Metoda nered po nered - tumačenje ciklusa pjesama Utvа zlatokrila Branka Miljkovića / The “Order-from-Disorder” Method in Interpreting the Cycle Utva Zlatokrila by Branko Miljković

Abstract

This paper analyzes Branko Miljković’s poetry cycle Utva zlatokrila within the context of Yugoslav society, culture, and poetics of the late 1950s and early 1960s. It is based on the hypothesis that the meaning of this cycle cannot be fully explained within a purely neo-symbolist framework, but rather emerges from the complex relationship between folkloric tradition, poetic procedure, and political context. The aim of the paper is to demonstrate, through the interpretative model referred to as the “order-from-disorder” method, how individual poems articulate key issues concerning the relationship between the individual and the collective, ideology and reality, as well as the problem of freedom and ignorance. The methodological approach relies on close reading, supported by Miljković’s theoretical writings and the broader cultural and literary context. The results show that “disorder” in Miljković’s poetics does not signify confusion, but represents an initial stage in the organization of meaning, which is transformed into a structured symbolic order. The poems address themes such as the sacrifice of the individual, manipulation of collective narratives, institutional violence, and the acceptance of ignorance as a form of unfreedom, while poetry itself is affirmed as a potentially revolutionary practice operating within language and consciousness. The paper concludes that Utva zlatokrila establishes a complex dialogue with its political, cultural, and poetic context, opening up new possibilities for interpreting Miljković’s poetry.