Gerbrand Adriaensz. Bredero (* March 16, 1585 - † August 23, 1618) was a Dutch poet and playwright in the period known as the Dutch Golden Age.

Life

In 1585 Bredero was born in Amsterdam, where he lived his whole life. He called himself "G.A. Bredero, Amstelredammer", and sometimes he is called Breero or Brederode. He was the third child of Marry Gerbrants and Adriaen Cornelisz. Bredero, who was a shoemaker and a succefull real estate agent. Bredero was born on the Nes, nowadays number 41, and in 1602 he and his family moved to a house on Oude Zijds Voorburgwal , nowadays number 244, which his father bought. Bredero lived in this house the rest of his life. Both houses are now restaurants.

In school Bredero learned French and possibly also some English and Latin. Later he was educated as an art painter, as a student of the Antwerp painter Francesco Badens , but none of his paintings have survived. In 1611 he became a member of the rederijkerskamer d'Eglantier, where he was an active member and met friends like Roemer Visscher and P.C.Hooft. Together with Hooft he joined Costers Nederduytsche Academie. In this period he wrote the play "De Spaanschen Brabander Ierolimo".

The only public position Bredero had, was vaandrig or standard bearer of the civic guard . In the year 1618, on the age of 33, Bredero suddenly died, shortly after he had recovered from a pneumonia, he got from falling through ice. He never got married.

The playwright

Bredero wrote different kinds of plays: tragedies, farces and comedies. He is most famous for his comedy "De Spaanschen Brabander Ierolimo", meaning "The Spanish Brabanter Jerolimo", about the poor nobleman Jerolimo who pretends to be wealthy. After centuries this play is still performed in theatres. Bredero often used the words "'t kan verkeeren" to end a play or poem, as it's signature, and nowadays these words are still used in Dutch as an expression, meaning "things happen" or "things can change".

The dates are first publication dates, most plays were already performed several years earlier.

Tragedies

• Treur-spel van Rodd'rick ende Alphonsus (1616)
• Griane (1616)
• Lucelle (1616)
• Stommen ridder (1619)
• Angeniet (1623) (not finished)

Farces

• Den Molenaer (1618) [1]
• De Klucht van de koe (1619)
• Symen sonder soeticheydt (1619)
• De Hoochduytschen Quacksalver (1619) (unsure whether Bredero is the author)

Comedies

• Moortje (1617)
• De Spaanschen Brabander Ierolimo (1618)

The poet

Bredero wrote different kinds of poems and also translated poems from French. A few years after his death his poetry was published in 1622 in the book "Boertig, amoureus en aandachtig groot liedboek", meaning "Book with funny songs, love songs and serious songs". In the year 2004 two previously unknown poems of Bredero, as well as a poem translated by Bredero from French, were discovered by Piet Verkruijsse in the book "Tragische Historien" in a Swedish library.

Poetry

• Tragische Historien (1612) (includes two poems of Bredero, one translation by Bredero)
• Apollo (1615)
• Boertig, amoureus en aandachtig groot liedboek (1622)

External Links

• G.A. Bredero - digital versions of a major part his oeuvre (in Dutch)
• Bredero song text page - English translations of several songs of Bredero
• G.A. Bredero 1585-1618 - pictures of Bredero
• Newly discovered poems of Bredero and Starter - digital versions of in 2004 discovered poems (in Dutch)