O d y s s e u s E l y t i s – The Greek poet of light and of Aegean Sea

The Greek poet of light and of Aegean Sea The Greek poet of light and of Aegean Sea The Poet of Aegean Sea, the Poet without borders, the gifted Poet of Greece who dedicated his life to a love of hope, beauty, freedom, justice, and Greek tradition, in poems of captivating lyricism, surreal imaginary and a voice to the human consciousness, established himself as one of the leading voices of a generation of literary Greek giants, as the principal contributor to the “renaissance” that had been brought to Greek letters since the mid of 1930’s. The Poet of Aegean Sea, the Poet without borders, the gifted Poet of Greece who dedicated his life to a love of hope, beauty, freedom, justice, and Greek tradition, in poems of captivating lyricism, surreal imaginary and a voice to the human consciousness, established himself as one of the leading voices of a generation of literary Greek giants, as the principal contributor to the “renaissance” that had been brought to Greek letters since the mid of 1930’s.

Renowned for their astonishing lyricism and profound optimism, Elytis’ s poems capture the natural wonders of Greece and give voice to the contemporary Greek – and to more universally human – consciousness. Renowned for their astonishing lyricism and profound optimism, Elytis’ s poems capture the natural wonders of Greece and give voice to the contemporary Greek – and to more universally human – consciousness.

Odysseus Elytis (Odysseas Alepoudhelis) was born in Irαklion, Crete, into a prosperous Cretan family. Childhood years Childhood years Alepoudelis Family The poet at the age of three. The poet at the age of three.

He spent the first summers of his life on the islands of Krete, Mytiline and Spetses. So he comes into contact with the nautical tradition and the influence of the sea in the formation of Greek culture. ΚΡΗΤΗ ΛΕΣΒΟΣ ΣΠΕΤΣΕΣ

He went to Law School of Athens University from 1930 to 1935 without taking a degree. He had an inner fight between studies and poetry. He went to Law School of Athens University from 1930 to 1935 without taking a degree. He had an inner fight between studies and poetry He becomes a member of the «Philosophical Society » of the University and takes part in symposiums and conversations. He becomes a member of the «Philosophical Society » of the University and takes part in symposiums and conversations. He came into contact with the society of “Nea Grammata” the magazine that brought the modern,western artistic trends and made the young poets known to the public. He came into contact with the society of “Nea Grammata” the magazine that brought the modern,western artistic trends and made the young poets known to the public. University years

( C o l l a g e ) ( C o l l a g e ) In the first surrealistic exhibition of Athens of Athens Elytis presents paintings made with the collage technique.

Elytis’s Collage Elytis’s Collage

– – – – The poet stops his studies and he visited the Reserve Officer's Cadet School in Corfu. Second world war ( ) Second world war ( ) He publishes his work «Prosanatolismi» which was translated in French in a year.

The beginning of the Greek –Italian war ( ) The beginning of the Greek –Italian war ( ) He He served as a second lieutenant in Albania in on the advanced fire line. and almost dead he was to the hospital of Ioannina. After a long campaign, he contracted typhus and almost dead he was to the hospital of Ioannina.

The “Fairy” by Giraudoux for the National Theatre and “the Circle with the chalk” by Brecht for the Art Theatre He translates foreign literature

Odysseus Elytis’s poems are translated in German and English

He publishes his superior work “Axion Esti” and thanks to its setting to music by Theodorakis spread among all Greeks it spread among all Greeks and grew to be a kind of the people's new gospel. He was awarded the first State Poetry Prize in 1960 for “Axion Esti”.

Odysseus Elytis- Mikis Theodorakis (1964)

fter the Greek military coup of 1967 After the Greek military coup of 1967 he withdrew and translated others’ work and made collage pictures.

Too many of his poems were set into music by different composers

The Nobel Prize was awarded to him The Nobel Prize was awarded to him by the Swedish Academy for his “poetry which, against the background of Greek tradition, depicts with sensuous strength and intellectual clear-sightedness modern man’s struggle for freedom and creativeness’.

In Greece, he was honoured in a special ceremony in the House of Parliament. In Paris he was awarded the Medal of the superior Brigadier of the Legion of Honour. He was awarded the Mediterranean Prize by the Society of Mediterranean Universities. He was an honourary Doctor at the University of Sorbonne. In New Jersey, a Neo-Hellenic Faculty was founded and named after Elytis. In London, Elytis was awarded the Silver Benson Medal by the Royal Society of Philologists.

– Translations of his poetry have been published as autonomous books, in anthologies or in periodicals in eleven languages. He was proclaimed Doctor Honoris Causa in London.

He was proclaimed Doctor Honoris Causa of the Philosophical School of the Thessaloniki University

In 1996, Odysseus Elytis, the poet of life and freedom, of light and sun, of the Greek sea and the Greek passion, the voice of dignity and of endurance, the poet of Greece, passed away, the age of eighty – four years