Sztuka zrywania. Niefortunne narzeczeństwa w polskiej powieści i wspomnieniach końca XIX i początku XX w. [The art of breaking up: unfortunate engagements in the Polish novel and memoirs of the late 19th and early 20th century]

The article is devoted to a morally sensitive topic, created by situations which did not lead to a marriage, but ended up with a discrediting separation. It analyses socially accepted, although often false reasons for splitting up, treated as shameful and without approbation, frequently hidden under suggested excuses provided by savoir–vivre books. It also compares, in this case, the position of women and men, reflecting on the attempt to protect the reputation of a young lady with a fixed social convention. Particularly interesting seem to be the texts that refer to authentic biographical material, which were read by the contemporary readers as the violating moral taboos “novel with a key”. Novels of manners are the basis for reflection, such as created by Bolesław Prus (The Doll [Lalka], The New Woman [Emancypantki]), Maria Rodziewiczówna (Między ustami a brzegiem pucharu, Kądziel), Henryk Sienkiewicz (Without Dogma [Bez dogmatu], Rodzina Połanieckich), Sewer (Bajecznie kolorowa), and Kazimierz Przerwa–Tetmajer (Anioł śmierci), but also a message of memoirs of the age (Anna Skarbek–Sokołowska, Magdalena Samozwaniec, Tadeusz Boy–Żeleński, and others)