Иво Андрић о Његошу
Ivo Andrić: Njegoš as a Tragic Hero of the Kosovo Idea

Summary/Abstract: Having written about ten papers on Njegoš, Andrić made him the basic traditional pillar of support. For Andrić Njegoš is the greatest national poet who can be measured up to Homer, Shakespeare and Goethe. Andrić’s poetics cannot be understood with Njegoš. Literature serves man and humanity, where the latter concept is understood very widely and ambiguously. Andrić is connected with Njegoš by praising the story and story-telling; the understanding of literature as a difficult and responsible job; the striving towards the general and eternal; thoughtfulness; a never-ending principle of the battle against the evil and tyranny in order to reduce the earthly and cosmic darkness; the battle for light on the earthly and cosmic plain; a dream of the harmony of spheres; the condensing of the world on a piece of land. By saying that Njegoš is the greatest when it comes to the collective fate, Andrić also speaks of himself. The Kosovo idea implies the awareness of values and their hierarchy; the awareness of the sacrifice and readiness to sacrifice. Andrić sees Njegoš as a Kosovo hero and a Kosovo victim; a hero who fulfilled his historical and metaphysical mission by making a full, perfect circle between two St. Luke’s Days. Hence, Njegoš is a Christ-like poet and a Christ-like victim whose poetry brought Serbian literature closes to God.

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