Hollý´s Idylls – the Encounter between the Ideal and the Tradition

The idyll has an important position in Hollý´s poetic production. This type of poetry can be found throughout his literary activity. It significantly affects the way his poetic production is assesed as a whole, and it defines its place in the development of Slovak poetry. The Christmas idylls Miloslav, Vitoslav and Spasitel /Messiah/ are not only confined to the contemplation of the spiritual level of the Christmas mystery as the fulfillment of God´s plan of salvation, but they offer several interpretatory levels. They also prove Hollý´s poetic craftsmanship satisfying the most stringent poetry criteria as well as his intense relationship to the domestic cultural and the literary tradition