Odiljenje sigetsko (English: Farewell at Siget) is an intertextual poetic work by Pavao Ritter Vitezović first published in 1684. It is regarded as the first and most important vernacular piece by the author. Odiljenje sigetsko was written sometime between 1679 and 1682 and covers the 1566 Siege of Szigetvar relying on previous adaptations of the same subject. Being particularly notable for its unusual form, there is a distinct lack of discernable classification regarding its genre, which often led to debates among literary historians. It is sometimes described as a "mosaic" incorporating a vast array of literary elements and devices, with a fragmented form. It was well received by its contemporaries, subsequently inspiring a number of authors in the 18th century.
Form and interpretation
Classification
The most striking feature of the text is its unusual form, which had been a subject of controversy in earlier critical analyses. Historians originally perceived the work as an attempt to create an epic based on the Siege of Szigetvar, in similar vein as its predecessors Vazetje Sigeta Grada and Siege of Sziget. Most modern analysts, such as Nikica Kolumbić and Pavao Pavličić regard it as a lyrical commentary of Petar Zrinski's epic poem Obsida sigecka, stressing its intertextual features. According to Pavličić, Vitezović wanted to portray aspects which he considered important for shaping contemporary literature; reliance on tradition, foundation pertaining to themes which are socially or nationally important and accessibility to as many people as possible. More specifically, he argues its intent was to rework the existing epic in a lyric way, making it more accessible for people of lower education, but expanding and emphasizing certain aspects of it for programmatic and perhaps, political purposes. Vanja Budišćak classifies it as a kind of lyric-epic-dramatic hybrid, arguing that it isn't completely devoid of epic or even dramatic elements. Dunja Fališevac describes the form as innovative genre with baroque elements.
Structure
Odiljenje sigetsko takes a nostalgic and elegiac tone. It consists of four parts (dil), of which three consist of letters to other parties, monologues, or dialogues which express sorrow or departure at the end of after the aforementioned siege with the Ottomans. These parts utilize literary devices such as anthropomorphism and fantastic elements such as fairies. The dialogue between Sophia, the muse of one of the participants of the battle and the hawk, who informs her of Alapić's death taking part shortly after the conclusion of the siege was a motive taken from a folk song. The last part provides shorter poems similar to occasional poetry which are called tombstones (nadgrobnice) and represent voices from a number of killed individuals such as Suleiman the Magnificent and Nikola Šubić Zrinski. Proverbs are particularly present throughout Odiljenje sigetsko, showing a tendency to bring it closer to lesser-educated parts of society. These largely deal with inevitability of death, appropriate for the subject of "farewell" during or after battle.
Meter and language
The meter is dominated by the northern doubly-rhymed dodecasyllable (a standard in Croatian literature since Judita), but it also uses a variety of other forms including the hexameter. Literary forms and inventions such as echoes are also present, along with Vitezović's experiments in homonymic rhymes. In the foreword of the first edition, Vitezović expresses his views on language, using a verse in defense of linguistic purism:
The language was on a tri-dialectal basis, incorporating elements of Čakavian, Štokavian and Kajkavian, similar to the language used by authors from the Ozalj literary circle.
Portrayal of Ottomans
The depiction of Turks is a departure from earlier works on the overall subject, which show them in a stereotypically negative light. Vitezović, conversely, gives a considerably more balanced view in which he praises their strength and acknowledges their motives to serve their leader and their people in the name of glory, thus equating them with the defenders. This is additionally emphasized in Vitezović's metaphor where Ottomans are equated with the "scourge of god", as means to bring Christians back on the right track from their sinful deviations.