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ОСВІТА РЕГІОНУ

ПОЛІТОЛОГІЯ ПСИХОЛОГІЯ КОМУНІКАЦІЇ

Університет "Україна"
Всеукраїнська асоціація політичних наук (ВАПН)

SPECTACLES OF MEMORY — LANGUAGE OF THEATRE — AS AN INSTRUMENT OF COMMUNICATION IN THE DISCUSSION ABOUT POLISH LATEST HISTORY





Synowiec Aleksandra, PhD, assistant professor, Silesian University of Technology (Gliwice, Poland), Department of Applied Social Sciences, assistant professor,

e-mail: aleksandra.synowiec@gmail.com

 

The purpose of this paper is to show the issue of contemporary Polish theatre as an instrument of communication in the debate about history. Contemporary Polish theatre seems to be an important voice in the discussion on Polish collective memory and identity. Referring to the concepts of collective identity, memory and history, author author tries to present how important has the language of theatre become in depicting voices of different social groups in nowadays Polish discourse. Presented paper is an attempt to comment on «historical direction» in Polish theatre and posing a question concerning its role in challenging national traumas.

Key words: theatre, cultural memory, collective identity, communication.

 

ВИСТАВИ ПАМ’ЯТІ — МОВА ТЕАТРУ — ЯК ІНСТРУМЕНТ КОМУНІКАЦІЇ В ДИСКУСІЇ ПРО ПОЛЬСЬКУ ІСТОРІЮ

 

Синовець Олександра, кандидат соціологічних наук, доцент, Сілезький політехнічний університет (Глівіце, Польща), Кафедра прикладних соціальних наук, доцент,

e-mail: aleksandra.synowiec@gmail.com

 

Завданням цієї роботи є намагання показати проблему сучасного польського театру як інструменту комунікації в дебатах про історію. Сучасний польський театр є важливим інструментом комунікації в суспільній дискусії про польську колективну пам’ять та ідентичність. Авторка намагається прокоментувати «історичний напрям» в сучасному польському театрі, досліджуючи його роль в подолання національних травм в сучасних умовах.

Ключові слова: театр, культурна пам’ять, коллективна ідентичність, комуникація.

 

Social memory — introduction

In recent years we can observe a growing interest in the collective memory of Polish society. Issues of collective memory are analysed by sociologists, historians, ethnologists, literary critics, psychologists. Polish researcher Barbara Szacka notes that the issue of memory, depending on the point of view, is defined as historical consciousness, «collective memory» social memory, cultural memory, national consciousness [14,pp.33-40]. Category of memory is sometimes identified as the «national character» or «national psyche» [10]. In the context of this problem returns the question of the nature of the relationship linking the history and memory. According to Barbara Szacka, one should not put an equal sign between «collective memory» and «historical consciousness» . The author of a study on memory believes, that using the term historical consciousness blurs the line between history and memory, refers itself to and validated, «right», «correct» version of history [14, p. 33]. Szacka rather sees the issue of memory in thinking initiated by Maurice Halbwachs, therefore proposes to use the term «collective memory». Szacka presents the following definition of collective memory: «it is a set of ideas shared by the members of the community about past, about the characters and past events that have taken place in it, as well as ways of remembrance and transmission of knowledge about them, that is considered to be mandatory equipment for a member of this group» [14, p. 33].

In other words, the collective memory is cherished by the collective image of the past, which — in the spirit of the French sociologist Emile Durkheim — has the power to exert an external force on people. Conscious and deliberate reference to the past, referring to Marcel Mauss reflection, participate in the creation of the current social reality. French historian Jacques Le Goff believes that the memory displaces history — the modern world, in which there is a kind of dictate of history, «produces more and more collective memory and history is written, to a much greater extent than in the past, under the influence of collective memory is» [9, p. 152]. Contemporary dilemmas of identity that associate processes of so called «nation building» are extremely interesting field for sociological analysis, political science, history but also for social communication, due to the form and content of messages constructing collective identities.

