Ismail Kadare

1
Ismail Kadare
Ismail Kadare
Born 28 January 1936
Gjirokastr, Gjirokastr District, Albania
Occupation Novelist, Poet
Nationality Albanian
Period 1954present
Literary movement Postmodern literature
Notable work(s) The General of the Dead Army 1963
The Castle 1970
Chronicle in Stone 1971)
Broken April 1978
The Three-Arched Bridge 1978
The Palace of Dreams 1981
The Concert 1988
The File on H 1990
The Pyramid 1992
Notable award(s) Prix mondial Cino Del Duca
1992
Man Booker International Prize
2005
Prince of Asturias Awards
2009
Ismail Kadare (Albanian:[ismail kadae], also spelled Kadar; born 28 January 1936) is a best-selling Albanian
writer. He is known for his novels, although he was first noticed for his poetry collections. He has been a leading
literary figure in his own country since the 1960s. In the 1960s he focused on short stories until the publication of his
first novel, The General of the Dead Army. In 1996 he became a lifetime member of the Academy of Moral and
Political Sciences of France. In 1992, he was awarded the Prix mondial Cino Del Duca; in 2005, he won the
inaugural Man Booker International Prize and in 2009 the Prince of Asturias Award of Arts. He has divided his time
between Albania and France since 1990. Kadare has been mentioned as a possible recipient for the Nobel Prize in
Literature several times. He began writing very young, in the mid-1950s. His works have been published in about
thirty languages.
Ismail Kadare
2
Biography
Ismail Kadare was born on 28 January 1936 in Gjirokastr, Albanian Kingdom, in a non-religious family. His father,
Halit, worked in the civil service. He attended primary and secondary schools in Gjirokastra and he studied
languages and literature at the Faculty of History and Philology of the University of Tirana. In 1956 Kadare received
a teacher's diploma. He also studied at the Maxim Gorky Literature Institute in Moscow.
Kadare served as a member of the Albanian parliament during Communist rule from 1970 until 1982 and was
permitted to travel and publish abroad.
After offending the authorities with a politically satirical poem in 1975, he was forbidden to publish for three years.
In 1982 Kadare was accused by the president of the League of Albanian Writers and Artists of deliberately evading
politics by cloaking much of his fiction in history and folklore.
In 1990, Kadare claimed political asylum in France, issuing statements in favour of democratisation. At that time, he
stated that "dictatorship and authentic literature are incompatible. The writer is the natural enemy of dictatorship".
Critical opinion is divided as to whether Kadare should be considered to have been a dissident or a conformist during
the Communist period. For his part, Kadare has stated that he had never claimed to be an "Albanian Solzhenitsyn" or
a dissident, and that "dissidence was a position no one could occupy [in Enver Hoxha's Albania], even for a few
days, without facing the firing squad. On the other hand, my books themselves constitute a very obvious form of
resistance". Referring to The Great Winter (1977), a novel in which he portrayed Enver Hoxha in a flattering light,
Kadare said the book was "the price he had to pay for his freedom". For additional illumination see Kadare's
commentary In the Palace of Nightmares: An Exchange with Noel Malcolm in the New York Review of Books.
[1]
He is married to Helena Kadare (ne Gushi) and has two daughters.
Literary themes
Kadare's novels draw on legends surrounding the historical experience of the Balkan peoples, the representation of
classical myths in modern contexts, and the totalitarian regime experiment in Albania. They are obliquely ironic as a
result of trying to withstand political scrutiny. Among his best known books are Chronicle in Stone (1977), Broken
April (1978), The Palace of Dreams (1980) and The Concert (1988), considered the best novel of the year 1991 by
the French literary magazine Lire.
[2]
La Pyramide (1992), written in French, was set in Egypt in the 26th century B.C. and after. In it, Kadare mocked
Hoxha's fondness for elaborate statues, the pyramid form also reflecting any dictator's love for hierarchy. The
Accident (2010) was a multi-layered novel about two lovers, whose death launches an investigation not only of their
relationship, but also of Balkan politics.
