Temporal Intertwining in a Slovenian Narrative

Abstract

This article, based on the assumption that narrativity and temporality are closely related, explores the Chronotope of the Slovenian historical tale Martin Krpan z Vrha (1858) by Fran Levstik. It focuses on the narrative time as presented by the epic story, as well as on the time frame in which this narrative was published. According to the assertion that literary time and place are intrinsicallysss connected, the time-line of this epic text is viewed as a constituent part of the setting and therefore the geographical location is also highlighted. The analysis of the story-line reveals that the tale, presenting three time frames clearly separated by centuries, when viewed from a historical perspective, displays cohesion and credibility despite the intermingling of two temporal settings. It is significant that the story was published in the aftermath of the Spring of nations (1848) in which Slovenians demonstrated the increasing awareness of their ethnic identity. Since scrutiny of the author’s biography reveals that this text was heavily influenced by the time-related issues, my premise is that the narrative time, viewed in the network of connections, can best be elucidated by the concepts of Chronos and Kairos. They can foreground the relationship between the narrative period of this tale, the date of its publication and even highlight the specificity of the time when the protagonist of this tale became the best known Slovenian national hero.