The universe of masterpieces. The critical discourse in Norwid’s letters

Abstract

Cyprian Norwid’s correspondence is an important element of his critical reflection. From the critical remarks contained in it the image of literature appears as a collection of masterpieces situated in the space of eternal truths and universal values based on the highest intellectual, moral and esthetic standards. According to Norwid a critic’s role consists mainly in searching for outstanding works and recording crucial literary facts. In his assessment of contemporary literary life, however, Norwid used the above rules in an inconsistent way: vast areas of Polish literature of those times (among them being the 19th century novel) remained outside his critical judgments, and his opinions resulted not only from his absolutist strategy of “tracking down masterpieces”, but also from accidental reading practice of a “usual” reader entangled in everyday life.