Literature
Letterature · 872 articles · Principal contributors · All subjects-
Thomson, James
THOMSON, JAMES. - English poet, b. at Ednam, in Scotland, in Sept. 1700, d. at Richmond on 27 Aug. 1748. In 1730 he accompanied to France… -
Tirso de Molina
TIRSO DE MOLINA. - Poet, b. in Madrid in March 1584 (and not 1570, as has been erroneously repeated), d. in the convent of Soria on 12… -
Tolomei, Claudio
TOLOMEI, CLAUDIO. - Man of letters, b. in Siena in 1492, d. in Rome on 23 March 1555. Exiled from his homeland in 1526 for his Medicean… -
Tolstoy, Lev Nikoláevič (TOLSTÓJ, LEV NIKOLÁEVIČ)
TOLSTOY, LEV NIKOLÁEVIČ. - Russian writer, b. at Yasnaya Polyana on 26 Aug. 1828, d. at Astapovo on 7 Nov. 1910. Left an orphan, he was… -
Tomasino De' Cerchiaris (Thomasin De' Cerclaria, De' Zirclaria, Von Zirclare) (TOMASINO DE' CERCHIARI (THOMASIN DE' CERCLARIA, DE' ZIRCLARIA, VON ZIRCLARE))
TOMASINO DE' CERCHIARIS (Thomasin De' Cerclaria, De' Zirclaria, Von Zirclare). - Born probably at Cividale a few years before 1188, died… -
Tommaseo, Niccolò
TOMMASEO, NICCOLÒ. - Writer and politician, b. at Šibenik on 9 Oct. 1802, d. at Florence on 1 May 1874. After completing his early studies… -
Toraldo, Giuseppe
TORALDO, GIUSEPPE. - Man of letters, b. of a marquisal family at Tropea, in Calabria, on 17 March 1809, d. there on 14 April 1899. He… -
Torelli, Giuseppe
TORELLI, GIUSEPPE. - Journalist and politician, b. at Recetto Novarese on 13 Dec. 1816, d. at Turin on 25 Apr. 1866. He began his literary… -
Torini, Angelo (Agnolo di Torino de' Bencivenni da Florence) (TORINI, ANGELO (AGNOLO DI TORINO DE' BENCIVENNI DA FIRENZE))
TORINI, Angelo (Agnolo di Torino de' Bencivenni da Florence). - Moralist and religious poet, born at the beginning and died at the end of… -
Torti, Giovanni
TORTI, GIOVANNI. - Poet, b. in Milan on 24 June 1774, d. in Genoa on 15 Feb. 1852. He was a pupil of Parini, and held several offices in… -
Tosatti, Maria Barbara
TOSATTI, MARIA BARBARA. - Poet, b. 4 Nov. 1891 at S. Felice sul Panaro (Modena), d. in Rome 17 Apr. 1934. A woman of exquisite… -
Tozzi, Federico
TOZZI, FEDERICO. - Writer, b. in Siena on January 1, 1883, d. in Rome on March 21, 1920. He moved from his native city after complex and… -
Trilussa (Pseudonym of Carlo Alberto Salustri) (TRILUSSA (PSEUDONIMO DI CARLO ALBERTO SALUSTRÌ))
TRILUSSA (Pseudonym of Carlo Alberto Salustri). - Poet, b. in Rome on 25 Oct. 1873, d. there on 21 Dec. 1950, a few weeks after his… -
Trissino, Gian Giorgio
TRISSINO, GIAN GIORGIO. - Man of letters, b. at Vicenza on 8 July 1478, d. at Rome on 8 Dec. 1550. Alternating his studies with the duties… -
Turgenev, Ivan Sergeevich (TURGENEV, IVAN SERGEEVIĆ)
TURGENEV, IVAN SERGEEVICH. - Russian writer, b. at Orel on 28 Oct. 1818, d. on 22 Aug. 1883 at Bougival in France. He spent a great part of… -
Uberti, Fazio degli
UBERTI, FAZIO degli. - Poet, descendant of a noble Ghibelline family of Florence, b. in Pisa in the first decade of the 14th century, d.… -
Uguccione of Lodi (UGUCCIONE DA LODI)
