Mikuláš Konáč from Hodíškov - Mikuláš Konáč from Hodíškov - Inspiration of Reasonings about Humanism
Abstract
This article carries on from articles recently published presenting the main issues of literature in Jagellon Bohemia. As Mikuláš Konáč of Hodíškov (who died in 1546) was not just the author of the original works and translations, but first and foremost a printer, it would appear useful to explore his place in Czech culture through the prism of both activities together.
The main feature of Konáč's writing and printing work was not just his service to Czech society, but also to no small extent his ambition to excel, even at the expense of conflicts stu die 39 between slowly and passively adopted early humanistic literary and publishing trends and the as yet not fully developed early Renaissance typography. As a translator, Konáč broadly straddled the medieval and the early modern eras, as living primarily in a medieval manner, this is the way he was moulded by burgher society in the first third of the 16th century.
As a tradesman with creative ambitions he sought models to arouse the attention of potential readers while helping to cultivate them, and it was perhaps a matter of indifference to him which cultural areas they came from or how far back into the past they went. With his readers in mind, he substantially bolstered the role of forewords, dedications and other book paratexts.
He also extended the genre range of contemporary literature to a small extent. However, phenomena which have been described by previous generations of researchers both in the case of Konáč and of Jagellon era writing as humanistic are considered by us to be manifestations of domestic Irenicism.
Konáč's conception coincides with this European mainstream of thought in its emphasis on the general good and Christian morality, although it parts company with it in its intolerant view of the Unity of the Brethren and Lutheranism. We suggest the rather contentious term national humanism, a survival from a previous era, should be replaced by a new term, the proto-revival of burgher society.