Resisting Erasure: Polish Fairy Tales in the Partitions Era

This paper explores the role of Polish fairy tales during the Partitions Era (1795-1918) as a form of cultural resistance and a reflection of Polish nationalism. Amidst the oppressive rule of Russia, Polish identity was systematically suppressed. In 1862, Maude Ashurt Biggs translated A.J. Glinksi’s collection of Polish fairy tales, offering a rare glimpse of Polish folklore during a time when national sovereignty had been erased from the map. Through a gothic lens, the fairy tales in this collection, specifically Princess Miranda and Prince Hero and The Eagles, symbolize the struggle for autonomy and the Polish people's enduring resistance against foreign domination. The gothic elements embedded within Princess Miranda and Prince Hero and The Eagles reveal how these fairy tales function as allegories of Polish resistance. In both stories, the central characters are besieged by malevolent forces symbolizing foreign invaders, and their loved ones fall into perilous situations. These narratives echo the paralysis of Polish national spirit and the forced assimilation of Polish people, particularly through Russia's Russification policies. These themes are mirrored through the gothic motifs of enforced dormancy, ensnared protagonists, larger-than-life entities, and the theme of the broken self. By drawing parallels between the fairy tale characters and real-life uprisings in the 1860s, this paper demonstrates that these stories not only captured the cultural oppression experienced by the Polish people but also embodied their deep belief in eventual liberation. The analysis of the gothic motifs within these fairy tales reveals how folklore served as both a cultural refuge and a form of resistance, offering hope amidst the erasure of Polish sovereignty. These narratives provided a space for resilience and resistance, reflecting the Polish desire for freedom and the eventual triumph of national identity, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.