Preradovic, Petar

Preradović, Petar (pĕ`tär prĕrä`dôvĭch), 1818–72, Croatian soldier, poet, and Slavophile. His early works were in German. His later lyrics, written in Croatian under Kollár's inspiration, were imbued with Slavonic symbolism. Preradović's outstanding work was an epic poem, The First Men (1862). He is considered the finest lyricist of the Illyrian literary movement.

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Preradović, Petar 

Born Mar. 19, 1818, in Grabrovnica; died Aug. 18, 1872, in Fahrafeld, Austria. Croatian poet.

Preradović served in the Austrian Army. In 1846 he became closely associated with S. Vraz and other romantic writers. His verse collections The First-Born Ones (1846) and New Songs (1851) included patriotic and love lyrics. His poem “The Wayfarer” expressed the ideology of the Illyrian movement, while the poem “Slavdom” expressed the idea of the common Slavic heritage. The allegorical drama Prince Marko (1852) was based on the theme of the common people’s destiny. Nationalistic and subsequently even mystical motifs appeared in Preradović’s work of the 1860’s; an example is the narrative poem The First People (1862). Preradović translated into Croatian works by Goethe, C. M. Wieland, and G. A. Burger.

WORKS

Djela. Zagreb, 1954.
Izabrana dela. Belgrade, 1966.

REFERENCES

Barac, V. P. Preradović. Belgrade, 1964.
Živančević, M. “Preradović juče i danas.” Letopis Matice srpske, 1968, 401, no. 5.