János Arany facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
János Arany
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Portrait by Miklós Barabás
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| Born | 2 March 1817 Nagyszalonta, Kingdom of Hungary, Austrian Empire (now Salonta, Romania) |
| Died | 22 October 1882 (aged 65) Budapest, Austria-Hungary |
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| Language | Hungarian |
| Nationality | Hungarian |
| Alma mater | University of Debrecen |
| Notable works | Toldi trilogy, The Bards of Wales |
| Spouse | Julianna Ercsey |
János Arany (born March 2, 1817 – died October 22, 1882) was a famous Hungarian poet, writer, and translator. He is often called the "Shakespeare of ballads." Arany wrote over 102 ballads, which are poems that tell a story. These ballads have been translated into more than 50 languages. He also wrote the well-known Toldi trilogy of epic poems.
Contents
János Arany's Life Story
János Arany was born in Nagyszalonta, a town in the Kingdom of Hungary. This area is now part of Romania. He was the youngest of ten children. Sadly, only two of his siblings lived past childhood.
His parents, György Arany and Sára Megyeri, were older when he was born. János learned to read and write very early. He loved reading anything he could find in both Hungarian and Latin. Because his family needed help, he started working at age 14 as a teacher's assistant.
Education and Early Career
In 1833, Arany went to the Reformed College in Debrecen. There, he studied German and French. However, he soon grew tired of school life. For a short time, he joined an acting group.
Later, he worked in different places like Nagyszalonta, Debrecen, and Budapest. He had many jobs, including teacher, newspaper editor, and various clerk positions.
Family Life
In 1840, János Arany married Julianna Ercsey. They had two children together. Their daughter, Julianna, sadly died young from pneumonia. This loss deeply saddened Arany and affected his writing.
Their son, László, also became a poet. László was also known for collecting Hungarian folktales.
Becoming a Famous Writer
In 1847, Arany won a writing contest held by the Kisfaludy Society. His winning work was called "Az elveszett alkotmány" (which means "The lost constitution").
After his famous work, Toldi, was published, he became close friends with another great Hungarian poet, Sándor Petőfi. They wrote letters to each other. Petőfi's death during the Hungarian Revolution of 1848 greatly impacted Arany.
Arany worked as a teacher in Nagykőrös. Today, the local museum there is named after him.
Later Years and Achievements
In 1858, Arany was chosen to be a member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. He later became the secretary-general of the Academy in 1865. He was also chosen to lead the Kisfaludy Society, which was Hungary's biggest group for writers.
After his daughter Julianna died in 1865, Arany stopped writing new poems for a while. He didn't write any original works until 1877. Then, he started a new series of poems called Őszikék. These poems were different from his earlier works. They explored themes like getting older and the idea of death.
János Arany passed away in Budapest on October 22, 1882.
János Arany's Important Works
János Arany was a talented translator. He translated three plays by William Shakespeare into Hungarian: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, and King John. These translations are thought to be some of the best ever made into Hungarian. He also helped other Hungarian translators. He translated works by famous writers like Aristophanes, Mikhail Lermontov, Aleksandr Pushkin, and Molière.
Epic Poems and Hungarian History
Arany's epic poems tell stories about Hungary's legendary and historical past. The Death of King Buda (written in 1864) is one of the best story-poems in Hungarian literature. It was meant to be the first part of a series about the Huns, but the other parts were never finished. Arany's works helped shape how people think about Hungarian history.
The Bards of Wales
One of his most famous poems is A Walesi Bárdok (The Bards of Wales). Arany wrote this poem when Franz Joseph I of Austria visited Hungary. This visit happened after Austria had defeated the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. Arany was asked to write a poem praising the Emperor. Instead, he wrote a poem about Edward I of England trying to control the Welsh people and their culture. Arany was showing how Austria was treating Hungary in a similar way.
His poem Dante is also very special. The British actor Peter Ustinov said it captures the whole meaning of human life.
Some of Arany's important works have been translated into English by Watson Kirkconnell and Edward Dundas Butler.
Today, János Arany is considered one of the greatest Hungarian poets. He is often mentioned alongside Sándor Petőfi, Endre Ady, Miklós Radnóti, and Attila József.
János Arany's Legacy
János Arany's works continue to be important in Hungary.
- The Arany-album is a Folk metal music album by the Hungarian band Dalriada. It is based on Arany's popular works. This album won an award in 2009.
- A postage stamp was released on July 1, 1932, to honor Arany.
- Another postage stamp was issued on September 15, 1957.
- On July 10, 2017, a special sheet of four stamps was issued to celebrate him.
Poems Translated into English
Many of János Arany's poems have been translated into English, including:
- Dante
- The Legend of the Miraculous Hind
- Years, O Years That Are Still to Come
- I Lay Down the Lyre
- In Autumn
- Retrospect
- Memorials
- The Bards of Wales
- On the Slope
- Family Circle
- The Nightingale
- Reply to Petőfi
- The Mother of King Matthias
- The Two Pages of Szondi
- Duel at Midnight
- Bier-right or Ordeal by Blood
- Becky Scarlet
- Corn Husking
- Annie with Golden Hair
- The Seamstress Girls
- Consecration of the Bridge
- Mistress Aggie / Mistress Agnes
- Imprisoned Souls
See also
In Spanish: Juan Arany para niños
