REPRESENTATIONS OF THE AFTERLIFE IN THE STORY TO THE OTHER WORLD BY BORISAV STANKOVIĆ IN THE CONTEXT OF APOCRYPHAL LITERATURE

Abstract

The theme of death represents one of the most prominent and structurally significant elements in the narrative prose of Borisav Stanković. While his narratives are deeply rooted in the traditional culture and collective customs of the Serbian people, particularly regarding death and funeral rites, Stanković simultaneously opens a space for an individualized perception of death. This paper focuses on the story To the Other World, analyzing its representation of the afterlife through the lens of apocryphal literature and folk belief. The study situates To the Other World within the broader context of medieval apocryphal writings, such as The Life of Saint Basil the New, The Vision of Isaiah, and The Revelation of Paul, all of which had a significant influence on both the oral tradition and medieval art. The central argument posits that the visionary experience of one of the female protagonists is structurally and thematically aligned with apocryphal narratives, wherein the protagonist temporarily crosses into the other world and returns to bear witness. The apocryphal framework is not merely used to depict the metaphysical reality of death but also to emphasize its psychological and existential implications, such as fear, the sense of sinfulness, etc. By doing so, Borisav Stankovic successfully navigates the boundary between the traditional and the modern, using ancient spiritual narratives to explore eternal questions of human existence: What happens after death? What becomes of the soul? And how does one confront mortality with an awareness of the self?