On this day 450 years ago, Dubrovnik literary genius Marin Drzic passed away.
The year was 1567, the date was the 2nd of May, the location was Venice, Italy.
Marin Drzic is considered to be the greatest Croatian playwright of all time, known as the king of laughter, nicknamed the ”Croatian Shakespeare” – he is the author of several popular comedies which have won the hearts of people all over the world, perhaps the most famous of all being the hilarious play on life’s many stupidities and human mistakes, Dundo Maroje.
Unfortunately, many stories about Drzic’s life tend to be inconsistent with large ”chunks” missing from them, nonetheless, it can be asserted that he was much before his time. He was an unusual, clever character who was never quite satisfied with life or with the norm, working many different jobs and even attempting to stand against and overthrow twenty members of Dubrovnik’s ruling body.
Despite his rather untimely passing marking the end of his natural life, Marin Drzic’s spirit is still very much alive in the City of Dubrovnik. The city theatre is named after him, and his statue with its pensive gaze overlooks the narrow streets of the Old City as thousands upon thousands of tourists come to have their photos taken with him and rub his nose for luck.
You can find out more about Marin Drzic, his life and his works by clicking here.
