Autobiografia Literatura Kultura Media

The essay titled „According to Her: A Fictional Autobiography of the Mother of Jesus by Maciej Hen” delves into the 2004 novel Według niej… by Maciej Hen and its subsequent translation into English: According to Her (2022). This essay offers an opportunity to explore the conceptual circumstances surrounding the creation of the novel, specifically the resurgence of cultural awareness among Polish Jews during the 1990s and the significance of the novel’s scarece discussion within Poland’s religious context two decades ago. At the heart of According to Her lies a monologue delivered by Mariamne, portraying the narrative of Jesus’ mother – a modest and devout Jewish woman endeavoring to comprehend the tumultuous events of her time. Set against a backdrop of historical significance, with nearly a century having passed since the fall of Masada, the destruction of the Second Temple, and the fragmentation of the Jewish world, Mariamne’s introspections unfold. By affording a marginalized narrator like Mariamne a resounding voice, Maciej Hen’s work takes on a quasi-political dimension. It manifests as a fictitious exploration of the mother of the Christian messiah, conceived by a Jewish author within the framework of Jewish history. This narrative choice underscores the contemporary empowerment of marginalized voices and the spotlight on a feminine perspective. In doing so, Hen’s work highlights the modern potency of narratives centered on the margins, emphasizing the transformative potential of a female-centric viewpoint.