Biography Essay

Maria Dabrowska is generally regarded in Poland as one of the most prominent Polish prose writers of the twentieth century. She has not, however, gained a similar recognition outside her native country, although her major novel, Noce i dnie (Nights and Days, 1932-1934), and many short stories have appeared in translation in several Eastern and Central European languages. Perhaps the main reason for the lack of wider recognition is the fact that much of her work was directed specifically at Polish readers and dealt with typically Polish issues. Dabrowska regarded her social class as historically the principal creator of national culture and values. She tried to preserve for this class a significant moral and intellectual place in society by becoming a thoughtful and ethically conscious chronicler of its transformations. Yet, she also was aware that to do full justice to the "truth of this complex world...