Noore Jaan Bergmanni poeetika - Luulekunst kui lõbu ja õpetus
The poetics of young Jaan Bergmann - Poetic art as pleasure and instruction

Summary/Abstract: Jaan Bergmann (1856-1916) can be considered one of the founding figures of Estonian poetics: He authored the first Estonian survey of poetics, he also introduced various canonical forms of poetry in his native original poetry, broadened Estonian poetry by genres and enriched it by translations, being the first Estonian trans­lator of several ancient authors. Bergmann’s efforts to diversify Estonian poetic culture mainly belong to his student years, age 18-22. Thus the focus of the present article lies on Bergmann’s contribution to the development of Estonian poetics and versification while attending gymnasium and university in 1875-1878. Besides his publications, the article draws on young Bergmann’s articles and records of his representations, yet especially on unpublished archival sources, i.e. his manuscript verse collections from1875, 1877 and 1878. The latter demonstrate how consistent he was in his attempts to bind tradition and innovation on various levels, combining classical verse and strophe with Estonian runo song and oral tradition with written poetry, all in order to cultivate the soil were Estonian own poetry could root and thrive.

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