Elements of Oral Literature in the Ivan Raos Prosjaci i sinovi

U radu će biti prikazan suodnos umjetničke i usmene književnosti odnosno estetskih i praktičnih funkcija u romanu Prosjaci i sinovi Ivana Raosa. S obzirom na to da u romanu dominira motiv prosjačenja, diskurs je pretežno usmjeren na izgradnju pragmatičnih funkcija, odnosno načina na koji ovi prosjaci od zanata nagovaraju ljude da im udijele milodar. Prateći život glavnih likova koji grade identitet o sebi kao junacima, na vidjelo izlaze tajne njihova „zanata“, njihovi unutarnji strahovi od postojanja brojnih mitoloških bića kao što su vile, vještice, vukojarci i duhovi, ali i krhkost hijerarhije unutar zajednice. Oni kao tipični antijunaci te svoje strahove predstavljaju kao svoja životna dostignuća (suživot s vilama, izgon vještica i sl.). Koliko god da su prikazani likovi vjerski nastrojeni, toliko su i praznovjerni. Koliko se god predstavljali kao skladna obiteljska zajednica toliko je očit slom iste samo jednim danom bez autoriteta. U drugom dijelu romana prikazane su promjene u društvu smjenom generacija. Sve ono staro što je prije predstavljalo zakon sad postaje predmetom ismijavanja, a novo koje se ranije nije moglo ni zamisliti postaje svakodnevica. Likovi se predstavljaju kao junaci zbog skroz drugih i drukčijih vrijednosti nego su bili prije.This paper shows the relationship between written and oral literature, or in other words, aesthetic and practical functions in the novel Prosjaci i sinovi [Beggars and Sons] by Ivan Raos. Since begging is a central motif in the novel, the discourse is primarily focused on building the pragmatic functions, or to be more precise, the ways in which these professional beggars ask for alms. The main plot revolves around the protagonists who are creating their identities as heroes while revealing the secrets of their “trade”. Their inner fears about existence of various mythical creatures such as fairies, witches, werewolves, and ghosts are exposed, and the fragility of a social hierarchy comes to light as well. As other typical antiheroes, they represent their fears as their greatest accomplishments (life with fairies, the persecution of witches, etc.). The characters in the novel are just as religious as they are superstitious. No matter how hard they try to show that they are a harmonious family community, a single day without authority proves just how unstable their group is. The second part of the novel portrays social changes which occurred as a result of the generational shift. Everything old that was once the law now is an object of ridicule and everything new that was once unimaginable is now normal. Because of new, different values, characters are portrayed as heroes