 

Operations on memory — contemporary Polish theatre and drama towards history

Maurice Halbwachs — author, who as the first one focused on collective memory issues — recognized collective memory as social reality [5, p.13]. The relationship of memory and history, and their relationship to the identity of the nation are situated in the context of community memory. Community memory functions due to operating on a kind of symbolic universe in the creation and reproduction of a particular image of the past [1, p. 156]. Memory as a reservoir of symbols, becomes a basis for «all meanings that are socially objectified and subjectively real» [1, p. 156] — therefore includes in its scope historical heritage and cultural products. Communities of memory are building collective identity based on symbolic repertoire, that is provided by collective memory. In this way, the discursive practices — literature, historiography, art — produces «the truth», that is official, legitimized and recognized version of the past.

Many important cultural events of the last time refer to the history and talk about the condition of Polish memory. Theatrologists use the category of «poor» or «bad memory», which refers to the vision of the history presented in contemporary theatre visions that «carry a breach of the symbolic order, which may arouse fear, indignation, but also — more importantly — which can stimulate the circulation of social energy, innovation amaze by use of incorrect stories» [8, p. 2]. «Bad memory» in this context means the memory that differs from the official historical narrative, which undermines the canons of memory; the hidden memory or repressed memory, the memory striking at the foundations of national identity. «Many of plays performed last years and many dramas written at the time covering the issues of history and memory meet the new challenges of the humanities. (...). Polish theatre and drama became a place for practising the so-called «counter-history » — and thus the history of something that has been, writes Michel Foucault carefully, deliberately, maliciously distorted and camouflaged»[8, p. 2]. In contemporary Polish drama and theatre the issue of the mutual relations between Poles and Jews, Poles and Germans, partisans and functionaries of the communist regime are often raised. These relations are shown in a different context that one can find in an official discourse. Performances of Jan Klata, Krzysztof Warlikowski, Pawe Demirski and Monika Strzepka produce strong emotions (both positive and negative), sometimes outrage, also provoke a national debate about history. Polish theatre touches upon difficult and painful themes — Holocaust, moral relativism, anti-Semitism, attitudes towards communism, etc. Contemporary theatre discusses with the dogmatic view of nineteenth century history, where historian served as priest and guard of the national treasury. Historian — writes Pierre Nora, author of the concept of «places of memory» — «half-preacher, half-soldier, was charged with the responsibility towards the nation» [11, p. 22].

Confronting viewers with a non-official memory and historiography makes that contemporary Polish theatre and drama become a tool of communication, engaging the broad masses of society into debate. Performances allow you to look at history from a different perspective. Freddie Rokem believes that this process is carried out on the basis on the category of an actor — witness, actor acting as an over-historian, who is a kind of bridge between the history and the function of the performance [13]. In this context we should also refer to the concept

of «society of the spectacle», developed by the French thinker Guy Debord: «The spectacle presents itself simultaneously as society itself, as a part of society and as a unifying mechanism»[8, p. 70]. Debord’s idea is explained by Andrzej Leder: «Society as a whole is constantly acting out something by someone to someone. This is the spectacle as society itself. At the same time, however, the spectacle separates those, who as part of the society focus on themselves all the eyes and all awareness of those, who are watching. The show is a mediation of social relation among people made by image, ultimately it is also the mechanism of unification» [8, p. 70]. Today, however, the theatre serves as the one who is cleansing, revealing the conventionality of role-playing, revealing what is hidden, forbidden, repressed, pointing at the direction of counter-history.

Theatre referring to literature’s canon from a different perspective than the official narrative often become the cause of social protests, boycotts etc. Collective imagination, using instruments of symbolic dimension includes also the unconscious, automatic references to the past in the present. Scope of the problem of the concept of collective imagination corresponds to the cultural memory — covering the whole of social knowledge, not only intentional use of the group’s traditions. Social ideas, along with the experience and memory, provide a continuum of collective identity; «Cultural products come from social perceptions and they participate in them» [7, p. 12]. Public discourse contributes to defining and strengthening the identity of interpretive communities in which it operates. Messages read in the context of the collective imagination reveal the impact of cultural memory discourse, that organizes the knowledge about the world. Users of «social knowledge lexicons » are moving in the same area of meaning, in the sphere of significant vocabulary. Both the sender and the recipient remain anchored in the consciousness of space stereotypical structures and cliches. Discourse participants have a similar perspective and they make use of joint resources of cultural memory. It determines their language (understood as a tool for the creation of social reality) to the same extent.

