Myth and History in the “The Three-Arched Bridge” and “The Bridge on the Drina” of Ismail Kadare and Ivo Andric

Abstract

In this paper, we will make a comparative study between the novels “The Three-Arched Bridge” (1978) authored by the Albanian writer Ismail Kadare (1936-) and “The Bridge on the Drina” (1945), authored by Bosnian writer Ivo Andric (1892-1974) by elaborating on how myth and history, two key components of these two literary works are two different starting points to them; Kadare begins with the Myth and views History through it, for Andric, history is the starting point whereas myth of sacrifice in the bridge, and the bridge itself is just a structural knot which makes in one the story of four centuries of Bosnia’s history. Myth, it is greatest meeting point of these two authors, while history (power, money, etc.), will be pointed out as the issue these two authors have different perspectives, in accordance with their cultural and literary background, and what is more important, in accordance with their artistic genius.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2016.v5n3s1p193