Oral tale motifs in the novel The Bridge on the Drina

Abstract

The novel The Bridge on the Drina (Na Drini Ćuprija) by Ivo Andrić is a chronicle about Višegrad and the bridge that spans the Drina River. The storyline revolves around numerous oral tales that the writer incorporated into the novel. The subjects of these oral tales include the bridge, its surrounding area, and the local inhabitants. In terms of genre, they may be categorised as historical, mythical, demonological, aetiological, eschatological oral tales and tales from everyday life. The genres of the tales often intertwine. In the novel The Bridge on the Drina all types of tales are present. The tales in the paper are interpreted in a historical, ethnological, and anthropological context. These oral tales narrate the story of a traumatic life experience on the territory imbued with conflicts, while at the same time serving as didactic tools, which is in line with the predominant function of oral literature. The tales have an exceptional aesthetic and social function.