In 2016, marks 170 years since the birth and exactly 100 years since the death of a great Polish writer named Henryk (Henry) Senkevich. In the era of the oppression of the Polish language and culture, with the help of his novels, he interested in the historical past of Poland not only compatriots, but also readers of the whole world. In addition, he wrote one of the best novels about Christians in the Roman Empire, “Camo Griadeshi?”, Thanks to which he was awarded the Nobel Prize.
Descendant of the Tatars and Belarusians - Polish writer Henryk (Henry) Senkevich
The world famous Polish writer, meanwhile, had no Polish roots at all. The ancestors of his father were Tatars who moved to Poland and converted to Catholicism. From the maternal side, the blood of Belarusian nobles flowed in the writer's veins. However, by the time Henryk was born, his family remembered their origin only occasionally, considering themselves to be absolute Poles.
Writer childhood
The future Nobel laureate was born in May 1846 in Podlasie. In addition to him, the family had five more children. Even then, the Senkevichs began to have financial problems. Trying to settle them, they often moved from estate to estate. Thus, young Henryk spent his childhood among the picturesque expanses of rural nature. Over time, when all the property was sold, the impoverished gentry had no choice but to move to Warsaw.
Youth and the beginning of the creative path
After the family of the gentry went bankrupt, the grown up Henryk Adam Alexander Pius Senkevich had to rely only on his own strength. Despite financial problems, the young Henryk Sienkiewicz received a worthy education. He graduated from high school and at the insistence of his parents entered the medical faculty of the University of Warsaw. However, the profession of a physician was not interested in a passionate young man with a vivid imagination, so he transferred to the historical and philological faculty.
The first attempt to write his own work was undertaken by Henry as a student. It was called the "firstborn" of the writer "Victim", but this work was not published and did not survive.
Since the relatives practically did not help the writer, Henryk Sienkiewicz began to look for ways to earn money. Soon, under the pseudonym Litvos, many newspapers in Warsaw began to publish essays, articles and essays by young Senkevich. His talent and pleasant manner of writing were quickly appreciated. Having never finished his studies at the university, Henryk Sienkiewicz devoted himself completely to journalistic work.
The first published work of the writer was the story "Beginning" (1872). After a successful debut, he began to actively write his own works and publish.
In 1876, Henry was sent on a business trip to the United States. Based on his impressions of the trip, Henryk Sienkiewicz wrote many essays and short stories. The most popular are “In the Land of Gold”, “Comedy from Mistakes” and “Across the Steppes”.
After the USA, the writer traveled around Europe for a long time, as a result of which he wrote the short story “Janko the musician”.
Having become quite famous in the genre of small prose, Henryk Sienkiewicz decided to try to take on larger works.
The historical trilogy of the novels of Henryk Sienkiewicz about the adventures of Pan Michal Volodyevsky
In the eighties of the nineteenth century, Poland was part of the Russian Empire. However, the Poles dreamed of gaining freedom and periodically revolted. After the suppression of another of them, tough measures were introduced in Poland: it was forbidden to teach Polish in educational institutions, instead the Russian language was to be used. In addition, in Polish literature at that time it was fashionable to write about modern events. So he took a very risky job, taking up the writing of a historical novel, Henryk Sienkiewicz.
“Fire and Sword” is the writer’s first novel. He came out in 1884 in the journal "Friend of the People." The success was overwhelming. Readers liked him so much that the novel was soon published as a separate book.
The work described the uprising of Ukrainian Cossacks led by Bohdan Khmelnytsky. At the same time, the main characters were the Polish gentry Jan Skrzetuski, Michal Volodyevsky, Jan Zagloba and Longin Podbipyatka. Many real historical figures also appeared in the novel: Khmelnitsky, Jeremiah Vishnevetsky, Ivan Bogun and Tugai-bey.
Despite the descriptions of historical battles and adventures of the gentry, in the center of the novel was a love triangle between Bogun, Skshetusky and the beautiful princess Elena Kurtsevich.
