Jan Andrzej Morsztyn, a court and salon poet
you will interpret two poems of Jan Andrzej Morsztyn: Cuda miłości and Niestatek
you will recognise, indicate and define rhetorical terms used in a poem
you will explain what the baroque conceptconcept is
In 17th century, royal and magnate courts served as important cultural centres. An elite culture inspired by foreign styles was developing in those circles. Jan Andrzej Morsztyn was a typical poet attached to the royal court. He was known for quoting words of Giambattista Marino: “To arouse wonder, surprise – that’s the aim of the poet.”
Do you remember rhetorical terms? Match the definition with each term.
Synchronicity, repeatability, analogy between elements creating an entity., A brilliantly formulated statement that contains a contradiction to a generally accepted view., A rhetorical term which has an ostensible self-contradictory meaning., A rhetorical device which consists in repeating a word or a sequence of words at the beginning of neighbouring phrases, their parts or verses., A rhetorical device which consists in contrasting two concepts or judgments in order to emphasize the impression., A rethorical device used to exaggerate characteristics of a person, object or phenomena.
| oxymoron | |
| paradox | |
| anaphora | |
| hyperbole | |
| parallelism | |
| antithesis |
Before you start the analysis of the poem, check if you recognise the poetic means. Flip the card and check the answer.
|
Kochać i tracić, pragnąć i żałować Padać boleśnie i znów się podnosić [L. Staff, Kochać i tracić...] |
antithesis |
|
O, dzwony, dzwony, dzwonów huk! Każdy powietrza nikły atom Zmienił się w wściekły, głośny dzwon [L. Staff, Dzwony] |
hyperbole |
| Czekam na ciebie całą wieczność! | hyperbole |
| Mroczne światło | oxymoron |
| Słodka gorycz | oxymoron |
| Mowa służy do ukrywania myśli | paradox |
|
Trzeba mieć dużo cierpliwości, by się jej nauczyć [S.J. Lec] |
paradox |
|
Wieczór jest taki spóźniony, Wicher jest taki zmęczony, Usiadł na progu i płacze: - „Ach, to życie moje sobacze!” Ciemność jest taka bezdenna, Pora jest taka jesienna, Deszcz dzwoni na jedną nutę... - „Ach, skrzypki moje zepsute!... [K. Iłłakowiczówna Wieczór] |
parallelism |
|
Myślałem zawsze, że lepiej jest nie żyć, niż żyć w hańbie. Myślałem zawsze, że wszystkich ludzi należy nakarmić, napoić o odziać. [S. Żeromski Róża] |
anaphora |
|
To ja, Kasandra. A to jest moje miasto pod popiołem. A to jest moja laska i wstążki prorockie A to jest moja głowa pełna wątpliwości. [W. Szymborska, Monolog dla Kasandry] |
anaphora |
Conceptismo
One can say that the poems of J. A. Morsztyn were like little masterpieces. His work was astonishing and fascinating due to its form and concept. The author knew how to play with words. He created surprising punch lines and associated different words in an extraordinary way.
The main trend in the European baroque literature was to make use of an extraordinary and sophisticated idea (with regard to the content and form). Surprising connotations in tasteful forms, artistic agility of the author and originality of ideas were supposed to amaze the reader. Authors were using various means of artistic expression to achieve their aim, e.g. antitheses, oxymorons, paradoxesparadoxes, etc.
One of the most prominent artist of the conceptismo was Giambattista Marino.
Giambattista Marino
1569–1625
He was an Italian poet most famous for his mythological and hedonistic poem L’Adone (1623) on the love of two mythical characters–Venus and Adonis–accompanied by a variety of digressions. The form of the piece, its elegant language and perfection of versification were impressive. Almost the whole Europe was imitating his artwork. The phenomenon consisting in translating, paraphrasing and taking inspiration from Marino was called MarinismMarinism.
Jan Andrzej Morsztyn
1620–1693
After his studies, he became attached to the court of magnate Lubomirski and then to the royal court as a courtier. Thanks to the patronage of the queen Marie Louise he gained fame as a politician; he was a diplomat and held important public positions. When John III Sobieski ascended to the throne, Morsztyn endeared the new king to himself. Nevertheless, a change in the Polish politics (from the pro‑French to the pro‑Austrian one) gave rise to a conflict between the king and the poet. Morsztyn was accused of high treason and embezzlements. He escaped to France in 1683, where he stayed until his death.
