The construction of the character of Mehmedpasa Sokolovic in the novel The Bridhe on the Drina - Venetian Ambassadors as historical sources

This paper examines the relationship between the historical accounts of Venetian ambassadors concerning Mehmedpasa Sokolovic and his literary portrayal in Ivo Andric?s novel The Bridge on the Drina. Through comparative analysis and discursive interpretation, it is demonstrated that although Andric relies on historical facts, he creates a symbolic and idealised character that transcends historiographical limits and assumes the role of an archetypal figure.