Intertextual Reinterpretations of Biblical Myths in Bashkim Shehu’s Fiction

This study analyzes the intertextual reinterpretation of biblical myths in Bashkim Shehu’s fiction, focusing on his novels The Feast and The Serpent and Other Heroes. By tracing Shehu’s recasting of biblical narratives, including Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, and the serpent, the analysis reveals how these myths are reworked to scrutinize the socio-political conditions of post-communist Albania. Shehu’s fiction illustrates a broader tendency in post-communist literature, where religious symbols interrogate oppression, guilt, redemption, and the pursuit of meaning. Through intertextuality and vivid symbolism, Shehu transforms biblical myths into pointed metaphors for both collective and personal turmoil in a society emerging from totalitarianism, offering a unique viewpoint on the convergence of religion, literature, and politics.