Friedrich von Hagedorn

Friedrich von Hagedorn (* April 23, 1708 in Hamburg, † October 28, 1754 ) was a German poet of the rococo. He was the older brother of the art theorist and collector Christian Ludwig von Hagedorn ( 1712-1780 ).

Life

Hagedorn was the son of wealthy diplomats and government in Danish Council services Statius Hans von Hagedorn. Initially trained by private tutors, he had to visit after economic difficulties of the father from 1723 the Academic Gymnasium in Hamburg. From 1726, he studied law at the University of Jena cost. Nevertheless, he had to stop studying and flee from his creditors from Jena to 6 semesters. In 1729, he traveled for two years as a private secretary to the Danish ambassador Henrik Frederik of Söhlenthal to London. On his return he took over for a time tutor for the position of Secretary of the trading company Merchant Adventurer at the " English Court" in Hamburg and had so financially secure. This enabled him to devote to writing mainly.

In 1737 he married the daughter of an English cutter; The marriage remained childless. Hagedorn maintained a lavish lifestyle with a high consumption of food, drinking and smoking so that a mapping between the ages of mid 30's a fat, bloated man shows. He suffered greatly from gout, and later of respiratory and cardiac problems, insomnia, paralysis, and water in the body and legs.

Works

He processed antique, French and especially English excitations in serene and reasonable Fables and Tales ( 1738) and anakreontisch dallying odes and songs ( 1742-1752 ).

Formally, let his works in fables, songs, poems and epigrams teaching divide. His poetry is simple ( alternating verse, easily singable verse forms) and pursued other musical ideals as the poet of the Baroque.

Programmatically select his poems turn away from the fear of life and the Weltekel of the Baroque. Hagedorn is considered the founder of the German Rococo. In the foreground of his poetry are love lust, enjoying wine and poetry, but also moral principles, however, the Horatian maxims prodesse et delectare ( good and entertain ) the following, therefore, come jokingly. His special fondness for poets of antiquity ( Sappho, Anacreon, and especially Horace ), whose works he nachstrebte, first brought him the reputation of an imitator. Recent studies, however, arrive at the conclusion that his works have quite original character.

Hagedorn maintained friendly contacts with famous colleagues such as Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock, Ludwig Gleim and Johann Jacob Bodmer. Gotthold Ephraim Lessing also visited him occasionally. He was also active as a patron.

In The Alster he extols the importance of the Elbe and the Alster in Hamburg:

The elven-ship ride makes us rich; The Alster teaches Being sociable! Through those to fill the memory; On this, the foreign wine tastes. In drifting boat Embarks harmony and joy, And liberty and laughter Ease your chest.