Recognition
Kadare's works have been published in over forty countries and translated in over thirty languages. In English, his
works have usually appeared as secondary translations from their French editions, often rendered by the scholar
David Bellos.
In 1996 he became a lifetime member of the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences of France, where he replaced
the philosopher Karl Popper. In 1992, he was awarded the Prix mondial Cino Del Duca, in 2005 he received the
inaugural Man Booker International Prize. In 2009, Kadare was awarded the Prince of Asturias Award for
Literature.
[3]
In the same year he was awarded an Honorary Degree of Science in Social and Institutional
Communication by the University of Palermo in Sicily.
The London newspaper, The Independent, said of Kadare: "He has been compared to Gogol, Kafka and Orwell. But
Kadare's is an original voice, universal yet deeply rooted in his own soil".
[4]
Ismail Kadare
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Selected works
Kadare's original Albanian language works have been published exclusively by Onufri Publishing House since 1996,
as single works or entire sets. The following Kadare novels have been translated into English (in chronological order
of first publication):
The General of the Dead Army (1963), (Albanian: Gjenerali i ushtris s vdekur)
The Monster (1965) (Albanian: Prbindshi); shortly published in 1965 in the literary Nntori magazine, the
novel was soon censored and never appeared on the libraries. It was republished only 30 years later.
The Wedding (1968), (Albanian: Dasma)
The Castle or The Siege (1970), (Albanian: Kshtjella)
Chronicle in Stone (1971), (Albanian: Kronik n gur)
The Great Winter (1977) (Albanian: Dimri i madh)
Broken April (1978), (Albanian: Prilli i thyer)
The Three-Arched Bridge (1978), (Albanian: Ura me tri harqe)
On the Lay of the Knights (1979)
Doruntine (1980), (Albanian: Besa e Kostandinit)
The Autobiography of the People in Verses (1980), (Albanian: Autobiografia e popullit n vargje)
The Palace of Dreams (1981), (Albanian: Npunsi i pallatit t ndrrave)
The Concert (1988), (Albanian: Koncert n fund t dimrit)
The File on H (1990) (Albanian: Dosja H: roman)
Albanian Spring (1991) (Albanian: Nga nj dhjetor n tjetrin)
The Pyramid, or La Pyramide (1992), (Albanian: Piramida)
Three Elegies for Kosovo (1998), (Albanian: Tri kng zie pr Kosovn)
Spring Flowers, Spring Frost (2000), (Albanian: Lulet e ftohta t marsit)
The Successor (2003), (Albanian: Pasardhsi)
Agamemnon's Daughter (2003), (Albanian: Vajza e Agamemnonit)
The Fall of the Stone City (2008), (Albanian: Darka e Gabuar)
The Accident (2010), (Albanian: Aksidenti)
Mosmarrveshja: Mbi raportet e Shqipris me vetveten. (2010)
The Ghost Rider (2011); an updated translation of Doruntine. It has been revised to include previously omitted
text.
Works published in French
The complete works (except for the essays) of Ismail Kadare were published by Fayard, simultaneously in French
and Albanian, between 1993 and 2004.
[5]
Omitted from the list are the poetry and the short stories.
