Modern readers and critics of Konrad Wallenrod have long been perplexed over the nature of the poem as an artistic entity, and over its essential meaning and possible allegorical significance. More than this, critics have encountered great difficulty in attempting to relate the poem to Mickiewicz' artistic, moral and political development. For example, those who read the poem strictly in ethico-political terms have become much exercized over the problem of its alleged immorality and have encountered great difficulty in relating this work to the development of Mickiewicz' political ideas and attitudes. For the literary historian, the problem of explaining why this work differs so radically from the other poetry written during the first two years of Mickiewicz' Russian exile remains the single most important issue.