Alija Bojičić – Between Historical Ancestors and Epic Biography

Abstract

The correlation between a person and a character has always attracted the attention of researchers in both oral and written literature. The main difference is that researchers of oral epics always undertook detailed searches for the historical figure based on which the epic hero was created, while the latter more often recognized the writer himself and his private life within his artistic fiction. Alija Bojičić represents one of the most important heroes of Bosniak oral epics, whose action will be in the border area of Bosnia and Dalmatia, and the poems in which he appears are often classified in the uskok/hajduk epic cycles. History has offered at least three historical figures who could have served the epic singer to create this character. It can certainly be said that the oldest historical ancestor had the greatest influence on the features and characteristics of this epic hero. So far, research into the relationship between personality and character in Bosniak oral epics has focused on Alija Đerzelez and Mujo Hrnjica, while Alija Bojičić remained on the sidelines.