Jānis Poruks (13 October 1871 – 25 July 1911), was a Latvian poet and writer could be considered as a founder of the romantic branch of Latvian literature.

Biography

Jānis Poruks was born in Druviena parish, in the

Kreis Walk Kreis is the German word for circle. Kreis may also refer to: Places * , or circles, various subdivisions roughly equivalent to counties, districts or municipalities ** Districts of Germany (including and ) ** Former districts of Prussia, als ...

of the Governorate of Livonia in a peasant family. He started his education in local Druviena

parish school A parochial school is a private primary or secondary school affiliated with a religious organization, and whose curriculum includes general religious education in addition to secular subjects, such as science, mathematics and language arts. The ...

. Later he studied also in Liezēre parish school and

Cēsis Cēsis (), (german: Wenden, liv, Venden, et, Võnnu, pl, Kieś) is a town in Latvia located in the northern part of the Vidzeme Upland, Central Vidzeme Upland. Cēsis is on the Gauja, Gauja River valley, and is built on a series of ridges ...

city school. In 1893 Poruks went to

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

and started studies in

Dresden Conservatory Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the Germany, German States of Germany, state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the List ...

. While in

Dresden Dresden (, ; Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; wen, label=Upper Sorbian, Drježdźany) is the capital city of the German state of Saxony and its second most populous city, after Leipzig. It is the 12th most populous city of Germany, the fourth larg ...

he published his first book, a collection of

essay An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short story. Essays have been sub-classified as formal a ...

s in

german language German ( ) is a West Germanic languages, West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and Official language, official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Ita ...

''Religion der Zukunft''. Poruks returned to Latvia in 1894 when he ran out of money. In Latvia, he started

chemistry Chemistry is the science, scientific study of the properties and behavior of matter. It is a natural science that covers the Chemical element, elements that make up matter to the chemical compound, compounds made of atoms, molecules and ions ...

studies in Riga Polytechnical Institute but later he shifted to

commerce Commerce is the large-scale organized system of activities, functions, procedures and institutions directly and indirectly related to the exchange (buying and selling) of goods and services among two or more parties within local, regional, nation ...

. He also started to work in newspaper '' Mājas Viesis''. During this period he wrote most of his most famous works and often signed them with pseudonyms ''Nemoor ''Parsifal''. After 1905 Poruks mental health started to decline, and he was treated in mental hospitals in Rīga,

Strenči Strenči (pronounced ; german: Stackeln) is a town in Valmiera Municipality in the Vidzeme region of Latvia. It is located about northeast of Riga, about northeast of Valmiera and about southwest of Valka. Strenči is known as the raftsmen ...

and

Tartu Tartu is the second largest city in Estonia after the Northern European country's political and financial capital, Tallinn. Tartu has a population of 91,407 (as of 2021). It is southeast of Tallinn and 245 kilometres (152 miles) northeast of ...

. From 1909 until 1910 Poruks lived in writer's home ''Burtnieku nams'' in Riga. Jānis Poruks died on 25 July 1911 in mental hospital in Tartu. He was buried in Cēsis cemetery, but in 1924 his remains were reburied in Forest Cemetery in Riga.

Literature

The first publication of Poruks was a

short story A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...

''Purvaiņos'' which was published in a newspaper ''

Dienas Lapa ''Dienas Lapa'' ('Daily Sheet') was a Latvian newspaper published from 1886 to 1905. It espoused progressive politics, including workers' rights and Latvian cultural autonomy. The editors of the newspaper included Pēteris Stučka (1888–91, ...

'' in 1888. He wrote 13 stories, one novel, one collection of poetry and one play. In his prose works he used elements of

romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic, literary, musical, and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century, and in most areas was at its peak in the approximate ...

realism Realism, Realistic, or Realists may refer to: In the arts *Realism (arts), the general attempt to depict subjects truthfully in different forms of the arts Arts movements related to realism include: *Classical Realism *Literary realism, a move ...

and

symbolism Symbolism or symbolist may refer to: Arts * Symbolism (arts), a 19th-century movement rejecting Realism ** Symbolist movement in Romania, symbolist literature and visual arts in Romania during the late 19th and early 20th centuries ** Russian sy ...

, sometimes even all in one work. His poetry is very intimate and romantic. Latvian composer

Emīls Dārziņš Emīls Dārziņš (November 3, 1875 – August 31, 1910) was a Latvian composer, conductor and music critic. Dārziņš' work bears a distinct romantic character, with a strong trend towards national themes. His main musical authorities and i ...

composed music to several of his poems.

References

1871 births 1911 deaths People from Gulbene Municipality People from Kreis Walk Latvian male poets Latvian writers Riga Technical University alumni Burials at Forest Cemetery, Riga Male poets from the Russian Empire {{Latvia-writer-stub