Zatopiony w umieraniu. O "Topielcu" Leśmiana raz jeszcze

Abstract

The essay presents an interpretation of Bolesław Leśmian’s poem entitled Topielec (The Drowned), which has already been the subject of interest of many different scholars. The author of the essay draws attention to the difference in editing which appeared in the second edition of the volume Łąka (The Meadow) from 1937. The first edition of the book from 1920 contains the word “bezświat” (unworld) in the phrase “bezświat zarośli” (unworld of thicket) and this version was commonly adopted in the subsequent editions and analyses of Leśmian’s poetry. The author of the essay argues that is is rather the version of the second edition, namely “bezświt” (non-dusk) in “bezświt zarośli” (non-dusk of thicket), that is in accord with the poetics of Leśmian’s verse and the idea of the work. In the interpretation in accordance with the 1937 edition Topielec is a poem about drowning in death and gradual losing of the soul.