Instytut Badań Literackich Polskiej Akademii Nauk

(First accounts on the journeys of Poles to the Holy Land: an introduction to the research in the context of geopoetics)

Year of publication: 2014
Page range: 13 (21-33)
Keywords: geopoetics, peregrination, pilgrimage, Holy Land
Author: Katarzyna Ossowska (The University of Łódź)

Abstract

The article presents the 15th and 16th century accounts on the journeys of Poles to the Holy Land, including Chorografia abo topografia, to jest osobliwe a okólne opisanie Ziemie Świętej by Anzelm Polak (15/16th century), Terminatio ex itinerario Magnifici Domini Ioannis Comitis in Tarnów… by Jan Tarnowski (1488–1566), Peregrynacja do Ziemi Świętej by Jan Goryński (16thcentury) and Podróż do Ziemi Świętej, Syrii i Egiptu by Mikołaj Krzysztof Radziwiłł (“Sierotka") (1549–1616). The article mentions as well a little known work Peregrinatio ad Terram Sanctam by Johannes Poloner (15th century). Till now, the articles have been discussed separately, in literary or religious contexts. However, due to an increasing interest in the geopoetics, it is beneficial to look at all accounts on journeys to the Holy Land collectively and through them get to know about the lands along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, connecting Syria and Egypt. The aim of this article is to present the arguments confirming the legitimacy of the use of geopoetics in the analysis of old texts. Moreover, the article points out to the issues discussed further in the thesis, e.g. the development of “description" in Polish literary tradition being one oftwo basic narrative elements.

Article file >> pdf