Valamar Blog

The acclaimed Dubrovnik writer Ivan Gundulic, author of the famous play Dubravka, epic Osman and long poem Suze sina razmetnoga (The tears of the prodigal son), was born in Dubrovnik in 1589. We bring here his biography in brief, from the book “Volite li Dubrovnik?” (“Dubrovnik revisited”) by the famous literature historian Slobodan Prosperov Novak.

1589 Ivan Gundulic, called Malcica, was born in Dubrovnik, into an old and respectable aristocratic family. In charge of upbringing and education of the young Gundulic, as well as his aristocratic peers at the Dubrovnik school, were the Tuscany’s Camilo Camilli, great connoisseur of Tasso’s epic poem, and Petar Palikuca, who translated Život Karla Borromea (The Life od Carlo Borromeo) into Croatian.

1615 - 1620 “S velicijem slavami” were in front of the hall performed first Gundulic’s plays: Galateja, Dijana, Armida, Posvetilište ljuveno, Kleopatra… Off all these plays only four have been preserved; Dijana and Armida as play fragments, and as a whole only Prozerpina ugrabljena and Arijadna.

1621 In preface to the translation of Pjesni pokorni kralja Davida that was published in Rome, Gundulic mentioned his early ten plays as “descendants of the dark”, and listed them carefully.

1622 Gundulic’s long poem Suze sina razmetnoga published

1623 Gundulic himself testified in the preface to Pjesne pokorne that he had started translating Tasso’s epos Gerusalemme libertata, but he has never finished this translation. The battle of Chocim and the death of the sultan in Constantinople have prompted Gunduli? to start working on his biggest work, the epic Osman.

1628 The pastoral play Dubravka performed in Dubrovnik

1633 Friends and admirers of Gundulic print Arijadna in Ancona.

1638 Still young, at the peak of this literary fame and enjoying high reputation, Gundulic died in his hometown Dubrovnik, a place he reluctantly left.

Popularity: 25% [?]