Voltaire's 'Essay on Epic Poetry' Published in Croatian 300 Years Later

Voltaire's seminal work, "Essay on Epic Poetry," originally published in 1726, has now been translated into Croatian for the first time. The publication marks the 300th anniversary of the essay's creation and represents a significant contribution to Croatian literary studies.

“

Voltaire's 'Essay on Epic Poetry,' translated with notes and a preface by Aldo Kliman, is an exceptional and knowledgeable translation that makes an important contribution to Croatian culture and literary science.

The translation and accompanying scholarly apparatus, including extensive notes and a preface, were meticulously prepared by Aldo Kliman. The book delves into the defining characteristics of the heroic epic, drawing examples from renowned world epics such as those by Homer, Virgil, and Milton. Voltaire also examines the profound transformations the epic genre underwent throughout history, influenced by prevailing social and historical contexts.

According to the publisher, Hrvatska sveučilišna naklada (HSN), Kliman's translation is an exceptional and knowledgeable rendition that enriches Croatian culture and literary science. The extensive annotations provide clarity on complex passages and obscure details that Voltaire, known for his erudition and engaging style, incorporated into his analysis.

“

In the book 'Essay on Epic Poetry' (143 pages), Voltaire, using examples from the greatest world epics (authors Homer, Virgil, Lucan, Trissino, Camões, Tasso, Don Alonso d’Ercilla, Milton), presents all the genre's specific features of the heroic epic.

The "Essay on Epic Poetry" offers a valuable perspective on Voltaire not only as a philosopher of the Enlightenment but also as a literary historian and critic. It sheds light on the intellectual climate of the late 18th century, a period when the epic genre was already in decline, and provides insight into the broader history of European literature. Voltaire, whose real name was François Marie Arouet, was a central figure of the French Enlightenment.

“

Aldo Kliman has richly equipped this translation with numerous reference notes that illuminate many complex, sometimes unclear to the modern reader, places and unknown details that Voltaire included in this essay with the ease of a great connoisseur, an excellent essayist, and a playful storyteller, along with a preface.