The directory «Plots»

Mácha Karel Hynek
(1810—1836)

Karel Hynek Mácha was a Czech romantic poet. Mácha studied law at university; during that time he also became involved in theatre, where he met Eleonora Somkova, with whom he had a son out of wedlock. He was fond of travel, enjoying trips into the mountains, and eventually moved into Litoměřice in order to have a relaxing atmosphere to prepare for law school exams and to write poetry. On the very day he was supposed to be married to Somkova, just a few weeks after he had begun working as a legal assistant, Mácha died after a short period of illness. The exact cause of his death is unknown, but both cholera and appendicitis had been suspected.

His lyrical epic poem Máj (May), published in 1836 shortly before his death, was judged by his contemporaries as immoral and as a threat to society. The work was rejected by publishers, and was published by a vanity press at Mácha's own expense, not long before his early death. Mácha's reputation improved after his death and Máj is now regarded as the classic work of Czech Romanticism. He also authored a collection of autobiographical sketches titled Pictures From My Life, the 1835–36 novel Gypsies, as well as several individual poems.

Czech Republic, 2010, Karel Hynek Mácha

Czechoslovakia, 1936, Statue of Mácha in Prague

Czechoslovakia, 1936, Statue of Mácha in Prague

Czech Republic, 2010.03.10, Doksy. Karel Hynek Mácha