Konwencje. Stanisław Vincenz i Zdzisław Najder o europejskości Conrada
Conventions: Stanisław Vincenz and Zdzisław Najder on Conrad’s Europeanness

Author(s): Wiesław Ratajczak
Subject(s): Language and Literature Studies, Literary Texts, Essay|Book Review |Scientific Life
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego
Keywords: conventions; European identity; the ethos of chivalry; Joseph Conrad; Stanisław Vincenz; Zdzisław Najder; spiritual environment
Summary/Abstract: Zdzisław Najder and Stanisław Vincenz throw light on the European aspect of JosephConrad’s works from different perspectives. Both take into account the change ofspiritual environment that the future writer experienced in his youth. Both arriveat the conclusion that in Conrad’s works there is a constant opposition between theethos of fidelity – which is fundamental to Polish culture – and the West’s pragmaticapproach to life. They both consider the clash of attitudes and the confrontation ofincompatible values to be the organizing principle of Conrad’s works. In Vincenz’sanalysis, the notion of convention relates to the most permanent human ideas, attitudesand values that are to be found in Conrad’s writing and this brings him closeto Najder’s understanding of the Conradian idea of fidelity. Both see Conrad as theinsightful critic of a culture that has been dominated by economic interests and relativism.

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