The Name


Vörösmarty Mihály was born in Kápolnásnyék on 1st December 1800. He learned in a secondary school in Székesfehérvár and went on in Pest. From 1817 he studied at University of Pest. Being a poor person, he became a teacher at Perczel family. He began writing poems in grammar school. In 1822-1823 he was a jurist in Görb, here he got to know with the movement of resistance. In 1823 he began to work on his conquest epic, Zalan’s Run. In 1824 he graduated as a lawyer, and in the same year he got in contact with Szemere Pál, Toldy Ferenc and Deák Ferenc. He became a member in Kisfaludy Károly’s circle, the editor of Aurora. In 1828 Vörösmarty became the editor of Scientific Collection. In 1830 he was chosen as a member of the Hungarian Scientific Company. He worked as a reviewer and linguist. Between 1837 and 1843 he was the editor of Athenaeum together with Bajza József and Toldy Ferenc. He took part in political fights; he was in contact with Széchenyi, Kossuth and Wesselényi. He was a supporter of Széchenyi, but in a quarrel he supported Kossuth. From 1842 he was the leader of the National Circle, from 1847 the vice leader of the Opposite Circle. In 1843 he married Csajághy Laura and they had two children. On 15th March 1848 he wrote his poem Free Press. He served the war of independence with poems and articles. He became a member of the first Parliament based on popular representation. He followed the government into Debrecen. After capitulation at Világos he went into hiding but finally he was excused. He died in Pest on 19th November 1855.