Approaches to the Author: Szymborska
As part of our “Approaches to the author” series, we will be discussing the Polish poet and Nobel Prize laureate, Wisława Szymborska. Her work is frequently studied at IBDP.
A brief biography of Wisława Szymborska
Although not essential for IB students, an understanding of the life of the poets they study can be a benefit. During the IB English Literature examinations it can be impressive to the examiner if IB students can include relevant biographical details regarding the poet whose work is being discussed. In doing so, IB English Literature students show a depth of knowledge and an interest in secondary reading.
Wisława Szymborska was a Polish poet who was born in 1923 and died in 2012 at the age of 88. During her lifetime, Szymborska authored more than fifteen books of poetry. Szymborska wrote her poems in Polish and lived her whole life in Poland. During her literary career, Szymborska accrued many accolades, including the Nobel Prize for literature, which she was awarded in 1996. Szymborska was a philosophical and political poet, and often explored these aspects in her writing. Some of her poetry did not pass Polish censorship laws, influenced by the rulings of the Soviet Union, and her first book was challenged for not aligning with “socialist requirements”. Szymborska's relationship with the Polish Communist Party, a puppet regime under the government of the USSR, was complex: originally she was a member of the party, but eventually left, and would go on to protest against it.
The world of Szymborska
Similarly to the benefits of biographical knowledge, those studying IB English Literature should have some knowledge of the context from which a poet’s work was produced. In the case of Wisława Szymborska, this means understanding the political climate of post-war Poland.
The Polish People's Republic was a Soviet satellite state in Central Europe that existed from 1947 to 1989, and was the predecessor of the modern Republic of Poland. While Szymborska originally supported Communism and joined the Polish Communist Party, through a greater understanding of the inner workings of the party, she came to realise that she, along with many other young optimistic people, were misled by false promises. Szymborska renounced the political writing she produced earlier in her career, however her tumultuous political career is present in her later works, emphasising the importance of personal examination and thought, rather than reverting to preconceived ideas or ideologies. This influence is present in Szymborska’s exploration of the interplay between freedom and restriction, and her meditations on the nature of knowledge. For evidence of this, readers can turn to the poem ‘Conversation with a Stone’.
Postmodernism
IB English Literature students should not only consider the biographical details of the writer and the context in which their work is produced, but also the literary movement to which they ascribe (although, not always intentionally).
Wisława Szymborska is seen as a postmodern poet. Postmodernism is a late 20th-century concept that is characterised by the self-conscious use of earlier conventions, a mixing of different artistic styles and media, and a general distrust of authorities. Szymborska’s work follows in this postmodern spirit, often presenting a mosaic of allusions, voices and styles (see her poem ‘Utopia’). Postmodern writers typically rely on irony, playfulness and black humour, fragmented realities, parody, allusion and unreliable narrators. Surreal and ironic language and scenarios, a common feature in postmodern texts, are often present in Szymborska’s poetry (see the poems ‘Tower of Babel’ and ‘Conversation with a Stone’).
Help with IB English Literature
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