“MYTH IS ILLUMINATION” – THE FOUNDATION OF MYTHOPOETICS IN THE ESSAYS OF MIODRAG PAVLOVIĆ

Abstract

The paper presents Miodrag Pavlović’s reflections on myth expressed in many essays. Starting with Pavlović’s attitude towards tradition, and several of his determinations and even definitions of the myth itself, Pavlović’s views regarding the genetic links of myth and literature are analyzed in more detail, then, his perception of the relationship between myth and poetry, while, finally, his understanding is presented myths as spiritual cultural values. Through the analysis of a series of essayistic statements, as well as those belonging, conditionally speaking, to his literary and historical works. It points to the possibility of establishing mythopoetics, that is, an all-round poetic-essay, to some extent theoretical, and certainly systematic and persistently upgraded reflection on myth and the relations of myth with other cultural forms, especially with literature. Also, it is pointed out that Pavlović, obsessively thinking about myth throughout his literary career, recorded manystatements that appear to be autopoetic statements, and are confirmed as such through his poetry collections, from the beginning, written in the fifties of the last century, through poetry collections written in the mature period of his creativity, up to late poetry books.