Šenoa represents a crucial pillar in the development of Croatian literature… He canonized the novel as a genre and cultivated an audience for whom the novel became a favorite read. He is an anticipator of our prose realism, the creator of Croatian historical novels, and as a speaker of the Kajkavian dialect, the creator of urban Štokavian dialect. All the necessary assumptions for the life and development of the novel in Croatian literature are connected to Šenoa’s name.
Krešimir Nemec
Literary theorists classify his works as the foundation of Croatian literature and place him alongside giants such as Marko Marulić, Ivan Gundulić, Ivan Mažuranić, and Antun Gustav Matoš. They call him the father of the Croatian novel, and the magnitude of his influence is best exemplified by the fact that an entire epoch in Croatian literature is referred to as the “Šenoa era.” He was a strong proponent of aesthetic and cultural values in Croatian literary creation throughout his entire public and cultural engagement, emphasizing the importance of history, language, and literature in preserving and strengthening the cultural identity of the people. The main characteristics of Šenoa’s worldview, which is reflected in his literary creation, are patriotism, humanism, and morality, which served as his support in life, despite all the obstacles he faced.
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The original Croatian text:
“Kad sam bio mlad, imao sam mnogo snova. Sanjao sam o putovanjima po svetu, o ostvarenju svojih ciljeva i o pronalaženju prave ljubavi. Međutim, kako sam odrastao, snovi su postali sve više zamagljeni. Život me suočio s nebrojenim izazovima i preprekama. Izgubio sam veru u sebe i u svoje snove. Sada se osećam kao da sam zaglavio u beskonačnom lavirintu bez izlaza.”
Possible translation:
“When I was young, I had numerous dreams. I dreamt of traveling the world, achieving my goals, and finding true love. However, as I grew older, my dreams became increasingly obscured. Life confronted me with countless challenges and obstacles. I lost faith in myself and my dreams. Now, I feel trapped in an endless labyrinth with no way out.”
The Father of Croatian Novel
Croatian literature of the second half of the 19th century was based on romantic descriptions of fictional outlaw-Turkish and pseudo he believed that the topics of literary works should be close to the people and have an educational impact. In the Fun Library, he writes: “We are opposed to the principle of German writers that literature is an end in itself, literature, and especially fiction, is a means to develop and improve the nation, mankind. In that respect, fiction must be tendentious.” As a skillful storyteller, he succeeds It is important that his literature, although “biased,” does not lose its artistic value.
Two important principles of Šenoa’s works
In his historical novels, poems, and short stories, he writes about tragic but heroic events from the past of the Croatian people, in which their freedom was threatened. He glorifies courage and morals. the spirit of a warrior, with the aim of convincing readers of the indomitability of a nation as long as there are brave and moral patriots within it. He expresses his patriotism by celebrating and honoring his people without hatred or intolerance towards others and those who are different. At the heart of all his works lies a love for the disenfranchised and for humanity in general. He emphasizes the educational role that historical novels must possess and writes: “In a historical novel, you must use analogies between the past and the present to lead the nation to self-awareness… Empty boasting about our ancestors, bloody glory of past times is not the task of our historical novel. We must depict all the sins and virtues of our past, so that the nation can guard against sins and follow virtues. Cicero’s ‘Magistra Vitae’ will find few better places than in the history of Croats and Serbs.”
Another principle that guided him in choosing topics was the depiction of everyday life of people in his time. In his stories, novellas, poems, and narratives, he vividly describes real events. He writes about the poverty of peasants and the struggles of the working class, with the goal of shedding light on the social injustices and inequalities of society. Through his writings, he aims to awaken empathy and understanding, and to inspire positive change and progress. Nika, about social inequality that prevents progress in life and life happiness. Describes the lives of unhappy and disenfranchised people and condemns selfishness and greed. Like in historical novels, these descriptions of everyday life have literary value and an educational function. They allow the reader to have insight into the reality that is often turned away from. By reading and empathizing with the lives of the characters, they become closer to the reader, who can understand them, sympathize with them, and then take action.