The dates of publication given here are those of the first publication in Albanian, unless stated otherwise. Kadare has
often reworked his writings, and the newer editions may include significant differences from the original
text.Wikipedia:Citation needed
Le Gnral de l'arme morte (1963), adapted for the cinema in 1983 with Marcello Mastroianni
La Peau de tambour (1967, under the Albanian title La noce)
Chronique de la ville de pierre (1970)
Les Tambours de la pluie (1970, under the Albanian title La citadelle)
L'Hiver de la grande solitude (1973, also published as Le Grand Hiver), deals with the break with the Soviet
Union in 1960
Novembre d'une capitale (1975)
Le Palais des rves (1981)
Le Crpuscule des dieux de la steppe (1978)
Ismail Kadare
4
La Commission des ftes (1978)
Le Pont aux trois arches (1978)
La Niche de la honte (1978)
Avril bris (1980)
Qui a ramen Doruntine? (1980)
Clair de lune (1985)
L'Anne noire (1985)
Le cortge de la noce s'est fig dans la glace (1985), set against the background of the repression of the 1981
demonstrations in Kosovo
Eschyle ou le grand perdant (1985, essay)
Concert en fin de saison (1988, also published as the Le concert), edited in 19781981 but censored for seven
years, deals with Sino-Albanian relations in the 1970s
Le Dossier H. (1989)
Le Monstre (1990), a short version had already appeared in 1965 but was soon censored
Le Firman aveugle (1991), edited in 1984
Invitation l'atelier de l'crivain (1991, essay)
La Pyramide (1992)
La Grande Muraille (1993)
L'Ombre (1994), edited in 198486, appeared in French before being published in Albanian
L'Aigle (1995)
Spiritus (1996)
Le Printemps Albanais (1997)
Trois temps (1997)
L'albanie, Visage des Balkans (1998)
Trois chants funbres pour le Kosovo (1998)
La Ville sans enseignes (1998), written much earlier and edited in Moscow in 1959
Mauvaise saison sur l'Olympe (1998, drama)
L'Envol du migrateur (1999), edited in 1986
Froides fleurs d'avril (2000)
Il a fallu ce deuil pour se retrouver (2000), diary of the war of Kosovo
Le Chevalier au faucon (2001)
Histoire de l'Union des crivains albanais telle que reflte dans le miroir d'une femme (2001)
La Fille d'Agamemnon (2003), edited in 1985
Le Successeur (2003)
Vie, jeu et mort de Lul Mazrek (2003)
Dante l'incontournable (2006)
Hamlet, le prince impossible (2007)
L'Accident (2008)
Le Dner de trop (2009)
Ismail Kadare
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Bibliography
Akademia e Shkencave e Shqipris (2008) (in Albanian), Fjalor Enciklopedik Shqiptar 2 (Albanian
encyclopedia), Tirana, ISBN 978-99956-10-28-9
Robert Elsie, Historical Dictionary of Albania, New Edition, 2004, ISBN 0-8108-4872-4
Shefki Hysa, "The Diplomacy of self-denial" (Diplomacia e vetmohimit), publicistic, Tirana, 2008, ISBN
978-99956-650-3-6
Morgan, Peter (2011) "Ismail Kadare's Inner Emigration", in Sara Jones & Meesha Nehru (Eds.), Writing under
Socialism, (pp. 131-142). Nottingham, UK: Critical, Cultural and Communications (CCC) Press.
Morgan, Peter (2011) "Greek Civilisation as a Theme of Dissidence in the Work of Ismail Kadare", Modern
Greek Studies (Australia and New Zealand), 15, 16-32.
Morgan, Peter (2010) Ismail Kadare: The Writer and the Dictatorship 1957-1990, Oxford: Legenda, 2010,
Albanian translation 2011, paperback re-issue 2013.
Morgan, Peter (2010) Kadare post Communism: Albania, the Balkans and Europe in the Work of Ismail Kadare,
1990-2008, Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP).
Morgan, Peter (2005) "Ismail Kadare: Creativity under Communism", The Australian Newspaper.
Paulin Rranzi, "Personalities Missionaries of Peace" publicistic, (2011), Tirana, ISBN 978-99956-43-60-7
References
[1] Ismail Kadare, reply by Noel MalcolmIn the Palace of Nightmares: An Exchange." New York Review of Books January 15, 1998.
[2] Kadare (http:/ / kirjasto.sci. fi/ kadare.htm), from Notes and Writers, Petri Liukkonen
[3] Price of Asturias awards laureates 2009 (http:/ / fundacionprincipedeasturias. org/ en/ awards/ 2009/ )
[4] Shusha Guppy, " The Books Interview: Ismail Kadare Enver's never-never land (http:/ / www. independent. co. uk/ arts-entertainment/
the-books-interview-ismail-kadare--envers-nevernever-land-1073473. html)" The Independent, 27 February 1999.
