Steel Will : The Life of Tad Sendzimir Book

The Doll by Bolesław Prus is undeniably a great masterpiece of Polish realism in literature. This is an epic and detailed tale exploring XIX century Warsaw, tale in which Prus created a vivid picture of the city and people on the background of the economic, ideological and social transformations.

I’ve always loved reading about this nonexistent any more world. I mean that one recorded only on sepia-toned photographs. Men in the tailcoats, women in white gowns, multicultural society, Poles, Jews, Russians, merchants and aristocracy, lost professions … And all that and much more we can find here. From one side it is a story about a strong man who lifted up from the lower classes - literally- how significant is the scene of his exit from the basement, who having attained great wealth - only then considers himself to be worthy of woman from upper echelons. And who is the chosen one? Beautiful, with beauty of porcelain dolls, empty Isabella.

Wokulski, it's his name, is an incurable romantic. And in this case it’s rather euphemism for bloody damn fool, as ones say: the first sigh of love, the last sigh of reason.

Prus created a colorful and diverse gallery of minor characters : young scientist Ochocki dreaming about flying machines, old Wokulski’s friend Rzecki yearning for old times, Madame Krzeszowska, baroness from hell and her profligate husband, merry widow Kazia Wąsowska, naughty students sympathizing with socialism and many others. Novel explores their dreams, psychological troubles and involvements in historical events.

But this is also a story about Warsaw itself, the city of great contrasts, city of poor and rich realistically showed through its streets, parks, shops, buildings and churches. Warsaw, in fact, is one of the characters of the book. With his novel Prus paid a homage to the city and like Lisbon you may visit with Pessoa, Petersburg with Dostoevsky or London with Dickens so Prus became a great chronicler of old Warsaw.