Abstract
The present study aims to bring to light the problem of the ethnic identification of Aleksander Wat, an outstanding Polish-Jewish poet. Debating common view of Jew and Pole being synonymous in Wat’s ethnicity, the author attempts to trace the development and the transformation of this ethnicity. The author shows the dynamics of its evolution in a theoretical framework in the form of a fluid and dynamic model of ethnic identity. Focusing on the historical context is imperative in asserting that in the case of Wat his comprehension of the Holocaust initiated a process of rebuilding and consolidation of his Jewish identity (the poet’s version of spiritual Aliyah). The final phase of the process can also be contributive to othering of his Polish “habitus”.
Highlights
It would not be quite accurate to say that the current study extends previous research examining the question of ethnic identity of outstanding Polish poet Aleksander Wat
I hope that this much-used tag will evoke in your minds, some associations with the problems usually discussed when the topic of literary and artistic activity within the Jewish Diaspora is being introduced – even if the particular artist is much more widely known Aleksander Wat himself
Jewish identity seems best captured by the dialectics call for a fluid and dynamic model of identity, one capable of recognizing the different “journeys” over the life course and different socio-economic settings for its many expressions. [Hartman, & Kaufman, p. 385]. It is so: due to a merging of ethnic, religious and cultural aspects within Jewish identity, the best model to describe it is a dynamic one, which represents the Aleksander Wat and His Polish-Jewish Identity: The Dilemmas of Identity of the 20th Century Polish Writers of Jewish Background free-flowing and individual phenomenon, that changes over time [See: Hartman, & Kaufman, p. 372]
Summary
Twentieth-century Polish Literature, Ethnic Identity, Jewishness, Holocaust I am going to critically discuss the stereotype, according to which the poet’s Polish-Jewish identity was something monolithic and stable, independent from the course of History and the changes of Wat’s personal life.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
