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Bolesław Leśmian

December 15, 2023

Bolesław Leśmian (born Bolesław Lesman; January 22, 1877[1] – November 5, 1937) was a Polish poet, artist and member of the Polish Academy of Literature, one of the first poets to introduce Symbolism and Expressionism to Polish verse.[2] Though largely a marginal figure during his lifetime, Leśmian is now considered one of Poland's greatest poets.[3] He is, however, little known outside of his home country, mostly on account of his neologisms-rich idiosyncratic style, dubbed "almost untranslatable" by Czesław Miłosz and "the ultimate and overwhelming proof for the untranslatability of poetry" by noted Polish Shakespearean translator, Stanisław Barańczak.[3]

Bolesław Leśmian

BornBolesław Lesman
(1877-01-22)January 22, 1877
Warsaw, Congress Poland, Russian Empire
DiedNovember 5, 1937(1937-11-05) (aged 60)
Warsaw, Poland
Resting placePowązki Cemetery
OccupationPoet
LanguagePolish
NationalityPolish

Biography edit

 
Photograph of Bolesław Leśmian

Bolesław Leśmian was born January 22, 1877, in Warsaw, Congress Poland, Russian Empire to a family of Polonized Jewish family. He spent his childhood and youth in Kyiv, where he graduated from the law faculty of Saint Vladimir University. In 1901, he returned to Warsaw. From there, he set off on a journey to various European cities, including Munich and Paris, where he married a painter, Zofia Chylińska. Heavily influenced by French modernists, Leśmian returned to Warsaw, where he became one of the founders of an experimental Artistic Theatre. There he also met one of his closest friends, Zenon Przesmycki, with whom he became involved in the publication of Chimera, an art newspaper.

Although he made his debut in 1895 (a series of poems published in Wędrowiec magazine), his works initially went unnoticed. To sound "more Polish", Leśmian adopted a slightly modified version of his surname which included typically Polish sounds (previously it had been Lesman). According to various conflicting sources, the author of the pen-name which eventually became his official surname was either the known poet and poet's uncle Antoni Lange, or a renowned bon-vivant of Warsaw, Franc Fiszer. The first booklet issued in Warsaw in 1912 (Sad Rozstajny) did not bring him much publicity either, and in 1912 Leśmian moved back to France. He returned in 1914.

From 1918 until 1934, he worked as a notary of large landed estates in Hrubieszów and then as a lawyer in Zamość. At the same time he published the best known of his books: Łąka (The Meadow, 1920) and Napój cienisty (Shadowy Drink, 1936). In 1933, he was accepted as a permanent member of the Polish Academy of Literature. In 1935, he moved back to Warsaw, where he died two years later. He is buried in Powązki Cemetery, in the Alley of the Meritorious, among other notable Polish writers, politicians and military men.

Leśmian and Chylińska had two daughters, one of who, Wanda "Dunia" Leśmianówna, would later marry British adventurer and traveller Denis Hills. Actress and singer Gillian Hills - famous for her brief appearances in Antonioni's Blowup and Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange in two similar scenes - was born of this marriage in 1944.[4] Leśmian was also nephew of the famous poet and writer of the Young Poland movement, Antoni Lange, and the cousin of another notable poet of the epoch, Jan Brzechwa.

Work edit

To Polish readers, Leśmian's style is unique and easily recognizable, intuitively accessible despite its idiosyncrasy.[3] In his poems, in a fantastical, mythical and fabulous environment - often inhabited with creatures taken from the Polish folklore and traditions - Leśmian expounds his life philosophy, revolving around his equally deep and personal fascinations with God and death. The protagonists of his works are usually "handicapped humans", struggling between Culture and Nature, unable to accept their in-between positions. For Leśmian, the only ones who can do this - the only ones able to live with both Culture and Nature simultaneously - are poets, the last examples of "the primitive mankind."

