Jovan Skerlić
Encyclopedia
Jovan Skerlić (20 August 1877 – 15 May 1914) was a Serbian
writer and critic. He is regarded as one of the most influential Serbian literary critics of the early 20th century, after Bogdan Popović.
(where he completed his doctorate), became professor of French literature at a Belgrade École Normale, then professor of Serbian literature at the University of Belgrade
, member of the Skupština
(Serbian Parliament), and founder and editor of several literary periodicals. His political sympathies made him an ally of the Serbian socialist Svetozar Marković
, whose posthumous biography Skerlić came to write.
Skerlić viewed literature in terms of his political beliefs, and he adopted some aesthetic ideas from Bogdan Popović, his Belgrade professor. His main intellectual sympathies in literary criticism lay, however, with the French: his Lausanne professor, Georges Renard, and Hippolyte Taine
. Though he did not follow Svetozar Marković
's utilitarian ideas on literature, he believed, like Ljubomir Nedić
, that literature was linked to progress. He was familiar with Petrus Hofman Peerlkamp, the founder of the subjective method of textual criticism, which consisted in rejecting in a classical author whatever failed to come up to the standard of what that author, in the critic's opinion, ought to have written.
Writes Jovan Skerlić in Istorija Nove Srpske Književnosti (Second Edition, Belgrade, 1921, page 43):
The authors of the 19th century, with all their differences nevertheless share a unity of literary ideas and theories. Each of the young poets of the 20th century had his own concepts and well-defined ideas. This phenomenon made it extremely difficult for the literary critic to label new poetic achievements as specific schools, and place them in a continuation of the organized pattern that evolved from Romanticism of the 1860-1870 decade, to Realism after 1870.
He published a seminal literary history of 18th century Serbian Literature
(1909).
From Skerlić's writings we known that he wished the new Serbian poetry to be "clear, intense, and straightforeward." His article Jedna Književna Zaraza (A Literary Infection) demonstrates how repulsed he was by what he termed, with utter contempt, "decadence". Above all, he feared the influence of foreign, decadent poetry on the new Serbian poetry, since he never lost sight of the concept that poetry should serve to build a healthy and strong new generation. He challenged the pessimistic and somber tones in the new poems, and he detested the foreign poetic movements of cainism, satanism, and, generally, all the isms.
Skerlić had a great talent for rhetoric and for describing the lives and works of literary authors. His history consisted of critical essays on authors, accounts of the socio-historic context, and text analysis. Bio-bibliographical data would follow this critical nucleus. Skerlić's unique talent for integrating, his tendency to epitomize, condense, and classify according to a precise, pre-established historical roster, usually succeeded in synthesizing the individual pieces into a convincing whole.
Jovan Skerlić's role in literature and general cultural and political development led Predrag Protić to suggest that the period in Serbian history from 1900 until May 1914 should be named after him.
Skerlić was buried in the Novo groblje
cemetery in Belgrade
.
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
writer and critic. He is regarded as one of the most influential Serbian literary critics of the early 20th century, after Bogdan Popović.
Biography
It is said that Skerlić revolutionized the Serbian literary scene around the turn of the nineteenth century as a young dashing critic, historian of literature, politician and polemicist. Although he died relatively young (he was 37), Skerlić still managed to complete an impressive body of work that linked criticism and literary history. He received an excellent post-graduate education at the University of LausanneUniversity of Lausanne
The University of Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland was founded in 1537 as a school of theology, before being made a university in 1890. Today about 12,000 students and 2200 researchers study and work at the university...
(where he completed his doctorate), became professor of French literature at a Belgrade École Normale, then professor of Serbian literature at the University of Belgrade
University of Belgrade
The University of Belgrade is the oldest and largest university of Serbia.Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it merged with the Kragujevac-based departments into a single university...
, member of the Skupština
Skupština
Skupština is a Serbian and Croatian word for assembly, referring to Parliament. As such, it is used in the name of the following assemblies:* National Assembly of Serbia* Parliament of Montenegro* Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro...
