Otokar Brezina
Encyclopedia
Otakar or Otakar Březina (ˈotokar ˈbr̝ɛzɪna); pen name of Václav Jebavý.; (September 13, 1868–March 25, 1929) was a Czech poet and essayist, considered the greatest of Czech
Symbolists
.
, Pelhřimov District
, and took his inspiration from the mysterious landscape of the Českomoravská Vrchovina
region, straddling Bohemia
and Moravia
, where he spent his whole life.
Almost all of the works were created during the period of 13 years, while he was working as a teacher in Nová Říše
, a small town with a monastery; he regularly visited the large library to study various books by medieval philosophers
, especially German
and French
mysticists
), and thus recovered from the shock produced by the sudden death of both of his parents. Around 1895, he pondered questions regarding the meaning of life
, and wrote his first book of poems Tajemné dálky, expressing his separation from the outer world and his seeking solace in arts.
In his second book, Svítání na západě (1896), Březina explored pain and as a way to cognition, and held death to be the key to understanding the mystery of life.. His third book, Větry od pólů (1897), show him shifting focus from his personal pain to the issue of human solidarity, as well as his endeavor to merge with the life energy of the Cosmos.; the feeling of belonging to "Everything" is more perceptible in his next book Stavitelé chrámu (where he glorified the ingenious personalities as the bearers of development.), and culminates in his last book of poems, Ruce (1901), in a vision of a magical chain formed by all hands, building up the ulterior world. Březina's sixth book of poems, Země, remained unfinished..
Březina's poetical expression, very rich in metaphors and parable
s, religious elements and philosophical and even scientific terms, merged gradually from the rhythmical alexandrines into the broad free verse
, filled with sensual images, rich in thought and musical taste. His books of essays creates the integral part of his work, and the large correspondence serves as a commentary of his creation and philosophy. Březina is also noted for the friendships he tied with other Czech cultural figures, including the Symbolist sculptor František Bílek
, the literary critic, sociologist and political scientist
Emanuel Chalupný, the poet, prose writer, and priest Jakub Deml
, and the original philosopher and writer Ladislav Klíma
.
He died in Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou
. There are various discourses and monographs of Otokar Březina, of which the arguably largest is the one authored by Oldřich Králík in 1948; an English-language study and translation of Březina, Otokar Březina: a Study in Czech Literature, was written by Paul Selver in 1921. Březina's peculiar and soaring poetry influenced a big number of Czech modern poets..
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
Symbolists
Symbolism (arts)
Symbolism was a late nineteenth-century art movement of French, Russian and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts. In literature, the style had its beginnings with the publication Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire...
.
Biography
Březina was born in the small town of PočátkyPocátky
Počátky is a town in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...
, Pelhřimov District
Pelhrimov District
Pelhřimov District is a district within the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic. Its administrative center is the town of Pelhřimov.-Complete list of municipalities:Pelhřimov -Arneštovice -Bácovice -Bělá -Bohdalín -Bořetice -...
, and took his inspiration from the mysterious landscape of the Českomoravská Vrchovina
Vysocina Region
Vysočina Region , is an administrative unit of the Czech Republic, located partly in the south-eastern part of the historical region of Bohemia and partly in the south-west of the historical region of Moravia...
region, straddling Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
and Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
, where he spent his whole life.
Almost all of the works were created during the period of 13 years, while he was working as a teacher in Nová Říše
Nová Říše
Nová Říše is a village and municipality in Jihlava District in the Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic.The municipality covers an area of , and has a population of 855 ....
, a small town with a monastery; he regularly visited the large library to study various books by medieval philosophers
Medieval philosophy
Medieval philosophy is the philosophy in the era now known as medieval or the Middle Ages, the period roughly extending from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the fifth century AD to the Renaissance in the sixteenth century...
, especially German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
and French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
mysticists
Mysticism
Mysticism is the knowledge of, and especially the personal experience of, states of consciousness, i.e. levels of being, beyond normal human perception, including experience and even communion with a supreme being.-Classical origins:...
), and thus recovered from the shock produced by the sudden death of both of his parents. Around 1895, he pondered questions regarding the meaning of life
Meaning of life
The meaning of life constitutes a philosophical question concerning the purpose and significance of life or existence in general. This concept can be expressed through a variety of related questions, such as "Why are we here?", "What is life all about?", and "What is the meaning of it all?" It has...
, and wrote his first book of poems Tajemné dálky, expressing his separation from the outer world and his seeking solace in arts.
In his second book, Svítání na západě (1896), Březina explored pain and as a way to cognition, and held death to be the key to understanding the mystery of life.. His third book, Větry od pólů (1897), show him shifting focus from his personal pain to the issue of human solidarity, as well as his endeavor to merge with the life energy of the Cosmos.; the feeling of belonging to "Everything" is more perceptible in his next book Stavitelé chrámu (where he glorified the ingenious personalities as the bearers of development.), and culminates in his last book of poems, Ruce (1901), in a vision of a magical chain formed by all hands, building up the ulterior world. Březina's sixth book of poems, Země, remained unfinished..
Březina's poetical expression, very rich in metaphors and parable
Parable
A parable is a succinct story, in prose or verse, which illustrates one or more instructive principles, or lessons, or a normative principle. It differs from a fable in that fables use animals, plants, inanimate objects, and forces of nature as characters, while parables generally feature human...
s, religious elements and philosophical and even scientific terms, merged gradually from the rhythmical alexandrines into the broad free verse
Free verse
Free verse is a form of poetry that refrains from consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.Poets have explained that free verse, despite its freedom, is not free. Free Verse displays some elements of form...
, filled with sensual images, rich in thought and musical taste. His books of essays creates the integral part of his work, and the large correspondence serves as a commentary of his creation and philosophy. Březina is also noted for the friendships he tied with other Czech cultural figures, including the Symbolist sculptor František Bílek
František Bílek
František Bílek was a famous Czech Art Nouveau and Symbolist sculptor and architect....
, the literary critic, sociologist and political scientist
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
Emanuel Chalupný, the poet, prose writer, and priest Jakub Deml
Jakub Deml
Jakub Deml was a Czech Catholic priest and writer.-Life:Deml was born in Tasov near Třebíč, then Austria-Hungary, now Czech Republic. In 1902 he was ordained Roman Catholic priest, but in 1907-1908 and after 1909 he was pensioned, partly due to conflicts with his superiors. He became one of the...
, and the original philosopher and writer Ladislav Klíma
Ladislav Klíma
Ladislav Klíma , was a Czech philosopher and novelist influenced by George Berkeley, Schopenhauer and Nietzsche. His philosophy is referred to varyingly as existentialism and subjective idealism.-Life:...
.
He died in Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou
Jaromerice nad Rokytnou
Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou is a town in the Czech Republic.-External links:*...
. There are various discourses and monographs of Otokar Březina, of which the arguably largest is the one authored by Oldřich Králík in 1948; an English-language study and translation of Březina, Otokar Březina: a Study in Czech Literature, was written by Paul Selver in 1921. Březina's peculiar and soaring poetry influenced a big number of Czech modern poets..
Works
- Tajemné dálky ("Mysterious Ranges") – 1895, poems
- Svítání na západě ("Sunrise in the West") – 1896, poems
- Větry od pólů ("Winds from the Poles") – 1897, poems
- Stavitelé chrámu ("Builders of the Temple") – 1899, poems
- Ruce ("Hands") – 1901, poems
- Hudba pramenů ("Music of the Founts") – 1903, essays
- Skryté dějiny ("Hidden History") – essays (published posthumously)