JULIUSZ SŁOWACKI AND «UMANERS»

The article summarises the points of contact between Juliusz Slowacki and iconic personalities - representatives of the Uman region. In particular, it examines his relations and creative interactions with representatives of the «Ukrainian school» in Polish literature - poets Seweryn Goszczynski, Michał Grabowski, and Bohdan Zaleski, who studied in Uman. Slowacki closely followed their activities, and some researchers even claim that his early works, such as «Ukrainian Duma» (1826) and «Song of a Cossack Girl» (1829), were written under the influence of B. Zaleski. S. Goszczyński with his «The Castle of Kaniów» and M. Grabowski with his historic novels influenced the writing of «Salome’s Silver Dream» and the unfinished «Beniowski». While the first work has nothing about Uman, in the second Slowacki planned to describe Zalizniak’s journey from Zhabotyn to Uman, full of blood, but unfortunately, only two fragments of that plan remain. In addition to creative influences, there were also personal relationships, and not always simple ones. For example, Juliusz was mostly friends with Seweryn Hoshchynskyi and even lived with him for some time. The relationship with the other two members of the Uman Trinity was more complicated: Juliusz Slowacki made fun of them in some of his works. The authors had very different worldviews, artistic principles, and personal ambitions. This article also analyses his romance with Aleksandra Mosczęńska, the daughter of an Uman magnate. The article traces the Uman «roots» of the Moszczenski family, the story of their acquaintance with Slowacki, the influence of Aleksandra on his mood, creativity, and even his journey to the East. Juliusz Slowacki dedicated two sonnets to her, and also introduced her image in his poem «Beniowski». The article attempts to understand the reason for the breakup and the depth of feelings, the impact on his work. New details are offered to the short life of Anelia herself. In particular, those that emerge from the decoding of the inscription on her tombstone that were made in Florence. By peering today into the intricacies of this romantic, sad and mysterious story, we will see Slowacki himself more clearly.