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'''The Mountain Wreath''' (]: ''Горски вијенац'' or ''Gorski vijenac'', ]: ''Горский виенаць'') is a literary masterpiece written by ] ] and poet ]. '''The Mountain Wreath''' (]: ''Горски вијенац'' or ''Gorski vijenac'', ]: ''Горскiй вiенаць'') is a literary masterpiece written by ] ] and poet ].


Njegoš published ''The Mountain Wreath'', in ]. It is a modern ] written in ] as a ], thus combining three of the major modes of ]. Njegoš published ''The Mountain Wreath'', in ]. It is a modern ] written in ] as a ], thus combining three of the major modes of ].

Revision as of 02:32, 21 October 2006

Cover of Gorski Vijenac

The Mountain Wreath (Serbian: Горски вијенац or Gorski vijenac, Old Serbian: Горскiй вiенаць) is a literary masterpiece written by Montenegrin ruler and poet Petar II Petrović-Njegoš.

Njegoš published The Mountain Wreath, in 1847. It is a modern epic written in verse as a play, thus combining three of the major modes of literary expression.

The play is based on a legandary event in Montenegro that took place toward the end of the 17th century, known as "the exterminations of the Turkish converts." (Истрага Потурица or Istraga Poturica). Although the historical facts about this event are somewhat uncertain, it is known that at approximately that time Montenegrins attempted to solve radically the problem of many of their brethren who, having succumbed to the lure of Turkish power, had agreed to being converted to Islam.

The Mountain Wreath is not a drama in the usual sense of the word. Divided into four scenes of unequal length, it has many subscenes which tend to weaken the unity of action. There is little direct action, moreover, most of it is related by characters, sometimes at great length. It is more of a Lesedrama and it is not performed often: even when it is, it is done with revisions. It cannot be said, however, that the play is totally devoid of dramatic quality: at times it is highly dramatic, even in the speeches relating the action. There is also a healthy dose of humour which enlivens an otherwise sombre and often tragic atmosphere.

"The Mountain Wreath" relies soley on the extermination of other races, the Slavic Muslims, to achieve freedom. Historian Michael A. Sells attributes part of the sentiment which led to the genocide against Bosnians in the 1990s to the sentiment created by the play.

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