Feuding with modernity: Portrayal of gjakmarra or blood vengeance in Albanian popular culture

Abstract

Albania has been plagued for centuries by the act of taking blood as revenge for any perceived besmirching of honour. This practice of blood vengeance known as gjakmarra is a significant source of inspiration for creators of Albanian popular culture. Socialist popular culture intended to show this practice as evil while dissident and post-socialist creators have often taken a somewhat ambivalent stance. This article will survey, compare and contrast the depiction of blood vengeance in Albanian literature, specifically the novels of Ismail Kadare, and in Albanian cinema.