Swój czy obcy? Granice wspólnoty w “Powieściach kozackich” Michała Czajkowskiego

Abstract

Already in his literary debut (Cossack Novels published in 1837), Michał Czajkowski presented his political views corresponding with the artistic activity of “The Ukrainian School of Polish Romanticism”. In his work, the writer not only wanted to present the colourful world of Zaporoże, but also to make the readers acquainted with the fraternal relations between Polish and Ukrainian nations. The vision he provided, however, required certain idealisation. Despite much effort, Czajkowski did not manage to evade establishing the „Us-Strangers” opposition, which sometimes emerges in unexpected configurations, yet, it is always suffused with stereotypes connected with the representation of The Other.