Prus, Boleslaw

Prus, Bolesław (bôlĕsläf` prs), 1845?–1912, Polish writer, whose original name was Alexander Głowacki. Prus is considered a founder of the modern Polish novel. His articles and short stories exposed the prejudice and class pride in Poland and urged the creation of a sober, cooperative, and industrious society. Prus's realistic novels include The Outpost (1886, tr. 1921), about the struggle of a Polish peasant to hold his lands, The Emancipated Women (4 vol., 1894), and The Pharaoh (1897, tr. 1902). The Doll (1890, tr. 1972), Prus's finest work, presents a broad picture of middle-class life in Warsaw.