Juliusz Słowacki, Gérard de Nerval i ich orientalne podróże, czyli co romantycy widzieli na Wschodzie? . .

Abstract

The article focuses on the Oriental journeys of two Romantic poets, Juliusz Słowacki and Gérard de Nerval. The first one set off on his trip in 1836, visited Greece, Egypt, Jerusalem and Lebanon and came back to Europe after 11 months, in July 1837. The French writer left Paris at the end of 1842 and came back in January 1844, having visited, among others, Egypt, Lebanon and Istanbul. Eight years later he published the description of his journey "Le Voyage en Orient" ["The Journey to the Orient"]; no similar book, even though planned, was written by Juliusz Słowacki. The travel experience of the Polish poet was reflected only in a couple of poems, letters and drawings. Despite different historical context, itineraries, reasons for departure and their literary consequences, the approach to the Middle East is similar in the case of the two poets. Following the fashion of their times, both were looking forward to visiting the Orient. Even though the reality was not so brilliant as their dreams, they looked at the Oriental world with curiosity, trying to wear Oriental cloths, learning Arabic, but also profiting from tourist attractions, such as pyramid climbing. Both had also a particular fantasy of buying an Oriental female slave.