Реки как чувства, чувства как реки в словенской и польской романтической поэзии

Starting with Prešeren and Mickiewicz, this article compares the symbolism of the major rivers of two distinct geographic regions, coexisting in the same era and represented within the same Romantic literary tradition. Delving into the reasons for the depiction of rivers in nineteenthcentury Romantic poetry, it reveals details of the sociohistorical background concealed within the symbolism of rivers. A striking feature, such as the personification of rivers as romantic pairs, reflects not only authors’ needs for romantic expression or their patriotic sentiments but also emotions of tragedy, the search for escape and salvation, and the motifs of guilt and punishment.