Spatial structures of the 18th century truth

Abstract

This paper discusses the spatial structures of the eighteenth-century South Slavic allegories. The following works, which are translations, revisions or adaptations of mostly western sources, are taken into consideration: M. A. Reljković, Pripovidke Pilpaj-bramine [1767]; A. Kanižlić, Sveta Rožalija Panormitanska divica (1780); D. Obradović, Put u jedan dan. Izobraženije čelovečeskog života (1788); Gora vežestva i istine, jedno alegoričesko ili inoskazajemo videnije; Abdala i Balsora,jedna persijska istorija; Videnije Almeta derviša; Put u Vavilon, jedna aligoričeska povest; Videnije Mirsino (1793); A. Stojković, Kandor ili otkrovenje egipatskih tajni (1800); D. Obradović, O mudrosti i promislu u upravljeniju sveta. Jedna vostočna povest; Cu-I iliti filosof, iz knjige čuvstvitelnoga čoveka; Snovidenije Mudroga o obajatelnoj sili mečtanija (1818). The purpose of this paper is to examine the spatial structures of the eighteenthcentury allegories as conceptual structures which circulated among the South Slavic literary audiences. Such structures are related to the semiotic boundaries that define the zone of the hero and filter the semantic categories of allegorical pilgrimage, the aim of which was to reach the truth. The methodology used is the analysis and comparison of the works under consideration. The paper identifies the structures that determine spatial correlations in the South Slavic literary allegories. The paper concludes that the spatial axis of the Pilgrimage towards Truth allegory manifests itself as a vertical line and a relationship between the natural elements and the products of the divine or human hand, where the mountain appears as an axis mundi, the common and main spatial element of allegory.