Karolina PRANIAUSKAITĖ
(1828-1859), poetess, the first woman known in Lithuanian literature, born
near Telšiai, western Lithuania, on Jan. 18, 1828. Raised in an estate
where Polish culture predominated (Padubysys), she wrote sentimental,
melancholy and deeply religious poems in the Polish language. Larger in
scope is her description of church festivals in the town of Žemaičių
Kalvarija (Festyna Wielkiej Kalwaryj na žmudzi). Her only known
work in the Lithuanian language is Žalčio motė (The Serpent's
Mother, 1859), a verse translation of a fragment from Kraszewski's (q.v.)
poem Witolorauda. The translation is of a high literary quality,
diversified in its rhythms and aptly utilizing the poetic devices of
Lithuanian folk songs. She died of tuberculosis on May 14, 1859 in Utena,
where she had been living at her brother's rectory.
Bibl.: J. Miksys, "Karolina
Praniauskaitė," Pergalė, No. 5 1959 (Vilnius).
Text from the ENCYCLOPEDIA
LITUANICA I-VI. Boston, 1970-1978
