Abstrakt

A literary text can become space for transformation of the reader. In some cases, through the impact of content and a specific form, reading becomes not only an intellectual experience based on the interpretation of the already read text, but the very act of reading is understood as an act of metamorphosis. In the article two Croatian literary works are discussed: a pastoral novel by Petar Zoranić written in the 16th century and lacrimae, an epic poem by Ivan Gundulić dating back to the 17th century. Both pieces are characterized by the use of genre conventions to show and cause the transformation of an individual. In the novel, the character experiences transformation from a young man overwhelmed by love fever into a conscious citizen-Patriot. In the epic poem, a sinner is affected by the act of repentance and tries to return to the path of God’s grace. Reading the text can become an act of transformation thanks to the use of narrative, which is conceived as a way to organize experience by a subject who identifies the literary hero’s metamorphosis with his/her own transformation in real time.