Vondel, Joost van den (1587–1679)

Dutch poet and dramatist. His religious dramas include Joseph in Dothan 1640, Lucifer 1654, Jeptha 1659, and Adam in Ballingschap 1664. He also translated a number of classical tragedies. His majestic, fervent style had a considerable influence on German drama of the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

Vondel was born in Cologne, Germany. He settled in Amsterdam as a draper, but spent much of his time writing poems and plays. He was a religious man, and became a Roman Catholic 1641 because of the actions of the extreme Calvinists.