Albanian Children's Literature and Its Missing Literary Criticism

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to raise the awareness about authors of children's literature and about the essential needs of such creative profiles, particularly for schoolchildren in primary schooling. Indeed, the appeal of literature cannot endure or develop incessantly within the imaginary framework, without its function. Thus, this literature would not be stalwartly notable from the general literature, but in fact, exactly on account of its function, it is treated and remains as such, as entirely separate, special and inspiring, not only owing to its written nature, but also because of the message it provides, and that must continuously provide. Its function must head towards education, in the general sense of the word, i.e. towards morality, ethics and aesthetics, and thus stay away from moralizing and ideologies, since only by being as such and in this position, it could fulfil its educational and pedagogical mission. Albanian children's literature, though having a late tradition compared to such literatures outside the Albanian-speaking territories, has, nevertheless, had its own dawn of growth and cultural development. This tradition has been followed by generations of authors, with the only purpose so that children could keep up with the times and other historical and cultural developments. For this reason, our literature, no matter how beautiful it may be, no matter how inspiring it may be, is still being challenged, particularly in the new century. The rapid developments of the technology and information is taking its toll, and day by day children's literature seems to be losing its function, and there is an impression that it has been left behind by these advances. With the view to making this ingenuity attractive, literary criticism must work, and through its analytical efforts, it would make it understandable, because not all of the readers (or very few) manage to understand the messages, and analyse the meaning of figurative language of artistic writing, therefore interpretation, and mediation in this matter takes its true role. Literary criticism and its role is irreplaceable, not only as a theory, but also as a science in itself. It would make the literary art more acceptable and necessary in school books, especially with the acceptable psychological and pedagogical scientific suggestions. After all, children's literature itself has a goal, i.e. artistic and ethical education through acceptable literary forms.

Received: 8 December 2022 / Accepted: 6 April 2023 / Published: 5 May 2023