Primeval and Other Times explained

Primeval and Other Times
Author:Olga Tokarczuk
Title Orig:Prawiek i inne czasy
Orig Lang Code:pl
Translator:Antonia Lloyd-Jones
Country:Poland
Language:Polish
Set In:Prawiek, Poland
Publisher:Wydawnictwo W.A.B.
Pub Date:1996
English Pub Date:2010
Pages:268
Isbn:978-83-87021-01-6

Primeval and Other Times (Polish: '''Prawiek i inne czasy''') is a fragmentary novel by Olga Tokarczuk, published by Wydawnictwo W.A.B. in 1996.[1] [2] [3]

It is Tokarczuk's third novel and was highly critically successful. It is set in the fictitious village of Prawiek (Primeval) at the very heart of Poland, which is populated by some eccentric, archetypical characters. The novel chronicles the lives of Prawiek's inhabitants over a period of eight decades, beginning in 1914.[4] It has been translated into many languages and established Tokarczuk's international reputation as one of the most important Polish authors of her generation.[5] [6]

Structure

The novel is divided into 60 short vignettes, each focusing one or more fictional characters in different periods of time. According to Tokarczuk, this fragmentary form of storytelling, which she further explored in House of Day, House of Night (1998), is representative of the novel's perception of reality. According to the author, the style of writing arouses this fragmentary perception and conveys that the separate vignettes are part of something greater. Tokarczuk was not fully conscious of the structure's purpose when she wrote the novel, but she strongly defended it against the publisher who suggested changing it.[7]

The novel contains elements of fantasy[8] mixed with magic realism.[9]

Setting

The setting for the novel was inspired by the village of Zagrody, located in the Kielce region, where Tokarczuk spent her childhood holidays.[10] She emphasized, however, that although the fictional village in the book owes its topography to that of Zagrody, it is a fictional locale of her own creation. Tokarczuk rejected the idea that characters in the book could be linked to real inhabitants of Zagrody, and criticised journalists who attempted to do in the late 1990s.[11] In 2012, inhabitants of Staszów County organized a project to document the locations presented in the novel through photography.[10]

Reception

After its publication, the novel was reviewed by many Polish critics. wrote that "Olga's time" in literature had come, describing her prose as one of the most captivating phenomena in literature and compared it to the writings of Bolesław Leśmian and Bruno Schulz. criticized Tokarczuk's prose as being conformist and having a quality more typical of the entertainment industry. Wojciech Browarny considered there to be a feminist element in Tokarczuk's writing, but said she should not be categorised as a feminist writer. praised Tokarczuk for being representative of the prose of young women. The novel was also reviewed by and Kinga Dunin.[12]

Tokarczuk was awarded the 1996 Paszport Polityki in the literature category and the 1997 Kościelski Award for Primeval. The novel was nominated for the 1997 Nike Award jury prize.[13] While it did not receive the main prize it was, however, awarded their audience award that year.[14] The novel was popular among readers in Poland and abroad, and has been translated into over twenty languages.[15] In 2010, it was published in English as Primeval and Other Times by Twisted Spoon Press, translated by Antonia Lloyd-Jones.[16] The novel was included in the official reading list of Poland's Ministry of National Education.[16]

Adaptations

A stage adaptation of Prawiek i inne czasy, performed by Białostockie Towarzystwo Wierszalin, directed by, premiered in 1997[17] [18]

