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Essay
Poetry
Stanisław Barańczak
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The Book Institute offers translation of excerpts from Stanisław Barańczak’s poetry in Serbian. Interested parties are kindly invited to contact us.
(1946-2014) – poet, translator, literary critic, essayist, scholar of literature, editor and lecturer.
Graduated in Polish studies from the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, where he undertook academic work and completed his PhD. He debuted as a poet and critic in 1965. In the years 1967-71 he worked at the editorial office of the Poznań monthly “Nurt”. After the events of June 1976, he co-founded the Komitet Obrony Robotników (Workers’ Defence Committee) and the underground quarterly “Zapis”. In 1981 he started to teach Polish literature in the United States, at Harvard, and was the editor-in-chief of “The Polish Review”. In 1983 he co-founded the Parisian “Zeszyty Literackie” and worked with the periodical “Teksty Drugie”. A leading poet of the “New Wave” generation, he was one of the most eminent Polish writers debuting during the Polish People’s Republic era, combining literary creation and academic work with political activity.
In 1981 he left for the United States, where he took over the A. Jurzykowski Chair in Polish Language and Literature at the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures at Harvard University. He was a member of the Polish Society of Arts and Sciences Abroad.
In the latter half of the 20th century, Barańczak was the most eminent translator of English-language poetry into Polish, and also Polish poetry into English. His Polish was suffused with the language of the poets he particularly appreciated – Emily Dickinson, John Donne and Robert Frost – whose poetry he tirelessly championed. Three elements clearly dominate his own creative work: an interest in ethics, outstanding political passion and extraordinary linguistic skill. The topics he discussed, expressing his social engagement, were always accompanied by astonishing mastery of language. It might seem paradoxical that Barańczak, who started out as a poet and critic of language and social order, became most successful as a late 20th-century Parnassian, a virtuoso of the poetic form.
A laureate of many awards, including the Kościelski Award (1972), the PEN Club award for his translations (1990), the Nike Literary Award for the poetry volume “Chirurgiczna precyzja” (Surgical Precision), the honorary Polish Book Institute award for his contribution to the promotion of Polish literature in the Anglosphere and achievements in translation (2005), Wrocław’s lifetime achievement Silesius Poetry Award (2009), Minister of Culture and National Heritage Prize in the literature category (2012). In 2006 he received the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta, in 2014 – the gold Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture, and a year later (posthumously) – the Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. He also received honorary degrees from universities in Poland and abroad, including the Jagiellonian University, University of Silesia or Curry College in Milton. In 2008 he received an Honorary Citizenship of the City of Poznań, and in 2015 Poznań and the Adam Mickiewicz University inaugurated the Stanisław Barańczak Grant (part of the Poznań Literary Award), awarded to creators under 35.
Bibliography
poetry:
- Korekta twarzy, Poznań: Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, 1968.
- Jednym tchem, Warsaw: Orientacja, 1970.
- Dziennik poranny, Poznań: Wydawnictwo Poznańskie, 1972.
- Ja wiem, że to niesłuszne, Paris: Instytut Literacki, 1977.
- Sztuczne oddychanie, London: Aneks, 1978.
- Przywracanie porządku, [b.m.: b.w.], 1980.
- Tryptyk z betonu, zmęczenia i śniegu, Cracow: KOS, 1980.
- Atlantyda i inne wiersze z lat 1981–1985, London: Puls, 1986.
- Widokówka z tego świata i inne rymy z lat 1986–1988, Paris: Zeszyty Literackie, 1988.
- Poezje wybrane, Warsaw: LSW, 1990.
- 159 wierszy 1968–1988, Cracow: Znak, 1990.
- Podróż zimowa, Poznań: Wydawnictwo a5, 1994.
- Chirurgiczna precyzja, Cracow: Wydawnictwo a5, 1998.
- Wiersze zebrane, Cracow: Wydawnictwo a5, 2006.
humorous poetry:
- Biografioły. Poczet 56 jednostek sławnych, sławetnych i osławionych, Poznań: Wydawnictwo a5, 1991.
- Zwierzęca zajadłość. Z zapisków zniechęconego zoologa, Poznań: Wydawnictwo a5, 1991.
- Bóg, trąba i ojczyzna. Słoń a sprawa polska oczami poetów od Reja do Rymkiewicza, Cracow: Znak, 1995.
- Fioletowa Krowa, Cracow: Wydawnictwo a5, 2007.
