The Pyramid (Kadare)

infobox Book |
name = The Pyramid
title_orig =
translator = Joseph Vrioni & David Bellos


author = Ismail Kadare
cover_artist =
country = Albania
language = Albanian
series =
genre = Novel
publisher = Arcade Publishing (USA) & Harvill Press (UK)
release_date = 1 February 1996
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 224 p. (hardback edition)
isbn = ISBN 1-55970-314-8 (US hardback edition) & ISBN 1-86046-123-9 (UK hardback edition)
preceded_by =
followed_by =

"The Pyramid" (1995) is a novel written by Ismail Kadare, considered one of the greatest works produced by this writer, rivaling "The Garden Party", by Václav Havel. It is considered to serve both literary and a dissident purposes. Fact|date=February 2007

Plot introduction

Every sentence has two meanings - one in the novel and one that tells something about Communism. For example, the Pharaoh Cheops desires to build a pyramid so large that it will drain the prosperity out of Egypt, and an unprosperous people will not rebel. Enver Hoxha, the Stalinist leader of Albania, built the system of Communism (which ended in Albania in 1990) so that it drained the prosperity out of Albania, and at the same time ensured his stay in power.

Literary significance & criticism

Like in all his novels, Kadare uses only the pure Albanian language and does not add foreign words. This is unique to him and many credit him with restoring the Albanian language. He is one of the most significant writers who has developed the Albanian language and literature. Fact|date=February 2007

"Ismail Kadare enjoys a reputation as Albania's greatest literary voice" [cite web | title=Central Europe Review: The Three-Arched Bridge | url=http://www.ce-review.org/books/books_old_kadare.html | year=1999 | month=10 May | accessdate=2006-05-23 ]

And New York Times picked up on the significance of the "The Pyramid",

"For the pyramid, viewed by his subjects as an abiding symbol of his total and incontestable power, comes to be seen by him as a personal memento mori, a constant and paralyzing reminder that his brief life will give way to an eternal entombment in stone." [cite web | title=Land of the Pharaoh: New York Times | url= http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E07E1DA1639F93BA15757C0A960958260 | last=Bawer | first=Bruce | year=1996 | month=28 April | accessdate=2006-05-23 ]

Footnotes