The Time of Death

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course is designed to meet the specific needs of a student in the College, an advanced learner of Serbian language and culture, double majoring in Economics and REES. The curriculum of this one-quarter class focuses on the literary work of 20th-century Serbian writer Borislav Pekić. Through a close reading of his first novel, The Time of Miracles (1965), we plan to uncover not only Pekić's notable artistic skills, but also the variety of his linguistic devices- ranging from highly ornate imitations of biblical diction to expressions bordering on urban slang-adjusted to depict the historical and cultural context of his era. In the novel the Christian myth becomes a vehicle for exposing the moral hypocrisy, cruelty, and futility of modern myths, especially those built around the Communists' ideal of their own "promised land." The inevitable flatness of allegorical presentation is always counterbalanced by an enormous vividness of realistic detail, while implied irony makes this somber book surprisingly light-thus it showcases hallmarks of Pekić's unique style.