The Imagological Contexts of Antoni Malczewski's "Maria"

Abstract

This work provides a descriptive and comparative analysis of the images of Cossacks and Tatars in Antoni Malczewski’s poem “Maria”, examined within the context of imagology and inter-ethnic relations. The poem delineates a clear dichotomy between Good, embodied by the Poles and Cossacks, and Evil, represented by the Tatars. The image of the Cossack is portrayed as multifaceted and complex: he is a harmonious blend of “wildness” and “obedience”, lives in unity with nature, and serves as a loyal messenger, a reliable guide, and a brave warrior. He functions as an “intermediate link” between “civilization” (the Poles) and “barbarism.” In contrast, the Tatars are depicted as a faceless, cruel, and treacherous horde, symbolizing absolute evil, chaos, and a destructive force of nature. This contrast is further deepened by the analysis of their combat tactics: the noble and direct fighting style of the Poles is set against the cunning maneuvers and encirclement tactics of the Tatars. Thus, in the poem, the Cossacks emerge as allies of civilization in its struggle against barbarism.