LITERARY VERSIONS OF HISTORY AND POLITICS: A DRAFT OF A SEGMENT OF CONTEMPORARY HUNGARIAN AND CROATIAN LITERATURES

In the text, the contemporary Hungarian and Croatian literatures are examined and compared taking into account historial and political contexts. Croatian literature, having gone through a strong mimetical tendency at a time in which it was concerned with the war and its consequences, begins to deal with more general questions about the post-war situation and tries to place the events of the past decade in a historical context. Contrary to the Croatian tendency, a segment of Hungarian literature which covers the same period begins to narrow down its subject to questions concerning Hungarian politics. 110 While Croatian literature becomes prevailingly synthetical (since it strives to affirm, sustain and legitimate the Croatian history often by resorting to questions) the examined part of Hungarian literature becomes analytical: it intends to reveal often using the power of language the state's controversial and forceful politics which interferes with the private sphere as well. The works under examination are: Ivana Sajko, Powjest moje obitelji od 1941 do 1991, i nakon; Nikola Ljubic, Bonaca je tuga; Semezdin Mehmedinovie, Ruski kompjuter; Goran VojnoviO, Jugoslawja, moja domovina; Rade Jarak, Yu puzzle; Miljenko Jergovia, Rod; Attila Balks, Kinek Eszak, kinek Del, vagy a vilcig kicsiben; Edes hazcim. Kortars kozeleti versek (collection of poems); Parti Nagy Lajos: Fulkefor es videke, Fulkeforia es videke; and Pal Zavada: Termeszetes feny.