The Oneiric Travel of Polifilo: Between Locus Horridus and Locus Amoenus

The aim of this paper is to propose a lecture of some initial passages of Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, written by Francesco Colonna and published in 1499. First, we try to go through the tradition of descritpio locorum in ancient rhetoric treatises and the literary production, with respect to two frequent topoi: locus amoenus and locus horridus. We also follow their formal modifications in the Middle Ages, as Colonna draws both from the ancient and medieval tradition in its own construction of loci. Our premise is that the place description in the Colonna’s opera, apart from being an important support for the narrative thread, plays an important structural role by ordinating events and helping that way their memorization. Moreover, the setting of imagery elements of the described places offers a clear interpretation key to the allegorical journey of Polifilo. 

There is no other place in the world where the impact of migration is more vivid than in the streets of New York City, which is often considered to be one of the greatest cultural centers, that has been welcoming immigrants from all over the world. It is precisely them, labourers, business owners, taxi drivers, who by being the essential part of New York City’s diversity are constantly redefining its identity and whose own identities are being transformed and reimagined through the interaction with the city. In Gimme the Money Iva Pekarkova turns to New York City in order to show the immigrant identity as an identity in movement by making a leading character cruising around the city as a cab lady and by referring to the city both as to the exterior setting and the interior landscape of the leading character’s mind. The paper will offer the analysis of the personal transformation of the heroine, who because of the persistent sense of dislocation and constant observation of the city reimagines herself by relating to New York City’s streets and by becoming the part of the community of urban residents finds herself a new home. 

Published in 1942, Vita Sackville-West’s Grand Canyon presents an alternative history of the Second World War. The novel is literally suffused with the theme of death, but to discern it, one has to read it between lines. The aim of the paper is to argue that the threat of death is manifested in Grand Canyon on three levels of narrative communication proposed by Manfred Jahn: action, fictional mediation and non-fictional communication. Moreover, the paper proves that the way in which the novel is haunted by death on each of these levels corresponds to Sigmund Freud’s theory of death drive, according to which: (1) the individual’s life-producing instincts (“Eros”) are complemented by his death drive (“Thanatos”); (2) the whole civilisation is led by the death drive of individuals. 

Genomes of the MacedonianTradition as Text-Creating Factors

This article presents the key currents of the historical, cultural and literary traditions moulded in the collective consciousness of the Macedonians and designed for being inspiration and ideological background for the various kinds of the native texts from the beginning of 19^th century. Mechanics of the using of the essential component parts of diverse traditions in a chronological order were depicted, with the special taking into consideration the nation-creating motivations and the potential of the building of strong autonomous identity through their particular types (for instance – ancient, folk, Mediterranean, biblical, revolutionary-liberation and other). As a common aims of the strategy of the creative exploiting of their indications in various periods (especially in literary works) were regarded: confirmation of the collective lineage, proving cultural and political independence on the diachronic level and creation of the coherent canon of the national values in the situation of threat to the ethnic and territorial-state integrity. 

„Well, that death will erase me from the living world, it is better to live ages than years” – Enlightenment Reinterpretation of the Legend about Wanda According to Adam Rościszewski

Among the Slavic stories from the Lesser Poland cycle, story about Wanda left its mark in Polish literature the most. From the moment Tekla Łubieńska won the national tragedy competition in 1803, the fashion began for texts about the legendary queen and a period of increased activity of writers creating dramas based on the Polish history. Among the series of tragedies based on the mention of Krak’s daughter Wanda, Adam Rościszewski deserves special attention. The article focuses on Rościszewski’s reinterpretation of the history of Wanda, which is distinguished by the way of portraying the Kraków ruler and the modifications made to the love thread introduced by Łubieńska. 

Novel-as-Mashup, Contemporary Cultural-Literary Remix. Why Zombie, Werewolves and Vampires Populate Victorian Novels?

The following article aims to expound the phenomenon of parodical genre of literary mashups (or novels-as-mashups). This recent pop-cultural trend, initiated by Seth Grahame-Smith and Quirk Classics’ series Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, has witnessed numerous followers and generated a new type of projected reader. This controversial, verging on plagiarism collaborative endeavour pairs contemporary writers and the authors of (mainly Victorian) classics. However, the latter’s participation is of posthumous nature. The following literary and cultural phenomenon has large intermedial potential, since several mashups have recently welcomed film adaptations. The main objective is to discuss the definition and typology of mashups, the origins of this pop-cultural phenomenon, its genological hybridity, commercial success, projected readers’ competences as well as ensuing nostalgic and ironic implications of literary mashups.