The term Romanticism presents a traditional way of inner structuring and explanation of the history of Czech literature of the 19th century, but this term has been used differently in particular literary historical concepts. The pluralistic concept of Romanticism has not had a firm position in the Czech literary historical context, which is contrarily to the Slovak concept represented by O. Cepan and P. Kása. In the Czech concept Vodicka's model is used, designating the works of Jungmann's generation as Pre-Romanticism and limiting Romanticism as its subjective, Mácha's variant. The character of the true Romantic texts does not prove this limited conception. These texts were written in the second period of the national revival but some Romantic features also appeared in the works with syncretistic character, connecting for example Romanticism and Classicism. Biedermeier was understood by the Czech literary historians in the latest years as a negating 'contrafacture' of Romanticism and was used as a synonym for a part of work of the 30s called in the Vodicka's concept 'convergion of literature and life'. The translation of German sentimental tragedies of the 20s and the 30s of the 19th century has shown that axiological horizon, basic groups of motives and also typical poetics of Biedermeier have been well known in the Czech environment since the 20s. There were elements of subjective Romanticism co-existing here. Since the 19th century the mutual proportion between the Romanticism and Biedermeier has changed in the Czech culture from a complementary belonging to polemic contradiction. In a modern concept of Czech literature it would be useful to accept the thesis of P. Zajac about pulsating, synoptic character of literary processes as well as to use and in maximal possible measure to extend a subject field of validity of Cepan's concept of Romanticism as an innerly pluralistic, open structures with wide transitionary zones and possibilities of convergence and meeting with phenomena of different nature.
The paper presents a stage in the life of Jaromír Šavrda (1933-1988), a writer, editor, journalist, dissident, the period of his trial in 1979. The way the „reception“ of the books and samizdat volumes was conducted by the State Secret Police is examined. The paper builds on archive materials made available for the first time (Jaromír Šavrda´s inheritence is stored in Ostrava City Archive), it goes through the materials, indictments, its quotes from extensive judgements. It focuses on non-literary pseudo-assessments of the books and samizdat volumes, which were confiscated during a police raid in Šavrda´s place and used to bring charges against him. Another variant shows a process of criminalizing literature, excluding and removing writings from literary communication.
The paper focuses on the literary characters named Eve in the post-war Czech literature. Eve represents according to the biblical creation myth one of the most noticeable archetypal characters, thus this name in a literary work implies the presence of the cultural tradition. On the basis of the analysis and the interpretation of the representative works (Vladimír Holan, Milan Kundera, Karel Šiktanc, Jan Balabán and other authors) the paper deals with the importance of the anthroponym in the perception of the character. The various shifts and modifications of the symbolism of the first woman and the original sin, connected to Eve, are discussed – both in the religious as well as in the profane meanings. Last but not least, the attention is paid to the literary references to the biblical Eve’s rebellion in Eden.
The goal of the article is to draw the basic outline of the transformations of the ballad as a genre in Czech literature in the second half of the 19th century. The material is the book editions of poetry from the year 1850 to the beginning of the World War I. The method is the synoptic-pulsating approach to a literary work of art as a dynamic process within which various discourse tendencies are configured and modified. The result is a preliminary model of Czech ballad transformation in that particular period of time: the genre happened to be in the magnetic field of Romanticism represented mainly by Erben´s Kytice (Bouquet). A number of modifications occurred in the course of time, Romanticism´s genre rules became gradually more and more relaxed, especially those related to the role of plot and dynamic motifs; one of the tendencies even inclined to parody of the traditional Romantic principles of the ballad (Mašek, Hašek). At the same time the ballad was penetrated by essential features of other literary discourses such as Parnasism (Hálek, Vrchlický), Naturalism (Sládek, Šimáček) or Decadence (Jan z Wojkowicz, Lešehrad). The transformations did not take place in a linear way, within an imaginary causal „evolution“, where individual stages would „overcome“ the previous ones, but they overlapped in synoptic dynamics. The main contribution lies in the actual proof of the thesis about the nonlinear, synoptic character of transformations of a key literary genre in the 19th century, which helped establish Romanticism and has always been so attractive for readers it has stayed vital in spite of the discourse transformations.
The lecture, which arises from concrete research done at the Institute of Bohemian Studies at Jihoceska univerzita, Ceske Budejovice, focuses on the possible methodological approaches in studying 19th-century Czech literature. Step-by-step, it recapitulates the way of the gradual creation of a methodological position, and at the same time illuminates the practical meaning of the instrumentalization of each individual theoretical postulate for literary historicism. The literary historicism is understood as an arbitrary algorithm, used in each step to define the point of view, the summary of the work tools and the terminological inventory. The goal is to liberate literary historicism from the constriction of the traditional, causal, linear understanding, yet at the same time prevent the break-down of the literary historical position in the windstorm of widely understood cultural studies.
