About
Jaroslav Vrchlický, pseudonym of Emil Bohuslav Frída, was a prolific Czech writer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. A leading figure of the Lumírovci literary group, he produced about 270 volumes, including over 80 poetry collections and 50 plays. His best-known works include the collection of rural ballads 'Selské ballady' and the historical comedy 'Noc na Karlštejně'. He was also an eminent translator, introducing Czech readers to works by Dante, Goethe, Shelley, Baudelaire, Poe, and Whitman. Professor of European literature at Charles University, he was knighted in 1901 and appointed to the Upper House of the Imperial Council.
* 1853-02-17 — † 1912-09-09
Major works
- Selské ballady (1885)poetry collection
- Noc na Karlštejně (1885)historical comedy
- Zlomky epopeje (1878-1906)epic cycle
- Saint Ludmila (1886)oratorio (libretto)
- Armida (1904)opera (libretto)
Key milestones
- 1890Elected member of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts.
- 1893Appointed professor of European literature at Charles University.
- 1901Knighted by Emperor Franz Joseph I and appointed to the Upper House of the Imperial Council.
Themes
nature and rural lifeCzech history and legendslove and beautyprogress of humanitymelancholy and nostalgia
Sources: nobelprize.org · antonindvorak.nm.cz