Studia Filologiczne UJK

Summary

The author attempts to reveal the portrait of Mickiewicz emerging from Antoni Edward Odyniec’s memoirs and Stefan Garczyński’s correspondence. The article explores the distinctness of relationships with the poet and consequently the nature of images created by Odyniec and Garczyński. The author discusses how empathy, past memories, poetic experience as well as the situations and events they participated in affect the depiction of Mickiewicz. All the above aspects are mainly responsible for imposing the different nature of bonds forging between the poets as Garczyński and Odyniec find themselves in considerably distinct situations. The former is Mickiewicz’s fellow traveller during his tour of Europe, the latter seeks Mickiewicz’s support in writing and illness. What is more, the article explores both the manner in which Odyniec makes use of everyday reality to form the portrait of Mickiewicz and the role of the situations, which he defines as inexpressible, in the image creation. Not only does the clash of points of view allow the author to reveal the vague and ambiguous portrait of Mickiewicz but also show the complicated nature of men’s friendship.