Pastoral carol genre on the example of “Symfonije anielskie” [‘Angelic Symphonies’] by Jan Żabczyc Cover Image

Pastorałka w ujęciu genologicznym na przykładzie Symfonij anielskich Jana Żabczyca (xvii w.)
Pastoral carol genre on the example of “Symfonije anielskie” [‘Angelic Symphonies’] by Jan Żabczyc

Author(s): Cecylia Galilej
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies
Published by: Wydział Polonistyki Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: kolęda i jej odmiany; genologia; społeczna świadomość genologiczna; wzorzec organizacji tekstu; carol and its variants; genology; social genological awareness; a model of the organisation of the structure of the text

Summary/Abstract: “Symfonije anielskie” [‘Angelic Symphonies’](first published in 1630) by Jan Żabczyc – an early baroque court poet – is a very popular collection of carols. This collection, comprising only 36 texts, is a part of the Polish religious songs tradition. This article attempts to analyze the pastoral carol as it manifests itself in this collection that has played a major part in the development of the genre. Research has shown that in Żabczyc’s times there was no fixed name for a text about Christ’s birth. The carol as a genre has been evolving: some variants have fixed (theological carol), others have disappeared (idyllic carol, mythological carol), yet others have just began to shape (pastoral carol). Differences between them have not been clear yet. This article presents a few typical features of pastoral carol which is regarded as a genre created by Żabczyc himself.

  • Issue Year: 2014
  • Issue No: 65
  • Page Range: 125-141
  • Page Count: 17
  • Language: Polish