Ivo Andric’s book entitled “Bridge on the Drina” conveys the unique historical experience of the people of modern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mixing natural and fictional stories centered around the bridge on the Drina, the author attempts to convey the influence of history on society. In other words, the writer chose this name to convey the development and connection between the lands and the people living on them. This merger concerns not only the demographic aspect but also the historical and cultural one. Thus, Ivo Andrich’s book “Bridge on the Drina” describes the integration of different cultures over several centuries and how various historical events were reflected in people.
First of all, it is necessary to gain an understanding of the historical narrative or content of the novel. This includes aspects such as historical periods, geographical scope, significant developments, and cultures that are being explored in the novel. Therefore, the narrative covers the time interval between 1565 and 1914 (Andríc). Geographically, the action takes place in two territories connected by a bridge, the central of which becomes the city of Višegrad. The primary cultures in the literary work were Oriental-Turkish, Orthodox Christian, and Jewish cultures.
In the novel, an extensive period is captured in this way, during which significant transformations occur with people living in the territory surrounding the bridge. Henceforth, the narrative provides a “picture of the world” in which these individuals existed. The illustration of the region’s complex history takes place through the prism of the everyday life of its population. The main historical event with which the literary work begins is the heyday of the Ottoman Empire and ends with the events that affected the beginning of the First World War. When providing such a close connection between these events and people, the author draws attention to how the surrounding world can transform and, at the same time, unite people among themselves.
As already mentioned, the bridge plays a significant role in the novel. This is because he mixed time and people and connected the city’s two sides, the center and the periphery, which makes him a symbol of the intervened connection. Like the region’s residents, he experienced all the historical events, cultural intersections, losses, and joys. Particular attention should be paid to the “kapija,” the bridge’s widest part, also called the gate (Crandall). It becomes a valuable part of the structure, representing a point of contact between two shores, cultures, and societies. The uniqueness of the bridge location is that it connects the Eastern and Western parts of the city.
As the narrative progresses, significant transformations are experienced by the characters and communities in the book. Hence, they grow from feuding into friendly and understanding entities that are fully aware of the uniqueness of each culture and tradition. The central colonial powers mentioned in the novel are the Bosnia Eyalet and the rest of the Ottoman Empire. They had a significant contribution to the life of people, contributing to the establishment of the dynamics of cultural and religious exchange. Moreover, it significantly affected the traditional view of life and contributed to the rise of various interactions from bureaucratic governments to nationalism and, ultimately, people’s desire to be free and independent from any imperial actions. This is because communities have realized the critical importance of cultural identity and its preservation, which also implies exchanging experiences with other cultures to strengthen society as a single phenomenon.
Initially, the relationship between the Muslim and Orthodox Christian Serbs was quite tense. Thus, the latter strongly opposed the adoption of the Muslim religion, which was once reflected in a fierce confrontation (Andríc). However, over time, these religions gradually interacted and emerged to create Slavic Islam. It is worth noting that the Turks in the novel were representatives of Balkan converts descended from Bosnia and Serbia. Ethnic, linguistic, and religious belonging played a significant role in defining or placing each character in the novel. This is supported by the fact that each represented a particular point of view on the historical events in the novel.
The author’s description of the history of the “Bridge and Town of Visegrad” does not severely resonate with other readings I have done. This is because such aspects as history, society, and culture have always played a unique role and were in interactions with each other. Moreover, despite the integration of legends into narratives, the author supports and explains the theme with historical evidence. He describes the influence of the Ottoman Empire on the region, traditions, and way of life that were inherent in individuals and religious aspects of society. It can be concluded that the novel quite clearly and well reflects the “history” of the events of those centuries while introducing an element of fiction.
The central claim of this course was that historical changes and developments leave an everlasting imprint on cultures. It is impossible not to agree with this statement, and “Bridge on the Drina” is a vivid example of this fact. When reading it, I had a profound sense of interest and involvement, and it seemed that I became a direct participant in the events described. I would use intriguing, thoughtful, engaging, and human-centered to describe a literary work. I cannot say that I found something astonishing in the novel; however, I was once again convinced of how important the interaction of cultures is, contributing to their prosperity and not decline. This historical lesson runs through the entire book, which makes me recommend it to other readers.
End Reflection
The main lesson related to our class is the value of the interaction of culture and the critical impact of history on society. The practice of Cultural Relativism when studying, observing, and learning about a culture that is different from our own is valuable because it helps to lose bias towards other communities and their culture and understand how culture affects the understanding of differences between people.
Works Cited
Andríc, Ivo. Bridge on the Drina. W. Ross MacDonald School Resource Services Library, 2018.
Crandall, Bill. “The Bridge on the Drina.”Atlantika, Web.