Ismail Kadare

Ismail Kadare
Born	January 28, 1936 (1936-01-28) Gjirokastër, Albania
Occupation	Novelist, Poet
Nationality	Albanian
Period	1954 – present
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
Influences Franz Kafka, Thomas Mann, Albert Camus, Italo Calvino, Vladimir Nabokov

Ismail Kadare (Ismail Kadaré in French) (born 1936) is an 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 a Nobel Prize in Literature candidate several times. He began writing very young, in the mid 1950s. His works have been published in about thirty languages.

Biography

Ismail Kadare was born on 28 January 1936 in Gjirokastër, Albania in a non-religious family. His father worked in the civil service. He attended primary and secondary schools in Gjirokaster and he studied languages and literature at the Faculty of History and Philology of the University of Tirana. In 1956 Kadaré 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 Enver Hoxha's totalitarian regime 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 Kadaré 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 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". He is married to Helena Kadare (nee Gushi) and has two daughters.

Writing Career and Literary Themes

Kadare's novels draw on historical experience of the Balkan peoples legends, the representation of classical myths in modern contexts and in 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.

Kadaré's Chronicle in Stone (1971) was praised by John Updike in The New Yorker as "sophisticated and accomplished in its poetic prose and narrative deftness".

Kadare's preoccupation with memory and truth, though it reflects his experience under totalitarianism, also stems from his deep concern with Albanian history and how it is recorded and falsified in legend. Novel after novel centers around a ballad, a ghost story, or a heroic tale that is misinterpreted through selfishness or stupidity. In "The Three-Arched Bridge," a medieval capitalist plays on local superstitions to put his competitors out of business, even to justify a murder. In "Elegy for Kosovo," a pair of 14th-century minstrels, one Serb and one Albanian, keep singing their antique songs of mutual hatred, even when their nations are allied in a desperate struggle against the Turks: The needs of the present, Mr. Kadare shows, can be thwarted by the iron grip of the past. The implications for the Balkans today, when memories of the 600-year-old Battle of Kosovo still inflame nationalist hatred, are quite deliberate.

Misinterpretation is also a wellspring of comedy, and a dry, absurdist humor is seldom absent from Ismail Kadare's fiction. In "The File on H.," he goes even further, making raw slapstick out of the mutual incomprehension of provincial Albanian officials and a pair of Western anthropologists.

La Pyramide (1992), written in French, was set in Egypt in the twenty-sixth century B.C. and after. Kadaré mocked Hoxha's fondness for elaborate statutes, the pyramid form also reflecting any dictators love for hierarchy. The Accident (2010) was a multilayered 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. He has been a candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature several times. In the same year he was awarded the Honorary Degree of Science in Social and Institutional Communication University of Palermo in Sicily.

The Independent characterizes him as follows:

He has been compared to Gogol, Kafka and Orwell. But Kadare's is an original voice, universal yet deeply rooted in his own soil.

Selected works

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 ushtrisë së vdekur)
• The Monster (1965) (Albanian: Përbindëshi); shortly published in 1965 in the literary Nëntori 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: Kështjella)
• Chronicle in Stone (1971), (Albanian: Kronikë në 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: Kush e solli Doruntinën)
• The Autobiography of the People in Verses (1980), (Albanian: Autobiografia e popullit në vargje)
• The Palace of Dreams (1981), (Albanian: Nëpunësi i pallatit të ëndrrave)
• The Concert (1988), (Albanian: Koncert në fund të dimrit)
• The File on H (1990) (Albanian: Dosja H: roman)
• Albanian Spring (1991) (Albanian: Nga një dhjetor në tjetrin)
• The Pyramid, or La Pyramide (1992), (Albanian: Piramida)
• Three Elegies for Kosovo (1998), (Albanian: Tri këngë zie për Kosovën)
• Spring Flowers, Spring Frost (2000), (Albanian: Lulet e ftohta të marsit)
• The Successor (2003), (Albanian: Pasardhësi)
• Agamemnon's Daughter (2003), (Albanian: Vajza e Agamemnonit)
• The Accident (2010), (Albanian: Aksidenti)
• Mosmarrëveshja: Mbi raportet e Shqipërisë 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. 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.^{[citation needed]}

