Serbian literature

Serbian literature is the literature of the Serbs, people who speak the Serbian language and live in the Balkan region of Europe. Serbian literature originated in the 1200s after the development of the Serbian language. Christianity was an important factor in shaping and codifying the early Serbian language, and it was an important part of early Serbian literature. Scholars break up Serbian literature in various periods, with the broadest being medieval literature (1200 to 1700), literature of 1700s and 1800s, and modern literature (from 1900 to the present). The periods were influenced by different historical events and diverse religious and military groups. Serbian writers continue to contribute new works to Serbian literature, despite the relatively small group of Serbian speakers and the tumultuous history of the regions where most Serbians live.

Background

Serbian literature developed after the development of the Serbian language. Some linguists believe that Serbian is itself not a separate language but a variant of a language they called Serbo-Croatian or the Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian language. This is because Serbian and these other language (Bosnian, Croatian, and Montenegrin) are intelligible to each other and share similar grammar and formation. Serbian (and the broader Bosnian-Croatian-Montenegrin-Serbian language) is one of the Slavic languages, which are part of the Indo-European languages. Other Slavic languages include Bulgarian, Russian, and Polish.

The ancestors of the modern Serbian language originated between 3000 and 1000 BCE, with a proto-Slavic language developing closer to 1000 BCE. Slavic languages spread and developed for the next two thousand years, when various tribes, including Croats and Serbs, settled in the Balkans in the 500s and 600s CE.

In the 900s, Serbian clans started converting to Christianity. This was an important step in the development of the Serbian language. Christian monks Cyril and Methodius helped spread Christianity and Slavic dialects at that time. Christianity was also important in developing the Serbian language because Christians developed and used writing to teach. The earliest surviving Serbian writing dates from the eleventh or twelfth century; these are manuscripts dealing with the Christian Church. The earliest alphabet used by Serbs was Glagolitic. It was developed by Christian monks to help them write their manuscripts. The language from this time is called Old Church Slavonic. A Cyrillic alphabet replaced the Glagolitic one in the 1100s. In the 1800s, a Serbian linguist revised the Cyrillic alphabet, and another linguist created a Latin alphabet that had a one-to-one correspondence with the Cyrillic. As a result, modern Serbian speakers can generally use two different alphabets, and people use different forms based on social and political views.

Serbian is spoken by millions of people around the world, though it has a regional center in the Balkans. It is an official language in Serbia, Kosovo, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is spoken in numerous other countries, including Montenegro and Croatia.

Overview

Serbian literature began in the medieval period (ca. 1200–1700), with the earliest existing examples of Serbian writing dating from the late twelfth century. This medieval writing includes numerous religious books and hymns. The oldest existing document is called the Miroslav Gospel and dates from roughly 1180. The book, which is also called the Gospel of the Prince Miroslav of Hum, was written by two young monks for Duke Miroslav, who commissioned the work. Not only is the manuscript the oldest example of a book written in Serbian, but it is also often considered to be one of the most beautiful books in Serbian literature. The book was written with a quill in black, brown, and red ink. The book contains nearly three hundred drawings that are painted in red, yellow, and green. Parts of the book are also embellished in gold. The book is seen a mixture of European (specifically Italian) and Byzantine styles.

Serbian literature continued to grow slowly through the following centuries, with many works being translations of Christian manuscripts that were originally written in other languages. Serbian writers also introduced original writing, such as the manuscripts about rulers of the region and important religious figures.

Serbian literature changed dramatically in the late 1400s when the Turks seized Serbia. The Ottoman Empire ruled over the region. At this time, folk literature became an important part of Serbian culture. People orally passed on epic poems and folk songs. Many of these works focused on important events, such as the Battle of Kosovo. This folk literature remained the most important source of literature in the region for hundreds of years during the Turkish occupation. In the 1600s, Russian and Polish influences came to Serbia through books written in those languages.

Starting in the 1700s, Serbian literature began to see a revival and transition into modern forms and styles. Literature of the 1700s and 1800s acted as a bridge between the literature of the medieval period and the literature of the modern period. Numerous ideas and movements, such as Enlightenment and Rationalism, spread from other parts of Europe into Serbia. These movements influenced thought and writing in Serbia.

