Esejistika Danila Kiša

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to complete the study of Danilo Kiš’ literary work through a systematic approach to his essayistic opus: by insight into his topic preoccupations, problems and aporias of his early and mature essay writing, by perceiving po-ethical constants, connections with his belletristic work and the level of involvement in the modern idea trends of that period. Considering the fact that essay perfectly suited Kiš’ sensibility, but at same time it is a genre and a way of thinking/writing which is hard to define, the dissertation also discusses the genological characteristics of essay by means of substantial and relational theory, the writer’s understanding of its nature, essayism as a cultural phenomenon and essayisation as an expansion of the essayistic principle of thought into all forms he used to write, both belletristic and discursive. At the same time, the essayisation is depicted not only as an integrative process in the works of Kiš, but also as part of general integrative processes which started in the culture of the 20th century, and which emerged as a counterbalance to the system and the narrow specialisation and scientisation of human knowledge and experience. A systematic study of Kiš’ essayistic opus provides a confirmation of the existence of deep congruence between his essay writing and belletristic works since he cherished essay as well as artistic prose – together with it (in terms of ideas and topics and in the formal sense), under its auspices, but quantitatively and qualitatively at the same level. His essay writing does not fall behind his belletristic works regarding its influence on future generations of writers and critics, which means that they should be read together and that thinking about the art today is inseparable from the art itself. An insight into diachronic development of Serbian essay writing shows that Kiš’ essay writing continues a rich tradition of writers-essayists, which future studies should thoroughly examine, define, evaluate and make anthological selections. The study of Kiš’ essay writing is at the same time the study of the main trends of (post) modern Serbian and world literature and culture in which different ideas replaced each other, which provides a secure basis for their evaluation as well as the confirmation of evaluation of the writer’s complete work in that broadest range, thus contributing to its critical edition.