Petőfi Sandor

Hungarian poet. Born as the son of a small merchant, he moved from school to school due to his father's enthusiastic education policy, but eventually joined a traveling troupe of actors. After a short stint in the military, he returned to school, but when his family fell into poverty, he rejoined a traveling troupe and wandered the Hungarian plains. With the support of the poet Verosmarty, he published the works he wrote during this time as "Poems" (1844). The simple folk-style poetry he learned among the people captured the hearts of many people, and he quickly became famous as a writer. His poems, such as "Alfeld" (1844), which sing of his feelings for his hometown and his family, and love poems such as "At the End of September" (1847), which sings of the woman who would later become his wife, were loved by people as unparalleled lyric poetry. He also published works such as "Mr. Patow Pál" (1847), which satirized conservatives, and "Hang the Kings!" (1848), which protested the Habsburg regime. These poems, yearning for national freedom, combined with the rising national consciousness in Hungary at the time, made his popularity truly national. During the Budapest Uprising on March 15, 1848, which triggered the War of Independence, he recited his own poem, "Rise, Magyars!" in front of the citizens and participated in the war, but fell on the battlefield near Szegesvár the following year, just before the defeat. He was 26 years old. He is also famous for his folk tale-style epic poem, "János the Brave" (1844), which is still performed as an operetta today.

[Etsuko Iwasaki]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ハンガリーの詩人。小商人の息子として生まれ、教育熱心な父の方針により各地の学校を転々としたが、やがて旅役者の一座に身を投じた。短い軍隊生活ののち復学するが、家の没落などでふたたび旅の一座に加わり、ハンガリー平原を放浪する。この間の作品を、詩人のベレシュマルティの援助で『詩集』（1844）として発表、民衆のなかで学んだ素朴な民謡風の詩は多くの人の心をとらえ、一躍文名をはせた。『アルフェルド』（1844）など郷里のハンガリー平原と家族への思いを歌った詩や、のちに妻となる女性を歌った『九月の終りに』（1847）などの恋愛詩は比類ない叙情詩として人々に愛された。また、保守主義者を風刺した『パトー・パールさん』（1847）などの作品、さらにハプスブルク政権に抗議する『王たちを絞首台に！』（1848）などの詩を発表。民族的自由を渇望するこれらの詩は、当時のハンガリーの民族意識の高揚の機運と相まって、彼の人気は真に国民的なものとなった。独立戦争のきっかけをなした1848年3月15日のブダペスト市民蜂起(ほうき)の際、彼は自作の詩『起て、マジャル人！』を市民の前で朗読し、独立戦争に参加したが、翌年の敗戦直前、シェゲシュバール付近の戦場で倒れた。ときに26歳。ほかに民話風の長編叙事詩『勇士ヤーノシュ』（1844）が有名であり、現在もオペレッタとして上演されている。

［岩崎悦子］

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