The Romantic Hero of Janko Král’

Janko Král' is a representative of Slovak romanticism and an enthusiastic disciple of Ľudovít

Štúr. Král's vivid and mysterious life resembles the romantic hero's fate: he contributed to

developing Slovak literary language with his writings and fought for the Slovaks' freedom. The

poet was even nicknamed after his character as divný Janko for his boisterous nature. Fictional

Janko and an honest writer are very similar due to the subjectification and autostylisation used by

the author. In the ballad Zakliata panna vo Váhu a divný Janko, he entangles the motives of

negativism and existential collapse of a lyrical subject with motives of national revival and

folklore. In this essay, I will discuss the lyric hero of the aforementioned ballad as a romantic

hero of Byron type and comment on the ballad's structure.

Despite honest, courageous and selfless classical heroes, Byronic heroes are less "heroic" due to

their rebellious and reflective nature. They are sullen, withdrawn, usually of charming

appearance and high intelligence, but lonely because of neither society nor other individuals do

not accept them. Byronic lyric heroes are generally men in irreconcilable opposition to the

current status quo established by society: for example, Chatsky, who "casts pearl before a

swine", or snobbish and manipulative Mister Darcy, who values rationalism over feelings. Divný

Janko can also be regarded as a Byronic hero. Firstly, as Byron's Charles Harold, who possessed

some traits of the author, Divný Janko is the Král's reflection in the ballad. Secondly, the

character of Janko is as unsettled as a typical Byronic hero. From the beginning of the ballad, he

appears as a depressed and introverted hero, deeply plunged into his thoughts:

Často blúdim, táram sa cez celý boží deň,

hľadajúc kolenačky aspoň dáky kameň,
na ktorý by si oprel boľavú hlavičku
a zadriemal zmorený aspoň len trošíčku

These lines show how severely tortured Janko is by some heavy and restless ruminations. He

experiences mental suffering, and he abandons his comfort, choosing "at least some stone" to

rest. Tired and lost, Janko seeks salvation in a dream that, at least briefly, must relieve his

anxiety. This anxiety is caused by the journey he started in search of his identity.

Ale čo je nemožnô, to ani nehľadaj,

pokoja mať nemôžeš, všetko kričí: hybaj!

The motive of travel, physical and spiritual (dream, vision), frequently accompanies romantic

(aka Byronic) heroes. As Pechorin, Janko constantly moves to come to terms with the world. To

the reader, his actions may seem chaotic, but this comes from the fact that Janko's final

destination isn't physical but psychological (he desires to find his place). It is also worth

mentioning how the reader is involved in Janko's story. With these lines, the author addresses the

reader in the second person so that the reader associates himself with the lyrical subject.

Like a true Byronic hero, Divny Janko does not conform to the social norms and expectations

that exist within this community. Moreover, he struggles with his integrity, torn between his urge

to change the order of things and the wish to be accepted. The episodes featuring Janko starkly

contrast with the descriptions of the area and the residents. The black colour palette used in these

episodes emphasises the thoughtfulness of the character (e.g. Janko "padne na čiernu zem" and

he walks "temnými hábami.", and "čiernoperí vtáci" fly over his head. Thus, against the

background of “tie radosnté kraje” where “veselí chlapi” live, Janko “chodí zarmútený […] v

čiernom dlhom kepeni ako havran dáky”. The poet repeatedly uses a rhetorical question in the
poem's central part. This technique serves to separate Janko from his country and people, as well

as to distance the reader from the entities being described. This creates a connection between the

reader and Janko, which helps to develop a deeper understanding of his character.

On the one hand, Janko can be called a Byronic hero because collective and individual

existences do not suit him. On the other hand, the author leaves a hint about the more significant

role of Janko: he is not just a frustrated intellectual, but he is also a leader who could unite and

lead Slovaks. Janko's ambitions are elevated compared to the egoistic and self-centred Byronic

heroes mentioned above, showing him as sensitive. In his dream, Janko sees a shepherd who

lives a peaceful life with his stock:

Či neznáte tie kraje, kde v tichej dolinke

po lúčičkách pastierik blúdi s ovčičkami,
tými, z ktorých sám pije, pojí ich vodami
a medzi nimi žije ak’ otec v rodinke,
každičkú zná menovať, každičkú zastáva,
medzi nimi vyrástol, medzi nimi spáva?

The shepherd and Janko were born and raised on the same land, but the shepherd from the

passage is passive and satisfied with what he has. There is something of a biblical shepherd in

Janko, which pushes him forward in search of the future for his people. It seems that a strong

individualist like Janko should lead people, as Gorky's Danko. However, Janko feels anxiety

about his mission: he walks "bez cesty", stumbling and falling.

In the third part of the poem, Janko meets the Cursed Virgin, and this encounter is the climax of

the lyric hero's storyline. As a folklore character, the Cursed Virgin symbolises the nation and its

recently formed identity. Janko wants to disenchant the enchanted Virgin, but it costs him his

life. Unfortunately, Janko can neither save the magical creature nor lead his people because he
does not understand them. According to the legend, to survive, Janko had to put his clothes

inside out before throwing himself into the water. The Virgin would even have rewarded him if

he had done as the legend says. Thus, Janko failed the test, proving himself to be an unworthy

leader.

It is also worth mentioning the importance of diminutives in the ballad. Diminutives make the

ballad sound more folklore, like a fairytale (e.g. “za pesničkou každičkou”, “mamičku”,

“pesničku”, “valašôčku”). Furthermore, as frequently observed in folklore, the ballad has a

moral or didactic element. Using the diminutive form of his name (Janíček), the poet portrays

Janko as a child with ambitions beyond his reach. If Janko is an allusion to the author, Král' may

be mocking his life choices.

In the last part of the poem, Janko awakes from his dream. He sees himself as a downed falcon

(“videl som sokola na zemi zbitého”), realising that he is “ešte malý, maličičký“ to play the role

of a leader. After a distrubing dream, the protagonist finds solace in nature (“Hora, voda hučí,

vetríček podúva/Janík pod svrčinou na brehu načúva). Janko listens to the world and accepts it.

Such denouement gives the reader hope that he will fly like a falcon (a symbol of freedom for

Štúr's poets) one day.

In conclusion, I want to summarise what was previously said. The ballad consists of four parts:

introduction (Janko falls asleep), Janko's dream, which functions as a development of a story

(with the folklore story in it), the episode about the Cursed Virgin (climax), and Janko's

awakening (denouement). The analysis of Janko Král's ballad reveals a compelling portrayal of

the romantic hero, drawing parallels to the Byronic archetype. With his introspective and
rebellious nature, Janko mirrors the likes of Byron's characters, challenging societal norms and

wrestling with his ambition. However, one distinctive feature of Janko differentiates him from

the other Byronic heroes: he is less selfish, and his aspirations are not solely focused on himself.

As Pišút stated, with this poem, Janko Král' "expressed ...all his contradictions, his sadness and

the dissatisfaction with the world as well as his love to the people".