Tears of the Prodigal Son [SEP] creator
Tears of the Prodigal Son
The Tears of the Prodigal Son () is a poem written by the Croatian Baroque poet Ivan Gundulić. It was originally published in Venice in 1622.
The poem is composed of three laments (cries) ("plač"): the Sin ("Sagriješenje"), the Comprehension ("Spoznanje") and the Humility ("Skrušenje"), presenting the three basic categories of Christianity — sin, repentance and redemption — through contrasts like death/life, sin/purity
Tears of the Prodigal Son" (based on the Parable of the Prodigal Son) are examples of Baroque stylistic richness and, frequently, rhetorical excess.
Life and works.
Gundulić was born in Dubrovnik into a wealthy Ragusan noble family ("see" House of Gundulić) on 8 January 1589. Son of Francesco di Francesco Gundulić (senator and diplomat, once the Ragusan envoy to Constantinople and councilor of the Republic to the Pope Gregory VIII) and Djiva Gradic (de Gradi). He received an excellent education