Slučaj gospođe Marković

Dragoljub Stojković

Beogradska izdavačka kuća „Portalibris“ izlazi pred predstojeći „Sajam knjiga“ u oktobru sa dosta novih naslova. Jedna od knjiga u njihovoj bogatoj ponudi je i „Slučaj gospođe Markovićke: Poslednji greh“, roman smešten na kraj devetnaestog veka. Autor romana, Dragoljub Stojković, pristao je da nas u kratkim crtama upozna sa svojim delom, čija će beogradska promocija biti održana 5. oktobra u multimedijalnoj Sali „Ustanove kulture Vuk“.

„Slučaj gospođe Markovićke“ je roman epohe. Kako biste definisali književni žanr kojem pripada na osnovu svoje tematike?

Pripada žanru istorijskog trilera ili istorijske fikcije. Takođe, bavi se jednom od najtragičnijih sudbina u Srbiji devetnaestog veka, tako da može da ponese i epitet tragedije. Zapravo, sudbine većine likova u romanu su duboke lične tragedije. Ne bih izdvajao nijedan element koji sam uveo u priču, tako da bi se knjiga mogla definisati i kao tragična ljubavna priča, jednako kao i triler.

U kojoj meri se Vaš roman oslanja na verodostojne događaje, a koliko ste mesta ostavili stvaralačkoj imaginaciji?

Roman je zasnovan na istini. Jelena Ilka Marković je 11. oktobra 1882. godine pucala na kralja Milana Obrenovića u Sabornoj crkvi i roman je nastao na osnovu tog događaja. Mnogo toga što je napisano zaista se desilo, ali zaplet romana i dobar deo likova sam izmislio, preplevši ih sa stvarnim akterima i događajima. Kako prava istina iza atentata Jelene Marković i njene smrti nije do kraja razotkrivena, ja sam se bavio hipotetičkim mogućnostima, tretirajući ih kao stvarnost. Pretpostavljam da se zbog toga ovaj roman najpre može nazvati pseudoistorijskim.

Za svog glavnog junaka Vaš roman ima ženu. Koliko ona odstupa od arhetipskog modela ženskih likova iz ostalih romana čija se radnja dešava krajem devetnaestog veka?

Jelena Marković nije glavna junakinja knjige, budući da je u trenutku radnje mrtva već šest godina. Ali je svakako najvažniji lik, uz još jednu ženu, njenu prijateljicu Jelenu, Knićanin. Obe su bile mrtve kad se radnja dešava – i jedna i druga su pronađene obešene u zatvoru i niko u tom trenutku nije verovao da su u pitanju samoubistva, kako je zvanično saopšteno. Na takav materijal koji sam dobio iz istorijskih izvora, nije bilo teško nakalemiti ostale likove i ispričati priču.

Samim tim što se usudila da puca na kralja, i to u Sabornoj crkvi, u gomili okupljenog naroda, Jelena Marković ne može da bude arhetip. Možda je i bilo žena sličnih njoj do časa kad joj je muž streljan po naređenju kralja. Od tog momenta, ona je svoj život podredila samo jednom cilju – da ubije Milana Obrenovića. Mislim da je ona potpuno jedinstven lik u istoriji Srbije – osvetnica koja se usudila da udari na samu srž države, na čoveka koji je bio neizmerno moćan i, u vreme atentata, čak vrlo omiljen u narodu.

Jedan od junaka romana je i Branislav Nušić. Da li je on zaista svedok tih događaja i koja je njegova funkcija u romanu?

Nušić je u doba atentata imao 19 godina. Svakako je znao za taj slučaj. Nekoliko godina kasnije, zbog pesme Dva raba, bio je u požarevačkom zatvoru, u kom je Jelena Marković pronađena mrtva. Zato mi se i nametnuo kao idealan insajder iz zatvora i oslanjanjem na njegov lik sam nekako uspeo da raspetljam sve ono što sam u knjizi zakomplikovao.

Vaša knjiga ugledaće svetlost dana baš u vreme kada su u Srbiji opet popularna dеla koja vraćaju uspomene na stari Beograd. Da li mislite da se Vaše delo naslanja na njih?

Dešava se u istom gradu, možda i u sličnom razdoblju, ne znam. To je otprilike sva sličnost sa onim delima koja se bave starim Beogradom, a koja sam čitao.

Da li ste imali na umu ekranizaciju „Slučaja gospođe Markovićke“ ili možda pozorišnu adaptaciju?

Teško da to zavisi od mene. Mogu samo da priželjkujem.

The Case of Mrs. Marković Dragoljub Stojković

Belgrade publishing house "Portalibris" will present plenty of new titles at this year’s "Book Fair" in October. One of the books in their rich offer is "The Case of Mrs. Markoviæke: Last Sin", a novel set at the end of the nineteenth century. The author of the novel, Dragoljub Stojković, agreed to introduce us to his work, which will have its promotion on October 5 in the multimedia hall "Cultural Institution Vuk".

"The case of Mrs. Markoviæke" is a historical novel. How would you define the literary genre to which it belongs by its subject?

It belongs to the genre of historical thrillers and historical fiction. It also deals with one of the most tragic fates of the nineteenth century in Serbia, so that it can carry the title of the tragedy as well. In fact, the fates of most characters in this novel are deep personal tragedies. I wouldn’t single out any element that I introduced into the story, so that the book could be defined as a tragic love story, as well as a thriller.

To what extent is your novel based on real events, and how much space you have left for the creative imagination?

The novel is based on true events. Jelena Ilka Marković fired at King Milan Obrenović at the Cathedral Church on October 11, 1882. The novel was created based on that event. Much of what is written actually happened, but I invented the plot of the novel and much of the characters, interlacing them with real people and events. As the truth behind the assassination of Jelena Markoviæ and her death has not been fully revealed, I have dealt with hypothetical possibilities, treating them as reality. I guess that is why this novel can be called pseudo historic.

A woman is the main character in your novel. How does she differ from the archetypal model of female characters from other novels whose actions take place in the late nineteenth century?

Jelena Marković isn’t the heroine of the book, since at the time of action she was dead for six years. But certainly she is the most important character, with another woman, her friend Jelena Kniæanin. Both were dead at the time the action was taking place - both of them were found hanged in jail and nobody believed that those were suicides, as it was officially announced. With this material that I got from historical sources, it wasn’t difficult to create other characters and tell a story.
Since she dared to shoot at the king, in the crowded Cathedral Church, Jelena Marković can not be the archetype. Maybe there were women like her until the moment when her husband was shot on the orders of the king. From that moment on, she dedicated her life to one purpose - to kill Milan Obrenoviæ. I think she is a completely unique character in the history of Serbia - avenger who dared to strike at the heart of the state, at the man who was immensely powerful and, at the time of the assassination, even very popular.

One of the heroes of the novel is Branislav Nušiæ. Was he really a witness of these events and what is his role in the novel?

Nušić at the time of the assassination was 19 years old. Certainly he knew of the case. A few years later, he was in prison in Požarevac because of his song Two slaves, the very prison where Jelena Markoviæ was found dead. Therefore, I thought of him as an ideal insider from prison and with his character I managed to untie everything I have tangled in the book.

Your book will see the light of day at the time of new popularity of books that bring back memories of old Belgrade. Do you think that your work relies on them?

The action happens in the same city, perhaps in a similar period, I don’t know. That's about all the resemblance to those works that deal with old Belgrade, and which I have read.

Did you have in mind a film adaptation of "The Case of Mrs. Markoviæke" or perhaps a theater adaptation?

It doesn’t depend on me. I can only wish for.