Sacrifice and self-sacrifice of Prince Lazar in the national epic from Christian and pagan aspects

• Main Author: Bojanić-Ćirković Mirjana D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Faculty of Philosophy, Kosovska Mitrovica 2014-01-01
• Series: Zbornik Radova Filozofskog Fakulteta u Prištini
• Subjects: Prince Lazar; Proto-Lazar; sacrifice; self-sacrifice; Christianity; paganism
• Online Access: http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0354-3293/2014/0354-32931401067B.pdf

This paper approaches the motives of sacrifice and self-sacrifice of Prince Lazar as a key to the construction of this epic character. At the beginning, consulting dictionaries and previous research, we determine the terminology and concepts of sacrifice self-sacrifice. Approaching the analysis of these motifs in the epic poems and accepting attitudes about their developmental line that ranges from medieval to folk literature, first search for Christian self-sacrifice. In the final part of the paper we provide a synthesis of Christian and pagan influence on the shaping of Lazarus motif of sacrifice and self-sacrifice with an emphasis on their share, hierarchy and function.