Abstrakt: |
A sketch devoted to the prose works of Piotr Szewc - a poet, essayist, literary critic, author of three novels: Zagłada (Annihilation) (1987), Zmierzchy i poranki (Twighlights and Dawns) (2000) and Bociany nad powiatem (Storks over the County) (2005). The writer is particularly renowned for his debut novel Annihilation, which received a wide coverage in Polish and foreign press, and was translated into numerous foreign languages. The other two prose works were not so well received, although they are undoubtedly outstanding and in some respects constitute a continuation of Annihilation. The recurrent themes in Szewc's novels are the images of Zamość and Zamość Region, themes related to the coexistence of the Polish and Jewish communities and descriptions of the everyday life of a provincial town. Piotr Szewc both is and is not a realist writer. In his prose works, he seems to be guided by the conviction that a book, in order to remain realistic, must be saturated with unrealistic, even oneiric elements. It also needs to have a unique character and avoid "social involvement," which often leads us astray. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |