Little is known of Urszula (or Urszulka—"little Ursula"), except that at her death she was two and a half years old. Her tender age has caused some critics to question Kochanowski's truthfulness, when he describes her as a budding poetess — a "Slavic Sappho". There is, however, no doubt as to the unaffected sentiments expressed in the nineteen Roman-numberedLaments, of varying length, which still speak to readers across the four and a quarter centuries since they were composed.
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.[2]
The Laments belong to a Renaissance poetic genre of grief (threnody, or elegy), and the entire work comprises parts characteristic of epicedia: the first poems introduce the tragedy and feature a eulogy of the decedent; then come verses of lamentation, demonstrating the magnitude of the poet's loss and grief; followed at last by verses of consolation and instruction.[2]
When the Treny were published (1580), Kochanowski was criticized for having taken as the subject of his Laments the death of a young child, against the prevailing literary convention that this form should be reserved for "great men" and "great events."[2][3]
Influenceedit
The Laments are numbered among the greatest attainments of Polish poetry.[1][2] Their exquisite conceits and artistry made them a model to literati of the 16th and especially the 17th century.[2] The Laments have also inspired musicians , and painters such as Jan Matejko.
Translation into Englishedit
A number of scholars and translators have translated some of Kochanowski's Laments into English. They include, among others, Dorothea Prall in 1920 and Stanisław Barańczak and Nobel-laureate poet Seamus Heaney in 1995.[4]
^ abcPoet's Corner: "Jan Kochanowski's Threnodies 2006-08-30 at the Wayback Machine", in Warsaw Voice, no. 43 (470) (October 26, 1997). Includes Threnody V.
^ abcdefgh"Jan KOCHANOWSKI", by Prof. Edmund Kotarski, in the Virtual Library of Polish Literature.
^ abc"The Threnodies of Jan Kochanowski". Excerpts from the book, Jan Kochanowski, The Threnodies, and The Dismissal of the Greek Envoys, by Barry Keane. Includes Threnodies I, III, VI, XII and XIX.
^"Polish Literature in English Translation:16th Century". polishlit.org. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
Referencesedit
Barry Keane, Jan Kochanowski, Threnodies and The Dismissal of the Greek Envoys.
Jan Kochanowski, Treny: the Laments of Kochanowski, translated by Adam Czerniawski, Oxford, Legenda, 2001.
Michael J. Mikos, Polish Renaissance Literature: an Anthology, Slavica Publishers, 1995.
External linksedit
Polish Wikisource has original text related to this article:
Threny
Rosslyn, F. (1997). "Kochanowski's Humanists Laments" (PDF). The Cambridge Quarterly. XXVI (4): 369–375. doi:10.1093/camqtly/XXVI.4.369.[dead link], review of Laments translation by Barańczak and Heaney, by Felicity Rosslyn, Cambridge Quarterly, volume 26, issue 4.
Bringing a Great Poet Back to Life, review of Laments translation by Barańczak and Heaney. by Czesław Miłosz, New York Review of Books, vol. 43, no. 3 (February 15, 1996). See also this reply.
Leonard Kress on translating Treny, plus Treny 5,6 and 14
Treny. Short descriptions and translation of 1 and 8 by Adam Czerniawski
Treny. The Laments of Kochanowski Review of Czerniawski's translation, by Steven Clancy, Sarmatian Review, vol. XXIII, no. 1 January 2003.
(in Polish) Treny – all the poems of the Treny series.
