La Durée in The Bridge on the Drina

A novel approach to understanding time through the lens of Henri Bergson's 'la durée' reveals how subjective experiences of time, shaped by individual consciousness, are reflected in the lives and narratives surrounding the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge. This 16th-century Ottoman stone bridge, central to Ivo Andrić’s historical novel The Bridge on the Drina, serves as a metaphor for the passage of four centuries, witnessing the fates of Višegrad residents until its destruction in World War I. The study demonstrates that time is not merely objective or measurable but is deeply tied to human perception and emotional experiences, challenging conventional temporal divisions. By analyzing the novel’s narrative, the research highlights how characters' consciousness alters their experience of time—whether swift or slow—without breaking its indivisible nature.

Sulaiman, M. Q. (2025). La Durée in The Bridge on the Drina. Journal of Language Studies, 8(12, 2), 290–296. https://doi.org/10.25130/lang.8.12.2.15