Trend noticeable in the Polish theatre deliberately deconstructs artifacts that permanently host the Polish collective imagination. Paradoxically, a visit to the theatre is not a favourite leisure activity among Polish people — sociological research shows that only about 2% of the population regularly attends performances. However, theatre hitting the foundations of culture based on mythological and heroic vision of history, it provokes a wider discussion. Content provided in theatre performances not only apply to a small group of enthusiasts and connoisseurs, but activate the mass audience who respond to messages in very emotional way. The texts of plays and directors’ visions become the subject of media attention — both newspaper and television journalism. For several seasons there is the nation-wide discussion in Polish media, concerning nowadays condition and direction of Polish theatre. Emotions evoked by performances are involving not only scientists and specialists, but also ordinary citizens. Language of theatre fills a gap in historical discussions, facilitates contact with trauma, shows the diversity of viewpoints and experiences, refers to the narrative of the witness, the vine and the victim. Thus, the language of theatre and drama is becoming an important voice in the public discourse, and can also be considered as a weighty instrument of communication.

 

Taboo, demons, trauma and theatre

Polish theatre after 1989 began to undergo revision of the collective imagination constructs. Theatrologists define it as the birth of political theatre: theatre involved, theatre communicating socially important content. «Theatre involved, postulated by artists, should meet hot disputes and debates in the public space, dominated by the issues of collective memory, a critical look at the history of Polish and Polish-Jewish relations. So has contemporary Polish theatre become a litmus test, responding quickly to public moods?» [4, p. 372] — asks Iga Ganczarczyk, playwright, and later gives a negative answer to this question, arguing that in the Polish theatre there were no real earthquakes, devastating foundations of collective memory, such as Jan Tomasz Grossa books [4, p. 372]. Nevertheless, in the Polish theatre after 1989, we can see a number of performances that violated the taboo system, and deconstructed Polish symbolic complex build around romanticism paradigm .

Many performances presented on the Polish scenes in recent seasons touched painful subjects, aroused the dormant demons and wrestled with the trauma. «Trauma — a Greek word that means the wound, but in wider sense — trauma, such event or series of events, that leave traces in human somatic or psyche. (...). Trauma can be whatever, that leaves a trail of scars», [12, p. 7] writes in her study on trauma Maria Orwid, professor of psychiatry. Orwid classifies trauma on individual and collective. Collective traumas concern communities — ethnic, religious, class, cultural, etc. and are the result of experienced violence, exclusion or transformation [12, pp. 12–13]. Polish theatre after 1989 gave the floor to the competitive policies of historical narratives, pulled out of the abyss of oblivion what was repressed, hidden or defiled. Thus, theatre replied to the challenge of postmodernism — disclosure of repressed experiences, deconstruction of stereotypes, giving the the floor to forgotten.

 

Language of theatre as an instrument of communication

Language of the public sphere is not only a tool describing social reality, but also (and perhaps primarily) its creator. Language, understood as a way of constructing social reality, equally affects the sender and recipient of the message. Both encoding and decoding are moving in the same range of meanings, in the space established by language constructs. Reading the messages is the process of continuous exchange and negotiation of meanings inherent in a particular cultural context (social, historical, etc.). According to George Bralczyk, in modern social communication there are five different Polish languages — the national language, the language of success, the language of political correctness, populist language and «cool language» [2]. The

national language uses national rhetoric and vocabulary, willingly uses the great universal quantifiers, polarizes space according to the line «we — they», refers to the myths and national symbols. In moments of real or alleged threat a group consolidates by the language of nationalism. National language stores memory of community and set of established stereotypes. The word serves as a key, password call, activating certain emotions and attitudes with respect to the perceived phenomenon, group or object. One of the authors analyzing the symbolic dimension of ethnic and national conflicts — Ivan olovi — characterized the language of nationalism in the following way: «Language of nationalism refers to the culture as a privileged reserve of individuality and uniqueness, the basic expression of a unique national spirit, national existence or mentality. (...). Language in which we speak about the culture, here becomes a language of an isolated, homogeneous, smug and threatened by others national community. It is the language of the host, deep and insurmountable difference between people, visible mainly in the culture» [3, pp. 10–11].

