The master’s thesis highlights the dynamics of various forms of modern partnerships as a consequence of the changed social circumstances in the late modernity, namely 1) in the context of individualization theories which undermine the ideals of romantic love, influenced by the pressure of making a reflective project of the self (Giddens, 2019); 2) with the help of intimacy transformation theories; 3) in terms and points of view of theories that transfer the characteristics of the existing capitalist social order into the formation and disintegration of partnerships. In the second part of the thesis, Slovenian short prose is the subject of research. Based on the nominees of the literary award ‘Novo Mesto’, who in their collections discuss partnerships, five short prose collections are analyzed: Pohlep by Miha Mazzini (2018), Ribji krik by Tomo Podstenšek (2017), Razvezani by Ana Schnabl (2017), Dobra družba by Ana Svetel (2019) and Kozjeglavka by Zarja Vršič (2019). Using a motive-themed analysis, it was discovered that the changed social circumstances are reflected and mirrored in the literary representations of partnerships, showing that literary characters are powerless in dealing with the accomplishments of individualization. The male characters are unsuccessfully adapted to female emancipation, which leads to their passivity. Whereas the female characters either cannot grapple with the pressures of new choices, or the job market disables them from coexisting and managing two individualized biographies.
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