Tren IX and possible image of Urszula
(in Polish) Possible image of Urszula
Laments, translated by Dorothea Prall
Treny - Laments public domain audiobook at LibriVox (English and Polish)
January 01, 1970
laments, kochanowski, laments, also, lamentations, threnodies, polish, treny, originally, spelled, threny, series, nineteen, threnodies, elegies, written, polish, kochanowski, published, 1580, they, high, point, polish, renaissance, literature, kochanowski, si. The Laments also Lamentations or Threnodies Polish Treny originally spelled Threny is a series of nineteen threnodies elegies written in Polish by Jan Kochanowski and published in 1580 They are a high point of Polish Renaissance literature and one of Kochanowski s signal achievements 1 2 3 LamentsTitle page of Laments 1583 printingAuthorJan KochanowskiOriginal titleTrenyCountryPolandLanguagePolishGenrepoetryPublisherDrukarnia LazarzowaPublication date1580 Contents 1 Composition 2 Influence 3 Translation into English 4 See also 5 Notes 6 References 7 External linksComposition edit nbsp Jan Kochanowski Jan Kochanowski a prominent Polish poet wrote the Laments on the occasion of the 1579 death of his daughter Urszula in English Ursula 1 2 nbsp Kochanowski with dead Urszulka by Jan Matejko Little is known of Urszula or Urszulka little Ursula except that at her death she was two and a half years old Her tender age has caused some critics to question Kochanowski s truthfulness when he describes her as a budding poetess a Slavic Sappho There is however no doubt as to the unaffected sentiments expressed in the nineteen Roman numbered Laments of varying length which still speak to readers across the four and a quarter centuries since they were composed 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 2 The Laments belong to a Renaissance poetic genre of grief threnody or elegy and the entire work comprises parts characteristic of epicedia the first poems introduce the tragedy and feature a eulogy of the decedent then come verses of lamentation demonstrating the magnitude of the poet s loss and grief followed at last by verses of consolation and instruction 2 Kochanowski while drawing on the achievements of classical poets such as Homer Cicero Plutarch Seneca and Statius as well as on later works by Petrarch and his own Renaissance contemporaries such as Pierre de Ronsard stepped outside the borders of known genres and his Laments constitute a mixed form ranging from epigram to elegy to epitaph not to mention psalmodic song 2 3 When the Treny were published 1580 Kochanowski was criticized for having taken as the subject of his Laments the death of a young child against the prevailing literary convention that this form should be reserved for great men and great events 2 3 Influence editThe Laments are numbered among the greatest attainments of Polish poetry 1 2 Their exquisite conceits and artistry made them a model to literati of the 16th and especially the 17th century 2 The Laments have also inspired musicians 1 and painters such as Jan Matejko Translation into English editA number of scholars and translators have translated some of Kochanowski s Laments into English They include among others Dorothea Prall in 1920 and Stanislaw Baranczak and Nobel laureate poet Seamus Heaney in 1995 4 See also editElegy Lament Sapphic stanza in Polish poetry Threnody Mikolaj Rej Anna StanislawskaNotes edit a b c Poet s Corner Jan Kochanowski s Threnodies Archived 2006 08 30 at the Wayback Machine in Warsaw Voice no 43 470 October 26 1997 Includes Threnody V a b c d e f g h Jan KOCHANOWSKI by Prof Edmund Kotarski in the Virtual Library of Polish Literature a b c The Threnodies of Jan Kochanowski Excerpts from the book Jan Kochanowski The Threnodies and The Dismissal of the Greek Envoys by Barry Keane Includes Threnodies I III VI XII and XIX Polish Literature in English Translation 16th Century polishlit org Retrieved 2023 02 28 References editBarry Keane Jan Kochanowski Threnodies and The Dismissal of the Greek Envoys Jan Kochanowski Laments translated by Stanislaw Baranczak and Seamus Heaney New York Farrar Straus and Giroux 1995 Jan Kochanowski Laments translated by Michael J Mikos Warsaw Constanz 1995 Jan Kochanowski Treny the Laments of Kochanowski translated by Adam Czerniawski Oxford Legenda 2001 Michael J Mikos Polish Renaissance Literature an Anthology Slavica Publishers 1995 External links edit nbsp Polish Wikisource has original text related to this article Threny Rosslyn F 1997 Kochanowski s Humanists Laments PDF The Cambridge Quarterly XXVI 4 369 375 doi 10 1093 camqtly XXVI 4 369 dead link review of Laments translation by Baranczak and Heaney by Felicity Rosslyn Cambridge Quarterly volume 26 issue 4 Bringing a Great Poet Back to Life review of Laments translation by Baranczak and Heaney by Czeslaw Milosz New York Review of Books vol 43 no 3 February 15 1996 See also this reply Leonard Kress on translating Treny plus Treny 5 6 and 14 Treny Short descriptions and translation of 1 and 8 by Adam Czerniawski Treny The Laments of Kochanowski Review of Czerniawski s translation by Steven Clancy Sarmatian Review vol XXIII no 1 January 2003 in Polish Treny all the poems of the Treny series Tren IX and possible image of Urszula in Polish Possible image of Urszula Laments translated by Dorothea Prall nbsp Treny Laments public domain audiobook at LibriVox English and Polish Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Laments Kochanowski amp oldid 1195280969, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
