The Slavic antithesis is a stylistic device used in Serbian, Croatian, Bosnian, and Macedonian epic poetry. It is usually implemented at the beginning of the poem and consists of three parts: a question is asked, then a negative answer is given, and finally the real explanation is provided. The first two parts of the Slavic antithesis are usually similar, while the last verse (the explanation) differs. The first two parts (a question and a negative answer) are descriptive and are simply there to increase the power of the third part (the explanation). Many poems use the same descriptive lines while only changing the last line.[1]
Exampleedit
This is an example of the Slavic antithesis from the beginning of the Bosnian ballad "Hasanaginica":[2][3]
Šta se bijeli u gori zelenoj? Al' su snijezi, al' su labudovi. Da su snijezi, već bi okopnili, Labudovi već bi odletjeli. Nit' su snijezi, nit su labudovi, Nego šator age Hasan-age.
What is white on the green mountain? Is it snow, or is it swans? If it were snow, it would have melted, If it were swans, they would have flown away. It is not snow, it is not swans. It is the tent of Hasan-aga.
The final line is explanatory and supported by the previous descriptive lines, which give it impact on the audience.
The Slavic Antithesis is also exemplified by one of western pop culture's most iconic lines: "Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No...It's SUPERMAN!"[4]
Referencesedit
^Similarity of "Jablan na Konju" with "Mali Radojca" and "Svetci blago dijele"
slavic, antithesis, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, decembe. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Slavic antithesis news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2009 Learn how and when to remove this message The Slavic antithesis is a stylistic device used in Serbian Croatian Bosnian and Macedonian epic poetry It is usually implemented at the beginning of the poem and consists of three parts a question is asked then a negative answer is given and finally the real explanation is provided The first two parts of the Slavic antithesis are usually similar while the last verse the explanation differs The first two parts a question and a negative answer are descriptive and are simply there to increase the power of the third part the explanation Many poems use the same descriptive lines while only changing the last line 1 Example editThis is an example of the Slavic antithesis from the beginning of the Bosnian ballad Hasanaginica 2 3 Sta se bijeli u gori zelenoj Al su snijezi al su labudovi Da su snijezi vec bi okopnili Labudovi vec bi odletjeli Nit su snijezi nit su labudovi Nego sator age Hasan age What is white on the green mountain Is it snow or is it swans If it were snow it would have melted If it were swans they would have flown away It is not snow it is not swans It is the tent of Hasan aga The final line is explanatory and supported by the previous descriptive lines which give it impact on the audience The Slavic Antithesis is also exemplified by one of western pop culture s most iconic lines Is it a bird Is it a plane No It s SUPERMAN 4 References edit Similarity of Jablan na Konju with Mali Radojca and Svetci blago dijele See Wikisource Hasanaginica Yugoslav Epic Preambles by Eugene E Pantzer 1959 Sims Williams 2010 chap 4 Sims Williams Patrick 2010 Irish Influence on Medieval Welsh Literature Oxford University Press See also editSerbian epic poetry Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Slavic antithesis amp oldid 1148227574, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
