Slovenska Literatura (Dec 2008)
J. Nižnánsky a J. Cíger-Hronský: Life as a Legend According to The Lady of Čachtice and Andreas Búr Master ).
Abstract
The study is to compare so called „popular“ fiction versus „fine“ literature. Differences are analyzed both from a structural as well as a cognitive point of view. The approach is not primarily theoretical; our contribution belongs to the field of a basic research. As a „frame“ of the analysis was used the genre of a legend, which helps to select some common features of particular works, just to reveal later their differences. The textual analysis manipulates with two modern novels based upon national legends: Čachtická pani (Lady of Čachtice) by J. Nižnánsky and Andreasas Búr Majster (Andreas Búr Master) by J. Cíger-Hronský. Although dealing with same emotions of fear, anger and violence, results emphasize opposite value levels of formation of „popular“ versus „artistic“ writing. While Čachtická pani is a creation on a terrible woman (individual), who is defeted by a „right-ful“ collective of opponents, modernistic Andreasas Búr Majster tells about a strong, noble-minded person, who is killed by an unfair collective. Main points of Čachtická pani are: a negative hero, whose aim is never-ceasing physical beauty, that is why she uses force and commits violence to receive blood as a means of youth; an action conflict is social and epic; a collective of rivals is right-ful; the story finishes with a happy-end; the genre is a melodramatic thriller. Main points of Andreasas Búr Majster are taken from a diametrically contrasting sphere: a positive character, who wants to exist in a pure, never-ending spiritual life, who prefers a renewal by a sacrifice instead of violence; an action conflict is moral and introvert; a collective of antagonists is unfair; the story is tragic and the genre is a balladic sermon. Thanks to the counter-value structure of both mentioned novels we can better understand needs of a common reader as well as the “lonely“ situation of a modern „high“ literature of the last century, which is said not to have so many readers.
