Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft

Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft ( born March 16, 1581 Amsterdam, † May 21, 1647 in The Hague), Knights of St. Michael, was a Dutch poet, historian, and playwright.

Work

Hooft was born into a distinguished patrician family, who in the 17th and 18th centuries was able to provide a variety of Amsterdam's mayor. His father was Cornelis Hooft - one at the turn of the 16th to the 17th century Amsterdam's powerful Regent - Catharina, his cousin, was the wife of Cornelis de Graeff.

He is one of the most important poets of the Renaissance in the Netherlands. His views were humanistic; in the wars of religion of his age he remained neutral in general. His most famous drama is Warenar, which reveals a significant influence of the work of the Roman playwright Plautus.

He was wealthy, and managed, as he was Drossaard ( Steward ) of Muiden, 1609-1647 the Muiderslot, a castle 15 km east of Amsterdam. There was about him from 1621 a literary and musical circle Muiderkring. The members and visitors of this circle had a great influence on Dutch literature in the 17th century.

Works

• Warenar. Bakker, Amsterdam 2004, ISBN 90-351-2653- X