Slovenian writer
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| Fran Levstik | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1831-09-28)28 September 1831 Dolnje Retje, Austrian Empire (now Slovenia) |
| Died | 16 November 1887(1887-11-16) (aged 56) Laibach, Austria-Hungary (now Slovenia) |
| Occupation | Writer |
Fran Levstik (28 September 1831 – 16 November 1887) was a Slovene writer, political activist, playwright and critic. He was one of the most prominent exponents of the Young Slovene political movement.
Life and work
See also: List of works by Fran LevstikLevstik was born in 1831 in Dolnje Retje (now part of the municipality of Velike Lašče) in Lower Carniola (then part of the Austrian Empire, today in Slovenia) in a peasant Slovene family.
Levstik was the first notable writer of Slovene epic prose. Among his most known works are the short tale Martin Krpan From Vrh (Slovene: Martin Krpan z Vrha), which became a classic work of Slovene literature, and the itinerary A Journey from Litija to Čatež (Popotovanje iz Litije do Čateža), the main objective of which is a literary manifesto. In the critical essay Napake slovenskega pisanja, he exposed his views on the development of the Slovene literary language.
Levstik was one of the main exponents of the Young Slovenes, a progressive and radical political group akin to the Young Czechs in the Czech Lands that challenged the then prevailing influence of conservatives, led by Janez Bleiweis, within the Slovenian National Movement. In his late years, he grew closer to Pan-Slavist ideals.
Levstik and his literary program had a great influence on future generations of Slovene authors of national liberal views, especially Josip Jurčič, Josip Stritar, Janko Kersnik, Anton Aškerc, Janez Trdina and Ivan Tavčar.
The Slovene composer Breda Šček set Levstik’s texts to music.
He died of Bright's disease (nephritis) in Ljubljana after a period of serious mental illness, which included delusions of a religious nature. He was buried in the former St. Christopher's Cemetery in the Bežigrad district of Ljubljana.
The Levstik Award for achievements in children's literature is named after him.
References
- Tauf-Register Pfarrvicariate Laschitsch. p. 53. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
- "Šček, Breda (1893–1968) - Slovenska biografija". www.slovenska-biografija.si. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
- Sterb-Register. Ljubljana – Sv. Peter. 1886–1892. p. 71. Retrieved 22 December 2024.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - Rastko Močnik: Identitete v razrednem boju (DPU) – via Vimeo.
- Fran Levstik. 1887. Ljubljanski zvon 12(7) (1 December): 1.
- Levstik Award on Culture.si Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Slovenia site
External links
Categories:
- Slovenian male poets
- Slovenian poets
- 19th-century dramatists and playwrights
- 1831 births
- 1887 deaths
- People from the Municipality of Velike Lašče
- Dramatists and playwrights from Austria-Hungary
- Literary critics from Austria-Hungary
- Carniolan dramatists and playwrights
- Carniolan philologists
- Carniolan essayists
- Slovenian literary critics
- Young Slovenes politicians
- Carniolan poets
- 19th-century Carniolan writers
- Slovenian dramatists and playwrights