Syzyfowe prace
Encyclopedia
"Syzyfowe prace" or "Labors of Sisyphus" is a novel by Polish
author Stefan Żeromski
which first appeared in the magazine Nowa Reforma in 1897. The work was published under the pseudonym "Maurycy Zych" and it was the writer's first published work.
The novel is based on the author's personal experiences as a child and adolescent in the Russian controlled
Congress Poland
. It is a portrait of his school and its students attempts to resist the policy of Russification
imposed by the Tsarist authorities
. The title refers to the Greek myth
of Sisyphus
, and portrays the attempts to indoctrinate the students as an occasionally successful, but ultimately doomed to failure endeavor.
The novel is set in the town of Klerykowo. One of the main characters, and one of the leaders of the rebellious students is Andrzej Radek, a farmer's son.
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
author Stefan Żeromski
Stefan Zeromski
Stefan Żeromski was a Polish novelist and dramatist. He was called the "conscience of Polish literature". He also wrote under the pen names: Maurycy Zych, Józef Katerla and Stefan Iksmoreż.- Life :...
which first appeared in the magazine Nowa Reforma in 1897. The work was published under the pseudonym "Maurycy Zych" and it was the writer's first published work.
The novel is based on the author's personal experiences as a child and adolescent in the Russian controlled
Partitions of Poland
The Partitions of Poland or Partitions of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth took place in the second half of the 18th century and ended the existence of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, resulting in the elimination of sovereign Poland for 123 years...
Congress Poland
Congress Poland
The Kingdom of Poland , informally known as Congress Poland , created in 1815 by the Congress of Vienna, was a personal union of the Russian parcel of Poland with the Russian Empire...
. It is a portrait of his school and its students attempts to resist the policy of Russification
Russification
Russification is an adoption of the Russian language or some other Russian attributes by non-Russian communities...
imposed by the Tsarist authorities
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
. The title refers to the Greek myth
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
of Sisyphus
Sisyphus
In Greek mythology Sisyphus was a king punished by being compelled to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, and to repeat this throughout eternity...
, and portrays the attempts to indoctrinate the students as an occasionally successful, but ultimately doomed to failure endeavor.
The novel is set in the town of Klerykowo. One of the main characters, and one of the leaders of the rebellious students is Andrzej Radek, a farmer's son.