Uticaj Firdusija na Safvet-bega Bašagića
The influence of Firdusi on Safvet beg Bašagić

Summary/Abstract: This article analyzes the influence of the great classical Persian poet Firdusi on one of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s most eminent early 20th century poets, Safvet-beg Bašagić. Although the article does not claim to analyze in minute detail every facet and detail of this influence, by using a limited number of examples it demonstrates how Firdusi influenced Bašagić. This influence is at its most marked at the intellectual level and in his world view, though a certain influence can also be observed on his literary style. At the time when Bašagić made his appearance with his patriotic poetry, Bosnia and Herzegovina had been cut off from Islamic civilization and its cultural heritage, and almost forcibly incorporated into the western literary and cultural scene. It was a time of major cultural, social, scientific and indeed general change in Bosnia and Herzegovina. New forms, themes and literary criteria emerged, and the classic oriental formulae such as the ruba’iyyah, the ghazal, the qasida, the mathnawi and so on were rejected. National values gained in importance, and religious, historical and cultural values were at grave risk of being lost. On the other hand, the Bosnian people and the elite alike experienced a culture shock with their first encounter with western science and civilization, feeling inferior and as though they were lagging behind the west. At the same time, reformers such as Bašagić emerged, to restore hope and self-confidence to their people and to conjure up for them their glorious past and their successes in every social and historical dimension. To do this it was essential to create a body of patriotic literature, which would celebrate their own past and values to restore the people’s confidence in themselves and encourage them to work, to engage in various activities and to acquire knowledge. Poets and writers took on the role of the reformers and educators of society and, by reviving traditional values, tales and legends, succeeded in restoring hope in a better future. The times in which Bašagić was active in many ways resembled Firdusi’s time. Firdusi, like Bašagić and the majority of our poets and writers of his time, revived the language, culture, literature and past of his people. Both wrote in almost identical terms of the fame of their forebears and retold the tales of heroism of their people, restoring vivacity and self-confidence to their fellow countrymen. As regards Firdusi’s influence on Bašagić at the level of concepts and themes, it is true to say that their views on the eternal struggle between good and evil, the light and the darkness, the transience of time, the glorious battles, heroics and wars of their own people, and scenes of love, beauty and glory, are a perfect match. For Bašagić, Firdusi was the muse of the epic art, and as a result the spirit and conduct of old Firdusi is to be found at every step in his patriotic songs.

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