Popular Demonology and Balkan National Identities—Three Examples of “Resurrection” and Death in Balkan National Literatures
Popular Demonology and Balkan National Identities—Three Examples of “Resurrection” and Death in Balkan National Literatures

Summary/Abstract: The article explores the interpretation of three archaic myths related to death and the underworld in Balkan literatures of the 20th century: the ballad of the dead brother, myths of the dead tsar and his dead army, and also images of the destroyed or occupied temple. All of these originated in popular demonology and are well-known in oral culture and found in medieval written sources. The ballad of the dead brother and the myth of the dead tsar show certain similarities, indicating common origin and dispersion throughout culturally and geographically close communities. The image of the occupied temple remains one of the most productive in Balkan oral cultures: variations have been recorded up until the second half of the 20th century. This investigation focuses on connections between these myths and national literature and identity. The main sources of investigation include medieval works, a report dating back to 1680, and a number of novels, poems, and essays by famous Balkan writers from the 20th and 21stcentury. On the basis of textual and historical analysis, I conclude that the national ideologies both in literature and in other branches of art, consciously or unconsciously reproduce archaic archetypes referring to death, the kingdom of the dead and the underworld.

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