Journey into the Peninsula – Identity and Self-Awareness in the Balkan Literature

Marius Nica (University of Ploiesti, Romania) [BIO]

Email: mariusnica7@yahoo.com

 

ABSTRACT:

The paper presents some of the major literary works of Balkan literature. It deals with the journey motif as a narrative background which allows expressing identity and stressing out cultural differences. The concept of Balkan is questioned as its pejorative values may have been the result of a prejudice imposed by the occidental travelers. At the same time we shall try and identify the narrative structures of travel and journey which become a necessity in the peninsular literature in order to experience and present a holistic view of certain spiritual characteristics and cultural features. Therefore, there will be discussed the works of not only Romanian but also Bulgarian, Greek or Albanian writers.