From Spirit (Not) Similar: Słowacki — Chopin

Abstract

The sketch From spirit (not)similar: Słowacki — Chopin, referring mainly to their biographies, it tries to show the relations that existed between these outstanding people. They first met in Warsaw before 1830, and although they later met a few times in Paris, where they emigrated after the fall of the November Uprising, they did not establish closer ties. Despite a certain physical similarity, a similar psychological sensitivity and some parallels in experiencing the Polish vicissitudes, they looked at each other with reserve. In a sense Słowacki tried to be resistant to a peculiar Chopin cult that his mother practiced. The relations between the men were rather asymmetric. Słowacki showed a greater interest in the composer than vice versa. Also the relations that existed in the circles of the Great Emigration, where the leading role was played by Adam Mickiewicz, influenced their opinions about each other. The discussion may be concluded with the statement that in the case of Słowacki and Chopin the Romantic theory on the correspondence of arts was not confirmed here by the “correspondence of personalities.”