The Bards of Wales
Encyclopedia
The Bards of Wales is a ballad
by Hungarian poet János Arany
, written in 1857. Alongside the Toldi trilogy
it is one of his most important works.
Arany was asked to write a poem of praise for the visit of Franz Joseph I of Austria
, as were other Hungarian poets. Arany instead wrote a poem about the tale of the 500 Welsh
bard
s sent to the stake by Edward I of England
in 1277, as a metaphor to criticise the tyrannic Habsburg
rule over Hungary
after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
. It was a method of encoded resistance
to the repressive politics of Alexander von Bach
in Hungary, and the planned visit of Franz Joseph.
The poem was written "for the desk drawer" and was first published 6 years later in 1863, disguised as a translation of an Old English ballad, so as to conceal the real meaning from the Austrian censor.
The poem is considered to be a manifesto of the passive resistance
which led to the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867.
Arany wrote his own preface to the poem: "The historians doubt it, but it strongly stands in the legend that Edward I of England sent 500 Welsh bards to the stake after his victory over the Welsh (1277) to prevent them from arousing the country and destroying English rule by telling of the glorious past of their nation."
In the 6th grade of elementary school, every Hungarian student is required to learn The Bards of Wales as it has an important role in both Hungarian history and literature.
The best-known English translation was made by famous Canadian scholar Watson Kirkconnell
in 1933.
It has been set to music by Hungarian folk metal
band Dalriada
in 2003. It was re-recorded and re-released in 2004 and in 2009 on Arany-album, which also has several of his other poems.
In September 2007 an English copy of this poem, translated by Peter Zollman, was donated to the National Library of Wales
in Aberystwyth
.
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
by Hungarian poet János Arany
János Arany
János Arany , was a Hungarian journalist, writer, poet, and translator. He is often said to be the "Shakespeare of ballads" – he wrote more than 40 ballads which have been translated into over 50 languages, as well as the Toldi trilogy, to mention his most famous works.-Biography:He was born in...
, written in 1857. Alongside the Toldi trilogy
Toldi trilogy
The Toldi trilogy is an epic poem trilogy written by the Hungarian poet János Arany. It was inspired by the legendary strong Miklós Toldi, who served in the Hungarian King Louis the Great's army in the 14th century. He was the King's champion...
it is one of his most important works.
Arany was asked to write a poem of praise for the visit of Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I of Austria
Franz Joseph I or Francis Joseph I was Emperor of Austria, King of Bohemia, King of Croatia, Apostolic King of Hungary, King of Galicia and Lodomeria and Grand Duke of Cracow from 1848 until his death in 1916.In the December of 1848, Emperor Ferdinand I of Austria abdicated the throne as part of...
, as were other Hungarian poets. Arany instead wrote a poem about the tale of the 500 Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
bard
Bard
In medieval Gaelic and British culture a bard was a professional poet, employed by a patron, such as a monarch or nobleman, to commemorate the patron's ancestors and to praise the patron's own activities.Originally a specific class of poet, contrasting with another class known as fili in Ireland...
s sent to the stake by Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
in 1277, as a metaphor to criticise the tyrannic Habsburg
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg , also found as Hapsburg, and also known as House of Austria is one of the most important royal houses of Europe and is best known for being an origin of all of the formally elected Holy Roman Emperors between 1438 and 1740, as well as rulers of the Austrian Empire and...
rule over Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848
Hungarian Revolution of 1848
The Hungarian Revolution of 1848 was one of many of the European Revolutions of 1848 and closely linked to other revolutions of 1848 in the Habsburg areas...
. It was a method of encoded resistance
Passive Resistance (Hungary)
Passive Resistance is a name attributed to an era of Hungarian politics in the 19th century. It refers to a form of opposition to Austrian domination of Hungary...
to the repressive politics of Alexander von Bach
Baron Alexander von Bach
Baron Alexander von Bach was an Austrian politician...
in Hungary, and the planned visit of Franz Joseph.
The poem was written "for the desk drawer" and was first published 6 years later in 1863, disguised as a translation of an Old English ballad, so as to conceal the real meaning from the Austrian censor.
The poem is considered to be a manifesto of the passive resistance
Passive Resistance (Hungary)
Passive Resistance is a name attributed to an era of Hungarian politics in the 19th century. It refers to a form of opposition to Austrian domination of Hungary...
which led to the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867.
Arany wrote his own preface to the poem: "The historians doubt it, but it strongly stands in the legend that Edward I of England sent 500 Welsh bards to the stake after his victory over the Welsh (1277) to prevent them from arousing the country and destroying English rule by telling of the glorious past of their nation."
In the 6th grade of elementary school, every Hungarian student is required to learn The Bards of Wales as it has an important role in both Hungarian history and literature.
The best-known English translation was made by famous Canadian scholar Watson Kirkconnell
Watson Kirkconnell
Watson Kirkconnell, was a Canadian scholar, university administrator and translator. He is well known in Iceland, Eastern and Central Europe and among Canadians of different origins for his translations of their national poetry, particularly the Hungarians, Ukrainians, Russians, Serbians,...
in 1933.
It has been set to music by Hungarian folk metal
Folk metal
Folk metal is a sub-genre of heavy metal music that developed in Europe during the 1990s. As the name suggests, the genre is a fusion of heavy metal with traditional folk music...
band Dalriada
Dalriada (band)
Dalriada is a folk metal band from Sopron, Hungary that was formed in 1998 as Echo of Dalriada, but shortened their name to Dalriada in late 2006. Their third studio album Kikelet and all subsequent albums were successful in the official Mahasz music charts with Szelek peaking at the second...
in 2003. It was re-recorded and re-released in 2004 and in 2009 on Arany-album, which also has several of his other poems.
In September 2007 an English copy of this poem, translated by Peter Zollman, was donated to the National Library of Wales
National Library of Wales
The National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...
in Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
.