This article traces the development of Czech literature and culture from the Middle Ages to the present day. From the development of the Slavic languages in the Middle Ages, through modern national revivalism and political change, to the contemporary literature of authors such as Franz Kafka and Milan Kundera, Czech literature has developed with a deep connection to Czech national identity.
Medieval literature
The history of Czech literature dates back to the 9th century in the Middle Ages. In the 9th century, Old Church Slavonic, the first written language of the Slavs, became the standard language in the Moravian Empire, making it the oldest of the Slavic literatures. At the time, the Kingdom of Great Moravia (in what is now Czechoslovakia) was facing religious and military pressure from the Franks. To address this, the Moravian king requested a missionary who knew Slavonic from the Eastern Roman emperor in 863, who in turn devised a script suitable for writing Slavonic. This gave the Czechs their first glimpse of literary possibilities, and it was this script that became the starting point of Czech literature. Czech literature began with religious texts such as the Bible, followed by works such as biographies of princes.
In the 11th century, the Moravian Empire collapsed following the invasion of the Hungarians, and the political centre of gravity naturally shifted west to the Czech lands. At the same time, there was a shift from Byzantine Eastern Orthodox influence to Roman Catholicism. As a result, literature was dominated by literature written in Latin, and Romanesque culture was introduced around the 11th century.
The 13th and 14th centuries saw the beginning of Czech Gothic literature. In addition to literature written in Latin, a national literature in the Czech language emerged, and it was of a very high standard. From the mid-14th century, with the reign of Charles IV, Prague emerged as a city of the arts, and the heyday of Czech Gothic art began, with works such as the epic Alexander the Great and the Chronicles of Dalimil, the first librarian, appearing. In the early 15th century, the influence of the Reformation led to the publication of sermons criticising the Catholic Church.
Modern literature
The Czech national revival movement was active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. At the end of the 18th century, King Joseph II of the Habsburg dynasty, influenced by Enlightenment ideas, pushed through reforms such as the emancipation of serfs and the building of schools to give the nation a breathing space. These social changes led to a revival of Czech language and culture, and the maintenance of the national language was essential in the process.
Leading philologist Dobrovsky (1753-1829) codified the Czech language through his work on Czech grammar and linguistic history. He conducted extensive research in search of Slavic manuscripts, most notably travelling to Russia and Sweden in 1792 to find manuscripts that had been lost during the Thirty Years’ War. His work became the foundation of Slavic studies and was an important contribution to the development of Czech literature and language. His works include A History of the Language and Literature of Bohemia (1792), A System of Learning the Bohemian Language (1809), and A Grammar of the Ancient Church Slavonic Language (1822).
A prominent figure in modern literature is the poet Svatoplouk Čech, whose works dealt with democracy and national liberation as major themes and is regarded as a representative of Czech national poetry. His major works include The Morning Song (1887), The New Song (1888), and The Slave’s Song (1895), while his prose works include Mr Broček’s Travels (1889).
In addition, musicians who had a major influence on the literature of modern society include Smetana and Dvorak. Smetana is known for his opera The Sold Bride and symphonic poem My Fatherland, while Dvorak is known for From the New World. Together with Czech literature, they are an important part of modern Czech culture.
Modern literature
One of the most famous figures in modern Czech literature is Franz Kafka, a Czech-Jewish novelist who was born in what is now the Czech capital, Prague, and grew up in a German-speaking Jewish community. After earning a doctorate in law in 1906, he worked for an insurance company, but his only goal in life was to write literature. He was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1917, retired from his job in 1922, and died in a tuberculosis sanatorium in 1924.
Although Kafka was largely unknown during his lifetime, his friend Max Brodt published his writings and left his mark on literary history. His works thoroughly express the solitude of the individual, the absurdity of life, and the anxieties of human existence, and he was later recognised as a pioneer of existentialist literature. His major works include The Metamorphosis, The Lawsuit, and The Castle, and Prague is now home to the Kafka Museum and his house as a tourist attraction.
Another master of modern literature is Milan Kundera, whose masterpiece The Unbearable Lightness of Being explores human existence, the weight and lightness of life through four male and female protagonists. The novel depicts the inner conflicts and loves of modern man, and has added to the depth of Czech literature.
Franz Kafka has had a profound influence on modern literature, and his works in particular are considered to be the forerunners of surrealism and existentialism. Although he did not receive much recognition during his lifetime, his works were posthumously published by Max Brott and made waves in the literary world. The Metamorphosis explores the intrinsic loneliness and alienation of human beings, while The Lawsuit explores the absurdity of society and the powerlessness of man. Although Kafka’s works were not written in Czech, they are considered an important part of Czech literature. His works give us a glimpse of Prague and how the city influenced him. Kafka’s house in Prague Castle and the Kafka Museum preserve this literary heritage.