(Serbian Parliament), and founder and editor of several literary periodicals. His political sympathies made him an ally of the Serbian socialist Svetozar Marković
Svetozar Markovic
Svetozar Marković was an influential Serbian political activist and literary critic. He developed an activistic anthropological philosophy with a definite program of social change.-Early life:...
, whose posthumous biography Skerlić came to write.
Skerlić viewed literature in terms of his political beliefs, and he adopted some aesthetic ideas from Bogdan Popović, his Belgrade professor. His main intellectual sympathies in literary criticism lay, however, with the French: his Lausanne professor, Georges Renard, and Hippolyte Taine
Hippolyte Taine
Hippolyte Adolphe Taine was a French critic and historian. He was the chief theoretical influence of French naturalism, a major proponent of sociological positivism, and one of the first practitioners of historicist criticism. Literary historicism as a critical movement has been said to originate...
. Though he did not follow Svetozar Marković
Svetozar Markovic
Svetozar Marković was an influential Serbian political activist and literary critic. He developed an activistic anthropological philosophy with a definite program of social change.-Early life:...
's utilitarian ideas on literature, he believed, like Ljubomir Nedić
Ljubomir Nedic
Ljubomir Nedić was a popular Serbian writer, philosopher, and literary critic. In the 1890s, two groups were formed in literary criticism, one by the critics gathered around the literary journal Delo, and the other led by Ljubomir Nedić...
, that literature was linked to progress. He was familiar with Petrus Hofman Peerlkamp, the founder of the subjective method of textual criticism, which consisted in rejecting in a classical author whatever failed to come up to the standard of what that author, in the critic's opinion, ought to have written.
Writes Jovan Skerlić in Istorija Nove Srpske Književnosti (Second Edition, Belgrade, 1921, page 43):
The authors of the 19th century, with all their differences nevertheless share a unity of literary ideas and theories. Each of the young poets of the 20th century had his own concepts and well-defined ideas. This phenomenon made it extremely difficult for the literary critic to label new poetic achievements as specific schools, and place them in a continuation of the organized pattern that evolved from Romanticism of the 1860-1870 decade, to Realism after 1870.
He published a seminal literary history of 18th century Serbian Literature
Serbian literature
Serbian literature refers to literature written in Serbian and/or in Serbia.The history of Serbian literature begins with theological works from the 10th- and 11th centuries, developing in the 13th century by Saint Sava and his disciples...
(1909).
Influence
He was at the beginning influenced by French literary aesthetics, but later found himself in complete opposition to any movement of l'art pour l'art. Skerlić used his influence to fight any egoistic or decadent movement energetically. His concepts on literary aesthetics were so strongly influenced by his patriotic tendencies that he often reacted to artistic problems more as a national and political thinker than as an art critic.From Skerlić's writings we known that he wished the new Serbian poetry to be "clear, intense, and straightforeward." His article Jedna Književna Zaraza (A Literary Infection) demonstrates how repulsed he was by what he termed, with utter contempt, "decadence". Above all, he feared the influence of foreign, decadent poetry on the new Serbian poetry, since he never lost sight of the concept that poetry should serve to build a healthy and strong new generation. He challenged the pessimistic and somber tones in the new poems, and he detested the foreign poetic movements of cainism, satanism, and, generally, all the isms.
Skerlić had a great talent for rhetoric and for describing the lives and works of literary authors. His history consisted of critical essays on authors, accounts of the socio-historic context, and text analysis. Bio-bibliographical data would follow this critical nucleus. Skerlić's unique talent for integrating, his tendency to epitomize, condense, and classify according to a precise, pre-established historical roster, usually succeeded in synthesizing the individual pieces into a convincing whole.
Jovan Skerlić's role in literature and general cultural and political development led Predrag Protić to suggest that the period in Serbian history from 1900 until May 1914 should be named after him.
Skerlić was buried in the Novo groblje
Novo groblje
Novo groblje is a cemetery complex in Belgrade, Serbia. It is located in Ruzveltova street in Zvezdara municipality. The cemetery was built in 1886 as the third Christian cemetery in Belgrade. The newly developed cemetery in that period had no chapel or church...
cemetery in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
.