Occupation Poet, politician Alma mater Charles University Education Charles University | Nationality English Notable works Protichůdci | |
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Born 18 August 1818
Nový Dvůr ( 1818-08-18 ) Language Czech, Latin, German, Greek, Spanish Died 17 August 1882, Prague, Czech Republic | ||
Václav Bolemír Nebeský (18 August 1818 – 17 August 1882) was a Czech poet active during Czech national revival.
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Biography
Václav Bolemír Nebeský was born at the Nový Dvůr estate in the neighbourhood of Kokořín. He went to high school in Litoměřice. He learned Greek and Latin very well there and this ability helped him to become a translator much later. Then he studied at Charles University of Prague. After 1820 he chose to take typically Czech name of Bolemír. He spent four years in Vienna, where he worked as private teacher. When he returned to Prague he continued to be a private educator and he worked for the president of Czech Museum. He cooperated with other important figures of national revival, among others with Boleslav Jablonský, Josef Kajetán Tyl, Karel Jaromír Erben, Karel Havlíček Borovský and Karel Sabina. He was also with intimate relation with famous writer Božena Němcová. He was active during revolution of 1848, known commonly as Spring of Nations. He was elected a deputy at the Austrian Parliament. In 1849 he got tenure at the University but never lectured. Worked as a journalist. Václav Bolemír Nebeský died in Prague in 1882.
Works
Václav Bolemír Nebeský was a poet and translator. His best known work is the poem is Protichůdci. The title means "The men, who go in opposite directions". It was published in 1844. The main hero is the Wandering Jew, Ahasver. He is a man weary of life, who longs for death. The hero is probably symbol of everyone's endeavour and suffering. The poem is writeen in trochaic pentameter. Nebeský translated many works by ancient authors, for example Aristophanes, Aischylos, Terence and Plautus. He also published anthologies of Jewish legends in 1881).