Poezja i poznanie. O poemacie "Eliasz" Bolesława Leśmiana

Abstract

The author attempts to demonstrate that the poem "Eliasz" by Bolesław Leśmian has cognitive character. She devotes a lot of attention to the connections between Leśmian poetry and realistic symbolism. Part of the article concerns the poet’s description of the netherworld. Furthermore, it inquires whether the poem accomplishes the ultimate pursuit of poetry – remaining open to one true reality, free of individualism and intellectual constraints. Eventually, the interpretation demonstrates how, through a detached protagonist – "Eliasz", Leśmian begins to doubt the power of poetry to bring one back to primeval cognitive context, to such state of mind where reality is experienced directly through intuition and imagination.