“He Who is Busy With the Affairs of the Messiahs ... Even if He Only Tells Their Story”: The System of Characters and Narrators in Olga Tokarczuk’s Books of Jacob

Abstract

This article examines the complex structure of narrators and characters in Olga Tokarczuk’s novel “The Books of Jacob” (2014), which tells the story of the mystical-messianic Jewish sect led by Jacob Frank (1726–1791), the successor of Shabtai Zvi (1626–1676). The analysis focuses on the use of multiple perspectives, written and oral narratives, and the connections between the author, narrators, and characters. The article explores how Tokarczuk portrays the controversial figure of Jacob Frank, his evolving ideas and strategies, and different forms of self-identification and communication, and communication with the Other, etc. It also discusses how the novel challenges the dominant narrative of Henryk Sienkiewicz by highlighting Jewish and female perspectives and presenting a network of interconnected small histories within the larger context of Big History. Tokarczuk’s construction of the novel using concrete historical material reflects her commitment to an exo-centric worldview and a narrative that emphasizes empathy with the Other and understanding of different experiences. The narrative itself is characterized by a focus on corporeality and borderlands.