‘I admire ardently her talent...’. Eliza Orzeszkowa reads Konopnicka (from the research on the writer’s epistolography)

Abstract

Eliza Pawłowska’s and Maria Wasiłowska’s school relationship would have been an insignificant in their biographies if she (the author of Marta) had not become a writer and had not discovered Konopnicka as a poet (1878/1879). Orzeszkowa supported Konopnicka at the beginnings of her artistic career, defended from attacks of the conservative-catholic press. Orzeszkowa also published ‘dramatic fragments’ Z przeszłości (1881), read with special liking Konopnicka’s collections of poems, she even memorized them, included in letters, quoted and paraphrased. In February 1909, she prepared in Grodno a soirée devoted to Konopnicka’s artistic work. For almost forty years Orzeszkowa was conducting a dialogue with Konopnicka’s lyric poetry which was hidden in her letters. However, both of the writers, in spite of Nad Niemnem author’s attempts, remained intellectually indifferent and it did not bring them emotionally closer together: Orzeszkowa’s life was limited to the daily occurrence in Grodno, Konopnicka’s existence was filled by journeys around Europe and the relationship with Maria Dulębianka. They assured each other of mutual friendship and love, but they lived their own life. This fascinating dialogue was commemorated in both writers’ correspondence.