Dreaminess as a Malady of the Will: Remarks on Prus’s (and Plato’s) Life Ideals in the Margins of Bolesław Prus’s Novella Z legend dawnego Egiptu

Abstract

Drawing on literary theory and history, philosophy (including the history of philosophy, anthropology, epistemology, and ontology), as well as historical and social sciences (notably psychology and sociology), the author analyzes Bolesław Prus’s novella From the Legends of Ancient Egypt as an allegorical reflection on the concepts of power, responsibility, and spiritual harmony. The study juxtaposes Prus’s notion of the life ideal with Plato’s tripartite model of the soul: reason, will, and emotion. Ramesses embodies the will subordinated to the common good, while Horus represents dreaminess and emotionality, which – lacking the force of action – lead to failure. Inspired by Platonic thought, Prus argues that only an integrated personality can contribute to the formation of a just society. Although set in ancient Egypt, the novella serves as a commentary on the political realities of Prus’s own time, using the historical setting as a means of circumventing censorship. The article offers a profound analysis of ideals as formative forces shaping both the individual and the state. It presents Prus as a coherent and modern thinker who, drawing on ancient insights, seeks to illuminate for his contemporaries – and for us – the paths toward meaningful (perfect, useful, and fulfilling) individual and collective life.