Page 109 - Vinkler, Jonatan, Ana Beguš and Marcello Potocco. Eds. 2019. Ideology in the 20th Century: Studies of literary and social discourses and practices. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 109
Society as Seen in Slovenian
Drama during Socialist Times
and Today
Gašper Troha
Slovenian drama of the second half of the 20th century was for the most
part critical of its contemporary political system. It thematised its para-
doxes in various ways and searched for possible solutions. In Lado Kralj’s
opinion, during this period the ruling genre was drama of the absurd,
which, with its grotesque irony, dissected the social ideologies, the social-
ist utopia that was increasingly falling apart or changing into its oppo-
site, a dystopia. The “zoolinguistic miracle play in three sets and two in-
tervals” entitled Military Secret, written in 1983 by Dušan Jovanović, is
an example of such a critique. Dr Medak, the chief of the zoological lin-
guistics institute, who is “an old-school biologist. Aficionado of the mys-
tery of the laws of nature. A fantast. Intrigued by the impossible” (Jova-
nović 1991, 56), speaks in it about his utopia—a project that should result
in the human understanding of animal speech:
Medak: We can’t get ahead of ourselves! We can’t go in head first! At-
tempting to directly translate animal speech into ours—this project has al-
ways stuttered, is stuttering and will always stutter!
Strel (stoically): It will stutter for a good while, and then no more.
Medak: For such a giant leap—in this country, the way it is—there are no
conditions! No conditions outside of us, no conditions inside us: we’re sim-
ply not ready! /…/
Strel: /…/ You’re only a small step away, a tiny shift from the abstract and in-
tuitive—into the concrete, life-like and useful.
Medak: That’s what I’ve thought for the past twenty years. Now I believe
I’ve exhausted all the possibilities (Jovanovič 1991, 59).
Drama during Socialist Times
and Today
Gašper Troha
Slovenian drama of the second half of the 20th century was for the most
part critical of its contemporary political system. It thematised its para-
doxes in various ways and searched for possible solutions. In Lado Kralj’s
opinion, during this period the ruling genre was drama of the absurd,
which, with its grotesque irony, dissected the social ideologies, the social-
ist utopia that was increasingly falling apart or changing into its oppo-
site, a dystopia. The “zoolinguistic miracle play in three sets and two in-
tervals” entitled Military Secret, written in 1983 by Dušan Jovanović, is
an example of such a critique. Dr Medak, the chief of the zoological lin-
guistics institute, who is “an old-school biologist. Aficionado of the mys-
tery of the laws of nature. A fantast. Intrigued by the impossible” (Jova-
nović 1991, 56), speaks in it about his utopia—a project that should result
in the human understanding of animal speech:
Medak: We can’t get ahead of ourselves! We can’t go in head first! At-
tempting to directly translate animal speech into ours—this project has al-
ways stuttered, is stuttering and will always stutter!
Strel (stoically): It will stutter for a good while, and then no more.
Medak: For such a giant leap—in this country, the way it is—there are no
conditions! No conditions outside of us, no conditions inside us: we’re sim-
ply not ready! /…/
Strel: /…/ You’re only a small step away, a tiny shift from the abstract and in-
tuitive—into the concrete, life-like and useful.
Medak: That’s what I’ve thought for the past twenty years. Now I believe
I’ve exhausted all the possibilities (Jovanovič 1991, 59).
