ARANY, JANOS, next to Petofi the most distinguished of modern Hungarian poets, was h. at Nagy-Szalonta in 1810. His father was a poor peasant, who spared no pains to get him into the church. In 1832, he entered the college at Debreczin, where he distinguished himself by his diligence; but unable to restrain his love of adven ture, he joined, in 1836, a company of strolling-players, with whom he traveled about for several months, till, driven by necessity and an upbraiding conscience, he hurried home to do what he could for the support of a now blind and abed parent. At Szalonta he worked as a teacher of Latin and a.s a When the Kisfaludy society of Pesth offered a prize for the best humorous poem, A. sent in anonymously his Az clreszett Alkotmdny (The Lost Constitution of the Past). He was successful. Thus emboldened, he ventured, in 1847, to forward to the same society the first part of a trilogy, Toldi.
Struck by the beauty of this purely national effort, the members published it at their own expense, and again rewarded the author. A. soon became a popular favorite, even in the lowest ranks of the community. In 1848 appeared his Murdny Ostroma (Conquest of Murdny), which received less attention owing to the political excitement of the time. The poet himself took a slight part in the revolution, but after the dismal termination of the war, he was allowed to return to his country. Soon afterwards he became professor of Hungarian literature at Nagy-Koros, and then director of the Kisfaludy society, and editor of the journal Ko&orti. The chief of his later works are Kalalin, the second part of Toldi, 2 vols. of lyrics, the first part of another trilogy, Buda Haldla, and a humorous poem recounting his early adventures (1874). Some of his works have been translated into German.