Between Letters from America and “Sachem”

Abstract

Abstract The subject of the article is Henryk Sienkiewicz's three-year- long stay in the United States (1876–1878), as well as its result—“Letters from a Trip to America” and short stories inspired by this trip (with particular emphasis on “Sachem”). The article concentrates on the way the author presents both geographic and social aspects of America as well as ideological and artistic interpretation. Sienkiewicz in his writings presents the nature of American democracy, ideas of freedom and equality at the same time noticing unjust treatment and extermination of the Indigenous Americans. In his “American” works Sienkiewicz hones his writing skills, in particular abilities of description. This article also shows how the stay in America influenced Sienkiewicz's worldview and his later works, in particular his historical novels.