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The Doll

Bolesław Prus,

David J. Welsh (Translator),

Stanisław Barańczak (Introduction)

3.85 · Rating details · 8,984 ratings · 204 reviews

Warsaw under Russian rule in the late 1870s is the setting for Prus’s grand panorama of social conflict, political tension, and personal suffering. The middle-aged hero, Wokulski, successful in business, is being destroyed by his obsessive love for a frigid society doll, Izabela. Embattled aristocrats, the new men of finance, Dickensian tradesmen, and the urban poor all co ...more

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Paperback, 702 pages

Published December 19th 1996 by Oxford University Press, USA (first published 1890)

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Jun 25, 2009 Agnieszka rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: nyrb, own-a-copy, favorites, i-saw-the-movie-too, reviewed, 1001-books

The Doll by Bolesław Prus is undeniably a great masterpiece of Polish realism in literature. This is an epic and detailed tale exploring XIX century Warsaw, tale in which Prus created a vivid picture of the city and people on the background of the economic, ideological and social transformations.

I’ve always loved reading about this nonexistent any more world. I mean that one recorded only on sepia-toned photographs. Men in the tailcoats, women in white gowns, multicultural society, Poles, Jew ...more

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Aug 09, 2012 Patrick Roesle rated it it was amazing

You've probably never heard of this book, but it comes damn close to meeting War and Peace on its own terms.

History rolls forward. The aristocratic scumbags are replaced by capitalist scumbags. The solutions to yesterday's problems become new problems and we don't get anywhere. A great man becomes a great man in pursuit of a vain and hopeless goal that eventually destroys him. A world of fops, fools, scoundrels, and nihilists loses something it desperately needs.

We can be 99% certain that societ ...more

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Oct 08, 2016 anna (½ of readsrainbow) rated it really liked it

Shelves: classic-ish, for-school-uni, polish, 1-contemporary

things they didn't teach us in school:
1) wokulski is heavily depressed throughout the whole story not just the last few chapters
2) every dude is a misogynist
3) might have been accidental but basically everyone is Gay™ ...more

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Jun 12, 2012 John Gaynard rated it it was amazing

In writing this majestic novel about fin de siècle 19th century Warsaw, Prus illustrated all the social currents that would make Poland such a cauldron of differing identities in the following century. Ostensibly a story about the excruciating infatuation of a successful merchant, Wokulski, for a noble's daughter, the book is also about three generations of men coming to terms with Poland's past and present and trying to break away from the Nobles' Republic in order to create a modern future for ...more

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Dec 30, 2017 Czarny Pies rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: polish-lit

