Monika Świda

The present article analyses the transformations of the metaphor of journey in the works of Álvaro
de Campos in the context of the chronology of his works. In the futurist period, the journey is
presented as one of the manners of satisfying the desire of feeling everything in every way and at the
same time, according to the main principle of sensacionismo. In the later poems this attitude is
substituted by the journey as a metaphor of life, that results in the figure of existential anti-journey,
a journey without reason and direction, that communicates the idea of the dispersion of the subject. In
the following phase, the point of reference is not anymore the journey, but the preparations for it,
which can be considered the figure of the vital activity. In this stage, the journey is the synonym of
the moment of decision, so the impossibility of its realisation expresses the suspension of the vital
functions and the incapacity of the subject to perform any action in the real world. The
transformations of the metaphor of the journey correspond and illustrate the main guidelines of the
poetry of Álvaro de Campos.

The subject of this article is the comparative analysis of the role of historical figures and related national myths in the process of reconstituting the national imagery. The establishment of the Republic in Portugal led to a reformulation of the social imagery, which became apparent through “re-enchantment” (G. Durand), an outbreak of cultural activity informed by national mythology. The shift in the attitude towards myths during that period is vivid in literary texts dedicated to the main political figures, such as Sidónio Pais. In À memória do Presidente-Rei Sidónio Pais (In memory of President-King Sidónio Pais) from 1920, Fernando Pessoa applies the sebastianist myth so as to achieve the messianization of a historical figure. The use of Sebastianism with the objective of a renovation of national imagery culminates in Mensagem (The Message, 1934), the climax of a process of mythification of the Portuguese reality. In Poland, a similar crucial historical moment is the restoration of the national and democratic state in 1918, associated with the figure of Józef Piłsudski. General Piłsudski is a symbolic figure of independence and a protagonist of the poetic volumes Karmazynowy poemat (Carmin Poem) by Jan Lechoń, from 1920, and Wolność tragiczna (Tragic Liberty) by Kazimierz Wierzyński, from 1936. These works struggle to break free from the literary myths of the Polish Romantic era. The poems, highly intertextual and dialogical, are an attempt to demythify reality, which makes the role of national myths in Poland different than in Portugal. In the Portuguese context, the myths, though applied emblematically and incorporated in the Sorelian strategy, serve a purpose of national renovation, while in Poland, they are considered the main obstacle to the rebirth of national culture.

Przekroczyć kondycję semiperyferyjną – idea imperium duchowego Fernanda Pessoi
Przedmiotem artykułu jest analiza przekształceń idei Piątego Imperium z mitu sebastianistycznego w dziele Fernanda Pessoi. Wykorzystując znaczenie idei imperium w wyobraźni zbiorowej, Pessoa używa jej jako metafory dla własnej propozycji stworzenia imperium duchowego, imperium kultury uniwersalnej i transnarodowej w odpowiedzi na kryzys tożsamościowy związany z uświadomieniem sobie kondycji semiperyferyjnej przez naród portugalski. Poprzez analizę pojęć narodu, ojczyzny, imperializmu, cywilizacji, a wreszcie reinterpretację poszczególnych etapów i elementów mitu o Piątym Imperium Pessoa dochodzi do stworzenia nowej propozycji tożsamościowej dla zbiorowości, przenosząc wyobrażenia imperialne w sferę czysto duchową oraz wykorzystując w idei imperium kultury uniwersalnej takie portugalskie cechy narodowe jak synkretyzm, mimetyzm czy hybrydyzm (diagnoza Boaventury de Sousy Santos).