Abstract

The forgotten novel In the Haunted Castle by Jan Łada (pseudonym of Father Jan Gnatowski) was written in 1914, just before World War I, and was published only in 1925. By the decision of the authorities of the Polish People’s Republic, it was, like all Łada’s books, removed from libraries. Only after 1990 was it restored to Polish readers. This novel was not appreciated by contemporary critics. They saw it as a poor imitation of Henryk Sienkiewicz’s historical novels. They criticized the novel’s composition, plot, characters, style of expression and message. However, Łada’s novel, which belongs to popular literature, does not aim to follow Sienkiewicz’s model of a historical novel. Even though it takes place in the 17th century and contains themes typical of Walter Scott, it is closer to various types of 19th-century horror novels. You could call In the Haunted Castle a Gothic romance. It takes place in the space of Ukraine created in the writer’s imagination, which turns into an imaginary of horror. Its aim is not only to arouse emotions in the reader, but also to provide moral lessons on coming to terms with Polish history and providing personal role models.