"The Doll" is as a landmark work of Polish literature that will be of tremendous interest to anyone of Polish descent or having friends who received their education in Poland. It examines all of the major political, cultural and social issues that were debated in Poland in the second half of the nineteenth century. Because The Doll" is taught in Polish secondary schools, the Anglophone reader is assured the pleasure of being able to discuss the work with any of his or her friends in the expatria "The Doll" is as a landmark work of Polish literature that will be of tremendous interest to anyone of Polish descent or having friends who received their education in Poland. It examines all of the major political, cultural and social issues that were debated in Poland in the second half of the nineteenth century. Because The Doll" is taught in Polish secondary schools, the Anglophone reader is assured the pleasure of being able to discuss the work with any of his or her friends in the expatriate Polish community. This is a major benefit for a work that poses significant challenges for the Anglophone reader.
To properly comprehend "The Doll" one needs a very solid understanding of Polish history, class structure and society in the 19th century. At the same time, the reader needs some experience in reading and decoding works written under censorship in which the author, poet or librettist discusses a political issue using events in other countries as proxies for those in the country that he or she is truly interested in.
The key issue is that the events take place in Poland during the 19th century when Poland was partitioned between Russia, Austria and Germany. The hero Stanisław Wokulski has participated in the January Uprising (1863-1864) against Russia and spent a number of years in Siberian exile which indicates that the Polish national question is a major background issue. However, the subject of Polish independence is never directly mentioned.
Poles of the Jean Paul II/Solidarity generation view Wokulski as a figure like Julien Sorel from the Red and the Black who makes the perverse decision to become a priest because under the Bourbon Restoration because no other options were available to him. From this perspective Wokulski who has the innate qualities of political leader has no outlet for his natural talents in the Russian occupied Polish Partition. As a consequence he devotes himself entirely to his love for a woman who is inaccessible because she is an aristocrat whereas Wokulski is "works in trade" (i.e. is a retailer).
In the eyes of Prus, Wokulski's infatuation is a massive folly in the style of the great Polish romantic poet Adam Mickiewicz. The woman he is obsessed with is both shallow and nasty. Wokulski's loyalist friend Igacy Rzecki is appalled. He wants Wokulski to marry a sensible woman of his own social class and dedicate himself to Polish independence which is referred to by the proxy term "Bonapartism" in order to get past the censor. Rzecki's idea makes no sense either. Wokulski is not living in democracy and because of his revolutionary past would have been too closely monitored by the Tsarist police to participate in any underground organization.
Wokulski however is lucid about his situation. He is aware that the best course for him is to concentrate on his business and thus create wealth in Poland. Unfortunately his instincts pull him in the other direction. He is unable to stop loving his fantasy woman. In order to make himself acceptable in her aristocratic milieu he sells his businesses so as to passively live off his investments. When, Wokulski finally sees through the woman that he loves, life loses all meaning for him. His morale collapses and he dies shortly afterwards.
"The Doll" contains a lengthy discussion on Poland's Jews. Being a logical positivist, Prus felt that the differences between Jews and Christians were entirely artificial. What Prus desired was for Polish Jews and Catholics to merge into a single progressive community of atheists. Accordingly, he presents the Jews in a very favorable light. Wokulski has many good Jewish friends. Moreover Wokulski vigorously argues that through their business activities which create wealth, the Jews are making an important contribution to Polish society.
Prus' sharpest criticisms are for the Polish aristocrats who do nothing to create wealth but simply spend money ostentatiously and amass debts while regarding everyone else with contempt particularly Jews and tradesmen (i.e. retailers.)
Prus provides a very insightful portrait of Poland under Russian rule in the second half of the nineteenth century. "The Doll" is in no ways prophetic. Today we know that Poland was finally liberated by "Solidarity" which was in its essence a coalition of the Roman Catholic clergy and blue collar unions. In "The Doll", Prus discounts the Catholic Church as an utterly inconsequential force in Polish society. There is no mention that I can recall either of unions or any working class organizations. "The Doll" is a logical positivist work which assumes that leadership for change in the modern world can only come from the educated middle classes. It is a great novel for any reader willing to forgive it this one blind spot. ...more

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Jan 22, 2018 Richard Newton rated it it was amazing

Shelves: fiction-and-literature, polish-language-literature-culture, central-asia-to-eastern-europe

A book well known and loved in Poland but less well known abroad. This is a shame as I’d have no hesitation in putting it in the same league as Tolstoy - and like Tolstoy this is a huge book, almost 700 pages long. It is helped by a very good translation.

At one level a love story and the power of love to distort someone life, but it is also a story of the relationships between classes - especially between the aristocracy and the self-made man, and it can be read as an existential exploration of ...more

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Jun 05, 2014 Howard rated it it was amazing

Shelves: europe

This is ‘the’ acclaimed Polish classic written by Prus serialised in 1897 and full novel form in 1890. It is set in Warshaw in Poland then split between Russian, Austrian and Prussia; the local history preceding the events of the novel appear quite complicated but are detailed to some extent in the book’s notes but uprisings, unification and the elites, politics, modernity etc are the backdrop.

The story is a Dickensian length of 679 pages small font text and a weighty tome – I in fact read the e This is ‘the’ acclaimed Polish classic written by Prus serialised in 1897 and full novel form in 1890. It is set in Warshaw in Poland then split between Russian, Austrian and Prussia; the local history preceding the events of the novel appear quite complicated but are detailed to some extent in the book’s notes but uprisings, unification and the elites, politics, modernity etc are the backdrop.

