Značenje i implikacije riječi "podloga" u Krležinu romanu Povratak Filipa Latinovicza
The meaning and implications of the word "podloga" (Foundations) in Krleža's novel Povratak Filipa Latinovicza (The Return of Philip Latinowicz)

Summary/Abstract: In this article, consisting of four chapters of his book Interpretation of Krleža's novel The Return of Philip Latinovicz, the author explores the meaning and implications of the word »podloga« (foundations) in Krleža's novel The Return of Philip Latinovicz, which is the key-word of the novel. The first part of the article discusses two general meanings of the word »podloga« (foundations): 1) the foundations of man's life in the biological, spiritual and social sense with a set of moral values which give meaning to life, and 2) the Croatian social and political foundations and the Croatian man, as determined by the forces of biology, geography and politics. The second part of the article explores the word » podloga« (foundations) in the meaning of »the immediacy of life« (životna neposrednost), one of Philip's ideals he so passionately seeks. As »the immediacy of life« the word »podloga« (foundations) denotes an ideal and meaningful rapport with life which the main hero feels more as a satisfactory state of being than he is able to express in rational terms. The third part of the article continues to explore the word »podloga « (foundations) in the meaning of »the immediacy of life« as applied to the society of which Philip is a product. The exploration of Croatian society and Philip's connections with it begins with the peasant Joe Podravea, the representative of its most numerous and poorest class, its main foundations. The chapter further deals with the following fields of inquiry: Joe Podravec as a type-character in Krleža's works and his existential philosophy of survival; Joe Podravec as an archetype of »our«, i. e. Croatian, peasant secular backwardness: homo pannonicus (homo primitivus, homo naturalis, homo animalis, homo eroticus); the relationship between Philip's profession and his society or between social classes: intellectual, social and national identity; Philip Latinovicz: homo pannonicus. The fourth part of the artiole continues the exploration of the social implications of the word »podloga« (foundations). lt deals with Krleža's analysis of Croatian society, and especially of the aristocracy (the Honourable Dr. Liepach of Kostanjevec, Dr. Tassillo von Pacale-Kristofi) and the bourgeoisie (Jaleob Steiner, Korngold). Further, the author discusses the image of an anthill as an anthropomorphic image of uncooperative society which he finds to symbolize Philip's doubts in the harmonious life of our civilization. The image is found to be very appropriate because Latinovicz cannot imagine his life apart from the life of his social community and because the image of a world in incomprehensible commotion corresponds to his experience of reality. The end of the chapter, and of the article, is devoted to Croatian political, social and economic reality in the twenties and the thirties as a possible bacleground to the novel.

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