Montenegrin literature
Encyclopedia
Montenegrin literature is the literature written in the South Slavic
country of Montenegro
, mainly in Montenegrin language
.
), the most important representatives are writers who lived in 19th and 20th century century and wrote mainly in serbocroatian and lately in montenegrin.
The first literary works written in the region are ten centuries old, and the first Montenegrin book was printed five hundreds years ago. In Venetian
Cattaro (actual Kotor
) there were a group of writers and poets that introduced Renaissance
culture in coastal Montenegro
, writing in Latin
and Italian
: Ludovico Pasquali
, Giovanni Bona de Boliris, Giovanni Polizza, Giorgio Bisanti, Girolamo Pima, Timoteo Cisilla, Giovanni Crussala, Giuseppe Bronza and Girolamo Panizzola.
The first state-owned printing press (Printing House of Crnojevići
) was located in Cetinje
in 1494, where the first South Slavic
book was printed the same year (Oktoih
). A number of medieval manuscripts, dating from the 13th century, are kept in the Montenegrin monasteries.
On the substratum of traditional oral folk epic poetry, authors like Petar II Petrović Njegoš have created their own expression. His epic Gorski Vijenac (The Mountain Wreath
), written in the Montenegrin
vernacular
, presents the central point of the Montenegrin culture.
Other contemporary poets include:Balša Brković
, Borislav Jovanović
and Jevrem Brković
.
South Slavs
The South Slavs are the southern branch of the Slavic peoples and speak South Slavic languages. Geographically, the South Slavs are native to the Balkan peninsula, the southern Pannonian Plain and the eastern Alps...
country of Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
, mainly in Montenegrin language
Montenegrin language
Montenegrin is a name used for the Serbo-Croatian language as spoken by Montenegrins; it also refers to an incipient standardized form of the Shtokavian dialect of Serbo-Croatian used as the official language of Montenegro...
.
Characteristics
Although there are works written at least 800 years ago (like the Chronicle of the Priest of DukljaChronicle of the Priest of Duklja
The Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja is a medieval chronicle originally written by a Catholic monk of the Cistercian order by the name of Roger for the Croatian Ban Paul Šubić because an order form by Ban Šubić and a quote of Catholic monk have been discovered...
), the most important representatives are writers who lived in 19th and 20th century century and wrote mainly in serbocroatian and lately in montenegrin.
The first literary works written in the region are ten centuries old, and the first Montenegrin book was printed five hundreds years ago. In Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
Cattaro (actual Kotor
Kotor
Kotor is a coastal city in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative center of the municipality....
) there were a group of writers and poets that introduced Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
culture in coastal Montenegro
Albania Veneta
Venetian Albania was the name for the possessions of the Venetian Republic in southern Dalmatia that existed from 1420 to 1797. It originally covered the coastal area of what is now northern Albania and the coast of Montenegro, but the Albanian and southern Montenegrin parts were lost to the...
, writing in Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
: Ludovico Pasquali
Ludovico Pasquali
Ludovico Pasquali was an Italian author, from Cattaro in the Albania Veneta .-Life:...
, Giovanni Bona de Boliris, Giovanni Polizza, Giorgio Bisanti, Girolamo Pima, Timoteo Cisilla, Giovanni Crussala, Giuseppe Bronza and Girolamo Panizzola.
The first state-owned printing press (Printing House of Crnojevići
Printing House of Crnojevici
Printing House of Crnojevići is the first Balkan printing house; the facility operated between 1493 and 1496 in Cetinje, Montenegro.It was founded by Đurađ IV Crnojević, the ruler of the Principality of Zeta between 1490 and 1496. The printing press was operated by orthodox monks led by hieromonk...
) was located in Cetinje
Cetinje
Cetinje , Цетиње / Cetinje , Italian: Cettigne, Greek: Κετίγνη, Ketígni) is a town and Old Royal Capital of Montenegro. It is also a historical and the secondary capital of Montenegro , with the official residence of the President of Montenegro...
in 1494, where the first South Slavic
South Slavs
The South Slavs are the southern branch of the Slavic peoples and speak South Slavic languages. Geographically, the South Slavs are native to the Balkan peninsula, the southern Pannonian Plain and the eastern Alps...
book was printed the same year (Oktoih
Oktoih
Oktoih , in English the Book of Psalms or Psalter, is an incunabula printed in Cetinje, Montenegro in 1494. Oktoih is a book of liturgical hymns for singing in eight parts. It was printed in the Printing House of Crnojevići by Đurađ IV Crnojević, an educated ruler of Montenegro from 1490-1496...
