Vrchlický, Jaroslav

Vrchlický, Jaroslav (yä`rôsläf vŭrkh`lĭtskē), pseud. of Emil Bohuslav Frída, 1853–1912, Czech writer. Vrchlický, a poetic virtuoso, produced nearly 85 volumes of lyric verse, much of which is sensual and affirmative. In his narrative poetry he introduced numerous foreign trends, being greatly influenced by Victor Hugo and several French and Italian poets. A scholar of great erudition, Vrchlický translated poetry from many languages. His literary influence was great, and a school of young poets formed around him. He taught world literature at Charles Univ. in Prague.