JAN SMREK: THE POET AND THE WOMAN (Jan Smrek: Basnik a zena)

The aim of the study is to point out the ethical, moral foundation of Smrek's artistic philosophy, his concept of love and erotic in the context with his poetic composition Basnik a zena (The Poet and the Woman). The poetic composition Basnik a zena (The Poet and the Woman) was published in 1934. It was ten years later than the first four chapters of it were published in the magazine. That is why we characterize his publication as a newly reworked edition. In the centre of Smrek's composition there is a relationship between the poet and the woman. From another point of view this relationship can represent the poetry and the love. Both of the topics belong to the key themes, the core for Smrek's philosophical concept as the whole. Smrek's concept of love as a humanizing power refers directly to troubadours' poetry and develops some noetic and aesthetic toposes of medieval courtesy. In the mentioned context we can understand Smrek's ambivalence between sensuality and courtesy, between physical desire and spiritual astonishing, between eros and ethos. This love paradox in both the troubadours' and Smrek's poetry has its function and form of secular spirituality. Smrek's concept of love is inseparably connected with moral regulations; the character of Smrek's erotic is in fact ethical. Smrek in the poetic composition Basnik a zena (The Poet and the Woman) formulates ideological foundations for his poetry and his artistic and poetic philosophy. The contribution of the study becomes evident also due to the fact, that the composition Basnik a zena (The Poet and the Woman) has not be analysed in details in the literary research, yet. For the following research it is crucial to consider what we depicted in the study - mainly the Smrek's concept of love and its affinities in the medieval troubadours' poetry and the humanistic meaning of it.