The story is a Dickensian length of 679 pages small font text and a weighty tome – I in fact read the ebook version and kept by printed book at home. The style is that classy well constructed literary detailed narrative similar to Eliot, Tolstoy etc. It is not as naturalistic as Zola but given the indications that the Tsar’s censors had a go at it – the book has had the extracted bits put back in (I would have liked the odd note indicating when this happened; and except a whole passage placed in the appendix), it could have been a bit more forthright. Though a character list would have been nice, I didn’t have the same problems I usually do keeping track of ‘Russian-like’ names.

The story itself is actually remarkably simple: Wokulski, a now wealthy thirty something shop owner, falls in love with Izabela, an impoverished young noble aristocrat, can his money win her despite his lower status? The length of the tale comes from the intricate detail of the social scene then including Barons, princes, bachelors after inheritances, mistresses and upcoming powerful money men; the histories and development of many of the side characters and importantly the life and perspective of Wokulski’s long standing friend (and shop clerk) Ignacy who has many chapters to himself as first person journal entries. I really enjoyed the style and the clever way Prus has Wokulski acting unselfishly in one way (say paying more for a house than it’s worth to get money to Izabela’s dad) and have her views interpreting this behaviour in exactly the opposite way intended. Travels to Paris, attempted suicides, duels, avenging Baraonesses and adulterous behaviour are all abound. For my interest Izabela is even reading Zola’s 1877 book ‘Une Page d’Amour’.

Ignacy is an intriguing character: his concerns for his country, Wokulski, the wider European view (e.g. England’s war in Afghanistan then later with the Zulus, fondness for the Bonapartes, worries for wider war between Russia and Turkey on one side and England, Germany and Austria on the other etc) are wonderful. The emerging science of the day also plays its part (flying machines, Darwinism, metallurgy) on amateur scientist Wolukski.

It has to be said there is quite a lot of the possible impacts and prejudices (discussed between characters etc) of the Jewish population, including their power and money, on the modernising Poland e.g. The nobility, in great debt needing dividends, don’t want Wokulski to sell up his business to a Jewish rival (and the clerks don’t want to work for a Jew – except Ignacy who has a more balanced view) – I found it somewhat chilling to think of this backdrop in 1890 and have references to characters taking train journeys to Krakow etc.

So in summary: this is a very long read, the story is definitely there (will she, won’t she), the passion and emotion is there (when will he finally realise what she really is) and the history seeps out of every page. The book is a cross between Eliot’s ‘Middlemarch’, Zola’s ‘Money’ and ‘Ladies Delight’ and Tolstoy’s ‘Resurrection’ serialised to be as long as any Dickens. A very worthy read.

Some quotes:
(Izabela contemplating marriage) ‘Perhaps even… a husband, for people suffer the most terrible misfortunes. But as a lover – that was simply absurd. If necessary, even the most aristocratic of ladies will take a mud bath; but only a madman would enjoy it’

‘She had already almost forgiven him the purchase of the dinner-service and the promissory notes, and the money lost at cards to her father, on which the entire household had lived for several weeks… (no she had not forgiven him that, and never would!)’

‘Today’s Hungarians are worth nothing. When the Huns suppressed then in 1849, they protested that every nation has the right to defend its own freedom. But today? They themselves are pushing their way into Bosnia, uninvited, and they call the Bosnians, who are defending themselves, ‘criminals and brigands’.’

‘Is it right to equip wretched human hearts with an infinity of yearning, without at least giving them the consolation that death means oblivion?’
...more

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Mar 01, 2012 Ellada rated it it was amazing

I will say this, I was lucky with this book. I was in love and unhappy and the heroe in the book was reflecting my mood and emotions, so I read this book in one breath. nevertheless this is one of the best polish classic books.
Someone in this reviews told that Prus is boring. I don't know about his other works but this book is nothing like boring. And although the book had been written about century ago it's still actual.
I can't describe whole book, it's soo much more then one could describe in ...more

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Mar 30, 2016 Mela rated it it was amazing

Shelves: historical-romance, public-domain, historical-fiction, psychological-and-philosophical, polish-literature, read-only-in-polish, historical-fiction-to-learn-history, read-in-school-times, historical-period-long-19th-century

One of the best novels written by Polish writers ever. Really, if you are considering which book by Polish writers to read you should choose this one. It isn't a pleasant story. It is one of those that helps one to better understand people and changes in society. One of those that it is really hard to forget.

Many levels, many points of views.

An amazing study of society and a deep study of human nature.

This book made me think why (during reading it) I was constantly expecting that Izabela would h ...more

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Jan 12, 2017 Martyna rated it really liked it · review of another edition

3,5/5 stars
Well so far this book was the best required reading that I've read in high school. ...more

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Apr 26, 2019 Adam rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: poland, warsaw, novels, 50na50-znak, 19th-century

Amazing. A comprehensive portrait of Polish society in the 1870s. It's all there: Nobility, new bourgeoisie, romance, money, Jews, Christians, shops, trains, toys, dolls, beer, France, Russia, romanticism, positivism, existentialism, capitalism, socialism, nihilism. If you want to read only one book from Polish literature, read this one. ...more

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Oct 13, 2012 David Cain rated it it was amazing

truly great, sadly overlooked

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Jun 23, 2019 Alec rated it it was amazing

A beautifully written book that provides a heartbreaking and tragic narrative with social context and a broad picture of Polish society in the late 1800s. Prus was able to capture the climate of the time and through his beloved Stas, Ignacy and others, give the reader a clear eyed view into the changing dynamics and hopes of a nation, as well as the driving forces behind its leading members of society.

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Apr 28, 2011 Cole rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: People who think War and Peace is too cinematic and want something more "human."

Recommended to Cole by: Milan

I have been reading this book for a year. 1) It's long and hard to carry around. 2) I don't want it to end. 3) Polish society from a hundred years ago takes a very long time to immerse oneself into so I have to block out an hour at a time to read it and I rarely have a spare hour.

Picked it up on Kundera's rec'. ...more

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Mar 14, 2013 Kim rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 19th-century-literature

Think of Tolstoy set in Warsaw with a dash of Trollope and a pinch of Dickens thrown in for good measure.

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Jan 10, 2015 Martyna rated it did not like it · review of another edition

Shelves: didnt-finish, half-stars

1.5 stars

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Oct 09, 2011 Anna rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-ebook, classics

It took me some time to get into the story but it was worth the effort. I liked the author's writing style, the atmosphere of the 19th century Warsaw and the way he described - so precisely! - people's thoughts and feelings.

What I didn't like was that each character was stupid in his/her own way and sometimes I simply wanted to shout at them. Wokulski did not see anything beside his Izabela, Rzecki went on and on about "politics" and "Napoleon heir", Izabela was into her high society status... a ...more

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May 11, 2008 Anna rated it liked it · review of another edition

Good, but it would be better in shorter version. Medium engaging stuff.

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Apr 19, 2020 Domik rated it did not like it

worst experience of my fucking life, thank gods it's finally over ...more

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Nov 18, 2020 Dima rated it really liked it · review of another edition

All in all - a terrific experience. The Polish Anna Karenina, of sorts. A nuanced and thoughtful criticism of aristocracy, and an ode to entrepreneurship. Also a fascinating character study of people stuck between the two worlds, and the search for meaning. In that sense - quite a bit ahead of its time, highlighting the psychological struggles of a person stuck between two worlds, and what social mobility is possible (or impossible). I also loved the detailed study of the psychology and social-p ...more

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Nov 07, 2020 David C Ward rated it really liked it · review of another edition

It’s said there are only two plots: someone comes to town; someone leaves town. In late 19th century Warsaw no one from the upper class/aristocracy leaves and society becomes indolent, backward, and frivolous. The merchant Witulski leaves to make his fortune and to come back to win the beautiful, aristocratic, flighty Bela. A clash of two world views - modern, mercantile, striving vs. reactionary, caste bound, complacent - plays out in Witulski’s obsession. Witulski’s fluctuating state of mind i ...more

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May 10, 2017 Anne added it · review of another edition

Shelves: reading-the-world

Since it took me six months to read, I'll gather my thoughts a bit before writing a review. ...more

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May 04, 2012 Dwight added it

My review

The Doll takes place over an eighteen-month period during 1878-9 and looks at Polish society, with most of the focus on the growing conflict between the upper classes and the emerging tradesmen. Two ideologies are contrasted in the novel—the older Romantic ideal and the newer Positivist outlook. From the New York Review Books’ page:

Prus’s work centers around the stories of three men from three different generations: Wokulski, the fatally flawed and hopelessly love-struck hero; Rzecki, t

Prus’s work centers around the stories of three men from three different generations: Wokulski, the fatally flawed and hopelessly love-struck hero; Rzecki, the methodical and romantic old clerk; and Ochocki, a bright young scientist who hopes for universal progress in the midst of a darkening political climate. As the stories of the three men intertwine, Prus’s novel spins a web of encounters with an embattled aristocracy, the new men of finance, and the urban poor. Written with a quasi-prophetic sensibility, The Doll looks ahead to the social forces of imperialism, nationalism, and anti-Semitism that would soon hound the entire continent.

I think the last statement might be a little strong, but they did qualify it with “quasi”—Prus makes it clear that there are no easy solutions to the many problems raised in the novel. Furthermore, he recognizes that advancements, economic or social, come at a cost. As I noted in my first post, the book has its flaws, especially when Prus is a bit heavy-handed on his message, but I still highly recommend it.

In the posts listed below I focused on only a few particular characters and a couple of issues in the posts listed below. I hope the excerpts provide a good sample of what you’ll find in the novel, at least as far as style, wit, and humor. I’ll note here that the New York Review Books has the introduction to their edition of the book by Stanisław Barańczak online—it provides a good background to the author and the novel.

My posts on the book can be found at the links below:

Introduction
Prus intended The Doll "to present our Polish idealists against the background of society’s decay."

Miss Łęcka and her enchanted world

Stanisław Wokulski
“So we may well be witnesses of a tragedy"

Ignacy Rzecki
"I can’t leave Warsaw and the store even for a little while."

The younger generation
"You cads!"

The Polish question
"By wiping out everything that was good, we have produced an artificial selection and protected the worst."

...more

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Mar 26, 2019 Rick Rapp rated it really liked it

Prus has been compared to Chekhov and it's an apt comparison. His lengthy book is ultimately an intimate tale following three unlikely characters: a self-made millionaire longing for acceptance, a hopeless Romantic longing for the days gone by, and an idealistic scientist. The characters are interesting and well-drawn. It's a wonderful insight into Poland in the late 19th century with many disturbing bits of foreshadowing: anti-Semitism, the useless aristocracy, and misguided nationalism. The ch ...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Michael rated it it was amazing

Shelves: polish

"The Doll" is a Warsaw-classic, i.e. it not only shows the "lovestory" of a wealthy salesman to a decadent impoverished noble young lady, but also the capital's development at the end of the 19th century. ...more

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Apr 04, 2019 Luca rated it really liked it

Rzecki and Wąsowska were the best characters, don't @ me. Also, I'm pretty sure that the fact that I almost cried in the last chapter says a lot about the quality of the book. I think it's worth it, in the circumstance that you have a LOT of time on your hands. ...more

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Mar 13, 2009 Olga rated it it was amazing

brilliant! brilliant!

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May 09, 2011 Amy rated it really liked it

Shelves: required-reading

I have to admit that's the first school lecture book that moved me so much. It's really deep and full of emotions in any kind from anger to angst, along with happiness. ...more

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Apr 05, 2013 Krzysztof Gretkus rated it it was amazing

The polish classic but really vivid and absorbing.

