The plebeian aspect of "Żywot człowieka poczciwego" by Mikołaj Rej

Abstract

Mikołaj Rej in the treatise Żywot człowieka poczciwego practised paranesis. The work was to be attractive both due to its moral instructions and because of the form in which the message was transferred. It was also to provide entertainment by the use of anecdotes, proverbs, exemplas, fables and various types of comism and joke. Together with paranesis Mikołaj Rej created allegory and also used other linguistic and word plays, which are visible in rhymes, for instance. His style of writing was highly crafted, he built skillful periods with regular rhytmical pattern. The work is characterized by the direct narration and its diversity was achieved by the use of “speeches” interwoven in the main discourse and numerous apostrophes. Suavitas of style was accomplished through frequent usage of demunitives and epithets which underline the emotional states.