2. Early Life
Born Alexander
Petrovics on 1 January
1823 in Kiskőrös,
Kingdom of Hungary,
Austrian Empire.
Son of a butcher; quit
high school and left his
family.
Went on to join a theatre
troupe and wandered
across the country.
3. Early Career
Became a soldier in 1839; took up his changing life as a
roving actor again in 1841.
Got a job as assistant editor in Pest after his first
booklet of poems was published.
It did not take long for his poetry to have its true tone;
he used the people’s language, therefore affecting the
political intentions to outlaw Latin as the official
language of Hungarian politics and administration.
4. Poetry
His work also contributed to a break through to poetry
close to literature for the people in those days; the
beginning of a new epoch of poetic style surfaced.
The highly patriotic momentum of his words was not
considered kind by the authorities but was
nevertheless loved by the Hungarian people.
For the first time in Hungarian history, Petőfi’s lyrics
dealt with personal feelings; they were always
controlled by a subjective note, therefore splitting the
poetical conventions of his time.
5. Poetry – cont.
His poem A haza (The homeland) and love for a
woman as the “twin-like” part of his entire life and
feelings are also the two cardinal points of his
work.
Several of his poems talk about these forces – at
times drifting away from one and tearing his heart.
6. Revolution of 1848 and Death
On 15 March 1848, he left
his wife in order to take his
place before the
“Revolutionary Youth” in
Pest; he later served as
Hadsegéd (assistant
officer) of Polish General J.
Bem.
Died in one of the final
battles of the Hungarian
Liberation War (1848-49)
on 31 July 1849 in Segesvár,
Kingdom of Hungary (now
Sighişoara, Romania).
