COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ANTIHEROES IN ALBANIAN AND SOUTH SLAVIC EPIC SONGS
Rini USEINI
Abstract
In this study, through a comparative analysis, I aim to explore a significant aspect of folk art that is rooted in a distant historical past. The most representative songs that express the theme of antiheroes are Gjergj Elez Alija among the Albanians and Bolen Dojčin among the South Slavs. An analysis of these songs — in all their variants — reveals that these epic heroes are similar not only in terms of their actions but also in their artistic portrayal, particularly in the stylistic devices used to present them.
These songs, centered around the aforementioned theme, were collected by several renowned folklorists, who thus preserved them from the “teeth” of time and made it possible for them to be studied even today. Based on these collected works, various folklore scholars have attempted to identify both the shared and the unique elements present in each tradition.
The content of these songs revolves around antiheroes who confront ailing or weakened heroes. In such a condition, the antihero becomes a symbol of violence or evil. These figures typically pose a threat to the honor of the hero’s family—most often his sister—and, by extension, the honor of the entire community. This threat is portrayed using motifs associated with slavery, personified by figures such as the Black Arab (Arapi i Zi) or Bajlozi.
The treatment of this topic is based on the analysis of several traditional songs, as well as scholarly literature authored by prominent researchers in the field. A comparative method is employed to highlight both the commonalities and specific characteristics found within these narratives.
Pages: 134 - 144