About
Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, born October 11, 1825, in Zurich and died November 28, 1898, in Kilchberg, was a Swiss writer in German. A figure of literary realism, he is known for his historical novellas and narrative ballads. His late success began with the epic poem Huttens letzte Tage (1871). Among his major works are the novel Jürg Jenatsch (1876) and the novella Der Heilige (1880). His style is characterized by polished form and almost sculptural restraint. He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Zurich in 1880. Suffering from mental illness, he was hospitalized in 1892 and ceased all creative work.
* 1825-10-11 — † 1898-11-28
Major works
- Huttens letzte Tage (1871)epic poem
- Jürg Jenatsch (1876)novel
- Der Heilige (1880)novella
- Gedichte (1882)poetry collection
- Die Versuchung des Pescara (1887)novella
Key milestones
- 1871Publication of Huttens letzte Tage, his first success at age 47.
- 1880Received an honorary doctorate from the University of Zurich.
- 1892Hospitalized at Königsfelden sanatorium, ending his creative career.
Themes
History and RenaissanceReligious conflictFate and destinyPower and moralityIsolation and mental illness
Sources: britannica.com · zb.uzh.ch · onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu