predominance of pessimism. The author identifies genre characteristics that lend themselves to optimistic perspectives and offers an overview of periods in science fiction history where optimism prevailed. Additionally, the article highlights projects where science fiction intersects with social activism.

Artistic and National Identification of Bruno Schulz

Natalia Matorina — 2024-03-12

This article aims to analyze the artistic and national identification of Bruno Schulz, who, living in what is now Ukrainian Drohobych for nearly his entire life, was of Jewish origin and wrote in Polish and German, achieving considerable international renown. The research is dedicated to defining Schulz’s national and cultural identity through ontologizing, systematizing, and theoretically generalizing information from scientific studies on Schulz. It summarizes various perspectives from established and emerging scholars, researchers from different fields, and admirers of Schulz’s work, ranging from those questioning the possibility of defining Schulz’s identity to those asserting his role as a universally celebrated artist with multiple national affiliations. The article provides a brief biographical overview emphasizing aspects related to the investigation’s themes, discusses different approaches to the debated problem of Schulz’s identity, and states the author’s viewpoint. Schulz’s identity is multifaceted: Ukrainian by birth and residence, Jewish by ethnicity, Polish and partly German by linguistic expression, and a worldclass European artist by his contribution to and place within global and European culture and arts.

“To be or not to be” − transhumanist vision of the future according to Victor Pelevin (based on the literary work “Transhumanism Inc.”)

Ewa Pańkowska — 2024-03-12

Victor Pelevin has established a reputation as one of the most interesting, controversial, and mysterious contemporary Russian writers. He is recognized as one of the leading representatives of Russian postmodernism. Pelevin is also known as an attentive and critical observer of the surrounding reality. He is sometimes described as a deep thinker, a prophet, and a visionary. Pelevin’s literary work entitled Transhumanism Inc. (2021) is the subject of the analysis in this paper. The purpose of the article is to show and discuss Pelevin’s transhumanist vision of the future in which an isolated brain (removed from its host) will be able to survive indefinitely in a specialized container (‘a jar’) and human consciousness will exist within a virtual reality. However, access to this ‘jar dimension’ will be exclusive, limited only to the wealthy, leaders, and world oligarchs. However, it is the vampires, as supernatural creatures, who will be the real architects of the world order. This paper focuses on the analysis of the selected aspects of Pelevin’s literary work − mainly those which can be viewed in connection with the assumptions of the transhumanist project. Special attention is paid to the idea of cyber immortality, the concept of morphological freedom, and mind uploading.

Transhumanism in “The Witcher” universe

Paulina Siedlecka — 2024-03-12

In the 21st century, concepts of human modification and improvement increasingly
appear in scientific literature, extending beyond the realm of fantasy. Influenced by successful, advanced technological experiments, these concepts are transitioning from literary fiction to more serious philosophical discourse. This ancient quest first found literary expression in the 19th century, notably in the works of Jules Verne. Transhumanism in fantasy is primarily associated with science fiction, featuring human enhancement through advanced technology in narratives about distant futures, space travel, other planets, and the cyberpunk genre. However, the presence of transhumanist themes in fantasy literature receives less attention. In these cases, modifications are typically achieved through spells or the magical properties of potions and plants. In Poland, the most notable example is Andrzej Sapkowski’s The Witcher universe, further developed by CD Projekt Red’s video games. The most literal example is the witchers, monster slayers created through magical mutations. Wizards represent a less obvious group of enhanced characters. Similarly, Princess Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon embodies transhumanist aspirations. These examples collectively illustrate the diverse manifestations of transhumanism in fantasy literature.

