The idea of new beginning in the Slovak vision of history from the mid-19th century Cover Image

Idea nowego początku w słowackich wizjach dziejów z połowy XIX wieku
The idea of new beginning in the Slovak vision of history from the mid-19th century

Author(s): Anna Kobylińska
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, Slovak Literature
Published by: Instytut Slawistyki Polskiej Akademii Nauk
Keywords: idea of new beginning; historiosophy; Slovak literature of 19th century; Janko Kráľ; Viliam Pauliny-Tóth; Jonáš Záborský

Summary/Abstract: The point of this paper is to show that the idea of new beginning was clearly present in mid-19th century Slovak literature. This idea became the means of conveying revisions of Slovak history. It was also a sign of a deep cultural change, resulting from factors including secularisation and the influence of nationalist ideology. The direction of change can be observed in selected works by Janko Kráľ, Viliam Pauliny-Tóth, and Jonáš Záborský. These writers challenge the optimistic view of the world by seeing in it a fundamental mistake that needs to be corrected. They propose correcting the myth of origin (Christian, national), but on the basis of a hermetic paradigm (magic and/or gnosis). Thus they create a false dimension of transcendence that becomes the foundation of the “new era”.

  • Issue Year: 2014
  • Issue No: 14
  • Page Range: 232-244
  • Page Count: 13
  • Language: Polish