). A number of medieval manuscripts, dating from the 13th century, are kept in the Montenegrin monasteries.
On the substratum of traditional oral folk epic poetry, authors like Petar II Petrović Njegoš have created their own expression. His epic Gorski Vijenac (The Mountain Wreath
The Mountain Wreath
The Mountain Wreath is a poem and a play, a masterpiece of Montenegrin and Serbian literature, written by Montenegrin Prince-Bishop and poet Petar II Petrović-Njegoš.Njegoš wrote The Mountain Wreath during 1846 in Cetinje and published it the following year after the...
), written in the Montenegrin
Montenegrin language
Montenegrin is a name used for the Serbo-Croatian language as spoken by Montenegrins; it also refers to an incipient standardized form of the Shtokavian dialect of Serbo-Croatian used as the official language of Montenegro...
vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
, presents the central point of the Montenegrin culture.
Other contemporary poets include:Balša Brković
Balša Brkovic
Balša Brković is a Montenegrin writer, essayist and theatre critic....
, Borislav Jovanović
Borislav Jovanović
Borislav Jovanović , Montenegrin writer, poet, author essays and literary critic....
and Jevrem Brković
Jevrem Brkovic
Jevrem Brković is a Montenegrin writer , historian and a cultural activist...
.
Notable works
- Chronicle of the Priest of DukljaChronicle of the Priest of DukljaThe Chronicle of the Priest of Duklja is a medieval chronicle originally written by a Catholic monk of the Cistercian order by the name of Roger for the Croatian Ban Paul Šubić because an order form by Ban Šubić and a quote of Catholic monk have been discovered...
a.k.a "Slavonic Kingdom" (Sclavorum Regnum) - OktoihOktoihOktoih , in English the Book of Psalms or Psalter, is an incunabula printed in Cetinje, Montenegro in 1494. Oktoih is a book of liturgical hymns for singing in eight parts. It was printed in the Printing House of Crnojevići by Đurađ IV Crnojević, an educated ruler of Montenegro from 1490-1496...
- The Mountain WreathThe Mountain WreathThe Mountain Wreath is a poem and a play, a masterpiece of Montenegrin and Serbian literature, written by Montenegrin Prince-Bishop and poet Petar II Petrović-Njegoš.Njegoš wrote The Mountain Wreath during 1846 in Cetinje and published it the following year after the...
(Gorski Vijenac)
18th and 19th Century
- Andrija ZmajevićAndrija ZmajevicAndrija Zmajević was a distinguished Serbian Baroque poet and contributor to the Roman Catholic Church from the Bay of Kotor...
, the baroque poet and theologist, - Vladika Vasilije
- Petar I Petrović-NjegošPetar I Petrovic-NjegošPetar I Petrović Njegoš was the ruler of Montenegro, the Cetinje Episcop of the Serbian Orthodox Church and Exarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church throne. He was the most popular spiritual and military leader from the Petrović dynasty...
- Petar Petrović Njegoš, known simply as Njegoš, Montenegrin prince-bishopPrince-BishopA Prince-Bishop is a bishop who is a territorial Prince of the Church on account of one or more secular principalities, usually pre-existent titles of nobility held concurrently with their inherent clerical office...
from 1830 to 1851 who is considered to be the greatest Montenegrin writer (to Montenegrins he is what is Shakespeare to English or DanteDANTEDelivery of Advanced Network Technology to Europe is a not-for-profit organisation that plans, builds and operates the international networks that interconnect the various national research and education networks in Europe and surrounding regions...
to Italians) - Stjepan Mitrov LjubišaStjepan Mitrov LjubišaStjepan Mitrov Ljubiša , was a Serbian-Montenegrin writer and politician. He is famous for his unique short stories, generally ranked among the masterpieces of Serbian literature in its day...
, from BudvaBudvaBudva is a coastal town in Montenegro. It has around 15,000 inhabitants, and it is the centre of municipality...
, who wrote short stories, mainly about his hometown area. - Marko MiljanovMarko MiljanovMarko Miljanov Popović was a warrior and writer from Montenegro. He led the Kuči clan against the Turks in 1862 and distinguished himself in the War of 1876-78...
