Shades (story)

Themes

"Shades" is one of several micro-stories by Bolesław Prus that were inspired partly by 19th-century French prose poetry.

Prus scholar Zygmunt Szweykowski writes:

Based on a thorough familiarity with nature and with scientific abstractions, which Prus knows consummately how to make concrete, the writer creates an original world, not encountered in other authors, of splendid visions striking in their perspectives of infinity; these translate the longings, yearnings, and struggles of the human soul to the universe ("In the Light of the Moon") or bring to light a higher, religious, mythic, or legendary order of the universe ("New Year" [1880]).

These... perspectives, present at the start of Prus' writing career, intensify markedly after 1882, with the failure of Nowiny [News]. The writer's attitude to his art changes ...; that art becomes ever closer to him, and we see his writing gain remarkably in depth, and humor assume a distinct role, as Prus begins to avoid writing [the kinds of] pieces [he had been writing, which had been motivated by] a desire to amuse readers [with] jokes and jibes ...}}

Prus' micro-story "Shades" comprises two parts. The first half evokes the above-described atmosphere of dread, via Prus' description of an eternal contest between light and darkness. The second half describes the efforts of one of a number of nameless lamplighters to dispel the darkness, for as long as his finite lifespan permits.

References

Sources

• Christopher Kasparek, "Two Micro-Stories by Bolesław Prus," The Polish Review, 1995, no. 1, pp. 99–103.
• Zygmunt Szweykowski, Twórczość Bolesława Prusa (The Writings of Bolesław Prus), 2nd ed., Warsaw, Państwowy Instytut Wydawniczy, 1972.
• Barbara Bobrowska, "Latarnicy Wóycickiego i Prusa, czyli o 'fizjologii parabolicznej'" ("Wóycicki's and Prus' Lamplighters: 'parabolic physiology'"), in Małe narracje Prusa (Prus's Small Narratives), Gdańsk, słowo/obraz terytoria, 2004, pp. 113–34.

References

1. Christopher Kasparek, "Two [[Flash fiction. Micro-Stories]] by [[Bolesław Prus]]," ''[[The Polish Review]]'', 1995, no. 1, p. 99.
2. [[Zygmunt Szweykowski (historian). Zygmunt Szweykowski]], ''Twórczość Bolesława Prusa'' (The Writings of Bolesław Prus), p. 99.
3. [[Zygmunt Szweykowski (historian). Zygmunt Szweykowski]], ''Twórczość Bolesława Prusa'' (The Writings of Bolesław Prus), pp. 93–94.