Influences of Ernest Hemingway's Novel "For Whom the Bell Tolls" on Petro Marko's Novel "Hasta la Vista"

Abstract

The reception of Hemingway's translated works in Albanian literature and culture had begun since the late 1950s, more precisely in 1957, and it had continued to grow in sixties, to reach a culminating and most successful reception in the last decade of the last century. In all likelihood Hemingway's works in Albanian literature and culture were received with warmth, curiosity, respect, admiration and enthusiasm both by readers and by literary critics, researchers, scholars, etc.In addition to the reception there are traces and evidences that Ernest Hemingway with his novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” had influenced and incited Albanian writer Petro Marko to write one of his best novels “Hasta la Vista”. This is due to the fact that both writers had gone to volunteer to fight in Spain, like many from all over the world. However, they lined up in different brigades, Petro Marko in the XII Brigade and Ernest Hemingway in the XV Brigade. They both wrote similar novels about this great historical event. Both these novels have in common some of the main themes, motifs, symbols, conflicts, events, style, etc. Therefore, using qualitative and comparative literature methods this article will attempt to shed light on the impact of Ernest Hemingway novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” on Petro Marko’s novel “Hasta la Vista” by focusing on the main similarities and differences of these two novels written by two authors who belong to different literatures and cultures on the same subject and theme, motivated by the same historical event, Spanish Civil War.The paper concludes that Hemingway’s novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” directly influenced the Albanian writer Petro Marko to write his novel “Hasta la Vista”. This is because,  when Hemingway recounted his experience in the Spanish Civil War in his novel “For Whom the Bell Tolls” and after the Albanian writer, Petro Marko read his novel and had direct contacts with Ernest Hemingway, he wrote his own novel “Hasta la Vista” under Hemingway’s influence. As a result, Petro Marko’s novel is quite similar to Hemingway’s novel in terms of themes, motifs, symbols, characters, conflicts, style, etc., though there are differences between these two novels, as well.    

Received: 15 November 2021 / Accepted: 16 January 2022 / Published: 5 March 2022