The article aims to construct an alternative model of the Czech Romanticism, based on the principle of the pulsation of cultural energies. This model of historical reconstruction, based on the idea of 'pulsation aesthetics' (Peter Zajac), helps us better understand the various connections and interactions between creative elements in the 19th century Czech culture and society. The author shows how this model works on several examples of visual and literary imagination in the 19th century. Crucial role is played here by the understanding of the cultural past as a result of a variety of artistic influences (the reception of German and English literature), important also for the 'patriotic' stream of the Czech Romantic Movement. The author further discusses several types of Romantic models in the 1830's and 1850's and their co-existence.
This paper deals with the participle constructions in the first edition (1685) of the chronicle of Jan Norbert Zatocil of Loewenbrugk (1630-1691), and with reflection and adopting of these constructions in the third edition of the same work (1819). The editor of the third edition, Vaclav Rodomil Kramerius, tried to adjust it to the state of the Czech language at that time, mainly with reference to the vocabulary, syntax and participle constructions. In the third edition, the number of these constructions increases considerably and the number of past participles grows in the first place, especially when one action is preceded by other. The constructions consisting of the clauses with different subjects appear only seldom in the third edition, which is due to the influence of Dobrovsky and Nejedly, although they are very frequent in the original edition of 1685.
Jan Jandourek and Bohuslav Vaněk-Úvalský in different way try to consider the contemporary process of devaluation of highbrow literature, which can't compete with the demands of the popular market. Jandourek tends to use the rules and instruments of the "cultural industry" because he wants to ridicule and deconstruct them. Vaněk-Úvalský shows the world of creators, publishers and distributors of literature and among a plenty of humorous tales he codes the sad diagnosis of ineffectiveness of all aspirations which aim is to reverse the dominating trends. Both writers realize that their trials of contesting the commercial reality are ambivalent. The principle that is obvious for experts of the "cultures of defiance" which claims that the mainstream is prepared to absorb each symptom of protest if it guarantees profits in a case of Jandourek and Vaněk-Úvalský comes true. Their contestation and exposed "niche" are introduced into a trade and find - though the disappointment of both writers - the enthusiastic followers.
The article discusses a "lullaby" as a syncretic genre, indicating its inspirations, realizations and modifications in the Czech literature. The traditional form of a lullaby, to a large extent, references the children's literature. However, as evidenced by the centuries-long tradition of the genre, the range of addressees is considerably wider. A lullaby goes back to various sources of inspiration, assuming different forms of realization, ranging from songs firmly established in the folklore, intended for children, to works for adults, taking up the social and moral subject matter. The classic form of a lullaby references idyllic images of childhood, whereas the modified form emphasizes the agitation character of the work.
This essay is written for those who sometimes consider it their duty to be embarrassed. Embarrassment, ignorance and doubt are very important elements of understanding – they complement self-confidence and knowledge; like salt to flour, they are added ingredients, to make the dough tasty. The understanding that is reached in this way is, if we are to believe our own simile, tasty, enjoyable. It is enjoyment itself.
The author analyses the works of a few Czech artists (Karl Kryl, Jaromír Nohavica and Daniel Landa) who expressed their objection to totalitarian and war violence. He provides an analysis of selected rock lyrics, where we can find reaction of the artists against cruel, negative reality. The authors of the lyrics try to describe and evaluate such reality. An artist, bard or rock man is someone particularly sensitive to the surrounding evil and tries to fight against it. However, he does not use guns, nor does he administer justice on their own. The artists sing out their protest in order to arouse sensitivity of the listeners so that they become aware of the surrounding wrong and injustice. The author describes a soldier, military delusion, the army as a tempter, the gun and the civilization of death. He also tries to show the stylistic tropes used to depict the elements of the world of evil.
Authoress describes the meaning of Vladislav Vančura for the development of Czech cinematography, which was considered as a new art by him. She presents writer’s utterance about film and cinema contained in composition entitled Řád nové tvorby. Authoress emphasizes its novelty in approach to the cinematography, which is mainly based on an artistic experiment. She points on a fact that in the opinion of writer, film art is formed by many specialists like director, screenwriter, actor, literary critic, etc.
