Svätí Cyril a Metod v diele Jána Hollého
Saints Cyril and Methodius in the work of Ján Hollý

Summary/Abstract: For the period of Great Moravia in the 9th century, the Cyrillo-Methodian theme represents one of the perspectives. The Slovak Classicist poet Ján Hollý (1785–1849) had to grapple with a multitude of stereotypical images and symbolism in his treatment of this theme, as dictated by the tradition of older Christian literature and the more recent Catholic presentation. Although this was a new way of depicting the subject in his time, the theme had a long history of treatment in Moravian, Czech, Hungarian, and Slovak contexts. The work of Sts Cyril and Methodius (new script, standard language, and education) was symbolically reflected in the early phase of the Slovak National Revival at the end of the 18th century in the efforts of Anton Bernolák’s generation, and these aspects remained relevant to the Slovak national movement in the first half of the 19th century as well. This is one reason why Hollý devoted space to it in several of his works: in the epics Cyrilometodiáda [Cyrillomethodiad] and Svatopluk, in the extensive explanatory notes to the epics, in the biography of the missionaries, in an outline of pagan Slavic mythology, in poetry (Laments) and in church hymns (Katolícky spevník [Catholic hymnbook]). This study examines Hollý’s approach to history and the historical instrumentalisation of the image of both missionaries.

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