- Pegaz zdębiał, Warsaw: Prószyński i S-ka, 2008.
critical and literary essays:
- Nieufni i zadufani, Wrocław: Ossolineum, 1971.
- Ironia i harmonia, Warsaw: Czytelnik, 1973.
- Język poetycki Mirona Białoszewskiego, Wrocław: Ossolineum, 1974.
- Etyka i poetyka, Paryż: Instytut Literacki, 1979.
- Książki najgorsze 1975–1980, Cracow: KOS, 1981.
- Uciekinier z utopii. O poezji Zbigniewa Herberta, London: Polonia, 1984.
- Tablica z Macondo. Osiemnaście prób wytłumaczenia, po co i dlaczego się pisze, London: Aneks, 1990.
- Ocalone w tłumaczeniu. Szkice o warsztacie tłumaczenia poezji, Poznań: Wydawnictwo a5, 1992.
- Poezja i duch Uogólnienia. Wybór esejów 1970–1995, Cracow: Znak, 1996.
Translation works (selected)
From English
- Wystan Hugh Auden:
- 44 wiersze, Cracow: Znak, 1994.
- Morze i zwierciadło. Komentarz do „Burzy” Szekspira, Cracow: Wydawnictwo a5, 2003.
- Elizabeth Bishop, 33 wiersze, Cracow: Znak, 1995.
- Thomas Campion, 33 pieśni, Cracow: Znak, 1995.
- Emily Dickinson, 100 wierszy, Cracow: „Arka”, 1990.
- Emily Dickinson, Drugie 100 wierszy, Cracow: Znak, 1995.
- Charles Simic, Madonny z dorysowaną szpicbródką oraz inne wiersze, prozy poetyckie i eseje, Poznań: Wydawnictwo a5, 1992.
- John Donne, 77 wierszy, Cracow: Znak, 1997.
- Thomas Stearns Eliot, Koty, Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 1995.
- Robert Frost, 55 wierszy, Cracow: „Arka”, 1992.
- Seuss [Theodor Seuss Geisel]:
- Sam to wszystko widziałem na ulicy Morwowej, Poznań: Media Rodzina, 2018.
- Słoń, który wysiedział jajko, Poznań: Media Rodzina, [cop. 1995].
- Kot Prot, Poznań: Media Rodzina, 1996.
- Kot Prot znów gotów do psot, Poznań: Media Rodzina, [cop. 2004].
- Kto zje zielone jajka sadzone, Poznań: Media Rodzina, 2017.
- Na każde pytanie odpowie czytanie, Poznań: Media Rodzina 2018.
- Thomas Hardy, 55 wierszy, Cracow: Znak, 1993.
- Seamus Heaney:
- 44 wiersze, Cracow w: „Arka”, 1991.
- Ciągnąc dalej. Nowe wiersze 1991–1996, Cracow: Znak, 1996.
- Światło elektryczne, Cracow: Znak, 2003.
- George Herbert, 66 wierszy, Cracow: Znak, 1997.
- Robert Herrick, 77 wierszy, Cracow: Wydawnictwo Arka, 1992.
- John Keats, 33 wiersze, Cracow: Znak, 1997.
- Philip Larkin, 44 wiersze, Cracow: Arka, 1991.
- Ursula K. Le Guin, Czarnoksiężnik z Archipelagu, Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 1983.
- Andrew Marvell, 24 wiersze, Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 1993.
- William Shakespeare:
- Hamlet, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1990.
- Romeo i Julia, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1990.
- Jak wam się podoba, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1993.
- Król Lear, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1991.
- Burza; Zimowa opowieść, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1991.
- Sen nocy letniej; Kupiec wenecki, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1991.
- Makbet, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1992.
- Dwaj panowie z Werony, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1992.
- Poskromienie złośnicy, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1992.
- Maur wenecki, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1993.
- Juliusz Cezar, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1993.
- Komedia omyłek; Stracone zachody miłości, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1994.
- Wiele hałasu o nic; Wieczór Trzech Króli albo co chcecie, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1994.
- Koriolan, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1995.
- Król Ryszard III, Poznań: „W drodze”, 1996.
- Sonety, Poznań: Wydawnictwo a5, 1993.
- Tymon Ateńczyk, Cracow: Znak, 1996.
- Wesołe kumoszki z Windsoru, Cracow: Znak, 1998.
- Król Henryk IV, część 1 i 2, Cracow: Znak, 1998.
- Król Henryk V, Cracow: Znak, 1999.
- Wszystko dobre, co się dobrze kończy, Cracow: Znak, 2001.
