Ιστορία vs Λογοτεχνία. Το «μυθιστόρημα» Ο τελευταίος Βαρλάμης του Θανάση Βαλτινού = History vs literature. The “novel” The Last Varlamis by Thanassis Valtinos

This paper offers a close reading of Thanasis Valtinos’ short narrative The Last Varlamis (2010). Its narrative structure is examined, and the reference to the folk song, which serves as the starting point for the entire narrative and from which the story takes its title, is thoroughly investigated. The analysis highlights the interplay between history –particularly concerning the Greek civil strife– and literary reflection. The paper argues that The Last Varlamis should be viewed as a programmatic or experimental work in which Valtinos explores the relationship between literature and history, thus positioning the text within the category of metafiction. Nonetheless, it is also suggested that the narrative does not fully exemplify the author’s theoretical positions (especially his concept of the “sense of history”). Rather, Valtinos appears primarily interested in formal experimentation – an approach consistent with the rest of his œuvre. In this light, The Last Varlamis may be best read as a “fictional essay”.