Without Dogma: A Novel of Modern Poland

by Henryk Sienkiewicz

EN·~14 hours·4 chapters

Chapters

4 total

WITHOUT DOGMA. - A NOVEL OF MODERN POLAND. - BY - HENRYK SIENKIEWICZ - AUTHOR OF "WITH FIRE AND SWORD," "THE DELUGE," "QUO VADIS," ETC. - TRANSLATED FROM THE POLISH BY - IZA YOUNG.

0:27

PUBLISHER'S PREFACE

14:33

WITHOUT DOGMA.

3:28:24

Part of the morning I spend with the lawyer. Sometimes I work at compiling a catalogue of the collections for my own use. My father did not leave any instructions as to his collections; consequently they are my property. I would hand them over to the city, in fulfilment of his wishes, if I were quite sure he did wish it. As he did not will them away, he, moved by my aunt's remonstrances, may have left it to me to bring them sometime or other over to Poland. That my father thought of this in later times is proved by the numerous bequests and codicils in his will. Among others there is one that touched me more deeply than I can tell: "The head of the Madonna by Sassoferrato I leave to my future daughter-in-law."

10:23:56

Description

A reflective voice opens the novel, offering a candid memoir that doubles as a quiet study of a society in transition. Though its author is famed for sweeping historical epics, here the focus narrows to a single, modern Polish mind, inviting listeners to hear the pulse of a nation through the intimate lens of one man's thoughts.

The central figure is a restless observer, caught between the weight of his heritage and the alienation of contemporary life. He drifts through Warsaw, Paris, and Rome, never quite fitting in, and treats existence as a stage on which he plays a passive, almost chorus‑like role. His philosophical musings on art, history, and human frailty blend melancholy with sharp insight, making the everyday seem both ordinary and profoundly symbolic. This early part of the story sets the tone for a deeply personal exploration of identity, culture, and the silent battles that shape a soul.

Details

Language

Duration

~14 hours (813K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Release date

2004-03-01

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

Subjects

Poland -- Fiction

About the author

Henryk Sienkiewicz

1846–1916

Best known for sweeping historical novels and the international bestseller Quo Vadis, this Polish writer brought the past to life on a grand, dramatic scale. He was awarded the 1905 Nobel Prize in Literature, and his books helped shape Polish cultural identity far beyond his own time.

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