Heirs of Lord Steward – the thing about genesis of Sir Thaddeus and Sir Judge Deluty. A contribution to the case study

Abstract

Both texts were written nearly at the same time. Czartoryski read the Mickiewicz’s epic after he had written his Sir Judge Deluty [Pan Sędzia Deluty]. There is rather no chance that Mickiewicz knew the Prince’s novel. In such circumstances we cannot assume mutual influences that affected the two writings. The only presumption that may be taken into consideration is that the issuing of Sir Thaddeus [Pan Tadeusz] could have been a reason for Czartoryski to abandon works on his own novel. Nevertheless, the most significant is the fact that the two texts were created in the same time and, furthermore, they are similar in many areas. Therefore, we may ask questions what had caused such a convergence. Was it only a coincidence or did the writers have the same inspiration? Such a common source could have been Lord Steward [Pan Podstoli] by Ignacy Krasicki. There are a lot of analogies between the three mentioned texts on almost all layers of the writings: in the construction of the main characters’ personalities as well as in the group of side figures. Many pictures of life in Soplicowo and Celejowo or plenty of scenes recorded in the books reveal quite clear relevance to the prose by Krasicki. All the matters of Lord Steward concerning ethics, religion, nation or society may be found in later books by Czartoryski and Mickiewicz – they are shown in a very similar manner. The problem needs more thorough analysis which will possibly allow placing the forgotten Czartoryski’s novel within the history of Polish literature and, maybe, finally bring a new view of Sir Thaddeus.