Bürger, Gottfried August

Bürger, Gottfried August gôtˈfrēt ouˈgo͝ost bürˈgər [key], 1747–94, German poet. He is best known for his ballads in folk-song style; the famous Lenore (1773) was widely translated and had far-reaching influence. Bürger edited and wrote for the Göttingen Musenalmanach and taught aesthetics at the Univ. of Göttingen. He translated many works of Homer, Shakespeare, and others, as well as the famous stories of Baron Münchausen. His unconventional approach to poetry was severely criticized by Schiller.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: German Literature: Biographies