''Cudzoziemka'' (''The Stranger'') is a Polish

psychological novel In literature, psychological fiction (also psychological realism) is a narrative genre that emphasizes interior characterization and motivation to explore the spiritual, emotional, and mental lives of the characters. The mode of narration examin ...

Maria Kuncewiczowa Maria Kuncewiczowa (Samara, Russian Empire, 30 October 1895 - 15 July 1989, Lublin, Poland) was a Polish writer and novelist. Kuncewiczowa's works span from short stories to novels to radio novels to literary diaries. Early life Maria Kuncewiczo ...

, published as a book in 1936. Earlier, the novel used to appear in episodes in press (''

Kurier Poranny Kurier Poranny (Polish for ''Morning Courier'') can refer to one of the following Polish newspapers: *Kurier Poranny (1877-1939) *Kurier Poranny (modern) ''Kurier Poranny'' ("Morning Courier") is a daily newspaper in Białystok and the Podlasie re ...

''). ''Cudzoziemka'' is considered a classic of the interwar period of

Polish literature Polish literature is the literary tradition of Poland. Most Polish literature has been written in the Polish language, though other languages used in Poland over the centuries have also contributed to Polish literary traditions, including Latin, ...

. The novel was published in 1944 in an English translation by B. W. A. Massey.

Content

The protagonist, Róża Żabczyńska, was born in the half of 19th century in

Taganrog, Russia Taganrog ( rus, Таганрог, p=təɡɐnˈrok) is a port city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, on the north shore of the Taganrog Bay in the Sea of Azov, several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River. Population: History of Taganrog ...

, to a Polish family. As a girl, she is deeply affected by her ethnic differences. However, her alienation grows even bigger when she moves to

Warsaw Warsaw ( pl, Warszawa, ), officially the Capital City of Warsaw,, abbreviation: ''m.st. Warszawa'' is the capital and largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the River Vistula in east-central Poland, and its population is official ...

in order to take up violin lessons. She finds out that she is a ''stranger'' wherever she comes. The young girl experiences a dramatic love disappointment and then – as it later proves – an artistic failure. She decides to marry a man she does not love. Her family life is a losing streak. She descends into madness even harder a couple of years later, when her beloved son, Kazimierz, dies at an early age. The womanly sensitivity of Róża, confronted with her life disappointments, turns her into a cruel wife and a mean mother, humiliating all the people around her. The purpose of ''Cudzoziemka'' is to show the psychological truth about sorrow, and especially about woman's sorrow. On the other hand, the novel illustrates the art of narrative.

Form

The novel is divided into two plots. One of them consists of ''contemporary'' events, limited to one ordinary day, filled with reflection and thoughts of the protagonist. They are an introduction to and an excuse for the second plot – the retrospective and digressive one. In conclusion, the book tells the story of one particular day, and – in the meantime – also tells the whole story of the life of Róża Żabczyńska.

The film

The film version of ''Cudzoziemka'' (with the same title) was directed by

Ryszard Ber Ryszard () is the Polish equivalent of "Richard", and may refer to: *Ryszard Andrzejewski (born 1976), Polish rap musician, songwriter and producer *Ryszard Bakst (1926–1999), Polish and British pianist and piano teacher of Jewish/Polish/Russian ...

in 1986.

herself wrote the screenplay.

Ewa Wiśniewska Ewa Maria Wiśniewska (born 25 April 1942) is a Polish actress. Her sister, Małgorzata Niemirska, is also an actress. Wiśniewska was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta, one of Poland's highest Orders, and many other Orders, including G ...

portrayed the main character, Róża Żabczyńska. The film was awarded twice during the 11. Polish Feature Films Festival in Gdańsk (11. Festiwal Polskich Filmów Fabularnych w Gdańsku).

References

* Kuncewiczowa M., ''Cudzoziemka'', Lublin 1989. 1936 novels 20th-century Polish novels Polish novels Psychological novels Novels set in Warsaw Novels set in the 19th-century Russian Empire Poland–Russia relations {{1930s-novel-stub