The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma: Difference between revisions
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==Controversy== |
==Controversy== |
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An American novel ''Being There'' written by fellow [[Poles|Pole]] Jerzy Kosiński bears |
An American novel ''Being There'' written by fellow [[Poles|Pole]] Jerzy Kosiński bears some resemblance to the adventures of Nicodemus Dyzma. In June 1982, a ''[[Village Voice]]'' article by Geoffrey Stokes and Eliot Fremont-Smith accused Kosinski of [[plagiarism|plagiarizing]] Dołęga-Mostowicz whose bestselling novel wasn't known to English readers at the time of Kosinski's publication in 1971. However, Dyzma is a conscious con artist, while Chance (the protagonist of ''Being There'') is a kind of idiot-savant who remains completely unaware of his positive effect on others, or of the ways he could exploit them. [http://www.leaderu.com/ftissues/ft9610/myers.html] ''Being There'' was filmed by [[Hal Ashby]] in 1979 [[Being There|under the same title]] starring [[Peter Sellers]]. |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 17:55, 1 April 2009
The Career of Nicodemus Dyzma (Polish title: Kariera Nikodema Dyzmy) is a 1932 Polish bestselling novel by Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz.
The book was made into a 1956 Polish film with Adolf Dymsza in the title role, then into a 1980 television miniseries starring Roman Wilhelmi and in 2002, a movie, starring Cezary Pazura.
Plot summary
Nicodemus Dyzma is a small-town man who comes to the Polish capital from the Eastern provinces (called "Kresy") in search of work. While walking the streets of Warsaw, he finds a lost invitation to a party reception. Hoping for a free meal, he decides to use it since he owns a tuxedo. At the reception, he befriends a Member of Parliament and wins the hearts of guests with his attitude. He is introduced to a wealthy landowner by the name of Kunicki, a former con artist, who is so impressed by Dyzma that he offers him a job as superintendent of his country estate. At the estate, Dyzma meets Kunicki's wife, Nina, who quickly falls in love with him. Soon Dyzma takes control of all affairs of the estate and starts to climb the social and political ladder. He is offered a series of prestigious appointments; however, he is also forced to hide his past from the prying eyes of his adversaries and the general public.
Legacy
Nicodemus Dyzma has become proverbial in Poland as an archetype of the crude opportunist who makes his upwardly-mobile way by dint of fortuitous connections, ruthlessness and the acquiescence of an oblivious society.
He is forced by the spirit of his times and the society around him to become something they need him to become. Ignorant and malleable, Dyzma turns into a puppet in the hands of the elite class. Whatever happens to him during his climb of the social ladder falls outside of his mental, financial and legal competence.
Controversy
An American novel Being There written by fellow Pole Jerzy Kosiński bears some resemblance to the adventures of Nicodemus Dyzma. In June 1982, a Village Voice article by Geoffrey Stokes and Eliot Fremont-Smith accused Kosinski of plagiarizing Dołęga-Mostowicz whose bestselling novel wasn't known to English readers at the time of Kosinski's publication in 1971. However, Dyzma is a conscious con artist, while Chance (the protagonist of Being There) is a kind of idiot-savant who remains completely unaware of his positive effect on others, or of the ways he could exploit them. [1] Being There was filmed by Hal Ashby in 1979 under the same title starring Peter Sellers.
See also
- Politics in fiction
- Political fiction
- Jerzy Kosiński and the claims of plagiarism including film Being There.