The Seizure of Power: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Seizure of Power: Analysis of Major Characters" explores the complexities of individual and collective experiences during and after World War II in Poland, focusing on a diverse cast of characters who grapple with the shifting political landscape. Central to the narrative is Peter Kwinto, a young journalist disillusioned by the lack of support for the Warsaw uprising and burdened by his family's history, leading him to flee to France. Stefan Cisovski, known as Seal, embodies guilt and loyalty as he navigates his survival and the aftermath of war, ultimately choosing to assist in rebuilding his hometown despite his imprisonment by the Communist regime. The character of Professor Gil serves as a poignant link to historical discourse, reflecting on his lost academic life and the challenge of encouraging truth amid despair. Additionally, Wolin represents a stark contrast with his upper-class upbringing, having developed a fervent commitment to Communism through personal adversity. Josiah Winter’s motivations reveal the fear-driven support for communism, while Michael Kamienski illustrates the intersection of political ideologies with spiritual resistance. Together, these characters paint a rich portrait of the moral and existential dilemmas faced during a tumultuous period in Polish history, inviting readers to reflect on themes of power, identity, and resilience.
The Seizure of Power: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Czesaw Miosz
First published: Zdobycie wladzy, 1953 (English translation, 1955)
Genre: Novel
Locale: Warsaw and elsewhere in Poland
Plot: Political
Time: 1944–1950
Peter Kwinto (KWIHN-toh), a young intellectual and journalist who writes for the Polish Workers' Party. Although he is of Italian descent, Peter was reared in Poland under his mother's guidance, and he is in Warsaw when the Polish underground rebels against the Nazis. Peter is disillusioned when the Soviet army fails to support the Warsaw uprising, and he watches, helpless and in shock, as the Germans obliterate his hometown. After World War II is over, the Soviet Union is allowed to occupy Poland, and Peter becomes angry with himself for succumbing to the new Communist government, which he despises. Finally, by interpreting a recurring nightmare, Peter understands his apparent powerlessness against the new party by associating it with his father's death. When Peter was a young boy, his father was killed in a war against Russia; as an adult, Peter realizes that he has the same fear for himself. That insight causes him to leave Poland and flee to France.
Stefan Cisovski (sih-SOV-skih), a cadet officer in the Home Army of the Polish underground. He is nicknamed Seal because of his swimming expertise. He eventually escapes from Warsaw by crawling through the sewer system. Although he manages to survive the war, he is guilt-ridden for abandoning a wounded friend and for having a brief affair. He believes that everything comes too late, when it is no longer valuable, but he nevertheless helps his commander escape to freedom and decides to remain in Poland to aid in rebuilding his hometown. He is arrested by the Communist regime and given a sentence of eight years of imprisonment because of his Socialist tendencies.
Professor Gil, a scholar of classical literature. He appears only in two brief scenes during the body of the text, once when he refuses to leave his dying wife and a second time when he searches for his daughter's corpse. Despite the brevity of his appearances, his musings set the framework for the novel. The opening pages reveal him at work, translating Thucydides' writings about the Peloponnesian War. A link with history helps Gil to comprehend his own experience during World War II. The transition between parts 1 and 2 offers some of his personal history. Born a peasant's son, he had to fight for the right to attend a university. With the Soviet occupation, he has lost his department chairmanship and feels his life ending because he can no longer encourage the youth to pursue truth. The closing pages show him gleaning information from a newspaper and pondering how people can survive sadness and indifference.
Wolin, the head of the Security Department of the NKVD (police force). Reared in an upper-class family, he feels oppressed by the unreality of that lifestyle and runs away from home when he is fifteen years old. Experiencing poverty, manual labor, and prison as a result, he develops a keen class consciousness and strongly supports Communism. Fanatic about mystery stories, Wolin himself is enigmatic, and he is excellent at playing political mind games.
Josiah Winter, a man who supports the communization of Poland not because he believes in communist theories but because he is afraid of the power of communism. Described as apelike, with small, black eyes, he wants desperately to be accepted by the Communist Party. When the NKVD questions him about Peter Kwinto, he provides enough information to sentence his intellectual acquaintance to the Urals for five years.
Michael Kamienski (kah-mee-EHN-skih), the publisher and editor of an underground newspaper in Poland that advocates the combination of Fascism and Catholicism. He is viewed by the Communists as one of the blackest reactionaries in the country. Eventually, Kamienski agrees to recognize their political power if they will allow him to practice spiritual resistance.