France Preseren

Born Dec. 3, 1800, in Vrba; died Feb. 8, 1849, in Kranj. Slovenian poet.

Prešeren graduated from the University of Vienna and worked as a lawyer. He began publishing in 1827. A representative of progressive romanticism, he paved the way for the development of realism and brought Slovenian poetry to the level of European literature. He utilized genres and literary forms new for Slovenian poetry: sonnets, ghazals, romantic epic poems, such as The Baptism by the Savica (1836), and ballads, including “Rozamunda of Turija” and “The Water Sprite.” His cycle A Garland of Sonnets (1834) is marked by refined virtuosity. The poem “Words of Praise” (1844), a revolutionary and democratic appeal, expresses faith in the liberation of the Slovenes and the idea of friendship among peoples. Prešeren was one of the founders of the Slovenian literary language.