After the tremendous success of the book “By Fire and Sword”, Henryk Sienkiewicz set about continuing. In the novel "Flood" describes the period of the war of the Poles with the Swedes. There were also characters from the first book that were beloved by readers in the new work - Michal Volodyevsky and his eternal companion, pan Zagloba. However, now the main characters are coronet Andrzej Kmitsitz and his beloved panna Olga Billevich. When writing this novel, Henryk Sienkiewicz took into account some surprises associated with readers' perceptions of his first novel. The fact is that refined Skshetskiy did not really like the readers.
The main antagonist of the book, Ivan Bogun, turned out to be a brighter and more beloved character by readers: he was brave, noble and ardent. Realizing that people like such heroes, Senkevich made Kmitsitsa look like Bohun, while being a patriot of his country. And did not lose. The popularity of the second novel by Senkevich exceeded the popularity of the first.
In his third novel, the writer finally decided to make Volodyevsky the main character, in whose honor he named his work. It described the war of the Commonwealth with the Turks, love and the heroic death of Pan Michal.
Henryk (Genich) Senkevich: “Camo is coming?” (Qua vadis? / “Where are you going?”)
After the success of his trilogy, Senkevich wrote several more historical novels, but they were no longer as popular as his first books. Therefore, he decided to write a novel about the Roman Empire from the time of Nero. At the same time, the main acting persons were Christians who defended their faith even in the face of death. The new novel was called in translation from Polish “Where are you going?”.
Henryk Sienkiewicz took the ancient legend about the stay of the Apostle Peter in Rome as the basis of the plot. About how, while fleeing persecution, the apostle decided to leave the city, but saw Christ walking into the city, and, repenting of his cowardice, returned to Rome to accept martyrdom.
In addition to the courage of Christians and the stupidity, cruelty and mediocrity of Nero, Senkevich showed in his novel a beautiful love story of the Christian girl Lygia and the courageous Roman patrician Mark Vinicius. As in his past works, Henryk Sienkiewicz used a win-win formula: a noble handsome young hero throughout the book changes for the better and abandons his errors because of love.
This novel glorified the writer far beyond the borders of his homeland and was especially noted by the Pope, thanks to which in 1905 the writer was awarded the Nobel Prize.
Historical novel “Crusaders”
After the triumph of the novel “Camo Comes?” returned to his favorite topic - the history of Poland - writer Heinrich Sienkiewicz. “Crusaders” was his next novel. In it, he described the period of the history of his native country, when the Poles fought with Germanization and the power of the Order of the Teutonic Knights.
Against the backdrop of a large-scale struggle against foreign occupation, the author spoke about the love of the young knight Zbyzhka from Bogdanets and Danusi, the daughter of Jurand from Spykhov.
It is noteworthy that in this novel the writer depicted the female image of Yagenka from Zgorozhelitsy, which was not typical for the literature of that time. This girl was independent, courageous and decisive - it is not surprising that the main character fell in love with her.
The last years of the writer
The novel "Crusaders" was the last truly famous work of the writer. Although Henryk Senkevich issued the novel "The Omutes" in subsequent years, the book did not have much success with the readers.
With the outbreak of World War I, Henryk Sienkiewicz moved to Switzerland. However, here he did not sit idly by, but opened a committee to help the Poles who were victims of the war. Here in Switzerland, he intended to write the novel Legions. However, he died before he managed to complete it.
The great writer was buried in the town of Vevey (Switzerland), but later the ashes of the deceased were reburied in their homeland - in Warsaw.
After the death of Henryk (Genich) Senkevich, he was erected several monuments and busts around the world.
Personal life Senkevich
Despite active writing, Henryk Sienkiewicz found time for his personal life - he was married three times.
The first wife was Maria Shetkevich. She gave birth to two children for the writer, but soon died of tuberculosis. In memory of her, the writer organized a fund to help tuberculosis patients with cultural figures.
The sorrow from the loss of his beloved wife, with whom they lived together for only four years, soon passed, and Henryk Adam Alexander married again. Odessa dweller Maria Volodkovich became his chosen one. This union was not long, the wife herself filed for divorce.
The last time the writer decided to go down the aisle with Maria Babskaya in 1904.
