Ukraine in Józef Kotoni’s Poetic Novels and Correspondence

Abstract

Józef Kotoni, a figure now almost forgotten by both researchers and readers of literature, belonged to the circle of acolytes associated with the “Ukrainian school” of Polish Romanticism. Connected with the milieu of J. I. Kraszewski, Aleksander and Karol Groza, Michał Grabowski, and other representatives of the Polish nobility residing in the eastern borderlands (Lithuanian-Ruthenian territories), Kotoni offers a compelling vision of Cossack uprisings in Ukraine in his poetic novels, published in Vilnius and Kyiv almanacs. This article examines excerpts from his unfinished works, including Dymitr Wiśniowiecki, Podróżny (The traveler), Opowiadanie starca (The story of an old man), and others. Additionally, it explores correspondence from Kotoni’s travels across Ukraine (culminating in Odessa), published in Rusałka, a journal edited by Aleksander Groza. The aim of the article is to shed light on this overlooked author and provide new interpretations of his works through methodologies tailored to the study of the unique borderland culture. The analyzed texts reveal a fascinating portrayal of Ukraine, the Cossacks, and the complex Polish-Ukrainian relations of the 19th century.