Serbian literature (, Srpska knjià ¾evnost), refers to literature written in Serbian and/or in Serbia and all other lands where Serbs reside.
The history of Serbian literature begins with the independent works from the Nemanjiàdynasty era, if not before. With the fall of Serbia and neighboring countries in the 15th century, there is a gap in the literary history in the occupied land. Serbian literature, however, continued uninterrupted in Serbian-inhabited lands under European rule and saw a revival with Baroque works published in the 18th century in what is today Vojvodina. Serbia gained independence following the Serbian Revolution (1804âÂÂ1815) and Serbian literature has since prospered. Several Serbian writers have achieved international fame.
Old Church Slavonic literature was created based on the Byzantine model since the time of Constantine the Great, to be exact. At first, church services and biblical texts were translated into Slavic, and soon afterward other works about Christian life values including works in Latin from which they attained necessary knowledge in various fields. Although Christian literature educated the Slavs, it did not have an overwhelming influence on original works. Instead, a more narrow aspect, the genres, and poetics with which the cult of saints could be celebrated were used, owing to the Slavic celebration of Cyril and Methodius and their Slav disciples as saints and those responsible for Slavic literacy. The ritual genres were hagiographies, homiletics and hymnography, known in Slavic as à ¾itije (vita), pohvala (eulogy), sluà ¾be (church services), effectively meaning prose, rhetoric, and poetry. The fact that the first Slavic works were in the canonical form of ritual literature, and that the literary language was the ritual Slavic language, defined further development. Medieval Slavic literature, especially Serbian, was modeled on this classical Slavic literature. The new themes in Serbian literature were all created within the classic ritual genres.
Serbian medieval literature is very rich with around 500 separate genres. Medieval works are mostly a mix of history, legal theory, theology, writing, and philology. While there were several works of poetry written in Serbian literature in the Middle Ages, there are only a few dramas; published novels were mostly adaptations and translations. The earliest writings in Serbian were religious works. Religions were historically the first institutions that persisted despite political and military upheavals. They were the first organizations to see the value in recording in writing their history and policies. Serbia's early religious documents date back to the 10th and 11th centuries. In the 12th century, Saint Sava developed the art form of religious writing. He worked to bring about an artistic aspect to these writings, also based on earlier works.
Notable medieval authors include among others: Saint Sava, Jefimija, Stefan LazareviÃÂ and Constantine of Kostenets.
This period has produced several great works by authors which have since become classics of the national literature.
Medieval literature has also influenced several modern poets, such as Desanka MaksimoviÃÂ, Miodrag PavloviÃÂ, Vasko Popa, and Matija BeÃÂkoviÃÂ.
Folk songs and epics passed from generation to generation orally dominated Post-medieval Serbian literature. Historic events, such as the Battle of Kosovo in the 14th century, play a major role in the development of Serbian epic poetry.
Works of epic poetry are considered the best Serbian folk literature, and are a key component in Serbian national consciousness, identity and mentality. The influence of epic poetry continued even after the poems were written and printed. Among others, noted gusle players and authors of epic poetry are , Old man Raà ¡ko, Blind à ½ivana, Teà ¡an Podrugoviàand Blind Jeca. and others.
The oldest known, entirely fictional poems, make up the "Non-historic Cycle". They are followed by poems inspired by events before, during, and after the Battle of Kosovo. The special cycles are dedicated to Serbian legendary hero, Marko KraljeviÃÂ, then about hajduks (infantry) and uskoks (soldiers), and the liberation of Serbia in the 19th century. Some of the best known folk ballads are The Death of the Mother of the JugoviàFamily and The Mourning Song of the Noble Wife of the Asan Aga (Hasanaginica) (1646), translated into European languages by Goethe, Walter Scott, Pushkin and Mérimée. One of the most notable tales from Serbian folklore is "The Nine Peahens and the Golden Apples".
During the period of the Ottoman occupation of Serbia, several printing houses were active, including Crnojeviàprinting house, Vukoviàprinting house, Goraà ¾de printing house and the Belgrade printing house mostly active outside modern-day Serbia and in Venice. These printing houses and individual publishers were the only sources of books in Serbian during the period without the national state.
Serbian literature in Vojvodina continued building on Medieval tradition, influenced by Old Serbian and Russian baroque, which culminated in the Slavonic-Serbian language. Baroque has an important place in Serbian literature which had been interrupted by the Ottoman invasion. It was reestablished and became prominent again.
