Between East and West: Serb and Hungarian Modernism During the Fin de Siècle (Accepted)

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Abstract (max. 250 words):
The journalist and “poet laureate” of Hungarian modernism, Endre Ady (1877-1919), was the first to distinguish between the idea of a rebellious, “Asian nomadic” mentality and Hungary’s cultural backwardness within the concept of “Hungarianness.” Inspired by Ady’s transmission of Western culture, the expressionist Serb author and poet, Miloš Crnjanski (1893-1977), similarly sought to reconcile the Orthodox Serb Church’s stance with aspects of Western culture. The aim of this lecture is to demonstrate how Ady and Hungarian modernism influenced Serb literature at a time when both cultures found themselves at a crossroads and took the third route of preserving those Eastern traditions that proved compatible with progressive, Western values instead of choosing either East or West. It is therefore no surprise that Ady and the Hungarian age of reform provided a reference point for Veljko Petrović (1884-1967) and Miloš Crnjanski when they formulated their ideas regarding this “third route,” a venture during which Serb authors would “shoulder to shoulder” with Hungarian authors. Endre Ady’s influence also led Serb authors to experience a deepening of their identity that in turn reaffirmed their commitment to modernism. This latter process was greatly enhanced by the translation of modern Serb poetry into Hungarian, a factor that enabled Serb modernism to turn toward the West, yet still maintain its Eastern traditions.




Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Since 2000, Nikola Lasztity has been an Adjunct Professor at Eötvös Loránd University’s Faculty of Primary and Preschool Education (ELTE TÓK), in Budapest, Hungary. After attaining his degree in Serb-Croatian Studies in 1996 at ELTE BTK, he began conducting academic research mainly in the field of nineteenth-century Serb literature before turning his attention to modern Serb poetry. He defended his doctoral dissertation, An Introduction to the Poetry of Branko Miljkovic, in 2004. His most significant publications to date are entitled Serb-Hungarian Connections: A Compendium (2012) and Serb Civilization: University Notes (2015).