Croatology, Vol. 14 No. 2, 2023.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.59323/k.14.2.9
The Comprehension of God in Selected Poems of Ivan Golub
Tea Sesar
; Faculty of Teacher Education, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
This paper examines the plurality of God's occurences in human life, as comprehended by the author Ivan Golub, in several of his selected poems. The author of this paper seeks to find evidence for a triple typology, precisely for three different faces of God: the God who is present, the God who is playful and the God who smiles. The aim of this paper is to argument and interpret these three conceptions of God. It is possible to find implicit evidence of these conceptions on a formal or semantic level of the poem as well as through its atmosphere. In the first place, there is a dialogical position of a man who is a disciple, a learner, towards the Master that enables rational questioning and deeper consideration of God's authority in relation to human freedom. The second aspect represents the possibilities for options when carrying the cross which is seen in the simplicity of Golub's poetic expression that hides a profound mysticism starting with an encounter. Golub's poems demonstrate a cheerful symbolism even in the smallest details which exibit the playful habitus of his poetic discourse. A third interpretative perspective investigates the special role given to silence and solitude in human life. These conditions for Golub are of the same importance as conversation either with God or humans. It can be concluded that dialogue, optimism and contemplative silence are presents offered by God through Golub's artistic and poetic expression and can be regarded as subtle instructions for the reader who is also a beliver. Golub's philosophical thought and its relation to his poetic strategies will be only shortly noted, while its thorough elaboration will be left for another occasion.
Keywords
contemplative silence; Deus ludens; Deus ridens; dialogic poetic subject; the poetry of Ivan Golub; a present God
Hrčak ID:
312160
URI
Publication date:
23.12.2023.
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