Józef Dunin Borkowski and his «Slavonic Songs» Through a Prism of Hellenistic-Slavonic Problems

Abstract

The article deals with Slavophile tendencies of development of Polish poetry of XIX century on an example of «Slavonic songs» J. Dunin Borkowski. The writer belonged to the literary romantic group «Ziewonia», programmatic principles of that became Z. D. Chodakowski and K. Brodziński. They demonstrated unity of literature with Slavonic folklore and traditions. Brodziński declared neohellenism at the same time fitting in this paradigm the culture of Slavs as to integrity. Especially distinctly Hellenistic-Slavic reasons are presented in «Slavonic songs» J. Dunin Borkowski. They determine the cultural code of the Slavonic association of XIX century influenced on development of world view conceptions, poetry and artistic art. Going out the well-proven thesis about absence of direct relationship between Greeks and Slavs, the poet searched other alternative way of origin of mental or cultural dependence between these national prototypes. Primary cause of these connections the poet saw in propensity to music and melodiousness of language that arose out closeness with nature and against the violence. Dunin Borkowski entered the world of the «Slavonic songs» and identified them with the Hellenistic singing. However the cast aside a thesis about meekness of the Slavonic culture and proved that due to the courage of Slavs they succeeded to survive in historical cataclysms. Having regard to civilization experience feudal lords, come to the conclusion that the conception of close Hellenistic-Slavic connections declared in works of Dunin Borkowski doesn’t have under itself objective subsoil but arises exceptionally out of Slavophilism of poet admirations.