A notable Baroque writer from this period is Gavril StefanoviàVencloviÃÂ, who wrote numerous works in several genres and started an early reform of the language. Other important authors of the time include: Dimitrije LjubaviÃÂ, ÃÂorÃÂe BrankoviÃÂ, Andrija ZmajeviÃÂ, Vasilije III PetroviÃÂ-Njegoà ¡, Mojsije Putnik, Pavle Julinac, Marko JelisejiÃÂ, Joakim VujiÃÂ, Luka Milovanov GeorgijeviÃÂ, Nikanor GrujiÃÂ, Jovan SubotiÃÂ, Jovan RajiÃÂ, Zaharije Orfelin, Simeon Pià ¡ÃÂeviÃÂ, Gerasim Zeliàand others.
Having no institutions of their own during the foreign occupation, Serbs invited Russian authors and educators to help with the education of the nation. The influx of these authors made poems rather than prose more prominent. Drama and theatre began as well. A gymnasium (school) in modern-day Sremski Karlovci was a center of culture for several years in the 18th century headed by Emanuel KozaÃÂinski who wrote a notable Baroque work Traedokomedija in 1734.
During the Age of Enlightenment a new cultural model was formed, accompanied by the historical reforms undertaken by Maria Theresa. Authors of the Enlightenment include Dositej ObradoviÃÂ, Atanasije StojkoviÃÂ, Jevstatije Mihajloviàand Atanasije NikoliÃÂ. The Serbian Enlightenment did not produce a work of note on a European scale for obvious political, cultural and religious reasons, though it spanned every artistic field. The most important work of this period is considered to be à ½ivot i prikljuÃÂenija () by Dositej ObradoviÃÂ.
Classicism was introduced with the poems of Aleksije VeziliÃÂ, who also advocated the core values of the Age of Enlightenment. The most notable dramatist of the period was Jovan Sterija PopoviÃÂ, although his works contain elements of Romanticism, while the best-known Serbian classicist poet and the founder of the first Serbian poetry movement was Lukijan Muà ¡icki.
Before the start of a fully established Romanticism concomitant with the Revolutions of 1848, some Romanticist ideas (e.g. the use of national language to rally for national unification of all classes) were developing, especially among monastic clergy in Vojvodina.
After winning independence from the Ottoman Empire, the Serbian independence movement sparked the first works of modern Serbian literature. Most notably Petar II PetroviàNjegoà ¡ and his poem Mountain Wreath of 1847, represent a cornerstone of the Serbian epic, based on the rhythms of the Serbian epic poetry and the works by Homer.
Vuk StefanoviàKaradà ¾iÃÂ, an acquaintance of J. W. von Goethe and Leopold von Ranke, became the first person to collect and publish folk songs and epics in book form. Vuk Karadà ¾iàis regarded as the premier Serbian philologist, who together with ÃÂuro DaniÃÂiÃÂ, played a major role in reforming the modern Serbian language and alphabet. Following the language reforms made by Karadà ¾iÃÂ, several authors like Sima MilutinoviàSarajlija and Matija Nenadoviàpublished their works, which influenced other authors.
Branko RadiÃÂeviÃÂ was the initiator of Romantic poetry. He rejected the classicist norms, and objectivism, and focused on expressing direct experience and feelings in his art. Poems ÃÂaÃÂki rastanak () and Tuga i opomena () are considered his best works. Other noteworthy Romantic authors include Jovan GrÃÂiÃÂ Milenko, Kosta TrifkoviÃÂ, King Nicholas I of Montenegro and Jovan IliÃÂ.
Romanticism is of great importance to Serbian literature. The authors of the epoch had begun using the newly reformed Serbian language and wrote several works which are considered masterpieces of the Serbian literature, such as ÃÂuliÃÂi uveoci and poetry for children by Jovan JovanoviàZmaj, Santa Maria della Salute by Laza Kostiàand several poems by ÃÂura Jakà ¡iÃÂ. Travelogues by Ljubomir Nenadoviàintroduced a new literary form which emerged in the 19th century.
The main themes of realists were the country's social groups and classes, the differences between the urban and rural population and exploration of various types of characters. Realism began developing alongside romanticism, as Jakov Ignjatoviàand Stefan Mitrov Ljubià ¡a published their works.