• Le Général de l'armée 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 rêves (1981)
• Le Crépuscule des dieux de la steppe (1978)
• La Commission des fêtes (1978)
• Le Pont aux trois arches (1978)
• La Niche de la honte (1978)
• Avril brisé (1980)
• Qui a ramené Doruntine? (1980)
• Clair de lune (1985)
• L'Année noire (1985)
• Le cortège de la noce s'est figé dans la glace (1985), set against the background of the repression of the demonstrations in 1981 in Kosovo
• Eschyle ou le grand perdant (1985, essay)
• Concert en fin de saison (1988, also published as the Le concert), edited in 1978-1981 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 à l'atelier de l'écrivain (1991, essay)
• La Pyramide (1992)
• La Grande Muraille (1993)
• L'Ombre (1994), edited in 1984-86, 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 funèbres 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 Écrivains albanais telle que reflétée 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 Dîner de trop (2009)

See also

Selected works in Albanian

Frymëzimet djaloshare, 1954

Ëndërrimet, 1957

Princesha Argjiro: poëme, 1958

Shekulli im, 1961

Gjenerali i ushtrisë së vdekur, 1963 - The General of the Dead Army (tr. Derek Coltman, from Jusuf Vrioni’s French version) - Kuoleen armeijan kenraali (suom. Seppo Tuokko, 1972) - Film: Il generale dell'armata morte (1983), prod. Antea Cinematografica, Films 66, Films A2, dir. Luciano Tovoli, starring Marcello Mastroianni (as General Ariosto), Anouk Aimée, Michel Piccoli, Gérard Klein

Përse mendohen këto male, 1964

Vjersha dhe poema të zgjedhura, 1966

Qyteti i jugut, 1967

Dasma, 1968 - The Wedding (tr. Ali Cungo from J. Vroni's French version, 1968)

Motive me diell, 1968

Kështjella, 1970 - The Castle (tr. P. Quesku, from Jusuf Vrioni’s French version, 1974) / The Siege (translated from the French of Jusuf Vrioni by David Bellos, 2008)

Autobiografi e popullit në vargje dhe shënime të tjera, 1971

Kronike ne gur, Tirana, 1971 - Chronicle in Stone (tr. 1987) - Kivisen kaupungin kronikka (suom. Kyllikki Villa, 1976)

Dimri i vetmisë së madhe, 1973

Linja të largëta, shënime udhëtimi, 1973

N‘ntori i nj‘ kryeqyteti, Tirana, 1975 [The November of a Capital] - Film: Radiostacioni (1979), prod. Albfilm (Tirana), dir. Rikard Ljarja, starring Kastriot Çaushi, Birçe Hasko and Adrian Hoxha

Poezia shqipe 28, 1976

Koha, vjersha dhe poema, 1976

Emblema e dikurshme, tregime e novela, 1977

Dimri i madh, 1977 [The Great Winter] - Film: Ballë për ballë (1979), prod. Albfilm (Tirana), dir.

Kujtim Çashku, Piro Milkani, starring Katerina Biga, Rajmonda Bullku and Thimi Filipi

Ura me tri harqe, 1978 - The Three-Arched The Bridge (tr. John Hodgson, 1997)

Prilli i thyer, 1978 (published in Gjakftohtësia, 1980) - Broken April (tr. 1990) - Särkynyt huhtikuu (suom. Annikki Suni, 2006) - Films: Të paftuarit (1985), prod. Albfilm (Tirana), dir. Kujtim Çashku, starring Reshat Arbana, Mario Ashiku and Viktor Bruçeti; Avril brisé (1987), prod. Canal+, Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC), Franco American Films, dir. Liria Bégéja, starring Jean-Claude Adelin, Violetta Sanchez and Alexandre Arbatt; Abril Despedaçado (2001), prod. Bac Films, Dan Valley Film AG, Haut et Court, script Karim Ainouz, Sérgio Machado, Walter Salles ey al., dir. Walter Salles, starring José Dumont, Rodrigo Santoro, Rita Assemany, Ravi Ramos Lacerda

On the Lay of the Knights, 1979

Poezi, 1979

Buzëqeshje mbi botë, 1980

Gjakfohtësia, 1980

Autobiografia e popullit në vargje, 1980 - The Autobiography of the People in Verse (tr. 1987)

Kush e solli Doruntinën, 1980 - Doruntine (tr. Jon Rothschild, 2001)

Nje dosje per Homerin, 1980

Sjellesi i fatkeqesise, 1980

Viti i mbrapshte, 1980 - Film: Koha e kometës / Time of the Comet (2008), prod. Kkoci Production, L.A.R.A. Enterprises.com, dir. Fatmir Koçi, starring Blerim Destani, Masiela Lusha and Xhevdet Ferri

Krushqit jane te ngrire, 1980

Vepra letrare, 1981-89 (12 vols.)

