Nikoleta Patova
Papers of BAS. Humanities and Social Sciences
Vol. 13, 2026, No. 1
Parameters of national identity
in Bulgarian Revival-period dramaturgy
Nikoleta Patova
Abstract. The text presents, in broad strokes, the main figures and events from medieval Bulgarian history that Revival-period dramaturgy uses to construct its plots. It traces how the most indisputable moments of victories and glory are omitted from the general dramatic narrative and how this narrative focuses on historically more problematic events from the past. During the 19th century, Bulgarian national identity was being formed intensively. How does the dramatic narrative participate in this process? This is the main question that the article seeks to answer.
Keywords: Bulgarian National Revival, historical dramas, theatre, Dobri Voynikov, national identity