Abstract

The notion of modernism in Polish literary criticism at the turn of the 20th century was characterized, as the author of the article proves, by ambiguity. The notion was understood and explained differently and was used in various contexts which quite often contradict each other. This imprecise term referred to many phenomena: from itnietzscheanism and the philosophy of Arthur Schopenhauer, by the meaning of “naked soul” and “art for art’s sake” to the decadent movement, mysticism and symbolism. Even though Young Polish critics defined modernism in a multi-faceted way it has been linked by aversion to the name, the awareness of crisis of European culture and middle-class morality and necessity of upgrading art.