Kuglarstwo, szarlataneria czy doświadczenie świata nadprzyrodzonego: słownictwo spirytystyczne w "Emancypantkach" Bolesława Prusa

The article brings up the issues of nineteenth-century mesmerism in the works of Bolesław Prus. It describes the coming out of the phenomenon, views of its rationalization and democratisation both from global and Polish perspective. Moreover, it draws attention to those components of the author’s biography, such as the acquaintance and cooperation with Julian Ochorowicz, which influenced the shape of his outlook on the spiritualism enthusiasts movement, quite popular at that times. The writer’s attitude towards the new phenomenon was ambiguous and traces of his internal dilemmas are easily found in the language of “The New Woman”. The analyzed language which creates spiritualistic discourse is represented by general names i.e. names of the doctrine created by Allan Kardec or the reality it concerned; names of the rituals – meetings of people and spirits as well as the names of people and beings, directly or indirectly engaged in those rituals.