The Intellectual and Spiritual Portrait of the Creator and Author of Oral Epic Poetry Through the Poetic Figure of Avdo Međedović

The paper The Intellectual and Spiritual Portrait of the Creator and Author of Oral Epic Poetry through the Poetic Figure of Avdo Međedović examines the creator of oral epic poetry, Međedović, with whom the era of true oral epic poetry came to an end in a time of the growing dominance of written literature. He shaped his epic expression and remained within the sphere of orality due to the fact that he was untouched by writing. Understanding the principles of epic composition, he had a vision of the poem in every moment of creation. The recorded oral material of Međedović, like all previously transcribed texts, preserved the soul and meaning of the poetry, while also confirming that orality cannot transition into written form while fully retaining its inherent aura. Međedović’s presence confirmed that creation is an individual act and that a work belongs to the one who expresses it at the moment of its fixation. This recognition corrected an injustice done to all previous creators whose singing was shifted from individual to collective authorship. The individualism of each creator did not threaten poetic convention; on the contrary, it followed and reshaped traditional heritage through its mode of creation, establishing a distinct literary opus. Remembering oral traditions, creators like Međedović, as well as his predecessors, adapted them to their poetic expression without distancing them from their traditional form. Međedović’s style diverged from the tradition through a specific technique by which he expanded his poetry, which he referred to as embellishment.