Neopogańskie inspiracje w najnowszej prozie polskiej na przykładzie „Czarownicy z Radosnej” Zofii Staniszewskiej

Authors:

• Magdalena Bednarek

Abstract

The figure of a witch is a popular motive in Polish literarture written after 1989; it is present in fantasy as well as in contemporary realistic fiction. Up till now the feminist roots of this figure has been pointed by the scholars in women’s ficton (see E. Kraskowska, I. Iwasiów). In this way of thinking the witch is a metaphor of positive aspect of woman’s otherness in the patriarchal society, it also represents women’s power: her ability to create her own destiny and influence the culture. In the paper I propose a complementary perspective: without questioning the feminist context I will present how contemporary Polish fiction is inspired by neopagan beleifs which has been spreading in Poland since the turn of centuries. I analyse Czarownica z Radosnej, popular novel by Zofia Staniszewska, in the context of worldspread religion Wicca but also Slavic spiritual traditions and Polish neopagan rituals. The aim of the paper is to verify if the novel can be seen as literary form of neopagan revival in Poland or even a promotion of neopaganizm.