Veli Jože

Veli Jože is a fictional character in Vladimir Nazor's writings and the protagonist of Nazor's eponymous Veli Jože.

Jože is said to live in the area around Motovun, Istria. He is described as being "strong as a bull and with a bushy head."[1] According to legends, in the past, in addition to people, Istria was inhabited by many giants, who were poisoned by the common people out of malice, leaving just one in each city to serve them. Thus, the giants cultivated the fields, tamed the wild beasts, and did the other hardest jobs, with contempt and belittling from the common people. Veli Jože belonged to the people of Motovun, who did not treat him nicely, and the most the giant could do to them after they hurt and mistreated him was shaking the Motovun bell tower, which he did on one occasion.[2]

Similarly to Raold Dahl's 1982 novel, Jože is described as friendly and good-hearted, as well as kind and generous. Jože is also described as being very diligent, serving and obeying his landlords, doing the hardest work, and helping working in the fields. His masters take for granted all the hard work he carries out for them, and exploit and ridicule him at that, while Jože, on the other hand, forgets about freedom, which to him is but an indistinct memory. Jože does not even realize that he is stronger than his masters, until one day, when he remembers their frightened faces on the occasion in which, after being ridiculed, he shook the tower.[3]

One day he's taken to Venice, by galley, by the Venetian provveditore. Another giant, Ilija (Elijah), is aboard. The galley is involved in a sea storm, but Jože manages to save himself. Giant Ilija, however, sinks with the ship. Before dying, he tells Jože that he shouldn't allow anybody to be his master, that he should live like a free man.[4][5][6][7]

Jože does heed Ilija, and upon returning to his homeland flees to the hills with the other serfs, where he and his friends find gold. As the news spread, even the former overlords come to help Jože. They carry out all kinds of chores for him and go home rich. When it comes to dividing the harvest, however, the giants quarrel over it because of their greed, and a fight ensues.[8][9][6]

The situation escalates and Jože in blind rage decides to set fire to a shed. The city economist, a man named Civetta, becomes thereupon leader of the giant serfs, and decides to divide the land in order to create rift among the giants, who start looking for the best piece of land and arguing over it. Civetta gives Jože a land lot, arranging with him on an oral agreement. The giants think Jože's land lot is the best piece of land, and after signing contracts drawn up by Civetta, they go down to the valley to evict Jože. Jože is angered, and in the ensuing fight kills the giant Liberat. [10][11][6]

Things get back to normal after the giants are manipulated by Civetta into becoming serfs again. When Jože returns to Motovun, just before entering the town, he remembers the words of Ilija, and decides to live the city forever, in order to live as a free man.[12][13][6]