Baština (Jan 2018)
Multimedia in Dejan Stojiljković's novel Long nights and Black flags
Abstract
The paper is discussing techniques applied by author Dejan Stojiljković in the novel Long Nights and Black Flags and his contribution to the topic of the events in the time that precedes the Battle of Kosovo. The readers already familiar with the topic are very well familiar with the mannerism of epic literature too, but the author applies certain innovations distinctive for the contemporary moment that are analysed here. The main innovation is achieved with application of the epic fantasy frame to the well-known topic and multimedia approach. Humour is also very effective means in helping the reader understand the medieval context. Beside expected male characters, there is a prominent presence of the female characters in the novel - both historical and non-historical. The novel is homage to the comic-book Dylan Dog. The novel is composed according to the architectural principles of classical poetics. There are five chapters in the book and each of them has a quote as an introduction. This forms emphasized bonds with the literature that has influenced the author. Every chapter is ended with the cliff-hanger effect in order to enhance the plot's dynamism and spark reader's expectations. This effect belongs rather to the narrative forms Representative of popular culture, such are movies and comic books. Literature is regarded as warm media in Marshall McLuhan typology. By using illuminations in a medieval manner, on top of all other effects immanent to the visual artistic forms, author is producing even warmer media in synergy.