From Russian:
- Iosif Brodski:
- Wiersze i poematy, Warsaw: Niezależna Oficyna Wydawnicza, 1979.
- Wybór poezji, Cracow: Oficyna Literacka, 1985.
- Znak wodny, Cracow: Znak, 1993.
- Natalia Gorbaniewska, Drewniany anioł. Wiersze, Cracow: Oficyna Literacka, 1990.
- Osip Mandelsztam, Późne wiersze, Warsaw: „Enklawa”, [1981].
From German:
- Paul Celan, Utwory wybrane, Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 1998.
Translation into English:
- A Fugitive from Utopia: The Poetry of Zbigniew Herbert, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1987.
- Wisława Szymborska, Nic dwa razy: wybór wierszy = Nothing Twice: selected poems, (with Clare Cavanagh), Cracow: Wydawnictwo Literackie, 2008.
- Jan Kochanowski, Laments [Treny], (with Seamus Heaney), London: Faber & Faber, 1995.
Translations
Albanian:
- In anthology: Fëmijët e epokes: antologji e poezisë polake sh. XX, trans. Mazllum Saneja, Varshavë: PAVO, 1997.
Belarusian:
- In anthology: Напярэймы: ад Буга да Варты. Анталогія польскай паззіі XX стагоддзя, trans. Aleg Lojka, Minsk: Encyklapedyks, 2003.
- In anthology: Дваццаць польскіх апавяданьняў, trans. Andriej Hadanowicz, Minsk: Logwinau, 2007.
Bulgarian:
- In anthology: Антология на новата полска поезия, trans. Boris Dankov, Sofija: Sv. K. Ohridski: Kasiopea, 2006.
Danish:
- In anthology: Lad os ikke pakke oceanerne ind i bomuld: polske digte fra dette århundrede, trans. Jess Ørnsbo, København: Vindrose, 1983.
Dutch:
- In anthology: Poolse poëzie 1826, 1976–1986, Amsterdam: Stichting Perdu Vlijmen, Pools-Nederlandse Kulturele Vereniging, 1987.
English:
- Where Did I Wake UP?, trans. Frank Kujawinski, Forest Grove, OR: Mr. Cogito Press, 1978.
- Under my own Roof: Verses for a New Apartment: Poems, trans. Frank Kujawinski, Forest Grove, OR: Mr. Cogito Press, 1980.
- The Weight of the Body: Selected Poems, Chicago: Another Chicago Press / TriQuarterly, 1989.
- A fugitive from Utopia: The Poetry of Zbigniew Herbert, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1987.
- Breathing Under Water and Other East European Essays, Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1990.
French:
- In anthology: Poésie polonaise contemporaine, trans. Michał Masłowski, Paris: Le Castor Astral et Lettres Slaves, 1982.
- In anthology: Temoins: 44 poètes polonais contemporains (1975–1990), trans. Lucienne Rey, Gérard Gaillaguet, St. Jean du Bruel: Ateliers du Tayrac, 1990.
- In anthology: Poésie [wybór Karl Dedecius], Paris: Les Éditions Noir sur Blanc, 2000.
- In anthology: Vingt-quatre poètes polonais, trans. Jerzy Lisowski, Les Editions du Murmure, 2003.
German:
- In anthology: Lebenslauf aus Büchern und Blättern, Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 1990.
- In anthology: Panorama der polnischen Literatur des 20. Jahrhunderts, Zürich: Ammann, 1997.
- Polnische Lyrik aus 100 Jahren, Gifkendorf: Merlin, 1997.
Hindi:
- In anthology: Ādhunik polis kavitāe, trans. Harimohan Sarmā, Naī Dillī: Rādhākrsn Prakāsan, 1999.
Japanese:
- ポーランド文学の贈り物 [Dar literatury polskiej], trans. Moriyasu Tatsuya, Tokyo: Kōbunsha, 1990.
Russian:
- Польские поэты ХХ века, trans. Natalija Astafiewa, Wladimir Britaniszskij, Sankt-Peterburg: Aletejja, 2000.
Serbian:
- Povratak kuci, wybór, trans. i posł. Zoran Đeric, Banja Luka–Beograd: Zadužbina „Petar Kočic”, 2002.
- Audio i video: i zabrane pesme, trans. Aleksandar Šaranac, Zrenanin: Agora, 2009.
Spanish:
- Antología poética [Wybór poezji], trans. Antonio Benitez, Anna Sobieska, Gijón: Ediciones Trea, 2014.
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