The thesis begins with a brief presentation of the origin and development of the traditional ballad. The ballad originates from folk poetry and was initially intertwined with dance and music. Its origins are traced back to Provence, from where it spread throughout Europe and later reached other parts of the world. As the ballad expanded to new regions and cultures, it acquired more varied characteristics. In Slovenia, it was France Prešeren who introduced and established the written form of the ballad. As an example of a traditional Slovenian ballad, I present and interpret Prešeren's Neiztrohnjeno srce (The Undecayed Heart).
The main part of the thesis is then dedicated to the interpretation of Gregor Strniša's Balada o jajcu (The Ballad of the Egg), which represents a unique modern ballad introduced during the modernist period. Due to its scope, Balada o jajcu can be understood as a cycle of ballads, as it combines three such ballads into one. The poem requires a unified, comprehensive reading, and Strniša's rich language and layered meanings offer a wealth of different interpretations. Throughout the poem, Strniša's theory of relativity is evident, perceiving the macrocosm as part of the microcosm and vice versa. The thesis concludes with a comparison between Neiztrohnjeno srce and Balada o jajcu, highlighting their similarities most noticeably in atmosphere and differences primarily in form and length.
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