Under the Yoke

Called "the patriarch" of the Bulgarian literature, Ivan Vazov is one of our most recognized classics. His work "Under the Yoke" is immortal, deeply moving its readers and profoundly affecting more than one generation. The lasting effect of his masterpiece is due to his vivid style and truthful description of the life of the Bulgarian people at one of the most decisive moments of their history - on the eve of their Liberation from Ottoman rule. Vazov did actually set himself the task of painting a broad and epic picture of the people's life. He admits that many of the episodes in the novel are the fruit of his personal memories and observations. Most of the characters are real personalities from Sopot, with other or altered names. On one hand "Under the Yoke" brings out the life of the common people, their family and public activities, the patriarchal purity and incorruption of the vast majority of them, their profound patriotism, and on the other, the revolutionary impetus of the masses and their struggle for liberation. Although this is not a history book, it gives an excellent idea of the historic atmosphere during the last quarter of the 19th century. A friend of mine says that this book is a "must" for every Bulgarian!