A NARRATOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE VITA ICON OF STEFAN DECANSKI BY ZOGRAPHER LONGIN

Abstract

In this analysis, I explore the Vita Icon of Stefan Dečanski by Longin through the lens of comics studies, focusing on the transposition of a well-known story from a literary form into a proto-comic format. The Vita Icon, as a multimodal genre, combines visual, verbal and sequential modes of storytelling, resembling the medium of comic books.
Comics studies, thus, enable analytical tools for considering the visual and verbal indications of this genre. The study examines how the story is relocated within the frame of the main portrait in the vita icon, a characteristic feature of the genre. This transposition results in changes in temporality, frame construction, diegetic narrative levels, authorial voice, and commentary. By analyzing these elements, this work situates itself within the field of medieval narratology.