Balladyna (drama)
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Balladyna is a tragedy written by Juliusz Słowacki in 1834 and published in 1839 in Paris. It is a notable work of Polish romanticism, focusing on the issues such as thirst for power and evolution of the criminal mind. The story revolves around the rise and fall of Balladyna, a fictional Slavic queen.
Power and ethics in tragedy
Balladyna has been compared to Macbeth, both being dramas which show how evil and prone to suggestion human nature is. in both cases, the author claims that it is impossible to righteously rule a country if power was gained unlawfully.[1]
Plot
Balladyna and Alina are sisters who live with their mother in a poor hut in the middle of a forest. Goplana – the nymph queen of Gopło Lake - is in love with Balladyna’s beloved, Grabiec, and because of her jealousy she intervenes in peoples' lives and changes their destiny. The sisters’ hut is visited by the rich prince Kirkor, who was led there by Skierka, Goplana’s servant. Goplana wanted Kirkor to fall in love with Balladyna so that Grabiec could be hers alone, but Skierka made a mistake and Kirkor fell in love with both sisters.
The sisters compete to marry Kirkor by collecting raspberries. When Balladyna finds out that Alina is winning, she kills her with a knife. The only witness is Grabiec, whom Goplana turns into a weeping willow to prevent him from telling anyone about the murder. After returning home, Balladyna claims that her sister ran away with a lover. The only things reminding Balladyna of the crime she committed are a bloody stain on her forehead that cannot be removed, pangs of remorse and terrible nightmares. The body of the dead girl is found by Filon, who falls in love with her.
Soon after the marriage, Kirkor leaves for the battle of Gniezno and wedding guests come to the castle. Balladyna is so ashamed of her mother that she orders the servants to lock her in a tower. During Kirkor’s absence, Balladyna and Kirkor's knight, Fon Kostryn, fall in love. Balladyna decides to visit a hermit hoping that he will remove the bloody stain. The perceptive hermit and soon discovers Balladyna’s deeds. Kostryn witnesses this, but to prove his loyalty to Balladyna, he aids her in killing a messenger sent by Kirkor with presents for his wife.
In the castle, a feast takes place, with the guests including Grabiec (disguised as a bell king), and the nymphs Skierka and Chochlik. Balladyna disavows her mother and exiles her from the castle. When hearing Chochlik's song detailing her felonies, Balladyna goes mad. She hears voices from beyond, sees the ghost of her sister and finally passes out. In the middle of the night, Balladyna and Kostryn kill Grabiec and take his crown – the symbol of legitimate royal rule – and leave for Gniezno to seize power.
Fon Kostryn defeats Kirkor’s army in battle and Kirkor dies on the battlefield. Soon after, Balladyna gives Kostryn a piece of bread sliced with a poisoned knife. Kostryn dies in agony, warning against Balladyna's rule with his dying breath.
Balladyna becomes the queen. The chancellor informs her that, as a new monarch, she should decide on some of the cases pleaded by her subjects. The first case concerns the poisoning of Kostryn and Balladyna is forced to sentence an unknown man to death. The next case regards the death of Alina and another another unknown innocent is sentenced to death.
At that moment Balladyna’s mother enters the palace, blinded by lightning and complaining about her daughter who drove her out of the castle during the storm and who refused to have anything to do with her. She refuses to reveal her name and is killed during torture. Forced by the chancellor, Balladyna issues a third death sentence for the daughter. The triple punishment on Balladyna is carried out by God himself, who strikes the evil queen with lightning, killing her.
References
Sources
- Balladyna by Juliusz Słowacki