Biblical Foundations in Selected Poems by Kranjčević, Šimić and Ujević

Abstract

Biblical themes have been present in Croatian literature from the start. This paper explores biblical foundations in Kranjčević's »Mojsije«, Šimić's »Raspeće« and »Marija« and Ujević's »Svakidašnja jadikovka«. Kranjčević was deeply impressed by the Old Testament figure Moses. He added new meanings to existing ones, thus demon- strating his inspired and creative reading of the biblical text. In the poem »Raspeće« Šimić presents Jesus' crucifixion without mention of His name. Rather, he focuses upon the Crucified as a man of sorrows, as an innocently convicted sufferer. In the poem »Marija« he emphasizes the »personal« and »universally human« motherhood of Christ's mother. He presents the crucifixion in a very human way, revealing Mary's deepest sorrow for her Son's suffering. In Ujević's »Svakidašnja jadikovka« the lyrical subject who seeks meaning in his »woeful wandering« is equated with the Son in whom we recognize the Job figure the victim, echoes of Jeremiah's laments, the Son of man and the poet himself. The lyric subjects of the poems which have been analyzed are in touch constantly with the transcendent and the universal while being tormented by questions and spiritual unrest.