Deretic Jovan |top| -

It is critical to distinguish the literary historian Jovan Deretić from Jovan I. Deretić

In the pantheon of Serbian intellectual history, names like Dositej Obradović, Vuk Karadžić, and Jovan Cvijić often dominate the spotlight. However, nestled between the two world wars and the turbulent mid-20th century lies a figure whose sharp pen and uncompromising analytical mind shaped the very foundation of modern Serbian literary theory: .

(Istorija srpske književnosti). Before his contributions, Serbian literary history was often fragmented into specific eras or movements. Deretić provided a comprehensive narrative

History of Serbian Literature ( Istorija srpske književnosti )

This placed him in direct opposition to the leftist avant-garde. While critics like Zoran Mišić and Predrag Palavestra leaned toward formalism and modernism, Deretic clung to a hermeneutic approach. He believed the critic’s job was to interpret the writer’s intention and the text’s national utility , not just its linguistic structure.

What made Deretic’s history unique was its periodization. He divided Serbian literature not by centuries or ruling dynasties, but by spiritual epochs :