Dłonie memfijskiego Ptaha. Hermetyczna Ozimina Wacława Berenta

Abstract

The author attempts to identify the most significant threads of cultural reception of the heritage of ancient Egypt, which form the background of artistic imagery in Wacław Berent’s novel Ozimina. The myth of the sacrifice of Osiris and the monistic tradition derived from the teachings of Hermes Trismegistos seem to resonate with essential ideas of the late 19th century: they take up the question of ‘transcending man’ and his materiality, link the dialectic of history with the cosmic plan, but above all allow the theme of science exploring nature about the spiritual world of man. In Berent’s novel, Egyptian themes are one of the key codes for understanding the historiosophical and anthropological meanings of the novel.