Meyer, Conrad Ferdinand

Meyer, Conrad Ferdinand

▪ Swiss writer
born Oct. 11, 1825, Zürich
died Nov. 28, 1898, Kilchberg, Switz.
 Swiss writer noted for his historical tales and his poetry.

      After completing his schooling, Meyer began to study law but suffered from depression, which compelled him to enter a mental home for a time. A long stay in French Switzerland, largely in Lausanne, gave him a thorough knowledge of French literature and culture; he also took up history, studying abroad in Paris and Italy. Rome, and especially the work of Michelangelo, was one of the decisive experiences in his life; Michelangelo's monumental style became an ideal that he attempted to realize in his own poetry. He passed the rest of his life in Zürich or nearby, where, with no settled profession and of independent means, he was able to devote himself to his writing. From 1877 he had a country house at Kilchberg, near Zürich. In 1892 depression once again forced him into a mental home for a year, and afterward he did no more creative work.

      Meyer began to write rather late, and his total output was relatively slender. After two unimportant collections of poetry (Zwanzig Balladen, 1864; Romanzen und Bilder, 1870), he achieved his first success with a work of permanent importance, the powerful poem Huttens letzte Tage (1871). The narrative poem Engelberg (1872) was followed by his 11 Novellen, or prose narratives, among which are Das Amulett (1873), Der Heilige (1880; The Saint), Das Leiden eines Knaben (1883), Die Hochzeit des Mönchs (1884; The Monk's Wedding), Die Versuchung des Pescara (1887), and Angela Borgia (1891). His poetry was first collected in Gedichte (1882; “Poems”).

      The material of Meyer's historical narratives is taken almost entirely from the periods of the Renaissance and the Reformation. From these eras he takes passionate men of action as his main characters, and through their struggles and tribulations Meyer examines such larger problems as the prevalence of injustice, the power of conscience, and the meaning of destiny. The stories are often lightly shot through with irony. Der Heilige, about the conflict between Thomas Becket and Henry II of England, is generally regarded as the best of the Novellen. In his poetry Meyer laid great stress on polished form and was exacting in his craft. He de-emphasized direct expression of feeling and in an almost brittle tone presents a terse figurative motif (generally provided by history or the mountains of his own country) to which he gives symbolic value.

Additional Reading
Marianne Burkhard, Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (1978); Alexander Grinstein, Conrad Ferdinand Meyer and Freud (1992).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • MEYER, CONRAD FERDINAND —    Swiss poet and novelist, native of Zurich; has written Der Heilige and many other novels; b. 1825 …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Conrad Ferdinand Meyer — (* 11. Oktober 1825 in Zürich; † 28. November 1898 in Kilchberg bei Zürich) war ein Schweizer Dichter des Realismus, der (insbesondere historische) Novellen, Roman …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Conrad Ferdinand Meyer — (11 October 1825 – 28 November 1898) was a Swiss poet and historical novelist, a master of realism chiefly remembered for stirring narrative ballads like Die Füße im Feuer (The Feet in the Fire). Contents …   Wikipedia

  • Conrad Ferdinand Meyer — Nacimiento 11 de octubre de 1825 …   Wikipedia Español

  • Conrad Ferdinand Meyer — Conrad Ferdinand Meyer, né à Zurich en 1825 et mort également à Zurich en 1898, est un poète, nouvelliste et romancier suisse de langue allemande. Sommaire …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Conrad-Ferdinand-Meyer-Preis — The Conrad Ferdinand Meyer Preis is a literary award in memory of Conrad Ferdinand Meyer.The prize is given annually to up to three recipients by the Conrad Ferdinand Meyer Stiftung in Zurich.Laureates*1938 Max Frisch *1939 Franz Fischer *1941… …   Wikipedia

  • Conrad-Ferdinand-Meyer-Preis — Der Conrad Ferdinand Meyer Preis ist ein Kulturförderungspreis, der von der Conrad Ferdinand Meyer Stiftung im Gedenken an Conrad Ferdinand Meyer seit 1937 jährlich an maximal drei bildende Künstler, Schriftsteller oder Wissenschaftler, die in… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Conrad Ferdinand Meyer Prize — The Conrad Ferdinand Meyer Preis is a literary award in memory of Conrad Ferdinand Meyer. The prize is given annually to up to three recipients by the Conrad Ferdinand Meyer Stiftung in Zurich. Laureates 1938 Max Frisch 1939 Franz Fischer 1941… …   Wikipedia

  • Ferdinand Meyer — ist der Name folgender Personen: Ferdinand Meyer (Jurist) (1799–1840), Schweizer Jurist, Regierungsrat in Zürich und Vater des Dichters Conrad Ferdinand Meyer Conrad Ferdinand Meyer (1825–1898), Schweizer Dichter Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklä …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Meyer — (Conrad Ferdinand) (1825 1898) écrivain suisse d expression allemande; auteur de romans historiques: Révolte dans la montagne (1874), le Saint (1879), les Noces du moine (1883 1884), la Tentation de Pescara (1887), Angela Borgia (1891). Sa poésie …   Encyclopédie Universelle

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”