The work of Jan Andrzej Morsztyn is a typical example of the contemporary court art movement, which means that his environment was a court (magnate, royal court, etc.) and his work had an elite character. Collection of poems Lutnia and Kanikuła albo psia gwiazda deserve to be recognised. Both appeared in print in the late 19th century.
Read the following poem then proceed to exercises.
Cuda miłości. SonetKarmię frasunkiem miłość i myśleniem,
Myśl zaś pamięcią i pożądliwością,
Żądzę nadzieją karmię i gładkością,
Nadzieję bajką i próżnym błądzeniem.
Napawam serce pychą z omamieniem,
Pychę zmyślonym weselem z śmiałością,
Śmiałość szaleństwem pasę z wyniosłością,
Szaleństwo gniewem i złym zajątrzeniem.
Karmię frasunek płaczem i wzdychaniem,
Wzdychanie ogniem, ogień wiatrem prawie,
Wiatr zasię cieniem, a cień oszukaniem.
Kto kiedy słyszał o takowej sprawie,
Że i z tym o głód cudzy się staraniem
Sam przy tej wszytkiej głód ponoszę strawie.Source: Jan Andrzej Morsztyn, [w:] tegoż, Cuda miłości. Sonet.
This love poem was written by G. Marino and translated into Polish by J. A. Morsztyn.
Find in the poem above the following concepts. Match the correct Polish meanings.
omamienie, oszustwo, uraza, zajątrzenie, pożądliwość, błądzenie, wzdychanie, gładkość, złudny, śmiałość, wesele, radość, szaleństwo, pycha, frasunek, bajka, wyniosłość
| sighing | |
| fable | |
| smoothness | |
| deception | |
| imaginary | |
| boldness | |
| joy | |
| delusion | |
| erring | |
| lust | |
| madness | |
| haughtiness | |
| worry | |
| pride | |
| resentment |
Use the available elements to build a diagram by which you can explain the concept of J.A. Morsztyn's poem.
Determine what the poem is about.
Explain why the person who speaks in the poem feels hunger?
Reflect on the representation of love presented in the Morsztyn’s sonnet. Is it happiness or suffering? Why?
Indicate examples of paradoxes in the poem.
What are the “miracles” from the title? Is it a positive term? Explain it.
Reformulate what the speaking person said and try to express these experiences in your own words.
Read the following poem then proceed to exercises.
Niestatek [Prędzej kto wiatr...]Prędzej kto wiatr w wór zamknie, prędzej i promieni
Słonecznych drobne kąski wżenie do kieszeni,
Prędzej morze burzliwe groźbą uspokoi,
Prędzej zamknie w garść świat ten, tak wielki, jak stoi,
Prędzej pięścią bez swojej obrazy ogniowi
Dobije, prędzej w sieci obłoki połowi,
Prędzej płacząc nad Etną łzami ją zaleje,
Prędzej niemy zaśpiewa, i ten, co szaleje,
Co mądrego przemówi: prędzej stała będzie
Fortuna, i śmierć z śmiechem w jednym domu siędzie,
Prędzej prawdę poeta powie i sen płonny,
Prędzej i aniołowi płacz nie będzie plonny,
Prędzej słońce na nocleg skryje się w jaskini,
W więzieniu będzie pokój, ludzie na pustyni,
Prędzej nam zginie rozum i ustaną słowa,
Niźli będzie stateczną która białogłowa.Source: Jan Andrzej Morsztyn, Niestatek [Prędzej kto wiatr...], [w:] tegoż, Wybór poezji, oprac. Wiktor Weintraub, Wrocław 1988.
Find the concept in the poem. What is it about?
- the enumeration of the attributes of the beauty of a woman, which change into their opposite
- the contrast between the beauty of life and the suffering resulting from love
- comparison of love to death
Determine the main poetic device used in the poem Niestatek. Explain why the author’s used.
Find and write down examples of antitheses from the text.
Determine what the poem is about.
Compose a piece, not necessarily a poem, that would argue with the Morsztyn’s poem Niestatek. Try to prove that a woman can be a staid person. Use information from different sources regarding women holding important public offices.
Keywords
concept, Baroque, Morsztyn, Marinism, contrastcontrast, paradox, antithesisantithesis
Glossary
koncept
marinizm
kontrast
paradoks
antyteza
hiperbola
anafora
niestatek
frasunek
gładkość
prowiant