Przypadek Stanisława Barańczaka

Abstract

The article discusses ways of presenting Stanisław Barańczak in literary theory and historical studies but also in biography entries published, for instance, in encyclopaedias, reference books and anthologies. The author of the essay draws upon her own expertise in Polish philology and history as well as the lessons learned while working on the poet's profile for the Encyclopaedia of 'Solidarity' [Encyklopedia "Solidarności"]. In the essay, the issue of two separate places the author of Ethics and Poetics [Etyka i poetyka] has in Polish history and in the history of Polish literature is the focal point of her reflection, as well as the question why that is so. She postulates that the image of the poet and that of the dissident be combined in one biography. Moreover, she indicates that there are two meanings of a career in Stanisław Barańczak's case, and discusses research prospects related to the writing of his biography. The complexity of the poet's biography seems to offer an opportunity to view his work among other things, from a more innovative perspective. Writing the article, the author relied on studies on literary theory and modern history as well as sources from a number of archives.