Serbo-Croat Language and Literature

Among the Croats three writers of this period are worthy of mention, the Jesuit A. KaninC, the Franciscan M. Kata6k, and an army officer A. Reljkovk (1732-98). The latter, the greatest Croatian writer of the 18th century, is best known for his Satyr, or the Wild Man (1762).

Among the Slovenes practically nothing had been done from the days of P. Trubar (1508-86), a Protestant writer, till the late i8th century, when V. Vodnik (1758-1819) laid the foundations of modern Slovene literature. The formation of the Illyrian Prov inces (1809) under Napoleon tended to revive the national spirit.

The 19th Century

saw the consolidation of efforts to establish firmly the Serbo-Croat vernacular based on the most widely ex tended ito-dialect. The leaders were Vuk Karadik for the Serbs, and Ljudevit Gaj (1809-72) for the Croats. Vuk, under the influ ence of the Slovene scholar J. Kopitar, began to devote himself to collecting traditional songs. He succeeded in interesting Goethe and the brothers Grimm in Serbian popular poetry. His efforts to establish the "civil" as opposed to the "church" spelling were brought to fruition by Gj. Dani6ie (1825-82), who laid the foun dations of Serbian philology. The Illyrian movement under Gaj, which aimed at first at the linguistic union of all the Yugoslays, in its earlier stages had favoured the kaj-dialect and the old spelling, but soon the ito-dialect was adopted and the spelling reformed; and in 1836 one single literary language became the common property of the Serbs and Croats. The movement produced a number of poets, among whom are P. Preradovie, who wrote lyrics of love and patriotism, and I. Maiurank, author of an epic on the Death of Snail Aga Cengid (an incident of the Mon tenegrin rising of 1840), which counts among the gems of Serbo-Croat literature (Eng. trans. by J. W. Wiles). The Serbs viewed the Illyrian movement with sympathy in so far as its aim was a literary union with the Croats, and their literature made considerable progress. Poetry on classical models is represented by L. Mugicki. B. Radkevk broke with this scholastic tradition by composing poems in the pure vernacular, expressive of sincere and passionate feelings. A contemporary of these two, the Bosnian S. Milutinovie, was much admired in his time for his patriotic poetry. Greater than any of these was Petar Petrovk Njegog (1813-51), prince-bishop of Montenegro. His masterpiece is an epic Gorski Vijenac ("The Garland of the Mountains"). No other poet has been able so to penetrate the spirit of the people and to depict their character. The outstanding dramatist of this period is J. Popovie (1806-86). Influenced by European literature, he produced a number of comedies both of "character" and of "manners" and is considered the founder of modern Serbian drama.

By the middle of the century the centre of the literary activi ties of the Serbs was transferred from Budapest to Novi Sad, a town in the heart of the Serbian population in southern Hungary.

Here a "Young Serbian Movement," based on a return to popular poetry and tradition, became very active. Lyric poetry is repre sented by J. Jovanovk and Gj. Jakgie. The realistic novel was initiated by J. Ignatovie. Drama in verse had many followers, the most important being L. Kostk, translator of several plays of Shakespeare, and K. Trifkovie. The movement towards auton omy in Croatia after Solferino was accompanied by revived inter est in the language. The prominent figure in the movement is Bishop Strossmayer, founder of the Yugoslav Academy in 1867 and the university at Zagreb in 1874. Literary journals sprang up. A series of prose writings and historical novels by A. Senoa and J. E. Tomk did much to create a reading public, while a school of literary criticism was initiated by F. Markovk. I. Trnski's lyrics and epics on national subjects kept alive the patriotic fire. The Slovenes were similarly affected by improved political con ditions, and the freedom of the press. F. Pregern (1800-49) may be considered the greatest modern Slovene poet. F. Levstik's simple lyrics and prose writings make him the central figure till the coming of J. Stritar (1836-1923), "the creator of the cul tured and civilized speech." In the early '7os the influence of the German romantics was replaced by that of the Russian realists, and the new tendencies in western European thought were introduced through Russian chan nels. The champion of the new ideas was S. Markovk, who had studied in Russia. The new ideas found expression chiefly in the novel and short story, the former having its best exponents among the Croats, while the Serbs excelled in the latter. The first efforts of the new school were mainly directed towards the painting of village and peasant life. The founder of this school in Serbia was M. Gligie. He is excelled in artistry by L. Lazarevb whose gifts of observation and composition made him one of the greatest of Serb writers. J. Veselinovie is a master of lyrical descriptions of nature. Conditions of life in Croatia offered more material for the larger canvas of the novel. L. Babk Gjalski may he considered the founder of the realistic novel of psychological interest, a field in which he was followed by Borislavie, V. Novak and others. Among the Slovenes important names are J. Kersnik, whose powers were especially shown in the delineation of female char acter, and I. Tav sear, who was particularly interested in philosophi cal problems. Apart from novelists, two Yugoslav writers, Lj. Nenadovie of Serbia and Lj. Vulkevie of Dalmatia, must be mentioned as excellent examples of the best modern prose.