Power of Love and Guilt

Irena Avsenik Nabergoj’s research focuses on literary-historical studies of Slovenian writers from the 19th and 20th centuries, literary characterization of Jews, and literary representation of reality and truth. In 2009 she received a Slovenian State Prize for her research achievements.

• Contents: The Austro-Hungarian empire and the broader European context – Ancient and modern views of love – Maternal representations in Cankar’s works – The figure of the deceased or absent mother – Intimate confessions of love for his mother and a woman in Cankar’s literature and correspondence – Cankar’s relation to his father.

«The author leads the reader into the essential characteristics of Cankar’s literary presentation of love and intimacy and acquaints the world literary public with a Slovenian contribution to European culture that up to now has been too little known and respected.» (Zinka Zorko, University of Maribor)«In his descriptions of his intimate experiences of his relationships with woman Cankar is perhaps most subtle in showing the limitless horizons of the word in expressing the inexpressible. The author of the monograph represents an analytic and synthetic examination of Cankar’s literary texts from a literary, psychological and ethical perspective in terms of subtle artistic sensitivity and academic excellence.» (Jože Krašovec, University of Ljubljana)