Witold gombrowicz has been described as the ultimate writers writer, with the thought behind his work linking him to philosophers roland barthes and jeanpaul sartre fantastical and absurd with strong links to existentialism, structuralism and satire, he has been hailed by milan kundera as one of the 20th centurys great novelists and one of its most profound by john updi. Gombrowicz, witold 19041969 gombrowicz, a polish novelist, was a masterful prose stylist. In this bitterly funny novel a writer finds himself tossed into a chaotic world of schoolboys by a diabolical professor who wishes to. Witold gombrowicz has been described as the ultimate writers writer, with the thought behind his work linking him to philosophers roland barthes and jeanpaul sartre. When i read witold gombrowiczs ferdydurke in the late 1980s the soviet empire was beginning to totter and crack. Gombrowiczs gambit is to push further than the rest of us, and see whether the same conceptual framework can handle, in story form, matters of life and death. It has been admitted that lewiss particular blend of realism and irony. The seamless manipulation of perspectives and non sequitur of plot had me floored every time i came across them.
The text is called, as the novel of witoldo, ferdydurke, and was published for. We live in an era of violent changes, of accelerated development, in which settled forms are breaking under lifes pressure. These, along with his plays and his diary, have been translated into more than thirty languages. European literature, but while its innovative form engages the intellect it doesnt go beyond to plumb any depths of human experience. Ferdydurke 1938 transatlantic 1953 ivona, princess of burgundia 1957 the marriage 1963 cosmos 1965.
Danuta borchardt has translated several works by witold gombrowicz. Witold gombrowicz is the author of a guide to philosophy in six hours and fifteen minutes, transatlantyk, cosmos, and pornografia, the first three available from yale university press. Originally published in poland in 1937, ferdydurke became an instant literary sensation and catapulted the young author to fame. Pdf witold gombrowiczferdydurke in polish and english.
Ferdydurkea grotesque image of contemporary society that shocked the reading publicgombrowicz visited argentina, where he became stranded during and after world war ii. A singlevolume edition of diary, gombrowiczs acclaimed masterpiece, now with previously unpublished pages restored just before the outbreak of world war ii, young witold gombrowicz left his home in poland and set sail for south america. Because he was considered an emigre writer, the publication of his works was banned in. We have made it easy for you to find a pdf ebooks without any digging. An english version of the book, published in 1961 in the uk, had been reissued.
The first novel by witold gombrowicz had appeared in poland twenty years before. His works are characterised by deep psychological analysis, a certain sense of paradox and absurd, antinationalist flavor. Ferdydurke is a novel by the polish writer witold gombrowicz, published in 1937. An introduction to the life and work of polish writer witold. Ferdydurke by witold gombrowicz, translated by danuta borchardt 2000, 281 pages. Gombrowicz article about gombrowicz by the free dictionary. Two years after its publication russian invaded poland and turned it into a communist country. Gombrowicz himself wrote of his novel that it is not. Witold gombrowicz, between the branches and the mud victoria liendo introduction this article, in which i will only concentrate on the analysis of texts of witold gombrowicz, it results from the research work that i am currently undertaking at the university of paris 8 under the direction of julio premat. Witold gombrowicz article about witold gombrowicz by the. Witold gombrowiczs ferdydurke captures the new sentiment perfectly. Ferdydurke by witold gombrowicz, danuta borchardt kirkus. Long banned in its authors native poland, this highspirited satire first published in 1937, and now available in a first unabridged english translation on the regimentation that gombrowicz 190469 foresaw as the destructive storm then approaching europe has since been acclaimed as a modernist masterpiece.
In this bitterly funny novel by the renowned polish author witold gombrowicz, a writer finds himself tossed into a chaotic world of schoolboys by a diabolical professor who wishes to reduce him to childishness. Because he was a leftist, bisexual, and anticlerical who defied all party lines, his books were banned in communist poland. View witold gombrowicz research papers on academia. Speaking of his novel ferdydurke in this context, gombrowicz outlined his sense of this dynamic. Gombrowiczs family were prosperous members of the gentry. Considered one of polands foremost literary figures of the twentieth century, gombrowiczs novels and plays have been translated into many languages. I gladly call this work a novel about a reality that.
Psychological observations are presented on a fantastic, grotesque plane. On the spanish translation of gombrowiczs ferdydurke as is fairly well known by now, the first translation of the works of witold gombrowicz into any language was the collective translation undertaken by the polish writer with an unruly group of some twenty friends and acquain. Ferdydurke by witold gombrowicz, translated by danuta. Witold gombrowicz or the sadness of form by ricardo. Witold gombrowicz, born august 4, 1904, maloszyce, russian empire now in polanddied july 25, 1969, vence, france, polish novelist and playwright whose works were forerunners of the theatre of the absurd gombrowiczs family were prosperous members of the gentry. Witold gombrowicz, polish novelist and playwright whose works were forerunners of the theatre of the absurd. Ferdydurke is intended to reveal the great immaturity of humanity. In the diary, therefore, gombrowicz must somehow combine two different. I would submit there is simply not enough of gombrowicz in this effort, or a tooyoung edition of the man. Who would have thought that it were perfectly acceptable for publishers to allow translation. Danuta borchardt has translated several works by witold. Castilian and caribean idioms fight with buenos aires speech line to line, contributing to the. It is the grotesque story of a gentleman who becomes a child because other people treat him like one.
