Instytut Badań Literackich Polskiej Akademii Nauk

In this coming spring, researchers of the Institute - established scholars, authors, and literary experts will delve into thought-provoking works by some of the most influential and internationally recognized Polish writers.

Please check out the series' upcoming events, save the date, and join us live on Zoom for informative lectures which provide you with insights into important messages conveyed by the authors!

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2021, AT 2:00 PM

Does Henryk Sienkiewicz, a man from the age of steam, have his place in the digital age culture? Is this writer, Nobel prize winner, whose novels were once absolute bestsellers still interesting for scholars and the audience at the beginning of the 21st century? Or could he potentially be?

The lecture will try to answer these questions, showing some digital scholarly stories told about Henryk Sienkiewicz's life, work, and reception (for example, his journeys to America and Africa or monuments for Sienkiewicz erected over the years). It will also analyze traces of Sienkiewicz's presence in contemporary culture - including novels, films, and video games.

---

Bartłomiej Szleszyński - professor at the Institute of Literary Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, head of the New Panorama of Polish Literature team, responsible for creating and operating NPLP.PL, a platform publishing digital scholarly collections, and TEI.NPLP.PL, a platform for scholarly digital editions, deputy director of the Digital Humanities Centre.

His main research interests are literature of the second half of the nineteenth century, colonial discourse in nineteenth-century Polish culture, literary Sarmatism, digital humanities and scholarly digital editions. Published Przymierzanie kontusza. Henryk Rzewuski i Henryk Sienkiewicz – najwybitniejsi twórcy XIX-wiecznego nurtu sarmackiego [Trying on the Kontush: Henryk Rzewuski and Henryk Sienkiewicz, the most notable representatives of the nineteenth-century Sarmatian trend]; Non omnis moriar? Bolesław Prus, wiek XIX i opowieści współczesne, [Non omnis moriar? Bolesław Prus, the nineteenth century and contemporary novels]. Co-edited: Przerabianie XIX wieku [Rethinking the nineteenth century]; Realiści, realizm, realność [Realists, realism, reality], Sienkiewicz ponowoczesny [Postmodern Sienkiewicz].