Abstract: Vesna Parun (1922–2010) occupies a unique position in 20th-century Croatian poetry. While her early work is often categorized as intimate lyricism centered on nature and love, a closer examination reveals a fierce, subversive undercurrent. This paper argues that Parun’s poetry consistently challenges patriarchal, political, and poetic conventions. Through an analysis of her debut collection Zore i vihori (1947) and her later existential and satirical works, this paper demonstrates how Parun weaponizes the pastoral to critique social alienation, celebrates the female body as a site of resistance, and ultimately constructs a poetics of defiant vulnerability.
i to je sloboda"
Themes and Style
Vesna Parun grew up in a small village in Slovenia, where she developed a strong connection to nature and the world around her. Her early life was marked by hardship and struggle, with her family facing poverty and persecution during World War II. These experiences would later shape her writing, as she explored themes of identity, social justice, and personal freedom. vesna parun poezija
Vesna Parun (1922–2010) stands as one of the most significant figures in 20th-century Croatian literature. Often referred to as the "poetess of love," her opus transcends simple romantic tropes, offering a complex interplay of existential questions, biblical symbolism, and a profound connection to the natural elements of her native island of Zlarin. This paper explores the evolution of Parun’s poetry, analyzing her unique position between the older tradition of national poetry and the modernist movements of her time. It examines how her work navigates the dichotomy of eros and thanatos (love and death), the role of the feminine voice in a male-dominated literary canon, and the subtle religious undertones that characterize her later work. The Subversive Lyricism of Vesna Parun: Between Pastoral
