Bulgarian literature

Bulgarian literature refers to the collective literary works of the people of Bulgaria. The Bulgarians and their nation have had a troubled history. After being invaded, Bulgaria has been absorbed into larger empires, the Bulgarians rebelled against the Ottoman Empire and suffered in both World Wars. They have lived under authoritarian Communism. These struggles are reflected in Bulgarian literature. Notably, Bulgarian writers expressed dissent for their political leaders and government through political poetry. In many cases, publishing such poetry placed the writers' lives at risk, as they faced reprisals from authoritarian regimes.

Following Bulgaria's return to Democratic rule at the end of the twentieth century, Bulgaria's literary tradition continued to evolve. Bulgarian writers were free to re-examine their history, including their ties to Western and Eastern cultures, without the influence of the Communist Party. They could also describe their time as a satellite state of the Soviet Union without Soviet censorship.

Brief History

The area now known as Bulgaria was originally inhabited by the Thracians, who lived in roughly 400 BCE. The Thracians battled with the ancient Roman Empire, which eventually conquered them in roughly 100 CE. The ancient Romans built cities and infrastructure in the region, incorporating the Thracian civilization into their larger society. When the ancient Roman Empire split into two separate nations, the area that would become Bulgaria was incorporated into the Byzantine Empire. However, when the Byzantine Empire weakened in roughly 500 CE, the region was settled by Slavic peoples.

In 680, the region was invaded and conquered by the Bulgars, who settled in the region. After stabilizing their rule, the Bulgars formed the state of Bulgaria, which was officially recognized by the Byzantine Empire in 716. In the late eighth century, Bulgaria waged a war against the Byzantine Empire, successfully laying siege to Constantinople. The nation experienced a golden era before beginning to decline in the latter half of the tenth century.

Bulgaria was reconquered by the Byzantine Empire in 1014, following the Battle of Belasitsa. The Byzantine Empire instituted particularly high taxes on the Bulgarians, eventually leading to a rebellion in 1185. The Bulgarians succeeded, and once again established themselves as a sovereign nation. The Bulgarian army was defeated by the Serbians in 1330, which briefly placed the Bulgars under Serbian control. However, they quickly secured their independence.

During the middle and late fourteenth century, the Ottoman Empire was successfully engaging in wars of conquest. The Ottomans were much larger and more powerful than the Bulgarians, quickly seizing Bulgarian territory. By the end of the fourteenth century, all of Bulgaria was under Ottoman control. Bulgarian citizens were forced to pay taxes to the Ottoman government and provide soldiers for the Ottoman army. Though rebellions occurred, they were easily crushed by the larger power. Bulgaria remained under Ottoman control for several centuries.

During the late nineteenth century, Russia and Turkey went to war. As a condition of the peace treaty, Bulgaria was split into two states. Northern Bulgaria would become a principality of Turkey, where it would be treated as a semi-autonomous vassal state. Southern Bulgaria would be allowed additional privileges and was named Eastern Rumelia. This arrangement angered the Bulgarians, who believed that they should be allowed to live as a single nation. They rebelled against the Turkish government, resulting in a new treaty that placed both Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia under control of the Prince of Bulgaria. However, the Bulgarian people resisted this ruling, declaring themselves united and independent. At the time, the Turkish Empire was struggling and was unable to reassert control over its rebellious territories.

During World War I, Bulgaria sided with Germany. However, following harsh blockades by the Allied powers, they were forced to surrender. Following the war, Bulgaria was faced with harsh penalties, including the loss of significant amounts of its territory. During World War II, Bulgaria was invaded by Russia. This resulted in a Communist takeover of the country. Eventually, the Communists renamed themselves the Bulgarian Socialist Party. It remained in power until 1991. Bulgaria joined NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) in 2004, and the European Union in 2007.

Overview

Bulgarian literature refers to the collective body of writings that has been composed in the Bulgarian language. Because of Bulgaria's long history, Bulgarian literature has significantly changed over time. Initially, most Bulgarian literature was religious. However, in later eras, Bulgarian literature was heavily informed by the nation's frequent wars and unstable authoritarian regimes.

Early Bulgarian Literature

The first significant works of Bulgarian literature came from the influence of the Byzantine Empire. Working alongside the Byzantines, Khan Boris I, the ruler of The Bulgarian Empire, supported the development of the first Slavic written language. The Bulgarian government created schools and a university, spreading the knowledge of this language. They worked to rival the Byzantine government, developing a language and culture that they hoped would eventually spread to other nations. This written language was initially used to record and translate important religious texts, which would collectively be known as Old Bulgarian literature. These included hymns, parables, religious treatises, and many other works. However, as literacy spread throughout the nation, the Bulgarian language became regularly used by most citizens of the country.

