338
LITERARY NOTES
PAGE
(4 vols.) a prose-epic dealing with the events of a single year in a Polish village. Reymont's powers of description, his detailed knowledge of Polish folk-lore and his masterly insight into human character have combined to produce a work which will remain one of the classics of Polish literature.111
Rydel, Lucyan (b. 1870). Polish poet and dramatist, much of whose lyric poetry is inspired by Polish folk-song. His historical drama, ‘"The Magic Circle," which achieved a great success, is a faithful depiction of popular manners and in its style is strongly coloured by the language of the peasants. On the other hand, Rydel has also written purely artistic verses in the manner of Verlaine, while in his mythological sonnets he attains highly decorative effects.212
Shevtchenko,[1] Taras (1814-1861). The greatest of Ukrainian poets. From his early years he was familiar with the rich store of Ukrainian folk-song, and it was from this source that he derived both the variety of his rhythms and the strength and purity of his language. In the easy un-
- ↑ Accent on 2nd syllable.
