Mikolaj Rej
Encyclopedia
Mikołaj Rej or Mikołaj Rey of Nagłowice (February 4, 1505 – between September 8 and October 5, 1569) was a leading Polish
poet
and prose
writer of the Renaissance
, as well as a politician
and musician
. He was the first Polish author to write exclusively in the Polish language
, and is considered (with Biernat of Lublin
and Jan Kochanowski
), to be one of the founders of Polish literary language and literature
.
from Nagłowice, near Kraków
, Poland
; invited by archbishop Jan Wątróbka. He married Barbara née Herburt there – the mother of Mikołaj. Though young Rej received little formal education in Lwów; and, at the age of 13 attended but one year at the Kraków Academy
, he managed to educate himself by studying Latin literature
.
Around 1524 Rej began his service at the court of voivode Andrzej Tęczyński in Sandomierz. There, he acquired most of his vast knowledge in the field of humanities. He returned to his family’s town of Topola and married Zofia Kosnówna (Kościeniówna), a relative of the archbishop of Gniezno. In 1531 Rej moved to Kobyle, in the Chełm area, which was bequeathed to his wife, and thereafter frequented the court of Hetman
Mikołaj Sieniawski. In 1541 or 1548 Rej converted to Calvinism
. He took part in synod
s and founded Protestant schools and communities on his lands.
Rej took part in sejm
s and thought his writing an important social mission. He was the first Polish writer to receive a substantial reward for his output. By the end of his life, he owned several villages. He received Temerowce from King Zygmunt I the Old, and Dziewięciele from King Zygmunt II August as a lifelong possession and two towns, one of them Rejowiec
, founded by Rej in 1547. Rej died at Rejowiec
in 1569.
In 1543 Rej debuted as a writer, under the pen name
"Ambroży Korczbok Rożek," with his most famous book, A Brief Discussion among Three Persons: a Lord, a Commune Chief and a Priest (Krotka rozprawa między trzemi osobami, panem, woytem a plebanem). Rej's works touch on a large array of matters. He authored prose
works that described the ideal of the Polish nobleman, criticized the Catholic Church, and showed a genuine solicitude for his country. His prose
syntax
is strongly influenced by Latin
style.
His poetic meter
discloses a deliberate effort to impart to the medieval metrical model a regularity that it had lacked. Rej's works include:
(parliament) declared 2005 to be the Year of Mikołaj Rej. In 1994–97, Mikołaj Rej's descendant and namesake, Nicholas Andrew Rey
(1938–2009), served as American
Ambassador
to Poland
.
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
writer of the Renaissance
Renaissance in Poland
The Renaissance in Poland lasted from the late 15th to the late 16th century and is widely considered to have been the Golden Age of Polish culture. Ruled by the Jagiellon dynasty, the Kingdom of Poland actively participated in the broad European Renaissance...
, as well as a politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
. He was the first Polish author to write exclusively in the Polish language
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, and is considered (with Biernat of Lublin
Biernat of Lublin
Biernat of Lublin was a Polish poet, fabulist, translator and physician. He was one of the first Polish-language writers known by name, and the most interesting of the earliest ones...
and Jan Kochanowski
Jan Kochanowski
Jan Kochanowski was a Polish Renaissance poet who established poetic patterns that would become integral to Polish literary language.He is commonly regarded as the greatest Polish poet before Adam Mickiewicz, and the greatest Slavic poet, prior to the 19th century.-Life:Kochanowski was born at...
), to be one of the founders of Polish literary language and literature
Polish literature
Polish literature is the literary tradition of Poland. Most Polish literature has been written in the Polish language, though other languages, used in Poland over the centuries, have also contributed to Polish literary traditions, including Yiddish, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, German and...
.
Life
Rej was born into a noble family at Żurawno, near Halicz. His father had moved to RutheniaKievan Rus'
Kievan Rus was a medieval polity in Eastern Europe, from the late 9th to the mid 13th century, when it disintegrated under the pressure of the Mongol invasion of 1237–1240....
from Nagłowice, near Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
; invited by archbishop Jan Wątróbka. He married Barbara née Herburt there – the mother of Mikołaj. Though young Rej received little formal education in Lwów; and, at the age of 13 attended but one year at the Kraków Academy
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
, he managed to educate himself by studying Latin literature
Latin literature
Latin literature includes the essays, histories, poems, plays, and other writings of the ancient Romans. In many ways, it seems to be a continuation of Greek literature, using many of the same forms...
.