[5] Ismail Kadar. Oeuvres; introduction et notes de prsentation par Eric Faye; traduction de l'albanais de Jusuf Vrioni ... [et al.] Paris: Fayard,
19932004
Further reading
Kadare, Helena. Koh e pamjaftueshme, Tirana: Onufri, 2011. ISBN 9789995687519 (also available in French)
Gould, Rebecca. Allegory and the Critique of Sovereignty: Ismail Kadares Political Theologies, Studies in the
Novel 44.2(2012): 208230. http:/ / papers. ssrn. com/ sol3/ papers. cfm?abstract_id=2085242
External links
Vepra e plote e Kadarese (http:/ / www. shtepiaelibrit. com/ store/ sq/ 61-vepra-e-kadarese)
Biography (http:/ / kirjasto. sci. fi/ kadare. htm), from 'Books and Writers', by Petri Liukkonen
National Library of Albania (http:/ / www. bksh. al/ adlib/ scripts/ wwwopac. exe?& DATABASE=all&
OPAC_URL=/ adlib/ beginner/ index_al. html& LANGUAGE=1& l1=Kadare,+ Ismail& LIMIT=50)
Shusha Guppy (Summer 1998). "Ismail Kadare, The Art of Fiction No. 153" (http:/ / www. theparisreview. org/
interviews/ 1105/ the-art-of-fiction-no-153-ismail-kadare). The Paris Review.
Article Sources and Contributors
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Article Sources and Contributors
Ismail Kadare Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=611214254 Contributors: ABXDataLogic, ANZLitLovers, Accotink2, Aeternus, Ajde, Albinfo, Alex Middleton,
AndyTheGrump, Anna Roy, Anna Sonze, Anthrophilos, Antidiskriminator, Artist In Flight, Attilios, AustralianMelodrama, Axeman89, Bardhylius, BartlebytheScrivener, Bensin, Bess2009,
BluePlatypus, Bruxism, CUSENZA Mario, Canderson7, Cassandro, ChrisGualtieri, Closedmouth, CommonsDelinker, Connormah, CopperSquare, D6, Deckiller, Declan Clam, Demiurge,
DemocraticLuntz, DesireGv, Dilane, Dimror, Dmitri Lytov, Dori, Drmies, EamonnPKeane, Epicurus B., Epp, Erreterr, Everyking, Evlekis, Explendido Rocha, Felix Folio Secundus, Ferick,
Future Perfect at Sunrise, Gabriel Roth, Gedamara, GoingBatty, Green Cardamom, Haakon, Haaqfun, Hadija, Halihulo, Hede2000, Ilir pz, Irregulargalaxies, Irvi Hyka, JBellis, Jackbars, Jakec,
Javits2000, Jim1138, Joao Xavier, Joy, Kedadi, Khazar2, Kkoka26, Kmccook, Koavf, Kpjas, Lendorien, Leszek Jaczuk, LibLord, Llorando, Lockley, Lotje, Luctor, Luzzy fogic, MER-C,
MacedonianBoy, Mahlered, MaksBaric, Mani1, Manuel Trujillo Berges, Marek69, MasterofPuppets123, Maximus Rex, Mboverload, Mig11, Ministerpumpkin, Mmblanco, Monegasque, MrBill3,
NOAH, Naniwako, Navisliburnia, Niceguyedc, Nnh, Norm mit, Ohconfucius, Olga Sala, Omnipaedista, Ottawahitech, Owen, P4k, Philhellenism, Piano non troppo, Pinar, Piolinfax, PoccilScript,
Pristino, Puli, RHB, Rereward, Rinstinkt, Roltz, Rydel, SDC, Sadads, Sayhellotomylittlefriend, Ser Amantio di Nicolao, Serialdeviant, ShakingSpirit, ShelfSkewed, Shikuesi3, Shmilyshy,
Shpatari, Sophus Bie, Spencer, SteveStrummer, Still, Sulmues, Sus scrofa, Ted Wilkes, Thanatos666, TonyTheTiger, Ubxer, Vanjagenije, Varlaam, Victuallers, Vinie007, Waacstats,
Woohookitty, Writtenright, ZjarriRrethues, , 227 anonymous edits
Image Sources, Licenses and Contributors
File:Ismail Kadare.jpg Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Ismail_Kadare.jpg License: GNU Free Documentation License Contributors: EugeneZelenko, Wst, 1 anonymous
edits
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