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Bacchalian customs

The way Kraszewski sees and presents them

Summary/Abstract: A bacchanalian tradition plays a major role in J.I. Kraszewski’s literary output, being a crucial element of and old Polish culture and habits. Kraszewski, an expert in feasting habits presented all traditions connected with alcohol consumption, ‘przynuka’ included. These times are extremely interesting when we consider feasting with liquors. Daily life of an old-Polish character called ‘Sarmata’ brought many opportunities for dining with Bacchus; nearly each meeting was an occasion. A prevailing habit of drinking and the role of alcohol are colourfully described by the writer in his works concerning the given period, but also in the works concerning the time of the XVIII-th century. Kraszewski also expressed his opinion of those customs which according to him led to the fall of the Republic of Poland. Presenting this demoralization was to be a warning to all the author’s contemporaries, as times present to him brought up to light occurrences which created a parallel to the Polish Saxonic times.

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