The First World War and Ivo Andrić’s Novels - The Woman from Sarajevo and The Bridge on the Drina -

Abstract

This paper investigated the relevancy between 'Mlada Bosna' which is directly related to the First World War and the Nobel Prize winner Ivo Andrić, and the theme 'Mlada Bosna' which appeared in his two novels. This can be said to have the nature of the preparatory work to study in earnest about the Political and literary belief in his literary world. The assassination in Sarajevo of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria on June 28, 1914 was a key event of modern history and triggered the outbreak of World War I. The assassination was carried out by a Serb, Gavrilo Princip, a member of the youth revolutionary organization, Mlada Bosna (Young Bosnia). Apart from the historical context, this event also reflects significantly on South Slavic literature. The assassination was the subject matter and theme of works by the three most prominent authors of South Slavic modern literature: Croatian writer Miroslav Krleža, Serbian writer, Miloš Crnjanski, and Yugoslav Nobel Prize winner, Ivo Andrić. All three wrote on the subject positively, describing it as a revolutionary act the aim of which was the liberation of South Slavic people occupied by the Austro- Hungarian Empire. In his youth, Andrić was a member of the insurgent movement from Sarajevo and wrote about it. Although not involved directly in the Sarajevo plot, in the aftermath of the assassination, as a member of Mlada Bosna, Andrić was arrested and he spent the greater part of the war in prison and interment. This experience determined the fate of Andrić in both his life path and political and literary persuasion. Andrić formed his youthful political convictions as a member of Mlada Bosna, which also aimed at cultural emancipation. This paper analyzes the presence of Mlada Bosna in the works of Andrić, especially the novels The Woman from Sarajevo (Gospođica) and The Bridge on the Drina (Na Drini ćuprija).