UGUCCIONE OF LODI. - A man of arms and of letters who lived between the last decades of the 12th century and the first of the 13th, born… -
Uhland, Ludwig
UHLAND, LUDWIG. - German writer, b. 26 April 1787 in Tübingen, d. there 13 Nov. 1862. Together with Justinus Kerner and others he… -
Unamuno, Miguel de
UNAMUNO, MIGUEL DE. - Spanish writer, b. in Bilbao on 29 Sept. 1864, d. in Salamanca on 31 Dec. 1937. He taught Greek literature at the… -
Undset, Sigrid
UNDSET, SIGRID. - Norwegian novelist, b. at Kallundborg (Denmark) on 20 May 1882, d. at Lillehammer (Norway) on 10 June 1949. Her father… -
Valdés, Juan de
VALDÉS, JUAN de. - Spanish man of letters and writer, son of a Ferdinand and brother of Alfonso (d. 1532) who was imperial secretary and… -
Valdivielso, José de
VALDIVIELSO, José de. - Spanish poet, b. in Toledo around 1560, d. in Madrid on June 19, 1638. A priest and chaplain, first to Cardinal… -
Valera y Alcalá Galiano, Juan
VALERA Y ALCALÁ GALIANO, JUAN. - Spanish writer and diplomat, b. at Cabra on 18 Oct. 1824, d. at Madrid on 18 Apr. 1905. He was the nephew… -
Valéry, Paul
VALÉRY, PAUL. - French writer and poet, b. at Sète on 30 Oct. 1871, d. at Paris on 20 July 1945. Having lived almost always in Paris, in… -
Varano, Alfonso
VARANO, ALFONSO. - Writer, b. in Ferrara on 13 Dec. 1705, d. there on 18 June 1788. A pupil of Abbot Tagliazucchi at the Modenese College… -
Vega Carpio, Lope Félix de (VEGA CARPÍO, LOPE FELIX DE)
VEGA CARPIO, LOPE FÉLIX DE. - Poet, b. in Madrid on 25 Nov. 1562, d. there on 27 Aug. 1635. Of modest family circumstances, a pupil at the… -
Verdaguer i Santaló, Jacint (VERDAGUER I SANTALÒ, JACINT)
VERDAGUER I SANTALÓ, JACINT. - Catalan priest and poet, b. at Folgaroles on 17 May 1845, d. at Vallvidriera on 10 June 1902. From his many… -
Verga, Giovanni
VERGA, GIOVANNI. - Writer, b. at Catania on 31 Aug. 1840, d. there on 27 Jan. 1922. While still very young he wrote historical novels of… -
Verismo
VERISMO. - If by v. in literature one means an icastic representation of characters or situations, one may say that such a form has never… -
Verlaine, Paul
VERLAINE, PAUL. - Poet and initiator of the French Symbolist movement, b. at Metz on 30 March 1844, d. at Paris on 8 Jan. 1896. In Paris,… -
Verri, Alessandro
VERRI, ALESSANDRO. - Man of letters, b. in Milan on 9 Nov. 1741, d. in Rome on 23 Sept. 1816. At first a follower, together with his… -
Verschaeve, Cyriel
VERSCHAEVE, CYRIEL. - Flemish priest and spiritual poet, b. at Ardooie (West Flanders) on 30 April 1874, d. in exile at Hall (Tyrol) on 8… -
Vettori, Pietro
VETTORI, PIETRO. - Born in Florence in 1499, died there in 1585, after a life entirely devoted to study, except for a false start in… -
Veuillot, Louis
VEUILLOT, LOUIS. - French journalist and writer, b. at Boynes (Loiret) on 11 Oct. 1813, d. at Paris on 7 Apr. 1883. His father was a poor… -
Vicente, Gil
VICENTE, GIL. - Portuguese writer, b. perhaps in 1465 and d. certainly before 1540. He is the greatest playwright of his country and one of… -
Vida, Girolamo