The bodily representations of eating disorders in the works “Oto ciało moje” by Aleksandra Pakieła and “Milk Fed” by Melissa Broder

Anna Stryjakowska — 2024-03-12

The article presents a comparative analysis of the literary works Oto ciało moje (This is my body) by Aleksandra Pakieła and Milk Fed by Melissa Broder, focusing on the concept of somatopoetics as conceptualized by Anna Łebkowska. It interprets the somatic representations of the protagonists’ mental crises, which extend beyond typical acts of body disciplining associated with eating disorders. Highlighting the protagonists’ unsatisfied need for physical and emotional closeness to their mothers, a need sublimated through the pleasure derived from the texture and warmth of meals, the article also reflects on the relationship between compulsive eating, a result of prolonged starvation, and increased sexual desire, a theme emphasized in both works. These drives are linked to the heroines’ desires to deepen their connection with their bodies and restore somatopsychic coherence. While Pakieła’s protagonist is on the path to recovery, Broder’s protagonist disturbingly transitions from anorexia to binges, entwined with overwhelming lust. In this context, descriptions of her lover’s body, often likened to food, serve to objectify the other person.

Concepts of “new sexuality” in contemporary Russian fantasy (“No” by Linor Goralik and Sergey Kuznetsov)

Elżbieta Tyszkowska-Kasprzak — 2024-03-12

The article is devoted to the concept of „new sexuality” in Linor Goralik and Sergey Kuznetsov’s dystopian work No (Нет, 2003). Set in 2060, where the primary human activities revolve around fulfilling increasingly sophisticated sexual fantasies. This is achieved through two means: body modifications, often to resemble various animal species, and pornographic films, considered the highest form of art. These films convey not only traditional imagery but also sexual experiences scanned directly from the actors’ brains. In Goralik and Kuznetsov’s narrative, pornography serves as a metaphor for new cultural models, which strip away the remnants of human individuality and distinctiveness, thereby becoming a form of oppression. Furthermore, the new technologies associated with this trend do not contribute to human development but serve as tools for total mind control.

Bilingual Linguistic and National Identity (A Case Study of the Sociolinguistic Surveys in Ukraine)

Galyna Yarotska — 2024-03-12

The article explores the problems of the correlation of linguistic, ethnic, and national identity, and defines related terms and concepts. It also considers the issues of bilingual individuals’ linguistic and national identity. The practical analysis of the current language situation in Ukraine, defined as bilingual, is based on a sociolinguistic survey from May 2022. The theoretical conclusions of the research define ethnic identity as the awareness of an individual’s belonging to a specific group in society and, as a result, sharing values and guidelines for their worldview and communicative behaviour with this group’s representatives. According to the survey, one of the distinguishing features of how Ukrainian citizens determine their national identity is the citizenship criterion. Therefore, national and linguistic identity is a historically changing phenomenon that, under certain conditions and at different times, is determined by the awareness of belonging to a social group within the boundaries of a single state and is associated with the state language. This identity is a two-sided semiotic, discursive construction that manifests signs to distinguish “Us” from “Them”. Currently, in Ukraine, amid the war with Russia, bilingual Ukrainians almost unanimously identify themselves as Ukrainians by nationality, which indicates unity and patriotism. Nevertheless, there are no established criteria for defining ethnic, national, and linguistic identities. The significance and relevance of the situation determine the discursive construction claiming hegemony at this historical moment under these historical conditions. In this regard, national identity is believed to be a dynamic process conditioned by the discursive construction prevailing over a given period. It unites the nation when it faces challenges to cope with.

A new human, version 2.0 (based on selected works of modern Russian and Ukrainian prose)

Aleksandra Zywert — 2024-03-12

The aim of this article is to explore the future human’s place, role, and status. The analysis draws on selected works of prominent modern Russian and Ukrainian writers, including science fiction authors such as Anna Starobinets, Dmitry Glukhovsky, Vladimir Sorokin, Viktor Pelevin, Boris Akunin, and Max Kidruk. The analysis concludes that amidst rapid scientific advancement, humanity may achieve potential immortality, but paradoxically, it could lose its dominant position in the world. In the post-anthropocentric era, challenges will emerge concerning human interactions with robots, androids, avatars, cyborgs, and bots, necessitating ‘negotiations’ with these entities, now perceived as full-fledged members of society.

