The modernisation of punctuation in the orginal version of Nie-Boska komedia

Abstract

It seems that the problem of punctuation is the main argument deciding on the legitimacy concerning the publishing of the original version of Nie-Boska komedia. The first version of the dramatic work was created when two different traditions of punctuation were clashing in the Polish language (rhetorical and intonational vs. logical and syntactic). Therefore, Nie-Boska komedia has to be treated as a text subordinate to the rhetorical and intonational rule, in which punctuation is used to divide the stream of speech according to the author’s intention in the process of reading a written text aloud. Therefore, punctuation indicates pauses and the rise and fall of voice, which determines the rhythm and intonation of a text and demarcates intonation units. Consequently, often punctuation marks separating the main clause from subordinate clauses are not used, whereas a subject and predicate, but also a predicate and coordinate clauses, tend to be separated. The modernisation of punctuation in the original version of Nie-Boska komedia – the introduction of logical and syntactic rules of punctuation – would mean the imposition of a different rhythm and intonation on Krasiński’s text. Beyond a shadow of a doubt, the author would not approve of such an idea.