Poetic definitions in the literary works of Karol Wojtyła. Preliminaries

Abstract

The main goal of the article is to grasp the key features characterizing the poetic definitions of Karol Wojtyła. A poetic definition is considered as a type of metaphorical (sometimes metonymic) structure composed of two elements: definiens and definiendum. Both elements are connected by the relation (X=Y), where Y points at certain distinctive features of the object X; in this way Y explains the meaning of X. Equally importantly, X takes the place of the topic of the utterance, and Y becomes the comment.
Poetic definitions can realize various structural models. In the literary work of Karol Wojtyła the following ones appear :
• X is Y; X it is Y;
• X means Y; let us name Y X;
• relativizing expression: for somebody X is Y;
• structure entailing a condition or probability: if X is Y; X can be Y;
• apposition: X: Y; X – Y; X… Y; X Y;
• X, that is Y;
• model, with the negation: X is not Y (with the optional addition: X is Z);
• rhetorical question: is X Y? does X mean Y?
In Karol Wojtyła’s poems and dramas one can find nearly 200 examples of poetic definitions of the types listed above.
Karol Wojtyła defined the notions crucial for his poetry which he regarded as described insufficiently or incorrectly. The most often appearing definienda are: 1. God; 2. human feelings, attitudes and experiences; 3. institutions, customs, symbols and events connected with the Jewish or Christian traditions; 4. activities, states and features referring to relationships; 5. stages and moments in time; 6. atmospheric phenomena, heavenly bodies and elements; 7. attributes, features and abilities of man; 8. phenomena and objects from art; 9. activities and states associated with perception and cognition; 10. plants and animals; 11. other categories. Wojtyła’s definitions often copy metaphors that have been fixed in the Polish language; however, his artistic work brings also many definitions manifesting a very original conceptualization. Numerous expressions describe objects from the real world described in terms of culture and reality in general. Crucial domains used in the definitions are those of space and water. Distinctive features of Wojtyła’s definitions also include paradox and connections with Christianity. Poetic definitions should be considered an important cognitive tool. They also perform other functions (in line with Roman Jakobson’s terminology): conative, metalinguistic, poetic, phatic and expressive, as well as showing Wojtyła’s key concepts, the way he understands them and his attitude towards language.