Women writers take centre stage at Prague Congress of Czech Literary Studies

Bozena Nemcova's 19th century novel Babicka, or the Grandmother is one of the most important, and popular, texts in Czech literature. The 150th anniversary of its publication is being celebrated in Prague this week at the third World Congress of Czech Literary Studies. The congress is held every five years and is organised by the Czech Academy of Sciences, Charles University and the National Literary Archives. This year's theme: "The World in Czech Literature and Czech Literature in the World".

"It was long, long ago when last I gazed on that dear face, kissed those pale wrinkled cheeks, and tried to fathom the depth of those blue eyes, in which were hidden so much goodness and love. Long ago it was when, for the last time, those aged hands blessed me. Our Grandmother is no more: for many a year she has slept beneath the cold sod. But you used to say, "Upon this earthy ball, not a soul that pleases all." If then, a few readers shall find as much pleasure in reading about you as I do in writing, I shall be content."

An excerpt from Bozena Nemcova's 19th century novel Babicka, or the Grandmother - one of the most important, and popular, texts in Czech literature. The 150th anniversary of its publication is being celebrated in Prague this week at the third World Congress of Czech Literary Studies. The congress is held every five years and is organised by the Czech Academy of Sciences, Charles University and the National Literary Archives. This year's theme: "The World in Czech Literature and Czech Literature in the World". Bernie Higgins spoke to Elena Sokol one of dozens of academics who have flocked to Prague for the congress:

"This time the congress is dedicated to the poet Vladimir Holan and the very well known nineteenth century woman prose writer Bozena Nemcova. There will be special sections every day that are devoted to Holan and Nemcova and there will also be a series of sections devoted to other areas of Czech literature."

You will be giving a paper on the highly regarded but as yet very little translated into English author Daniela Hodrova...

"Yes. I am going to be speaking about her novels through a feminist or a gendered lens. While it is acclaimed and well known among specialists of Czech literature, I feel that it has not been seen in its proper context of feminine writing."

You were particularly interested in making contact with women writers in the 1990s...

Elena Sokol

"That's exactly what happened. When I came here, I was still doing my own research on Russian literature but became very interested in Czech women writers and have completely switched my research interest to Czech literature. I focus on the contemporary women writers, especially those born after the war. They are two generations beginning with Hodrova and ending with Eva Pekarkova and I am working on a book devoted to these two generations."

This will help to spread the word about the Czech literary scene. How aware are the American reading public of Czech literature?

"I think if it's aware of Czech literature at all, it is aware of the male writers Havel, Hrabal, Kundera, and Klima."

What do you hope to gain from the congress? Is there anything of particular interest to you in the very rich programme?

"I am especially interested in learning more about Bozena Nemcova. This is because, as I've learned from my interviews with contemporary writers, Bozena Nemcova is the 'source' for them. She is the 'grandmother' of contemporary Czech women writers."