, a renowned tribe leader turned writer, described ethical ideal of 19th century Montenegrins. - Ivan MažuranićIvan MažuranicIvan Mažuranić was a Croatian poet, linguist and politician—probably the most important figure in Croatia's cultural life in the mid-19th century...
- a Croat, wrote a Montenegrin epic: The Death of Smail-aga ČengićThe Death of Smail-aga ČengićThe Death of Smail-aga Čengić is an epic poem by Ivan Mažuranić published around 1846. It is based on the real events of Smail-aga Čengić, a Turkish army general that is known for his bravery, but disparged for truculence; the main motif is his death, happening after he engages in a battle against...
(Smrt Smail-age Čengića) - Nicholas I of MontenegroNicholas I of MontenegroNikola I Mirkov Petrović-Njegoš was the only king of Montenegro, reigning as king from 1910 to 1918 and as prince from 1860 to 1910. He was also a poet, notably penning "Onamo, 'namo!", a popular song from Montenegro.-Early life:Nikola was born in the village of Njeguši, the ancient home of the...
20th century
- Mihailo LalićMihailo LalicMihailo Lalić was a famous novelist of Montenegrin and Serbian literature. He is considered by some to be among the greatest authors from Montenegro.-Overview:...
- Milovan Đilas
- Radovan ZogovićRadovan ZogovicRadovan Zogović was one of the greatest Montenegrin poets of the 20th century....
- Ćamil SijarićCamil SijaricĆamil Sijarić was a Montenegrin novelist and short story writer. He was born in Šipovice, Bijelo Polje in Montenegro to Bosniak parents. He spent most of his life in Skopje, Belgrade and later, Sarajevo, where he died in a helicopter crash in 1989. However, almost all his major works are about...
- Miodrag BulatovićMiodrag BulatovicMiodrag Bulatović was a Montenegrin Serb novelist and playwright...
- Čedo VukovićCedo VukovicČedo Vuković is a Montenegrin writer.Vuković was born in Đulići, Andrijevica municipality in north-eastern Montenegro.He is very prolific author but his masterpiece is still considered to be one of his early novels "Mrtvo duboko"...
- Mirko KovačMirko Kovac (writer)Mirko Kovač is a Montenegrin, Croatian, and Serbian writer....
- Dragan RadulovićDragan RadulovicDragan Radulović is a Montenegrin writer, literary reviewer and essayist. He graduated with a degree in philosophy from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy. Currently, he writes essays and literary reviews for various Montenegrin periodicals, dailies and weeklies...
- Borislav PekićBorislav PekicBorislav Pekić was a Serbian writer. He was born in 1930, to a prominent family in Montenegro, at that time part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. From 1945 until his immigration to London in 1971, he lived in Belgrade...
- Vito NikolićVito NikolićVitomir "Vito" Nikolić was a Montenegrin poet and journalist.-Background:...
- Nicholas I of MontenegroNicholas I of MontenegroNikola I Mirkov Petrović-Njegoš was the only king of Montenegro, reigning as king from 1910 to 1918 and as prince from 1860 to 1910. He was also a poet, notably penning "Onamo, 'namo!", a popular song from Montenegro.-Early life:Nikola was born in the village of Njeguši, the ancient home of the...
Modern
- Balša BrkovićBalša BrkovicBalša Brković is a Montenegrin writer, essayist and theatre critic....
- Borislav JovanovićBorislav JovanovićBorislav Jovanović , Montenegrin writer, poet, author essays and literary critic....
- Jevrem BrkovićJevrem BrkovicJevrem Brković is a Montenegrin writer , historian and a cultural activist...
- Andrej NikolaidisAndrej NikolaidisAndrej Nikolaidis is a Montenegrin-Bosnian writer, columnist, and current adviser to Ranko Krivokapić, speaker of the Montenegrin Parliament.-Biography:...
- Dragana Kršenković BrkovićDragana Kršenkovic BrkovicDragana Kršenković Brković is a writer from Montenegro.Kršenkovic Brković graduated from the Faculty of Political Science in 1980 and from the Faculty of Drama Arts, in 1984. TV Belgrade screened her play - in 1981. She wrote it for an entrance examination.As the Wars in the Balkans erupted, she...