“A Cruel Termination of a Declining Epoch.” A Forgotten Lyric Cycle Intermezzo by Mieczysław Jastrun

Abstract

The article presents a forgotten lyric cycle Intermezzo by Mieczysław Jastrun, written from 1937 to 1939, published solely in 1947 in his Chosen Lyrics and disregarded by critics. In the paper, the structure of the writing was described, consisting of two unnamed parts: the lyrical and dramaturgical one (separated by a mystical, groundbreaking poem Nad Morzem (On the Seaside), which shows the transformation of Jastrun’s poetical consciousness and the departure from the former lyricism towards a historical and superindividual reflection. The structure of the cycle and its leading motive was — inter alia — underscored by the musical shaping of the whole. These hidden elements were unveiled in the analysis and interpretation of the poem. The actuality of the objectives of the article is meant to appear from the premises which elucidate the groundbreaking position of the cycle Intermezzo in the literary output of Mieczysław Jastrun. First of all, it separates Jastrun’s inter-war poetry from that written after 1941. Secondly, it shows the transition from the idealistic worldview of the author to a realistic one.