Bürger - Gottfried August Bürger

German poet. Born in the Harz region as the son of a Lutheran pastor, he studied theology at the University of Halle and law at the University of Göttingen. He lived a life of misfortune both physically and mentally, working as an unpaid lecturer at the university, a low-ranking civil servant, and having an adulterous bigamous relationship with the Leonhard sisters. As a poet, he started out as a member of the Göttingen Poetic School. After coming into contact with Herder's theory of Ossian, he opened his eyes to popular literature such as legends and folk songs, and published the tale poem Lenore (1774), based on a folkloric narrative poem, using the technique of parody to completely transform religious poetry. It is considered one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of modern ballads. He is also famous as the author of the German translation of Raspe's English book, The Tales of Münchhausen: The Adventures of Baron Münchhausen (1786).

[Niibo Hiroaki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ドイツの詩人。ハルツ地方にルター派の牧師の子として生まれ、ハレ大学で神学を、ゲッティンゲン大学で法学を修める。同大学の無給講師、下級官吏、レーオンハルト姉妹との不倫な重婚関係など物心両面にわたり不遇な生涯を送る。詩人としてはゲッティンゲン詩派同人として出発。ヘルダーのオシアン論に触れ、伝説、民謡などの大衆文学に開眼し、宗教詩を換骨奪胎するパロディーの手法で民間伝承の物語詩を底本にした譚詩(たんし)『レノーレ』（1774）を発表。近世バラード史上、最高傑作の一つと目される。ほかにラスペの英語本のドイツ語訳『ミュンヒハウゼン物語――ほら男爵の冒険』（1786）の作者としても名高い。

［新保弼彬］

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