Anonimowy poemat ze zbiorów Biblioteki Kórnickiej jako źródło do problemu wdowieństwa w środowisku kalwinistów małopolskich w końcu XVI wieku
ENTh e article presents a historical analysis of the anonymous poem Stanu wdowiego tęskliwego pobożne zabawy i pociechy [Th e Longing Status of Widower’s Pious Plays and Consolations] (1586–1589) from the manuscript of Kórnik Library of the Polish Academy of Sciences (cat. no. 524, mf. 1419), published for the fi rst time in 1891 by Zygmunt Celichowski, taking into account the notes on the margins he omitted which contain information on the religious formation of the author and secondary use of the text. Th e hypothetical authorship of Salomon Rysiński is brought up, with the conclusion that it is impossible to make a defi nite attribution based on the only surviving copy. Th en, the article characterises the environment in which the published work was created and its primary purpose to provide a model of behaviour for a widower Calvinist who, instead of remarrying, seeks to enrich himself spiritually through the study of the Scriptures and to prepare for death. Attention is drawn to the original features of the poem: the supra-denominational religious message, the equal treatment of widowed men and women, the high level of the Host’s self-refl ection and the emotional character of his words, and the public reception through the distribution of copies.In conclusion, the thesis has been put forward that the poem Rozmowy i pociechy o stanie wdowim [Conversations and Consolations on the Status of a Widower], published under the title Stanu wdowiego tęskliwego pobożne zabawy i pociechy, is an example of intimist Protestant literature and a valuable source for the study of private emotions of widowed men. Th e importance of widowerhood as a social problem has also been briefl y noted. Th e author’s intention was not to formulate general conclusions on this issue based on the analysis of a single work but to encourage further research into a topic that has been neglected in Polish historiography so far.