Relying heavily on "the vertiginous word-formation potential of Polish,"[5] Leśmian's style is especially notable for its numerous neologisms, many of which are still in use in everyday Polish language (as opposed to, say, Cyprian Norwid's similar experiments). Referred to as "leśmianisms" by subsequent scholars, these neologisms are usually the product of the versatile "prefix+verb/noun(+suffix)" formula natural to most Slavic languages, but peculiar to many other languages, rendering Leśmian's poetry "almost untranslatable" into English.[5][3]

Some of Leśmian's favourite prefixes include those who imply a lack of certain qualities (like bez- or nie-, loosely, "without," or "non-"), leading certain scholars to dub him "the Dante of non-being."[3] Considered one of the greatest Polish poets in history,[3] Leśmian is certainly one of the most interesting artists of the interwar period, creator of a uniquely stylised Polish folk ballad and profoundly personal - and, nevertheless, popular - metaphysical lyrics. In addition, he is frequently mentioned as the most notable poet of erotic verses in the history of the Polish language.

Bibliography edit

  • "Sad rozstajny", (Bifurcated Orchard, Warsaw, 1912)
  • "Klechdy sezamowe" (Sesame Tales, Warsaw, 1913)
  • "The Adventures of Sindbad the Seafarer [pl]" (Adventures of Sindbad the Sailor, Warsaw, 1913)
  • "Łąka" (Meadow, Warsaw, 1920)
  • "Napój cienisty", (Shadowy Drink, Warsaw, 1936)
  • "Dziejba leśna" (Forest Happenings, Warsaw, 1938)
  • "Klechdy polskie" (Polish Tales, London 1956)
  • "Skrzypek opętany" (Possessed Violin Player, Warsaw, 1985)
  • "Pochmiel księżycowy" (Russian, Lunar the-day-after, Warsaw, 1987; Polish translation by Jerzy Ficowski)
  • "Zdziczenie obyczajów pośmiertnych" (Savagery of Posthumous Habits, Cracow, 1998)
  • "33 of the Most Beautiful Love Poems " (selected poems: Polish-English edition), New York, 2011; English translation by Marian Polak-Chlabicz)
  • "Marvellations: The Best-Loved Poems" (selected poems: Polish-English edition), New York, 2014; English translation by Marian Polak-Chlabicz)
  • "Beyond the Beyond" (selected poems: Polish-English edition), New York, 2017; English translation by Marian Polak-Chlabicz)

Footnotes edit

  1. ^ The exact date of his birth is disputed: the act of birth mentions 1877, Leśmian himself used 1878, while the date mentioned on his tombstone is 1879.
  2. ^ Jerzy R. Krzyzanowski. "Bolesław Leśmian". Britannica.com. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Mikołaj Gliński (21 January 2017). "The Greatest Poet You'll Never Read". culture.pl. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  4. ^ . filmolesmianie.pl. 25 September 2017. Archived from the original on 24 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b Mikołaj Gliński (24 September 2013). "The Untranslatables – Writers You Will Never Read". culture.pl. Retrieved 23 August 2018.

See also edit

References edit

  • Marian Polak-Chlabicz (2017). Beyond the Beyond (Special Bilingual Edition of Selected Poems). New York: Penumbra Bookery. ISBN 978-1546749554.
  • Marian Polak-Chlabicz (2014). Marvellations: The Best-loved Poems (Bilingual Edition of Selected Poems). New York: Penumbra Publishing House. ISBN 978-0692201398.
  • Marian Polak-Chlabicz (2011). 33 of the Most Beautiful Love Poems (Bilingual Edition of Selected Poems). New York: Penumbra Bookery. ISBN 978-1466220232.
  • Bolesław Leśmian; Alexandra Chciuk-Celt (1992). Mythematics and Extropy II: Selected Literary Criticism of Bolesław Leśmian. Peter Lang Pub. ISBN 0-8204-1636-3.
  • Rochelle Heller Stone (1976). Boleslaw Lesmian: The Poet and His Poetry. University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-02549-0.
  • Bolesław Leśmian, Julian Tuwim, Janek Langer (2000). Magic & Glory: Polish Poetry from the 20th Century. Janek Langer. ISBN 0-9539208-0-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

Further reading edit

  • Mortkowicz-Olczakowa, Hanna (1961). Bunt wspomnień. Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy.
  • Alexandra Chciuk-Celt, "Linguistic innovation in Boleslaw Lesmian," translation dissertation with heavily annotated double versions (verse and literal) of 68 poems, City University of New York Graduate Center, 1984.