In the context of a dispute about Polish theatre and drama, language of arts meets the language of nationalism — the theatre makes use of the language of nationalism in order to reveal its false axiology; theatre transforms nationalistic structures and give them new meaning, while the language of nationalism is normally used to build group cohesion, to the defence national values. Theatre, speaking of counter-history confronts with emotionally packed language of nationalism. Dubravka Ugreљi , exposing the rules that govern the historical and cultural policies in Croatia after the breakup of Yugoslavia, calls this phenomenon «the memory terror»: «Memory terror as a method of building a national identity, does not shrink from the national megalomania,

mythology and absurd, in other words — it does not shrink from a lie» [15, pp. 130–131]. Performances discussing with the official vision of Polish history are perceived as an attack on national holiness, profanity of Polish image. Attempts of demythologization Polish ethos and crystal legends of war remain in the realm of «Polish taboo». This applies to discussions for example about Tadeusz Rу ewicz drama «Dead and Buried» (1979), plays directed by Jerzy Grzegorzewski or today’s performances of Monika Strz pka and Pawe Demirski (eg. «Long live the war»), and to plays directed by Jan Klata (eg. «Trilogy», «Song of Mother and Motherland», «To Damascus»)1.

Language of theatre becomes a tool for communication — on the contrary to the language of nationalism it departs from the axiological and trivial dichotomy «we — they». Contemporary theatre discussing the notion of patriotism, reflects on the factors that supposedly represent the sense of national identity. Language of theatre examines the categories of heroism, glory and shame, asks questions about the place of religion and religiosity in the life of modern society — it recognizes the complex processes that are difficult to capture in black and white frame battle between good and evil. As noted by Bartlomiej Kaminski: «In the age of electronic media, mass media, theatre regarded as the traditional field of face to face communication can be used as a tool for creative and intergenerational communication. Creativity in the stage space can manifest

itself in the ability to create and play a role that could become the cornerstone of self-reflection, constantly shaping and redefining the identity and location of units in the whole of the phenomena of social reality» [6, p. 338]. According to definition, the process of communication is the transmission of information. Communication enables the creation of a common social system, enables accomplishment of a number of needs, including social needs. By communicating, the sender wants to shape, change or modify attitudes, behaviours, knowledge, or views of the recipient. The intention of theatre makers and artists is to make an impact on the viewer — providing him with emotions (positive or negative), shaking or provoking a reaction to the presented message. Theatre, affecting all senses of the viewer and creating an intimate relationship between the sender and the recipient, takes over the power over the viewer for the duration of performance, establishes the power of communication.

The so-called Polish involved theatre forces us to reflect on the fate of the people involved in the History, raises questions about guilt and punishment. It also avoids schematic division and categorization, dumps naturalized historical-political constructs of plinths, converts roles innocent and vine, imposes a different perspective, speaks a voice of forced out beyond legitimized narrative memory. By means of artistic expression, verbal and non-verbal codes (design, music, stage movement) it hits the idea of «chosen nation» cultivated in textbooks, consisting only of the noble warriors or victims, making life on the altar of «authentic» cultural values, true guardians of the national ethos. The protests related with certain theatrical events show how strong a symbolic conflict in Polish society is. Contemporary Polish theatre is not limited to the production of songs of praise and hymns of heroic actions. It tells the stories about complex issues of human lives, attitudes and motivations, uncomfortable choices, the lesser evil, etc.

«The show is a mediation of social relation among people made by images, it is also ultimately unifying mechanism» — to repeat again the words of Guy Debord in the interpretation made by Andrzej Leder. Stage space allows you to showcase important social issues in the form of intimate communication with the audience the actor, revealing complicated fates and peoples confrontation with History.



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