Publication history

Notes and References

  1. Book: Czapliński, Przemysław . Kalendarium życia literackiego 1976-2000 : wydarzenia, dyskusje, bilanse . Wyd. Literackie . 2003 . 83-08-03511-6 . 1 . Kraków . 448 . pl . 53952728.
  2. News: 1 October 1998 . Unhistorical materialism . . Warsaw . subscription . 10 October 2020.
  3. News: Sosnowski . Jerzy . 8 October 1997 . Budzik dla duszy . pl . 13 . . 235 . subscription . 10 October 2020.
  4. Web site: Primeval and Other Times: Olga Tokarczuk. Eberhart . Katie. 27 November 2010 . TS.
  5. Web site: Primeval and Other Times. Twisted Spoon Press. 11 October 2019 .
  6. Olga Tokarczuk's Novels Against Nationalism. Franklin . Ruth. The New Yorker. 29 July 2019. 11 October 2019 .
  7. Book: Śliwiński, Piotr . Kontrapunkt. Rozmowy o książkach . Obserwator . 1999 . 83-87235-18-0 . 1 . Poznań . 244 . pl . Chciałabym pilnować środka – rozmowa z Olgą Tokarczuk . 44740948.
  8. News: Orliński . Wojciech . Wojciech Orliński . 8 February 2020 . Kto decyduje, co jest ency, a co nie . pl . . subscription . 10 February 2020.
  9. News: Klejnocki . Jarosław . 20 October 2008 . Recenzja książki: Olga Tokarczuk, "Prawiek i inne czasy" . pl . . 10 February 2020.
  10. News: Chrobot . Agata . 11 October 2019 . Prawiek z powieści "Prawiek i inne czasy" – to wieś Zagrody w gminie Staszów. Niezwykła historia jednego z dzieł Noblistki Olgi Tokarczuk . pl . . 27 December 2019.
  11. Book: Śliwiński, Piotr . Kontrapunkt. Rozmowy o książkach . Obserwator . 1999 . 83-87235-18-0 . 1 . Poznań . 243 . pl . Chciałabym pilnować środka – rozmowa z Olgą Tokarczuk . 44740948.
  12. Book: Czapliński, Przemysław . Kalendarium życia literackiego 1976-2000 : wydarzenia, dyskusje, bilanse . . 2003 . 83-08-03511-6 . 1 . Kraków . 461 . pl . 53952728.
  13. Web site: Nagroda Nike 1997 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150708051307/http://nike.org.pl/strona.php?p=28&eid=12 . 8 July 2015 . 20 July 2015 . nike.org.pl . pl.
  14. Web site: Prawiek i inne czasy . https://web.archive.org/web/20170323143136/http://www.instytutksiazki.pl/ksiazki-detal,literatura-polska,67,prawiek-i-inne-czasy.html . 23 March 2017 . 23 March 2017 . instytutksiazki.pl . pl.
  15. Web site: Olga Tokarczuk – "Prawiek i inne czasy" . https://web.archive.org/web/20170323144640/http://www.wydawnictwoliterackie.pl/ksiazka/3467/Prawiek-i-inne-czasy---Olga-Tokarczuk . 23 March 2017 . 23 March 2017 . wydawnictwoliterackie.pl . pl.
  16. Web site: 25 May 2011 . Dyskusja o "Prawieku" Olgi Tokarczuk . 23 March 2017 . culture.pl . pl.
  17. Book: Czapliński, Przemysław . Kalendarium życia literackiego 1976-2000 : wydarzenia, dyskusje, bilanse . Wyd. Literackie . 2003 . 83-08-03511-6 . 1 . Kraków . 485 . pl . 53952728.
  18. News: Żmijewska . Monika . 4 May 2020 . Niebiescy, Boscy, Prawiek i inne czasy. Wierszalin zaprasza online na spektakl sprzed 22 lat . pl . . subscription . 9 October 2020.
  19. Web site: 太古和其他的時間（十年典藏版) . 10 October 2020 . www.locuspublishing.com . zh.
  20. Web site: Tokarzcuk . 10 October 2020 . ariel.nu . sv.
  21. Web site: Algus ja teised ajad . 10 October 2020 . Hendrik Lindepuu Kirjastus . et.
  22. Web site: Olga Tokarczuk: Pravek a iné časy . 10 October 2020 . premedia.sk . sk.
  23. Web site: Το Αρχέγονο και άλλοι καιροί . 10 October 2020 . Εκδόσεις Καστανιώτη . el.
  24. Web site: Biscuitpress.kr . 태고의 시간들 . 10 October 2020 . ehbook.co.kr . ko-KR.
  25. Web site: Outrora e Outros Tempos . 10 October 2020 . cavalodeferro.pt . pt.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Primeval and Other Times".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.