External links edit

  • Works by Bolesław Leśmian at Project Gutenberg
  • Works by or about Bolesław Leśmian at Internet Archive
  • Works by Bolesław Leśmian at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)  
  • translate 4 poems 1
  • Biography at Culture.pl
  • Bolesław Leśmian at poezja.org
  • The Greatest Poet You'll Never Read at Culture.pl

December 15, 2023
bolesław, leśmian, born, bolesław, lesman, january, 1877, november, 1937, polish, poet, artist, member, polish, academy, literature, first, poets, introduce, symbolism, expressionism, polish, verse, though, largely, marginal, figure, during, lifetime, leśmian,. Boleslaw Lesmian born Boleslaw Lesman January 22 1877 1 November 5 1937 was a Polish poet artist and member of the Polish Academy of Literature one of the first poets to introduce Symbolism and Expressionism to Polish verse 2 Though largely a marginal figure during his lifetime Lesmian is now considered one of Poland s greatest poets 3 He is however little known outside of his home country mostly on account of his neologisms rich idiosyncratic style dubbed almost untranslatable by Czeslaw Milosz and the ultimate and overwhelming proof for the untranslatability of poetry by noted Polish Shakespearean translator Stanislaw Baranczak 3 Boleslaw LesmianBornBoleslaw Lesman 1877 01 22 January 22 1877Warsaw Congress Poland Russian EmpireDiedNovember 5 1937 1937 11 05 aged 60 Warsaw PolandResting placePowazki CemeteryOccupationPoetLanguagePolishNationalityPolish Contents 1 Biography 2 Work 3 Bibliography 4 Footnotes 5 See also 6 References 7 Further reading 8 External linksBiography edit nbsp Photograph of Boleslaw LesmianBoleslaw Lesmian was born January 22 1877 in Warsaw Congress Poland Russian Empire to a family of Polonized Jewish family He spent his childhood and youth in Kyiv where he graduated from the law faculty of Saint Vladimir University In 1901 he returned to Warsaw From there he set off on a journey to various European cities including Munich and Paris where he married a painter Zofia Chylinska Heavily influenced by French modernists Lesmian returned to Warsaw where he became one of the founders of an experimental Artistic Theatre There he also met one of his closest friends Zenon Przesmycki with whom he became involved in the publication of Chimera an art newspaper Although he made his debut in 1895 a series of poems published in Wedrowiec magazine his works initially went unnoticed To sound more Polish Lesmian adopted a slightly modified version of his surname which included typically Polish sounds previously it had been Lesman According to various conflicting sources the author of the pen name which eventually became his official surname was either the known poet and poet s uncle Antoni Lange or a renowned bon vivant of Warsaw Franc Fiszer The first booklet issued in Warsaw in 1912 Sad Rozstajny did not bring him much publicity either and in 1912 Lesmian moved back to France He returned in 1914 From 1918 until 1934 he worked as a notary of large landed estates in Hrubieszow and then as a lawyer in Zamosc At the same time he published the best known of his books Laka The Meadow 1920 and Napoj cienisty Shadowy Drink 1936 In 1933 he was accepted as a permanent member of the Polish Academy of Literature In 1935 he moved back to Warsaw where he died two years later He is buried in Powazki Cemetery in the Alley of the Meritorious among other notable Polish writers politicians and military men Lesmian and Chylinska had two daughters one of who Wanda Dunia Lesmianowna would later marry British adventurer and traveller Denis Hills Actress and singer Gillian Hills famous for her brief appearances in Antonioni s Blowup and Kubrick s A Clockwork Orange in two similar scenes was born of this marriage in 1944 4 Lesmian was also nephew of the famous poet and writer of the Young Poland movement Antoni Lange and the cousin of another notable poet of the epoch Jan Brzechwa Work editTo Polish readers Lesmian s style is unique and easily recognizable intuitively accessible despite its idiosyncrasy 3 In his poems in a fantastical mythical and fabulous environment often inhabited with creatures taken from the Polish folklore and traditions Lesmian expounds his life philosophy revolving around his equally deep and personal fascinations with God and death The protagonists of his works are usually handicapped humans struggling between Culture and Nature unable to accept their in between positions For Lesmian the only ones who can do this the only ones able to live