“If you want to know a country, read its writers.”
― Aminatta Forna
In my last blog post, “Getting to Know Croatian Literature and Authors through Travel (Part I)” I wrote about my travels to Croatia. As an author, I was especially interested in Croatia as a literary destination. So I worked with my travel representatives at JayWay Travel to add excursions that would relate to this interest. When you read this post, as well as the previous one, I hope you will learn about this beautiful country and its literary heritage and consider your own trip there.
The importance of literature to Croatian culture was evident everywhere my husband and visited inasmuch as statues of Croatian authors were prominently placed throughout Split, Zadar, and Zagreb. The following discussion involves a few of the Croatian writers I learned more about after seeing their statues or commemorative plaques.
• AUTHORS FROM SPLIT
Marko Marulić (1450-1524)
Marulić is known as the Father of Croatian Literature. He was a Renaissance man, philosopher, poet, humanist, and lawyer. He even created the term psihologija (psychology). Marulić wrote extensively in a variety of genres, and the fact that he wrote in Croatian at a time when Latin was the dominant language helped to elevate his native tongue as the language of literature in the country. His Judita was the first Croatian epic poem. Five hundred years later, Croatians still celebrate the date he finished that work as Croatian Book Day. Read more at https://www.expatincroatia.com/marko-marulic/.
A statue of Marulić commanded the scene of a square by our hotel in old town Split, the writer’s hometown.
“The light of common sense darkens in us as long as we associate with those who are obscured by the fog of vice.” – Marko Marulić
Miljenko Smoje (1923 – 1995)
Smoje was a writer, journalist and humorist from Split. He grew up in a neighborhood of laborers and fishermen known for its left-wing ideologies. By the way, it’s the same area of Split where I believe my great grandparents were from. In addition to Smoje’s novels and articles, he was a screenwriter who wrote successful television series that depicted life in Split. https://www.expatincroatia.com/miljenko-smoje-journalist-satirist/
Smoje’s statue sits on a bench at the harbor of his Split neighborhood.
“I can swear, why not? I don’t swear to impress someone, but because that is part of our lives. I am a child of a fisherman, and in my house, like in the whole Split, we do three things: eat, drink and swear.” – Miljenko Smoje
• AUTHORS FROM ZADAR
After visiting Split, we went to Zadar, a small city on the Adriatic coast with a rich historic history. Its beauty brought many artists, perhaps because of the light found there. Even Alfred Hitchcock touted the area. In fact, he said, “Zadar has the most beautiful sunset in the world.” In addition to artists, authors have played a role in the history of Zadar over the centuries. In fact, many of them were memorialized by statuary busts that lined the small park across from the hotel where we stayed. I’ve chosen two Zadar writers to highlight.
Petar Zoranić (1508 – after 1569)
Zoranić was a Croatian Renaissance writer and poet from Zadar. He is the author of Planine (The Mountains), regarded as the first Croatian novel. Pastoral in nature, the novel was written in 1538 and published in 1569, probably after his death. His two other novels have not survived. https://www.matica.hr/kolo/313/Planine%20Petra%20Zorani%C4%87a
The statue of Zoranić stands by the Harbor Gate.
“I wept bitterly when I remembered…her well-wishes to me, and it is true that …under the white fir branches, I would sing many songs. Thanks and honor to her, because she gave me a good cause (beginning).” – Petar Zoranić
Juraj Baraković (1548 – 1628)
Baraković was a Croatian Renaissance poet from Zadar. He wrote several distinguished pieces, but his most famous work was “Vila Slovinka,” his epic poem in 13 books. Most of his poetry was dedicated to the glory of Zadar and his sonnets were the first written in the Croatian language. https://hbl-lzmk-hr.translate.goog/clanak/barakovic-juraj?_x_tr_sl=hr&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc
Baraković’s statue was one of the many busts dotting the small park in front of our hotel in Zadar.
“Last summer I had the desire to thoroughly see the Šibenik fields, to get to know them with my own eyes, high mountains and where grain grows, to see peaks and plains, where animals graze, where are the edges of mountains, and the depths of caves, jumps of terrible beasts, forests and meadows and green grass.” – Juraj Baraković
• AUTHORS FROM ZAGREB
It seemed like a statue dedicated to a famous citizen was on every street and in every park and square in Zagreb, and many of them honored authors. The following are a few who were especially interesting to me.
Augustin Josip “Tin” Ujević (1891-1955)
I became curious about “Tin” when hearing about his larger-than-life existence in Zagreb. Considered to be the greatest Croatian poet of the 20th century, he was the author of poetry, essays, short stories, literary studies, and translations of the works of others from Proust to Poe. Writer Anne Stevenson said his “melancholy, turn-of-the-century lyricism” was comparable to Thomas Hardy, Edward Thomas, and Yeats. https://www.wikiwand.com/en/articles/Tin_Ujevi%C4%87
I loved hearing about “Tin” from our tour guide in Zagreb. As we stood in front of his statue, we heard how the poet “held court” from his café table and listened to the work of awe-filled young writers—but only if their papers were pushed through the open cafe window together with his favorite beverage.
“Do not ask where a person is from, ask where their dreams are going.” – Tin Ujević
Dobriša Cesarić (1902 -1980)
Cesarić studied and lived in Zagreb, where he also worked as a lecturer and editor while writing award-winning poetry and song lyrics. The combination of these two writing genres resulted in his being considered the most musical Croatian poet. https://mojzagreb.info/zagreb/pjesma-dana-dobri%C5%A1a-cesari%C4%87-3
A commemorative plaque may be found where Cesarić spent his childhood.
“Because the book you hold in your hand is just a part of me that sleeps. And whoever reads it awakens me to life. Wake me up and I will be your reality.” – Dobriša Cesarić
Marija Jurić Zagorka (1873 – 1957)
In my last post (Part I of my writing about my literary travel to Croatia), I discussed Zagorka, the pioneering Croatian journalist, feminist, and novelist. Her activism had a lasting impact, making her a symbol of women’s empowerment in the region. She is one of the most read writers in Croatia. https://www.expatincroatia.com/zagorka/
I was excited to find Zagorka’s statue not far from the famous open air Dolac Market.
“There are tears that do not come to the eyes but fall to the soul.” ― Marija Jurić Zagorka
As an anonymous author stated, “The Croatian soul is like the Adriatic Sea – vast, deep, and always in motion, just like the stories that emerge from its shores.” And Croatian authors have been writing those stories for hundreds of years. Their work has created a long and rich literary history which makes Croatia one of the most exciting literary destinations in Europe.
If you have the opportunity to visit Croatia, you, too, will see the celebration of its literary history through the many monuments dedicated to the country’s writers. Then let those sites be the starting point for your research into the authors depicted—as well as the inspiration to read their works.
As Aminatta Forna said, “If you want to know a country, read its writers.”
© PortiaLily Taylor, 2024
PortiaLily Taylor 