Overlooked polish Faust (“Ścibor” by Tomasz L. Potocki)

Tadeusz Budrewicz — 2024-03-12

The article presents a forgotten drama Ścibor: baśń dramatyczna z drugiej połowy XVI wieku [Ścibor: a dramatic tale of the second half of the 16th century] (1911) by Tomasz L. Potocki. The author of the article collected and complemented data related to Potocki’s biography as the owner of the Zyple estate, a reformer in agriculture and forestry, and a social and educational activist in Suwałki Province. The author confirmed the authorship of the poems that Potocki published in “Tygodnik Suwalski” [The Suwałki Weekly]. The interpretation of the work involves an analysis of the motif of Faust and the theme of the Arian presence in Poland. The context, which explains the idea of the drama, is the analogy of the destruction of the nation and religion in the 16th century and during the Revolution of 1905. Through the combination of the Faust motif and the theme of the Arian sect, Potocki created his drama with its national and Catholic significance.

A page from the history of Polish-Ukrainian relations in the 19th century: Włodzimierz Wysocki for Volodymyr Antonovych – words of gratitude from a Pole to a Ukrainian

Mariya Bracka — 2024-03-12

This publication presents for the first time Włodzimierz Wysocki’s poetry dedicated to Volodymyr Antonovych, along with a discussion of the poem’s creation and content. A toast by Włodzimierz Wysocki, a Polish poet-positivist and a proponent of the “Ukrainian school” of Polish Romanticism, living in Kyiv, celebrates the 25th anniversary of the scientific work of the prominent Ukrainian historian and University of Kyiv professor, Volodymyr Antonovych, and presents the author’s concerns. It attempts to uncover the roots of these suspicious relations, establish mutual understanding, and eliminate hatred. Thus, Wysocki’s work forms a significant chapter in the history of Polish-Ukrainian relations.

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

Aleksandra Lesińska — 2024-03-12

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.

A dysfunctional family in „Pan Tadeusz” by Adam Mickiewicz

Nina Woźniakowska — 2024-03-12

The subject of this article is to present a dysfunctional family on the example of Pan Tadeusz by Adam Mickiewicz. The title character of the epic grew up in a family with pronounced dysfunction on many levels. As a small boy, he was abandoned by his father, Jacek Soplica, who could not cope with his unrequited love for Ewa Horeszkówna. Due to his alcohol addiction and constant desire for revenge, he neglected both the mother of his son and Tadeusz himself. Later events in the life of the title character show what problems the young man had to struggle with in his adult existence. Visible confusion and a desire to escape responsibility for one's actions illustrate the consequences of even a short-term upbringing in a dysfunctional family.

Ukrainian Orbits of Adam Mickiewicz: Regional Aspect

Ludmiła Romaszczenko — 2024-03-12

The article explores the Ukrainian period in Adam Mickiewicz’s life, focusing on his stays in various regions such as Kyiv, Cherkasy, Kirovograd, Odesa, and Kharkiv. It analyses Ukrainian motifs in his creative work and the influence of Ukrainian (Slavic) folklore on it. Special attention is given to the Polish poet's relationships with Ukrainian writers and cultural figures, particularly P. Hulak-Artemovsky. Additionally, the author conducts a comparative analysis of the Polish romantic poet's stories, especially ballads, with the literary works of Ukrainian poets such as T. Shevchenko, L. Kostenko, and V. Symonenko.

Zombies as an expression of trauma. Dehnel and the Polish case

Dominika Gruntkowska — 2024-03-12

The article deals with the topic of the zombie figure on the example of Jacek Dehnel’s novel: Ale z naszymi umarłymi. The figure of the zombie is analyzed, its reference to the
issue of trauma, as well as the romantic paradigm. In the article, the issue of zombies
is primarily related to the necrophilic nature of Polish culture and how the culture of
persevering in death was created and initiated by Romanticism. The object of interest is also the contemporary image of Poland and the social diagnosis made by Dehnel.

Lviv unread?

