Fran Levstik

Fran Levstik (28 September 1831 – 16 November 1887) was a Slovene writer, political activist, playwright and critic. he was one of the most prominent exponents of the Young Slovene political movement.

Life and work

He was born in Dolnje Retje (now part of the municipality of Velike Lašče) in Lower Carniola (then part of the Austrian Empire, today in Slovenia) in a peasant Slovene family.

Levstik was the first notable writer of Slovene epic prose. Among his most known works are the short tale Martin Krpan, which became a classic work of Slovene literature, and the itinerary Popotovanje iz Litije do Čateža, whose main objective is actually that of a literary manifesto. In the critical essay Napake slovenskega pisanja, he exposed his views on the development of the Slovene literary language.

Levstik was one of the main exponents of the Young Slovenes, a progressive and radical political group akin to the Young Czechs in the Czech Lands that challenged the then prevailing...
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