Review article
CHALLENGE OF NIGHT IN RENAISSANCE DUBROVNIK
Slavica Stojan
; Zavod za povijesne znanosti u Dubrovniku
Abstract
On the basis of the modern documentation and works of prominent writers
of that period and using the newest researches of those intriguing
problems, the author reconstructs the night life of renaissance Dubrovnik,
which was everything but not idyllic and desirable. Marin Držić wrote
about that in the best way. He compares night with a hell because that is
a period of terrible shadows, when every kind of joy and happiness stops
and cry gets a special power. Horse jokes of the young noblemen, fights
and plays with swords and knives were regular night occurrences. On the
scandalous rank-list of the night disturbances of peace usage of sword was
incomparably ahead of all other kinds of weapon in the mutual fights of
nobility and citizens. The noblemen were not the only participants in disturbances,
but - even more - the plebeian youth. People, who were night
guards, experienced many inconveniences, because they were not educated
for that job and they did not have any kind of authority, especially
over the noblemen, so it seemed that the authorities were powerless in this
respect.
Keywords
Dubrovnik; renaissance; night; guard; disturbance; fight; maskers; courtesan.
Hrčak ID:
231706
URI
Publication date:
19.12.2006.
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