TIME IN THE NOVELS OF MILOS CRNJANSKI - Nottingham eTheses

CHAPTER THREE
ni~ht
cooin~.
he listened tother whisperin~'and
Vuk went to war and Aran&el's desire for Dafina abated
when he saw her alone, without VUk, pininc for him.
.
However, when Vuk was called to war a~ain.
Aran4el
offered his house as a refu~e
for Dafina and her
children.
His obsession for his sister-in-law is as
stronc as before. and now, livinc under the same roof.
Aran4el's sense Of time passinc is 'measured onlN bV his
crowinc desire to possess her.
His intention is to win
her for one nicht. then leave.
Vuk has a different measurement Of time when he
recalls his past and his wife.
He was more attached to
his father and the Serbian militarv tradition than
Aran&el.
He foucht in Serbia durinc the Austrian wars
acainst the Turks. and dreamt Of the time when he and
his people would be able to return home and reclaim
their homeland.
However. times have chanced and the
Habsburcs have turned their attention to the West. no
loncer encouracinc their Serbian reciments acainst the
Turks.
Vuk is discouraced and thinks that his reciment
will be disbanded and the militarv tradition which he
has inherited will be wiped aWaN bv the authorities.
His marriace was hapPN in the becinninc. but hi. wife
and children became a burden to him in the constant
uprootinc and movinc forced on him bN his militarv
career.
He measures the vears Of their marriace. in
fact. accordinc to the four times he had to leave them.