Dieser Artikel befasst sich mit Theorien zur tschechischen Literaturdidaktik vom 19. Jahrhundert bis heute. Er zeigt auf, dass Kritik an einem so genannten 'faktographischen' Literaturunterricht, dessen Hauptgewicht auf der Vermittlung literaturgeschichtlicher Informationen lag, in literaturdidaktischen Studien konstant geäussert wurde. Gleichzeitig propagierten Didaktikerinnen und Didaktiker stets einen Literaturunterricht, der auf selbständiger Lektüre, lernenden-zentrierter Textarbeit und kreativen Aufgaben basierte. Dieser Widerspruch zwischen einem realen faktographischen und einem idealen literaturästhetischen Unterricht zieht sich durch verschiedenste Staatsformen und politische Regime, seien dies die Österreichisch-Ungarische Monarchie, die Erste Republik, das sozialistische Regime, die post-sozialistische Zeit, oder die kapitalistische.
Authoress discusses development of modern tendencies in literature for children and young people, on base of book, which was written by Czech writer and publicist Michal Viewegh – Krátké pohádky pro unavné rodiče . It’s directed to children in pre-school age and to adult recipients. Text intended for children makes a separate whole and text intended for adult recipients can’t exist without main text.
The author makes reference to migrant literature, available in the Czech Republic only after 1989. This literature remained under a strong influence of American philosophy and postmodern poetics, which the writers wanted to adapt to the native artistic, historical and literary processes. As a result there emerged the so called mass literature, whose main aim was, on the one hand, the fun the “average” reader could have (for instance the works of Z. Frýdová M. Nezval, B. Nesvadbová, P. Frýbort), but on the other hand, reaching intellectuals who had their own opinions concerning literary aesthetics (works such as Sedmikostelí by M. Urban or Podobojí by D. Hodrová). Simultaneously with the migrant literature there emerged works of art which could be placed between popular literature of comic character and high, grandeur literature (novels such as Výchova dívek v Čechach by M. Vievegh or Babičky by P. Šabach), addressed to readers with particular erudition. The problem is discussed in the article on the basis of Medvedí román by Jiří Kratochvíl).
The Authoress in her article examines the relationship between Karel Hynek Mácha and Lori Šomková. She concludes that, their relationship exceeded the bounds of standard romantic love. Evidence of that is prosaism and commonness of Lori as well as information contained in the letters of poet and his diary, in which he talks about erotic passion, jealousy, even some of emotional and sexual perversions.
Authoress, in her article, is describing a motto, which is a short text, a comment to the other text. Motto is explaining title of work, providing „instruction“ to its interpretation, as well as creating appropriate ambience to its perception. Authoress presents appearance of motto in thirty selected books published by different Czech publishers in the last decade of the XX century.
In his study, Ivo Harák deals with work of a poet, fine artist and pedagogue Ladislav Stehlík, one of the most significant representatives of a literary regionalism (according to Martin C. Putna), in Czech countries both before and after second world war. Above all, Harák considers Stehlík´s most remarkable work Země zamyšlená, first published in 1947, (a compendium on history, land, people and art of South Bohemia) which has been well-accepted by readers and literary scientists. Harák notices its drawbacks due to the time it was written at and also the way Stehlík overcomes the dictate of contemporary ideology. Particularly, Harák emphasises timeless values of Země zamyšlená and reasons why the work is worth attention even in literary classes on Czech (secondary) schools. For a foreign reader, the text may be a guide through the metamorphoses of the south-bohemian land.
Italo Calvino’s Invisible cities (1972) is a fictional prosaic work which tries to consider a essential attributes of a modern urbanization. The hero, Marco Polo, shows his interlocutor, Kublai khan, some imaginary cities which are regarded as the allegorical examples of the anthropological, semiotic, metaphysical, architectonic or mythical aspects of the city as a historical, philosophical and cultural phenomenon. Calvino however stresses the individual character of the described places. Michal Ajvaz’s work titled 55 cities is a attempt of a new arrangement of a Calvino’s topical matter and reconstructing it into a universal model of the city itself. According to him the main features which decide about the essence of urbanization are memory and desire. First of them defines the past od the city – the second creates its future.
The article presents a thread related to the artist’s frequent use of the subjective point of view of a wandering through the world soldier – recurrent in the songs by Karel Kryl – a Moravian bard, “troubadour of the Prague Spring”. Life on an exile, constant separation, longing and also uncertainty of what was left behind and what is yet to come – are in Kryl’s way a framework of existential issues shaping his songs. The article’s aim is also to point other theme dominants of songwriter’s creation, which allow him to articulate a full range of feelings – in its complicated multidimensionality, still with a clear presence of emptiness, loneliness, homelessness.
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