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Vondel, Joost van den, 1587-1679We have 2 books for this author.
 Joost van den Vondel (November 17, 1587 - February 5, 1679) was a Dutch writer and playwright. BiographyVan den Vondel was born in the Große Witschgasse in Cologne, to Mennonite parents. In 1595, probably because of their religious conviction, they fled to Utrecht and from this town they went to tolerant Amsterdam in the newly formed Dutch Republic. At the age of 23 Vondel married Mayken de Wolff. Together they had four children, of which two died at a very young age. After the death of his father in 1608, Vondel managed the silk shop the Vondels had in Amsterdam. In the meantime, he began to learn Latin and became acquainted with famous poets such as Roemer Visscher. Around the year 1641 he converted to Catholicism. This was a great shock to most of his fellow countrymen, because the main conviction and de facto state religion in the Republic was Calvinist Protestantism. It is still unclear why he became Catholic, although his love for a Catholic lady may have played a role in this (Mayken de Wolff had died in 1635). During his life he became one of the main advocates for religious tolerance. After the arrest, trial and the immediate beheading of the most important civilian leader of the States of Holland Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (1619) on command of his by then enemy Prince Maurits of Nassau, and the Synod of Dordrecht (1618-1619), the Calvinists had become the decisive religious power in the Republic. Open worship of Catholicism, Anabaptism and Arminianism was from then on officially forbidden; although worship in hidden houses of prayer was not persecuted. Vondel wrote many satires criticising the Calvinists and extolling Oldenbarnevelt. This, together with his new faith, made him an unpopular figure in Calvinist circles. He died a bitter man - though he was honoured by many fellow poets - on February 5, 1679. As a legacy, Amsterdam's biggest park, the Vondelpark, bears his name, as well as his statue in the northern part of the park. The Dutch five guilder banknote bore Vondel's portrait from 1950 until its discontinuation in 1990. Lucifer and Milton’s Paradise Lost
It has often been suggested that John Milton drew inspiration from Lucifer and Adam in Ballingschap (1664) for his Paradise Lost (1667). In some respects both works have similarities: the focus on Lucifer, the description of the battle in heaven between Lucifer’s forces and Michael’s, and the anti-climax as Adam and Eve need to leave Paradise. These similarities however can be explained quite satisfactory by assuming that they both drew inspiration from the Bible and perhaps Adamus exil from Hugo Grotius. Although it is certain that Milton knew some Dutch, because Roger Williams taught him in exchange for Hebrew lessons, it is to be doubted that Milton knew enough Dutch to understand the plays and in that time English translations of Vondel’s works did not exist. Lastly, both works differ in many points, mainly in the dialogues. An example of similarity is the following: "Here may we reign secure, and in my choice To reign is worth ambition, though in Hell. Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven."
"Is ’t noodlot, dat ick vall’, van eere en staet berooft, Translation:
Online textsLucifer Others Vondel in Popular Culture
This biographical information was gathered from the Joost_van_den_Vondel page, courtesy of the Wikipedia project. BooksDe complete werken van Joost van VondelLucifer Treurspel |
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