PALUDAN-MULLER, FREDERIK ( 809-1876) , Da nish poet, was the third son of Jens Paludan-Willer, from 183o to 1845 bishop of Aarhus, and born at Kjerteminde in Fiinen, on Feb. 7, 1809. In 1819 his father was transferred to Odense, and Frederik began to attend the Latin school there. In 1828 he passed to the university of Copenhagen. In 1832 he opened his poetical career with Four Romances, and a successful romantic comedy entitled Kjaerlighed ved hoffet ("Love at Court"). This was succeeded in 1833 by Dandserinden ("The Dancing Girl"). He was not, however, well inspired in his lyrical drama of Amor and Psyche in 1834, nor in his Oriental tale of Zuleimas flugt ("Zuleima's Flight") in 1835, both written under the strong influence of Byron. But he regained all that he had lost by his two volumes of poems in 1836 and 1838. From 1838 to 184o Paludan-Mbller was making the grand tour in Europe and his genius greatly expanded; in Italy he wrote Venus, a lyrical poem of extreme beauty. In the same year, 1841, he began to publish a great work on which he had long been engaged, and which he did not conclude until 1848; this was Adam Homo, a narrative epic, satirical, modern and descriptive, into which Paludan-Miiller wove all his variegated impressions of Denmark and of love. This
remains a Danish classic. In 1844 he composed three enchanting idylls, Dryadens bryllup ("The Dryad's Wedding"), Tithon ("Tithonus") and Abels clod ("The Death of Abel"). From 185o a certain decline in the poet's physical energy became manifest and he wrote less. His majestic drama of Kalanus belongs to 1854. Then for seven years he kept silence. Paradiset ("Para dise") 1861; and Benedikt fra Nurcia ("Benedict of Nurcia") 1861; bear evidence of malady, both physical and mental.
Paludan-Muller wrote considerably after this, but never re covered his early raptures, except in the very latest of all his poems, the enchanting welcome to death, entitled Adonis. The poet died at Copenhagen on Dec. 27, 18 76.
Paludan-Mtiller was also the author of two prose romances: Ung domskilden ("The Fountain of Youth") (1865) ; and Ivar Lykke's Historie (3 vols., 1866-73). His Poetiske Skrifter (8 vols.) were published in 1878-79.