Strahinja Banović
Encyclopedia
Strahinja Banović or Strahinjić Ban (Serbian: Бановић Страхиња) is the name of the historical nobleman and knight depicted in the Serbian
epic poem of the same title.
As stated in the poem, Strahinja ruled a small district in Kosovo prior to the Battle of Kosovo
(1389).
His wife Anđelija, daughter of noble Jug Bogdan
gets kidnapped by Bashi-bazouk
Vlah Alija after Turks ravaged absent Strahinja's castle.
Strahinja asks Jug Bogdan if he and Anđelija's brothers (the Jugovići
) could help him rescue her, but Jug Bogdan
refuses, presuming that Anđelija had slept with the kidnapper, which is a great shame to the family. On his own, Strahinja seeks for Anđelija in the fictional Goleč mountain, where Vlah Alija is stationed.
Strahinja finally finds them, but Anđelija openly betrays him for Vlah Alija.
Strahinja slices Vlah Alija's throat with his teeth, as a wolf would kill a sheep and returns to his father-in-law's estate with his wife where her brothers wait to kill her.
Strahinja steps in front and tells them that he had forgiven his wife.
The greatest significance of the song is in the contrasts that arise between traditional and human:
Representatives of traditional morality in the poem are members of the Jugović family (brothers and father of the abducted Andjelija), while Strahinja is a figure that goes beyond the limits of the laid down norms and relies only on his own humanity.
Whether the addultery was intentionally committed or the woman was abducted and raped, the penalty for the adulteress has traditionally been the death. Banović Strahinja condemns the inhumanity and primitiveness of such understanding, and shows a deep knowledge of the human psyche seeing that his wife has betrayed him not because of the love of the kidnapperr, but out of fear for her own life, knowing the traditional punishment.
1981 movie Banović Strahinja
is based on the poem.
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
epic poem of the same title.
As stated in the poem, Strahinja ruled a small district in Kosovo prior to the Battle of Kosovo
Battle of Kosovo
The Battle of Kosovo took place on St. Vitus' Day, June 15, 1389, between the army led by Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović, and the invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the leadership of Sultan Murad I...
(1389).
His wife Anđelija, daughter of noble Jug Bogdan
Jug Bogdan
Vratko Nemanjić was a 14th century Serbian medieval warrior and Hero character known as Jug Bogdan in Serbian epic poetry....
gets kidnapped by Bashi-bazouk
Bashi-bazouk
A bashi-bazouk or bashibazouk was an irregular soldier of the Ottoman army...
Vlah Alija after Turks ravaged absent Strahinja's castle.
Strahinja asks Jug Bogdan if he and Anđelija's brothers (the Jugovići
Jugovići
Lapovo is a village situated in Loznica municipality in Serbia....
) could help him rescue her, but Jug Bogdan
Jug Bogdan
Vratko Nemanjić was a 14th century Serbian medieval warrior and Hero character known as Jug Bogdan in Serbian epic poetry....
refuses, presuming that Anđelija had slept with the kidnapper, which is a great shame to the family. On his own, Strahinja seeks for Anđelija in the fictional Goleč mountain, where Vlah Alija is stationed.
Strahinja finally finds them, but Anđelija openly betrays him for Vlah Alija.
Strahinja slices Vlah Alija's throat with his teeth, as a wolf would kill a sheep and returns to his father-in-law's estate with his wife where her brothers wait to kill her.
Strahinja steps in front and tells them that he had forgiven his wife.
The greatest significance of the song is in the contrasts that arise between traditional and human:
Representatives of traditional morality in the poem are members of the Jugović family (brothers and father of the abducted Andjelija), while Strahinja is a figure that goes beyond the limits of the laid down norms and relies only on his own humanity.
Whether the addultery was intentionally committed or the woman was abducted and raped, the penalty for the adulteress has traditionally been the death. Banović Strahinja condemns the inhumanity and primitiveness of such understanding, and shows a deep knowledge of the human psyche seeing that his wife has betrayed him not because of the love of the kidnapperr, but out of fear for her own life, knowing the traditional punishment.
1981 movie Banović Strahinja
Banović Strahinja (film)
Banovic Strahinja is a 1983 Yugoslavian film.-Plot:During the late 14th century Serbia becomes the target of the Ottoman Empire. While the respected Serbian noble Strahinja Banovic is out hunting, a Turkish renegade gang burns his castle, kills all of his servants, and takes the young wife of...
is based on the poem.