„Akt strzelisty głębokiego oddechu”. Mistyka Herberta pomiędzy poezją a milczeniem

Abstract

The article begins with the theory of the signifying silence proposed by Polish philosopher Izydora Dąmbska (1904–1988), through interpretation of the defined silence regarding God by Henryk Elzenberg (1887–1967), to arrive at a close reading of selected works by his apprentice, Zbigniew Herbert (1924–1998): “Zobacz” [See] and “Homilia” [Homily]. These texts have been interpreted in the context of the previously, and perhaps deliberately, untouched issues relating to the Indefinite, and they have been further confronted with an understanding of Christian apophatic theology. This approach seems justified as its creator is considered to be Dionysius the Areopagite (from the late 5th to early 6th century), who was one of the greatest authorities on the subject of the Supreme for Elzenberg and a source of angelological inspiration for Herbert. The main aim of the paper is to show all these converging perspectives on the subject that escapes verbalisation.