Ivan Gundulić

Ivan Gundulić, formerly known as Dživo Franov Gundulić, was the most well-known Baroque poet to emerge from the Republic of Ragusa (now in Croatia). He is considered the national poet of Croatia. His writing captures the core ideas of the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation: zealous hostility to "infidels," religious enthusiasm, and emphasis on the "vanity of this life." The epic poem Osman, the pastoral comedy Dubravka, and the religious poetry Tears of the Prodigal Son (based on the Parable of the Prodigal Son) are three of Gundulić's most notable works. They are all excellent instances of the Baroque period's stylistic variety and, frequently, rhetorical extravagance.

His ancestors were well-known in the 13th century, and in Dubrovnik, they were all involved in various State administration-related jobs. His plays typically dealt with literary and mythological themes and featured elaborate sets, dance, music, and unique scenes. Eight verses, each with a quatrain as the first line, make up the majority of Gundulić's compositions.

At the time, Ivan Gundulić had attained literary fame for his lifetime and was recognized as a canonical author of earlier Croatian literature.