Motif of annunciation as biblical subtext in the poetry of Ivan V. Lalić

Abstract

Ivan V. Lalić, a poet who marked the last decades of the 20th century, belongs to the group of highly religious poets of the neo-symbolist movement. In the existing criticism, the biblical subtext of his poetry has been noticed, but some moments have not been given suf-fi-cient attention. And while the motif of Annunciation is much noticed and covered in criticism, some other theophanic aspects have been given little or no attention, even though they are precisely the context for proper understanding of Lalić's understanding of Annunciation. These are Old Testament scenes, primarily related to the forefather Abraham, Jacob, the exodus and the three young men in the fiery furnace. The author of the article devotes himself to these scenes, bringing them into connection with Lalić's understanding of Annunciation as a kind of point of resolution of cosmic, historical and personal tensions.