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The Undivine Comedy (Template:Lang-pl) is a prose drama composed in 1833 and published anonymously in 1835 by a Polish romantic poet Zygmunt Krasiński. It is his most famous work.

The main theme of the work is social and political conflict, or in Krasiński's words the struggle between "aristocracy and democracy".

History

Krasiński begun working on the drama in June 1833 in Vienna, and finished it in the fall next year in Venice. It was published anonymously in 1835 in Paris. The reason for the anonymity was likely Krasiński's intent to protect his family from possible repercussions in the Russian Empire of which they were subjects of, as his works were often outspoken and contained thinly veiled references to current politics.

The initial title of the work was Mąż (The Husband) and it was intended as the first part of a trilogy.

Plot

The plot of the drama takes place in the future, but Krasiński used recent contemporary events, such as the French Revolution, and the ensuing power struggle between the Jacobins and other factions as inspiration.

Analysis

The work has been influenced by Krasiński's thoughts about the Polish November Uprising and the contemporary French July Revolution of 1830.

The final title of the drama was inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy and has a double meaning: it depicts history as a work of humanity, or as a comedy taking place in absence of divine intervention, but contrary to God's will.

Krasiński's work effectively discussed the concept of class struggle before Karl Marx coined the term. It has been described as the "first literary expression of class war". Its themes are the topics of social revolution and the destruction of the noble class, coupled with his study of the changes wrought by the emerging capitalism to the Western Europe. It is critical both of the weak and cowardly aristocracy, whose destruction it prophesized, but also of the revolution, which he portrayed as a destructive force. The work is also tackling the topics of the identity of a poet, the nature of poetry, and myths of romantic ideals such as perfect love, fame and happiness.

The work is also critical of a romantic approach to understanding reality.

Reception

Already in the 19th century, Mickiewicz discussed the work in his courses at the Collège de France, calling it the "highest achievement of the Slavic theater". A century later, Polish writer and Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Czesław Miłosz called this work "truly pioneering" and "undoubtedly a masterpiece not only of Polish but also of world literature", and notes that it is uprising such an brilliant work was created by an author who was barely out of his teens.

References

1. ^ Czeslaw Milosz (24 October 1983). The History of Polish Literature, Updated Edition. University of California Press. p. 244. ISBN 978-0-520-04477-7.
2. ^ Sudolski, Zbigniew (2016). "Zygmunt Krasiński". Internetowy Polski Słownik Biograficzny (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2019-08-12.
3. ^ "Zygmunt Krasiński | Polish poet and dramatist". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2020-05-26.
4. ^ Milosz, Czeslaw (1983-10-24). The History of Polish Literature, Updated Edition. University of California Press. pp. 243–247. ISBN 978-0-520-04477-7.
5. Sudolski, Zbigniew (2016). "Zygmunt Krasiński". Internetowy Polski Słownik Biograficzny (in Polish). Archived from the original on 2019-08-12.
6. ^ Czeslaw Milosz (24 October 1983). The History of Polish Literature, Updated Edition. University of California Press. p. 246. ISBN 978-0-520-04477-7.
7. Czeslaw Milosz (24 October 1983). The History of Polish Literature, Updated Edition. University of California Press. p. 245. ISBN 978-0-520-04477-7.

• Romantic art
• 1835 plays
• Polish plays