Milan Kundera is also a leading figure in Czech modern literature, and his novel The Unbearable Lightness of Being has been a huge international hit. The novel explores the meaning and weight of human existence through four characters, and is a deeply thought-provoking look at political oppression and personal freedom in particular. In this novel, Kundera vividly portrays the conflict between the weight and lightness of life, human freedom and oppression, which resonates with many people in the modern world.
Kundera’s other works also draw on the Czech history, culture, and political situation, and his writing is filled with philosophical explorations of human nature and identity. For these reasons, he has become more than just a Czech writer, but an international one.
Fusing Czech contemporary literature and music
Czech literature is also deeply connected to music. Vedřík Smetana and Antonín Dvořák are two musicians who influenced the development of modern Czech literature. Smetana’s opera The Sold Bride and his symphonic poem My Fatherland are emblematic of Czech national pride, and My Fatherland in particular is a musical representation of Czech landscapes, history, and culture. It is a work that is greatly loved by the Czech people, and Smetana’s music has also been an important inspiration for Czech literature.
Antonín Dvořák’s From the New World is a symphony composed during his time in the United States, and it is loved all over the world. He incorporated Czech folk music and dance into his work, which is closely linked to the restoration of national identity in Czech literature. Dvořák’s music, along with Czech literature, played a large role in shaping national identity, and his works are considered an important cultural heritage, expressing Czech historical events and national pride in music.
Czech literary tradition and today
Czech literature has a rich tradition that dates back to the Middle Ages and continues to this day. Modern Czech literature is widely known to readers around the world and is an important pillar of European literature. The Czech literary heritage tells the story of the Czechs’ formation of their national identity and their struggle for independence. From the Middle Ages to the present day, Czech literature has evolved with the times, while Czechs have preserved their culture and identity.
Czech literature is characterised by its pursuit of literary freedom in the face of political oppression, especially in the 20th century, when many Czech writers faced repression during two world wars and under the communist regime, but they continued to strive to make their voices heard through literature. This literary tradition continues today, with Czech writers making their mark on the world literary stage.
The future of Czech literature will continue to develop through new literary endeavours, while continuing to build on the legacy of the past. Contemporary Czech writers are broadening the scope of Czech literature, addressing not only traditional themes, but also issues of a globalised modern world. These literary endeavours will play an important role in ensuring that Czech literature does not simply remain in the past, but moves in new directions.
Musicians who influenced literature in modern society
Musicians who have influenced modern Czech literature include Smetana and Dvorak. Smetana’s opera The Sold Bride and symphonic poem My Fatherland are masterpieces of Czech music and are closely associated with Czech literature and culture. Dvořák’s From the New World is a symphony he composed in the United States, and it’s loved around the world. Both Smetana and Dvořák drew on Czech folk music for their compositions, which also has strong ties to Czech literature.
In the 1840s, a movement arose to elevate Slovak to a written language on a par with Czech, thanks in large part to the literary endeavours of the scholar and poet Stur (1815-1856). It was in close association with Czech literature that Slovak was established as a written language.
The literary impact of the Revolution and the implementation of realism
The aftermath of the February Revolution in France in 1848 affected the Czech Republic as well, with barricaded battles taking place in many parts of the country, but the revolution was suppressed by the Habsburgs. This experience forced Czech writers to face reality and led to a shift towards realist literature. It was in this context that the approach to modern literature took place.
Karel Sabina, who took part in the revolution, is also known for writing the libretto for Smetana’s opera; the poet Fritsch (1829-1889) continued his literary activity even during his tangible life, writing Memoirs (1886-1887), an invaluable record of his contemporaries; and the woman writer Božina Nemtsova (1820-1882) laid the foundations of Czech prose literature, whose masterpiece Grandmother (1855) is considered a monumental work of Czech national literature. It is a masterpiece of unpretentious and realistic portrayal of rural Czech life and characters.
Development of Czech literature in the second half of the 19th century
The second half of the 19th century saw the emergence of many poets and writers who enriched Czech literature. The most prominent of these was Neruda (1834-1891), who is known not only for his poetry, but also for his short story collection The Tale of Mara Strana (1878), which depicts life on a Prague street and is still widely read today. Other poets active during this period included Havryčevorovský, Erben, Sladek, Halek and Ulprický, adding to the diversity of Czech literature.
