Laments

By Jan Kochanowski

The 'Laments' are a series of nineteen threnodies (elegies) by Jan Kochanowski. They are a highlight of Polish Renaissance literature, and one of Kochanowski's signature achievements. The poems express Kochanowski's boundless grief; and, standing in sharp contrast to his previous works, which had advocated such values as stoicism, can be seen as the poet's own critique of his earlier work. In a wider sense, they show a thinking man of the Renaissance at a moment of crisis when he is forced, through suffering and the stark confrontation of his ideals with reality, to re-evaluate his former humanistic philosophy of life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: DigiCat
• Release date: Aug 10, 2022
• ISBN: 8596547161165

Jan Kochanowski

Jan Kochanowski (1530-1584) was one of the most eminent Polish Renaissance poets of the 16th century and is widely regarded as the most accomplished and the most significant representative of Polish literature until the 19th century. He is often referred to as the father of Polish literary language and is best known for his mastery of the Polish poetic language and forms.Born in 1530 into a noble family in Sycyna, Kochanowski studied at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and later, between 1552 and 1559, at the University of Padua in Italy. His time in Italy exposed him to the great works of the Italian Renaissance, and he became fluent in Latin, Greek, and Italian, which significantly influenced his own work.Upon his return to Poland, Kochanowski served as a secretary at the royal court in Kraków. He was also a member of the Polish parliament, a courtier, and a landowner. Despite his duties, he dedicated his life to writing. His works covered a variety of genres and themes, including epigrams, epic poetry, lyrical poetry, and dramatic tragedy.Kochanowski's most renowned work is "Treny" (Threnodies, 1580), a series of elegies upon the death of his beloved daughter Urszula. It is considered a masterpiece of Renaissance literature, notable for its emotional depth and exploration of personal grief.Kochanowski's influence on Polish literature is immense. He elevated the Polish language to a high artistic level and set a precedent for the Polish literary culture. He died in 1584, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate in Polish literature and culture.

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Jan Kochanowski

Laments

EAN 8596547161165

DigiCat, 2022

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Table of Contents

LAMENTS

BY

JAN KOCHANOWSKI

VERSIFIED BY

DOROTHEA PRALL

LAMENT I

LAMENT II

LAMENT III

LAMENT IV

LAMENT V

LAMENT VI

LAMENT VII

LAMENT VIII

LAMENT IX

LAMENT X

LAMENT XI

LAMENT XII

LAMENT XIII

LAMENT XIV

LAMENT XV

LAMENT XVI

LAMENT XVII

LAMENT XVIII

LAMENT XIX

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

LAMENT I

LAMENT II

LAMENT III

LAMENT IV

LAMENT V

LAMENT VI

LAMENT VII

LAMENT VIII

LAMENT IX

LAMENT X

LAMENT XI

LAMENT XII

LAMENT XIII

LAMENT XIV

LAMENT XV

LAMENT XVI

LAMENT XVII

LAMENT XVIII

LAMENT XIX

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LAMENTS

Table of Contents

BY

Table of Contents

JAN KOCHANOWSKI

Table of Contents

VERSIFIED BY

DOROTHEA PRALL

Table of Contents

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS

BERKELEY

1920

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SYLLABUS SERIES NO. 122

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INTRODUCTORY NOTE

Table of Contents

Jan Kochanowski (1530-84) was the greatest poet of Poland during its existence as an independent kingdom. His Laments are his masterpiece, the choicest work of Polish lyric poetry before the time of Mickiewicz.

Kochanowski was a learned poet of the Renaissance, drawing his inspiration from the literatures of Greece and Rome. He was also a man of sincere piety, famous for his translation of the Psalms into his native language. In his Laments, written in memory of his little daughter Ursula, who died in