Key Words: Comparatistics, Intertextuality, Essayism, Esem, Milan Kundera, Ričardas Gavelis, Laughter, Kitsch, Vulgarity, Carnevalism, Thanatos, Sexuality This comparativist thesis discusses the intelectual novel of the end of the 20th century. The study objects chosen for this paper were the works of Ričardas Gavelis and Milan Kundera. Due to the differences in the poetics of the works, it was chosen to analyze four works of each writer's large prose. In the case of Gavelis they are as follows: Vilnius Poker (Vilniaus pokeris, novel, 1989), Vilnius Jazz (Vilniaus džiazas, novel, 1993), The Last Generation of People on Earth (Paskutinioji Žemės žmonių karta, novel, 1995) and Six Ways of Suicide (Septyni savižudybės būdai, novel, 1999). From Kundera's works we picked out The Farewell Party (Valčík na rozloučenou, novel,1972), The Book of Laughter and Forgetting (Knihou smíchu a zapomnění, novel, 1978), The Unbearable Lightness of Being (Nesnesitelnou lehkostí bytí, novel, 1984) a Immortality (Nesmrtelnost in french, 1990, in czech 1993). One of the main aims of this study is to introduce the Czech reader to Ričardas Gavelis: one of the most important and influential writers of Lithuanian literature of the late 20th century. The works of this writer are not yet properly evaluated even in his native...

In this work, we have analysed the myth about Vilnius as a fallen city represented in the novel „Vilnius’ Poker“ by Ričardas Gavelis. We have looked in to the contemporary myth of Vilnius, searching for the myth of the city foundation and other ancient myths, which have been compared with the modern mythology of the city. The following analysis represents the discussion about the origin of city and some its’s problems in lithuanian culture, going deep into the myth of the Vilnius foundation and it‘s transformation in Ričardas Gavelis’ novel. One of the principal metaphors in the novel is the one showing Vilnius as a labyrinth. The fallen city and the maze take the vertical and horizontal meanings of space and the images in the novel. The characters are compared with archaic heroes, looking for survivals of the ancient myths. An individual is constructed as an absurd person. Their standpoint to God and to the city is estimating. The city is the manifestation of the modern myth, because now the myth can be everthing what is valuable to make narration.