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May 21, 2017 Michał/Michael Nikodem/Nicodemus Hołda/Holda rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical-novels

This book is lesson in relationship placed in 19th centaury Warsaw.

It’s about, how we can feel love toward someone, by driving ourselves into feelings based on our imagination from permanent thinking about someone. And yes, we all do this at some level, especially at the beginning of friendship. But I do think that, when you enjoy presence of someone, you want to spend more time with them rather than over process and agonize things that happened only for one. And here attachment to social class This book is lesson in relationship placed in 19th centaury Warsaw.

It’s about, how we can feel love toward someone, by driving ourselves into feelings based on our imagination from permanent thinking about someone. And yes, we all do this at some level, especially at the beginning of friendship. But I do think that, when you enjoy presence of someone, you want to spend more time with them rather than over process and agonize things that happened only for one. And here attachment to social class also plays his role.

Stanisław Wokulski, owner of shop in Warsaw, has fallen in love with Izabela, beautiful young aristocrat that could not understand life of middle class & middle aged shopkeeper. However with aristocratic descendants. Note that Warsaw at that time was under Russian occupation and wasn't capital city.

One day Wokulski has met aristocrat on meeting about investing in goods for economical growth of that region and he took position of coordinator. Just to growth his wealth, without passion though, just as professional.
Then he bought horse and wan race giving back all winnings to Izabela, besides that there was scene with one earl that led to duel. With rare shot casted by Stanisław, when bullet hit enemy flintlock part of pistol which breaks tooth of opponent of his.

Wokulski spends his money on apartment house and gives money to few friends and customers in need just to make good impression on his sweetheart, he also try to learn some English, as its fashionable language at that time in aristocratic sphere.

Moreover Tomasz Łęcki, Izabela's father chained his finances with Stanisław and has become dependent on merchants will. Furthermore Tomasz thinks that this generosity is only matter of friendship.

On the other hand, authorized friend of Wokulski, one to get rent, discovers social ties in apartment house. Where some doesn't want to pay at all, and tenant Baroness dislike another tenant, Helena Stawska. When landlord is away in Paris. Guesting at old friend, Suzin, rich Moscow merchant, knowing each other from Siberia. Spending some time there, amazed by it and lunatic for a bit but fortunately he meets a chemist who has invented platinum as lighter metal. But after realizing certain things about relationship he goes by to Poland by impulse reaction given after reading letter from Zasławska, she-chairman of estate.

Where he meets her, Kazimiere Wąsowską, widowed lady that is honest about relationships with Wokulski and helps him understand his affections about Izabela, his constant thinking about her. And then Izabela comes over to property. Where at the table Stanisław speaks with her and then there is speech about folk legend of lady with needle in her had that sleeps in underground cave, but there is brave blacksmith that goes to rescues her but fails to meet the quest after attempts to help that poor sleeping creature.

Finally Wokulski comes to selling his shop struggling between living for France with Izabella or staying with women that loves him, Kazimiera Wąsowska, that is. Then he travels away from Europe just so his old friends doubt his sanity.

There is also aspect of chapters from memories of Ignacy Rzecki, from his diary. Considering Napoleons family (like Napoleona III) and Spring of Nations, particularly Hungarian. Subjects that Poles actively participated. And there is another thing that even without independence Polish people fought for many other.

And so, towards ending of the book, in second part there we have court case about titled “doll” that has been suspected to be stolen by looking just like one of dead child. However after explanation and proofs, the case is dismissed. And another case with students that aren’t paying for rent to new owner, baroness.

This epos describes well scenery of life in that time and place, still is not pure copy of real events however it’s highly probable.
...more

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About Bolesław Prus

Bolesław Prus

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Bolesław Prus (pronounced:[bɔ'lεswaf 'prus]; Hrubieszów, August 20, 1847 – May 19, 1912, Warsaw), whose actual name was Aleksander Głowacki, was a Polish journalist and novelist who is known especially for his novels The Doll and Pharaoh. He was the leading representative of realism in 19th-century Polish literature and remains a distinctive voice in world literature. Głowacki took the pen name "P ...more