author
Mihály Babits
1883–1941
A central figure in modern Hungarian literature, this poet, novelist, essayist, and translator helped shape the country’s literary life in the early 20th century. His writing is known for its intellectual depth, moral seriousness, and the powerful spiritual themes running through many of his poems.
2 Audiobooks
Két kritika
by Mihály Babits
Timár Virgil fia
by Mihály Babits
About the author
Born in Szekszárd in 1883, Mihály Babits studied Hungarian and classical literature at the University of Budapest. Early in his career he taught in secondary schools, while his poems began to attract attention around the time the influential journal Nyugat emerged as a leading force in Hungarian literary culture.
Babits became one of the major voices of that modern literary generation. He wrote poetry, novels, essays, and criticism, and he was also widely respected as a translator. Among his best-known achievements was his translation of Dante’s Divine Comedy, and reference works consistently describe him as an important presence in Hungarian literary life from the publication of his first poetry collection in 1909 onward.
His work often combines formal skill with introspection, ethical reflection, and religious feeling. Later he also served as editor of Nyugat, extending his influence beyond his own books and helping shape the direction of Hungarian literature until his death in Budapest in 1941.