VIDA, GIROLAMO. - Bishop and poet, b. in 1490 at Cremona, d. at Alba on 27 Sept. 1566. He entered the Canons Regular of the Congregation of… -
Vigny, Alfred de
VIGNY, ALFRED de. - French poet, b. at Loches on 27 March 1797 of a noble family, d. at Maine-Guiraud on 17 Sept. 1863. He belonged to the… -
Villon, François
VILLON, FRANÇOIS. - A name coined (from that of his protector, the chaplain Giovanni di V.) from François de Montcorbier, called des Loges,… -
Virgil (VIRGILIO)
VIRGIL. - P. Virgilius Maro (ancient form: Vergilius, cf. F. Ritschl, Opuscula philologica, II, p. 779 ff.) is the greatest poet of the… -
Volk, Wilhelm Gustav (Pseudonym: Ludwig Clarus) (VOLK, WILHELM GUSTAV (PSEUDONIMO: LUDWIG CLARUS))
VOLK, Wilhelm Gustav (Pseudonym: Ludwig Clarus). - Prolific writer, convert, b. 25 Jan. 1804 at Halberstadt, d. at Erfurt on 17 March 1869.… -
Voltaire, François-Marie Arouet
VOLTAIRE, FRANÇOIS-MARIE AROUET. - Man of letters, b. in Paris on 21 Nov. 1694 and d. there on 30 May 1778. At the age of 24 he assumed the… -
Vondel, Joost van den
VONDEL, JOOST VAN DEN. - Dutch national poet, b. in Cologne to Flemish parents on 17 Nov. 1587, d. in Amsterdam on 5 Feb. 1679. A prolific… -
Vrchlický, Jaroslav (VRCHLICKY, JAROSLAV)
VRCHLICKÝ, JAROSLAV. - Pseudonym of Emil Frida, the most famous Czech poet, b. at Louny on 17 Feb. 1853, d. at Domazlice on 9 Sept. 1912.… -
Wackenroder, Wilhelm Heinrich
WACKENRODER, WILHELM HEINRICH. - Writer, b. in Berlin on 13 July 1773, d. there on 20 Feb. 1798. Historically he forms part, together with… -
Wagner, Richard
WAGNER, RICHARD. - Musician, Protestant, b. in Leipzig on May 22, 1813, d. in Venice on Feb. 13, 1883. Having devoted himself since… -
Walter of Rheinau (Gualtiero of Rheinau) (WALTER VON RHEINAU (GUALTIERO DI RHEINAU))
WALTER OF RHEINAU (Gualtiero of Rheinau). - German religious poet of the 13th century (?), b. at Bremgarten on the Reuss (in Aargau) from… -
Walther von der Vogelweide
WALTHER VON DER VOGELWEIDE. - Poet and knight, b. ca. 1170, perhaps a native of the Tyrol, d. after 1228. His poetic beginnings took place… -
Ward, Mary Augusta Humphry
WARD, MARY AUGUSTA HUMPHRY. - English writer, b. in Hobart (Tasmania) on 11 June 1851, d. in London on 24 March 1920, niece of Dr. Arnold… -
Wassermann, Jakob
WASSERMANN, JAKOB. - Writer, b. in Fürth on 10 March 1873 to a Jewish family, d. in Altaussee (Styria) on 1 Jan. 1934. He began his career… -
Wells, Herbert George
WELLS, HERBERT GEORGE. - English social writer and novelist, b. 21 Sept. 1866, d. 13 Aug. 1946, a disciple of T. H. Huxley, he was… -
Werfel, Franz
WERFEL, FRANZ. - German writer, b. in Prague to a Jewish family on Sept. 10, 1890, d. in Beverly Hills (California) on Aug. 27, 1945. He… -
Werner, Zacharias
WERNER, ZACHARIAS. - Playwright and orator, b. in Königsberg on 18 Nov. 1768, d. in Vienna on 17 Jan. 1823. Thrice divorced within a few… -
Wessobrunn Prayer (WESSOBRUNNER GEBET)
WESSOBRUNN PRAYER. - The so-called "Wessobrunn Prayer" is contained in a codex of the library of the convent of Wessobrunn in Upper Bavaria… -
Whitman, Walt
