Angelos Sikelianos

Angelos Sikelianos (Greek Άγγελος Σικελιανός; born March 15, 1884 in Lefkada, † 19 July 1951 in Athens ) was a Greek poet.

Life

Growing up on the island of Lefkada in the Ionian Sea, Sikelianos graduated in 1900 from high school and enrolled the following year at the Law Faculty of the University of Athens, a, without, however, ever complete his studies. From early on he was enthusiastic about literature and reading ancient Greek poet Homer and Pindar, Plato, and the Bible as well as contemporary European writers such as Gabriele d' Annunzio. During his studies, he traveled extensively and finally turned himself entirely to poetry and the theater.

In 1907, he married in the United States, the American Eva Palmer, whom he had met in Paris, where she then studied archeology and choreography. 1908, left the two settled in Athens, where Sikelianos came in contact with like-minded intellectuals. In 1909 he finally published his first book of poems Alafroïskiotos ( Αλαφροΐσκιωτος ), which caused great attention in literary circles and is considered a milestone in the history of modern Greek literature. There followed a period of orientation search until he published 1915-1917 a further four volumes. In addition, he worked with during this time in some contemporary literary journals.

After the failure of the " Delphic Idea" were Eva and he divorced. She moved back to the U.S., from where they returned to Greece after the death of her husband again. During the German occupation 1941-44 Sikelianos played an important role in the intellectual resistance; In 1943 he delivered a widely acclaimed speech at Kostis Palamas grave. In 1946 he was elected President of the Hellenic Writers' Association, 1949, he was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature. He died in 1951 in Athens and was buried in Delphi.

Work

Sikelianos ' work shines through a strong lyrical orientation and its particular linguistic richness. To date, he is one of the most important and influential modern Greek poets; however it has been seldom recited outside Greece, with the exception of the English-speaking world.

The " Delphic Idea"

In the 1920s, Sikelianos was famous for his attempt, the Pythian Games at Delphi to revive it. In this Delphic Idea ( Δελφική Ιδέα ) it was him not only to literature but also to international understanding. Supported by his wife, he campaigned with lectures and articles for his thoughts, so that in 1927, Prometheus Bound, 1930, which could be listed according to ancient Greek drama in Delphi The Suppliants by Aeschylus. In addition, the Delphic Association ( Δελφική Ένωση ) should be established to connect an international association to promote international understanding, as well as a University of Delphi with the aim of the literary traditions of all peoples in a common myth. In 1929 he was recognized for these plans of the Academy of Athens with the silver medal. However, ultimately only the Delphic Games were realized, however, that had to be immediately hired because of their economic failure success.

Trivia

Sikelianos had a country house at Salamis, directly opposite the monastery Faneromeni. King Paul of Greece is said to have visited him there regularly on the way to the harbor.

Works

Single

• Poetry: Λυρικός Βίος, 3 vols (selection), 1946-47.
• Tragedies: Θυμέλη, 3 vols, 1950-54.

Complete Edition

• Άπαντα, 6 vols ( ed. by Georgios Savvidis ), 1965-69.

Swell

• John P. Anton (ed.), Upward Panic. The Autobiography of Eva Palmer - Sikelianos, Routledge 1993.
• Anna Sikelianu, Η ζωή μου με τον Άγγελο, Athens 1985.