The French Texts of Adam Mickiewicz

Mickiewicz wrote in French for many different reasons to fulfil his journalistic obligations and to deliver commissioned texts, but also to participate in the literary scene, which he was part of during his stays in Russia and France. The French language gave him a chance to try his hand in genres that he did not use in Polish, and to tackle subjects that Polish audiences might not accept. But most importantly, writing in French allowed him to take on a different perspective, a certain distance from where he could grasp difficult problems without emotional engagement.