with both Culture and Nature simultaneously are poets the last examples of the primitive mankind Relying heavily on the vertiginous word formation potential of Polish 5 Lesmian s style is especially notable for its numerous neologisms many of which are still in use in everyday Polish language as opposed to say Cyprian Norwid s similar experiments Referred to as lesmianisms by subsequent scholars these neologisms are usually the product of the versatile prefix verb noun suffix formula natural to most Slavic languages but peculiar to many other languages rendering Lesmian s poetry almost untranslatable into English 5 3 Some of Lesmian s favourite prefixes include those who imply a lack of certain qualities like bez or nie loosely without or non leading certain scholars to dub him the Dante of non being 3 Considered one of the greatest Polish poets in history 3 Lesmian is certainly one of the most interesting artists of the interwar period creator of a uniquely stylised Polish folk ballad and profoundly personal and nevertheless popular metaphysical lyrics In addition he is frequently mentioned as the most notable poet of erotic verses in the history of the Polish language Bibliography edit Sad rozstajny Bifurcated Orchard Warsaw 1912 Klechdy sezamowe Sesame Tales Warsaw 1913 The Adventures of Sindbad the Seafarer pl Adventures of Sindbad the Sailor Warsaw 1913 Laka Meadow Warsaw 1920 Napoj cienisty Shadowy Drink Warsaw 1936 Dziejba lesna Forest Happenings Warsaw 1938 Klechdy polskie Polish Tales London 1956 Skrzypek opetany Possessed Violin Player Warsaw 1985 Pochmiel ksiezycowy Russian Lunar the day after Warsaw 1987 Polish translation by Jerzy Ficowski Zdziczenie obyczajow posmiertnych Savagery of Posthumous Habits Cracow 1998 33 of the Most Beautiful Love Poems selected poems Polish English edition New York 2011 English translation by Marian Polak Chlabicz Marvellations The Best Loved Poems selected poems Polish English edition New York 2014 English translation by Marian Polak Chlabicz Beyond the Beyond selected poems Polish English edition New York 2017 English translation by Marian Polak Chlabicz Footnotes edit The exact date of his birth is disputed the act of birth mentions 1877 Lesmian himself used 1878 while the date mentioned on his tombstone is 1879 Jerzy R Krzyzanowski Boleslaw Lesmian Britannica com Retrieved 23 August 2018 a b c d e f Mikolaj Glinski 21 January 2017 The Greatest Poet You ll Never Read culture pl Retrieved 23 August 2018 Boleslaw Lesmian s Life and His Poetic Oeuvre filmolesmianie pl 25 September 2017 Archived from the original on 24 August 2018 Retrieved 23 August 2018 a b Mikolaj Glinski 24 September 2013 The Untranslatables Writers You Will Never Read culture pl Retrieved 23 August 2018 See also editPolish literature List of PolesReferences editMarian Polak Chlabicz 2017 Beyond the Beyond Special Bilingual Edition of Selected Poems New York Penumbra Bookery ISBN 978 1546749554 Marian Polak Chlabicz 2014 Marvellations The Best loved Poems Bilingual Edition of Selected Poems New York Penumbra Publishing House ISBN 978 0692201398 Marian Polak Chlabicz 2011 33 of the Most Beautiful Love Poems Bilingual Edition of Selected Poems New York Penumbra Bookery ISBN 978 1466220232 Boleslaw Lesmian Alexandra Chciuk Celt 1992 Mythematics and Extropy II Selected Literary Criticism of Boleslaw Lesmian Peter Lang Pub ISBN 0 8204 1636 3 Rochelle Heller Stone 1976 Boleslaw Lesmian The Poet and His Poetry University of California Press ISBN 0 520 02549 0 Boleslaw Lesmian Julian Tuwim Janek Langer 2000 Magic amp Glory Polish Poetry from the 20th Century Janek Langer ISBN 0 9539208 0 1 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Further reading editMortkowicz Olczakowa Hanna 1961 Bunt wspomnien Panstwowy Instytut Wydawniczy Alexandra Chciuk Celt Linguistic innovation in Boleslaw Lesmian translation dissertation with heavily annotated double versions verse and literal of 68 poems City University of New York Graduate Center 1984 External links editWorks by Boleslaw Lesmian at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Boleslaw Lesmian at Internet Archive Works by Boleslaw Lesmian at LibriVox public domain audiobooks nbsp translate 4 poems 1 translate 4 poems 2 Biography at Culture pl Boleslaw Lesmian at poezja org The Greatest Poet You ll Never Read at Culture pl Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Boleslaw Lesmian amp oldid 1179280464, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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