Kuharski, based on the translation by danuta borchardt figures. Mar 24, 2011 ferdydurke by witold gombrowicz ive always been intrigued by the relationship between the title of a novel and its content. If theres one thing that postmodern literature tells us, after all, it is that the act of naming of claiming the right to narrate and define is a political act and an exercise of power. Gale contextual encyclopedia of world literature dictionary. Adapted from the novel by witold gombrowicz by teatr. Witold gombrowicz ferdydurke rozdzial i porwanie we wtorek zbudzilem sie o tej porze bezdusznej i niklej, kiedy wlasciwie noc sie juz skonczyla, a swit nie.
The first book i read by gombrowicz was pornografia and, though i enjoyed it, ferdydurke surpasses it by far. Ferdydurke by witold gombrowicz has finally been properly translated into english. Gombrowiczs philosophy of interhuman relationships was that of constant psychomachia. However, the text inspired little reaction from the public. On the spanish translation of gombrowiczs ferdydurke as is fairly well known by now, the first translation of the works of witold gombrowicz into any language was the collective translation undertaken by the polish writer with an unruly group of some twenty friends and acquain tances in 1947. His novels and plays include ferdydurke 1937, transatlantyk 1953, slub 1953, kosmos 1965, and pornografia 1966. Ferdydurke witold gombrowicztraducido por witold gombrowicz sudamericana, buenos aires, 1964 segunda edicion, 1983 ti. In this bitterly funny novel a writer finds himself tossed into a chaotic world of schoolboys by a diabolical professor who wishes to reduce him to childi.
Witold gombrowicz bibliography university of cambridge. It is really one of the first novels to attempt a literary reconstruction of, first, this discovery and, second, its logical consequences. Witold marian gombrowicz august 4, 1904 july 24, 1969 was a polish writer and playwright. Gombrowiczean blend of satire, grotesqueness, linguistic experimentation, anti. On the spanish translation of gombrowiczs ferdydurke. Ferdydurke by witold gombrowicz the 381st greatest. He studied law at the university of warsaw but abandoned his career to pursue his literary interests. The seamless manipulation of perspectives and non sequitur of plot had me floored every time i. Ferdydurke by witold gombrowicz 9780300181678 paperback. Ferdydurke is a modernist satire to be read by serious students of 20th c. Jun 14, 2014 gombrowiczs philosophy of interhuman relationships was that of constant psychomachia. Ferdydurke was his first novel and he published this in 1937 when he was 33 years old. Ferdydurke 1938transatlantic 1953ivona, princess of burgundia 1957the marriage 1963cosmos 1965 source for information on gombrowicz, witold. The title of witold gombrowiczs first novel, ferdydurke, has inspired a great deal of.
Wspaniala przygoda literacka dla wielbicieli gombrowicza. English a guide to philosophy in six hours and fifteen minutes witold gombrowicz. Ferdydurke is certainly a spontaneous work, but the diary is even more so, and. In 1938 gombrowicz published his first play, yvonne, princess of burgundy, a grotesque in which formality, custom and ceremony grow to eventually trap the individual, who cannot free himself and does not even know how to do so. An introduction to the life and work of polish writer. Next, accompanied by his nephew jozef, he leaves for royat, in auvergne, with the intention of taking a course of treatment at a spa. Under the heading fragments of a diary, the magazine published gombrowiczs provocative, idiosyncratic, highly personal musings from 1953 until. As a leftist, bisexual, and anticlerical who defied all party lines, his books were banned in communist poland. Ferdydurke od witold gombrowicz mozesz juz bez przeszkod czytac w formie ebooka pdf, epub, mobi. Witold gombrowicz has been widely recognized as an important figure in twentiethcentury polish. Witold gombrowicz 19041969 is considered as one of the most important literary figures in poland. Not that this is an event worth mentioning in general, but the point to be made is that the world of translation offers room for all kinds of mischief and sloppiness. Corporate resolution to open account, cracking the gre literature in english subject test 6th edition, and many other ebooks.
Witold gombrowiczs diary does not fulfill any of the obvious expectations of such a work by. Ferdydurke by witold gombrowicz ive always been intrigued by the relationship between the title of a novel and its content. Complete summary of witold gombrowicz s ferdydurke. Witold gombrowicz 19041969, was a polish novelist and playwright. Man, as he is described in this book, is an opaque and neutral being who has to. Fantastical and absurd with strong links to existentialism, structuralism and satire, he has been hailed by milan kundera as one of the 20th centurys great novelists and one of its most profound by john updike. If i could give this book a higher rating than five stars i would.