Mikołaj Sęp Szarzyński facts for kids
Mikołaj Sęp Szarzyński (born around 1550, died 1581) was a famous Polish writer and poet. Many people think he was one of Poland's most important writers. He is also seen as the first poet to write in the Baroque style in Poland.
About Mikołaj Sęp Szarzyński
Not much is known about Mikołaj Sęp Szarzyński's life. He was born around 1550 in a village called Zimna Woda. This village was near Lviv, which is now in Ukraine. At that time, it was part of the Kingdom of Poland.
Mikołaj came from a Protestant family. His father was Joachim Sęp, also known as Szarzyński. Mikołaj went to study in Germany. He attended universities in Wittenberg and Leipzig. Later, he continued his studies in Italy at the University of Padua.
Some people believe Szarzyński became a Roman Catholic. However, not all experts agree on this.
Szarzyński likely wrote his poems between 1568 and 1581. His brother published them in 1601. The book was called Rytmy abo wiersze polskie. This means Rhythms or Polish Verses.
Szarzyński's Writings
Mikołaj Sęp Szarzyński did not write many poems. All his published works fit on about one hundred pages. He wrote in both Polish and Latin.
He wrote six sonnets, which are special 14-line poems. He also wrote other poems, longer songs called cantos, and short writings for gravestones called epitaphs. His poetry mostly focused on religious topics. This is similar to the work of another poet, Sebastian Grabowiecki.
Szarzyński created his sonnets using a French style. This style has a specific rhyme pattern: abba abba cdcd ee. Julian Krzyżanowski, who edited Szarzyński's poems, pointed out that he often used alliteration. Alliteration is when words close together start with the same sound, like "Peter Piper picked a peck."
Szarzyński's poems have been translated into English. Steven Clancy and Richard Sokoloski did these translations.
- Czesław Miłosz, The History of Polish Literature. Second edition, University of California Press, Berkeley 1983.
See also
In Spanish: Mikołaj Sęp Szarzyński para niños
