Our Lady in Croatian Literature

Kult Blažene Djevice veoma je raširen, u hrvatskom narodu, od najstarijih vremena. U tom se svjetlu tijekom stoljeća spontano širio iz religiozne prakse u duhovnu baštinu. U svim granama umjetnosti: u graditeljstvu, kiparstvu i slikarstvu, u pjesmi i molitvi. Autor u raspravi istražuje marijanske motive u hrvatskoj književnosti tijekom povijest u svim stilskim razdobljima: od srednjovjekovnih legenda do suvremenih lirskih inspiracija, u umjetničkoj i pučkoj formi, književnim vrstama i crkvenoj popijevci. Uz najstarije pučke stihove i legende, pasionske plačeve i dramska prikazanja od XIII. do XV. stoljeća, vrlo rano se u humanizmu i renesansi javljaju i autorske pjesme: marijanske pohvale, religiozno-rodoljubne molitve, pobožni zazivi i zahvale, prilozi teološke i egzistencijalno-religiozne motivike. Taj tijek se - doduše različite frekvencije - kontinuirano nastavlja u pučkom i umjetničkom obliku do naših dana. U XX. su stoljeću marijanski motivi vrlo česti, i u književnim stilovima i u pučkoj (crkvenoj) popijevci. Zbog toga je glavni dio radnje posvećen novijoj marijanskoj motivici u hrvatskoj književnosti. Tematska su joj polja i pjesnički motivi raznoliki, teološki i religiozno bogati. Lirika zauzima središnje mjesto. Iako u njoj prevladavaju nabožne teme u tradicionalnom izričaju, ima dosta literarno vrijednih nadahnuća, moderne forme i visoke estetske vrijednosti.The worship of Our Blessed Virgin has been very spread among Croatian people since ancient times. In this light, through centuries, it has spontaneously developed from religious practice to spiritual heritage. It is present an ali branches of arts: architecture, sculpture and painting, in songs and prayers. In this paper the author investigates Marian motives in Croatian literature during the history of ali periods: from medieval legends to contemporary lyrical inspirations, in artistic forms and also in popular forms, in literature and in church songs. In addition to the oldest popular verses and legends, passion-plays and dramas from 13th to 15th century, there are also authorial poems, which appeared very early in humanism and renaissance, like Marian praises, religious and patriotic prayers, pious hails and thanks, contributions of theological and existetially religious motivation. This course - though of variable frequency - has been continually going on in popular or artistic form up to the present days. Marian motives are very frequent in XX. century, in literary styles as well as in popular (church) songs. That is why the main part of the paper is dedicated to recent Marian motives in Croatian literature. The fields of topics and poetic motives are various, theologically and religiously abundant. Lyrical poetry takes the central place. Although religious topics in it are prevailing in traditional expression, there are also rnany valuable literary inspirations, of modern form and of high aesthetic value