Literature of Kosovo
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The literature of Kosovo is composed of literary texts written in Albanian, Serbian, Bosnian, and Turkish, specifically by authors of Kosovo. Kosovo produced several prominent writers in the Ottoman era. However, Ottoman authorities banned the written use of the Albanian language until 1912. This policy continued during Serb rule until the outbreak of World War II.[1]
After the war, school tests were mostly in Serbian due to historic circumstances;[
Serbian literature in Kosovo
This article may relate to relocate relevant information and remove irrelevant ones. (October 2015) |
Kosovo, as well as Raška and Mount Athos, was the home of many pieces of early Serb literature from the 13th century onward. The most prominent Serb literary figures in Kosovo during the 20th century were novelist Vukašin Filipović, poets Darinka Jevrić, Petar Sarić and Radosav Stojanović, and short story writer Lazar Vučković.[1]
Ottoman era
During Ottoman rule, Kosovo was part of the broader Ottoman literary culture; Prizren had libraries, a medrese, schools, and a hamam.[4] Prominent writers include:
- Pjetër Bogdani, the first Kosovar-Albanian writer;
- Celalzade Salih Çelebi, a historian[dubious ];
- Ottoman Turkish languagepoetry;
- Prizrenli Suzi Çelebi, who also founded an important vakıf;
- Aşık Çelebi, Ottoman biographer, poet, and translator.
- Tahir Efendi Jakova, Bejtexhinj movement poet, teacher, and religious leader
Later history
Little is known in the field of literary in countries which were once part of the
After World War II
Albanian literature in Kosovo was set off by poet
Dialects
There are two distinct dialects in modern Albanian. Catholic priests wrote most of the Albanian literature in
Prose and Poetry
Poetry related to topics, such as war and the need for national freedom, was started by Esad Mekuli with the summary "Per Ty" which is considered an inspiration for many other authors. Another type of poetry is the one of Din Mehmeti and Ali Podrimja which is a form of exclamation. In addition to that, "Kurora Sonetike" which is structured by Enver Gjereqeku, also plays a huge role in Kosovo's Literature. During the 70s and 80s the most dominant kind of poetry was the one with unique poetic systems ruled by Sabri Hamiti and Musa Ramadani. Sabri Hamiti forms a system of poetic opus while Musa Ramadani forms a type of poetic book system. "Neurosis" which is a summary of poetry by Musa Ramadani deals with avant-garde visual subjects. However, another important event in Kosovo's Literature is Ali Podrimja's "Lum Lumi" which covers the whole 8th decade of the 20th century. Kosovar literature has divided prose in two lines: traditional and modern lines. Traditional is expressed in romantic spirit and the modern spirit with literary currents of European modernism. Prose takes place also in two paths: Modernist intellectual direction and social topic. Modern prose with authentic symbolic signs was founded by Anton Pashku. The modern spirit with
Literary criticism
Carriers of literary criticism in Kosovo were three leaders, Rexhep Qosja, Ibrahim Rugova and Sabri Hamiti. Rexhep Qosja passes systematically literary works according to the integral method, while Ibrahim Rugova and Sabri Hamiti pass the contemporary criticism with more sophisticated methods inspired by French schools. These last two become icons of literature, criticism and literary thought for the Albanian Literacy in general.
Albanian verbal creations
Verbal creations, which are often called as traditional creations, like songs, riddles, tales or other are called such because they are confessed orally and are transferred to us from mouth to mouth. These creations are divided into lyrical creations and epic creations, while the traditional poetry can be found as epic-lyrical. Usually, oral poetry is accompanied by instruments. Verbal creations were born earlier than writing creations. In fact, each traditional creation is a product of the human mind, but it adapts the environment with time. Verbal creations are created by extending and increasing wider, and while they are changed or adapted, they lose their authorship and become traditional creations.
Authors
Pjetër Bogdani
Pjetër Bogdani (c. 1630 – December 1689), known in Italian as Pietro Bogdano, is the most original writer of early literature in Albanian. He was born in Prizren. Pjetër Bogdani is considered the first Kosovar-Albanian writer. He is author of the Cuneus Prophetarum (The Band of the Prophets), 1685, the first prose work of substance written originally in Albanian Gegnisht (i.e. not a translation).
Shtjefën Gjeçovi
Shtjefën Konstantin Gjeçovi-Kryeziu (1874 – 1929) was an Albanian Catholic priest, ethnologist and folklorist. He is known for being the father of Albanians' folklore studies
Ali Podrimja
Ali Podrimja plays a huge role in Kosovar and even Albanian literature. He was born in 1942 in Gjakova. He published prose and poetry from 1961, and has published ten volumes of his poetry to date. While at school he had already published his first collection of poems, "Thirrje" (1961, tr: The Calls). In his following books, he revealed himself to be a mature
Sabri Hamiti
Having huge impact in the Kosovar Literature, poet and critic Sabri Hamiti born in
Eqrem Basha
Eqrem Basha, born 1948 in Dibra, PR Macedonia, is among the most respected contemporary writers of Kosovo in recent years. His life and literary production are intimately linked to Kosovo and its capital Pristina, where he has lived and worked since the 1970s. Basha is the author of eight volumes of innovative verse spanning the years from 1971 to 1995, three volumes of short stories and numerous translations (in particular French literature and drama). Eqrem Basha is an enigmatic poet. Perplexing, fascinating, and difficult to classify in a literary sense, he succeeds in transmitting a certain mystique to the inquisitive reader. At one moment he seems coolly logical and shows an admirable ability to reason deductively, and the next moment he is overcome by absurd flights of fancy into a surrealistic world where apparently nothing makes any sense. His verse is light, colloquial and much less declamatory than that of many of his predecessors.
Anton Pashku
Anton Pashku was born on January 8, 1937, in Graždanik (village near Prizren). He finished high school education in Pristina. He worked as a redactor in the "
Rifat Kukaj
Rifat Kukaj (25 October 1938 – 11 September 2005) was a Kosovar Albanian and a successful writer in Albanian literature for grown ups and children. He was born in the Drenica region of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, in present-day Kosovo. He was educated in
Azem Shkreli
Azem Shkreli (1938–1997) has been described as a poet of profound ideas and critical judgments. He was born in the
References
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8108-7483-1.
- ISBN 978-0-06-097775-7.
- ISBN 978-0-06-097775-7.
- ISBN 978-0-06-097775-7.
Further reading
- "The Bright Old Oak." The Bright Old Oak. The Bright Old Oak, n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
- Schuyt, Roel. "MACEDONIA." Eqrem Basha. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
- Fajtori. "ANG - Ismail Kadare." ANG - Ismail Kadare. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. (in Albanian)
- Elsie, Robert. Studies in Modern Kosovar-Albanian Literature and Culture. Boulder: East European Monographs, 1996. Print.
- "Letersia Shqiptare: Letersia Moderne." Letersia Shqiptare: Letersi Moderne. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. (in Albanian)
- "Rapitful Shqip." Nazmi Rrahmani. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
- "The Atlantic International Library of Kosovo." The Atlantic International Library of Kosovo. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
- Podrimja, Ali. "Ali PODRIMJA - Poetry." Ali PODRIMJA - Poetry. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
- "Ali Podrimja." - Biography and Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.