Biography Essay

Dubbed "August I." by Antun Gustav Matos, a prominent turn-of-the-twentieth-century Croatian writer and critic, August Senoa is the father of modern Croatian literature. He appeared on the literary scene at a time when there were no significant writers in Croatia and when those who were writing lacked direction. For two decades (1860-1881) Senoa led the way in Croatian literature, creating works that surpassed much of what had been written before his time. He wrote lyric and epic poems, narratives in verse, a play, short stories, novellas, novels, critical essays, feuilletons, reviews, and translations and gathered anthologies. All of these works had an immense impact both on the reading public and the writers of his time. Generations of children have since been raised reciting his poems written to awaken national consciousness and instill pride in the Croatian national heritage. Many of his works still receive a warm...