WHERE DOES KOŠTANA COME FROM?

Abstract

The paper points out some aspects of the historical context that can help understand the work Koštana, by Bora Stanković. The purpose of highlighting the historical context, cultural influences, and cultural engineering that preceded the premiere of Koštana in 1900 in Belgrade is to gain a deeper understanding of the characters, the work’s genre, and the work itself. The paper aims to explain what reflects the strength of Koštana’s character and why this work has survived so long and so vividly within the domestic culture. The shaping of Koštana’s work was decisively influenced by the skill of the writer Bora Stanković himself. In addition, the drama could have been formed under the influence of the Turks (directly from the Ottoman heritage or indirectly, through Western influence on the Serbian dramatic and literary scene). Based on a comparative analysis of the motifs, it could be assumed that Bora Stanković read Konstantin Leontiev and his work Pemba, and that he also had that story in mind when writing Koštana. The strength of the character of Koštana is probably based on the intersection of all of the above factors, of which the high degree of overlap between her character and the ancient mythical character of Kore Persephone seems to be crucial.