Karel Hynek Mácha
Hardcover | Pages: 79 pages Rating: 3.53 | 3236 Users | 98 Reviews
Define Books As Máj
| Original Title: | Maj |
| ISBN: | 8020407928 (ISBN13: 9788020407924) |
| Edition Language: | Czech |
Relation In Pursuance Of Books Máj
On the picturesque castle hill of Prague’s Left Bank, One can walk to the top (or travel by vernicular). If choosing the former option, there are several pedestrian paths to take one through the forests and orchards that cover the hillside. One of these paths fork past a life-size sculpture of the poet Karel Hynek Mácha.
Mácha was born in Prague in 1810, and lived a mere 26 years. Inspired by the romantic movement of the time, and with Byron as his model, he wandered through the magnificent forests, hills and mountains of his native Bohemia, often taking his sleep with the stars winking down on him. He even journeyed the neighboring lands of Moravia and Slovakia, down to Northern Italy on foot. His was a time, a century before there was a First Republic, or, a “Czechoslovakia.” There was, however, the Czech language, spoken by the people of Bohemia and Moravia, ruled for centuries by Austrian and Prussian monarchs, who sought to suppress the indigenous culture and language of these regions.
Writing in Czech, Mácha composed poems and essays, and notoriously a journal depicting the sexual relations he enjoyed with his mistress, with whom he would have been married only days after he succumbed to pneumonia. To my knowledge, only his epic poem “May” is currently in publication. It is the most famous poem in the language, celebrating the history and culture and natural wonders of the Czech people, and the lands that belong to them.
In May of last year, I took up residence in Prague, and in an effort to learn more about the country and people in whose home I found myself, I decided to read the literature of Czech authors. It was a haphazard endeavor to begin with, as I was just finding my feet here, and I bought whatever books I happened to find at the various book stores around me. This year, as I have gained a better overview of what is available, and where to find these books, I have decided to make a more structured read through Czech literature. Mácha’s long poem “May” is the earliest published work in translation that I have come across, and it seems in many ways fitting to set out on this reading journey, beginning with his beloved poem.
In Mácha’s prefatory statement, the poet makes clear that the plot of the poem is not his main concern, “… and only as much of it is given as is unavoidably necessary for the poem to achieve its primary intention,” which is to celebrate the nature in May, juxtaposing it with the various seasons of human life. The story, as it were, concerns a man named Vilém, also known as “the forest lord.” The poem is divided into two parts (with an intermezzo). In the first part, the forest lord is introduced through a young woman waiting for the return of her lover. However, when she eventually believes she sees him in the distance, it turns out to be a boatman come to inform her that Vilém has been caught and sentenced to death for the murder of his father. The poem then enters the cell of the captive Vilém, reflecting on his life and impending doom. A brief intermezzo follows, in which the ghosts of a churchyard, and indeed all of the surrounding nature, is preparing for Vilém’s arrival on the following day. The second part chronicles the execution.
A pine grove murmurs at the lake’s far shore,
its thrush’s psalm and songs of other birds
mingle with the valley’s voice of wandering girls;
and every living creature celebrates young May.
The morning wind – like singing – sweetly blows
across the green vale scattering white blossoms,
directs the flight of wild geese over woods,
and bends the young trees over mountain stones. –
As stated by Mácha, the “story” is not of great import; the evocation of nature, time and place is what matters. “May” is some 50 or 60 pages long, and although I am not a great reader of poetry, it is easy to appreciate the visual beauty of the poet’s imagery (as in the fragment presented above, which is more or less arbitrarily chosen to give an idea of the language and flavor of Mácha’s poetry). The dual language (Czech/English) version of the poem published by Twisted Spoon Press presents the poem and its translation side by side throughout, so even if the Czech language is completely incomprehensible to the reader, it is possible to get an idea of the rhythm and rhyme of the original, and how it compares to the English. It is a small bound book, beautifully illustrated by the Czech surrealist painter and poet, Jindrich Styrský.
Declare Containing Books Máj
| Title | : | Máj |
| Author | : | Karel Hynek Mácha |
| Book Format | : | Hardcover |
| Book Edition | : | Special Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 79 pages |
| Published | : | 1999 by Mladá fronta (first published 1836) |
| Categories | : | Poetry. European Literature. Czech Literature. Classics. Academic. School |
Rating Containing Books Máj
Ratings: 3.53 From 3236 Users | 98 ReviewsWrite-Up Containing Books Máj
Překrásně napsáno! Velice se mi líbí, jakým způsobem je celá báseň napsána a sestavena dohromady. Vedlejší vsuvky (intermezza) i závěrečná čtvrtá část, překrásně složené dohromady. Děj se mi sice moc nelíbil, to mám radši např. děj Kytice, ale ono se dílo na děj ani nesoustředilo. Napsané krásně, témata také skvělá. 3.75No co bych k tomu řekl? No neřeknu, že je to špatný, to vůbec ne. To bych si jako vyspělý student literárního oboru na vysoké škole nemohl dovolit. Přeci se nebudu omezovat na něco tak povrchního jako "to byla píčovina" a podobně, to ne. Řeknu jen, že byste mohli vzít dejme tomu koště, namočit ho do brzdové kapaliny, strčit druhý konec do mýho zadku a strčit mě na trampolínu v jezdícím výtahu a na stěny bych napsal lepší příběh jak tohle, to je vše co tvrdím.
At first, I was sceptical about this book. I read the synopsis and it didn't sound interesting at all. But it's not the story that's amazing. Even if you are confused by old (but absolutely marvelous) czech, you just can't help but get drawn in by the grandoise presentation. Author creates the setting with unbeliveable precision and effort that can be felt in every sentence. This is certainly a masterpiece that shows storytelling skills like no other.
Letos posloucháno ve formě audioknihy a zase je to pecka! <3
Tohle je jedna z těch opravdu kvalitních knih, které člověka budou bavit pokaždé. Je to dílo, kterému je třeba nahlédnout pod povrch a tím pádem je možné pokaždé nalézt něco nového.
From talking to Czechs, it seems like this book is seen by many of them as a bit of a drag - something they had to read at school when they were 15 or so, their ''Romeo and Juliet'' or ''To Kill a Mockingbird'', etc. Coming from a totally different background, not having any of that baggage, I thought it was fantastic.
"Настана вечер -първи май-вечерен май-за ласки час...""Май" на Карел Хинек Маха е връх в поезията на чешкия романтизъм.И колкото и да не съм привърженик на лириката,не мога да не спомена изключителния превод на Доцент Жоржета Чолакова.
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