Affective politics: On Joseph Conrad’s decision to emigrate

This article engages with a commonplace in Conrad studies: the causes, implications, reception, and political significance of Joseph Conrad’s decision to emigrate from Poland. Previous studies suggest that emigration lies at the root of Conrad’s ethical politics and contributes to his enduring presence in literary discourse. Against this background, the article offers a literary-critical analysis and interpretation of Conrad’s autobiographical writings, particularly A Personal Record and Poland Revisited. Drawing on sociolinguistic perspectives and autobiographical threads, the article reinterprets Conrad’s decision to emigrate primarily in terms of its affective impact. The analysis demonstrates how this experience shaped the author’s artistic identity and influenced his literary aesthetics. The principial conclusion is that the political dimension of Conrad’s decision should be viewed within a wider frame: as an intimate, youthful, and emotionally charged experience ultimately grounded in the writer’s personal past.