The Political References and the Unfoldings of Poetic Layers of the Palace of Dreams by Ismail Kadare

Abstract

The Palace of Dreams by Ismail Kadare, who is one of the well-known writers of the Balkans, Albanian and world literature, has been subjected to many interpretations, particularly determined by non-literary categories. This novel, whose literary aspects are generally disregarded, bears obvious resemblances with the works of some writers, who are both universal and classical. The Palace of Dreams can be analyzed not only in terms of the thematic perspectives such as totalitarianism, ethnic identity/nationalism, the relationship between the individual and bureaucracy and authority, but also in terms of literary genres such as allegory, dystopia, fantastic, and uncanny. Additionally, structural categories of the novel such as time-space poetics, parallel texts (intertextuality) should not be ignored. 
 In this article, after briefly mentioning Kadare’s literary personality, The Palace of Dreams and the historical context in which he produced his works, the aforesaid thematic perspectives will be evaluated in a critical way. In addition to this, the novel will be analyzed on the basis of its relationship with genres and structural categories in question and the textual diversity beyond it will be unveiled. The issue of whether Kadare’s text is a social and political allusion, a formula for salvation, a criticism of repressive regimes or a quest for “the production of normal literature in an abnormal country” will be raised. After clarifying the understandings of generalized interpretation strategies on the text, an opinion on how the text should be evaluated or not, will be presented.