Monday, January 23, 2017

Gombrowicz's "Cosmos"

In my re-reading of Gombrowicz, I came to "Cosmos". It is a very Polish story
in its topic and form. But, as Gombrowicz likes (or has) to do, it is breaking
of the world in pieces. Reading the meaning of sparrow corpse
hanged in the bush, an arrow in a ceiling (is it an arrow in a ceiling?),
reading its pointing (or not?)... it is like reading a horoscope. Or not
reading it, but making it.

It is obvious that Gombrowicz is close to quite an absurd theater, a child
of his time. If there would not be a WWII, which extracted and exaltation
and a decision from him (to dupe the pathetic patriotism and remain
himself), Gombrowicz would not have to bear the weight which was not crafted
for him. He could remain a rather abnormal Polish writer, and enjoy the air of
worldliness. He could die not too far from his birth place, eventually. But,
since he WAS pushed to an extreme, and had balls to follow it, he became a weirdo
in a life, not a theater, of absurd. In which people behaved much more insane
than any of the characters in his drama!

Gombrowicz does not need a defence, his works explains him the best. Most of
the mediocre mass who criticised, or ridiculed him, is long forgotten. He is,
and will be, recognized as an unique bard, trubadour of insanity of
closed or open door, turning wheel or pointing of the pinky.