Ferdydurke

novel by Gombrowicz

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June 26, 2026

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Ferdydurke is a 1937 novel by Polish writer Witold Gombrowicz. It is described as a grotesque image of contemporary society that shocked the reading public. The novel's dominant theme is the innate immaturity of human beings, portraying them as incapable of understanding the world without relying on the opinions of others. Gombrowicz himself described Ferdydurke as the "grotesque story of a gentleman who becomes a child because other people treat him like one". The novel explores themes of immaturity, immaturities, and the resulting sadomasochistic relationships where individuals hide their own ignorance while exposing others'.123

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Witold Gombrowicz
…success of his first novel, Ferdydurke (1937; Eng. trans. Ferdydurke)—a grotesque image of contemporary society that shocked the reading public—Gombrowicz visited Argentina, where he became stranded during and after World War II. Because he was considered an émigré writer, the publication of his works was banned in Poland; Institut Littéraire,…
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…success of his first novel, Ferdydurke (1937; Eng. trans. Ferdydurke)—a grotesque image of contemporary society that shocked the reading public—Gombrowicz visited Argentina, where he became stranded during and after World War II. Because he was considered an émigré writer, the publication of his works was banned in Poland; Institut Littéraire,…
Read More