(in Polish) Od Tokarczuk do Sapkowskiego. Panorama najnowszej literatury polskiej

general courses

Course intended mainly for foreigners who know Polish well enough to be able to read short, several-page-long fragments of contemporary Polish literary works in prose. Knowledge about Polish literature is not required.

Classroom

Seminar in Polish on contemporary Polish prose. Classes consist in analyzing and interpreting short fragments of the chosen Polish novels and short stories published after the political transformation of 1989, which reflect important and characteristic phenomena and trends in Polish literature and culture of the recent decades, as well as enable readers to better understand the contemporary Polish society.

During the seminar, short fragments of contemporary Polish novels and short stories will be analyzed and interpreted in detail. The chosen readings illustrate in a representative way the most important tendencies, motives and genres in Polish prose after the political transformation of 1989.

In class, the following topics will be discussed: literature of little fatherlands, postmodernist novel, feminist novel, LGBT novel, rural prose, history, Holocaust, political transformation of 1989, emigration, travel, autobiography, reportage (literary journalism), crime novel, fantasy fiction.

Short (several-page-long) fragments of the following literary works (novels and short stories):

– Bator J., Piaskowa Góra, Warszawa 2009.

– Chutnik S., Kieszonkowy atlas kobiet, Kraków 2008.

– Dehnel J., Lala, Warszawa 2006.

– Dukaj J., Katedra, Warszawa 2000.

– Gretkowska M., My zdies emigranty, Kraków 1990.

– Grynberg M., Rejwach, Warszawa 2017.

– Grzegorzewska W., Guguły, Wołowiec 2014.

– Huelle P., Weiser Dawidek, Londyn–Warszawa 1992.

– Iwasiów I., W powietrzu, Warszawa 2014.

– Kapuściński R., Heban, Warszawa 1998.

– Krajewski M., Śmierć w Breslau, Wrocław 1999.

– Masłowska D., Wojna polsko-ruska pod flagą biało-czerwoną, Warszawa 2002.

– Miłoszewski Z., Ziarno prawdy, Warszawa 2011.

– Myśliwski W., Traktat o łuskaniu fasoli, Kraków 2006.

– Pilch J., Pod Mocnym Aniołem, Kraków 2000.

– Rudzka Z., Ten się śmieje, kto ma zęby, Warszawa 2022.

– Sapkowski A., Ostatnie życzenie, Warszawa 1993.

– Springer F., Miedzianka. Historia znikania, Wołowiec 2011.

– Stasiuk A., Jadąc do Babadag, Wołowiec 2004.

– Tokarczuk O., Dom dzienny, dom nocny, Wałbrzych 1998; Bieguni, Kraków 2007; Prowadź swój pług przez kości umarłych, Kraków 2009.

– Tulli M., Sny i kamienie, Warszawa 1995.

– Tuszyńska A., Rodzinna historia leku, Kraków 2005.

– Winnicka E., Angole, Wołowiec 2014.

– Witkowski M., Lubiewo, Kraków 2005.

After attending the course, students:

I. know:

– the most important contemporary Polish writers and their most representative literary works,

– crucial trends, themes and genres present in contemporary Polish literature;

II. are able to:

– analyze and interpret a fragment of a contemporary Polish work of prose,

– recognize in literary works references and allusions to Polish history and contemporary social problems;

III. understand:

– different literary conventions and styles,

– the importance of literature in contemporary Polish culture.

– regular attendance, preparation for classes and active participation in classes (maximum two absences per semester allowed) – 40%,

– final paper (interpretation of a fragment of a chosen contemporary literary work, 6-8 pages) – 40%,

– short final test (multiple choice test) – 20%.

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