Studia Językoznawcze

The article is a partitive study of the comparisons (similes) that appear in the texts of the writerin question, and at the same time it precedes a volume from a series Słownictwo pism StefanaŻeromskiego – Świat zwierząt [The Vocabulary in the Texts Written by Stefan Żeromski – theAnimal World].The animal world, as understood here, is wide, defined as the whole of living beings, both existingin reality and depicted symbolically (images, symbols, monuments, the signs of the zodiac).While researching the vocabulary referring to the animal world the author of the article uses notisolated lexemes but contexts, which are the basis for analyses and interpretations.The material basis of the article consists of comparisons occurring in Uroda życia and in thefirst two volumes of Popioły – altogether 124 contexts, which illustrate various relations of thesides.Stefan Żeromski was a master of comparisons, which is testified not only by their large numberbut first of all by their diversity from the point of view of their structure, meaning and lexicalvariety of components being compared. The writer knew his native language perfectly, andcould skilfully take the full advantage of its potential, thanks to which he was able to create hisliterary world.