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Stanisław Wokulski - a fictional character, the protagonist of Bolesław Prus's novel The Doll (Lalka).

Biography
Stanisław Wokulski was born in 1832. As a young boy, he worked in Hopfer's food and drink shop. He met his best friend, Ignacy Rzecki there. He wanted to start a career as a writer and entered the university in 1862 but then he decided to work in conspiracy and take part in January Rising in 1863. After that, he was sentenced to 7 years to Irkutsk in Siberia. He came back in 1870 but couldn't find a job for a few months. Eventually, he married a rich widow, owner of a shop, Małgorzata Mincel. After she died he became the rich owner of the shop and dedicated himself only to work. One day in 1877 when he went to the theatre, he saw Izabela Łęcka for the first time in his life and immediately fell in love. To impress her he went to Bulgaria where he made a lot of money as a military supplier for Russia. He opened another shop because through the years people were telling him that the fortune he had at the first place wasn't earned by him but inherited. With his fortune, he tried to earn a position in the higher class where Izabela and her father belonged. However, he did not succeed and decided to go to Paris for a few months and suddenly came back to see Izabela spending time in Miss Zasławska's (Stanisław uncle's biggest love) cottage house. He got engaged with Izabela but he overheard her conversation on the train with Starski cousin where he convinced her to marry him for money and she said she lost her pre-marriage gift, a metal lighter than air. She also mentioned the possibility to cheat on him when she got bored. He left the train and tried to commit suicide but failed. He lost interest in everything and one day just disappeared. What exactly happened to him isn't clear.

Małgorzata Mincel
There isn't much information about Stanisław's relationship with Mrs. Mincel. She was a rich widow and people were that Wokulski married her to become rich himself but the truth is that he really loved her.

Izabela Łęcka
Stanisław Wokulski fell in love with her from the first sight. He sacrificed a lot to impress her and make her want to be with him yet she didn't return the feeling. Her father Tomasz had a huge impact on her. Also, she grew up in a higher class where everything depended on contacts and being around equally important people so she didn't have a chance to live a different life and wouldn't think about getting married for love. Also, she knew that Wokulski, even though very rich, was 'just' a merchant and didn't want to marry him. However later, convinced by Starski cousin, she wanted to marry him for money.

Kazimiera Wąsowska
Kazimiera was a widow and Stanisław met her for the first time in Zasławska's cottage house. She was a very independent woman who didn't care about relying on man's money. Although, she had some feelings for Stanisław and tried to flirt with him. However, Stanisław didn't return that feeling because he was in love only with Izabela.

A man stuck between the epoques
"'Two people are fused in him: a Romantic of the pre-1860s and a Positivist of the '70s' ~Dr Szuman"

Dr Szuman was right saying those words because Stanisław Wokulski was indeed a character who had features characteristic for people from both of those epoques.

As a Romantic, Wokulski:
 * he fought for his country - he took part in January Rising in 1863;
 * fell in love unhappily - he fell in love with Izabela who didn't love him;
 * had a tendency to idealize - every time he thought about Izabela, he saw her without any flaws, didn't notice any of them most of the time;
 * was emotionally unstable - at the beginning he was ;
 * and felt left out.

As a Positivist, Wokulski:
 * worked according to the societal positivist program - he invested, worked hard in his shop and tried to improve the economy of the country;
 * was fascinated with science - he admired Geist and believed in flying machines;
 * when he decided something he made it happen - he wanted to get to the university and he managed to do that, he was determined to make a fortune and he made it, he realized every goal he set;
 * was tolerant, accepts everyone no matter where they are from - he had both Jewish and German friend which was unacceptable that time.