Quo Vadis (novel)
Quo Vadis is a novel by the Polish writer Henryk Sienkiewicz, which describes the beginnings of Christianity in Rome during Nero's. He was first published in 1895. Sienkiewicz was inspired by an old legend about an encounter of Peter with Jesus (see Quo Vadis ).
Content
The novel tells the love story between the young patrician Marcus Vinicius and Lygia, a princess of the people of the Lygier that came as a hostage to Rome. She is a Christian. Gradually get the lovers in the maelstrom of events surrounding the persecution of Christians in AD 64 under Nero.
As a prototype of the Christian Lygia and was staying just in Rome Apostles Peter and Paul are described. When their opponents Nero, Poppaea Sabina and Tigellinus occur. Other important figures are Petronius, who holds the rank of chancellor in the novel, as well as the retired general Aulus Plautius and his wife Pomponia Graecina ( Lygia adoptive parents).
Background
The novel was shortly after its appearance a bestseller. Controversial were only partially described in detail atrocities in the chapters on the execution of Christians (including tearing through wild animals, used as human torches ), as shown quite dramatically in the feature film of 1951. But Sienkiewicz here follows a historiographical presentation, the chapter on the persecution of Christians in the " Annals " of Tacitus. Even otherwise, the novel is historically correct total. However, he is very strong pro-Christian and ends with a reference to the future victory of Christianity.
At the time of the creation of the novel was Poland, the home of the author, divided between the Russian Empire, the German Empire and Austria - Hungary (Polish divisions). This should significantly miterklären the subject of oppression and persecution. Also, the female protagonist " Lygia " symbolizes the suppressed Sienkiewicz Poland because Lygier moved to the historical time of the Romans in the area of the later Greater Poland.
The main protagonists are historical persons. Marcus Vinicius, Lygia and Ursus, however, were invented. Pomponia, the wife of Aulus Plautius, was indicted proven to belong to an anti- religion (presumably Christianity, but not detectable), from a family court but found to be innocent. The representation of Aulus Plautius and Pomponia as a Christian martyr devoid of historical reality.
Sienkiewicz was awarded the 1905 Nobel Prize for Literature, Quo vadis? was a major reason why.
Films
The novel was filmed in 1902 after that for the first time and several times. The Italian film version of Enrico Guazzoni of 1913 was the first great epic film in film history. The best known was the Hollywood movie of 1951, which - except for the final ( in the film is Nero, played by Peter Ustinov, directly forced by the persecution of Christians to commit suicide ) - can be regarded as a fairly faithful to the original film ( director Mervyn Le Roy ).
1985 was an Italian television series starring Klaus Maria Brandauer as Nero (directed by Franco Rossi); 2001 Polish filming of Jerzy Kawalerowicz.