In a time of universal relativism that we witness today, Šenoa’s work is not only relevant for its literary value, but also for highlighting the importance of moral values in preserving and developing humanity.
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About Šenoa, they have said…
A romantic at heart, a realist in intention, he wrote his works…with the idealism of a precise observer and the realism of a passionate lover of ideal values. A. Stamać
For judging the literary significance of an author, the impression he makes on the reader is not the only important factor. Today, in the first place, we must take into consideration the artistic and spiritual contribution that someone has brought to the cultural life of their people and their time. A. Barac
To achieve what he achieved, Šenoa had several essential talents, but two of them undoubtedly stood out: a refined sense of the Štokavian language (which also needed to be imposed on the audience) and an extraordinary sense of storytelling, for presenting events and intertwining them into engaging plots… we must admit that it was only necessary to enter his texts: they are left only after they have been read. I. Frangeš
Strange People
Time goes by, the sun flies,
It sets, it rises again,
Always the same, always unchanged.
Clear, bright, golden, pure,
But the sun is greatly astonished:
Oh God, what strange people.
I have traveled enough,
I have seen enough,
But what I saw, dear God,
Every day a different skin,
Every day a different mood;
Oh God, what strange people.
What was kissed yesterday,
Today is bitten, killed,
What was loved yesterday,
Today is hated, despised,
Everything changes, nothing remains;
Oh God, what strange people. Oh, curse it,
Today, hands entwined around the neck;
Today it thunders, tomorrow it whispers!
Oh God, what strange people.
Today black, tomorrow white,
Today rotten, tomorrow ripe,
Today heat, tomorrow winter,
Today tepid, tomorrow tide,
Today praise, tomorrow scold,
Oh God, what strange people.
Always adorning a lion’s mane,
A rabbit always sporting a rabbit’s head,
A man is never truly a man,
For he changes himself daily,
Thinks and speaks differently,
The devil awakens sun in this world.
Oh, be yourself!
Oh, be yourself! For you are a complete entity,
In your chest, brother, you carry a whole heart;
Do not falter with your soul, even if you are weak,
Raise your forehead towards the clear sky!
Even if days of hardship and trouble come,
Even if sweat drips bloody from your forehead,
Gather your wits and raise strong hands,
And be yourself!
Oh, be yourself! Know that your young mind
Is the golden sled of hardship for you,
Like a gray falcon, hope soars,
But the world is just the world, and people are just people.
Yes, truly, push away the softness from your pillow,
The selfishness calls you to the battle of the world;
Whatever awaits you in life, brother,
You be yourself!
Oh, be yourself! That world is not purgatory for you,
Nor is it paradise; it gives birth to thorns. Oh, be yourself! For God has made you so,
And God despises all that’s false and sly;
May your mind always be clear and aglow,
With a pure and fervent heart, oh, my.
Let your mind and heart weigh straight and true,
Only then shall you be truly your own.
When both good and evil speak of you,
They’ll say, “Yes, he is his own.”
Oh, be yourself! But be a brother, too,
And work for the world, but not for applause;
Love the world, but don’t expect what’s due,
For human thanks is sand compared to worth.
In your consciousness lies the thanks you seek,
Honest sweat kisses an honest brow,
Oh brother, do not live in vain or meek,
When you are your own, here and now!
Oh, be yourself, a human being in name!
Raise your head high, like the purest sun;
For cowards only bow down to shame,
May your tongue and heart always be as one.
Look upon gold as you look upon God,
A swarm of base vassals seeking its light;
See if your soul is worth gold, my brother,
Then be yourself, with all your might! Yes, be yourself! So comes the time to depart, right?
Where a thousand golden stars twinkle,
When a man must finish the account,
And you finish it, let it not be sorry for you;
Because your heart will whisper softly:
Oh peacefully, brain, now you have added up the account!
A righteous man, you have been on earth:
Yes, be yourself!