The Nineteeth Century Eschatology And Its Polish Example - Cyprian Norwid

Izabella Smentek

The Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University , Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7798-9967

Abstract

The eminent Polish XIXth century poet and thinker, Cyprian Norwid paid a great attention to include religious values in his works. Personally deep religious and conscious catholic, he wanted to renew the “christian speech” and to gave basis to modern christian art. In what extend was he influenced by the theology of his epoch? What concerns the XIXth eschatology, it was dominated by neoscholastic teaching and historiosophical trends. In Norwid’s works are to be found, e.g., deep thougts upon the death. He presents the death as a weak, passing away phenomenon, which rules only a while. According to the poet, the human death can be understood as the last deal of man. Norwid takes up subjects of human responsibility for the world, for the eschatological renewal of the whole creature. He sees the structure of eternal new creation as reality anchored in personal values. Cyprian Norwid with his theological and eschatological views can be recognized as a precursor of contemporary theology, exprimed by Vatican II. His eschatological reflexions are to be found, for instance, in poems: Śmierć (Death), Fulminant, Garstka piasku (The wisp of sand), Przeszłość (The Past); novellas: Cywilizacja (Civilisation), Ostatnia z bajek (The last fairytail), Czarne kwiaty (The black flowers).