Albanian literature
Albanian literature encompasses the body of written works produced by authors from Albania, primarily in the Albanian language. Its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages, though the Ottoman Empire's long rule (1506-1912) severely restricted literary production in Albanian, forcing many writers to publish abroad, often with religious themes. The two primary dialects of Albanian, Gheg and Tosk, were historically used until a unified literary language was established by the government in 1972.
After Albania gained independence in 1912, a cultural renaissance occurred in the 19th century, marked by a surge in literature that reflected national pride and influenced by Romanticism. The early 20th century saw the development of a modern alphabet, which facilitated further literary expression, addressing contemporary social issues. Following World War II, the rise of communism imposed strict controls on literary production, but post-1989, with the transition to democracy, Albanian literature began to thrive. Notable contemporary authors include Ismail Kadare, whose works are recognized internationally. Overall, Albanian literature reflects a rich and complex history shaped by cultural, political, and social influences.
Albanian literature
Albanian literature is written by authors from the southern European nation of Albania and in the Albanian language. Only a few works of Albanian literature have been discovered. They date back to the Middle Ages because the Ottoman Empire, which ruled Albania from 1506 to 1912, did not allow the publication of written works in the language. Because of this, not much literature was available until later in the nineteenth century, and much of what was published before this time had to be done outside the country. Literature was traditionally written in either of the two major dialects, which were the northern Gheg or the southern Tosk. However, in 1972, the government created a unified literary language, which most authors subsequently used in their writing.
Brief history
Albania sits on the Adriatic and Ionian seas. Because of this strategic location, it was conquered and ruled by powerful nations and empires for much of its early history. The Illyrians, who were the predecessors of the Albanians, were conquered in the second century BCE by the Romans and then, in the fourth century, were ruled by the Byzantine Empire. During Byzantine rule, the country was frequently invaded by the Huns and Visigoths. In the seventh century, Albania came under the control of the Slavs, and in the ninth century, some of it became part of the Bulgarian Empire.
By the late eleventh century, an Albanian autonomous principality emerged under the control of the Byzantines, and in the late twelfth century, the Kingdom of Albania was established from territories conquered by the King of Sicily from the Byzantine Empire with the help of Albanian nobles. In the fifteenth century, the powerful Ottoman Empire from Turkey conquered all the territories of Albania and ruled over them for more than four hundred years, cutting off Albania from much of Europe and restricting the Albanians' activities. Although the Ottomans initially converted some Albanians to Islam, by the end of the sixteenth century, more Albanians converted to escape higher taxes and more restrictions placed on Christians. However, the Ottoman hold over the country began to wane in the late nineteenth century, and Albania declared itself independent in 1912.
Although an independent country, Albania was still under pressure from other more powerful European countries, and it struggled with establishing its own political identity. After World War I ended in 1918, Albania was ruled as a monarchy and occupied by Italy just prior to World War II. In 1945, World War II ended, and Albania became a communist state. However, with the collapse of communist regimes in the late 1980s, the political orientation shifted to democracy, and Albania began to be influenced by the West.
Overview
The rule of the Ottoman Empire and the edict against publishing the language stunted literary growth in Albania. Despite this, written works in Albanian were published. Writers of works of literature during this time generally were members of the Catholic clergy because they were able to have their manuscripts published outside the country in cities such as Rome. Therefore, these early writings usually have a religious theme.
Ottoman rule also caused many Albanians to leave their homeland, and once they left, they were free of the restrictions of Ottoman rule. Much of the literature of this time and the early post-Ottoman Empire era was penned by ex-patriot Albanians who had moved to places such as southern Italy or Sicily and had more freedom to write and publish what they wrote. This group of writers preserved their Albanian heritage and became known as the Arberesh writers because Arberesh was a name for Albania during the time of Ottoman Empire control in the Middle Ages.
Early Works
A manuscript on theology, philosophy, and history by Teodor Shkodrani that dates from 1210 is the oldest known written Albanian work. It was discovered in the Vatican archives in the late 1990s. Early Albanian literature from the Middle Ages also includes a baptismal formula from 1462 and the book Meshari (1555) by the Roman Catholic priest Gjon Buzuku (1499-1577), often known to historians as "The Liturgy" or "The Missal." A Catholic bishop named Frang Bardhi wrote the first Latin-Albanian Dictionary, also known as the Dictionarium Latino-Epiroticum. The release of this first Albanian dictionary in 1635 was a turning point in the development of Albanian literature and helped to unify the vocabulary of the language.
Post-Ottoman Empire
After the restrictions were lifted on publishing in Albania in the early nineteenth century, more works of literature slowly began to be published, and a renaissance in Albanian literature occurred. These works were influenced by patriotic sentiments and the literary movement of Romanticism, which became popular in the Western world in the late eighteenth century and emphasized individuality, imagination, emotion, and subjective thinking. Poetry, plays, short stories, novels, and books that explored the Albanian language, and the country’s history and folklore were written. Popular writers included Jeronim de Rada (1814-1903), Francesco Santori (1819-1894), Dhimiter Kamarda (1821-1882), Zef Serembe (1844-1901), Gavril Dara (1826-1885), and Zef Skiroi (1865-1927).
Twentieth Century and Beyond
In 1908, the Congress of Monastir in Albania adopted a new modern Albanian alphabet, which was based on Latin letters, and this simplified the publication of literature. New works began to reflect the Western literary movement of realism and the social climate of the turn of the century, with many of them addressing challenges, such as poverty and injustice. After World War II, Albania became a communist country and this affected literature. Writers were viewed with suspicion and pressured to only print approved material. After the fall of the Communist regime, literature began to flourish again under democracy and renewed Western influence. Popular authors of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries included Gjergj Fishta (1871-1940), Faik Konitza (1875-1942), Fan S. Noli (1882-1965), Lasgush Poradeci (1899-1987), Dritëro Agolli (1931-2017), Fatos Arapi (1930-2018), Naum Prifti (1932-2023), Ismail Kadare (1936-2024), Ridvan Dibra (b. 1959), Luljeta Lleshanaku (b. 1968), Fatos Kongoli (b. 1944), and Ben Blushi (b. 1969).
Ismail Kadare is among the best internationally known Albanian authors of the twenty-first century. His most important works include The General of the Dead Army (Gjenerali i ushtrisë së vdekur; 1971), The Palace of Dreams (Nëpunësi i pallatit të ëndrrave; 1993), Chronicle in Stone (Kronikë në gur; 1971), The Siege (Kështjella; 1970), and Broken April (Prilli i thyer; 1978).
Bibliography
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Elsie, Robert. "Albanaian Literature Introduction." Albanian Literature, www.albanianliterature.net/index.html. Accessed 21 Oct. 2024.
"Ismail Kadare Best Books: A Guide." New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2024/07/01/books/booksupdate/ismail-kadare-best-books-albania.html. Accessed 21 Oct. 2024.
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