One of the most important figures in Serbian literary history emerged during this period. Dositej Obradović (1739–1811) became a monk but decided to travel after receiving his education. He traveled throughout Europe and brought back ideas shaped by Enlightenment thinkers and other Western European influences. Obradović is often seen as the founder of modern Serbian literature. One of his best-known works is his 1783 autobiography. Other important works included Sovjeti zdravago razuma (Advices of Sound Reason; 1784) and Sobranje raznih naravoučitelnih veščej (Collection of Various Moral Writings). Obradović wrote works of many different genres, including narratives, humor, philosophical reflections, and drama. One of Obradović’s main accomplishments was helping to reintroduce Serbian literature as an important cultural force in Serbia.

Many other writers also continued to renewal of Serbian literature during this period, and people developed new schools and new Serbian-language books to help spread Serbian language and literature. Some of the other important authors of his period include Milovan Vidakovic (1780–1841), who wrote stories, and Joakim Vujic (1772–1847), who is known as the founder of Serbian theater. Furthermore, other cultural movements, such as Romantism, also influenced Serbian literature during this pivotal period. The Romantic movement brought with an interest in lyric poetry. Serbian lyric poetry of the time was often confessional or patriotic. The Romanticism of the 1840s was being pushed aside as early as the 1860s by the Realism movement. This movement focused on normal people, with many works focusing on village life or similar earthy themes.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Serbian literature entered its modern period. The period just after the turn of the century is referred to Moderna. The literature from this period was again influenced by European trends. This was a time when artistic influences were important in literature. Furthermore, literary criticism and the study of literature became very important. A Serbian literary critic named Bogdan Popovic (1864–1944) began a literary magazine called Srpski knjizevni glasnik (The Serbian Literary Herald) in 1901. It remained the most important literary periodical throughout the Moderna period. Popovic also made other important contributions to Serbian literature at the time, such as compiling and publishing the Anthology of Modern Serbian Lyric Poetry (1911). Another important influence on literature at the time was Jovan Skerlic (1877–1914), who was interested in historical Serbian literature.

World War I (1914–1918) again greatly influenced Serbian literature, as many young writers were impacted by fighting—with some taking part and others feeling impact of the war on the home front. Some prominent Serbian writers, such as Milutin Bojic and Vladislav Petkovic Dis, even died in the war.

After World War I, Serbia itself was transformed again when Serbia became part of the newly formed Yugoslavia. The state formed after numerous Slavic thinkers suggested that the powers join to help protect themselves from outside forces. Belgrade, which had become the capital of Yugoslavia, became an important center for Serbian literature at this time. Although before World War I, critics were interested in traditional Serbian literature, the trend in Serbian literature after the war was to turn away from traditional forms and works. Writers began to question all the elements and ideas that had once been accepted in literature. Numerous literary movements began in Yugoslavia and in other parts of the Europe. Many of these smaller movements were eventually classified as Avant Garde literature. In the years preceding World War II (1939–1945), Avant Garde literature remained popular, but politics and political beliefs also became important factors in Serbian literature.

The end of World War II again brought significant change to Serbian people and literature. In the early years after the war, writers focused on topics such as society and patriotism. Poetry remained an important genre, and several books of poetry, such as Miodrag Pavlovic’s 87 Poems (1952) and Vasko Popa’s The Crust (1953), were controversial but ultimately impactful works. Borislav Pekic was another prominent writer of the 1970s and 1980s. In the twenty-first century, more female writers, such as Svetlana Velmar-Jankovic, Gordana Kuic, and Dubravka Ugrešić, were important contributors to modern Serbian literature.

Serbian literature remains a changing field, with new entries being added all the time. Serbia had more than 550 libraries as of 2022, with the largest being the National Library of Serbia in Belgrade.

Bibliography

An Anthology of Serbian Literature, edited by Vasa Mihailovich and Branko Mikasinovich. Slavica Publishers, 2007.

“Background Information (Serbian).” UCLA Department of Slavic East European and Eurasian Languages and Cultures, 2022, slavic.ucla.edu/languages/bcs/serbian-background-info/. Accessed 28 Nov. 2022.

“Dubravka Ugrešić. (Cover Story).” World Literature Today, vol. 91, no. 1, Jan. 2017, pp. 56–57. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=120649909&site=ehost-live.

History of Serbian Culture, edited by Pavle Ivić. Translated by Randall A. Major, Porthill Publishers, 1995.

“How the Serbian Language Came into Being?” The Royal Family of Serbia, royalfamily.org/about-serbia/serbian-language/. Accessed 30 Nov. 2022.

“Serbian literature.” The Royal Family of Serbia, royalfamily.org/about-serbia/serbian-literature/. Accessed 28 Nov. 2022.

“Serbian Literature.” Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th Edition, Mar. 2021, p. 1. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=f6h&AN=134493799&site=ehost-live.