Everyday and Festive: Traditions of the Masuria People in Stories by Emilia Sukertowa-Biedrawina

Abstract

The article presents an analysis of the volume of prose by Emilia Sukertowa-Biedrawina Mazurskie dole i niedole ("Masuria Fates and Misfortunes"). Attention is paid to its documentary values, which contributed to the preservation and popularization of the Masuria culture among Polish readers. The cognitive value of the stories of the distinguished regionalist was also mentioned due to the presence of historical threads in them. In addition, forms of expression that are characterized by the syncretism manifested in the combination of various genres (short story, reportage, and essay) are discussed. The conclusion proves that Sukertowa-Biedrawina is a skilled writer who can build an interesting story and weave retrospective statements of the characters along with the general remarks of the narrator into it. The style of the oral tale (‘gawęda’), which is emphasized by the often used di-alectization, has been mixed with the essayistic style, especially in the fragments of popular science lecture on folklore and history.