Peterson, Kristjan Jaak

Peterson, Kristjan Jaak 

Born Mar. 2 (14), 1801, in Riga; died there July 23 (Aug. 4), 1822. Estonian poet.

Peterson attended the University of Dorpat (Tartu) in 1819 and 1820. His poetry initiated Estonian national literature. In his odes he glorified the powers of nature and high moral ideals. His idylls made use of motifs from Estonian folk songs. Peterson’s poetry was not published until the early 20th century.

WORKS

Laulud, päevaraamat ja kirjad. Tartu, 1922.
In Russian translation:
Selected poems in Antologiia estonskoi poezii, vol. 1. Moscow-Leningrad, 1959.
Estonskie poetry XIX veka. Leningrad, 1961.

REFERENCE

Eesti kirjanduse ajalugu, vol. 1. Tallinn, 1965.