Joseph Szujski

Joseph Szujski
Joseph Szujski
    Joseph Szujski
     Catholic_Encyclopedia Joseph Szujski
    Born at Tarnow, 1835; d. at Cracow, 1883. He studied at Tarnow, then at Cracow (1854) and at Vienna (1858-9). He began his career as a poet, and continued to write verses till the end of his brief and fruitful life. Apart from many short lyrical poems, his first attempts were dramatic: "Samuel Zborowski", "Halszka of Ostrog", and a translation of the "Agamemnon" of Æschylus. Before his marriage (1861) he had also published his "Portraits, not by Van Dyck", in which various types of Poles are characterized perhaps too roughly, but with acumen, often with accuracy. He began working at a manual of Polish history, publishing two volumes in 1862, but was presently convinced of the necessity of independent research, of which volumes three and four (1864-6) give good evidence. The calamitous insurrection of 1863 was a terrible blow to Szujski's buoyant hopes for Poland's future, and he resolved to devote his whole life to seeking the causes of his beloved country's misfortunes, with a view to her regeneration. At the time that he was publishing the poems; "The Servant of the Tombs", "The Defence of Czestochowa", and the dramas, "George Lubomirski" and "Wallas", he placed himself in the front rank of Polish historians by his work "Some Truths of our History" (1865). "No nation", he said, "can fall save through her own fault, nor rise again, save by her own intelligent labour and spiritual activity"; and he most courageously indicated all Poland's faults, not however omitting the means of reformation. He founded the "Polish Review" (1866), and the next year brought out "Hedwige" and "Twardowski", both dramas. When the use of the national language was restored in Cracow University, Szujski was named (1869) professor of Polish history; later, he was chosen rector. As early as 1872, he was the life and the moving spirit of the Academy of Sciences at Cracow in his capacity of secretary. About that time, for his researches were not confined to Poland, he published a sketch of the literary history of the non-Christian world; studies on Marcus Aurelius and on Lucian; translations from Æschylus and Aristophanes; "Maryna Mnischowna", and "The Death of Ladislaus IV", dramas of his own, together with several other works. After his rectorate (1879) Szujski was made a peer. But his health, which had always been precarious, now failed completely, and consumption set in. He continued to work, however, till he could work no more.
    As a historian, Szujski ranks with Kalinka. He united the most ardent patriotism with a supreme love for truth and a remarkable comprehension of political situations and the characters of those who played their parts in them; consequently no one could explain so well as he the sequence of events and the causes which, for good or evil, influenced the nation. His history, first sketched in four volumes, from the sixteenth century on, was supplemented by three other volumes, entitled "Relations and Researches"; the most admirable parts being those dealing with the Renaissance and the Reformation. It has been said of him that "the historian killed the poet"; and indeed his attempts to force into his historical dramas every incident relative to their times in many cases impede their proper development; but he allowed history to dominate his art through a feeling of duty to his country. The lessons which he found in the annals of the nation he sought to reproduce upon the stage. He was himself well aware of his shortcomings, and believed his plays destined merely to pave the way for a simpler expression of patriotic feeling, without morbid sentimentality. Though sometimes lacking in style, due to the great amount of work which he undertook, Szujski was a great historian, a poet of high ideals and aspirations, and one to whom the Polish nation of the present day owes much.
    SMOLKA, Joseph Szujski (Cracow, 1883); GERMAN, O dramatach Szujskiego (Cracow, 1887); TARNOWSKI, Szujski jako poeta (Cracow, 1901). Also the histories of Polish literature by BRUCKNER, TARNOWSKI, and others.
    ST. TARNOWSKI
    Transcribed by Thomas M. Barrett Dedicated to the Poor Souls in Purgatory

The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume VIII. — New York: Robert Appleton Company. . 1910.


Catholic encyclopedia.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Szujski, Joseph — • Born at Tarnow, 1835; d. at Cracow, 1883 Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Szujski, Joseph     Joseph Szujski …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Szujski — (spr. sch ), Joseph, poln. Historiker und dramatischer Dichter, geb. 1835 zu Tarnow in Galizien, gest. 7. Febr. 1883, beendete seine Studien 1858 in Krakau, war 1868–69 Reichsratsabgeordneter, wurde 1869 ordentlicher Professor der polnischen… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Józef Szujski — (born in Tarnow, 1835; d. at Cracow, 1883) was a Polish politician, historian, poet and professor of the Jagiellonian University. He studied at Tarnow, then at Cracow (1854) and at Vienna (1858 9). He began his career as a poet, and continued to… …   Wikipedia

  • Polish Literature — • Of the literature of Poland before the advent of Christianity (965) very few traces indeed are extant . . . Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006. Polish Literature     Polish Literature …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Koniecpolski Palais — Die Artikel Königstrakt, Warschauer Königsschloss, Sigismundssäule, Schloss Ujazdowski und Łazienki Park überschneiden sich thematisch. Hilf mit, die Artikel besser voneinander abzugrenzen oder zu vereinigen. Beteilige dich dazu an der Diskussion …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Kopernikus-Denkmal — Die Artikel Königstrakt, Warschauer Königsschloss, Sigismundssäule, Schloss Ujazdowski und Łazienki Park überschneiden sich thematisch. Hilf mit, die Artikel besser voneinander abzugrenzen oder zu vereinigen. Beteilige dich dazu an der Diskussion …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Königstrakt — Die Artikel Königstrakt, Warschauer Königsschloss, Sigismundssäule, Schloss Ujazdowski und Łazienki Park überschneiden sich thematisch. Hilf mit, die Artikel besser voneinander abzugrenzen oder zu vereinigen. Beteilige dich dazu an der Diskussion …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Staszic Palais — Die Artikel Königstrakt, Warschauer Königsschloss, Sigismundssäule, Schloss Ujazdowski und Łazienki Park überschneiden sich thematisch. Hilf mit, die Artikel besser voneinander abzugrenzen oder zu vereinigen. Beteilige dich dazu an der Diskussion …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Warschauer Königsweg — Zygmunt III. Waza (König von 1587 bis 1632), unter seiner Herrschaft wurde der Königsweg im frühbarocken Stil ausgebaut …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Galicia (Central Europe) — Galicia ( uk. Галичина ( Halychyna ), pl. Galicja) is a historical region in East Central Europe, currently divided between Poland and Ukraine, named after Ukraіniаn city of Halych.The nucleus of historic Galicia is formed of three regions of… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”