W obliczu wydziedziczenia. Heterogeniczna tożsamość w prozie Antanasa Škėmy i Czesława Miłosza

Abstract

FACING DISINHERITANCE. THE HETEROGENIC IDENTITY IN THE PROSE BY ANTANAS ŠKĖMA AND CZESŁAW MIŁOSZ

The article is an attempt to correlate and analyse side by side the work of Antanas Škėma and Czesław Miłosz. The starting points for the analysis are the shared elements in the writers’ biographies: Polish-Lithuanian roots, multiple migrations, and being torn away from the country of their childhood. Yet, most importantly, it is concentrated in the ontological identity of the issues the authors tackle. The ambiguity of the issues leads—in both cases—to a feeling of alienation, and that translates into the form of the message in their writing. Other elements both characteristic and common for their work include autobiographism, the attitude towards the past including pluperfect, topography—islands of memory—a fascination with folklore, folk imagination, and most importantly: asking uncomfortable questions.