Svetozar ÃÂoroviàdepicted his native Herzegovina, where the shift in the Moslem population during the Bosnian crisis and after was most acute. Simo Matavulj and Ivo ÃÂipiko penned a landscape of the south Adriatic, not always sunny and blue. ÃÂipiko's lyrical writings warned the reader of deteriorating social conditions, especially The Spiders. Notable realistic authors include Janko VeselinoviÃÂ, Laza LazareviÃÂ, Milovan Glià ¡iÃÂ, Stevan Sremac, Radoje DomanoviÃÂ, Svetolik RankoviÃÂ, Veljko M. MiliÃÂeviàand Borisav Stankoviàwith his major works, NeÃÂista krv (Impure Blood) and Koà ¡tana () (drama). Impure Blood is now considered one of the most powerful Serbian novels of the period. Based in the world of the town of Vranje, this place of merchants and landowners was on its way out together with the Turks retreating from the region, after the long struggle for Old Serbia from 1903 to 1911 and the Balkan Wars. Petar KoÃÂiàis well known for highly lyrical prose and the quest for the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its unification with Serbia. In KoÃÂiÃÂ's play The Badger Before the Court, the Austro-Hungarian authorities are mocked for their proclivity to rule over other nations.
The legacy of Ragusan literature influenced Serbian literature, especially thanks to the members of the Serb-Catholic movement in Dubrovnik, such as Matija Ban, Vid VuletiÃÂ VukasoviÃÂ and Ivo VojnoviÃÂ.
The only notable poet of the period was Vojislav IliÃÂ. His poems are not purely realistic but mostly post-romantic, although they share several important elements with other realist works. Chief comedy and drama author was Branislav Nuà ¡iÃÂ, who enjoyed popularity in Serbia and the wider region. New literary genres were explored during this period. Lazar KomarÃÂiàbecame a pioneer SF writer.
The literary trend of the first and second decades of the 20th century is referred to as Moderna in Serbian. Its influences came from leading literature movements in Europe, particularly that of symbolism and the psychological novel, but more through mood and aesthetic components rather than literary craftsmanship. This was manifested in the works of Jovan DuÃÂiàand Milan RakiÃÂ, the two poet-diplomats. The third leading poet at the time was Aleksa à  antiÃÂ, whose poetry was less subtle but filled with pathos, emotion, and sincerity. They were popular for their patriotic, romantic, and social overtones. According to literary historian Petar Miloà ¡eviÃÂ, Serbian Moderna has produced several masterful poems, chiefly authored by Vladislav PetkoviàDis, Jovan DuÃÂiÃÂ, Milos Perovic, Milan RakiÃÂ, Sima Panduroviàand the first half of Milutin BojiÃÂ's Ode to a Blue Sea Tomb.
Other poets such as Veljko PetroviÃÂ, Milutin BojiÃÂ, Milutin UskokoviÃÂ, Sima PanduroviÃÂ, Vladislav PetkoviÃÂ Dis, Milorad MitroviÃÂ, Vladimir StanimiroviÃÂ, Danica MarkoviÃÂ, Velimir RajiÃÂ, Milorad PavloviÃÂ-Krpa, Milan ÃÂurÃÂin and Milorad PetroviÃÂ SeljanÃÂica each took different paths and showed great sophistication and advancement not only in their craft but in their world view as well. Most of them were pessimistic in their outlook, while at the same time patriotic in the wake of turbulent events that were then culminating in the struggle for Old Serbia, the Balkan Wars, and World War I. These writers were backed by Serbian critics educated in the West. For example, Bogdan PopoviÃÂ, Pavle PopoviÃÂ, Ljubomir NediÃÂ, Slobodan JovanoviÃÂ, Branko LazareviÃÂ, Vojislav JovanoviÃÂ Marambo and Jovan SkerliÃÂ. SkerliÃÂ, with his chef-d'oeuvre, the historical survey of Serbian literature, and Bogdan PopoviÃÂ, with his refined, Western-schooled aestheticism, not only weighed the writers' achievements but also pointed out the directions of modern world literature to them.
Significant poetry anthologies in Serbian literature which became canonical are: Antologija novije srpske lirike (1911) by Bogdan PopoviÃÂ, Antologija srpske poezije (1956) by Zoran Mià ¡iÃÂ, and Antologija srpskog pesnià ¡tva (1964) by Miodrag PavloviÃÂ.
In the 20th century, Serbian literature flourished and a myriad of young and talented writers appeared.