Around 1524 Rej began his service at the court of voivode Andrzej Tęczyński in Sandomierz. There, he acquired most of his vast knowledge in the field of humanities. He returned to his family’s town of Topola and married Zofia Kosnówna (Kościeniówna), a relative of the archbishop of Gniezno. In 1531 Rej moved to Kobyle, in the Chełm area, which was bequeathed to his wife, and thereafter frequented the court of Hetman
Hetman
Hetman was the title of the second-highest military commander in 15th- to 18th-century Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, which together, from 1569 to 1795, comprised the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, or Rzeczpospolita....
Mikołaj Sieniawski. In 1541 or 1548 Rej converted to Calvinism
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
. He took part in synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
s and founded Protestant schools and communities on his lands.
Rej took part in sejm
Sejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
s and thought his writing an important social mission. He was the first Polish writer to receive a substantial reward for his output. By the end of his life, he owned several villages. He received Temerowce from King Zygmunt I the Old, and Dziewięciele from King Zygmunt II August as a lifelong possession and two towns, one of them Rejowiec
Rejowiec
Rejowiec may refer to the following places:*Rejowiec, Greater Poland Voivodeship *Rejowiec, Lublin Voivodeship *Rejowiec, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship...
, founded by Rej in 1547. Rej died at Rejowiec
Rejowiec
Rejowiec may refer to the following places:*Rejowiec, Greater Poland Voivodeship *Rejowiec, Lublin Voivodeship *Rejowiec, Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship...
in 1569.
Works
Pen name
A pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
"Ambroży Korczbok Rożek," with his most famous book, A Brief Discussion among Three Persons: a Lord, a Commune Chief and a Priest (Krotka rozprawa między trzemi osobami, panem, woytem a plebanem). Rej's works touch on a large array of matters. He authored prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
works that described the ideal of the Polish nobleman, criticized the Catholic Church, and showed a genuine solicitude for his country. His prose
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
syntax
Syntax
In linguistics, syntax is the study of the principles and rules for constructing phrases and sentences in natural languages....
is strongly influenced by Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
style.
His poetic meter
Meter (poetry)
In poetry, metre is the basic rhythmic structure of a verse or lines in verse. Many traditional verse forms prescribe a specific verse metre, or a certain set of metres alternating in a particular order. The study of metres and forms of versification is known as prosody...
discloses a deliberate effort to impart to the medieval metrical model a regularity that it had lacked. Rej's works include:
- Krótka rozprawa między trzema osobami: Panem, Wójtem i Plebanem (A Brief Discussion among Three Persons: a Lord, a Commune Chief and a Priest, 1543), written under the pen namePen nameA pen name, nom de plume, or literary double, is a pseudonym adopted by an author. A pen name may be used to make the author's name more distinctive, to disguise his or her gender, to distance an author from some or all of his or her works, to protect the author from retribution for his or her...
Ambroży Korczbok Rożek. - Żywot Józefa (The Life of Joseph, 1545).
- Żywot Człowieka Poczciwego (The Life of the Honest Man).
- Kupiec (The Merchant, 1549).
- Zwierzyniec (The Zodiac, 1562).
- Zwierciadło (SpeculumSpeculumThe term speculum, Latin for "mirror", and its plural specula, may refer to:* Speculum , a medical tool used for examining body cavities* Speculum , a journal of medieval studies published by the Medieval Academy of America...
), incorporating the three-book prose Wizerunek własny żywota człowieka poczciwego (The Image of a Good Man's Life, 1567–68). - Rzecz pospolita albo Sejm pospolity (The Commonwealth, or the General Sejm).
Quotation
"A niechaj narodowie wżdy postronni znają, iż Polacy nie gęsi, iż swój język mają." |
"Let it by all and sundry foreign nations be known that Poles are no Anserinae — they have a language of their own." |
20th century
In commemoration of the 500th anniversary of the birth of Mikołaj Rej, Poland's SejmSejm
The Sejm is the lower house of the Polish parliament. The Sejm is made up of 460 deputies, or Poseł in Polish . It is elected by universal ballot and is presided over by a speaker called the Marshal of the Sejm ....
(parliament) declared 2005 to be the Year of Mikołaj Rej. In 1994–97, Mikołaj Rej's descendant and namesake, Nicholas Andrew Rey
Nicholas Andrew Rey
Nicholas Andrew Rey was American diplomat, businessman, United States Ambassador to Poland , affiliated with Democratic Party.-Life:...
(1938–2009), served as American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
to Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
.
See also
- Polish literaturePolish literaturePolish literature is the literary tradition of Poland. Most Polish literature has been written in the Polish language, though other languages, used in Poland over the centuries, have also contributed to Polish literary traditions, including Yiddish, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Belarusian, German and...
- List of Polish poets
- List of Poles