ROMANI I REALIZMIT SOCIALIST NË LETËRSINË SHQIPE TË KOSOVËS (1957-1970) (I)
THE NOVEL OF SOCIALIST REALISM IN KOSOVO'S ALBANIAN LITERATURE (1957-1970) (I)

Summary/Abstract: The novel of socialist realism, like all literature of socialist realism in Kosovo after World War II, covers two major themes: the theme of the past—specifically the national liberation war—and the contemporary theme of building a new life within socialism. Hence, both themes further branch out into various subthemes. In novels that focus on the past, class struggle is at the forefront; conversely, in those addressing the post-war period, the struggle between generations increasingly takes precedence over class struggle. The novel, along with the entire literature of this period, is ideologically committed and serves the purpose of building socialism. The heroic resistance of partisans during the war, followed by the new life, the new man, and the fight against the remnants of the past— both ideological and religious—as well as the battle against norms and superstitions, are central to the novels of this time. Socialist realism authors aim to capture the essence of time across its three distinct phases: pre-war, wartime, and post-war. According to their perspectives, this constitutes a complete temporal experience. Consequently, authors who write about wartime or prewar periods, such as Hivzi Sulejmani, Sinan Hasani, and Rexhai Surroi, etc., later extend their writing to include the post-war period, addressing post-war period issues, about present times. Similarly, those who focus on the post-war period do not forget to explore wartime themes in their novels, as seen in Sinan Hasani's writings. Notably, authors like Nazmi Rrahmani incorporate all three timeframes into both of their types of novels from this period of time, with the post-war phase being the shortest. In contrast, novelists like Nebil Duraku exclusively write about the post-war experience. Contradictions were initiated from prior to the war and intensified during it, only to cease with the end of the war. The evil finds its limits there; not beyond this point, hence this is a final watershed moment between the two. This is how the fable of almost all war-theme novels ends, with exceptions such as Hivzi Sulejmani's novel Njerzit [People] and Nebil Duraku's novel Shtrojera [Windbreak]. In contrast to the socialist realist novel, where the end of the war signifies the cessation of evils, Sulejmani's novel Njerzit foreshadows the resurgence of evil, while Duraku's novel Shtrojera depicts the actual occurrence of evil! The denial of participation in the war, not only for individuals but also for a nation, signifies an unforeseen resurgence of evils, the outcomes of which would remain uncertain. Additionally, attempts to close Albanian schools ten years after the end of the war, along with the Arms Collection Action, signify a return of the evils were presumed to have been eradicated once and forever! Writers such as Hivzi Sulejmani, Sinan Hasani, and Rexhep Zogaj approached the theme of war yet from another perspective - political perspective, highlighting the evidence that Albanians, alongside Serbs, Montenegrins, and others, made significant contributions during World War II. Their testimonies regarding the war served to advocate for the gaining of national and human rights and freedoms. This understanding can only be achieved by reflecting on the circumstances that prevailed at that time, which were marked by efforts to continue the pre-war Serbian chauvinistic agenda aimed at colonizing Albanian territories with Slavs and facilitating the displacement of Albanians to Turkey. The exploration of this theme emerged as a necessary response to counter these chauvinistic objectives, with these creators contributing meaningfully to this discourse. The contemporary-themed novels depict the organization of life in the early decades following World War II. These works are characterized by ideological vocabulary. Individuals are intertwined with political developments during a time of extreme poverty, burdened by the negative legacies of the past, as well as their efforts to overcome this inherited weight. The socialist realism novel “illustrates” how the arrival of new ideas begins to dismantle the old ways; it shows the subsequent shifts in generational relationships, culminating in the triumph of the new over the old. The cooperative farming movement and the resistance posed by traditional agricultural practices are extensively explored in the novels of this period. Although the reaction against these changes is strong, the momentum of action remains unstoppable, ultimately leading to the victory of new agricultural methods over outdated and unprofitable practices. Writers convey that economic transformations also play a significant role in altering the very essence of human life. These changes not only affect the external appearance and infrastructure of villages and cities but also influence the consciousness of individuals. This is represented through metonymies such as cooperatives, tractors, new seeds, radios, rural electrification, highways, factories, and hydroelectric plants, as well as a shift in the mentality of people, to the extent that even those who oppose these transformations begin to appreciate them. In terms of time, space (primarily within the Yugoslav context, with rare excursions beyond it), ideas, and all literary components, including poetics and stylistics, the socialist realism novel in Kosovo is notably limited. This is understandable, as the novel was subject not only to objective conditions but also to subjective ones, particularly by the authors themselves. As only few among them had hardly any experience in literary writing. Furthermore, regarding the type of novel, it is noteworthy that this genre was being written for the first time during this period, just as literature was being created for the first time among Albanians in Yugoslavia.

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