Psychopathology in the characters of 'Bridge over Drina' according to the 10th International classification of diseases

Abstract

'The Bridge on the Drina' is a novel by Ivo Andrić, for which he was awarded a Nobel prize for literature in 1961. Numerous characters are described in the novel, and some of them show elements of psychopatology and provide illustrations of particular psychiatric diagnoses. Distinctive features of Andrić's storytelling abilities and broad range of his vision, both stemming from his rich life experience and his talent to convert that experience into literature, enable him to provide us with thorough and realistic descriptions of portraits and characters of people in particular psychiatric states. This article reviews the elements of psychopathology in 'The Bridge on the Drina', according to diagnostic criteria stated in ICD 10. These descriptions are not only interesting as such, but may also prove didactically useful for both students and clinicians.