We know them from school reading lists, and their texts often graced our homes from childhood. However, their lives did not initially seem destined to result in their inclusion in the literary canon. They often began in poverty and were marked by difficult living conditions. What did people like Adam Mickiewicz or Bolesław Prus do before they became full-fledged authors of their monumental works?
Józef Ignacy Kraszewski – Master of the Estate
Józef Kraszewski, born on July 28, 1812, in Warsaw, did not immediately become the author of hundreds of books and articles. In the late 1820s, he began medical studies, from which he later transferred to the literary faculty. From childhood, he was passionate about Polish literature and culture. However, he did not begin his adult life by cultivating literature, but primarily… the land.
This does not mean, however, that he did not try to establish himself as a writer. His creative debut came in 1830, quite early. It was then that his first legal troubles also appeared. He was active in a group of conspirators and was arrested.
In the first half of the 1830s, he settled in his family village, where he received instruction from his father in managing the estate. After marrying Zofia Woroniczówna (1838), he tried his hand as a landowner. He undertook daily economic duties and also took care of the financial and legal regulations of the property where he lived with his family.
In 1853, he moved to the city to take up work as a school curator. In Zhytomyr, he held many different positions, from curator to director of several institutions. During this time, his writing took a back seat, but it began to bring him increasing fame.
Later, Kraszewski became famous as a publicist, a writer opposing the ideals of serfdom, and as a person helping Poles in emigration.
Before He Became a Bard…
Every Pole knows who wrote „Forefathers’ Eve,” what (or rather with whom) the Philomathic Society is most associated, and who had a great influence on Andrzej Towiański. But not everyone knows what Adam Mickiewicz (for it is he, of course) did and what he occupied himself with besides writing outstanding literature.
He received his primary education in Nowogródek. In 1815, he left to study in Vilnius. Due to his parents’ difficult financial situation, Adam enrolled in the Teachers’ Seminary so he could later become a teacher. In 1819, Mickiewicz began working as a teacher at the gymnasium in Kaunas – he taught humanities subjects there. In 1832, he was imprisoned for conspiratorial activity, and a year later he was exiled to the depths of Russia, where he worked as a teacher.
In the 1830s, he went abroad to Western Europe. There he engaged in activities for the Polish emigration. He created a great deal during this time, primarily articles on social topics. In the meantime, he married Celina Szymanowska, and their subsequent children came into the world.
He lectured on Latin literature in Lausanne, Switzerland, then on Slavic languages at the Collège de France. The affairs of Polish emigration were always close to his heart. In the 1840s, Mickiewicz was removed from teaching because the tone of his teaching was distinctly political, and moreover, permeated with the spirit of Towianism. Other jobs that Mickiewicz performed besides lecturing included positions as an editor and librarian.
The poet is remembered as a bard and outstanding creator, but it must be remembered that throughout almost his entire life, he had to earn money to support his family by performing various, not always lucrative, occupations.
Henryk Sienkiewicz – From Tutor to Man of the World
Henryk Sienkiewicz came into the world in the mid-1840s. When Henryk was a child, the family often lacked money. The parents of the future Nobel laureate often tried somehow to make ends meet, but it was difficult.
Young Sienkiewicz was educated at a gymnasium in Warsaw. It turned out that the boy had humanistic abilities. To support himself, he had to take up work as a tutor. He first studied medicine, but ultimately ended up with literary studies. During this time, he began writing his first literary works.
In the late 1860s, Henryk began work as a journalist. His essays, reviews, and columns appeared in quick succession. In 1872, his first novel „In Vain” saw the light of day, which, however, did not gain much publicity. In 1876, he set off on a journey to the United States, which later resulted in the famous „Letters from a Journey to America.” He continued to publish his texts in periodicals and also engaged in literary criticism.
Over the following years, Henryk Sienkiewicz became an increasingly popular author not only of various essays and lectures, but also of novels and short stories. As is well known, his historical novels brought him true fame, especially the Trilogy – „With Fire and Sword,” „The Deluge,” and „Sir Michael.”
In the 1890s and at the beginning of the twentieth century, he engaged in national activities. He was one of the founders of the Polish Educational Society and participated in the work of the Secret Teaching Society in Warsaw. Over the following years, he served as a member of various scholarly institutions.
Privately, Henryk Sienkiewicz married three times. From his union with his first wife, Maria Szetkiewicz, two children were born to him. For his work, the novelist was honored with various awards, the greatest distinction of which was, of course, the Nobel Prize in 1905.
Bolesław Prus – Journalist by Calling
This outstanding publicist of the Positivist period was born in 1847 in the Lublin region. His parents orphaned him early, and Aleksander (for that was his real name) was placed with close family. From 1861, his older brother, Leon, took care of him. When the January Uprising broke out, both brothers went to fight together with the insurgents. The younger Głowacki was wounded and taken captive, but was soon released.
A year after the outbreak of the uprising, his first text was published. Aleksander resumed his studies at the gymnasium, and after completing it, he entered the Main School in Warsaw. During his studies, like Sienkiewicz, he worked on the side as a tutor and also gave private lessons. He interrupted his studies due to the poor state of his finances.
Aleksander Głowacki, although he wrote for periodicals, had to earn money for some time in other ways. He engaged in photography, work in a factory or bank, and also public speaking. Finally, he decided that he would try to become a journalist, which was to be his main occupation for many years to come.
Bolesław Prus, the pseudonym under which he wrote his texts, is known primarily for writing his Weekly Chronicle in „Kurier Warszawski,” in which the writer published from 1874. In it, he described various events from recent weeks and discussed political and social topics. However, it is also worth mentioning his collaboration with satirical magazines and his career as a columnist. The latter meant that Prus no longer had to complain about lack of money. Thanks to this, he was also able to marry Oktawia Trembińska (1875).
Alongside journalism, the future author of „The Doll” wrote more and more fiction and short stories. However, these texts did not dominate the journalistic element, to which the writer remained faithful to the end. In the pages of the newspapers with which he collaborated, his novels and short literary forms were published. These were „Nowiny,” „Kraj,” and „Wędrowiec.”
Bibliography:
- Kienzler I., Henryk Sienkiewicz, dandys i celebryta, Bellona 2020.
- Koper S., Sekretne życie autorów lektur szkolnych, Fronda 2020.
Autor
Marcus Renfell
Marcus Renfell is a historian driven by curiosity and passion. He refuses to accept the “safe,” polished versions of the past. Instead, he brings forgotten, overlooked, and distorted stories back to life. His work blends scholarly precision with the art of storytelling, turning historical narratives into vivid, page-turning experiences.
His mission is simple: to prove that history can be gripping, alive, and deeply personal.
His debut book: Women of Science. Stories You Were Never Told
In his first publication, Marcus Renfell shines a light on the remarkable women who shaped the world of science — both the pioneers whose names we know and the brilliant minds history forgot. It’s an inspiring journey through untold stories, groundbreaking achievements, and the resilience of women who changed our understanding of the world.
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