Humanity, Non-humanity, Monstrosity. An Eco-critical Reading of Andrzej Sapkowski’s Imaginary World

This chapter aims to analyse how the Polish fantasy writer Andrzej Sapkowski employs the concepts of humanity and monstrosity not only as literary and philosophical tropes but also as metaphors for Poland’s history. The Witcher series contains several allusions to hot topics that animated the public debate in the 1980s and the 1990s, such as environmentalism, racism and discrimination. Far from being disengaged and undemanding, Sapkowski’s series turns out to be a space to reflect on the moral, political and social changes that affected Poland in the transition period from late communism to capitalism. Particular attention is paid to the definition of what is human and what is not and to the relationship with non-human otherness, showing that ethical and not ontological criteria are followed by the writer in order to define mankind.