Niemcewicz and Griboyedov: Debates on the Polish-Belarusian Motif in the Creative Prehistory of “Woe from Wit”

Abstract

The article examines the history of research on the influence of Julian Niemcewicz’s comedy Powrót posła on Alexandr Griboyedov’s play Woe from Wit. The first publication on this topic provoked a sharp critical reaction from the leading expert on Griboyedov's works, Nikolai Piksanov. In the following decades, scholars either avoided the topic or addressed it with extreme caution. Nevertheless, throughout the 20^th century, the Niemcewicz–Griboyedov theme repeatedly re-emerged in scholarly discourse. An open scholarly polemic occurred only once; the subsequent history can be described more as a history of distancing and (self)-censorship. The article analyzes the positions of the opposing sides at each stage of this distinctive scholarly debate. It also attempts to outline prospects for further research in light of recent studies on the modes of functioning of theatrical texts at the turn of the 18^th and 19^th centuries, as well as new biographical information about Niemcewicz and Griboyedov. In many cases, geography played a more important role in facilitating cultural contact than official prohibitions, myths, or stereotypes. Both key figures in this story – Niemcewicz and Griboyedov – were closely connected to the city Brest.