Okolice nie tylko geograficzne : o twórczości Andrzeja Kuśniewicza

Abstract

The attempt was made to read the literary output (both the epic and poetic one) of one of the most “controversial” 20lh century writers. A large scope, variety and popularity of his writing (reflected in many critical and theoretical and literary reviews) make it impossible to skip his works in a historical and literary reflection of the recent century. The interpretations presented derive from the assumption that the artistic shape of texts written by Kuśniewicz is connected with anthropological intuitions, aesthetic choices are motivated by the issues raised here, linguistic experiments, stylistic and composing means contribute to the vision of man and culture shown in these works. In the first part of the work, the most popular ways of reading Kusniewicz’s writing, connected with its Galician and autobiographic nature, were revisited. Starting with the analysis of the role of geographical and historical realities, as well as relationships between literary texts and the author’s biography, the author pays a special attention to their symbolic, and, first of all, anthropological dimension (exposing a poetical reflection on the issue of an individual in the light of history in Słowa o nienawiści, emphasizing the importance of a dialogue and community in Strefy, and showing a meeting with “the other” - other tradition and culture in Nawrócenie). Such a perspective on “Galician” works by Kuśniewicz makes it possible to discern not only the Utopian images of a multicultural and multinational community, the change of the Arcadia of childhood into the hell of history, the real space into the mythic land, but also an outline of a literary conception of man. Broadly-understood connections with space, time and “the other”, become important from the perspective of identity processes, the elements of the Galician conception take on a universal dimension - are a way of thinking about man. Complementary to this part of work are interpretations of Puzzle pamięci (a very long conversation with the writer) and a collection of drafts entitled Moja historia literatury. The author pays a special attention to the motive of a meeting which is connected not only with interpersonal relations, but also stands for intertextual ones in Kusniewicz’s writing (a meeting with oneself from the past, with “others” - people and texts, the idea of the reading-meeting). The second part of the work constitutes the analysis of the most important novels written by Kuśniewicz, i.e. Król Obojga Sycylii, Lekcja martwego języka, Eroika, Trzecie królestwo. Witraż, Mieszaniny obyczajowe, W drodze do Koryntu and Stan nieważkości. In these interpretations, among other things, the motive of an escape was exposed. The characters of Kusniewicz’s works run away from their own “I” into the world of culture, memories, Faust-like dreams or fascination with death; they are “outsiders” in the “heroic times”, conformists forgetting about their own ideals and beliefs, or misunderstood individuals fighting for their own hermetic world. The key issue seems to cover a separation of an individual and the lack of dialogue with “others”. The closing part presents the readings of two texts which constitute a summary of Kusniewicz’s artistic output. The poem Jubileusz, and fragments of an unfinished novel entitled Lekcja anatomii prove that his writing does not only involve a joint reflection on the issue of man and world, but rather exposes dark places, shows controversial attitudes and choices, as well as issues considered to be shameful. The reality in his works is “unreal” - impenetrable, whereas man is always unfulfilled. The unclear and impossible to understand predominate here. Also, the feeling of failure and smallness often appears. Kusniewicz’s writing points to the margins of existential experiences, ambiguous and controversial attitudes and choices, shameful issues withdrawn from the collective and individual awareness. By means of the creations of outranging characters, and a repulsive image of reality, the writer searches for the truth about man and the world, offers the reader a certain type of “shock therapy”, provokes him/her to oppose, but also to reflect upon it and think about it.