Jelena DimitrijeviÃÂ and Isidora SekuliÃÂ are two early-twentieth-century woman writers. SekuliÃÂ mostly wrote essays, which were the best in Serbian literature of the time.
During the Interwar period a number of new literary movements, styles and ideas emerged. Miloà ¡ Crnjanski led the movement called Sumatraism, Rade Drainac headed Hypnotism, and Ljubomir Miciàbegan the international movement, Zenitism.
Surrealism lasted for 10 years in Serbian literature with the "Belgrade group" being the leading literary group of the period, headed by Marko RistiÃÂ and KoÃÂa PopoviÃÂ. Stanislav Vinaver was a noted journalist, polyhistor and author of the avant-garde. Rastko PetroviÃÂ and MomÃÂilo NastasijeviÃÂ are considered to be the most notable avant-garde authors.
The most well known authors are: Ivo Andrià(he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961), Miloà ¡ Crnjanski, Meà ¡a SelimoviÃÂ, Vladan Desnica, Oskar DaviÃÂo, Borislav PekiÃÂ, Branko MiljkoviÃÂ, Danilo Kià ¡, Milorad PaviÃÂ, David Albahari, Miodrag BulatoviÃÂ, Radomir KonstantinoviÃÂ, Mihailo LaliÃÂ, Branko ÃÂopiÃÂ, Igor MarojeviÃÂ, Miroslav JosiàVià ¡njiàand Dobrica ÃÂosiÃÂ, among others. Ivo Andriàcreated a great opus with works set mostly in his native Bosnia and Herzegovina. Crnjanski was an accomplished poet and prose writer. His works like Lament Over Belgrade, Migrations, A novel of London are considered to be the crowning achievements of the Serbian XX century literature.
The most beloved face of Serbian literature was Desanka MaksimoviÃÂ, who for seven decades remained "the leading lady of Yugoslav poetry".
Socialist realism was dominant in the period between 1945 and 1948. In comparison with other communist states, Yugoslavia's dogmatic form of Socialist realism was short-lived. Several authors of Serbian literature dealt with the more complex life and society and its morals during the Communist period. Some of the notable authors include: Antonije IsakoviÃÂ, Mihailo LaliÃÂ, Meà ¡a SelimoviÃÂ, Milovan ÃÂilas, Branko ÃÂopiàand Dobrica ÃÂosiÃÂ.
Starting with the 1970s, there was a wave of experimental works, "trick novels" and "found manuscripts". Milorad PaviÃÂ, Borislav PekiÃÂ, Danilo Kià ¡, Slobodan SeleniÃÂ, Svetislav Basara, Boà ¡ko Petrovià(writer), Dragan Velikiàand Dobrica ÃÂosiàwrote these works.
Miodrag PavloviÃÂ was one of the most prominent authors of World literature in the 20th century.
After the death of Josip Broz Tito and the start of a crisis in Yugoslavia, the island of Goli Otok became a new subject in literature. Vanredna linija by ÃÂedo VukoviÃÂ (1990) and Goli Otok by Dragoslav MihailoviÃÂ were the prominent works dealing with the topic of Goli otok, which was previously deemed undesirable and controversial as a theme.
Milorad Paviàis one of the most widely acclaimed Serbian authors, most notably for his Dictionary of the Khazars (Ã¥ð÷ðÃÂÃÂúø ÃÂõÃÂýøú / Hazarski reÃÂnik), which has been translated into 38 languages.
Duà ¡an KovaÃÂeviàand Biljana Srbljanoviàare noted contemporary dramatists.
Ljubomir SimoviÃÂ is one of the chief poets of the second half of the 20th century and early 21st century.
Svetlana Velmar-JankoviÃÂ, Grozdana OlujiÃÂ and Gordana KuiÃÂ are the best known female writers in Serbia today.
Some of the most notable authors include Zoran à ½ivkoviÃÂ, Vladimir ArsenijeviÃÂ, Vladislav Bajac, Igor Marojeviàand Svetislav Basara. à ½ivkoviÃÂ's works have been translated into 20 languages and he was awarded World Fantasy Award.
Authors writing in Serbian who have won the European Union Prize for Literature include Jelena Lengold, Ugljeà ¡a à  ajtinac, Darko Tuà ¡evljakoviÃÂ, Tanja Stupar-Trifunoviàand Lana Bastaà ¡iÃÂ.