WHITMAN, WALT. - American poet, b. in Huntington (Long Island) on 31 May 1819, d. in Camden (New Jersey) on 26 March 1892. He abandoned… -
Whittier, John Greenleaf
WHITTIER, JOHN GREENLEAF. - American poet, b. at Haverhill (Massachusetts) on 17 Dec. 1807, d. at Hampton Falls on 7 Sept. 1892. He was the… -
Wieland, Christoph Martin
WIELAND, CHRISTOPH MARTIN. - German poet, b. at Oberholzheim (Swabia) on 5 Sept. 1733, d. at Weimar on 20 Jan. 1813. He received a Pietist… -
William of Shoreham (De Schorham) (GUGLIELMO DI SHOREHAM (DE SCHORHAM))
WILLIAM OF SHOREHAM (DE SCHORHAM). - English priest, b. near Sevenoaks in Kent toward the end of the 13th century. In 1313 he became rector… -
Wolfram von Eschenbach
WOLFRAM VON ESCHENBACH. - German poet, b. probably in present-day Wolfram-Eschenbach near Ansbach in Bavaria (the year of birth is not… -
Woolman, John
WOOLMAN, JOHN. - Quaker preacher, b. in New Jersey on 19 Oct. 1720, d. at York on 7 Oct. 1772. At the age of 26 he felt called by God to… -
Wordsworth, William
WORDSWORTH, WILLIAM. - English Romantic poet, b. at Cockermouth in Cumberland on 7 April 1770, d. at Rydal Mount on 23 April 1850. He was… -
Yeats, William Butler
YEATS, WILLIAM BUTLER. - Irish poet, b. in Dublin on 13 March 1865, d. at Roquebrune Cap Martin on 29 Jan. 1939. His father, a Protestant… -
Zamagna, Bernardo
ZAMAGNA, BERNARDO. - Humanist, born of a noble family on 9 November 1735 at Ragusa, in Dalmatia, and died there on 20 May 1820. Educated at… -
Zanella, Giacomo
ZANELLA, GIACOMO. - Priest, poet and critic, b. at Chiampo (Vicenza) on 7 Sept. 1820, d. at Vicenza on 17 May 1888. At Vicenza he did his… -
Zanoia, Giuseppe
ZANOIA, GIUSEPPE. - Priest, architect, poet, b. in Genoa on 11 Jan. 1752, d. at Omegna (Novara) on 18 Oct. 1817. After completing his… -
Zeno, Apostle (ZENO, APOSTOLO)
ZENO, APOSTLE. - Historian, poet, b. in Venice on 11 Dec. 1668, d. there on 11 Nov. 1750. He lived entirely devoted to his studies. Famous… -
Żeromski, Stefan (ZEROMSKI, STEFAN)
ŻEROMSKI, STEFAN. - Polish writer, b. at Strawczyn near Kielce on 1 Nov. 1864, d. at Warsaw on 20 Nov. 1925. He had a difficult youth and… -
Zola, Émile (ZOLA, EMILE)
ZOLA, ÉMILE. - French writer, b. in Paris on 2 April 1840 to a French mother and an Italian father, d. there on 29 September 1902. He… -
Zonara, Giovanni
ZONARA, GIOVANNI. - Byzantine historian, b. toward the end of the 11th century, d. toward the middle of the 12th century. He was first… -
Zorrilla y Moral, José
ZORRILLA y MORAL, José. - Spanish poet, b. at Valladolid on 21 Feb. 1817, d. at Madrid on 23 Jan. 1893. Having abandoned the study of law… -
Zschokke, Heinrich
ZSCHOKKE, HEINRICH. - German writer, b. in Magdeburg, 22 March 1771, d. in Aarau (Switzerland) 27 June 1848. He was a Protestant pastor,… -
Zurara (Azurara), Gomes Eanes de
ZURARA (AZURARA), GOMES EANES de. - Portuguese chronicler, b. at Azurara in 1410, d. in 1474 (?). Keeper of the historical archive of the… -
Zweig, Stefan
ZWEIG, STEFAN. - Austrian writer, b. in Vienna to a well-to-do Jewish family on 28 Feb. 1881, d. by suicide together with his wife at…