The Three-Arched Bridge

The Balkan literature describes the culture, traditions and believes of the people who live on the Balkan Peninsula. The difference between two worlds is described. From one side is Western Europe and from the other side is the Balkans. One of the most famous writers that write in their works for this difference is the Albanian writer Ismail Kadare. In his works he usually uses some parts from myths and legends. One significant example is "The Three-Arched Bridge". It is based on a myth of sacrifice and creation. Every hero in the book is walking in the world between reality, myth, legend, history and dream. Each of them is presented differently, having a different view towards the world around him. Kadare tries to describe each of the characters in the book as a unique one, who carries the distinctive features of Albania. Thе pаcе of thе book is slow in thе bеginning, but quickly picks up spееd аs thе history of thе bridgе bеgins to unfold. Kаdаrе usеs thе еlеmеnts of а mystеry novеl's spooky аmbiаncе to hеlp kееp thе rеаdеr intеrеstеd in. Moreover, chаrаctеrs unrаvеl thе myths аnd lеgеnds thе bridgе inspirеd thеir аncеstors to tеll.

The lyrical hero is presented by his appearance which is an integral part from the time and place it is located. Kadare managed to do this with the help of the colorful description. It is very interesting how he describes the fear and the horror of the people from the village and the monk Gjon when they saw the dead man who was given as a victim to the three-arched bridge. The lifeless face in the black stone of the bridge could stay forever under the white mask of the lime, and in this way would remind the people of the fear from the beyond and from the victim. One so powerful legend become a reality not only because of the victim Murrash Zenebisha, but also because of his appearance, which tears the real life of the grey stone bridge with his secret about the beyond. This image stays more terrific in the souls of the witnesses. Kadare presents this traveler between the life and the death actually as a boundary between two worlds-this of the life and the one after it.

The nature is in a harmony with the heartaches of the characters. Kadare likes to use the natural phenomena as an exponent of his thoughts and ideas. In this novel, the rain is used as a frame of the conflict. From one side it makes a feeling of monotony and infinity, and from the other side it has a sense for a waiting and eeriness. We have the feeling that the rain accompanies the construction of the bridge from its first beginning. If we see the rain from a different aspect, it shows the internal condition of the main hero- a narrator, whose name is not mentioned. The heavy drops of the rain are actually his tears, which express his disappointment