Superstition as a Framework for Ivan Aralica’s Novel Japundže

Abstract

The paper analyses examples of superstition found in Ivan Aralica’s novel Japundže. These beliefs are not part of the canonized religious teachings and they usually contain elements of pagan beliefs. The analysis has found belief in the power of amulets, in lucky and unlucky days, in the power of Moon, and in the possibility of interpreting animals’ behaviour as an omen of impending events. They contain amalgamated pre-Christian and Christian beliefs and, in the case of amulets, even texts of Islamic origin. Some objects, like moći od pomoći, and ritualistic patterns of behaviour, like the use of moći, greeting to the new Moon or predicting the future from animal behaviour, are connected to the mentioned beliefs. These phenomena form the framework of the novel’s plot, and, as one of the most important elements of identification, are crucial for the shaping of Stana Antolović’s character.