Dariusz Piechota — 2024-03-12

In this review, Dariusz Piechota examines Zoriana Czajkowska’s book, Literary Topography of Lviv (2021). Czajkowska mentions at the outset that Lviv is a city that fascinates both researchers of Polish and Ukrainian literature and culture. It is a space
where the influences of many cultures intersect, which undoubtedly contributes to the city's multidimensional character. Czajkowska focuses on works written after World War II, particularly memoirs, essays, columns, and journalistic texts. Piechota concludes that Czajkowska failed to capture the multicultural character of Lviv, and her presentation seems one-sided. Nonetheless, Czajkowska's extensive knowledge of Ukrainian literature, as evidenced by her sources, is commendable.

Several views of the Polish latest literature

Agnieszka Trześniewska-Nowak — 2024-03-12

The presented article is a review of the book edited by Dariusz Kulesza Polish Prose at the Turn of the 20th and 21st Centuries. The authors of the individual chapters engage with contemporary Polish literature, while also revisiting classics like Stanisław Lem. The editor’s perspective encourages a closer examination of women’s prose in the context of male-authored literature. The range of topics covered and the monograph’s diversity make it an intriguing source of inspiration for further research into contemporary literature.

Pandemic evil experience

Adam Sawicki — 2024-03-12

The article is an attempt to address the issue of evil philosophically and also in terms of theology, which is related to the global coronavirus pandemic that humanity has experienced. It emphasizes the metaphysical nature of understanding this evil, going beyond ethical categories. Difficulties in interpreting this evil as a moral consequence of original sin were pointed out. The issue of the impact of the pandemic on religious life was also raised. Attention was paid to possible attitudes towards the mysterious nature of this type of evil (heroic secular humanizm, Christian theology of suffering).

Writing about war-online: fiction vs nonfiction

Feliks Shteinbuk — 2024-03-12

Using comparative, typological, and hermeneutical methods, the article examines
the characteristics of various genres in contemporary Ukrainian literature addressing the Russian-Ukrainian war in the information age, to determine the interaction between fictional and non-fictional genres. The analysis concludes that each of the examined books exhibits an aspiration for continuity, contrasting with the ephemeral nature of the continuous online information flow. This aspiration is realized in different ways: institutionally in A. Kokotiukha’s novel The Timer of War..., through discrete composition in books like Fierce February 2022... by D. Bura and Y. Podobna, and The Dictionary of War by O. Slyvynskyi, or through the fairy tale narrative of The Cat, the Rooster and the Cupboard by O. Mykhed. Additionally, both fiction and non-fiction genres effectively utilize their respective strengths and draw from the same source, namely the topos of pain. Writing about war not only truthfully informs about real events but also empowers the fight against existential adversaries, ultimately affirming life, as V. Frankl suggests.

From the history of the genre of literary anti-utopia. On (un)obvious affinities Yevgeny Zamiatin’s “We” and Thea von Harbou’s “Metropolis”

Patryk Witczak — 2024-03-12

The main aim of the article was to demonstrate the similarities between Yevgeny Zamyatin’s novel We and Thea von Harbou’s Metropolis. The analysis reveals that these similarities are primarily evident in the depiction of space, plot, and character development. Regarding plot structure, female characters assume leading roles in both narratives. The antinomic pairs of women created by Zamyatin and Harbou surprisingly bring the two analyzed novels closer together. O-90 and Maria represent the archetype of the ideal mother ready for great sacrifices, embodying the power of creation. Conversely, I-330 and the false Maria are femme fatales, embodying the power of destruction. They become catalysts for social tensions. In their portrayal of these heroines, Zamyatin and Harbou draw upon Christian and mythological symbolism, creating distinctive images of the Virgin Mary and Lilith. Crucially, within these strongly masculinized worlds, women are the ones who actively initiate changes in their respective realities.

A retro crime story as an attempt at reconstructing the past through a literary heroine

Anna Lauks — 2024-03-12

The article focuses on the literary character as a carrier of information about an era in the genre of retro crime novels. The basis for the discussion is a series of works by Maryla Szymiczkowa titled Investigations of Professor Szczupaczyńska. The article reflects on the way history is reconstructed in crime literature and the significance of the gender of the main character in crime novels for the reader. It is demonstrated that the retro crime novel is a syncretic genre, and the complexity of the construction of the main character of the series is proved, reflecting the reality of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries and referring to contemporary times.