Teatr bohatera popularnego Europy Zachodniej a polska szopka kolędnicza

Abstract

play Abstract: In the 18 th century, a number of puppet figures began to gain popular-ity. They appeared on the traveling scenes of theatre troupes almost throughout Europe. They were comic figures of the character of popular heroes, presented in the streets, squares and markets and speaking to audience in their own language. One part of them came from the comedy dell’arte (Pulcinella, Poliszynel, Guignol, Don Cristobal, and Pietruszka). The theatrical roots of the heroes who appeared in German states (Hanswurst, Kasperle, Kašparek, Gašparko) reached the Elizabethan theatre and are associated with the presence of wandering theatre of English actors. They combined Elizabethan theatre with traditional figure of a folk jester. Because for Poland it is a time of slow loss of independence for the benefit of neighboring countries, the theatre of the popular hero was not created. Instead, the form of szopka (a nativity play) was developing. Comparison of the functions and significance of these theatrical phenomena is the subject of this study. It is also an attempt to draw the attention of educators to the educational values of the Polish nativity play.