Idea duchowej przemiany w misterium o Don Juanie Oskara Miłosza

Abstract

This article is concerned with a drama by Oscar Milosz: “Miguel Manara. Mystery in the six paintings”; its known Polish version, translated by Bronislawa Ostrowska, dating back to 1919. The poet transformed the original Don Juan theme with regard to the Romantics (who joined the oldest theme of the ,,Deceiver of Seville” with the character of a converted sinner Manara), exposing the sole process of conversion and life in holiness. Manara is a historical figure, known today; in 1986, owing to his heroic posture, he was elevated to the dignity of the Servant of God. The sketch presents the remarkable transition from an extreme Don ]uan posture to holiness, but also the transition from traditional moral ideas to the exposition of present day dilemmas. At the time of its creation, the drama anticipated the spiritual convulsions of the twentieth century, which brought about existentialism and a new wave of questions concerning the realm of Transcendence; still, it also brought the modern ideal of merciful Christian love, so close to our sensitivity. Thus, a seemingly already-exhausted ideological and artistic program of a mystery play regained and revealed its strength, and has preserved its surprising freshness of sense and artistic value to this day. The interpretation pursues these significant issues and any literary, cultural or theological references. It reveals the poet's novelty in the realization of the topic and in ways of reaching to the receiver. It shows the efficiency in the creation of the hero, who in the course of metanoi does not lose his expressive force or his disturbing depth; accordingly, he does not lose his attractiveness, which is so important to the play. This results from the construction of exceptionally reliable dramatic situations as well as from the convincing image of transformation promoters, the witnesses of Manara’s holiness. Owing to the promoters, the return of the hero to God becomes understandable to the spectator. Additionally, through the testimonial of the Gospel present in the language and the composition of the play, the dramatic action takes on the seriousness of a biblical story and reveals its ultimate meaning. A particular role in the research should be assigned to psycho-analysis and personality theory - reflection that allows the exploration of the thinking processes of the heroes’, or, in fact, of the poet himself; of the peripeteia of his sensitivity and the structure of his understanding. It also enables the understanding of the crucial argument of the drama: that unfulfilled desire is met by the inexhaustible love of God’s servants and of God himself Oscar Milosz confirmed the credibility of this argument throughout his whole subsequent work; it is also remarkably close to the central idea of John Paul II pontificate, expressed in the teaching about God's mercy and the creative power of love.