The Mountain Wreath

Infobox Book
name = The Mountain Wreath
title_orig = Горскıй вıенацъ (archaic)
Горски вијенац (modern)
("Gorski vijenac")
translator = James W. Wiles, Vasa D. Mihailovich


image_caption =
author = Petar II Petrović-Njegoš
illustrator =
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country = Montenegro
language = Serbian
series =
subject =
genre =
publisher = Armenian Mechitarist monastery
(Vienna, Austrian Empire, today Austria)
release_date = 1847
english_release_date =
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pages =
isbn =
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The Mountain Wreath (Serbian: Горски вијенац or "Gorski vijenac", in original orthography: Горскıй вıенацъ, Romanian: "Cununa munţilor") is a poem and play, a masterpiece of Serbian and Montenegrin literature, written by Montenegrin Prince-Bishop and poet Petar II Petrović-Njegoš.

Njegoš published "The Mountain Wreath", in 1847. It is a modern epic written in verse as a play, thus combining three of the major modes of literary expression.

Themes

The play is based on a historical event in Montenegro that took place toward the end of the 17th century, known as "The Extermination of the Muslim Converts." ("Истрага Потурица" or "Istraga Poturica"). Although the historical facts about this event are somewhat uncertain, it is known that at approximately that time Montenegrins attempted to solve radically the problem of many of their brethren who had agreed to being converted to Islam. The fact that Njegoš used this event only as a general framework, however, without bothering about the exact historical data, underscores his concern with an issue that had preoccupied him throughout his entire life and which was in line with Romantic thought: the struggle for freedom from foreign oppression. He subjects the entire plot and all characters to this central idea.

The themes presented in "The Mountain Wreath" lend the work dimensions that go far beyond its local limitations. The basic theme is the struggle for freedom, justice, and dignity. The characters are fighting to correct a local flaw in their society - the presence of Muslim converts - but they are at the same time involved in a struggle between good and evil, which is found everywhere in nature. Thus, while depicting the local problem Njegoš points at the ideals that should concern all mankind. He expresses a firm belief in man and in his basic goodness and integrity. He also shows that man must forever fight for his rights and for whatever he attains, for nothing comes by chance. Apart from these universal concerns, Njegoš presents the centuries-old struggle of his people for the ideals just mentioned. In elevating their struggle to a universal level Njegoš seems to find both justification and reward for their efforts. It should also be pointed out that much of the action and many characters in "The Mountain Wreath" point at similarities with Njegoš and his own time. By connecting the past with the present he gave vent to his own frustrations which were caused by the often insurmountable difficulties he had to endure in his attempts to create a better life for his people. It is safe to assume that many of the thoughts and words of Bishop Danilo and Abbot Stephen reflect Njegoš's own, and that the main plot of the play - the extermination of the converts - illuminates the one overriding ambition of his life - to free his people and enable them to live in peace and dignity.

"The Mountain Wreath" is not a play in the usual sense of the word. Divided into four scenes of unequal length, it has many subscenes which tend to weaken the unity of action. There is little direct action, moreover, most of it is related by characters, sometimes at great length. It is more of a Lesedrama and it is not performed often: even when it is, it is done with revisions. It cannot be said, however, that the play is totally devoid of dramatic quality: at times it is highly dramatic, even in the speeches relating the action. There is also a healthy dose of humour which enlivens an otherwise sombre and often tragic atmosphere.

Role in Ethnic Cleansing

Michael Sells, a Quaker professor of Islamic History and Literature at the University of Chicago, offers us another view on this poem. Allegedly, the poem, one of the defining features of Serb nationalism and required reading in all schools in prewar Yugoslavia, is also notable for its celebration of Bishop Danilo's ethnic cleansing of Montenegro (the so-called "Christmas Eve Massacre") in the early 18th Century. [http://masud.co.uk/ISLAM/ahm/the_churches_and_the_bosnian_war.htm#_ednref67]

In the poem, the Muslims repeatedly plead for coexistence. One example:

Small enough is this our land,
Yet two faiths there still may be
As in one bowl soups may agree
Let us still as brothers live.

However, these pleas for coexistence are seen by the bishop as merely a satanic temptation, the smile of Judas, which he finally overcomes. So he replies: ‘Our land is foul; it reeks of this false religion’. And, following his command:

No single seeing eye, no tongue of Turk
escaped to tell his tale another day.
We put them all unto the sword
All those who would not be baptised.
But who paid homage to the Holy Child,
were all baptised with sign of Christian cross.
And as brother each was hail’d and greeted.
We put to fire the Turkish houses,
That there might be no stick nor trace
Of these true servants of the devil!

Source: Michael Sells, "The Bridge Betrayed: Religion and genocide in Bosnia" (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996), 15.

External links

* [http://www.rastko.org.yu/knjizevnost/njegos/gorski_vijenac.html Пројекат Растко: Горски вијенац] (Serbian)
* [http://www.njegos.org/gvijenac/index.htm Serb Land of Montenegro: Digital fascimile of the original printed edition] (Serbian)
* [http://www.rastko.org.yu/knjizevnost/njegos/njegos-mountain_wreath.html Project Rastko: The Mountain Wreath (Vasa D. Mihailović translation)] (English)
* [http://www.njegos.org/petrovics/vpopovic.htm Introduction to the 1930 James W. Wiles translation] (English)
* [http://www.rastko.org.yu/knjizevnost/njegos/index.html Project Rastko: Annotated digital edition, with an extensive glossary (.exe)] (Serbian)
* [http://www.orwell.ru/library/others/Njegosh/in_work.htm Another online edition] (English and Serbian)