Poola intertekstuaalsed meemid COVID pandeemia kohta

The aim of the paper is to show the Polish story of the COVID-19 pandemic as seen through a humorous looking glass. Different stages of coronavirus presence in the media and social discourse have been accompanied by the appearance and development of jokes and memes, which illustrate the rapidly changing pandemic situation. The database consists of over three hundred memes, movies, and comments collected between February and May 2020, during the pandemic humour peak, and come mainly from private WhatsApp and Facebook accounts of the researchers. The humorous material is related to introduced restrictions, changing laws, parliamentary elections, news from other affected countries as well as seasons and festive times – especially Easter – occurring in the same period of time. The universal themes present in the humorous material travel ling around the world are complemented by the strictly culturally immersed topics, reflecting the specific social and political situation in Poland. The analysis undertaken in the article focuses on various kinds of mechanisms which involve intertextuality (allusions) as well as complexity of references that function as sources of humour, with special attention being paid to cultural references, for example, films, paintings, references to political life, including those of the life under socialism as well as universal themes, such as animal memes.

Artikli eesmärk on anda ülevaade COVID-19 pandeemia kulust Poolas ja selle humoorikast kuvandist. Koroonaviiruse erinevatel etappidel kasutati sealses ajakirjanduses ja sotsiaalmeedias nalju ja meeme, mis kajastasid kiireid muutusi koroonarindel. Analüüsitav materjal sisaldab üle 300 meemi ja kommentaari. Need on kogutud veebruarist maini 2020. aastal, st viiruseteemalise huumoriloome haripunktis, autorite isiklikelt WhatsAppi ja Facebooki kontodelt. Naljad pilavad piiranguid, seadusemuudatusi, parlamendivalimisi, päevauudiseid teistest koroonaga võitlevatest riikidest ja seovad teemaga ka hooajaliste pühade, näiteks lihavõtete, motiive. Universaalsete, kõikjal maailmas rändavate huumoritekstide kõrval tõusid esile kultuurispetsiifilised teemad, mis kajastasid Poola sotsiaalseid ja poliitilisi olusid. Analüüs tuvastab intertekstuaalseid huumorimehhanisme ja osutab keerukatele kultuurilistele viidetele, mis on nende aluseks. Intertekstuaalsed vihjed kasutavad näiteks elemente Poola sotsialismiajastu filmidest, maalikunstist, poliitelust, kuid viitavad ka universaalsetele motiividele, näiteks loomameemidele.