Prowincja jako świat „na opak” – Emancypantki Bolesława Prusa

The subject of analysis in this article is the category of space – strictly speaking the vision of country town from the Prus’s novel: Iksinow. This paltry, unworldly place is so different at first sight from Warsaw but in essence Iksinow is a miniature of Warsaw. The result of analysis shows that literary vision of country town was formed with use of elements of carnival poetics, grotesque and caricature. The same rule applies to the citizens of Iksinow (and Warsaw): a portrait gallery of human types which populate the space of town. Those types are not normal people, they are disguiser-like; the Warsaw lifestyle they copy becomes a parody. As a result Iksinow appears as “topsy-turvy” world: according to inept rules everything happens different than it should be, but for the inhabitants of Iksinow it iss a natural order. First to mention is the reversal of social roles and change of personalities between males and females (despotic females, effeminate males). Daily life is based on reversed rules and values: church is a place for gossiping and socializing, insignificant events are subjects for gossiping when real scandal is passed over in silence, labour is something to be ashamed of, innocent persons become victims of aspersions or commit suicide.