Pavel Vilikovský's First and Last Languages. Reflections on The Last Horse of Pompeii

Abstract

In the wide critical debate on contemporary West European and American literature there are endless reflections that should include, among other well-known names, Pavel Vilikovský’s prose. Nevertheless, we must admit with some embarrassment that one of the greatest Slovak writers isn’t still so visible in the European scenario where he would have the same role as Milan Kundera and many other famous authors. This article aims to focus on Vilikovský’s poetics through a brief analysis of one of his most famous novels that, more than others, highlights the author’s relationship with language,writing and context. This relationship emerges especially by making comparisons with similar topics we found in Milan Kundera. Such issues are particularly relevant for translation and require translators’ utmost attention.