Appelé à prendre la parole: The Parisian Romanticism of Adam Mickiewicz and George Sand

This paper examines the role of the word, whether spoken or written, in Adam Mickiewicz’s reception in France during the July Monarchy. It begins with a discussion of the poet’s conception of speech (parole) and self-presentation in his Parisian lectures at the Collège de France, demonstrating the religious nature of the poet’s relationship with language. It subsequently explores the writings of George Sand about the Polish poet, arguing that she was interested primarily in Mickiewicz’s religiosity and the style and eloquence of his improvisations. Finally, the paper concludes with a discussion of the role of speech within the Parisian reception to the Wielka Emigracja at large.