We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
The description of mourning in Anna Stanisławska's autobiography: The context of early modern theory of emotion.
- Authors
Jekutsch, Ulrike
- Abstract
The autobiography of Anna Stanisławska, a noblewoman from the 17th century, is analyzed in this study. The focus is particularly on the portrayal of her emotions, especially grief. The author chronologically narrates her life, with a particular emphasis on her three marriages. She describes her relationships with her husbands and other family members, focusing on her personal connection to them. The autobiography ends in the year 1685, providing a glimpse into Stanisławska's life. The author uses a simple and lively language, narrating without digressions or embellishments. The text deals with the Thomistic conception of affections and their control. Affections are considered as sensual, non-rational states of the soul that are neither good nor evil. Their moral quality depends on the extent to which they can be controlled by the will and intellect. In Poland, this conception was also adopted in mirrors for princes and guides for courtiers of the Early Modern period. It was emphasized that successful rule is only possible if one can control and conceal their affections. The education of the nobility and high nobility aims to develop an attitude of politeness and good manners, which also includes the control of affections. The author Stanisławska frequently uses the term "afekt" in her narrative, but means the then common meaning of "inclination, affection". It is unclear whether she was familiar with Thomistic doctrine of affections, as she does not mention any sources or references. The text deals with the topic of grief and describes the different phases of the grieving process. Grief is defined as a reaction to a painful loss and considered a normal affection that is overcome over time. The text emphasizes the importance of controlling and moderating this affection. The autobiography of the author Stanisławska is described as clearly influenced by grief, using the word "żal" (grief) to describe various aspects of grief. The text ends with resignation to a life of mourning and renunciation of further life goals. The text describes the life of Anna Stanisławska and her experiences with grief and loss. After being married against her will, she experiences an unhappy marriage and the death of her father. She remarries, but her second husband also dies. Anna fights for her inheritance and against disputes with the relatives of her deceased husband. She reflects on the severity of widowhood and the significance of grief. The text describes Anna Stanisławska's grief after the death of her third husband, Jan Bogumił Zbąski. She recounts her journey to Warsaw to obtain information about his condition and eventually learns of his death. Anna describes her physical and emotional reactions to the loss and the unsuccessful attempts of others to help her. She emphasizes that she finds comfort from unexpected sources and eventually resigns herself to her fate. The text also shows that Anna goes through various stages of grief, including anger and the search for the deceased. The text is about a woman named Anna Stanisławska who mourns the loss of her husbands and the extinction of her family names. She describes her grief as a mixture of different emotions such as sorrow, laughter, aversion, and fear. Anna considers her own life as
- Subjects
WARSAW (Poland); POLAND; GRIEF; ETIQUETTE; PERSONAL names; GOAL (Psychology); MARRIAGE; SEVENTEENTH century
- Publication
Zeitschrift für Slawistik, 2024, Vol 69, Issue 1, p150
- ISSN
0044-3506
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1515/slaw-2024-0008