Hvar City Theatre Days, Vol. 51 No. 1, 2025.
Original scientific paper
Lovrenović's Confrontation with History and Endurance within it
Ivan Bošković
; Flozofski fakultet sveučilišta u Splitu
Abstract
This paper analyzes the literary work of Ivan Lovrenović through the lens of confronting history, personal and collective trauma, and persistence within the Bosnian cultural and identity space. The author emphasizes that Bosnia and family are fundamental determinants of Lovrenović’s literary legitimacy, while fragmentation and the recurring return to the same themes are hallmarks of his oeuvre. Special attention is given to the novel U sjeni fantoma where the fate of the missing father in the Bleiburg tragedy is the source of personal and family trauma, but also a starting point for reflection on identity, belonging, and the relationship to history. Through the analysis of narrative strategies and autobiographical elements, the paper shows how Lovrenović uses literature as a means of coping with trauma, but also as a space for critical re-examination of historical myths, ideological divisions, and social exclusion. It concludes that Lovrenović’s work is a testimony to the necessity of truth and ethical resistance to historical manipulation, where personal and collective memories become the foundation for building an authentic identity and ahumanistic attitude towards the past.
Keywords
Lovrenović; Bosnia; trauma; identity; history
Hrčak ID:
330793
URI
Publication date:
14.5.2025.
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