From the ballad of Besa towards the modern novel of Kadare

• Author: Alma Bakiu
• Position: 'Jani Minga' High School -Vlorë, Albania
• Pages: 141-147

141

Vol. 4 No.1

May, 2018

Balkan Journal of Interdisciplinary Research

IIPCCL Publishing, Graz-Austria

ISSN 2410-759X

Acces online at www.iipccl.org

From the ballad of besa towards the modern novel of Kadare

MScAlmaBakiu

“Jani Minga” High School -Vlorë, Albania

Abstract

Albanianfolklorecontainsawiderangeoforiginalimmortalworkssuchasmythslegends

ballads fairy tales etc These compositions have been bearers of the spiritual values and

demonstrationsofthelifeofourpeoplethereforetheyserveasuniquemodelsenrichedwith

exuberant artistic experience.

The spiritual values that are manifested in these pieces are part of the processes that the

evolutionof sociallife goesthroughand thechanges thatgo togetherwith humansociety

development things which have an inuence on the spiritual life distancing from old

phenomenaandarmingnewones

Amongtheseinniteresourcesthe writerIsmailKadaremakeshisownchoice takingasan

objectof inspirationthe balladKostandin andDoruntinatheArbereshversion whichis

among the richest and least transformed ballads, in order to create one of his greatest and most

impressiveworksthenovelWhobroughtDoruntina

Folk assesses besa as a virtue of Albanians Resurrection is not viewed from its religious

perspective; it is presented as an artistic convention that symbolizes maintaining a promise,

armstheexogamyandthedramathatitbringsintheAlbanianfamilyofthetime

OurauthorgoesbeyondthistohimresurrectionacquiresadierentsetofvaluesHisgoalis

to not only assess besa as a value, but also to mystify it, giving it the shape of a supernatural

powerthatcanaaintheimpossible

Where the ballad ends, the modern novel starts evolving; Kostandin evolves from the brother

thatbringshissisterhome tothehero thatinitiatesbig dilemmasandbreaks taboosInthe

novelreality combinesnaturallywith ctionandtimedimensionslose theirmeaningPast

and present loose enchantingly in each other bounds.

Thiswork isan aemptto dismantleandanalyzeKadaresborrowingfrom theballad the

evolutionofthe novelthat builds ontop of itas well asthe novelsmessages withinthe

contextofthetimeitwaswrienin

Keywords: ballad, besa, revival, enigma, values.

BesaanAlbanian culturalpreceptusuallytranslatedas faiththatmeanstokeepaword

orpromiseItisconsideredtobeanintegralculturalprinciplepreviouslymentionedinearly

setsoftraditionallawsandoencomesupinAlbanianfolklore

KanunsetoftraditionalAlbanianlawsinthethcentury

Introduction

TheballadBesawasntchosenbychancebyKadareTheAlbanianpopularfolklore

creationsand especiallyworksof poetrysuchasweddingsongslullabiesballads

mourning, legends and epic songs, have been sources of inspiration for the author, as

heseesinthemaworldfullofemotionsphilosophylessonsandfolkwisdomallof

whichserveasmodelsthatareworthyofexploringSinceancienttimesthefolklore

creationsbecame mirrorsofpeoplesrealitylives andculture forthat theyreect