KISFALUDY, KAROLY [CHARLES] Hun garian author, was born at Tete, near Raab, on Feb. 6, 1788. His birth cost his mother her life and himself his father's undying hatred. He entered the army as a cadet in 1804; saw active service in Italy, Serbia and Bavaria (1805-1809), dis tinguishing himself at the battle of Leoben (May 25, 1809). During the war he composed his first poems, e.g., the tragedy Gyilkos ("The Murder," 18°8), and numerous martial songs. He fell hopelessly in love with the beautiful Katalin Heppler, the daughter of a wealthy tobacco merchant. Kisfaludy, contrary to his father's wishes, now threw up his commission and went to live with a married sister at Vorrock. In 1812 he studied painting at Vienna, till the theatre attracted him. In 1812 he wrote the tragedy Kldra Zdch, and in 1815 went to Italy to study art more thoroughly. But he was back again within six months, and for the next three years lived a wandering life. The elder Kisfaludy refused any reconciliation. But the son became im mediately famous with the production (1819) of his drama Ilka, written for the Fehervar dramatic society. Subsequent plays, The Voivode Stiber and The Petitioners (the first original Magyar dramas), were equally successful. Kisfaludy may be said to have created the Hungarian drama. In May 182o he wrote three new plays which still further increased his reputation. From 182o onwards, under the influence of the critic Kazinczy, he learnt to polish and refine his style, while his friend and adviser György Gaal (who translated some of his dramas for the Vienna stage) introduced him to the works of Shakespeare and Goethe.
By this time Kisfaludy had evolved a literary theory of his own which inclined towards romanticism; and in collaboration with his elder brother Alexander (see below) he founded the periodical Aurora (1822), which attracted many young authors (including Vörösmarty, Bajza and Czuczor) and became the organ of romanticists. Kisfaludy contributed to Aurora ballads, epigrams, short epic pieces, and, best of all, his comic stories. His comic types amuse and delight to this day. When the folk tale became popular in Europe, Kisfaludy set to work upon folk-tales also, and produced (1828) some of the masterpieces of that genre. He died on Nov. 21, 1830. Six years later the great literary society of Hungary, the Kisfaludy Tdrsasdg, was founded to commemorate his genius. Kisfaludy revived and nationalized the Magyar literature, giving it a range and scope undreamed of before his time.
The first edition of Kisfaludy's works, in io volumes, appeared at Buda in 1831, shortly after his death, but the 7th edition (Budapest, I893) is the best and fullest. See Ferenc Toldy, Lives of the Magyar Poets (Hung.) (Budapest, 187o) ; Zsolt Beothy, The Father of Hun garian Comedy ( Budapest, 1882) ; Tunas Szana, The Two Kisfaludys (Hung.) (Budapest, 1876). Kisfaludy's struggles and adventures are also most vividly described in Jokai's novel, Eppur si muove (Hung.).