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Primary sourceBook27-30 March 1848

The Sea Has Risen

Sándor Petőfi · 27-30 March 1848

Petőfi's 1848 poem comparing the uprising of the people to a stormy, rising sea overpowering ships and rulers.

Written during the 1848 revolutions, this poem shows Petőfi using his writing to champion popular uprising.

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Source: Wikisource

About this source

What it is

'Föltámadott a tenger…' ('The Sea Has Risen') is a poem written by Sándor Petőfi in Pest between 27 and 30 March 1848. It describes a violent sea storm as an image for the uprising of the people.

Why it matters

Written during the dramatic events of 1848, when revolutions swept across Europe including Hungary, the poem turns a natural image of a storm into a declaration that ordinary people, not rulers, ultimately hold power. It shows Petőfi using poetry directly as a tool of revolutionary expression.

Look closer

  • What effect does comparing the people to a stormy sea create for the reader?
  • Why might Petőfi have written this poem in the exact days he did?
  • What does the final line about who is 'master' of the water suggest about his political message?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Sándor Petőfi on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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