Witold Gombrowicz’s Invisible “Operetka” (“Operetta”). From Hegemonic Masculinity to Atopic Masculinity Cover Image

Niewidzialna „Operetka” Witolda Gombrowicza. Od męskości hegemonicznej ku męskości atopicznej
Witold Gombrowicz’s Invisible “Operetka” (“Operetta”). From Hegemonic Masculinity to Atopic Masculinity

Author(s): Filip Mazurkiewicz
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Studies of Literature, Polish Literature
Published by: Instytut Badań Literackich Polskiej Akademii Nauk
Keywords: Witold Gombrowicz;"Operetta";Albertine;Marcel Proust;"In Search of Lost Time";reevaluation of 19th century modernity;hegemonic masculinity drama;"atopic" masculinity

Summary/Abstract: The article about Witold Gombrowicz’s last drama was composed as an expression of discontent about the former readings of the play (by Jan Błoński, Jerzy Jarzębski, Maria Janion, Michał Paweł Markowski, Małgorzata Sugiera, Tamara Trojanowska) that inaccurately, in Mazurkiewicz’s view, consider certain fundamental literary historical and historiophilosophical issues touched upon in the play with its unexpected conclusion in which naked Albertine emerges from a coffin. Thus, Mazurkiewicz’s interpretive efforts leads to defining 1) previously not found intertextual traces of Albertine deeply rooted in Marcel Proust’s "In Search of Lost Time"; 2) the problems of "Operetta" as a thorough reevaluation of 19th century modernity; 3) the play as a hegemonic masculinity drama in its nature constantly taking part in turning history of humanity into a terrifying nightmare; 4) Albertine as a factor establishing a different, radical project of masculinity which the author proposes to be referred as “atopic.”

  • Issue Year: 2016
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 113-136
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Polish