At the turn of the century Slovene literature underwent a metamorphosis: stilted realism and formalistic versification were swept away by a group of young talents, whose work was commonly called Slovenska Moderna (Modern Slovene Art). Among them was Ivan Cankar, who is considered the greatest Slovene writer of all times. He introduced into Slovene literature the latest European styles and transformed Slovene language into a cadence of rhythmic prose verging on poetry.

Ivan Cankar was born on 10 May 1876 in Vrhnika, a small town in western Slovenia. His father, Jozef, was a jobless tailor. Twelve children were born into the family, but only eight survived. The burden of providing for them fell upon the shoulders of their mother, Neza. She took any occasional work she could get and was often forced to beg for food.

Cankar was a bright student in Vrhnika elementary school, and some town dignitaries offered...