Some famous Bulgarian folk stories and cultural works were recorded during this period. For example, the short story "Chudo s Bulgarina" was recorded during the tenth century. Some historians argue that "Chudo s Bulgarina" is the earliest surviving example of a Slavic short story. Additional early Bulgarian short stories include "Mikhail the Warrio" and "Stfanit and Ihnilat."

When Bulgaria was conquered by the Ottoman Empire during the fourteenth century, the nation experienced significant literary difficulties. Much of the nation's literary progress was reversed, and the Ottoman rulers did not encourage literacy among the citizens of Bulgaria. For this reason, Bulgarian literary progress under Ottoman rule remained primarily religious in nature.

Because Bulgaria was separated from many of the artistic movements of other European nations by its Ottoman occupation, it developed unique folklore. This was recorded through short stories and other Bulgarian narrative collections. Additionally, during the latter half of the Ottoman occupation, many Bulgarians used writing as a way to express dissent against their rulers. Famous Bulgarian revolutionary writers from this period include Georgi Sava Ravoski, Lyuben Karavelov, and Hristo Botev. Some Bulgarian writers used fiction to express their political views, while others wrote poetry or songs.

Modern Bulgarian Literature

Following the end of Ottoman rule in Bulgaria, new literary traditions began to develop. These traditions were heavily inspired by the struggles and political challenges faced by the people of Bulgaria. Following its liberation from Ottoman rule, Bulgaria experienced a rapid sequence of wars and coups. Many people lost faith in their government under authoritarian rule.

Bulgarian writers continued the nation's tradition of expressing their political views and struggles through poetic literature. The famed poet Dimcho Debelyanov, who was killed during World War I, is best known for writing about the challenges that Bulgarians faced. Many poets risked their lives by writing anti-government literature during the reigns of authoritarian regimes. During these periods, the people of Bulgaria were not offered freedom of expression, making writing anti-governmental literature a dangerous endeavor. The famous political poets Nikola Vaptsarov and Hristo Smirnenski faced criticism from their government for their writings, and poet Geo Milev was killed after upsetting authorities with his work.

One of the most famous Bulgarian poets of the twentieth century, Peyo Yavorov, was best known for his poem "Refugees," which tells of the Balkan ethnic cleansing campaigns. Yavorov also used his literary reputation to write in favor of the Armenian Independence Movement.

Bulgaria continued to foster a strong literary tradition during its time as a satellite state of the Soviet Union. However, the Soviet Union strongly censored its writers' publications, stifling political dissent and Bulgaria's tradition of revolutionary poetry. Following the nation's eventual extraction from Soviet influence and its return to democratic elections in the 1990s, Bulgarian literature once again began to flourish.

Acclaimed Bulgarian writers of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries include Alex Popov, Georgi Gospodinov, and Milen Ruskoff. Some Bulgarian writers continued the nation's tradition of political poetry, while others began writing novels. Modern Bulgarian literature is known for reflecting the nation's difficult past, including its ties to both Western and Eastern powers. These works re-examine the nation's history from new perspectives, particularly its time under Communist rule.

Bibliography

"A Guide to the United States' History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country, Since 1776: Bulgaria." Office of the Historian, 2022, history.state.gov/countries/bulgaria. Accessed 30 Nov. 2022.

"An Introduction to Bulgarian Literature." British Library, 2016, blogs.bl.uk/european/2016/06/an-introduction-to-bulgarian-literature.html. Accessed 30 Nov. 2022.

"Bulgaria Profile—Timeline." BBC News, 2022, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17205431. Accessed 30 Nov. 2022.

Lambert, Tim. "A Brief History of Bulgaria." Local Histories, localhistories.org/a-brief-history-of-bulgaria/. Accessed 30 Nov. 2022.

Wolahan, Emily. "5 Bulgarian Writers You Don't Want to Miss." Center for the Art of Translation, 2016, www.catranslation.org/blog-post/5-bulgarian-writers-you-dont-want-to-miss/. Accessed 30 Nov. 2022.

Zagorov, Vasil. "History and Culture of the Bulgarian Book." Oxford, 2022, oxfordre.com/literature/view/10.1093/acrefore/9780190201098.001.0001/acrefore-9780190201098-e-1327?rskey=9I2aSE. Accessed 30 Nov. 2022.