Nënpunësi i pallatit të ëndrrave, 1981 - The Palace of Dreams (tr. Barbara Bray, from Jusuf Vrioni’s French version, 1993)

Avril brisé, 1982 (tr. by Jusuf Vrioni) - Särkynyt huhtikuu (suom. Annikki Suni, 2006) Eschyle ou le grand perdant, 1985 - Film: Cendres et sang (2009), prod. Alfama Films, arte France Cinéma, Hirsch, dir. Fanny Ardant, starring Ronit Elkabetz, Abraham Belaga, Marc Ruchmann, Claire Bouanich

Koha e shkrimeve: tregime, novela, përshkrime, 1986

Koncert ne fund te dimrit, 1988 - The Concert (tr. B. Bray, from Jusuf Vrioni’s French version 1994)

Eskili, ky humbës i madh, 1990

Dosja H: roman, 1990 - The File on H. (translated from the French of Jusuf Vrioni by David Bellos, 1998)

Ftesë në studio, 1990

Migjeni ose uragani i ndërprerë, 1990

Ardhja e Migjenit në letërsinë shqipe, 1991

Ëndërr mashtruese, tregime e novela, 1991

Ardhja e Migjenit n‘ let‘rsine shqipe, 1991

Printemps albanais, 1991

Nga një dhjetor në tjetrin, 1991 - Albanian Spring (tr. by Emile Capouya)

Përbindëshi, 1991

Invitation a l'atelier de l'ecrivain suivi de Le Poids de la Croix Paris, 1991

Pesha e kryqit, 1991

Nata me hene, 1992

La Pyramide, 1992 - The Pyramid (tr. 1996)

Oeuvres, 1993-94

Vepra, 1993-94

Noël, une anthologie des plus beaux textes de la littérature mondiale, 1994

L'ombre, 1994

Albanie, 1995

La legende des legendes, 1995

Visage des Balkans, 1995

Dialog me Alain Bosquet, 1996

Shkaba, 1996

Spiritus, roman me kaos, zbulesë dhe cmërs, 1996

Kasnecet e shiut, 1997

Kushëriri i engjëjve, 1997

Poèmes, 1957-1997, 1997

Kombi shqiptar në prag të mijëvjeçarit të tretë, 1998

Tri këngë zie për Kosovën, 1998 (first published in France as Trois chants funèbres pour le Kosovo) - Elegy for Kosovo (tr. Peter Constantine, 2000) - Neljä surulaulua Kosovolle (suom. 2009)

Ikja e shtërgut, 1999

Qorrfermani, 1999

Vjedhja e gjumit mbretëror: tregime, 1999

Ra ky mort e u pamë: ditar për Kosovën, artikuj, letra, 1999

Breznitë e Hankonatëve, 2000

Lulet e ftohta të marsit, 2000 - Froides fleurs d'avril (tr. by Jusuf Vrioni) - Spring Flowers, Spring Frost (translated from the French of Jusuf Vrioni by David Bellos, 2002)

Unaza në kthetra: sprova letrare, shkrime të ndryshme, intervista, 2001

Qyteti pa reklama: roman , 2001

Shqiptarët në kërkim të një fati të ri: sprovë, 2001

Ca pika shiu ranë mbi qelq, 2003

Hija: shënime të një kineasti të dështuar, 2003

Kështjella: daullet e shiut: roman, 2003

Vajza e Agamemnonit, 2003 - Agamemnon’s Daughter: A Novella and Stories, (tr. David Bellos, 2003)

Pasardhësi: roman, 2003 - The Successor: a Novel (tr. from the French of Tedi Papavrami by David Bellos, 2005)

Kristal, 2004

Nata me hënë: roman, 2004

Poshtërimi në Ballkan: sprovë, 2004

Shkaba, 2004

Pa formë është qielli, 2005

Hamleti, princi i vështirë: sprovë, 2006

Identiteti evropian i shqiptarëve: sprovë, 2006

Muzgu i perëndive të stepës: roman, 2006

Vepra, 2007

Spiritus, 2007

Darka e gabuar, 2008 [Albanian culture]]

Aksidenti, 2010 - The Accident (translated by John Hodgson, 2010)

• Albanian literature
• [

Further reading

Kadare, Helena. Kohë e pamjaftueshme, Tirana: Onufri, 2011. ISBN 978-99956-87-51-9 (Also available in French)

External links

• Biography, from 'Books and Writers', by Petri Liukkonen