Bulgarian Literature

Bulgarian Literature, literature created by the inhabitants of Bulgaria. Bulgarian literature began in the second half of the 9th century ad with the translations by St Cyril and St Methodius of religious works from Greek into the vernacular, now known as Old Church Slavonic. From this period until the Turkish conquest of Bulgaria (1396), Bulgarian literature consisted mainly of similar translations of the Gospels, lives of the saints, sermons, and other religious material. Historical chronicles were also written. During the Turkish and Greek ecclesiastical domination (1396-1878), Bulgarian literature virtually ceased to exist.

The 19th century marked the beginning of modern Bulgarian literature and the awakening of national consciousness. It had its origin in historical works such as Istoria Slaveno-Bolgarska (History of the Slavic-Bulgarians), written in a form of ecclesiastical Slavonic mixed with popular language by a monk, Paisij, about 1762. After 1830, a movement in Bulgaria for freedom from Turkish rule and Greek Church domination, the establishment of Bulgarian schools and printing establishments, and the publication of Bulgarian grammars and other educational works all played a part in producing a new Bulgarian literature. At the same time, novobulgarski, the new literary Bulgarian language based on the vernacular of its eastern dialects, was formed.

Before 1878 writers were concerned with social and political questions, above all with national independence, rather than with literary style or the problems of the inner life of the individual. The most important writer of this preliberation period was the revolutionary poet Christo Botev. The principal writer of the next period was Ivan Vazov, one of the most prolific as well as one of the most popular of Bulgarian writers and the one who scored a success in English translation, with his novel Under the Yoke (1893; trans. 1912). Other important writers of this period were Stoyan Mikhaylovski and Aleko Konstantinov. The former was a pessimistic philosopher, disillusioned with politics; the latter was a satirist who characterized the Bulgarian peasant in Bai Ganyu (1895; “Uncle John”).

In the post-liberation period, writers increasingly emphasized technique and form and harmony and rhythm of language. Important writers of this third period are the short-story writers Dimiter Ivanov, who wrote under the pen name of Elin-Pelin, and Yordan Yovkov; both are noted for their interest in peasant life and the countryside.

From 1944 until the collapse of communism in 1989, Bulgarian literature adhered closely to the requirements of Soviet Socialist Realism. The work of some talented writers, including the poets Blaga Dimitrova, Lubomir Levchev, and Pavel Matev, nevertheless revealed a fresher point of view and signalled the desire for greater artistic freedom. In particular, the prose-writer Yordan Radichkov handled historical themes, always a Bulgarian favourite, with unusual finesse, and his short novel Khradriatyat chovek (1967; “A Brave Man”) earned wide popularity.

Elias Canetti won the 1981 Nobel Prize for literature for his novels and plays about individuals at odds with society. Born in Bulgaria, Canetti settled in England in 1938 and wrote in German.