BEAUTY, LOVE, AND DEATH IN THE NOVEL "QUO VADIS, DOMINE!" BY HENRYK SIENKIEWICZ

Abstract

Henryk Sienkiewicz’s novel Quo Vadis, Domine introduces us to ancient Rome at the time of Emperor Nero. The author shows us a world that is glamorous from the outside and corrupted from the inside, full of betrayals, murders and hypocrisy. All this is primarily seen through the eyes of three of the main characters – Emperor Nero, arbiter elegantiarum Gaius Petronius and Marcus Vinicius. They all see the Roman world differently. Nero puts himself at the center of this corrupted world, constantly talking about art, creating songs and poems that he sings and recites to his applauding audience, and behind the mask of this pseudo-creator is a cruel murderer, who sets Rome on fire, putting the blame for it on the Christians and condemning them to death. Petronius is an esthete by heart and nature. He loves beauty, the good life and art and skillfully manipulates Nero flattering his creative impulses. Thus, he manages to maintain the harmony in Rome, as when Nero is convinced that he is creating art, he is calm and does not cause trouble. Marcus Vinicius is a young patrician who falls in love with the Christian Lygia and, captured by her beauty, he starts to change. He becomes better, noices the desires and feelings of other people, and finally converts to Christianity.

Keywords

• sienkiewicz
• quo vadis
• ancient rome
• petronius
• nero
• vinicius
• worldview
• change