Peter’s Reviews > Wybór nowel > Status Update

An impressive analysis of the workings of Manchester capitalism. "Przywracająca fala" (The Returning Wave) is a b&w story about a bad German factory owners and his exploited Polish workers. Situated probably close to Łódź, the former Polish center of textile industries, the story even mentions the term "ziemia obiecana" (the promised land), which later became the title of Władysław Reymont's famous novel.

"Przygoda Stasia" (Stas' Adventures). It is full of humour and hidden irony towards the ruling classes in the Polish countryside. Prus' sympathy to the simple working people, craftsmen in this case, is very present here as well.

"Kamizelka" (the waistcoat) is another of these wonderful stories that displan the sad but decent life of ordinary people.

Who does not have tears in his/her eyes, when reading "Katarynka", does not have a heart.

The short novel Michałko exemplifies the fate of the country folk who came to Warsaw in great numbers end of the 19th century. Ill prepared for a life in a big city, with money as its primary value, they often fell victim to exploitation; by their employers, but also my their colleagues and fellow citizens.

Ebenezer Scrooge and Harpagon found their Polish counterpart in Mr. Lucas (Pan Łukasz). Avacicious to the degree that not even the devil will accept him to hell (in his dream). The really funny part, however, is not the main story, but the fact that hell looks exactly like Warsaw in those days and repentance for the sinners is to do exactly the same as every day to eternity.

This is a collection of the most short stories of the acclaimed author of "The Doll" (Lalka) and "The Pharao" (Faraon), one of the main representatives of positivism in Polish literature.

The first story is "Antek". It is famous, still I have long shied away from reading it. It displays the backwardness and superstition in 19th century countryside in a most drastic way: the killing of a child in an oven for bread.